Device and method for controlling data storage device in data processing system

A control system, comprising:

• a data storage device including:
• a plurality of memory elements;
• means for storing designation information designating an operation mode of the data storage device;
• and
• means for controlling an operation of the data storage device in accordance with the designation information stored in the information storing means, the controlling means selecting a desired memory element indicated by memory element address data when the memory element address data and a memory element control signal are inputted, the controlling means extracting designation information from designation address data and storing the designation information to the information storage means when the designation address data and a designation control signal are inputted;
• a data processing device for writing process data to and reading process data from the selected memory element, the data processing device outputting original address data, an original memory control signal, an original designation control signal, and designation content data indicative of a desired operation mode;
• and
• a control device for controlling the data storage device, the control device being connected between the data storage device and the data processing device, the control device including:
• means for judging whether or not the original address data inputted from the data processing device indicates the information storage means;
• means for, when the original address data indicates the information storage means, producing the designation address date, including the designation information, based on the designation content data, which is outputted from the data processing device in correspondence with the original address data, and for producing the designation control signal based on the original designation control signal;
• means for, when the original address data indicates some memory element, producing the memory element address data based on the original address data and for producing the memory element control signal based on the original memory element control signal;
• and
• means for outputting, to the data storage device, the designation address data and the designation control signal when the designation address data and the designation control signal are produced, and for outputting, to the data storage device, the memory element address data and the memory element control signal when the memory element address data and the memory element control signal are produced.

A control system for controlling a data storage device, the system comprising:

• a data storage device including:
• a plurality of memory elements;
• means for storing designation information designating an operation mode of the data storage device;
• and
• means for controlling operation of the data storage device in accordance with:
• the designation information stored in the information storing means and a control signal and address data inputted thereto, thereby selecting a desired memory element in accordance with input of address data, and, in response to specific address data inputted together with a predetermined control signal, extracting the designation information from the specific address data and storing the designation information to the information storage means;
• a data processing device for writing process data to and reading process data from the selected memory element of the data storage device, the data processing device outputting original process data and original address data;
• and
• a control device for controlling the data storage device, the control device being connected between the data storage device and the data processing device, the control device producing the control signal, the address data, and the process data based on the original address data and the original process data outputted from the data processing device, the control device including:
• means for judging whether or not the original address data outputted from the data processing device indicates the information storage means to be selected;
• means for, when the original address data indicates the information storage means, producing the specific address data, including the designation information, based on the original process data outputted from the data processing device in correspondence with the original address data;
• and
• means for outputting, to the data storage device, the specific address data including the designation information.

A control device for controlling a data storage devices the control device being provided in connection with the data storage device and a data processing device, the data storage device including:

• a plurality of memory elements;
• means for storing designation information designating an operation mode of the data storage device;
• and means for controlling an operation of the data storage device in accordance with:
• the designation information stored in the information storing means and a control signal and address data inputted thereto, thereby selecting a desired memory element in accordance with an input of address data, and, in response to specific address data inputted together with a predetermined control signal, extracting the designation information from the specific address data and storing the designation information to the information storage means, the data processing device being for writing process data to and reading process data from the selected memory element of the data storage device, the data processing device outputting original process data and original address data, the control device being for producing the control signal, the address data, and the process data based on the original address data and the original process data outputted from the data processing device, the control device including:
• means for judging whether or not the original address data outputted from the data processing device indicates the information storage means to be selected;
• means for, when the original address data indicates the information storage means, producing specific address data, including the designation information, based on the original process data outputted from the data processing device in correspondence with the original address data;
• and
• means for outputting, to the data storage device, the specific address data including the designation information.

A method for controlling a data storage device of a type that receives address data indicative of a desired operation mode and that sets the desired operation mode in an operation mode setting portion provided thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving:
• a control signal for setting an operation mode, address data indicative of an operation mode setting portion of the data storage device, and command data indicative of a content of an operation mode desired to be set to the data storage device;
• judging whether or not the received address data indicates the operation mode setting portion;
• producing, when the address data indicates the operation mode setting portion, specific address data indicating the desired operation mode, based on the received command data, and a specific control signal for setting the operation mode setting portion;
• and
• outputting, to the data storage device, the specific address data and the specific control signal, thereby causing the operation mode setting portion to be set with the desired operation mode.

A method for controlling a data storage device located in a data processing system, which includes at least the data storage device, a data processing device, and another peripheral device, the data storage device including:

• a plurality of memory elements;
• means for storing designation information designating an operation mode of the data storage device;
• and means for controlling an operation of the data storage device in accordance with:
• the designation information stored in the information storing means, and a control signal and address data inputted thereto, thereby selecting a desired memory element in accordance with an input of address data, and, in response to specific address data inputted together with a predetermined control signal, extracting the designation information from the specific address data and storing the designation information to the information storage means, the data processing device being for writing process data to and reading process data from the selected memory element of the data storage device, the method for controlling the data storage device includes the steps of:
• allocating an address region for the memory elements of the data storage device and another address region for the peripheral device in a predetermined address space for the entire data processing system;
• outputting original process data, including encoded designation information, together with original address data indicative of the peripheral device when desiring to store designation information to the information storage means;
• decoding the original process data, outputted together with the original address data, and extracting the designation information from the original process data;
• encoding the extracted designation information and producing specific address data and a specific control signal;
• and
• outputting the specific address data, which includes the designated identification information, and the specific control signal to the data storage device.