Back-up method for firmware information

The object of the invention is to provide a back-up method for information for setting a system control apparatus by which externally back up data can be used even if version up of or addition of a function to firmware is effected and the back up data can be edited manually. An encoder unit 14 for converting a form of firmware information for internal setting 12 into an apparatus definition file 17 of the text form and a decoder unit 13 for converting the apparatus definition file 17 of the text form into the form of the firmware information for internal setting 12 are provided in a system control apparatus 11, and the form of the firmware information for internal setting 12 is converted into the apparatus definition file 17 of the text form by the encoder unit 12 and the apparatus definition file 17 of the text form is up-loaded into and backed up by a back-up apparatus 16, whereafter, when necessary, the apparatus definition file 17 of the text form of the back-up apparatus 16 is converted into the form of the firmware for internal setting information 12 by the decoder unit 13 and down-loaded into the system control apparatus 11.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a back-up method for externally backing up 
firmware information for internal setting of a system control apparatus of 
the embedded type. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
In a system control apparatus of the embedded type, in externally backing 
up the information of the firmware for internal setting of the apparatus, 
conventionally the information for setting the apparatus is backed up by 
an external back up apparatus in the same binary data form as the form of 
the internal information of the apparatus. 
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a setting information back-up system for a 
system control apparatus of a conventional example. Referring to FIG. 1, 
reference numeral 41 denotes a system control apparatus, 42 information 
for internal setting of the apparatus, 45 a communication unit, 46 an 
apparatus information back-up apparatus, and 47 a back-up file. 
The information for internal setting 42 of the system control apparatus 41 
is up-loaded into the back-up file 47 of the apparatus information back-up 
apparatus 46 via the communication unit 45, and when necessary, the back 
up data are down-loaded into the internal information for internal setting 
42 of the system control apparatus 41 by the reverse route. 
With the prior art, it is a first problem that it sometimes becomes 
impossible to use the back up data by version up of the firmware. The 
reason is that, by the version up of the firmware, the form of the 
information for internal setting of the apparatus is changed or the memory 
allocation is changed. 
It is a second problem that the back up data cannot be edited manually. The 
reason is that the back up data have the same form as the information for 
internal setting of the apparatus and cannot be recognized visually by a 
human being. 
Further, it is a third problem that, when a function is added to the 
apparatus, it sometimes becomes impossible to use the back up data. The 
reason is that the information for setting the apparatus is backed up in 
the same binary data form as that of the internal information of the 
apparatus. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a back-up method for 
information for setting a system control apparatus in which externally 
backed up data can be used even if version up of or addition of a function 
to firmware of the apparatus is effected, and in which the back up data 
can be edited manually. 
A back-up method for firmware information of the present invention is a 
back-up method for backing up firmware information for internal setting of 
a system control apparatus using an external back-up apparatus, wherein an 
encoder unit for converting the form of the firmware information for 
internal setting into an apparatus definition file of the text format and 
a decoder unit for converting the apparatus definition file of the text 
form into the form of the firmware information for internal setting are 
provided in said system control apparatus. Backing up of the firmware 
information is effected by the encoder unit converting the form of the 
firmware information for internal setting into the apparatus definition 
file of the text form and up-loading to and backing up the apparatus 
definition file of the text form into by the back-up apparatus and 
converting by the decoder unit, when necessary, the apparatus definition 
file of the text form of the back-up apparatus into the form of the 
firmware information for internal setting and down-loading the firmware 
information for internal into the system control apparatus. 
When a function is added to the firmware of the system control apparatus, 
the same function may be added to the apparatus definition file of the 
external back-up apparatus. Or, setting of the firmware internal 
information of the system control apparatus may be effected by 
down-loading of the apparatus definition file of the text form of the 
back-up apparatus edited using a text processing tool. Or else, setting of 
the firmware internal information of the system control apparatus may be 
effected by down-loading of an apparatus definition file of the text form 
up-loaded in the text form from any other system control apparatus into 
the back-up apparatus and edited using a text processing tool. 
