GB2305530A

GB2305530A - Apparatus for writing data to a PC card

Info

Publication number: GB2305530A
Application number: GB9610560A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shinichi Mizoguchi
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 1995-09-25
Filing date: 1996-05-20
Publication date: 1997-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 2016-05-20
Also published as: KR970017043A; JPH0991389A; CN1146583A; DE19618334A1; GB9610560D0; GB2305530B

Description

2305530 1 APPARATUS FOR WRITING DATA TO PC CARD

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIO

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for writing a visible data on a semiconductor memory card thereto.

Description ofthe Prior Art

Recently, PC cards become popular as data storage media for compact handy electronic equipments having a PC card slot such as notebook-sized and subnotebook-sized computers and personal digital assistants. Recently, even a desk-top type personal computers are tends to have a PC card slot.

As PC cards become more popular and a person have a plurality of cards, it becomes difficult to remember data stored in each PC card. Then, card management will become a problem. When a PC card is used, a user has to insert the card and turn on the system in order to confirm the content of data in the card.

Japanese Patent laid open Publication 2-115996/1990, 4-367090/1992 and the like describe solutions of this problem. In these prior arts, a display device is provided in a PC card for confirming a data stored in the PC card, and a PC card can be distinguished according to the data displayed in the display device. However, in these prior arts, a write apparatus is needed independently of a computer to write a data to be displayed in the display device to the PC card. Therefore, when a display data is written to a PC card, it is needed to take the PC card apart from the computer and to connect it to the write apparatus.

SUMMARY OF = IM=10

An object of the invention is to provide a write apparatus which can write data on contents stored in a PC card to a display device of the PC card in a state where the write apparatus is connected to the PC card.

Claims

In this regard a first aspect of the invention provides apparatus as set out in Claim 1. Preferred features of this aspect of the invention are set out in Claims 2 to 11. - 3 In another aspect, the invention provides apparatus as set out in Claims 12 to 16.

1 1 An advantage of the present invention is that information on data stored in a PC card can be confirmed easily.

Another advantage of the present invention is that information on data stored in a PC card can be confirmed without connected to an external equipment.

A further advantage of the present invention is that information on data stored in a PC card can be confirmed for various types of PC cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and features of the present invention will become clear from the following description taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a PC card having a display function; Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining action of magnets of a display label attached to the PC card of the invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a PC card slot of a computer to which a PC card and a display data writer of the invention are mounted; Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a label writer of a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a flowchart of the label writer in the first embodiment of the invention when access is detected; Fig. 6 is a flowchart of the label writer in the first embodiment of the invention when an electric power is turned on; Fig. 7 is a flowchart of the label writer in the first embodiment of the invention when a control button is pressed; - 5 Fig. 8 ia a flow chart of write processing in Figs.

is 5, 6 and 7; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a label writer and an exclusive adapter connected thereto; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a label writer which can change a height of a write head; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a label writer which can be divided into a write device and a connector; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of another type of a label writer having a display on a surface of a main body; Fig. 13 is a block diagram of the label writer shown in Fig. 12; and Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a different label writer; Fig. 15 is a block diagram of the label writer shown in Fig. 14.' DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the views, Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a PC card according to an embodiment of the invention. A connector 2 is provided at an end along a longitudinal direction of the PC card 1 to be connected to a system equipment. Further, a display device (hereinafter referred to as "display label") 6 - 3 having a dot matrix using magnets is adhered to a surface of a panel 4 of the PC card 1.

As shown in Fig. 2A, the display label 3 has magnets covering a bottom plane 21 with a color such as gray. When a magnetic field is applied to a part thereof along a direction shown with arrows, as shown in Fig. 2B, only the magnets 23 in the part change their directions to expose a portion of the bottom plane 21 not covered by the magnets 22.

Thus, an image or a character pattern can be recognized by observing it from above.

Fig. 3 shows a section of a PC card 1 and a label writer 6 for writing display information to the display label 3 of the PC card 1. The label writer 6 is inserted in a PC card slot 5 provided in a computer 4, and a PC card 1 is mounted to the display data writer 6. As shown in Fig. 3, the PC card 1 is connected through the label writer 6 to the computer 4. The display information to be displayed includes, for example, a directory data on a data file stored in the PC card, such as a file name, a file size or a date on storing the data file. The PC card slot 5 of the computer 4 has a size which can contain a PC card of type 3 of JEIDA (Japan Electronic Industry Development Association) standard (thickness of 10.5 mm) having a contour of two stages. The PC card slot 5 can contain the label writer 6 and a PC card 1 of a size of type 1 (thickness of 3.3 mm) mounted to the 22 is label writer 6. The label writer 6 has an outer shape to be fitted to the slot 5 for a PC card of type 3.and can receive the PC card 1 when the apparatus 6 is inserted in the slot 5. The apparatus 6 comprises a connector 8 connectable to a counterpart provided for a PC card in the computer 4 and another connector 9 connectable to the connector 2 of the PC card 1. The apparatus 6 further comprises a control button 7 provided at the opposite end against the connector 8 to be inserted into the slot 5. The label writer 6 further comprises a write head (not shown) at a position in correspondence to the display label 3 (Fig. 1) including magnets adhered to the PC card 1, and the write head performs write to the display label 3. Then, though a main body of the PC card 1 itself has no display function, the label writer 6 can write a data needed to be displayed to the display label 3 adhered to the PC card 1.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the label writer 6. The apparatus 6 comprises a button controller 61, a power detector 62 and an access detector 63, and they are connected to a data bus 64 on one hand and to a label display controller 65 on the other hand. The label display controller 65 is connected further to a buffer memory 66 and a writer 67. The buffer memory 66 is further connected to the data bus 64. The PC card 1 has a display content storage area 12 for storing directory data such as a file name, a file size and the like - 8 in a memory area 11 in a memory device provided in the PC card Figs. 5-7 show flowcharts of write operation of the label writer 6 to the display label 3. Display data are written to the display label 3 at following three timings: (1) The computer 4 starts access to the PC card 1 (or the PC card is inserted). (2) The electric power source of the computer 4 is turned on. (3) The control button 7 of the label writer 6 is pressed. Write operation of the label writer 6 in these cases are explained below.

Fig. 5 shows a flowchart (1) when the computer 4 starts access to the PC card 1. When the PC card 1 is inserted to the computer 4, the computer 4 starts access to the PC card 1. First, the access to the PC card 1 by the computer 4 is detected by the access detector 63 (steps S401 and S402). The access is monitored (step S403) until the access is completed (YES at step S404). After the completion of the access is confirmed, a start signal 68 for display control is received from the access detector 63 by the label display controller 65 (step S405). When the start signal 68 is received, the controller 65 performs write operation to be explained in detail later (step S406).

Fig. 6 shows a flowchart of the label writer (2) when an electric power is turned on. When the turning on of an electric power is detected by the power detector 62 (steps is 9 is S411 and S412), a start signal 68 for display control is received from the power detector 62 by the. label display controller 65 (step S413). When the start signal 68 is received, it performs write operation to be explained in detail later (step S414).

Fig. 7 shows a flowchart of the label writer 6 (3) when the control button 7 provided in the label writer 6 is pressed. When the label writer 6 is inserted into the PC card slot 5, the button 7 provided at the opposite end against the slot 5 can be pressed by a user. When the control button 7 is pressed (steps S421 and S422), a start signal 68 for display control is received from the button controller 61 by the label display controller 65 (step S413). When the start signal 68 is received, it performs write operation to be explained in detail later (step S414).

Fig. 8 shows a flowchart of the write processing (steps S406, S414 and S424 in Figs. 5-7). When the label display controller 65 receives the start signal 68, it requests access to the PC card 1 (step S501), reads data to be displayed from the display content storage area 12 in the memory area 11 in the PC card 1 and copies the data in the buffer memory 66 (step S502). After the copying completes, the access is completed between the label writer 6 and the PC card 1 (step S503). The abovementioned processing is performed only between the label writer 6 and the PC card 1 - while data transfer between the computer 4 and the PC card 1 is prohibited, and after the completion of the.processing, the computer 4 can access the PC card 1. The label display controller 65 searches a file name from the contents received from the buffer memory 66 and sends it to the writer 67 (step S504), and the writer 67 converts it to a magnetic signal to write the information to the display label 3 of the PC card 1 (step S505). Thus, a content to be displayed is written to the display label 3, and a user can observe the content.

