JPH0454623A - Data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the waiting time, to smoothly execute the processing, and also, to execute the processing at a high speed by providing a read-in means for reading a retrieved file into an internal memory from an external memory. CONSTITUTION:While a file of a file number 1 is read in an execution file memory area shown by an oblique line of an internal memory 11 and executed, in such an idle loop as during, for instance, input waiting of a key and strobe waiting of various communication processings, a file having possibility to be executed in the next time is retrieved from an execution file data managing part 1 by a file retrieving means 2. As a result, it is read out of a hard disk 5 under the control of a hard disk control means 3, and stored in a free memory area of the internal memory 11. At the time of this idle loop, the next execution file is retrieved, and a processing for reading it in the internal memory 11 is executed. In such a way, a waiting time at the time of access of the external memory is eliminated, the processing is executed smoothly, and the processing can be executed at a high speed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Objective of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention stores a part of the program and data in an external memory and stores it as needed, since the program and data exceed the storage capacity of the internal memory. The present invention relates to a data processing device that reads data from an external memory and processes data according to the data.

(Prior Art) When programs and data cannot be stored in an internal memory, a method is used in which a portion of the programs and data are stored in an external memory such as a hard disk and read from the hard disk into the internal memory when necessary.

In the case of this method, conventionally, after a file on the hard disk is needed, the hard disk is accessed, the necessary file is read out, and the file is stored in the internal memory.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In a data processing device as described above, when two or more processing routines such as printer control, data exchange with other devices, etc. are processed in parallel while managing tasks, If this routine overlaps with another routine that requires continuous processing, access to the hard disk will be delayed, resulting in problems such as slow processing speed and uneven processing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and its purpose is to eliminate the waiting time when reading executable files from external memory, to perform data processing smoothly, and to speed up data processing. The purpose of this invention is to provide a processing device.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the data processing device of the present invention has the following features:
A data processing device that stores part of the program and data in external memory because the program and data exceeds the storage capacity of the internal memory, and searches for a file that may be executed next based on the file currently being executed. and a reading means that accesses an external memory and reads files searched by the search means from the external memory into the internal memory during free time during task processing.

(Function) The data processing device of the present invention searches for a file that may be executed next based on the file currently being executed, accesses the external memory during the free time of task processing, and stores the searched file in the external memory. is being read into internal memory.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a data processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The data processing device shown in the figure has a hard disk 5 as an external memory. The hard disk 5 is controlled via a hard disk control means 3, to which an executable file data management unit 1 is connected via a file search means 2, and a task management means 4 is also connected, and the task management means 4 is connected to the hard disk control means 3. The management means 4 manages a plurality of task routines 1 to n.

The hard disk 5 stores some of the programs and data that cannot be stored in the internal memory of the device, but the storage on the hard disk 5 is limited to the files shown in the squares in the right part 50 in FIG. It is divided into parts according to the order of execution and assigned file numbers. In other words, the divided executable files are classified in the order of execution, and the first
Data is managed by the executable file data management unit 1 shown in the figure.

Among the file numbers shown in Figure 2, file number "1"
When a file is being executed, this file is read into the executable file memory area indicated by diagonal lines in the internal memory 11 shown on the left side of FIG. 2 and executed. Note that in the internal memory 11, the memory area above the currently executing program area indicated by diagonal lines is the resident area, and the memory area below is an empty memory area, and there is a possibility that the next program will be executed in this empty memory area. A certain file is read out from the hard disk 5, which is an external memory, and stored.

As mentioned above, while the file with file number 1 is being read into the executable file memory area indicated by diagonal lines in the internal memory 11 and being executed, there is an idle period such as waiting for key input or strobe for various communication processing. A file that may be executed next during the loop is searched from the executable file data management unit 1 by the file search means 2 shown in FIG. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, file number 1 is followed by file numbers 2, 3, and so on. ．． 4゜5
．． 6.7.15 will be searched. Each file with the searched file number is read out from the hard disk 5 under the control of the hard disk control means 3 shown in FIG. 1 and stored in the empty memory area of the internal memory 11 shown in FIG. When the file being executed ends, the next file to be executed is selected from among the multiple files stored in the empty memory area, but in this case, the file with file number "3" is selected. If so, the file with file number 3 is transferred from the empty memory area to the execution file memory area indicated by diagonal lines and executed. Then, using the same procedure as described above, file number 1.1, which is managed in relation to file number 3, is
4.15.8,9゜10 files are now loaded.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the file reading procedure. Next, the timing of reading the file will be explained with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, after the main routine is displayed on the screen (step 110), priority judgment (step 210) shown expanded on the right side of the same figure in the task processing routine 120 is performed to determine the priority of each task, such as key human power and various communication processes. It makes judgments such as determining whether task processing is necessary and determining the order of processing among routines that require processing. As a result, processing is performed in order at step 220, and it is determined from this result whether it is possible to proceed to the next processing step (step 130). In this case, for example, while waiting for a key to be input from the keyboard or communicating with each device, there is an idle loop in which the loop between steps 120 and 130 is repeated, that is, a waiting time in which no processing is performed. Therefore, during this idle loop, the next executable file is searched for and read into the internal memory 11 as described above.

FIG. 4 shows the aforementioned internal memory 11, CPU, internal interrupt task controller, external interrupt controller, task processing node disk (HDD), floppy disk (FDD), printer, CATV-E-:
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the keyboard, CATV data reading, and host.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a file that is likely to be executed next is searched based on the file currently being executed, and an external memory is accessed during free time for task processing.
Since the search file is read from the external memory to the internal memory, there is no waiting time when accessing the external memory, and even if consecutive routines overlap, the processing can be performed smoothly and the processing speed can be increased.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the data processing device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram explaining the file reading situation, Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the file reading procedure, and Fig. 4 shows the structure around the internal memory and CPU. FIG. 1 ・Execution file data management unit, 3 φ − 4 ・ 5 ・ ・ 11 ・ ・File search means, ・Hard disk control means, ・Task management means, ・Hard disk, ・Internal memory.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A data processing device that stores part of the program and data in external memory because the program and data exceeds the storage capacity of the internal memory, and searches for a file that may be executed next based on the file currently being executed. 1. A data processing device comprising: a search means for performing a search, and a reading means for accessing an external memory during free time during task processing and reading a file searched by the search means from the external memory into an internal memory.