JP2003345734A - Input-output device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input-output device in which one or more devices consti tuting a prescribed system are connected to be integrated into a single body, and the connected device and/or a host computer of a system connected through a communication cable perform a prescribed processing. <P>SOLUTION: Each of the devices constituting the input-output device 100 is connected to a hub 101 and performs each function of each device as an integrated device. A power source 102 feeds the power for operating each of the devices to each of the devices. A controller 103 controls the setting of the turning on/off of a computer power source of the host computer constituting a POS terminal system and the setting of the turning on/off of a device power source of each of the devices, monitors the voltage of the power source 102 and adjusts a power source environmental status such as the temperature of the power source 102. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an input / output device. Particularly, one or a plurality of devices constituting a predetermined system are connected so as to be integrated, and a predetermined device is connected to each connected device and / or a host computer of the system connected via a communication cable. The present invention relates to an input / output device that performs a process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A system (for example, a POS terminal system, an ATM terminal system, or the like) including devices such as a printer, a scanner, and a display device, and a host computer is used for a host computer and each device constituting the system. There are an integrated system in which each function is integrated as one device, and an independent system in which a host computer and each device constituting the system are independently connected by using a communication cable or the like. The integrated system and the independent system are used depending on the location, the scale of the system, and the like. Hereinafter, a POS terminal system will be described as an example.

FIG. 4 is an example of a schematic diagram of an integrated POS terminal system. As shown in FIG. 4, the integrated POS
The terminal system is one device in which a CPU 401, a printer 402, a display device 403, a keyboard 404, and the like are integrated.

FIG. 5 is an example of a schematic diagram of a stand-alone POS terminal system. As shown in FIG.
The terminal system includes a printer 502 and a display device 5
03, the keyboard 504 and the scanner 505 are connected to the communication cables 506 (506a, 506b, 506c and 50c).
The system is connected to the host computer 501 via 6d).

[0005]

In recent years, the technological progress of computers has accelerated at an accelerating rate, and computers having new functions with faster processing speeds have been developed every few months. However, the integrated PO described above
In the S terminal system, since the function of the host computer is integrated with the POS terminal system, in order to provide the latest computer function to the already used POS terminal system, the POS terminal system must be provided. It is necessary to replace with the latest system, POS
There is a problem that the replacement cost and the replacement work cost of the terminal system are required.

In the stand-alone POS terminal system described above, a large number of communication cables are required to configure the system, and there is a problem that cable management work becomes complicated. Another problem is that the user of the system must always pay attention to the wired cables. In addition, in a plurality of devices and a host computer constituting the POS terminal system, there is a problem that some devices are unnecessary depending on the use situation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and one or a plurality of devices constituting a predetermined system are connected to a hub so as to be integrated, and the connection is made. It is an object of the present invention to provide an input / output device characterized by causing a host computer of a system connected via each device and / or a communication cable to execute predetermined processing.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventor has conducted studies to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. As a result, by utilizing an I / O device connected to the hub such that one or more devices of the system are integrated, the necessary communication cables are provided between the host computer of the system and the I / O device. It became clear that the cable management work could be easily performed compared to the stand-alone system.

Further, since the host computer of the system is connected via a communication cable, the system can be provided with the latest computer functions only by replacing the host computer with the latest host computer. found.

In addition, by providing a power supply for supplying power to a predetermined device of the input / output device and a controller, a device and / or a hub can be provided based on status information of a device and a power supply provided in the system. It has been found that a predetermined process can be executed by a host computer of a system connected via a communication cable.

Based on the above research results, the following invention is provided.

One embodiment of the input / output device of the present invention is a hub in which one or a plurality of devices provided in a predetermined system and one or a plurality of devices are integrally connected. And a power supply for supplying power to a predetermined device connected to the hub, and a device and / or hub connected to the device and / or the hub via a communication cable based on status information of the device and the power supply provided in the predetermined system. An input / output device comprising: a controller that causes a host computer of a connected predetermined system to execute a predetermined process.

According to another aspect of the input / output device of the present invention, the above-mentioned controller is capable of turning on / off a device power supply for each device.
A device power supply control unit for controlling the setting of the OFF state and the setting of the ON / OFF state of the computer power supply of the host computer; In order to execute the optimal drive control of the power supply, the power supply voltage monitoring unit that requests the power supply and the actual measurement value of the information indicating the environmental state of the power supply are acquired, and are connected so that the actual measurement value falls within a predetermined allowable range. An input / output device comprising: a power supply environment state adjustment unit that controls a predetermined device; and a communication unit that executes data input and output between the device and a host computer.

According to another aspect of the input / output device of the present invention, the information indicating the environmental condition of the power supply of the power supply environmental condition adjusting section is a temperature, and the connected predetermined device is a cooling fan. It is an input / output device characterized by the following.

According to another aspect of the input / output device of the present invention, the above-described controller acquires status information of a predetermined device among one or a plurality of devices, and performs a predetermined process based on the acquired status information. An input / output device characterized by further comprising a device state management unit for executing the processing of (1).

Another aspect of the input / output device of the present invention is the input / output device characterized in that the above-mentioned predetermined system is a POS terminal system.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are for explanation, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, those skilled in the art can adopt embodiments in which each of these elements or all elements are replaced by equivalents, and these embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.