As explained above, a data can be written by the label writer 6 to the display label 3. In other words, a display data can be written to a PC card mounting a display device. Then, a user disconnects the PC card 1 f rom the apparatus 6 and observes display data on the contents of data in the PC card 1. Thus, a data in the PC card can be confirmed only by the PC card.

Fig. 9 shows a label writer 6 connected to an exclusive AC adapter 73 with the connector 8. The AC adapter 73 supplies an electric power to the label writer 6. Then, the electric power can be supplied to the label writer 6 not only by the computer 4 but also by the AC adapter 71. Therefore, the label writer 73 can write data to the display label 3 without connected to the computer 4. The AC adapter 73 can also be connected to other types of label writers explained below.

11 is Fig. 10 shows a different type of a label writer 83 which can adjust a height of a write head included the apparatus 83. The label writer 83 comprises a first part 81 having connectors 8, 9 and a second part 82, and a third part 84 connecting the first and second parts. The third part 84 is a mechanical mechanism which increases or decreases its height,h,, while maintaining electrical connection between the first and second parts 81, 82. As shown in Fig. 10, the height,h,, designates a distance from a bottom plane of the first part 81 to a bottom of the second part 82, or it corresponds to a thickness of an PC card connected to the first part 81. By adjusting the height of the display data writer 83, the apparatus can correspond to various types of PC card such as a PC card of type 1, 2 or 3 having a dif f erent thickness. When the label writer 83 is used without connected to a computer, display information can be written to a various PC card.

Fig. 11 shows a label writer 3, 31 which can be divided into a common display write unit 91 and a connector unit 92 or 93. The connector unit 92 for a full size and the connector unit 93 for a half size have a different length along a longitudinal direction of a PC card slot. BY combining the connector unit 92 for a full size or 93 for a half size with the display write unit 91, the label writer 3, 31 can be used for a PC c.ard 1 of a full size and for a PC - 12 card 11 of a half size. The magnetic head in the common display write device 91 can write a data to the display label of the PC card 1, 11. Thus, by dividing the display data writer into a display write unit 92, 93 and a common unit 91, the apparatus can correspond to a PC card of full size and to one of half size.

Figs. 12 and 13 show another type of a label writer 103 having a display device 101 such as a liquid crystal panel for displaying information on a surface of a main body thereof. The display device 101 is provided at an upper side opposite to a magnetic head for writing data and provided oppositely to the display label 3 of a PC card. As shown in Fig. 13, the. label writer 103 further comprises a display controller 110 for controlling the display device 101 besides the structure shown in Fig. 4, and it is connected to a label display controller 105. The label display controller 105 receives data in the buffer memory 66 received from the display content storage area 15 in the memory area 14 in the PC card 1, and sends the data to the display controller 110 for outputting it to the display device 101. By providing the display device 101, a content of the PC card 1 can be confirmed by observing a visible image in the display device 101.

Further, if an identification number for each PC card is written to a part of the memory space 17 (for example, - 13 is 0 attribute memory space) in the PC card 1, as shown in Fig. 13, the label display controller 105 in the label writer 103 can read the recognition number from the PC card and the writer 67 can write it to the display device 3. Further, if the display device 101 is provided in the label writer 103 as shown in Fig. 13, by writing the identification number also to the display device 101, the display information on the PC card 1 can be compared with that displayed on the label writer 103. By giving an identification number in the memory area 17 in the PC card, a content of each PC card can be confirmed by the label writer 103 and the PC card 1. Thus, it can be used an effective tool for managing a plurality of PC cards.

Figs. 14 and 15 show a different type of a label writer 123. The label writer 123 comprises a plurality of buttons 127 for representing a PC card besides the button 7, as shown in Fig. 14, while the buffer memory 66 shown in Fig. 13 is replaced with a read only memory (ROM) 126 wherein a plurality of data on the contents of the plurality of PC cards is stored. In Fig. 14, only two buttons 127 are displayed for simplicity, but a desired number of buttons may be provided. By pressing one of buttons 127, a label display controller 110 in the label writer 123 reads directory information such as a f ile name stored in the ROM 126 in correspondence to the pressed button in the display device 111, and the writer 67 writes the data to the display device 3 of the PC card 1 - 14 Then, contents of the PC card can be confirmed by observing the display device 3. If a display device 101 is provided in the label writer 123, the contents are also displayed in the display device 101 by the display controller 110.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart therefrom.

