JPH084288B2 - Small computer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a small-sized computer, and particularly to a small-sized computer adapted to transmit and receive data by using a telephone line (this is called data transfer). And is suitable.

B Outline of the Invention In a small-sized computer adapted to automatically take in transfer data via a telephone line in an automatic receiving mode based on a ringing signal received from a telephone line, the operating state of the computer is detected and the detection result is detected. By restricting the automatic transfer data acquisition operation when in the operator operation mode, the automatic transfer data acquisition is prohibited and the transfer data acquisition operation is performed when the operator is using the computer. This prevents the destruction of the data in the memory being used by the operator.

C Conventional Technology Conventionally, in addition to a normal arithmetic processing function, a small-sized computer has a so-called call function for transmitting / receiving data to / from a host computer at a remote place via a telephone line. is there.

As one of the call functions, there is a so-called automatic call reception function, and for example, even when the operator is out and the main power of the computer is off, the transfer data transferred via the telephone line is automatically received. It is designed to operate in a possible operation mode (hereinafter referred to as an automatic incoming call mode).

That is, the computer turns on the main power supply immediately after receiving a ringing signal from the telephone line, becomes ready to receive data, and outputs an off-hook signal notifying the host computer that it is waiting for data transfer. .

When the off-hook signal is output, the host computer starts transferring the transfer data, and the transferred data is
The data is sequentially stored in the work area of the memory of the computer.

D. Problems to be Solved by the Invention In a small-sized computer having such a configuration, a memory area used for storing the transferred data and a memory area used by an operator for arithmetic processing such as program execution Are assigned the same memory area.

Therefore, for example, when creating a program, the operator performs an operation to stop the automatic incoming call function before creating the program, and even if a call signal comes in from the telephone line while creating the program, it is prohibited to take in the data internally. There is a need to.

However, the operator sometimes forgets to stop the automatic incoming call function.

In this case, when a call signal arrives from the telephone line, the computer automatically takes in the transfer data, and operates in response to sequentially rewriting the memory in which the data in the middle of program creation is written based on the transfer data. As a result, there is a problem that the program of the operator who is in the process of being created is destroyed.

On the contrary, if the operator forgets to set the automatic call receiving function after the calculation process, he / she cannot receive the data to be received.

As a means for solving these problems, a method of allocating a memory area for the automatic incoming call function to a memory area different from the memory area used by the operator for arithmetic processing can be considered, but the memory capacity becomes huge. Further, there is a problem that the configuration of the entire computer becomes complicated because it becomes a so-called multi-task that executes different programs of fetching transfer data during execution of arithmetic processing.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points. When a call signal is received from a telephone line while an operator is using the computer, the data being processed is destroyed internally or the transfer data is received. It is intended to propose a computer having an automatic incoming call function that does not cause a failure to perform.

E Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the problems, in the present invention, the transfer data DA transferred through the telephone line 2 is transferred to the operator based on the call signal S _call received from the telephone line 2. In a small-sized computer 1 which is loaded in the same memory area 12 as the memory area 12 used for data processing in the operation mode in the automatic call reception mode, detection means 3 and 8 for detecting whether or not the operation state is the operator operation mode at the time of an incoming call, and transfer. data
While controlling the loading of the DA into the memory area 12, the detection results of the detecting means 3 and 8 are based on S ₀ , and the call signal S _call.
In the operator operation mode at the time of an incoming call, control means 4, 5, 6, 8 for prohibiting the transfer data DA from being taken into the memory area 12 in the automatic incoming mode is provided.

When the F action call signal S _call is input, the operating state is first detected, and based on the result of this judgment, in the operator operation mode, in the memory area of the transfer data DA in the automatic incoming mode.
Prohibit uptake to 12. This is the memory area used by the operator for data processing in operator operating mode.
It is possible to obtain the computer 1 having an automatic incoming call function capable of effectively avoiding the possibility that 12 is rewritten by the transfer data DA.

G Example Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a so-called handheld type small computer as a whole, which is connected to a remote host computer (not shown) via a telephone line 2.

The telephone line 2 is connected to the modem 6 via the contact 5a of the selection circuit 5 which responds to the selection signal Sh, and is also connected to the ring indicator 4.

When ringing signal S _caLL is input via telephone line 2, ring indicator 4 generates a ringing tone and outputs control signal S _c1 to battery-powered main power supply circuit 3. Furthermore, the main power supply circuit 3 outputs an interrupt signal INT to the CPU 8 while waiting for the start of the operation of the central processing unit (CPU) 8 which starts its operation when the main power supply circuit 3 sends out the power supply output P _s .

