Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge loading portion removably loaded with a first cartridge containing therein a consumable but carrying no memory storing information on the consumable, or with a second cartridge containing therein the consumable and carrying a memory storing information on the consumable; a controller; and a first memory storing the information on the consumable contained in the first cartridge, and is characterized in that the controller includes: a first consumption calculating/storing portion operating when the first cartridge is loaded in the cartridge loading portion, calculating a consumption of the consumable in the first cartridge and storing the calculation result in the first memory; and a second consumption calculating/storing portion for calculating a consumable consumption of the second cartridge and for storing the calculation result in the memory installed in the second cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus outputting a color image and a monochrome image obtains data for output image by RIP-convert of accepted image data, and extracts feature of the data for output image. When the data for output image is determined to correspond to a color image, the image forming apparatus outputs a color image corresponding to the data for output image, on condition that the feature satisfies a determination reference.

Abstract: A microcomputer and method are provided capable of restarting a rewrite program without the need for changing a mode using an external terminal when rewriting nonvolatile memory fails. A CPU of a microcomputer executes a rewrite program to clear FLASH status 0 of flash memory and rewrite all areas in it. The CPU finally writes a rewrite completion code to FLASH status 0. The CPU executes a determination program to read FLASH status 0 of the flash memory. The CPU reads ID status information when read data does not match the rewrite completion code. The CPU re-executes the rewrite program when the data matches ID status information.

Abstract: A RISC type of CPU is provided to execute an object program in which a stack area is used. The CPU is configured to have a return instruction based on an operand at which an open size is specified and to perform the return instruction when the stack area is required to be opened in returning processing executed by the CPU from interrupt processing to ordinary processing with no interrupt. Also a compiler is provided to compile a source program into the object program. The compiler determines whether or not a stack area in the source program is required to be opened when processing in the source program is returned from interrupt processing to ordinary processing with no interrupt and produces codes of the object program in which an operand for a return instruction is included and an open size for the stack area is specified at the operand.

Abstract: A microcomputer system includes a CPU, a memory, and a runaway detector. The CPU includes a controller for outputting a task information signal. The task information signal is activated, if the CPU performs the most important task at the present time. A program for the most important task is stored in the memory. The runaway detector includes an address register and a program area checker. The address register stores start and end addresses of the program area. The program area checker determines whether an execution address of the CPU is within the program area by comparing the execution address with each of the start and end addresses. The runaway detector detects a task runaway in the event of conflict between the task information signal and a result of a determination of the program area checker.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the invention comprises: a cartridge loading portion removably loaded with a first cartridge containing therein a consumable but carrying no memory storing information on the consumable, or with a second cartridge containing therein the consumable and carrying a memory storing information on the consumable; a controller; and a first memory storing the information on the consumable contained in the first cartridge, and is characterized in that the controller includes: a first consumption calculating/storing portion operating when the first cartridge is loaded in the cartridge loading portion, calculating a consumption of the consumable in the first cartridge and storing the calculation result in the first memory; and a second consumption calculating/storing portion for calculating a consumable consumption of the second cartridge and for storing the calculation result in the memory installed in the second cartridge.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and an image processing system are capable of efficiently carrying out processing using a smaller memory. When a control program is downloaded via a network from an external apparatus such as a PC and stored in a volatile memory, a job analyzing unit analyzes the content of an issued job and determines which modules of the control program are necessary and which modules are unnecessary based on the state of an MFP detected by an energy saving mode control unit and/or an inoperative state detecting unit. Unnecessary modules are deleted from the volatile memory.

Abstract: A microcomputer which is to be utilized in a condition of being built into an apparatus such as a vehicle ECU, includes a ROM having stored therein a program which is prepared by a user and a boot ROM which stores an initialization program for performing at least essential initialization processing which is required for all application programs that will be executed by the microcomputer. The need for the user to generate program contents relating to such initialization processing is thereby eliminated, while increased reliability of operation of the microcomputer is achieved. In addition, it is possible for user-specified initialization data to be read out from a user program and utilized in a part of the initialization processing of the initialization program.

Abstract: A microcomputer that can process plural tasks time-divisionally and in parallel, wherein one of a plural programs described by one of the tasks is described as a looped specific task in which the increment of program addresses is fixed, a program counter is usable as a timer counter, a peripheral function instruction is described in the specific task, the peripheral function instruction is set so as to indicate one or more general-purpose registers as an operand. The CPU executes the peripheral function instruction as one instruction and achieves information needed to execute the instruction by a general-purpose register and stores the execution result into the general-purpose registers. An instruction code encoding system includes an operation code and plural operands for indicating operation targets of an instruction in an instruction code and executing an instruction indicated by the operation code on the operation targets.

