JP2000330703A - Usb (universal serial bus) human interface device provided with storage mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To give a new sharing method for data to a data sharing method between information processors even though there are methods such as a method that connects information processors with communication of a LAN, etc., and a method by a removable storage medium. SOLUTION: This device facilitates data sharing between information processors 107 such as personal computers provided with a USB port by including a storage mechanism 102 in a keyboard, a mouse, etc. A human interface device 106 consists of a USB human interface mechanism 104 having a USB keyboard, a USB mouse, etc., a storage mechanism 102 having data writing and reading functions, a conversion mechanism 101 converting an interface used for input-output of the mechanism 102 into a USB interface and a USB packet transmission and reception mechanism 105 for performing USB protocol communication between an information processor 107 and this device 106.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a storage device for distributing data between computers, and in particular, to a keyboard or mouse connected to a higher-level information processing device via a USB interface, and to a clipboard data from the higher-level information processing device. A keyboard or mouse having a storage mechanism for storing data stored in the storage mechanism by removing the keyboard or mouse and connecting it to another information processing device so that the data can be used in the another information processing device. U
The present invention relates to an SB human interface device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a means for sharing data between information processing apparatuses is to install a LAN board or the like in each information processing apparatus and construct a network using a cable, or to connect a removable storage device to each information processing apparatus and remove the data. It was necessary to do it through a medium of storage media.

In a personal computer, a USB (Universal Service) is used as an interface between a main unit and peripheral devices connected to the main unit.
Bus) standard is being used. USB is keyboard, mouse, joystick, scanner, printer,
Various peripheral devices conforming to the USB standard, such as cameras, can be connected to the main unit, have relatively high-speed (up to 12 Mbps) transfer performance over a serial bus (compared to conventional RS232C, etc.), and support multiple HUBs. Up to 1 through
It has functions such as connection of up to 27 peripheral devices.

A keyboard and mouse having the USB interface have already been realized.

[0005]

However, the above-described method has the following problems. -In order to construct a network, the information processing devices that want to share data must be connected to each other via a network. To share data, it is necessary to select and connect necessary devices in advance. there were. -In the case of a removable storage device (floppy disk, optical disk, etc.), the information processing device that wants to share data needs a removable storage device that can handle the same storage medium. It was necessary to connect a removable storage device. Further, it is necessary to be aware of the medium name and the file name of the volume storing the data, so that there is a problem that it is troublesome.

In the above connection method, when the apparatus is already operating and the above-mentioned device is not recognized, it may be necessary to temporarily stop the system and restart the system in order to recognize the device. Was. In addition, in these connection methods, it is often not considered in the design to change the configuration of the equipment that is energized, and in the worst case, changing the configuration of the equipment while energized may destroy information devices and storage devices. There was also the problem of getting lost.

[0007]

A USB human interface device having a storage mechanism according to the first invention of the present application has a USB human interface mechanism having a function as a human interface device, and data read / write and storage functions. A USB storage mechanism including a storage mechanism, a conversion mechanism for bidirectionally converting an interface of the storage mechanism, and a USB interface;
USB between the information processing device with B interface
A USB packet transmission / reception mechanism for performing protocol communication.

[0008] US having the storage mechanism of the second invention of the present application
The B human interface device according to the first aspect, wherein the storage mechanism stores clipboard data provided from the information processing device.

[0009] US having the storage mechanism of the third invention of the present application
The B human interface device according to the first invention, wherein when the data processing device performs a copy / cut / paste operation in the information processing device, the data writing corresponding to the copy / cut to the human interface device and Reading the data corresponding to pasting from the human interface device.

[0010] US having the storage mechanism of the fourth invention of the present application
The B human interface device according to the first invention includes a nonvolatile storage mechanism connected to the information processing device via a USB interface.

[0011] US having the storage mechanism of the fifth invention of the present application
The B human interface device according to the first invention, wherein the human interface device having the storage mechanism is a mouse device or a keyboard device.

US Patent Application No. 2006 / 0260,971 with a storage mechanism of the sixth invention of the present application
The B human interface device according to the first aspect, wherein the USB packet transmission / reception mechanism is configured to: when the USB packet received from the information processing device is requested to acquire a key code or a mouse movement amount input from a keyboard, the USB packet The method further comprises notifying the USB interface mechanism of a packet request, and notifying the USB storage mechanism in the case of a clipboard data processing request.

US Pat.
The B human interface device according to the first invention, when connected to the information processing device by a cable, can be detachable from the cable and can hold a mechanism for wirelessly communicating with the information processing device. Is provided.

[0014]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, a human interface device 106 includes a USB human interface mechanism 104 having a human interface function through a USB connection, a storage mechanism 102 having data read / write and storage functions, and an interface between the storage mechanism 102 and the U.
Conversion mechanism 1 for bidirectional conversion to and from SB interface
01, and a USB packet transmitting / receiving mechanism 105 for performing USB protocol communication between the information processing device 107 and the human interface device 106.

The information processing device 107 is a personal computer having a clipboard function.

FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the present invention.
A USB mouse mechanism 204 having a normal mouse function as the SB human interface mechanism 104, and a storage mechanism built-in mouse device 206 having a storage mechanism using a CF (Compact Flash) card 202 which is a non-volatile memory as the storage mechanism 102 The configuration is shown.

Hereinafter, the human interface device 1
A description will be given of a mouse device 206 having a mouse function of a normal USB interface as an embodiment of the present invention.
By replacing 04 with a keyboard function having a normal USB interface, the contents of the present invention can be easily applied to a keyboard device.

In FIG. 2, the USB mouse mechanism 204
It has a function as the USB human interface mechanism 104. USB-CF conversion mechanism 201 is change mechanism 1
01 and the CF card 202
The USB storage mechanism 203 has the function of the USB storage mechanism 2 respectively.

The USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 205 receives a request from the information processing device 207 when receiving a communication request from the information processing device 207 to the mouse device 206 having a USB interface having a built-in storage mechanism.
Request to SB mouse mechanism 204 or USB storage mechanism 203
Judge whether the request is a request or not and distribute the request. Also USB
A reply from the mouse mechanism 204 and the USB storage mechanism 203 is transmitted to the information processing device 207.

When there is a request to the USB storage mechanism 203, the CF card 202 itself cannot recognize the contents of the command of the transmitted / received packet data by the USB interface, so the USB-CF conversion mechanism 201 uses the USB interface and the interface of the CF card 202. Is converted for the received packet data. Conversely, CF card 2
02 is transmitted from the mouse device 206 to the information processing device 207, the USB-CF conversion mechanism 201 converts the data of the CF card 202 into a USB packet format. As a result, the CF card 202
It can process information received by B protocol communication and can process information transmitted to the information processing device 207.

In the above embodiment, the CF card 202 is used as an example of the storage mechanism 102. However, the storage mechanism 102 may be configured by a storage mechanism such as a disk, a memory card, and a Flash ROM. However, regarding the conversion mechanism 101 at this time, US
Instead of the USB-CF conversion mechanism 201 for performing B-CF conversion, the USB-CF conversion mechanism 201 has a mechanism for performing bidirectional conversion between an interface between the USB and each storage mechanism such as a disk or a memory card.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

A mouse device 206 having a built-in storage mechanism is
When the information processing apparatus 207 is connected to the USB connector of the powered information processing apparatus 207, the information processing apparatus 207 recognizes that the mouse device 206 has been connected, and performs settings so that USB protocol communication with the mouse device 206 can be performed. When the setting is completed, the information processing device 207 can issue a communication request to the mouse device 206. Recognition / setting at the time of this connection
The processing is performed based on the hot plug (removal during power-on) specification of the USB function itself.

The mouse device 2 as in the case of the conventional USB mouse
Also in 06, the information processing device 207 periodically issues a communication request to the USB mouse mechanism 204 in order to obtain mouse movement information, click information, and the like. In the case of the USB interface, the upper device (the information processing device 207 in this case) is always the master.

As a result, the mouse device 206 performs the same function as a conventional USB mouse. On the other hand, a communication request to the USB storage mechanism 203 added to the mouse device 206 is issued when there is a request to access the USB storage mechanism 203 in the information processing device 207, or actually when there is access to the clipboard. .

In the information processing device 207, the mouse device 20 such as cut (mouse), copy (mouse), and paste (mouse) is added to the menu items of the edit menu in order to extend the clipboard function to the mouse device 206.
A menu item indicating access to the mouse device 206 is set, and when the menu item is designated, a process of accessing the mouse device 206 through a USB interface is required.

Next, the processing flow of the mouse device 206 according to the present invention will be described below.

First, the operation of the USB mouse mechanism 204 will be described.

The communication request to the USB mouse mechanism 204 is:
The information processing device 207 is issued periodically to obtain mouse movement information and the like. The issued request is received by the USB packet transmitting / receiving mechanism 205 (S301).

