JPH04100183A - Data gathering device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Relating to a data collection device, more specifically, regarding a data collection device using an IC cart, when the voltage level of the backup battery of the IC card drops, or the storage capacity of the C-cart for full use of stored data. When approaching the limit, data is evacuated to the host computer,
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a data collection device that can easily and reliably retain data and eliminate the impossibility of data input due to storage capacity limitations.
In a data collection device consisting of a C card and a portable terminal device, when the voltage level drop of the backup battery reaches a set voltage level that allows memory retention, or when the remaining capacity of the semiconductor memory section becomes less than the predetermined remaining capacity. The system was configured to transfer the data in the semiconductor memory section to the host computer when the problem occurs.

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a data collection device, and specifically relates to a data collection device using an IC card.

In data collection in recent computer systems, I
Portable terminal devices using C cards are increasingly being used, and batteries are used as a backup power source for retaining data in the semiconductor memory section of the IC card, and their lifespan is limited. For this reason, data may not be retained reliably due to voltage drop due to the lifespan of the backup battery. Furthermore, since the semiconductor memory section of the IC card has a limited storage capacity, it is necessary to save data in the semiconductor memory section when the capacity limit is approached.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, for example, in a semiconductor device production line, a data collection device consisting of an IC card and a portable terminal device has been used for data collection work.

This IC card uses a backup battery to hold collected data, and the lifespan of the backup battery is the lifespan of the IC card, and its lifespan is limited. Furthermore, the storage capacity of an IC card is smaller than that of other storage media.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, conventionally, when a backup battery approaches the end of its life during data collection work, there is a problem in that data retention becomes difficult due to a drop in voltage level and the data is destroyed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is a data collection system capable of easily and reliably retaining data by evacuating data to a host computer when the voltage level of a backup battery of an IC card drops. The purpose is to provide equipment.

Additionally, in the past, the amount of data stored during data collection work was
When the storage capacity of a C card approaches its storage capacity limit, not only will it be difficult to input new data into the IC card, but there is also a risk that some of the data that was supposed to have been collected may be missing.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and when the amount of stored data approaches the storage capacity limit of an IC card, the data is evacuated to a host computer and the data is easily and reliably retained. In addition to being able to
It is an object of the present invention to provide a data collection device that can eliminate the impossibility of data collection due to storage capacity limitations.

[Means for solving the problem] Figure 1 shows the 1. It is a principle explanatory diagram of the third invention included in the second invention.

Backup battery M1b supplies power to semiconductor memory section M1a and holds data.

Voltage drop detection section M1c detects a drop in voltage level of backup battery M1b. In addition, the storage capacity remaining amount detection unit M1d
detects the remaining storage capacity at that time based on the amount of data stored in the semiconductor memory section M1a.

The read/write control section M2b of the portable terminal device M2 writes data input through the data input section M2a into the semiconductor memory section M1a or reads data from the semiconductor memory section M1a.

The communication unit M2c communicates with the host computer. The data save control unit M2d operates when the voltage drop detection unit M1c detects a drop in voltage level and reaches a set voltage level that allows memory retention, or when the detection result of the storage capacity remaining amount detection unit M1d is below a predetermined remaining capacity. The reading/writing control section M2b is controlled to read all data in the semiconductor memory section M1a, and the communication section M2c is controlled to read/write the reading/writing control section M2.
All the data read by b is transferred to the host computer. Further, the data erasure control section M 2 e controls the read/write control section M2b to erase the data in the semiconductor memory section M1a after data transfer based on the detection result of the storage capacity remaining amount detection section M1d.

[Function] Backup battery M1 by voltage drop detection unit M l c
When the decrease in the voltage level of voltage b reaches a set voltage level that allows memory retention, or when the remaining storage capacity detection result of the semiconductor memory unit M1a by the remaining storage capacity detection unit M1d is below the predetermined remaining capacity, the semiconductor memory Since all the data in the section M1a is read out and transferred to the host computer via the communication section M2c, the collected data is reliably retained.

Furthermore, when data transfer is performed based on the detection result of the storage capacity remaining amount detection unit M1d, the data in the semiconductor memory unit M1a is erased after the data transfer, so data collection can be continued. becomes.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of a data collection device embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, the data collection device consists of a portable terminal device 1 and an IC card 2 removably attached to the device 1, and collects data while patrolling, for example, a semiconductor device production line. used in cases.

