Data processing apparatus data erasing method therefor, and program for implementing the method

A data erasing method executed by a data processing apparatus, comprising:

• an input step of inputting data;
• a data processing step of performing predetermined processing on the data input in said input step;
• a storage step of storing the data on which the processing has been performed in said data processing step in a storage unit;
• a switching step of switching a source of voltage supply to the storage unit from a first voltage supply unit to a second voltage supply unit when the first voltage supply unit is incapable of supplying voltage to the storage unit;
• and
• an erasing step of erasing the data in response to the switching of the source of voltage supply from the first voltage supply unit to the second voltage supply unit in said switching step, using a selected one of a plurality of erasing processes depending on a status of processing of the data in said data processing step.

A data processing apparatus comprising:

• an input unit that inputs data;
• a data processing unit that performs predetermined processing on the data input by said input unit;
• a nonvolatile storage unit that stores the data on which the processing has been performed by said data processing unit;
• a first voltage supply unit that supplies voltage to said storage unit;
• a second voltage unit that supplies voltage to said storage unit when said first voltage supply unit is incapable of supplying voltage to said storage unit;
• and
• a control unit responsive to said first voltage supply unit becoming incapable of supplying voltage to said storage unit, for causing said storage unit to store a status of processing of the data by said data processing unit, and responsive to resumption of supply of voltage from said first voltage supply unit to said storage unit, for erasing the data using a selected one of a plurality of erasing processes depending on the status of processing of the data.

A data erasing method executed by a data processing apparatus, comprising:

• an input step of inputting data;
• a data processing step of performing predetermined processing on the data input in said input step;
• a storage step of storing the data on which the processing has been performed in said data processing step in a storage unit;
• a switching step of switching a source of voltage supply to the storage unit from a first voltage supply unit to a second voltage supply unit when the first voltage supply unit is incapable of supplying voltage to the storage unit;
• and
• an erasing step of causing the storage unit to store a status of processing of the data in response to the switching of the source of voltage supply from the first voltage supply unit to the second voltage supply unit in said switching step, and erasing the data using a selected one of a plurality of erasing processes depending on the status of processing of the data after resumption of voltage supply from the first voltage supply unit to the storage unit.

A program for causing a computer to implement a data erasing method executed by a data processing apparatus, comprising:

• an input module for inputting data;
• a data processing module for performing predetermined processing on the data input by said input module;
• a storage module for storing the data on which the processing has been performed by said data processing module in a storage unit;
• a switching module for switching a source of voltage supply to the storage unit from a first voltage supply unit to a second voltage supply unit when the first voltage supply unit is incapable of supplying voltage to the storage unit;
• and
• an erasing module for erasing the data in response to the switching of the source of voltage supply from the first voltage supply unit to the second voltage supply unit by said switching module, using a selected one of a plurality of erasing processes depending on a status of processing of the data by said data processing module.

A program for causing a computer to implement a data erasing method executed by a data processing apparatus, comprising:

• an input module for inputting data;
• a data processing module for performing predetermined processing on the data input by said input module;
• a storage module for storing the data on which the processing has been performed by said data processing module in a storage unit;
• a switching module for switching a source of voltage supply to the storage unit from a first voltage supply unit to a second voltage supply unit when the first voltage supply unit is incapable of supplying voltage to the storage unit;
• and
• an erasing module for causing the storage unit to store a status of processing of the data in response to the switching of the source of voltage supply from the first voltage supply unit to the second voltage supply unit by said switching module, and erasing the data using a selected one of a plurality of erasing processes depending on the status of processing of the data after resumption of voltage supply from the first voltage supply unit to the storage unit.