JPH07141069A - Portable data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To stop the supply of a power source to an IC card and to stop the function of the IC card by checking the residual quantity of a battery in a portable equipment body and detecting the regulated reduction of the residual quantity when the IC card is operated by the battery of the portable equipment body. CONSTITUTION:When the IC card is driven by the battery 1 of the portable equipment body 26, the reduction of the residual quantity of the battery 1 can be checked by the current detection function of the power source control part 10 of the portable equipment body 26. When the residual quantity of the battery 1 is reduced lower than a regulated value, an application being operated is normally completed as soon as possible, and after that, the supply of the power source to the IC card 13 is stopped, and the function of the IC card can be stopped. In this way, it is possible to function a portable device at the optimum level by controlling an application operation and power supply to the IC card.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention mounts an IC card on a battery-powered portable computer device such as a portable personal computer and supplies an external expansion function or external device by supplying power from the main body device. The present invention relates to a portable data processing device that provides various connection functions that can be connected to a device or an external network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art IC cards such as memory cards and I / O cards are used as means for expanding the functions of portable computer devices.
Do has become widely used. Of these I / O
As cards, for example, Ethernet cards, modem cards, FAX cards, etc. are provided. In combination with applications, they are mainly used as access means for network systems and communication systems. Widely available.
Further, among these cards, there is one such as a memory card in which a battery is built in the card itself and data can be stored in an internal RAM. These can hold the built-in data even if the card is removed or the power supply to the computer main body is stopped. However, most IC cards depend on the power supply from a computer. This is because the current consumption for the functioning of the card is only a few mA at most in the case of a memory card, whereas it is a card that controls the access to the communication system and the external drive that was raised earlier. Then, depending on the type of LSI built in the card, 6
A current of about 0 to 70 mA or more is required. Therefore, in a portable data processing device equipped with these IC cards, the power consumed by this card cannot be ignored for the battery capacity of the computer device.

[0003]

An IC card that requires power supply from a computer device is already under the control of the power management of the main body at the time of installation, and the power supply is controlled in conjunction with the application. . In particular, many applications that control communication systems are resident in programs, and are usually held in a state in which they can always communicate. At this time, for example, when a communication application is operated with the installed battery supply remaining low, the current load of the card may be applied to the installed battery, which may accelerate the decrease in battery supply capacity and voltage. . Even if it is sufficient at the beginning of communication, the maximum load is always required for the duration of communication, so that the function may not be able to continue due to a voltage drop during communication. As a result, important communication data disappears on the way, access to the external drive is stopped,
Problems such as damage to important data will also occur. In the case of FAX communication, the image data or the control process is interrupted, and the application ends in a communication error state with the partner device.

[0004]

As a battery used in this kind of portable equipment, a nickel cadmium or nickel hydrogen type, which has a large supply current and can be charged, is often used. However, if the voltage drop is sudden when the battery level is low and a voltage drop warning is issued, the application should be promptly terminated and recharged, the battery replaced, or the AC adapter changed. Become. Therefore, the control driver of the IC card detects data relating to the amount of decrease in the remaining battery power, and the current supply to the card and the application operation are controlled.

[0005]

With the structure of the present invention, when the battery remaining amount of the portable device is properly notified to the card control driver, and as a result, the prescribed remaining amount is detected, the supply of power to the IC card is stopped and the IC card Try to stop the function. In addition, it is also effective to inform the user of the information that the normal operation of the function cannot be guaranteed to the running application, or to force the normal termination process of the running application to be executed. As a result, while maintaining the minimum functions of the original computer device, the communication process with the communication partner via the IC card and the access to the external device should be completed, and the running application should be terminated normally. , The card driver control function is maintained and achieved.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a portable computer according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment in which a device (hereinafter referred to as a mobile device main body), a battery, and an IC card are connected. In FIG. 1, (1) is a battery that is supplied to the portable device body (26), and the portable device body (2
Directly connected to 6). The power supply control unit (10) controls the charging / discharging of the battery, controls the power supply to the device, monitors the current flow from the battery, and has data for counting the remaining amount of the battery (5). It is provided to the main control unit of. Further, as a method of supplying power to the portable device main body (26), it can be obtained from an AC power source through an adapter and a connector (12). Reference numeral (6) denotes a program memory in which a driver for controlling various devices, a program for operating an application, and the like are incorporated. (2) is a display unit such as a CRT or liquid crystal, and (3) is a keyboard for inputting control commands and characters / numerals. (8) is a card interface for communicating control signals and data of various IC cards (13) connected by the connector of (9) via a control driver. Of course, depending on the type of card, the power required for this is supplied from the main body power control unit (10) via this interface (8).

Since the battery terminal voltage is relatively stable in a steady use condition regardless of the degree of the remaining amount, it is technically difficult to detect the remaining amount only by the terminal voltage. Therefore, the power source control unit (10) of the portable device body (26) is provided with a current detection function to check the decrease of the battery capacity. In the case of charging, on the contrary, the absolute value of charging can be integrated by subtracting the consumption counter. The battery remaining amount value thus obtained is managed by the main control program stored in the program memory (6) of the portable device main body (26) to grasp the remaining amount as appropriate according to the function of the application. It is used as data of and for charging control. The card interface (8) controls data communication, power supply, etc. according to the type of card. In these cards, communication control with a required external device is performed according to an instruction of an application program incorporated by mounting the card.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of an application of a computer such as a personal computer and an IC card control system.
In recent years, the number of devices mounting IC cards has increased, and in response to this, Japanese and international standards have been established. Internationally, PC
MCIA (Personal Comput-er Memory Card Interface)
Association) in Japan, JEIDA stipulates the connection interface between a personal computer and a card, and the mechanical structure of the card. The driver software (21) is
It is composed of two pieces of software, a do service (22) and a socket service (23). The card service (22) is driver software that handles interface control between the card (13) and the application program (25), and these are all resident in the program memory (6) of the computer-device and use an IC card. It enables all application operations. The socket service (23) is for controlling interface hardware of various cards, and controls electrical characteristics with a computer device that is defined according to the type of memory card, I / O card, or the like.