The IC card 2 has a one-chip microcomputer 21 as a storage capacity remaining capacity detection section and a static memory section as a semiconductor memory section.
It is configured to include a random access memory (SRAM) 22, a lithium battery 23 as a backup battery, a voltage drop detection circuit 24 as a voltage drop detection section, and the like.

The lithium battery 23 supplies power to the SRAM 22 to hold its data. The voltage drop detection circuit 24 detects a drop in the voltage level of the lithium battery 23, and when the detection result reaches a set voltage level that can be stored, outputs a voltage drop signal AL to the one-chip microcomputer 21, and outputs a voltage drop signal AL to the one-chip microcomputer 21,
Notify that it is difficult to retain the data of 2.

The one-chip microcomputer 21 constitutes a remaining storage capacity detection section, and controls data reading and writing to and from the SRAM 22, and detects the remaining storage capacity of the SRAM 22 at that time based on the amount of data stored in the SRAM 22. Then, the one-chip microcomputer 2I outputs a first data save request signal to the portable terminal device 1 based on the voltage drop signal AL, and the remaining storage capacity of the SR and AM 22 is set to a predetermined value. When the remaining amount is less than the remaining amount, a second data save request signal is output.

In this embodiment, the predetermined remaining amount is set to 5% of the storage capacity of the SRAM 22, and is determined with reference to the amount of data collected at one location.

The portable terminal device 1 includes a CPU 1l as a read/write control section, a data save control section, and a data deletion control section, a keyboard 12 as a data input section, and a read-only memory (
ROM) I 3, wireless communication IC 14 as a communication section,
ICl3 for reading and writing IC cards, dynamic RAM
(DRAM), l6, a display device consisting of a liquid crystal panel 17, etc., and these are interconnected by a data bus 18. Further, the portable terminal device 1 is equipped with a rechargeable NiCad battery 19, and the battery 19 supplies power to each part.

The ROM 13 stores various control programs for controlling each part of the portable terminal device 1. The wireless communication IC 14 communicates with a host computer (not shown) and transfers data.

ICl3 for reading and writing IC cards is this portable terminal device 1.
The interface between the terminal device 1 and the IC card 2 is controlled to cause data transfer between the terminal device 1 and the IC card 2. Further, the DRAM 16 temporarily stores data read from the SRAM 22 during data save transfer.

When data is input via the keyboard 12, the CPU II displays the input data on the liquid crystal panel 17, and also controls the IC card reading/writing IC 3 to transfer the input data to the IC card 2. It is stored in the SRAM 22.

Further, the CPU II receives the first signal based on the voltage drop signal AL.
Based on the data evacuation request signal or the second data evacuation request signal based on the fact that the remaining memory capacity of the SRAM 22 has become less than a predetermined remaining amount, all the data in the SRAM 22 is saved in cooperation with the one-chip microcomputer 21. is read out, and all the read data is stored in the DRAM 16. After this, the CPU II controls the wireless communication IC 14 to perform DR.
All data in AM16 is transferred to a higher-level computer (not shown).

At this time, if the data transfer is based on the first data save request signal, that is, the voltage drop of the lithium battery 23, the CPU II displays this on the liquid crystal panel 17. If the transfer is based on the second data save request signal, that is, the remaining amount of storage capacity of the SRAM 22 is less than the predetermined remaining amount,
After data transfer, SR works in collaboration with one-chip microcomputer 21.
To automatically erase data stored in AM22.

In this way, in this embodiment, when the voltage level of the lithium battery 23 reaches the set voltage level that allows storage, the data in the SRAM 22 of the IC card 2 is automatically saved to the host computer. Data collected up to that point can be easily and reliably retained.

Further, in this embodiment, when the remaining storage capacity of the SRAM 22 becomes less than a predetermined remaining capacity, the data in the SRAM 22 of the IC card 2 is automatically saved to the host computer, and after saving this data, the data in the SRAM 22 is automatically saved. This makes it possible to easily and reliably retain the data collected up to that point, and also prevents data input from being impossible due to the storage capacity limit of the SRAM 22 (so that data collection can continue). I can do it.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the data transfer based on the voltage drop of the lithium battery 23 is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 17, so based on this, the IC card can be replaced with another IC card, or the lithium battery can be replaced. If you replace it with a new one, you can continue collecting data.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the one-chip microcomputer 21 of the IC card 2 outputs the first or second data save request signal to the CPU II of the portable terminal device 1, and data save processing is performed based on both signals. CPUII
data collection work can be made more efficient.

