Abstract:
An apparatus for processing options of electronic equipment models and a method therefor, and more particularly, an apparatus for controlling optional functions of electronic equipment models, in which various functions are executed by the same hardware circuit structure for each model, and a method therefor are provided. 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to improve productivity by using one standardized hardware circuit, thus selectively realizing various optional functions and to singularizing the number of the PCBs needed to perform the optional functions, thus preventing a specification accident in which the optional function is changed by mistake during production.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing optional programs in electronic equipment and a method therefor, and more particularly, to an apparatus for controlling optional functions in electronic equipment, in which various functions are executed using a single hardware circuit, and a method therefor. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Function printed circuit boards (PCB) are typically used in electronic equipment such that based on the presence or absence of optional diodes in a key metric, one or more optional functions can be selected from a group of optional functions. That is, optional functions corresponding to the specifications of a particular product model can be selected according to the combination of diodes in a key metric connected between the scan out port and the scan in port of a microprocessor. 
     Therefore, since the design of the key metrics of the scan in and scan out ports of the microprocessor varies in each specification, the function PCB of a front panel is designed so that different key metric designs are applied according to the optional functions of produced models. 
     Since the PCB is managed according to models having different optional functions when the products are produced, the number of PCBs increases. Accordingly, it is difficult to manage materials for production. Also, when a changed PCB is applied according to the change of the specification, the PCB mis-operates in a selected model. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To solve the above problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling optional functions of electronic equipment, designed to have the same hardware of a microprocessor, regardless of the optional functions of products. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling optional functions of electronic equipment. 
     Accordingly, to achieve the first object, there is provided an apparatus for controlling optional programs corresponding to the mode type of electronic equipment, including a data base for storing all optional programs, comprising a memory for storing a selected optional program in a specific region, a controller for generating a control command for selecting the optional program, a central processing unit (CPU) for decoding the control command, controlling the display of an optional function selecting menu screen with respect to a selected level, reading the optional program selected according to an input selection command, storing the selected optional program in the memory, and executing only the optional program stored in the specific region of the memory according to an input optional program execution command, and a displayer for displaying the optional program selecting menu screen. 
     To achieve the second object, there is provided a method for controlling optional functions of electronic equipment, by which the same hardware circuit structure is used regardless of different optional functions, comprising the steps of (a) selecting the program of an optional function corresponding to the product specification of the electronic equipment and storing the program in a memory, (b) determining whether a command input to the CPU of the electronic equipment corresponds to an optional function related command, (c) determining whether the command input to the CPU corresponds to an optional program execution command stored in the step (a) after determining in step (b) that the command input to the CPU corresponds to the optional function related command, and (d) fetching and executing the optional program when the inputted command is the optional program execution command stored in the step (a) as determined in step (c) and preventing the execution of a concerned command when the input command is not the optional program execution command stored in step (a). 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows the structure of an apparatus for controlling optional functions of electronic equipment according to the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B show the structures of the CPU and the memory shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 shows a cycle of the CPU shown in FIG. 1 of fetching and executing commands; 
     FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for controlling the optional functions of the electronic equipment according to the present invention; and 
     FIGS. 5A through 5E show optional function selecting menu screens displayed in the step of setting optional functions of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIG. 1, an apparatus for controlling optional functions of electronic equipment according to the present invention includes a controller  101 , a transmitter  102 , a receiver  103 , a central processing unit (CPU)  104 , a memory  105 , an input/output (I/O) interface  106 , and a displayer  107 . 
     The controller  101  is loaded with a data base for storing all programs related to options. The controller  101  generates a menu display request for displaying a menu of selectable optional functions when an option selection command is inputted during the production of a product and transmits a selected optional program. 
     As shown in FIG. 2A, the CPU  104  performs data processing by a command decoder and a general purpose arithmetic logic module which are internal main elements. The CPU  104  includes a memory address register (MAR) for storing addresses in the memory  105  and performing reading or writing operation, a memory buffer register (MBR) for temporarily storing data to be stored in the memory  105  or data read from the memory  105 , an input/output address register (I/O AR), and an input/output buffer register (I/O BR) for exchanging data with an input and output apparatus. 