Abstract: A microcomputer includes a CPU capable of performing a plurality of tasks in a parallel time-sharing operation. The tasks include at least one special task having a fixed loop program with a constant increase of an instruction address. When the CPU performs a conditional judgement instruction in the special task, the CPU prohibits reflecting an execution result of the conditional judgement instruction to both of the CPU and a periphery circuit in a case where it is no need to perform an instruction described in the special task after the conditional judgement instruction.

Abstract: A computer program compiler generates object code to be executed by a RISC type of CPU, whereby in effect each bit operational expression appearing in the source code, such as an AND operation on two bit variables, is converted to an operation whereby the respective values of the bit variables which are operands of that expression are judged, and a specific binary value is assigned as the result of the bit operational expression based upon the judgement results, to thereby substantially reduce the number of RISC object code instructions corresponding to such an operation.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus including a joystick which is adapted for three motions of leaning in a plurality of predetermined directions, rotating about an axial line and being pressed in a direction along the axial line. As a result of these three motions, an operation of this joystick can be provided with a lot of navigation functions, and, as compared with the prior art, the number of switches of a remote controller and an operation panel section can be decreased.

Abstract: A RISC type of CPU is provided to execute an object program in which a stack area is used. The CPU is configured to have a return instruction based on an operand at which an open size is specified and to perform the return instruction when the stack area is required to be opened in returning processing executed by the CPU from interrupt processing to ordinary processing with no interrupt. Also a compiler is provided to compile a source program into the object program. The compiler determines whether or not a stack area in the source program is required to be opened when processing in the source program is returned from interrupt processing to ordinary processing with no interrupt and produces codes of the object program in which an operand for a return instruction is included and an open size for the stack area is specified at the operand.

Abstract: When a user touches any desired position on a display screen, a position detection section detects a specification position on the display screen and a data processing control section controls to scroll a display area based on a positional relationship between the specification position detected by the position detection section and a predetermined position on the display screen, namely, the direction, the distance, and the like.

Abstract: A digital broadcast reception apparatus has a program search function of receiving a digital broadcast containing program guide information while changing the frequency received in a tuner. The program guide information is selected using a condition input through a remote control as a search condition, and the genre or service type is narrowed down for temporary presentation of a program from a loudspeaker or on a display. If the audience selects the program, reception of the program is continued. As a result of trial reception, the program search can also be further continued.

Abstract: A program guide display apparatus includes control unit for reading program data from RAM for storing a plurality of pieces of program data and controlling display unit so as to change the order of the display positions of program descriptions displayed in a table format in response to input unit and can display the program descriptions in the display order responsive to the operator's liking, improving the convenience of the operator. For example, the program descriptions of the programs of the broadcast station to be checked by the operator can be placed at positions of a display screen where the operator can easily see the program descriptions. For example, the two program descriptions to be compared can be displayed so that they are contiguous. The screen need not be scrolled and the program descriptions of the programs to be checked by the operator can be displayed in one screen.

Abstract: A microcomputer has a built-in memory and is accessible to an external memory. The microcomputer executes a specific area branch instruction “JM” as an executable instruction. The specific area branch instruction “JM” is a branch instruction restricted to jump to only a specific area of a memory space and is a single instruction having a minimum instruction length. The microcomputer allocates at least one of a real arithmetic subroutine, an integer division subroutine, and a bit handling subroutine to the specific area. A program of this microcomputer is configured to jump to the selected subroutine allocated to the specific area in response to the specific area branch instruction “JM”. Accordingly, the required program size can be reduced. When the programs are stored in the external memory, it becomes possible to suppress an increase of the execution time which is required for invoking each of the subroutines.

Abstract: A program information display apparatus including a program data receiving unit for receiving program data of digital broadcasting, and a program in-depth information creating unit for extracting in-depth information of a predetermined program from the program data received by the program data receiving unit, and creating program in-depth information thereof. The program information display apparatus is equipped with a program selection input unit for allowing a user to select and display in-depth information of one program when in-depth information of another program is being displayed, and a program in-depth information display changing unit for displaying program in-depth information of a program selected through the program selection input unit when the program is selected.

Abstract: FIG. 1 shows an electronic program guide unique to viewer A grouped from an electronic program guide based on electronic program guide data; the program type is set in an (a) column and the display mode of each program is set in a (b) column. In FIG. 1, a news program is displayed in text and a music program is displayed in an icon of musical notes on a music sheet. A sports program is displayed in an icon of a bat and a ball. Since the music program and the sports program are thus displayed in such icon images of reminding the viewer of the program contents, the viewer A can quickly determine the program contents visually.

Abstract: A microcomputer which is to be utilized in a condition of being built into an apparatus such as a vehicle ECU, includes a ROM having stored therein a program which is prepared by a user and a boot ROM which stores an initialization program for performing at least essential initialization processing which is required for all application programs that will be executed by the microcomputer. The need for the user to generate program contents relating to such initialization processing is thereby eliminated, while increased reliability of operation of the microcomputer is achieved. In addition, it is possible for user-specified initialization data to be read out from a user program and utilized in a part of the initialization processing of the initialization program.