FIG. 4 shows the types and structures of packet data transmitted / received through the USB interface.

When the USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 205 recognizes that the received USB packet is a packet to the USB mouse mechanism 204, the USB mouse mechanism 20
4 is allocated to the USB packet (S302).

The distribution of the USB packet is determined from the value of the 4-bit function type (ENDP) field in the Token packet of FIG. 4 transmitted from the information processing device 207. USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 20
5 maintains the path with the USB mouse mechanism 204 until the processing requested by this Token packet is completed.

USB mouse mechanism 2 that has received a communication request
04 transfers the information such as the moving state of the mouse and the pressing state of the button to the USB packet transmitting / receiving mechanism 205 in the form of the Data packet shown in FIG. 4 (S305).

The USB packet transmitting / receiving mechanism 205 is a USB
Information received from the mouse mechanism 204
07 (S308). When the information processing device 207 receives this packet correctly, the Handshak in FIG.
ACK of the e information is returned to the mouse device 206 and the first Token is returned.
The processing requested by en ends.

Since a communication request to the USB mouse mechanism 204 is periodically repeated, a series of these operations is repeated. USB from the request from the information processing device 207
The packet transmission / reception mechanism 205 receives the received To
The flow is the same as the operation of the conventional USB mouse, except for the operation of distributing the packet to the USB mouse mechanism 204 from the content of the ken packet.

Next, the operation of the USB storage mechanism 203 will be described.

A communication request from the information processing device 207 to the USB storage mechanism 203 is issued irregularly unlike a communication request to the USB mouse mechanism 204.

The communication request is transmitted from the information processing device 207 to the USB
READ or WRITE request to the storage mechanism 203 (REAL of clipboard data on the mouse device 206)
D or W of the clipboard data to the mouse device 206
Issued in response to a RITE request). In the information processing device 207, when a part of a document or a figure to be stored in the mouse device 206 is selected and an operation of “copy” or “cut” is performed, the selected data is transmitted from the information processing device 207 to the mouse device. 206 USB storage mechanism 203
A WRITE request for data is issued to write the data.

At this time, the communication request issued to the mouse device 206 is received by the USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 205 as in the case of the communication request to the USB mouse mechanism 204 (S301).

The USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 205 determines that the received communication request is a Token packet and the contents of the ENDP field in the received
If the request is to the B mouse storage mechanism 203, the communication request is sent to the USB storage mechanism 203.

In response to the transmitted communication request, a USB-C
The F conversion mechanism 201 converts the format of the USB interface into the format of the CF interface (S30).
3). The USB-CF conversion mechanism 201 uses this token
From the contents of the packet ID at the beginning of the packet, the type of the data READ request or WRITE request
Hand over to 02. Based on the converted CF interface request, the CF card 202 identifies whether the content of the request is a WRITE request or a READ request (S304).

In the case of WRITE to the CF card 202,
The data packet including the clipboard data is D in FIG.
One or more data packets are continuously transmitted from the information processing device 207 in the form of the data packet. Receiving this, the USB-CF conversion mechanism 201 removes the packet ID part to make only the data body and passes it to the CF card 202, and the CF card 202 writes the transmitted data to the storage area of the CF card 202 (S30).
6).

When the writing is successful, the CF card 202 returns information to the effect that the writing was successful to the USB-CF conversion mechanism 201.

In response to this, the USB-CF conversion mechanism 20
1 is a Handshak indicating that the USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 205 has succeeded in communication in the USB interface format.
Returns ACK of e-packet. The USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 205 transmits the ACK packet whose data has been successfully written to the information processing device 207 (S308).

The C at the end of each packet shown in FIG.
The RC field is used to confirm whether the transmitted / received data is correct or incorrect. Since the attachment / detachment is performed by the USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 205, the RC field is not involved in the transfer between the USB-CF conversion mechanism 201 and the CF card 202.

The information processing device 207 repeats the same operation according to the USB standard until the transfer of the data to be written is completed. For example, if 1000 bytes of data is
When requesting ITE, up to 6 per packet
It is assumed that 4-byte data is written. When data communication can always be performed in 64 Byte units, the data to be written is 1000 Bytes, so the packet is transmitted 16 times in total because 15 times of 64 Byte data and the remaining 40 Bytes of data are sent. When the data in the packet is smaller than the amount of data that can be sent at that time, or when the data is empty, the transfer of the data to be sent is completed, and the communication ends. In this case, it is determined that the last transmitted 40 bytes is the last of the data to be transmitted, and the communication request ends. When the data you want to send is 1024 bytes,
After transmitting 64 bytes of data 16 times, empty data is transmitted 17 times and the process is terminated.