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for writing visible data to a display device provided on a PC card, the apparatus comprising: a first connector, connectable to a PC card provided with a display device which can display visible data; a second connector, connectable to system equipment; a body, mounting said first and second connectors and having a shape which can be accommodated within a card slot provided in the system equipment whilst said first connector is connected to the PC card; and a write device, for reading data from the PC card and writing the data to the display device of the PC card when said first connector is connected to the PC card.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, said write device comprising: a signal generator, for generating a start signal; a display controller, for reading data from a PC card connected to said first connector when it receives the start signal; and a write head, which writes the data received from said display controller to the display device of the PC card.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, further comprising a button provided on said body, wherein said signal generator comprises a button detector which outputs a start signal when it is detected that the button is pressed.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein said signal generator comprises a tum-on detector which detects turning on of an electric power supply and outputs a start signal.

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5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said write device is adapted for writing data to a magnetic display device provided on a PC card.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a power supply unit connectable to said second connector.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said body comprises a first part comprising said first and second connectors, a second part containing at least a write head included in said writer, and means for coupling the first and second parts which allows a height of the second part relative to the first part to be altered.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said body further comprises a third connector, and at least a write head of said write device is provided in a second unit, which comprises a fourth connector for connection to the third connector.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a second display device provided on a surface of said body, and a display controller for writing data to the second display device.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the data on the PC card read by said write device comprises directory information relating to the PC card.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the data on the PC card read by said write device comprises an identification number stored in the PC card to identify the PC card.

12. Apparatus for writing data to a PC card comprising: a first connector connectable to a PC card provided with a display device which can display visible data; a second connector, connectable to system equipment; a body mounting said first and second connectors and having a shape which can be accommodated within a card slot provided in the system equipment whilst said first connector is connected to the PC card; a read only memory for storing data relating to a plurality of PC cards; a plurality of buttons provided on said body, and a write device for detecting the pressing of one of the plurality of buttons, reading data relating to one of the PC cards from the read only memory in correspondence to the button pressed, and writing the data to the display device of the one of PC cards whilst said first connector is connected to the one of PC cards..

13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, said write device comprising: a signal generator, for generating a start signal; a display controller, for reading data from said read only memory when it receives the start signal; and a write head, which writes the data received from said display controller to the display device of the PC card.

14. Apparatus according to Claim 13, further comprising another button provided on said body, wherein said signal generator comprises a button detector which detects that the other button provided in the data writer is pressed and outputs a start signal.

15. Apparatus according to Claim 13 or 14, wherein said signal generator comprises a turn-on detector which detects turning on of an electric power supply and outputs a start signal.

16. Apparatus for writing data to a PC card substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 to 8; or Figures 9 and 4 to 8; or Figures 10 and 4 to 8.. or Figures 11 and 4 to 8; or Figures 12 and 13; or Figures 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings.

16. Apparatus according to Claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein said signal generator comprises a turn-on detector which detects turning on of an electric power supply and outputs a start signal.

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17. Apparatus for writing data to a PC card substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 to 8; or Figures 9 and 4 to 8; or Figures 10 and 4 to 8; or Figures 11 and 4 to 8.. or Figures 12 and 13; or Figures 14 and 15 of the accompanying drawings.

(Ci Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows a second connector, connectable to system equipment; a body mounting said first and second connectors and having a shape which can be accommodated within a card slot provided in the system equipment whilst said first connector is connected to the PC card; a read only memory for storing data relating to a plurality of PC cards, a plurality of buttons provided on said body; and a write device for detecting the pressing of one of the plurality of buttons, reading data relating to one of the PC cards from the read only memory in corres pondence to the button pressed, and writing the data to the display device of the one of PC cards whilst said first connector is connected to the one of PC cards.