JPS6367634A - Firmware loading system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To load firmware as much as possible into a high-speed memory by deciding the firmware to be loaded to the memory in response to the capacity of the memory and the loading priority to the memory. CONSTITUTION:A loading destination deciding means 20 checks the loading state of the firmware 1 and finishes its processing when the loading action is through. If the loading action is not through yet, the firmware 1 to be loaded next is selected in accordance with the loading priority information on a high- speed memory 11 that is previously set with the firmware. Then it is checked whether the selected firmware 1 is workable in a main memory 12 or not. If not, it is decided to load the firmware 1 to the memory 11. When the firmware 1 is workable in the memory 12, it is checked whether the firmware 1 is workable or not in the memory 11. If not, the firmware 1 is loaded to the memory 12. Thus the firmware that is workable in both memories 11 and 12 is obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a firmware loading method in a computer system.

[Conventional technology]

In the conventional firmware loading method, when a system is generated, firmware to be loaded into a high-speed memory and firmware to be loaded into a main memory, which is slower than the high-speed memory, are determined, and the firmware is loaded into each of the main memories.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the conventional firmware loading method described above, since the firmware to be loaded into the high-speed memory is determined at the time of system generation, the storage capacity of the high-speed memory is required to be greater than the capacity of the firmware to be loaded into the high-speed memory.

Further, even if the system has a sufficient high-speed memory capacity, only the firmware determined at the time of system generation is loaded into the high-speed memory, and the secured high-speed memory capacity is not effectively used.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention, which eliminates the drawbacks described above, provides determining means for determining the firmware to be loaded into the high-speed memory according to the priority of loading the firmware to the high-speed memory with respect to the storage capacity of the high-speed memory, and and loading means for loading firmware into memory or main memory.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained using figures.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, information that can be loaded in advance to a high-speed memory or a main memory, or both may be used. The firmware 1 has priority information for loading to the high-speed memory, a load destination determining means 20, a load means 30, a high-speed memory 11, and a main memory 12 that is slower than the high-speed memory. The firmware 1 is loaded by the load destination determining means 20.
According to the load destination information, it is determined whether to load into the high speed memory 11 or the main memory 12. This decision is made by checking the storage state of the high-speed memory, since some firmware may be stored in either the high-speed memory or the main memory. The firmware 1 determined by the load destination determining means 20 to be loaded into the high speed memory 11 or the main memory 12 is loaded into the high speed memory 11 or the main memory 12 by the loading means 30.

, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the detailed operation of the load destination determining means 20. Load destination determining means 2
0 checks the loading status of firmware 1, and if the loading is completed, the process ends (101). If the loading has not been completed, the firmware to be loaded next is selected according to the loading priority information set in advance for the firmware to high-speed memory (102>. Although the selected firmware can be operated in the main memory, please check it. 103), and if it is not possible, it is determined to load it into high speed memory (106). If it is possible to operate in main memory, then it is checked whether it is possible to operate in high-speed memory (104), and if not, it is decided to load it to main memory (107);
Up to this point, in steps 103 and 104, firmware that can operate in either the main memory or the high-speed memory has been extracted. Next, check whether there is capacity to load the extracted firmware in the high-speed memory (105). If not, load it to the main memory, and if there is capacity to load it, load it to the high-speed memory.

FIGS. 3(1) to 3(4) are conceptual diagrams showing an example of a state in which firmware is loaded into a high-speed memory.

Figure (1) shows the load priority and capacity of firmware to high-speed memory. Uppercase letters indicate those that cannot be operated in the main memory, that is, those that operate only in high-speed memory, and firmware indicated in lowercase letters are those that cannot be operated in the main memory. It is possible to operate with both storage and high-speed memory. Figure (2) shows the storage capacity of the high-speed memory. Figure (3) shows the loading state using the conventional method, in which A, B, and c are loaded, but the rest are blank because there is no capacity to load d, and only three firmwares are loaded. This is not possible and the usage efficiency is poor. On the other hand, according to the embodiment of the present invention, five pieces of firmware, A, B, c, e, and g, can be loaded, as shown in Figure 4 (4), and usage efficiency is improved. Understandable. Note that d and f will be loaded into main memory.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in a firmware loading method for a computer system in which firmware can operate in high-speed memory or main memory, the present invention provides firmware that is loaded into high-speed memory according to the storage capacity of the high-speed memory and the priority order of loading into the high-speed memory. By determining this, as much firmware as possible is loaded into the installed computer system into high-speed memory.

Because firmware runs faster in fast memory than in main memory, loading more firmware into fast memory can increase the throughput of a computer system and reduce turnaround time. There is an effect that it can be done. Another advantage is that there is no need to regenerate the system even if high-speed memory is added or removed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the load destination determining means 2 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 (1), (2), D) ,
(4) is a conceptual diagram showing the loading state of firmware. 1...Firmware, 11...High speed memory, 12
. . . Main memory, 20 . . . Determination means, 30 . . . Loading means. Figure 4 Collection 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a firmware loading method for a computer system having high-speed memory and main memory, and in which firmware can operate in either the high-speed memory or the main memory, the priority of loading to the high-speed memory corresponds to the storage capacity of the high-speed memory. A firmware loading method comprising: load destination determining means for determining firmware to be loaded into the high speed memory according to the load destination determining means; and loading means for loading the firmware into the high speed memory or main memory according to the load destination determining means.