EP0511511A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Microprocessor controlled electronic equipment
Assignee: Motorola Solutions Israel Ltd
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Filing: 1992-04-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-04-02
Abstract
Abstract 5 n7 This invention relates to electronic equipment comprising microprocessors, and more specifically microprocessors employed within radio receiver circuits, incorporating on-chip memory (301, 302, 303) and which have the ability to operate in either a single chip or expanded mode. The single chip mode restricts microprocessor (300) operation to internal operation and thereby inhibits external addressing and locally generated noise whereas the expanded mode allows external addressing. A software program, comprised from modules of program code, is categorised into a first and a second category of routines. First category routines are related to equipment functions which are affected by generated noise to a higher degree and, when in operation, are stored in the internal memory (301, 302, 303). Second category routines are stored in a memory external to the microprocessor (201, 202) and are related to equipment functions which are affected by generated noise to a lesser degree. The first and second category routines are executed in the microprocessor's single chip and expanded modes respectively.
Inventors
- 👤 Menachem Diamantstein
- 👤 Yona Newman
- 👤 Victor Koren
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:03
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/38; H04B1/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
Electronic equipment comprising: a) a microprocessor (300) which contains on-chip memory (301, 302, 303) and internal buses and which has the ability to operate in a single chip mode and an expanded mode, wherein the single chip mode restricts microprocessor (300) operation to internal operation and thereby inhibits external addressing and locally generated noise and the expanded mode allows external addressing; b) a memory (201, 202) external to the microprocessor (300) and coupled thereto; c) a software program, associated with said electronic equipment, comprised from modules of program code which are categorised into i) a first category of routines which, when in operation, are stored in the internal memory (301, 302, 303) and which are related to equipment functions which are affected by generated noise to a higher degree; and ii) a second category of routines stored in the memory external to the microprocessor (201, 202) and which are related to equipment functions which are affected by generated noise to a lesser degree; and d) means for executing the first category routines in the microprocessor's single chip mode and executing the second category routines in the microprocessor's expanded mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
Electronic equipment comprising: a) a microprocessor (300) which contains on-chip memory (301, 302, 303) and internal buses and which has the ability to operate in a single chip mode and an expanded mode, wherein the single chip mode restricts microprocessor (300) operation to internal operation and thereby inhibits external addressing and locally generated noise and the expanded mode allows external addressing; b) a memory (201, 202) external to the microprocessor (300) and coupled thereto; c) a software program, associated with said electronic equipment, comprised from modules of program code which are categorised into i) a first category of routines which, when in operation, are stored in the internal memory (301, 302, 303) and which are related to equipment functions which are affected by generated noise to a higher degree; and ii) a second category of routines stored in the memory external to the microprocessor (201, 202) and which are related to equipment functions which are affected by generated noise to a lesser degree; and d) means for executing the first category routines in the microprocessor's single chip mode and executing the second category routines in the microprocessor's expanded mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
116 words
Electronic equipment in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first category of routines are further sub-divided into: a) a set of primary first category algorithms comprising modules of first category code which are continually operational and which are permanently stored within the internal memory (302, 303) of said microprocessor (300); and b) a set of secondary first category algorithms comprising modules of first category code which are only executed from time to time and which are initially stored in the memory (201, 202) external to said microprocessor (300); wherein the electronic equipment further comprises means for loading the secondary first category routines into the internal memory (301) of the microprocessor when called upon to implement such.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
Electronic equipment in accordance with claim 2, wherein the internal memory comprises: a) non-volatile memory (301) in which said primary first category algorithms are stored; and b) volatile memory (302, 303) in which said secondary first category algorithms are periodically loaded and stored.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
Electronic equipment according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising: input means (118, 121, 306, 307) for receiving a command to change between operating modes; and means for implementing an operating mode change (308, 309) in response to the reception of a command from the input means (118, 121, 306, 307); whereby the command to change between said modes forces a micro-reset of the microprocessor (300).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
Electronic equipment according to claim 4, wherein the command to change between said modes is generated in response to the registration of a clock monitor fail within the microprocessor (300) and the issuance of a STOP instruction by a module of code.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
Electronic equipment according to claim 4, wherein the command to change between said modes is generated in response to the enablement of a watchdog timer circuit and the prevention of a software reset of the watchdog timer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
Electronic equipment according to claim 4, wherein the command to change between said modes is generated in response to the detection of an illegal op-code at a specific, designated location within a module of code.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
Electronic equipment according to claim 4, wherein the command to change between said modes is generated in response to the initialisation of a mode select means (405, 406, 417) and the activation of a coupled microprocessor reset input means (400).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
Electronic equipment according to claim 5, 6, 7 or 8, wherein means are provided for writing a vector, representing a desired start location for a new operating mode, to the internal volatile memory (301) of the microprocessor (300) prior to the initialisation of the forced micro-reset and then immediately reading the vector after the mode change has occurred.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
Electronic equipment according to claim 5, 6, 7 or 8, wherein the means for implementing the change between modes (308, 309) comprises storage means receptive to a bit value, generated from the microprocessor (300), which represents a vector signifying a desired start location within the software program for the new operating mode, such that the bit value is written to the storage means prior to the forced micro-reset and is read from the storage means immediately after the mode change has occurred.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
Electronic equipment according to claims 9 or 10, wherein the vector is uniquely defined by the command received from each specific input means (118, 121, 306, 307).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
Electronic equipment according to claim 11, wherein the vector contains a routine which accesses a first module of code which re-initiates the microprocessor and then initiates a desired second module of code.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
Electronic equipment according to any preceding claim wherein the microprocessor (300) forms part of a radio communications device which comprises: a receiver (110); a transmitter (112); and a user interface (117).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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