Next, the operation will be described. Card (1
When 3) is inserted, first, the socket service (23) recognizes the card insertion and performs configuration (registration operation) with the card service (22). At this time, the type, connection interface, attribute, power mode, etc. are recognized based on the interface information of the card. At this time, the IC card may be supplied with a current for holding the standby state if necessary, and this specification is also determined by the contents of the configuration setting.

Next, a case where a modem card used for PC communication is inserted will be described. When the communication control application is activated, first, the modem card is mounted as an external connection interface (for example, RS232C interface) of the computer device via the socket service (23). Haze A via this interface via socket service
Various modem control commands corresponding to T and the like can be communicated with the modem card. Further, power is supplied to various kinds of hardware on the card as needed to enable communication with a communication line.

Battery (1) of portable device body (26)
If it is driven by, the operation of the portable device book (26)
Battery (-1) when the remaining amount detection program existing in the operation system (hereinafter referred to as OS) (20) operates.
The remaining amount of the
The application program (25) in (20) checks the situation or the like. When the remaining amount of the battery (1) is, for example, 20% or less, the application program (25) may not be able to guarantee continuous operation of communication while continuing to supply current to the IC card. When it is determined that there is an error, the display unit (2) displays a guide such as "Please stop the application immediately because the battery level is low." Even if the user ignores and continues the operation, if there is a sign that the battery voltage has dropped this time, even if communication is in progress, "Battery required, communication application will be stopped" will be displayed at that point. , Then, instruct to execute the communication termination program within tens of seconds. After the negotiation with the communication partner ends normally and the application enters the idle state, the application ends and then the IC
Stop the power supply to the card. After that, when the voltage further decreases, the computer device enters the suspend state while keeping the resume state (initial state when restarting) in the memory, depending on the setup state peculiar to the device. Stop.

[0013]

As described above, when the battery remaining amount of the battery is properly grasped by the control driver of the card or the application in cooperation with the battery detecting device of the portable device, and as a result of detecting the amount less than the specified remaining amount, the Notify the user of information such as normal operation of the function cannot be guaranteed to the application. Further, when a decrease in the battery voltage is detected, the application is promptly terminated normally, after which the supply of power to the IC card is stopped and the function of the card is stopped. By controlling the communication process with the communication partner via the IC card and the access to the external device while keeping the functions of the computer-device at a minimum, the application operation and the power supply to the IC card are controlled. , And made it possible for the portable device to function optimally.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of devices and apparatuses related to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a control system of an IC card and a computer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Battery of portable device 2 Computer-device display unit 3 Computer-device keyboard 4 Built-in disk 5 Computer-device main control unit 6 Program memory 7 Data memory 8 Card interface 9 Connector 10 Power supply control unit 11 Terminal unit 12 Connector 13 IC card 20 OS (Operation System) 21 Driver Software 22 Card Service 23 Socket Service 25 Various Application Programs 26 Portable Device Main Body (Portable Computer Device)

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G06K 17/00 B

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A portable computer device that can be equipped with a battery, and an IC card that provides an external expansion function that can be attached to the portable computer device or various connection functions that can be connected to an external device or an external network. In the portable data processing device, the power supply stop means for stopping the power supply to the IC card is provided,
When the C card operates by the supply of power from the portable computer device, when the battery detection function means of the portable computer device detects a decrease in the remaining amount of the battery or a decrease in the voltage of the battery, the power source By stopping the supply of power to the IC card by the supply stopping means, I
A portable data processing device characterized by stopping the function of a C card. 2. A portable computer device that can be equipped with a battery, and an IC card that provides an external expansion function that can be attached to the portable computer device or various connection functions that can be connected to an external device or an external network. In this portable data processing device, a battery voltage detecting means for detecting a decrease in the battery voltage of the portable data processing device with an IC card attached, and a portable data processing device in operation. A voltage drop warning means for warning the user of a low battery voltage and a function stop instruction means for giving a warning to stop the function of the IC card are provided to the user, and the IC card is mounted by the battery voltage detection means. If a drop in the battery voltage of the portable data processing device is detected while the portable data processing device is operating,
7. A battery processing device warning is issued to the user of the data processing device by the voltage drop warning means, and the function stop instruction means is instructed to stop the function of the IC card. 1. The portable data processing device according to 1. 3. A portable data processing device comprising a portable computer device that can be loaded with a battery, and an IC card that has a communication function that can be attached to the portable computer device and that can connect to various communication lines. A command sending means for sending a command for promptly terminating the communication to the operating communication application, and a communication disconnection executing means for receiving the command from the command sending means and promptly disconnecting the communication of the control application. When a drop in the battery voltage of the portable computer device is detected, the command sending means sends a command for promptly terminating communication to the operating communication application, and The communication disconnection execution means receives the command from the command transmission means. 3. The control application executes a quick disconnection of communication so as to control communication troubles to a minimum with respect to the stop of the power supply to the IC card.
The portable data processing device described.