JP2719419B2 - IC card - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an IC card having a built-in memory, detachably connected to an information processing device, and accessing the processing means in the information processing device. Things.

2. Description of the Related Art An IC card called a memory card is used in an external storage device of a host device such as a personal computer and a word processor as an alternative to a floppy disk device because of its easy handling and high access speed. This memory card contains only a random access memory (RAM) or a read-only memory (ROM) as a simple external storage device of the host device.
Access memory through a connector.

However, in such a memory card, no data processing can be performed in the state of a single card that is not connected to the host device, and the processed data cannot be viewed. Therefore, CPUs and CPUs that access memory and perform data processing
IC with a keypad for inputting data to the device and a display together with a memory for displaying processed data
Cards called cards have been developed.

When transferring data to the host device using such a visual IC card, a method is used in which the CPU of the card processes the data in the memory in response to a transmission request from the host device and transmits it to the host device as serial data. I have. That is, the CPU of the host device accesses the memory of the IC card via the CPU of the IC card.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such a configuration in which the CPU of the host device accesses the memory of the IC card via the CPU of the IC card, the data transfer speed is low, and if the amount of data to be handled is large, the data transfer is performed. It takes a lot of time. Further, since the CPU of the host device cannot frequently access the data of the IC card at a desired timing, there is a disadvantage that the application using the IC card of the host device is considerably restricted.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide the above-described IC card,
The object of the present invention is to enable a processing means in an information processing device to directly access a memory in an IC card when connected to the information processing device.

[Means for Solving the Problems] To solve the above problems, according to the present invention, a memory and processing means for accessing the memory and performing predetermined processing are built in, and are detachably attached to the information processing apparatus. IC that is connected and the memory is accessed to a processing procedure in the information processing device
A detecting means for detecting whether or not the IC card is connected to the information processing apparatus, and detecting that the IC card is connected to the information processing apparatus by the detecting means. , The memory in the IC card is
And a control unit for controlling so as to be connected directly to the processing unit in the information processing apparatus without going through the processing unit in the IC card so as to be directly accessed.

FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of this IC card.
In the figure, 1 is a memory, 2 is a CPU serving as processing means for accessing the memory 1 and performing predetermined processing, 3 is a connector for detachably connecting an IC card to an information processing apparatus,
Reference numeral 4 denotes detection means for detecting whether or not the IC card is connected to the information processing apparatus, and reference numeral 5 denotes connection switching means, which switches the connection of the memory 1 under the control of the CPU 2. When the detecting means 4 detects that the IC card is connected to the information processing apparatus, the connection switching means 5 switches the connection of the memory 1 under the control of the CPU 2, and the memory 1 is connected to the information processing apparatus without passing through the CPU 2. Is connected directly to the processing means.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, when the IC card is connected to the information processing device, the processing means in the information processing device is connected to the memory in the IC card without passing through the processing means in the IC card. Has direct access to memory.

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

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of an IC card according to an embodiment of the present invention. The IC card indicated by reference numeral 10 is a memory 11a, 11b.
And a CPU that accesses and performs data processing (hereinafter referred to as a card C to distinguish it from a CPU of a host device (not shown)).
PU 12), and is detachably connected to a host device (not shown) by a connector 13. Memory 11
a is the card memory as the data memory and the CPU of the host device
(Hereinafter referred to as host CPU), which is usually composed of RAM. The memory 11b stores a control program of the card CPU 12 as a program memory.
It is composed of OM.

Further, the IC card 10 is provided with a key input unit 17 for inputting data to the card CPU 12 by key operation, and a display 18 such as a liquid crystal display for displaying processed data.

Further, the IC card 10 of the present embodiment is provided with a connection detection circuit 14 and a connection switching circuit 15 as components related to the present invention. The connection detection circuit 14 is a circuit that detects whether or not the IC card 10 is connected to a host device (not shown) by the connector 13. A signal of a predetermined connection terminal of the connector 13 is input to the connection detection circuit 14, and the voltage level of this signal is determined depending on whether the connector 13 is connected to a connector of a host device (not shown). The connection detection circuit 14 detects whether or not the IC card 10 is connected to a host device based on the signal level. Then, the connection detection circuit 14 outputs a connection detection signal DET to the card CPU 12. Here, the connection detection signal DET when detecting that the IC card 10 is connected to the host device is set to “1”, and when the IC card 10 is not connected, the connection detection signal DET is set to “0”.
And

On the other hand, the connection switching circuit 15 stores the memory 11a in the card CPU.
This is a circuit that switches and connects to the connector 12 or the connector 13, and is composed of a bus transceiver element and the like. Specifically, the connection switching circuit 15 includes a bus (data bus, address bus) 16b for accessing the memory 11a and a read signal RD.
Line 19b for control signals such as write signal and write signal WR
12 bus 16c and control signal line 19c or connector
The connection is switched to the bus 16a on the 13 side and the control signal line 19a. Switching of the connection by the connection switching circuit 15 is controlled by a selection signal SEL output from the card CPU 12 to the connection switching circuit 15. Here, the connection switching circuit 15 connects the memory 11a to the connector 13 when the selection signal SEL is "0", and connects the memory 11a to the card CPU 12 when the selection signal SEL is "1". .

Under such a configuration, the card CPU 12 is connected to the connection detection circuit 14.
The connection switching circuit 15 is controlled by changing the selection signal SEL in accordance with the connection detection signal DET input from the CPU, and when the IC card 10 is connected to the host device, the memory 11a is connected to the connector 13 side, and the IC When the card 10 is not connected to the host device, the memory 11a is connected to the card CPU 12 side.

Such control processing of the card CPU 12 is performed as follows in accordance with the procedure shown in FIG. 3 according to the control program stored in the program memory 11b.

That is, first, in step S1 of FIG. 3, a key scan of the key input section 17 is performed to check whether or not there is a key input. If there is a key input, a process corresponding to the key input is performed in step S2, and thereafter, the process returns to step S1.

On the other hand, if there is no key input, the display
After performing the data display processing in step 18, it is checked in step S4 whether the connection detection signal DET is "1" or "0".

If the connection detection signal DET is "1", that is, if the IC card 10 is connected to the host device, the process proceeds to step S5.
Then, the selection signal SEL is set to "0" and the connection switching circuit 15 connects the memory 11a to the connector 13, that is, the host CPU. Of course, in this case, the connection between the memory 11a and the card CPU 12 is cut off, whereby the card CPU 12 is not connected to the host device and the host device side is protected. After step S5, the process returns to step S1.

On the other hand, if the connection detection signal DET is “0”, that is, if the IC card 10 is not connected to the host device,
In step S6, the selection signal SEL is set to "1", and the connection switching circuit 15 connects the memory 11a to the card CPU 12 side. Thereafter, the flow returns to step S1.

As described above, according to the IC card 10 of the present embodiment, when the IC card 10 is connected to the host device, the memory 11a is connected to the connector 13 side and connected to the host CPU, so that the host CPU Direct access to 11a, card
The access speed can be dramatically improved as compared with the conventional access via the CPU. In addition, since the host CPU can frequently access the memory 11a at a desired timing, free applications can be provided to the host device.

If the IC card 10 is not connected to the host device, the memory 11a is connected to the card CPU 12, so that the card CP
U12 can access memory 11a to perform data processing, and IC
Data processing can be performed by the card 10 alone.

When the IC card 10 is connected to the host device, the card CPU 12 is disconnected from the memory 11a and cannot access the memory 11a to perform data processing, but generally the IC card is connected to the host device. In this state, the entire IC card is housed in the housing of the host device, key input of the IC card cannot be performed, the display cannot be seen, and there is no point in performing data processing by the IC card alone, so there is no problem.

In the above configuration, connection switching is performed only for the memory 11a.However, the host CPU may need to directly access program data and the like stored in the program memory 11b. It is conceivable to switch the connection in the same manner as described above. In this case, when the IC card 10 is connected to the host device, the connection between the card CPU 12 and the program memory 11b is cut off, so that the connection switching cannot be controlled by the control program of the program memory 11b. Therefore, in this case, the connection detection signal DET of the connection detection circuit 14 is input to the connection switching circuit 15 instead of the selection signal SEL, and the connection switching circuit 15 is controlled by the connection detection signal DET to switch the connection. good.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, a memory and processing means for accessing the memory and performing predetermined processing are built in, and are detachably connected to the information processing apparatus.
The memory is an IC card that is accessed by processing means in the information processing device, and a detecting unit that detects whether the IC card is connected to the information processing device. When it is detected that the memory is connected to the information processing device, the memory in the IC card is connected to the processing unit in the information processing device and is directly accessed without passing through the processing unit in the IC card. And control means, when the IC card is connected to the information processing device, the processing procedure in the information processing device can directly access the memory in the IC card, and the access speed can be dramatically improved. Since it is possible to frequently access at a desired timing, an excellent effect that a free application can be provided to the information processing apparatus is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an IC card of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of an IC card according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. Card CP
9 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a memory connection switching process by U. 1 ... memory 2 ... CPU 3 ... connector 4 ... connection detection means 5 ... connection switching means 10 ... IC cards 11a, 11b ... memory 12 ... card CPU, 13 ... connector 14 ... … Connection detection circuit 15… Connection switching circuit 17… Key input section, 18… Display section

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An IC having a built-in memory and processing means for accessing the memory and performing predetermined processing, the IC being detachably connected to an information processing apparatus, and the memory being accessed by a processing means in the information processing apparatus. A detecting means for detecting whether or not the IC card is connected to the information processing device; and detecting that the IC card is connected to the information processing device by the detecting means. Control means for controlling the memory in the IC card to be connected directly to the processing means in the information processing apparatus without going through the processing means in the IC card and controlling the memory to be directly accessed. 2. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein program data is stored in said memory.