     As shown in FIG. 2B, in the memory  105 , commands or data related to optional functions are stored in sequentially designated addresses. 
     A program related to an optional function which is selected through the option selecting menu screen is stored in a specific region of memory  105 . The memory  105  is a non-volatile memory in which stored data is not erased when power is turned off. 
     The control operation of FIG. 1 will be described as follows on the basis of the flowchart of FIG.  4 . 
     In step  401 , a user selects optional functions through the optional program selecting menu. 
     In a method of selecting an optional function, when a specific function key for displaying the optional function selecting menu is input, the controller  101  generates a menu display request for displaying a menu of selectable optional functions. Then, the transmitter  102  transmits program data corresponding to the menu display request for displaying a menu of selectable optional functions, to the receiver  103 . The receiver  103  outputs the received program data to the CPU  104 . Then, the CPU  104  decodes the received program and displays a main option selecting menu screen shown in FIG. 5A or  5 B through the displayer  107 . 
     Using a cursor key, a user selects a country to which a concerned model is to be sold among the displayed main option menus and inputs a setting key (the key ), and an optional program corresponding to the selected country is stored in the memory  105 . Then, a sub-menu screen for selecting a model name is displayed as shown in FIG.  5 C. The user selects and sets a model, and a model related optional program corresponding to the selected model is stored in the memory  105 . 
     Then, a menu screen of the lowest level for selecting an optional function is displayed as shown in FIG.  5 E. In the menu screen, the user selects an optional function related to the optional programs of the concerned model. The selected programs related to the selected optional function are outputted from the controller  101  and are stored in the designated optional program region of the memory  105 . 
     When a model, except for the model initially set in the memory  105  is to be designed, the user should select the item “NEW MODEL” from the menu screen of FIG. 5A or  5 B. When the item “NEW MODEL” is selected, the user adds a new model name via the menu screen which is displayed as shown in FIG.  5 D. When the user selects a program number related to the optional function of the added model, the optional program corresponding to the program number is outputted from the controller  101 . The selected optional program is stored in the memory  105  through the receiver  103 . 
     Through the above processes, it is possible to select and set different optional functions according to concerned models during the production of products. 
     After selecting and setting the optional functions, when the user desires to modify some of the optional functions, the menu screen of FIG. 5E is displayed. Then, in order to delete some optional functions, CTL+0 through 9 (concerned optional program numbers) are input as an example of a program. In order to add some optional functions, OK+0 through 9 (concerned optional program numbers) are input. 
     In step  402 , it is determined whether the command input through the I/O interface  106  is related to the optional functions. 
     In step  403 , when the input command is the optional function related command as a determination result of the step  402 , it is determined whether the input command is the optional function related command selected in the step  401  and stored in the optional program region of the memory  105 . 
     In step  404 , when the input command is the optional function related command stored in the optional program region of the memory  105  as a determination result of the step  403 , the concerned optional program is fetched in order to execute the concerned optional function stored in the memory  105 . 
     In step  405 , a command with respect to the program fetched in the step  404  is decoded and executed. 
     In steps  405  and  404 , as shown in FIG. 3, a fetch cycle  301  for reading a command and an execution cycle  302  for decoding and executing the fetched command are repeated. 
     In the step  406 , when the input command is not the optional function related command stored in the option related program region of the memory  105  as the determination result of the step  403 , an execution inhibit control for inhibiting the program corresponding to the concerned command is performed. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the data base for storing all the optional programs is loaded into the controller  101 . However, the data base can be loaded into the CPU  104 . When the optional program data base is loaded into the controller  101 , the optional program is directly stored in the memory  105  from the data base of the CPU  104  when the optional program is selected. In this case, the controller  101  controls only the optional program selecting menu screen. 
     Since it is possible to realize various optional functions by using the same CPU  104  and hardware circuit it is possible to standardize the PCB in the above-mentioned way; in spite of the difference between the optional functions of product models thus productivity is improved. 
     As mentioned above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve productivity by using one standardized hardware circuit, to selectively realize various optional functions and to singularize the number of the PCBs needed to perform the optional functions, as a result specification accidents in which the optional function is changed by mistake during production is prevented from happening.