Decentralized information processing system and initial program loading method therefor

Claim 2

A decentralized information processing system comprising a plurality of work stations (2a, 2b) connected to a common data transmission path (3) and a system controller (1A) for controlling flow of data within said system, wherein each of said work stations comprises memory means (23) for storing an initial program for execution subsequent to power-up of each work station and transmission control means (24) for establishing a transmission link for exchanging data with said system controller and with other work stations, and said system controller comprising transmission control means (14) cooperating with said transmission control means (24) of each work station for establishing said transmission link, characterized in that each of said work station comprises means (21) for transmitting along said transmission link a first signal for requesting a loading of said initial program, said first signal being transmitted to said system controller at the time of power-up of each work station; at least one of said work stations having said initial program loaded into its memory means; said system controller comprises means (11), responsive to said first signal from another one of said work stations than that having the initial program loaded for selecting the work station having said initial program already loaded in the memory means thereof, means (11) for transmitting a second signal for requesting transfer of said initial program, said second signal transmitted to said selected one work station; and said selected one work station receiving said second signal and, in response thereto, transmitting said initial program to said other work station.

Claim 3

A system according to Claim 1, wherein said selected one work station transfers said initial program to said system controller, said system controller receiving said initial program and transmitting same to said other work station.

Claim 4

A system according to Claim 1, wherein said system controller further comprises; first memory means (12) for storing a system controller program; second memory means (13) for storing inquiry and data transfer program for execution at power-up of said system; and processing means (11) for executing the program stored in said first and second memory means to perform an inquiry and data transfer as well as a system control function, said transmission control means at said system controller establishing transmission link along said transmission path with at least one of said plurality of work stations and for loading information transmitted from the work stations in said first memory means; said transmission control means at said work station cooperating with said first transmission control means for establishing a transmission link along said transmission path with the system controller and for transferring information to the system controller to load said system controller program in the first memory means of the system controller; said memory means at said work station storing said system controller program to be loaded in the first memory means of the system controller, and said processing means at said system controller executing said inquiry and data transfer program upon power-up of said system for selecting at least one work station which is powered-up, and cooperating with said first transmission control means and said second transmission control means of said selected work station for transferring said system controller program stored in said memory means of said selected work station to said first memory means of said system controller along said transmission path.

Claim 5

A system according to Claim 3, wherein each of said work stations is provided with an external memory device (26), storing said system controller program and means for transferring information from said external memory device to said memory means of said work station and, at the time of the power-up of the system controller and said selected work station, said information transferring means of said selected work station transfers said system controller program from said external memory device into the memory means of the selected work station.

Claim 6

A system according to Claim 3, wherein said first memory means comprises random access memory and said second memory means comprises a read only memory.

Claim 7

In a decentralized information processing system having a plurality of work stations connected along a data transmission path and a system controller controlling flow of data within said system according to claim 1, a method of loading an initial program in one of said work stations requesting same, characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: a) establishing a data link between said one work station and said system controller; b) transmitting a first signal to said system controller, said first signal indicative of the request of said one work station for said initial program; c) searching for another work station by said system controller in response to said first signal, said another work station having said initial program stored in a memory device thereof; d) transmitting said initial program from said another work station to said one work station; e) storing said initial program in said one work station; and f) executing said initial program in said one work station by data processing means within said one work station.

Claim 8

A method as recited in Claim 6, wherein the step of transmitting said initial program from said another work station to said one work station includes the steps of: transmitting said initial program along a data link between said another work station and said system controller; and transmitting said initial program along a data link between said system controller and said one work station.