The back-up method for firmware information may be a system wherein an 
internal apparatus default value of the firmware of the system control 
apparatus is not encoded into the apparatus definition file. 
Further, the system control apparatus may be a system control apparatus for 
transfer control. 
The above and other object, features, and advantages of the present 
invention will become apparent from the following description based on the 
accompanying drawings which illustrate an example of a preferred 
embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
An embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with 
reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information 
back-up system for information for setting a system control apparatus of 
the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 denotes a 
system control apparatus, 12 information for internal setting of 
apparatus, 13 a definition data decoder unit, 14 a definition data encoder 
unit, 15 a communication unit, 16 an apparatus information back-up 
apparatus, and 17 an apparatus definition file of the text form. 
In the embodiment of the present invention, the definition data decoder 
unit 13, the definition data encoder unit 14 and the communication unit 15 
are disposed inside the system control apparatus 11 of a transmission 
apparatus of the embedded type, and the definition data decoder unit 13 
and the definition data encoder unit 14 are connected to the apparatus 
definition file 17 of the text form of the apparatus information back-up 
apparatus 16 via the communication unit 15. 
Next, operation of the embodiment of the present invention is described in 
detail with reference to FIG. 2. When up-loading the information for 
internal setting 12 into the apparatus information back-up apparatus 16, 
the apparatus information for internal setting 12 is converted into an 
apparatus definition file of the text form by the definition data encoder 
unit 14 and backed up in the apparatus definition file 17 of the text form 
of the apparatus information back-up apparatus 16. In this instance, in 
order to reduce the size of the apparatus definition file 17 of the text 
form, apparatus information set by default is not encoded into data of the 
text form. 
On the contrary, when down-loading the information backed up in the 
apparatus definition file 17 of the text form of the apparatus information 
back-up apparatus 16 into the system control apparatus 11, the definition 
file to be transferred from the apparatus information back-up apparatus 16 
to the system control apparatus 11 is converted into apparatus internal 
setting information by the definition data decoder unit 13 on the system 
control apparatus 11 side and the information is set to the information 
for internal setting of the apparatus 12. 
It is otherwise possible to place another apparatus definition file 17 of 
the text form edited on a PC/WS (Programmable Controller/Work Station) in 
advance into the apparatus information back-up apparatus 16 and down-load 
the apparatus definition file into the system control apparatus 11. 
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing a form of the system control 
apparatus internal setting information. Referring to FIG. 3, reference 
symbol 11a denotes a memory space, and 11b a memory address. The 
information for internal setting of the apparatus 12 is stored in the form 
depending on the memory space 11a of the system control apparatus 11. 
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing a form of the apparatus definition 
file of the text form. The apparatus information is described in the text 
form in accordance with a defining function. 
While the transmission apparatus of the embedded type is described in the 
present embodiment, the back-up method for firmware information of the 
present invention can be applied widely to ordinary system control 
apparatus. 
The following effects are achieved by the back-up method for firmware 
information of the present invention. 
1. Since the memory allocation of information for internal setting of the 
apparatus is determined by the definition data decoder unit each time the 
information is down-loaded, even if the information form of the apparatus 
internal setting information is changed or the memory allocation is 
changed by version up of the firmware, the back up apparatus definition 
file can still be used. 
2. Since the back up apparatus definition file is in the text form, even if 
a function of the apparatus is added, it is only required to add a 
definition to the apparatus definition file. 
3. Since the back up apparatus definition file is in the text form, it can 
be utilized also by another similar apparatus by editing the back up 
apparatus definition file. 
4. Since the back up apparatus definition file is in the text form, the 
apparatus definition file of the text form can be edited using various 
text processing tools (editor, awk, perl and so forth) on a PC/WS, and 
setting of the apparatus can be performed off-line in advance. 
5. Since apparatus default values are not encoded into the apparatus 
definition file, the size of the apparatus definition file of the back up 
text form can be minimized. 
It is to be understood, however, that although the characteristics and 
advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing 
description, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made 
in the arrangement of the parts within the scope of the appended claims.