JP2003157124A - Information processor, and state display method and extension unit loading/unloading method for the processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor which displays the connection state of an extension unit on a sub-display of a processor main body and enables the extension unit to be loaded and unloaded remotely by using a remote controller. SOLUTION: When a infrared port 7 receives an infrared signal, a BIOS 102 informs an event acquisition program 103 of the occurrence of a request event. While the even acquisition program 103 obtains its contents from the BIOS 102 and informs a dock/undock control program 104 about that the event is a loading/unloading event for the extension unit in such a case. The dock/ undock control program 104 which is informed requests an operating system 101 to connect or disconnect the extension unit and displays the connection state of the extension unit after the alteration on the sub-LCD 43 after the completion is reported.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, such as a docking station, to which an expansion unit for function expansion can be connected, a method of displaying the status of the apparatus, and a method of attaching / detaching the expansion unit. An information processing apparatus capable of displaying the connection status of the expansion unit on a sub-display or the like of the apparatus main body, and detaching and mounting the expansion unit from a remote place by using a remote controller, and a status display method for the apparatus, Expansion unit attachment / detachment method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various types of personal computers, such as notebook computers, which can be driven by a battery and are easy to carry, have been manufactured and sold. Further, as an apparatus for expanding the function of this type of personal computer, an expansion unit called a docking station or the like is also widely used.

FIG. 6 is an external view showing a state in which the personal computer 100 is mounted on the expansion unit 200. By using the expansion unit 200, the personal computer 100 is easy to carry (when used alone).
And high functionality (when the expansion unit is connected).
Further, FIG. 7 is a view showing the external appearance of the expansion unit 200. As shown in FIG. 7, the expansion unit 200 is usually a personal computer 100 and an expansion unit 20.
The docking indicator 201 is provided for informing the user whether or not 0 is connected as a system.

[0004]

By the way, recently,
An extension unit of a type in which a personal computer is not directly mounted but is connected to the personal computer via a cable has been developed. In the case of such an expansion unit, it is possible to give flexibility to the installation location of the expansion unit, for example, by installing the personal computer separately on the desk and the expansion unit under the desk. It is possible to dramatically improve.

However, as described above, the expansion unit is usually provided with a docking indicator for informing the user whether or not the personal computer and the expansion unit are connected as a system. Therefore, when the expansion unit is installed under a desk, it becomes difficult to check the expansion unit. Further, an eject switch or the like for disconnecting the expansion unit from the system is often provided on the expansion unit side, which makes it difficult to operate.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and displays the connection status of the expansion unit on the sub-display or the like of the main body of the apparatus, and uses the remote controller to remotely control the expansion unit. An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of performing attachment / detachment, a state display method for the apparatus, and an extension unit attachment / detachment method.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a first display device for displaying an image in an information processing device to which an expansion unit for function expansion can be connected, It is characterized by comprising a second display device for displaying various states and a state display control means for displaying on the second display device whether or not the expansion unit is connected.

In this information processing apparatus, whether or not the expansion unit is connected is displayed on the sub-display provided in the information processing apparatus. Therefore, for example, the expansion unit is installed under the desk separately from the information processing apparatus. Even in such a case, it is possible to easily confirm whether or not the expansion unit is connected.

Further, according to the present invention, in an information processing apparatus to which an extension unit for function extension can be connected, a receiving means for receiving a radio signal and a radio signal for instructing attachment / detachment of the extension unit are received by the receiving means. And an attachment / detachment control means for executing connection processing or disconnection processing of the expansion unit.

In this information processing apparatus, since it is possible to instruct attachment / detachment of the expansion unit by the remote controller, for example, the expansion unit should be installed under the desk separately from the information processing apparatus, as described above. Even in such a case, it does not adversely affect the reject operation.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an external view of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (A) shows a state in which a display is opened, and FIG. 1 (B) shows it. , With the display closed.

As shown in FIG. 1, this information processing apparatus is
An LCD (Liquid Crystal Displ), which is a so-called notebook type personal computer whose display can be closed so as to cover the keyboard, is the main display for displaying images such as the editing screen of document creation software or spreadsheet software.
ay) 42 and a sub LCD 43 which is a sub display for displaying various states such as a battery state.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the sub LCD 43 is installed so that it can be referred to even when the display is closed. Further, an infrared port 7 for receiving an infrared signal from the remote controller is provided on the front surface of the housing of this information processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a device configuration of this information processing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, this information processing device is
It has a CPU 1, a RAM 2, an HDD 3, a display controller 4, a keyboard controller 5, a bridge controller 6 and an infrared port 7.

The CPU 1 controls the operation of the entire information processing apparatus, and drives each unit according to the description of various programs stored in the RAM 2. The RAM 2 is a memory device serving as a main memory of this information processing apparatus, and includes a CPU
Various programs such as an application program including an operating system and a utility program describing the operation procedure of No. 1 and various data input to and output from these programs are stored. The HDD 3 is a large-capacity memory device that is an external storage of the information processing apparatus, and stores a large number of programs and data as an auxiliary storage of the RAM 2.

Further, the display controller 4 controls the output of the user interface in this information processing apparatus, and outputs the image data created by the CPU 1 to the VRA.
It is stored in M41 and is displayed on the LCD 42. In addition to this, the display controller 4 includes the CPU 1
The state display data created by is stored in the VRAM 41 and the display is controlled on the sub LCD 43. On the other hand, the keyboard controller 5 controls the input of the user interface in this information processing apparatus, and the keyboard 51 and mouse 5
The operation No. 2 is transmitted to the CPU 1.