In this embodiment, data is transferred from the portable terminal device l to the upper-level combination coater by wireless communication, or it may be done by wire.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, data can be transferred to a host computer when the voltage level of the backup battery of the IC card drops or when the amount of stored data approaches the storage capacity limit of the IC card. This has the excellent effect of making it possible to easily and reliably store data, and to eliminate the impossibility of data input due to storage capacity limitations.

In the figure, Ml is IC cart, Mla is a semiconductor memory section, M1b is a backup battery, M1c is a voltage drop detection unit; M1d is a storage capacity remaining amount detection unit; M2 is a portable terminal device, M2a is a data input section, M2b is a read/write control unit; M2c is the communication department, M2d, data evacuation control unit, M2e is a data erasure control section.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a diagram explaining the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a data collection device embodying the present invention, and Figs. 3 and 4 each show data saving processing in one embodiment. It is a flowchart. %y1 Flowchart indicating each indicated processing

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An IC card (M1) including a semiconductor memory section (M1a) and a backup battery (M1b) for supplying power to the semiconductor memory section (M1a) and retaining data.
Then, the IC card (M1) is inserted and the data input section (M1) is inserted.
2a), and a read/write control unit (M2b) that writes data input through the data input unit (M2a) to the semiconductor memory unit (M1a) or reads data from the semiconductor memory unit (M1a). In the data collection device, the IC card (M1) is connected to the backup battery (M1).
b) Voltage drop detection unit (M1
c), the portable terminal device (M2) includes a communication unit (M2c) that communicates with a host computer, and a voltage drop detection unit (M1c) that detects a voltage level drop and sets a set voltage level that can be stored and retained. When the read/write control section (M2b) is controlled to read out all the data in the semiconductor memory section (M1a), the communication section (M2c) is controlled to read out all the data in the read/write control section (M2).
A data collection device characterized by comprising: a data save control section (M2d) that transfers all the data read by (b) to a host computer. 2. An IC card (M1) equipped with a semiconductor memory section (M1a) and a backup battery (M1b) for supplying power to the semiconductor memory section (M1a) and retaining data.
Then, the IC card (M1) is inserted and the data input section (M1) is inserted.
2a), and a read/write control unit (M2b) that writes data input through the data input unit (M2a) to the semiconductor memory unit (M1a) or reads data from the semiconductor memory unit (M1a). In the data collection device, the IC card (M1) is connected to the semiconductor memory section (M1a).
), the portable terminal device (M2) includes a communication section that communicates with a host computer. (M2c); and when the detection result of the remaining storage capacity detection unit (M1d) is less than or equal to a predetermined remaining capacity, the read/write control unit (M2b) is controlled to read all data in the semiconductor memory unit (M1a). At the same time, a data save control section (M2d) controls the communication section (M2c) and transfers all the data read by the read/write control section (M2b) to the host computer.
), and a data erase control section (M2e) that controls the read/write control section (M2b) to erase data in the semiconductor memory section (M1a) after data transfer based on the detection result of the storage capacity remaining amount detection section (M1d). ) A data collection device characterized by comprising: 3. An IC card (M1) equipped with a semiconductor memory section (M1a) and a backup battery (M1b) for supplying power to the semiconductor memory section (M1a) and retaining data.
Then, the IC card (M1) is inserted and the data input section (M1) is inserted.
2a), and a read/write control unit (M2b) that writes data input through the data input unit (M2a) to the semiconductor memory unit (M1a) or reads data from the semiconductor memory unit (M1a). In the data collection device, the IC card (M1) is connected to the backup battery (M1).
b) Voltage drop detection unit (M1
c); and a storage capacity remaining amount detection section (M1d) that detects the remaining amount of storage capacity at that time based on the amount of data stored in the semiconductor memory section (M1a), and the portable terminal device ( M2) includes a communication unit (M2c) that communicates with the host computer; and when the voltage drop detection unit (M1c) detects a voltage level drop and reaches a set voltage level that allows storage, or the remaining storage capacity When the detection result of the detection unit (M1d) is less than or equal to a predetermined remaining capacity, the read/write control unit (M2b) is controlled to read all data in the semiconductor memory unit (M1a), and the communication unit (M2c) is controlled. and a data save control unit (M2d) that transfers all the data read by the read/write control unit (M2b) to the host computer.
), and a data erasure control section (M2e) that controls the read/write control section (M2b) to erase data in the semiconductor memory section (M1a) after data transfer based on the detection result of the storage capacity remaining amount detection section (M1d). ) A data collection device characterized by comprising: