JP2000305890A - Interface box - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need to obtain the type of information equipment by composing a RAM of a work area and a descriptor data storage area and storing a ROM with programs for standard request processing, data transmission and reception, a read of the type of portable information equipment, and descriptor data rewriting. SOLUTION: An interface box is composed of a 1st interface circuit 101, a differential circuit 102, a protocol processing circuit 103, a 2nd interface circuit 107, a CPU 104, a ROM 106 and a RAM 105. The ROM 106 is composed of program areas for a standard request processing program 111, a data transmitting and receiving program 112, a type read-in program 113 and a descriptor data rewriting program 114. Further, the RAM 105 is composed of the descriptor data storage area 190 and the work area 110 that a CPU uses for operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an interface box used for data communication between a computer and a peripheral device, and more particularly, to an interface box between a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a PC) and a portable information device. US
The present invention relates to an interface box used when transmitting and receiving data conforming to the B standard.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of portable information devices, P
Portable information devices having a function of communicating data with C and using the data have appeared. For example, PC
In the above personal information management software, customer data, own schedule, and the like are registered. When going out, the data registered on the PC is transmitted to the portable information device, and if only this portable information device is carried, the data is displayed on the portable information device even when going out, and the customer's data is displayed. You can check data and schedules. In addition, the data input to the portable information device while away from home
To update the data on the PC.

[0003] In the connection form between the PC and the portable information device, an interface box is often relayed, and the interface box is sometimes called a docking station. Until a long time ago, the connection between the PC and the interface box was generally based on the RS-232C standard. However, with the increase in the storage capacity of portable information devices, the USB standard has been adopted to enable higher-speed communication. Communication using a compliant connection has been started.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an interface box in a conventional example. The interface box includes a first interface circuit 701 and a differential circuit 7.
02, a protocol processing circuit 703, a second interface circuit 707, a CPU 704, a ROM 706, and a RAM.
705.

[0005] The ROM 706 has a program area for a standard request processing program 710 and a data transmission / reception program 711 and a descriptor data storage area 712.
It consists of: The RAM 705 includes a work area 709 used when the CPU 704 performs calculations.

FIG. 9 shows that the driver software required to operate the interface box in the conventional example is P
Operating system on C (hereinafter referred to as OS)
6 is a flowchart showing a flow of loading the data into the memory. Here, it is assumed that Windows 98 is installed as the OS on the PC. Windows 9
8 supports the USB interface as standard.

[0007] When the user starts communication between the PC and the portable information device, the user sets the portable information device in the interface box (801). Next, the user connects the interface box and the PC with a USB cable (802). When the OS detects that the interface box is connected to the USB interface of the PC via the USB cable, the OS sends GET_DESCRIPTO to the interface box.
An R command is transmitted (803). When the GET_DESCRIPTOR command is transmitted, the interface box transmits one packet of data held in the descriptor data storage area 712 by the standard request processing program 710 (804). The OS confirms that it is operating normally by transmitting one packet of data from the interface box. Next, O
S transmits a SET_ADDRESS command and sets an unused address number from No. 1 to No. 127 in the interface box (805). Next, O
S transmits the GET_DESCRIPTOR command again (806). The interface box transmits all descriptors of the standard descriptor, the configuration descriptor, the interface descriptor, and the end pointer descriptor (807). Then, O
S is the standard descriptor idVendor, idP
The appropriate driver software is uniquely loaded based on the vendor ID and device ID in the product field and the information of the INF file managed by the OS (8
08). For this reason, fixed driver software is loaded regardless of the portable information device connected to the interface box.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a communication flow in the conventional example. The driver software loaded on the OS acquires the type of the portable information device connected to the interface box (901). For example, it can be distinguished by the storage capacity of the memory, the data bus width, and in the case of a PCMCIA card, the type such as an ATA card, an SRAM card, and a straight flash card. The driver software communicates with the interface box by a communication method corresponding to the read type. The data transferred to the interface box is transmitted to and received from the portable information device by the interface box.

[0009]

As described above, at the time of communication, it is necessary for the driver software on the OS to acquire the type of the portable information device connected to the interface box. Further, the driver software must select a transfer method and transmit and receive data in accordance with the type of the portable information device.

Also, in order to make the interface box compatible with a new type of portable information device, it is necessary to replace the existing driver software to support the interface box. You need to be aware of program independence. Moreover, since it is necessary to rewrite the previously described source code, there is a possibility that a failure may occur in a transfer program for an existing portable information device due to the fault of the driver software developer.

[0011] In order to solve these problems, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for driver software loaded on the OS to acquire the type of portable information device connected to the interface box. An object of the present invention is to provide an interface box that can be used when a box is adapted to a new portable information device by creating driver software independent of an existing one.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, an interface box of the present invention comprises a first interface circuit for interfacing with a USB and a difference from the first interface circuit conforming to the USB standard. A differential circuit that converts a motion signal and a serial signal, a protocol processing circuit that converts a serial signal and packet data conforming to the USB standard, a second interface circuit that interfaces with a portable information device, In an interface box including a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, which can be connected to a personal computer and a portable information device, the RAM is a CP.
The ROM includes a work area for calculating by U, and a descriptor data storage area, and the ROM includes a standard request processing program for processing a standard request conforming to the USB standard, a data transmission / reception program for processing USB communication, It stores a type reading program for reading the type of the type information device, and a descriptor data rewriting program for rewriting the descriptor data in the descriptor data storage area.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An interface box according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
7 are diagrams for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system comprising a PC in this embodiment, a portable information device having a function of communicating with the PC, and an interface box for relaying communication between the PC and the portable information device. Show. The USB cable 20 between the PC 202 and the interface box 201
4 and communicates according to the USB standard. The interface box 201 includes a PCMCIA card slot 206 and a USB connector 205. The portable information device 203 is a card type of PCMCIA type 2 standard, and includes a PCMCIA connector 207, operation buttons 209, and a liquid crystal panel 208 for display. The interface box 201 and the USB cable 204 are connected via a USB connector 205. The portable information device 203 is set in the PCMCIA card slot 206, and communication with the interface box 201 is performed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the interface box in the embodiment of the present invention. The interface box includes a first interface circuit 101, a differential circuit 102, and a protocol processing circuit 10 as in the conventional example.
3 and second interface circuit 107 and CPU 104
And a ROM 106 and a RAM 105.

A different part from the conventional example is that the ROM 106
Is composed of a program area of a standard request processing program 111, a data transmission / reception program 112, a type reading program 113, and a descriptor data rewriting program 114. The RAM 105 is composed of a descriptor data storage area 109 and a work area 110 when the CPU performs calculations. Make up.

The differential circuit 102 generates a +5/0 V serial signal from a differential signal conforming to the USB standard from the first interface circuit 101. On the contrary, +5
A differential signal conforming to the USB standard is generated from the / 0V serial signal.

The protocol processing circuit 103 includes a differential circuit 1
From the serial signal generated in step S02, packets that are classified into SOF packets, token packets, data packets, and handshake packets according to the USB standard are identified, and received data is generated. Further, serial data is generated from a packet distinguished between a data packet and a handshake packet.

The differential circuit 102 is connected to the first interface circuit 101 and the protocol processing circuit 103. The protocol processing circuit 103 is connected to the address / data bus 108. CPU 104 and ROM 106
And the RAM 105 are respectively connected to the address / data bus 1
08. The address / data bus 10
8 is a PC through the second interface circuit 107
It is connected to the connector of the MCIA card slot 206.

This interface box is a USB
2 of bulk-in transfer and bulk-out transfer in the standard
One endpoint communicates with the PC.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a descriptor data storage area. Descriptor data storage area 109
Consists of a 50-byte area, a standard descriptor,
The configuration descriptor, the interface descriptor, and the two endpoint descriptors are successively stored in a byte order conforming to the USB standard.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the type reading program 113 and the descriptor data rewriting program 114. The product information character string located at the fifth byte of the product information tuple (code number 15H) in the attribute memory of the portable information device connected to the interface box includes idVendor and id of the standard descriptor.
It is assumed that a hexadecimal ASCII character string corresponding to Device is described. The type reading program 113 is
From the 5th byte to 12th in a method according to the PCMCIA standard
Reads the character string at the byte. Next, a numerical value obtained by converting the first four bytes of the read character string into a hexadecimal ASCII character string is written in the idVender field 306 of the standard descriptor in the descriptor data storage area 109. The numeric value obtained by converting the latter four-byte character string of the read character string into a hexadecimal ASCII character string is represented by idDev of the standard descriptor in the descriptor data storage area 109.
Write in the ice field 307.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of loading driver software on the OS in this embodiment.
Here, the operating system (hereinafter, referred to as PC)
A description will be given assuming that Windows 98 is operating as the OS. Windows 98 supports an interface conforming to the USB standard as standard.

When the user starts communication between the PC and the portable information device, the user sets the portable information device in the interface box (501). When the portable information device is connected, the descriptor data storage area 109 is executed by the type reading program 113 and the descriptor data rewriting program 114 as described above.
IdVendor field 306 and idDevice
The e-field 306 is rewritten (502, 50
3). Next, the user enters the interface box and P
C is connected by a USB cable (504). OS
Detects that the interface box has been connected to the USB interface of the PC via a USB cable,
A DESCRIPTOR command is transmitted (505).
The interface box is GET_DESCRIP
When the TOR command is transmitted, the standard request program processing program 111 transmits one packet of the data in the descriptor data storage area 109 (50).
6). The OS checks whether one packet of data has been transmitted from the interface box to determine whether it is operating normally. Next, the OS transmits a SET_ADDRESS command and sets an unused address number among the numbers 1 to 127 in the interface box (507). Next, the OS returns to GET_DESCRIP again.
A TOR command is transmitted (508). The interface box transmits all descriptors of the standard descriptor, the configuration descriptor, the interface descriptor, and the end pointer descriptor (509). Then, the OS uniquely loads appropriate driver software based on the vendor ID and device ID in the idVender and idProduct fields, which are the elements of the standard descriptor, and the information of the INF file managed by the OS (510). . for that reason,
PCMCI connected to interface box
The driver software is loaded corresponding to the hexadecimal ASCII character string held in the product information character string of the A card.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a communication flow in the embodiment. Since the driver software loaded in the OS corresponds to the type of the PCMCIA card, communication with the interface box is performed by a method unique to the PCMCIA card. Where PCMC
The type of the IA card is the same as the type of communication method performed by the driver software during data transfer. For example, it can be distinguished by the type of ATA card, SRAM card, straight flash card, and the like.

In this embodiment, a portable information device is connected to a PC.
Although described as MCIA type 2 card type, it is not limited thereto.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, since the contents of the standard descriptor change depending on the type of the portable information device to be connected, dedicated driver software is loaded on the OS. Therefore, there is no need for the driver software loaded on the OS to acquire the type of the portable information device connected to the interface box. This can be handled by creating driver software that is independent of the driver.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an interface box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an interface box according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram when an interface box is used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a descriptor data storage area in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an attribute reading process and a descriptor data rewriting process in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of loading driver software on an OS in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a communication flow in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an interface box in a conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of loading driver software on an OS in a conventional example.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a communication flow in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 storage unit 12 control unit 13 interface unit 14 type reading unit 15 descriptor data rewriting unit 101 first interface circuit 102 differential circuit 103 protocol processing circuit 104 CPU 105 RAM 106 ROM 107 second interface circuit 108 address / data bus 109 Descriptor data storage area 110 Work area 111 Standard request processing program 112 Data transmission / reception program 113 Type reading program 114 Descriptor data rewriting program 201 Interface box 202 Personal computer 203 Portable information device 204 USB cable 205 USB connector 206 PCMCIA card slot 207 PCMCIA connector 208 LCD panel Le 209 operation button

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A communication system comprising a control unit, a storage unit, and an interface unit, having a function of connecting between a personal computer and a portable information device and relaying communication. The personal computer is connected to a USB (Universal Serial).
al Bus) standard, and performs GET_DESCRIP, which is the sixth standard device request.
An interface box for transmitting unique information of the standard descriptor data held in the storage unit in response to the TOR command, wherein the id of the standard descriptor data is
A type reading unit that reads the type of the portable information device corresponding to the data information of the Vendor field and the idDevice field in a one-to-one correspondence; An interface box, comprising: descriptor data rewriting means for rewriting data information and changing the unique information. 2. The interface box according to claim 1, wherein said type reading means reads an attribute memory of a portable information device conforming to the PCMCIA standard. 3. The interface box according to claim 1, wherein the type reading unit reads a product information tuple in an attribute memory of a portable information device conforming to the PCMCIA standard.