Abstract:
An information processing device and associated methodology are provided for inspecting a program fault. A first memory stores a boot program executed when the information processing device is initiated for operation. A second memory device is provided for storing an application program. A control device executes a fault inspection program to inspect whether or not a fault has occurred in the second memory device. The fault inspection program is stored in the first memory device and is initiated upon initialization of the information processing device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
   This application is based upon and claims a priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-245337 filed on Aug. 25, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an information process device in which a fault in hardware or software is inspected. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   In a conventional information process device, data and programs required in calculation or control are stored in one memory area of a memory device such as a hard disk and a program for inspecting whether or not a fault such as damage, change or falsification occurs in the programs or data (hereinafter, abbreviated as “fault inspection program”) is stored in the other memory area in the same memory device, as disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Publication No. 2003-331236. 
   Therefore, in a case that the damage occurs in the memory device, there is fear that the fault inspection program is also damaged. At that time, it cannot be guaranteed that the fault inspection program properly operates. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In order to dissolve the above problems, the present invention has been done and has an object to provide an information process device in which it can be guaranteed that a fault inspection program properly operates even if a fault occurs in a memory device which is inspected through the fault inspection program. 
   In order to accomplish the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, it is provided an information process device comprising: 
   a first memory device for storing a boot program executed when the information process device is started to operate; 
   a mother board on which the first memory device is provided; 
   a second memory device for storing an application program, the second memory device being connected to the mother board; 
   a control device for executing a fault inspection program to inspect whether or not a fault occurs in the second memory device; 
   wherein the fault inspection program is stored in the first memory device; and 
   wherein the control device executes the fault inspection program when the information process device is started to operate. 
   According to the information process device of the present invention, the fault inspection program is stored in the first memory device on the mother board which is independent from the second memory device, thereby even if the fault occurs in the second memory device, it can be guaranteed that the fault inspection program properly operates. 
   The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purpose of illustration only and not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the objects, advantages and principles of the invention. 
     In the drawings, 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an information process device according to the embodiment, 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a start program executed when the information process device is started to operate, and 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the information process device according to the embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Hereinafter, the embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
     FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the embodiment according to the present invention.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an information process device of the embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 3 , although the information process device  1  is a gaming machine for business use, such gaming machine utilizes an operating system (OS) which is generally used in a personal computer on sale. And under an operation circumstances thereof, a game soft program stored in a hard disk mentioned later is operated. 
   And as shown in  FIG. 1 , in the information process device  1  according to the embodiment, a CPU  12 , a ROM  13 , a RAM  14 , a bus  15 , connectors  16 ,  17 , a port  18 , extended slots  19 ,  20  are provided on a mother board  11 . 
   The CPU  12  controls the information process device  1  of the embodiment and executes various programs. Therefore, the CPU  12  corresponds to a control device. 
   And the ROM  13  is a nonvolatile memory in which various control programs are stored, such control programs being required when the information process device  1  of the embodiment is started to operate. The ROM  13  corresponds to a first memory device. And in the ROM  13 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , a boot program storing area  13   a  for storing a boot program, a fault inspection program storing area  13   b  for storing a fault inspection program and a start program storing area  13   c  for storing a start program are formed. 
   Here, the boot program stored in the boot program storing area  13   a , the fault inspection program stored in the fault inspection program storing area  13   b  and the start program stored in the start program storing area  13   c  will be described hereinafter. 
   Further, the RAM  14  is a memory for temporarily storing various data calculated when the CPU  12  executes programs. 
   The bus  15  is constructed from a PCI bus in which a bridge circuit for frequency change is formed, and becomes a common signal bus through which transmission and receipt of signals are conducted among the CPU  12 , the ROM  13 , the RAM  14 , the connectors  16 ,  17 , the port  18  and the extended slots  19 ,  20 . 
   The connector  16  is a device to connect an output device  21  required when the game soft program is operated, to the mother board  11 . 
   Here, the output device  21  connected to the connector  16  is constructed from a liquid crystal display (see the reference number  21  in  FIG. 3 ) and a sound output device (not shown) such as a speaker. Instead of the liquid crystal display (see the reference number  21  in  FIG. 3 ), a CRT display and the like may be used. 
   The connector  17  is a device to connect an input device required when the game soft program is operated, to the mother board  11 . Here, the input device  22  is constructed from a control panel  22  (see  FIG. 3 ) provided with a plurality of button switches (not shown). The input device  22  may include the other devices such as a keyboard, a mouse and the like, and according to contents of the game soft program, a joystick and the like may be connected to the connector  17 . And in  FIG. 1 , although only one connector  17  is shown, if a plurality of input devices  22  are used, plural connectors  17  are provided respectively corresponding to each of the input devices  22 . 
   And a hard disk  24  (HDD) is connected to the port  18  through a flat cable  23 . 
   And in the hard disk  24  connected to the port  18 , there are formed an operating system (OS) storing area  24   a  for storing the OS, an extended BIOS (Basic Input Output System) storing area  24   b  for storing an extended BIOS and an application storing area  24   c  for storing an application program which is the game soft program. Therefore, the hard disk  24  corresponds to a second memory device. 
   And the extended slot  19  is an insertion slot to connect a video board  25  to the mother board  11 . 
   Here, the video board  25  connected to the mother board  11  through the extended slot  19  is a board having a graphics-accelerator to display figures and characters on the liquid crystal display (see the reference number  21  in  FIG. 3 ) which is one of the output devices  21 . The video board  25  can conduct performance with a resolution level and a graphics describing speed so that the operation of the game soft program in the information process device  1  of the embodiment can be properly executed. 
   And the extended slot  20  is an insertion slot to connect a sound board  26  to the mother board  11 . 
   Here, the sound board  26  connected to the mother board  11  through the extended slot  20  is a board having a chip such as FM sound source and PCM sound source to output sounds from the speaker (not shown) which is one of the output devices  21 . The sound board  26  can conduct performance so that the operation of the game soft program in the information process device  1  of the embodiment can be properly executed. 
   Next, with reference to a flowchart shown in  FIG. 2 , it will be described an operation executed when the information process device  1  according to the embodiment is started to operate.  FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a start program executed when the information process device  1  is started to operate. 
   In the information process device  1  of the embodiment, when the device  1  is started to operate, the start program stored in the start program storing area  13   c  of the ROM  13  is executed by the CPU  12 . 
   That is to say, as shown in  FIG. 2 , when the start program is executed, at first in S 11 , a boot program is executed. 
   Here, the boot program is a program stored in the boot program storing area  13   a  of the ROM  13 , and based on the boot program, initialization of various devices including the extended BIOS (Basic Input Output System) in the hard disk  24  and the OS (Operating System) in the hard disk  24  is executed. 
   At that time, since the OS (Operating System) in the hard disk  24  is loaded in the RAM  14  and started to operate, the ROM  13  may be called as a boot ROM at this point of view. 
   Next, when procedure of the start program shifts to S 12 , the fault inspection program is executed. 
   Here, the fault inspection program is a program stored in the fault inspection program storing area  13   b  and through which a fault inspection in the hard disk  24  is executed. Concretely, according to the fault inspection program, it is inspected whether or not a damage occurs in the hard disk  24  or whether or not change or falsification of the program stored in the hard disk  24  is conducted. 
   Next, when procedure of the start program shifts to S 13 , it is determined whether or not a fault occurs in the hard disk  24 . This determination is conducted based on an execution result of the fault inspection program obtained in S 12 . 
   At that time, if it is determined that the fault does not occur in the hard disk  24  (S 13 : NO), procedure shifts to S 14 , thereafter the application program stored in the hard disk  24  is loaded in the RAM  14  and execution of the application program is started. On the other hand, if it is determined that the fault occurs in the hard disk  24  (S 13 : YES), procedure shifts to S 15  and error display is conducted on the liquid crystal display (see the reference number  21  in  FIG. 3 ) which is one of the output devices  21 . 
   As mentioned, in the information process device  1  according to the embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the fault inspection program is stored in the fault inspection program storing area  13   b  of the ROM  13  on the mother board  11  independently from the hard disk  24 , thereby even if a fault occurs in the hard disk  24  which is inspected by the fault inspection program, it can be guaranteed that the fault inspection program properly operates. 
   And as shown in  FIG. 3 , the information process device  1  of the embodiment is used as the gaming machine for business use, and as shown in  FIG. 2 , the fault inspection program stored in the ROM  13  is executed at the time that the information process device  1  is started to operate and the fault inspection in the hard disk  24  is executed before games are started. Therefore, measures to avoid troubles during gaming can be taken beforehand, without giving displeasure to a player of the gaming machine for business use. 
   Here, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment mentioned in the above and various modifications can be conducted within the scope of the present invention. 
   For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , although the information process device  1  of the embodiment is used as the gaming machine for business use, the information process device  1  may be adopted for a personal computer on sale. In this case, the keyboard, the mouse or the joystick may be utilized as the input device, instead of the control panel  22 . 
   And in the information process device  1  of the embodiment, although the hard disk  24  is used as the second memory device, a flash memory in which contents can be changed and stored may be used. In this case, the fault inspection program inspects whether or not a fault occurs in the flash memory. 
   The present invention can be adopted for the fault inspection in the information process device.