The bridge controller 6 is a device for connecting the information processing apparatus and the expansion unit via the docking connector 61, and communication with the expansion unit is executed under the control of the bridge controller 6. . Then, the infrared port 7 receives the infrared signal transmitted from the remote controller 7, digitizes the signal, and delivers it to the CPU 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing functional blocks relating to attachment / detachment of the extension unit by remote control of the information processing apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 3, this information processing apparatus is
Operating system 101 and BIOS (Basi
In addition to the basic processing unit of the Input / Output System) 102, the processing unit of the event acquisition program 103 and the dock / undock control program 104 is included. Each of these processing units is stored in the RAM 2 and stored in the CPU.
It is configured as a program executed by 1. Here, the operating principle of each processing unit of the information processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

When the infrared port 7 receives an infrared signal sent from the remote controller and instructing the attachment / detachment of the expansion unit (docking / undocking), the fact is transmitted to the BIOS 102 (FIG. 3 (1)), and the BIOS 1
02 stores the occurrence of this docking / undocking request event. Then, the BIOS 102 notifies the event acquisition program 103 of the occurrence of the request event ((2) in FIG. 3).

On the other hand, the event acquisition program 103 that has received this notification acquires the content of the requested event stored in the BIOS 102 (FIG. 3 (3)). When the event acquisition program 103 finds that the content is a docking / undocking request event, the event acquiring program 103 determines the content of the requesting event as the dock / undock control program 10.
4 is notified (FIG. 3 (4)).

Further, the dock / undock control program 104 that has received this notification requests the operating system 101 to change the hardware profile, specifically, to connect or disconnect the expansion unit (see FIG. 3).
(5)), when the notification of the completion of the change of the hardware profile is returned from the operating system 101 ((6) in FIG. 3), the dock / undock control program 104 sets the changed connection state of the expansion unit to the sub-state. It is displayed on the LCD 43 ((7) in FIG. 3).

It should be noted that, for example, the switch operation of the expansion unit or the operating system 1 may be performed without the remote operation.
When an instruction to attach / detach the expansion unit is issued using the user interface 01, the operating system 101 notifies the dock / undock control unit 104 of the change in the hardware profile, and the dock / undock control unit that has received this notification is notified. 104 displays the changed connection state of the expansion unit on the sub LCD 43.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are flowcharts showing the operation procedure relating to the attachment / detachment of the expansion unit in this information processing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an operation procedure when the expansion unit is docked in this information processing apparatus.

When the expansion unit is installed (step A
1) The operating system 101 executes a dock process for incorporating the expansion unit into the system (step A2), and notifies the dock / undock control program 104 of the process execution (step A3).

On the other hand, the dock / undock control program 104 that has received this notification updates the display of the sub LCD 43 from the unconnected state of the expansion unit to the connected state (step A3).

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation procedure when the expansion unit is undocked by remote control in this information processing apparatus.

When an infrared signal instructing the disconnection of the expansion unit is received from the remote controller (step B
1) The dock / undock control program 104 checks whether or not the expansion unit is connected (step B2), and if it is connected (step B2).
YES), the operating system 101 is requested to disconnect the expansion unit (step B3). After the completion of disconnection of the expansion unit, the dock / undock control program 104 updates the display of the sub LCD 43 from the connection state of the expansion unit to the non-connection state (step B).
4).

As described above, this information processing apparatus enables the extension unit to be attached / detached by remote control, and informs the user of the connection state of the extension unit via the display device of the apparatus main body.

The invention of the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be variously modified at the stage of implementation without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, the problem described in the section of the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved,
When the effects described in the section of the effects of the invention can be obtained, a structure in which this constituent element is deleted can be extracted as the invention.

[0033]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, whether or not the expansion unit is connected is displayed on the sub-display provided in the information processing apparatus. Therefore, for example, the expansion unit is separated from the information processing apparatus. Even when installed under a desk, it is possible to easily check whether or not the expansion unit is connected.

Further, since it is possible to instruct the attachment / detachment of the extension unit by the remote controller, as in the case described above, for example, the extension unit is installed under the desk separately from the information processing apparatus. Also, it is prevented that the reject operation is adversely affected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an external view of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a device configuration of the information processing apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing functional blocks related to attachment / detachment of an expansion unit by remote control of the information processing apparatus of the information processing apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary flowchart showing an operation procedure when the expansion unit is docked in the information processing apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flowchart showing an operation procedure when an expansion unit is undocked by remote control in the information processing apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an external view showing how a personal computer is attached to an expansion unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an appearance of an expansion unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... CPU 2 ... RAM 3 ... HDD 4 ... Display controller 5 ... Keyboard controller 6 ... Bridge controller 7 ... Infrared port 41 ... VRAM 42 ... LCD 43 ... Sub LCD 51 ... Keyboard 52 ... Mouse 61 ... Docking connector 101 ... Operating system 102 ... BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) 103 ... Event acquisition program 104 ... dock / undock control program

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus to which an expansion unit for expanding functions can be connected, the first display device for displaying an image, the second display device for displaying various states, and the expansion unit. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a status display control means for displaying on the second display device whether or not the connection has been made. 2. An information processing apparatus to which an expansion unit for expanding functions can be connected, when receiving means for receiving a radio signal and a radio signal for instructing connection or disconnection of the extension unit by the reception means. And an attachment / detachment control means for executing connection processing or disconnection processing of the expansion unit. 3. A status display of an information processing apparatus having a first display device for displaying an image and a second display device for displaying various states, to which an expansion unit for function expansion can be connected. A method for displaying a status, wherein the presence or absence of connection of the expansion unit is displayed on the second display device. 4. A method for disconnecting an expansion unit of an information processing apparatus capable of connecting an expansion unit for function expansion, comprising receiving a wireless signal instructing connection or disconnection of the expansion unit, and receiving the wireless signal in response to the reception of the wireless signal. And a process of connecting or disconnecting the expansion unit, the expansion unit attaching / detaching method.