JP2000347983A - Computer auxiliary device controlling computer peripheral device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To control a computer peripheral device connected to a computer by connecting it to an existing computer and without applying any load to the CPU of the computer and also to perform the processing of the CPU and the control of the peripheral device simultaneously with and independently of each other. SOLUTION: This computer auxiliary device 1 is provided with an interface which performs the input/output of data to a computer peripheral device, a port which is corresponding to the interface, a CPU and a storage part which stores the programs. Then the device 1 is electrically connected to a computer main body 10 and controls directly the peripheral device that is connected to the body 10 independently of the CPU of the body 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer auxiliary which can control peripheral devices electrically connected to a computer without applying a load to a CPU of the computer while being electrically connected to the computer. It concerns the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Computers, especially so-called personal computers, which are widely used for office work and home use, are electrically connected to a computer body provided with a CPU and various ports provided on the computer body and extensions thereof. In general, these peripheral devices are generally controlled by a CPU and one operating system provided in a computer main body.

Recently, even in the field of personal computers, CPUs
As the processing capacity of a computer has dramatically improved, an operating system that can perform multitasking processing using a time-sharing system has appeared. For example, while performing statistical processing with spreadsheet software using a single personal computer, simultaneously using a word processor A plurality of processes such as creating a report using software can be performed in parallel on a single personal computer.

[0004]

However, in the case where word processing is performed at the same time as controlling the computer peripheral devices using the multitasking processing, the processing capability of the CPU is not sufficient for each processing. Since the processing is divided in time, the processing capacity of the CPU is reduced by half for one processing, and although the processing performance of the CPU is improved, the multitasking processing cannot be performed smoothly as desired. .

However, in order to perform multitasking processing at high speed and smoothly, the above problem can be solved by using a computer having a plurality of CPUs or a computer having a CPU having a higher processing speed. It is. However, such a computer needs to introduce a new computer separately from the existing computer, and is expensive, so that it is difficult to introduce it for office work and home use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and has been made in view of the fact that it is electrically connected to an existing computer and does not impose a load on a CPU provided in the computer. To provide a computer auxiliary device for controlling a computer peripheral device, which can control a computer peripheral device connected to a computer, and can simultaneously and independently execute processing performed by a CPU provided in the computer and control of the computer peripheral device. It is assumed that.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above objects, the present invention provides an interface for inputting / outputting data to / from a computer peripheral, a port corresponding to the interface, and a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a central processing unit). A computer auxiliary device including a storage unit in which a program for controlling a computer peripheral device is stored, and which is electrically connected to a computer main body.
This object is achieved by a computer auxiliary device for controlling computer peripheral devices, which directly controls computer peripheral devices electrically connected to the computer main body.

With this computer auxiliary device, control of computer peripherals can be performed simultaneously and independently of the CPU of the computer even while processing such as a word processor is performed using the CPU of the computer. With respect to a specific process, a complete multitask process in which a plurality of processes are performed at the same time is realized.

Since this computer auxiliary device controls computer peripheral devices while being electrically connected to the computer main body, it is possible to improve the processing capability of the entire computer system while using the existing computer as it is. Can be.

[0010] Since the function of the computer auxiliary device is limited to control of a computer peripheral device instead of a general-purpose device, the system configuration is simple and the size can be reduced.
In addition, costs can be reduced.

An interface for inputting / outputting data to / from a computer peripheral device is an interface conforming to the SCSI standard. When the interface is electrically connected to the computer main unit, the interface is not recognized by the computer main unit. Is preferred.

Thus, even though the computer auxiliary device is electrically connected to the computer main body, the computer auxiliary device is not recognized by the computer main body even when the computer main body starts up, and is provided in the computer main body. A state in which the provided CPU and the CPU provided in the computer auxiliary device do not interfere with each other can be easily created. Therefore, the peripheral devices connected to the computer main body can be easily controlled by the computer auxiliary device independently of the CPU of the computer main body.

A computer peripheral device controlled by the computer auxiliary device is an auxiliary device. By receiving a medium insertion completion signal transmitted from the auxiliary storage device, a CPU provided in the computer main body is connected to the auxiliary storage device. Command to stop the processing to be performed on the CPU
Is transmitted to the auxiliary storage device from the CPU of the computer main unit and the C of the computer auxiliary device.
Conflicting instructions from the PU to the same auxiliary storage device can be avoided, and subsequent processing can proceed smoothly.

[0014]

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

A computer auxiliary device (1) for controlling a computer peripheral device shown in FIG. 1 has an interface (2) corresponding to the SCSI standard and a port (3) connected to the interface (2). Also,
A CPU (4), which is a central processing unit for controlling computer peripheral devices via the interface (2) and the port (3), and a storage unit (5) in which a program for controlling the CPU (4) is described. .

In the storage unit (5), in addition to a program for controlling each device of the computer auxiliary device (1), a CD-ROM
A program for controlling the ROM drive and the CD-R drive is stored.

The computer auxiliary device (1) has a memory (6) for temporarily storing data input / output via the interface (2), and a simplified control progress state and control mode. LC that can be displayed
D (7), a switch (8) for selecting a control mode, and a buzzer (9) for notifying when an error has occurred.

FIG. 2 shows the computer auxiliary device (1).
Is connected to the computer main body (10). In the figure, (12) indicates the computer main body (1).
A CD-R drive connected to 0) and a CD-ROM drive (11) connected in a state of being built in the housing of the computer main body (10) (the built-in state is not shown). (15) is a monitor.

The CD-ROM drive (11) and C
The DR drive (12) and the computer auxiliary device (1) comply with the SCSI standard, and are connected to a single SCSI board (not shown) which is connected to the computer main body (10). Have been. The computer auxiliary device (1) is connected to an end of a SCSI cable (13) extending from the CD-R drive (12).

The S-ROM of the CD-ROM drive (11)
The ID number of the CSI is set lower than the ID number of the CD-R drive (12). The computer auxiliary device (1) has no ID number.

The computer auxiliary device (1) connected as described above is not recognized by the computer main unit (10) and the operating system controlling them even when the computer main unit (10) is started up. , As if it were a terminator.

Next, as described above, the computer body (1)
Data stored in a medium (not shown) inserted in the CD-ROM drive (11) is inserted into the CD-R drive (12) by using the computer auxiliary device (1) connected to the CD-R drive (12). A case of copying to a medium (not shown) will be described.

Power is supplied to the computer body (10), the CD-R drive (12) and the like. In this state, the computer auxiliary device (1) is turned on through the SCSI cable (13).

Next, the switch (8) is operated to operate the LCD.
While checking the display in (7), the copy mode is selected. In addition, as the copy mode, an emulate write mode, a compare mode, a verify mode, and the like can be selected in addition to a copy mode in which only copying is performed simply, a compare copy mode in which copying is performed while comparing, and the like.

Thereafter, the CD-R drive (12) and the CD
-Insert media into the ROM drive (11) respectively.

A medium insertion completion signal transmitted from the CD-R drive (12) and the CD-ROM drive (11)
The computer auxiliary device (1) receives the two signals of the CD-ROM insertion completion signal transmitted from the computer auxiliary device (1), and the computer main unit (1)
0), the CPU of the computer body (10)
D-ROM drive (11) and CD-R drive (1
A command to stop the process performed for 2) is issued. As described above, the CPU of the computer body (10)
An operation such as reading the autorun information stored in the OM is stopped, and it is possible to prevent the CPU of the computer main body (10) and the CPU (4) of the computer auxiliary device from competing in the subsequent processing. .

Next, a program corresponding to the setting mode is called from the storage unit (5) and executed. The computer auxiliary device (1) is a C of the computer main body (10).
The CD-ROM is completely independent of the operating system that controls the PU and the computer (10).
By directly controlling the ROM drive (11), data stored in the CD-ROM is read and temporarily stored in the memory (6). Next, the stored data is written to a CD-R medium by directly controlling the CD-R drive (12) in the same manner as described above. By repeating the above input / output operations, the data stored in the CD-ROM is copied to the CD-R medium.

During the copying operation, the LCD (7) displays
The display shows which track is being copied and how many minutes have elapsed since the copy was started.

The program stored in the computer auxiliary device (1) is set so as to read data from the smaller SCSI ID number and write data to the larger SCSI ID number.

As described above, the computer auxiliary device (1)
When copying data from a CD-ROM to a CD-R medium using a computer, all the operations are controlled by a program stored in a storage unit (5) of a computer auxiliary device (1) and a CPU (4). Therefore, no load is applied to the CPU provided in the computer main body (10). Also, the operating system controlling the computer main body (10) does not recognize the computer auxiliary device (1), and the computer auxiliary device controls peripheral devices such as the CD-ROM drive (11). I do not recognize that.

Accordingly, the computer assisting device (1) assists the CPU provided in the computer main body (10) and is connected to the CD-RO connected to the computer main body (10).
In order to perform a copy operation from the M drive (11) to the CD-R drive (12), a word processing operation is performed simultaneously with the copy operation by using substantially all of the processing capability of the CPU provided in the computer body (10). And the like. In other words, only by connecting the computer auxiliary device (1) to the computer main body (10), complete multitask processing can be realized by one computer system.

If the user does not want to use the computer auxiliary device (1), the copy mode may be set to the pass state. In this mode, even when the medium insertion completion signal is received, the computer auxiliary device (1) is connected to the computer main body (10) and the computer peripheral device (1).
1) No signal is issued for (12).