The main power supply circuit 3 sends out the power output P _s when the control signal S _c1 is output (that is, when the call signal S _caLL is received) or when the switch circuit 7 is turned on by the operator. Power supply output P _s to CPU8 and CPU8
The data is output to the modem 6, the display unit 9, the keyboard 10, the read-only memory (ROM) 11, and the random access memory (RAM) 12 which are connected to each other via the bus 20.

Further, in the main power supply circuit 3, the power supply output P _s is sent by the operation of the switch circuit 7 (that is, the operation of the operator) or by the control signal S _c1 (that is, by the call signal S _caLL of the telephone line 2). ) Temporarily stores the operation status signal S ₀ , and responds to the CPU8 read operation to
Send the operating status signal S ₀ to U8.

When the interrupt signal INT is input, the CPU 8 reads the operation state signal S ₀ , and when the power output P _s is sent by the ON operation of the switch circuit 7 (this means that the operator uses the computer 1). _Means that the call signal S _caLL has _arrived through the telephone line 2 during the operation), the operating mode currently being executed, such as the word processor mode, or the spreadsheet mode, etc. (Referred to as mode) is continued.

On the contrary, when the power output P _s is sent according to the control process S _c1 (this means that the computer 1
_Means that it is in the ON state based on the call signal S _caLL ), RAM13 (back-up power supply (not shown)).
Connected to the power supply P _s keeps holding data even when the power is off), and the operator operates the function key 10a of the keyboard 10 to access a predetermined address of the automatic incoming call function. Action-Read stop information.

When the automatic call receiving function is in operation, the CPU 8 is the modem 6
An off-hook signal is transmitted to the telephone line 2 via the selection circuit 5, transfer data DA transferred from the host computer in response to the off-hook signal is fetched via the selection circuit 5 and the modem 6, and stored in the ROM 11, for example. It executes an automatic incoming program process which is processed according to a predetermined program or is stored in the RAM 12.

On the other hand, when the automatic call receiving function is in the stopped state, the control signal S _c2 is output to the main power supply circuit 3 after a predetermined time elapses after the operator operation mode is entered, and the power output P _{s is} output.
Is controlled not to be output.

By the way, since the operator is in the operator operation mode for the predetermined time, the operator hears the ringing sound of the ring indicator 4 and performs the predetermined operation of the keyboard 10 to switch, for example, the automatic call receiving function to the operating state. For example, the CPU 8 can output the off-hook signal to the telephone line 2 in response thereto and then process the transfer data DA obtained from the telephone line 2 via the modem 6 in the operation mode of the operator operation mode.

Further, in addition to the above configuration, the telephone 15 is connected to the contact 15b of the selection circuit 5.

The selection circuit 5 is switched to the contact 5b side by the selection signal Sh obtained when the function key 10b is turned on, and thus the telephone 15 is connected to the telephone line 2.

In the above configuration, while the operator is using the computer 1, the calling signal S is sent via the telephone line 2.
_{When the caLL receives} the first operation mode, the computer 1 returns to the operator operation mode without executing the acquisition of the transfer data DA in the automatic reception mode.

That is, when the operator turns on the switch circuit 7, the power supply output P _s is sent from the power supply circuit 3 and the operation state signal S indicating that the power supply P _s is turned on by the turn-on operation of the switch circuit 7. ₀ is temporarily stored in the main power supply circuit 3.

At this time, the CPU 8 performs a predetermined initializing operation, and then executes a data processing operation by operating the keyboard 10 or according to a program preset in the ROM 11.

In this state, the calling signal S is sent via the telephone line 2.
_{When caLL} is received, the computer 1 starts the step shown in FIG.
The operation moves from SP1 to step SP2, and the ringing tone is generated from the ring indicator 4.

Then, in step SP3, the control signal S _c1 is output from the ring indicator 4 to try to turn on the power supply circuit 3, but the power supply output P _s is already in the on state because the switch circuit 7 is turned on. Maintain the state and move to the next step SP4.

At this time, the CPU 8 reads the operation state signal S ₀ from the main power supply circuit 3 in response to the interrupt signal INT output from the ring indicator 4, and the ON operation of the power supply P _s calls the call signal S 0.
_Determine whether it is due to _caLL .

Since a negative result is obtained in this operation mode, the computer 1 does not execute the acquisition of the transfer data in the automatic reception mode even if the automatic reception function is set to the operation state (that is, the automatic reception program process is executed). (No), the operation _proceeds to step SP5, and the operation before entering the call signal S _caLL is continued in the mode of operator operation.

However, at this time, the ring indicator 4 is the telephone line 2
Keeps ringing until it disconnects from the host computer.