The stored data is transferred to another information processing device 20.
7, the user can disconnect the mouse device 206 and replace it with the information processing device 207 to which data is to be moved, so that data can be shared with another information processing device 207 through the USB storage mechanism 203 in the USB mouse. At this time, since the mouse device 206 is connected according to the USB standard, there is no need to turn off the power of the information processing device 207.

When "pasting" is performed by the information processing device 207, the data stored in the mouse device 206 is read, and the data is loaded into a document file or the like that is being edited by the information processing device 207. Issues a READ request to the mouse device 206. The issued communication request is the same as when the WRITE request was issued.
The packet is distributed to the SB storage mechanism 203. USB-CF conversion mechanism 20 by the sorted packet
1 issues a command to read data requested from the CF card 202 (S307). The read data is converted into a USB packet by the USB-CF conversion mechanism 201 and sent to the information processing device 207 via the USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 205.

When the information processing device 207 receives the data normally, it sends a signal to the effect that the data has been received normally to the mouse device 20.
Notify 6. When this signal is received, the mouse device 2
06 transmits the next packet to the information processing device 207. At the time of READ request, like at the time of WRITE request,
The same operation is repeated according to the USB standard until the transfer of the data to be read is completed.

When carrying the mouse device 206 having taken in the clipboard data to another information processing device 207,
When the mouse device 206 is connected by a cable as shown in FIG. 5A, it is convenient if the mouse device 206 itself is disconnected from the cable and the mouse device 206 can be moved alone.

When the mouse device 206 and the information processing device 207 can communicate with each other by wireless communication such as infrared rays as shown in FIG. 5B, the features of the present invention can be greatly exhibited. .

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

The first effect is that the information processing device and the USB human interface device provided with the storage mechanism of the present invention are connected in accordance with the USB standard. Data can be easily shared by replacing the mouse.

The second effect is that the USB can be hot-plugged in, so that the device can be attached and detached even when the information processing device is operating.

The third effect is that the storage mechanism is built in the USB mouse, and the USB communication with high transfer performance is used, so that it can be used like a clipboard of a current information processing apparatus.

The fourth effect is that since the storage mechanism is built in the USB mouse, no space is required as a storage device, and no extra space is required.

The fifth effect is that, since the device is connected by USB, necessary power can be obtained from the USB bus as long as the capacity is within the capacity specified by the USB standard. Therefore, no special power supply is required.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a USB packet.

FIG. 5 is an example of connection of the mouse device with the features of the present invention to a main device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Conversion mechanism 102 Storage mechanism 103 USB storage mechanism 104 USB human interface mechanism 105 USB packet transmission / reception mechanism 106 Human interface device 107 Information processing device

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A USB human interface mechanism having a function as a human interface device, a storage mechanism having data read / write and storage functions, and a conversion mechanism for bidirectionally converting an interface of the storage mechanism and a USB interface. A USB human interface device having a storage mechanism, comprising: a USB storage mechanism, and a USB packet transmission / reception mechanism for performing USB protocol communication between the information processing apparatus having a USB interface. 2. The USB human interface device having a storage mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said storage mechanism stores clipboard data provided from said information processing apparatus. 3. When data copy / cut and paste operations are performed in the information processing apparatus, writing of the data corresponding to copy / cut to the human interface apparatus and pasting from the human interface apparatus are performed. 2. The USB human interface device provided with a storage mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said data corresponding to the data is read. 4. The USB human interface device having a storage mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a non-volatile storage mechanism connected to the information processing device via a USB interface. 5. The US having a storage mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the human interface device having the storage mechanism is a mouse device or a keyboard device.
B human interface device. 6. The USB packet transmitting / receiving mechanism, when a USB code received from the information processing device is requested to acquire a key code or a mouse movement amount input from a keyboard, sends the USB packet request to the USB interface. 2. The USB human interface device having a storage mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a notification is sent to a mechanism, and in the case of a processing request for clipboard data, the USB storage mechanism is notified. 7. When connected to the information processing apparatus by a cable, the information processing apparatus can be detached from the cable and can hold a mechanism for wirelessly communicating with the information processing apparatus. USB with storage mechanism as described
Human interface device.