This computer assisting device (1) can also be implemented in the connection mode shown in FIG.

The computer auxiliary device (1) and the CD-R drive (12) shown in FIG. 3 are not different from the above embodiment. The CD-ROM drive (11) is not different from the above embodiment except that it is housed in its own case.

CD-ROM drive (11) and CD-R
The drive (12) is directly connected by a SCSI cable (13), and a port of the CD-ROM drive (11) that is not used for the connection is a terminator (14).
Is connected. On the other hand, a computer auxiliary device (1) is connected via a SCSI cable to a port of the CD-R drive (12) that is not used for the connection.

Also in this connection mode, the computer auxiliary device (1) includes a CD-ROM drive (11) and a CD-ROM drive (11).
Since the R drive (12) can be controlled, the CD
-CD-ROM transmitted from the ROM drive (11)
When the computer auxiliary device (1) receives the insertion completion signal of the CD-R drive and the CD-R media insertion completion signal transmitted from the CD-R drive (12), a series of programs are stored in the storage unit (5). Start control and CD
-CD-ROM by directly controlling the ROM drive (11)
Can be read and the CD-R drive (12) can be directly controlled to write the data to a CD-R medium.

In the above embodiment, the computer auxiliary device (1) has the SCSI interface (2), and the computer peripheral devices are also SCSI-connected CD-ROM drive (11) and CD-R drive (1).
Although described with reference to 2), the present invention is not limited to these.

For example, as a computer peripheral device, a floppy disk drive, MO drive, DVD-R
Not only an auxiliary storage device such as an AM or ROM drive or a hard disk, but also a printer or a scanner may be used. The connection standard is IDE, ATAPI, RS-232.
Any standard such as C, USB, IEEE 1394 can be selected, and it is also possible to control peripheral devices connected to an interface of a standard different from the standard of the computer auxiliary device (1). good.

[0039]

The computer auxiliary device for controlling a computer peripheral device according to the present invention is connected to the computer main body completely independently of the CPU provided in the computer main body only by being electrically connected to the computer main body. Peripheral device can be directly controlled, so that processing using the CPU provided in the computer main unit and control of the peripheral device using the CPU of the computer auxiliary device can be performed simultaneously and independently, and For control, complete multitask processing can be performed.

Further, since the multitasking process can be performed simply by electrically connecting the computer auxiliary device to a port of an existing computer, the computer can be easily and inexpensively manufactured without introducing a new expensive computer. The processing capacity of the entire system can be improved.

Further, since the function of the computer auxiliary device is limited only to the control of peripheral devices, the system configuration is simple and the cost can be reduced.

By setting the interface of the computer auxiliary device to a SCSI interface and not allowing the computer main unit to recognize the computer auxiliary device, even though the computer auxiliary device is electrically connected to the computer main unit, A state where the CPU provided in the computer main body and the CPU provided in the computer auxiliary device do not interfere with each other is easily created. This makes it possible to further simplify the devices constituting the computer assisted device, and also to simplify programs for controlling these devices.

Also, the computer peripheral device is an auxiliary storage device, and by receiving a medium insertion completion signal transmitted from the auxiliary storage device, the CPU provided in the computer main body performs processing performed on the auxiliary storage device. If the instruction to stop is transmitted to the CPU, it is possible to avoid a conflict between the instruction from the CPU of the computer main body to the auxiliary storage device and the instruction from the CPU of the computer auxiliary device to the same auxiliary storage device. And the subsequent processing can proceed smoothly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a specific configuration example of a computer auxiliary device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connection state of a computer main body, peripheral devices, and a computer auxiliary device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a computer auxiliary device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Computer auxiliary device 2 ... Interface 3 ... Port 4 ... CPU 5 ... Storage part 10 ... Computer main body 11 ... CD-ROM drive 12 ... CD-R drive

Claims (3)

[Claims] An interface for inputting / outputting data to / from a computer peripheral device, a port corresponding to the interface, a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a CPU).
), And a storage unit in which a program for controlling the computer peripheral device is stored, and which is electrically connected to the computer main body while being electrically connected to the computer main body. A computer auxiliary device for controlling a computer peripheral device, which directly controls the computer peripheral device. 2. An interface for inputting and outputting data to and from a computer peripheral device is an interface conforming to the SCSI standard, and is not recognized by the computer main unit when electrically connected to the computer main unit. The computer auxiliary device for controlling a computer peripheral device according to claim 1. 3. A computer peripheral device is an auxiliary storage device. By receiving a medium insertion completion signal transmitted from the auxiliary storage device, a CPU provided in a computer main body performs processing performed on the auxiliary storage device. 3. The computer auxiliary device for controlling a computer peripheral device according to claim 1, wherein a command to stop is transmitted to the CPU.