Therefore, during this time, the operator can know that the telephone line 2 is connected to the host computer, so that the operator can perform the necessary procedure by operating the computer 1 in the operator operation mode. .
For example, the operator operates the keyboard 10 during this time, for example, interrupts the program currently being executed, temporarily stores the data being processed in an external storage device such as a floppy disk, and then calls the transfer data DA. Capture from line 2,
Alternatively, it is possible to take a process of blocking the telephone line 2.

Further, when the operator turns on the function key 10b, the telephone line 2 is connected to the telephone set 15, so that the operator can make a normal telephone call through the telephone set 15.

On the other hand, in the second operation mode in which the call signal S _caLL is _received through the telephone line 2 to the computer 1 in which the automatic call receiving function is set to the operation state when the operation is stopped, the computer 1 automatically operates. It enters the incoming call mode and executes the automatic incoming call program process to automatically capture the transfer data DA. That is, the process moves from step SP1 to step SP2, generates a ringing tone, and then moves to step SP3.

Then, in step SP3, the power supply output P _s is sent out based on the control signal S _c1 , and as a result, the CPU 8 carries out the initialization operation in response to this.

Furthermore, the operation status signal S ₀ of the main power supply circuit 3 is the calling signal S
_{It means that} it is turned on by _caLL .

Therefore, when the operation proceeds to step SP4, a positive result is obtained in this operation mode, and the operation proceeds to step SP6.

At step SP6, the CPU 8 determines whether or not the automatic incoming call function is set to the operating state. Here, a positive result is obtained, and the routine proceeds to step SP7, where execution of the automatic incoming program is started. That is, the computer 1 outputs the off-hook signal to the telephone line 2 and then the transfer data DA transferred from the host computer in response to the output.
Are processed and processed according to a predetermined program.

When the transfer of the transfer data DA ends, step SP8
Then, the control signal S _c2 is output and the power supply output P _s is controlled so as not to be sent, and as a result, the computer 1 returns to the operation stop state.

On the other hand, in the case of the third operation mode in which the ringing signal S _caLL is _received via the telephone line 2 to the computer 1 in which the operation is in the stopped state and the automatic call reception function is set in the stopped state, No. 1 returns the operation to the stopped state after maintaining the operator operation mode for a predetermined time without executing the automatic incoming program processing. That is, the calling signal S
_{When caLL} is input, computer 1 sets steps SP1-SP2.
-SP3-SP4 and then to step SP6.

In this case, a negative result is obtained in step SP6, the process proceeds to step SP9, the operator operation mode is set, the ringing tone is continuously generated for a predetermined time, and then the stopped state is returned.

Therefore, during this period, if the operator hears the ringing tone and operates the keyboard to release the stopped state of the automatic incoming call function, the computer 1 can take in the transfer data.

According to the above configuration, when the operator turns on the switch circuit 7, the automatic data acquisition is prohibited, so that the computer 1 can be used, for example, without destroying the program being created. You can
Further, it is possible to obtain a computer capable of reducing the operation-stop operation of the automatic call receiving function by a complicated keyboard operation.

Also, the operator can confirm that the calling signal S _caLL is input via the telephone line 2 by the ringing tone even when operating the computer 1, so that, for example, the program being created can be _edited. By temporarily storing the data in the floppy disk device or the like and then capturing the data of the telephone line 2, the risk of failing to capture the transfer data can be effectively eliminated.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, when the power output P _s is sent by the ring indicator 4, the power is automatically turned off after the elapse of a predetermined time or after the end of the data transfer, so that the power consumption is significantly reduced. As a result, the battery can be miniaturized, so that a handheld compact computer which can be carried very easily can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the operation-stop status of the automatic call reception function is confirmed by checking the so-called software switch stored in a predetermined address in the RAM 13, but instead of this, a separate operation-stop operation is performed. Even if a slide switch or the like is provided and this is confirmed, the same effect can be obtained.

H Effect of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the operation state of the computer is checked to determine whether or not the transfer data fetch operation is executed. It is possible to easily realize a computer having an automatic incoming call function capable of reliably capturing transfer data without destroying the contents of the memory used by the operator.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a computer according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart used for explaining the operation thereof. 1 ... Computer, 2 ... Telephone line, 3 ... Main power circuit, 4 ... Ring indicator, 5 ... Selection circuit, 6 ...
... Modem, 7 ... Switch circuit, 8 ... Central processing unit, 15 ... Telephone.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A small-sized device which, in a call reception mode received from a telephone line, transfers data transferred through the telephone line into the same memory area used for data processing in an operator operation mode in an automatic call reception mode. In the computer, detecting means for detecting whether or not the operation state is the operator operation mode at the time of incoming call, controlling the taking of the transfer data into the memory area, and based on the detection result of the detecting means, In the above operator operation mode when a ringing signal arrives,
A small-sized computer, comprising: a control unit that prohibits the transfer data from being taken into the memory area in the automatic incoming mode.