An input / output device according to the present invention includes one or a plurality of devices provided in a predetermined system, a hub connected to integrate the one or a plurality of devices, and a hub connected to the hub. A power supply for supplying power to a predetermined device, and a predetermined device connected to a device and / or a hub via a communication cable based on status information of a device and a power supply provided in a predetermined system. And a controller for causing a host computer of the system to execute a predetermined process. Here, the device may be directly connected to the hub, or may be connected to the hub via a communication cable.

FIG. 1 is an example of a schematic diagram of a POS terminal system using an input / output device. Hereinafter, a POS terminal system including a host computer, a printer, a display device, a keyboard, and a scanner will be described as an example.

Printer 111, display device 11
2. Each device of the input / output device 100 of the keyboard 113 and the scanner 114 is connected to the hub 101, and a plurality of devices are integrated.

The power supply 102 of the input / output device 100
Power is supplied to each device of the input / output device 100. The controller 103 of the input / output device 100 includes a power switch 1
15 to turn on the power of each device of the input / output device 100 (hereinafter, referred to as “device power”), or the power of the host computer 120 (hereinafter, referred to as “device power”).
Control such as turning on a “computer power supply”).

The POS terminal system includes an input / output device 100
USB communication between the host computer 120 and
The connection is made by a communication cable 130 utilizing serial communication, parallel communication, or the like. Therefore, in the host computer 120 with rapid technological progress, an old host computer that is already used is replaced with a new host computer, and a memory stick or a compact disk (registered trademark) is used by using a predetermined device. By storing various setting information of the old host computer before replacement in an information recording medium such as, and storing various setting information of the old host computer in a predetermined setting area of the new host computer after replacement, It is possible to easily perform the replacement work of the host computer.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the input / output device. Printer 11 constituting input / output device 100
1. Each device of the display device 112, the keyboard 113, and the scanner 114 is connected to the hub 101 of the input / output device 100 via an internal connector, and executes each function of each device as an integrated device.

The power supply 102 of the input / output device 100
The controller 103 is connected via a power supply connector, and supplies power for driving the hub 101 and the controller 103 to the hub 101 and the controller 103.
Further, the controller 103 supplies power for driving each device of the printer 111, the display device 112, the keyboard 113, and the scanner 114 to each device.

The controller 103 of the input / output device 100
Controls the setting of the ON / OFF state of each device power supply provided in the host computer and each device constituting the POS terminal system.

For example, in a POS terminal system, when a predetermined power switch is ON (or OFF), the controller 103 controls each device (the printer 111, the display device 112, the keyboard 113, and the scanner 114) of the input / output device 100. Is set to the ON (or OFF) state, and the hub 101
The computer power of the host computer 120 connected to the input / output device 100 via the
FF) state.

That is, even when the host computer 120 is located at a place distant from the input / output device 100, the host computer 120 does not need to move to the location where the host computer 120 exists.
The computer power supply of the computer 120 can be set to an ON (or OFF) state.

The controller 1 of the input / output device 100
03 has a function of monitoring the voltage of the power supply 102. That is, the controller 103 of the input / output device 100 acquires voltage information that changes when each device of the input / output device 100 that supplies power is driven, and acquires the acquired power supply 1
02 is output to the host computer 120. The host computer 120 controls the operation of each device based on the voltage information of the power supply 102 so that each device operates normally.

For example, if two printers are connected,
When the voltage is reduced by one of the printers performing the printing process, the host computer 120 controls the other printer so that the voltage reduced by the printing process of the other printer is within the printer operation allowable voltage range. Of print control information, and normal print processing is executed.

The controller 1 of the input / output device 100
03 has a function of adjusting the power supply environment state such as the temperature of the power supply 102. For example, the temperature of the power supply 102 rises due to heat generated from the power supply 102, and adversely affects various electric and electronic elements of the input / output device 100. Therefore, when the temperature of the power supply 102 is acquired and the acquired temperature of the power supply 102 does not fall within a predetermined appropriate temperature range,
For example, by controlling the driving of the cooling fan to cool the power supply 102, the acquired temperature of the power supply 102 is adjusted so as to fall within a predetermined appropriate temperature range.

Further, the status information of the predetermined device of the input / output device 100 is obtained, and the initialization of the predetermined device is performed based on the obtained status information, and the operator is made to recognize the abnormality of the predetermined device. The device status information acquired in the display device 1
It is possible to execute state management of a predetermined device such as displaying on the device 12.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block of a controller in the input / output device. Controller 1
03, a device power control unit 301 and a power supply voltage monitoring unit 3
02, a power supply environment state adjustment unit 303 and a communication unit 304.

The communication unit 304 includes a host computer 120 and an input / output device 1 that constitute a POS terminal system.
The required data is input from each device (printer 111, display device 112, keyboard 113, and scanner 114). The communication unit 304 outputs required data to each device of the host computer 120 and the input / output device 100.

The device power control unit 301 obtains setting status information of a predetermined power switch, and, based on the obtained setting status information, a host / host constituting the POS terminal system.
ON / OFF of computer power of computer 120
Status and devices of the input / output device 100 (printer 1
11, ON / OFF state of the device power of the display device 112, the keyboard 113 and the scanner 114) is set.

That is, on / off of the computer power of the host computer 120 constituting the POS terminal system, based on the acquired setting state information of the power switch.
It generates power control output information for requesting the setting of the OFF state and the setting of the ON / OFF state of the device power to each device of the input / output device 100, and transmits the generated power control output information to the host via the communication unit 304. Output to each device of the computer 120 and the input / output device 100. The host computer 120 is connected to the controller 10
Based on the power supply control output information input from step 3, the computer power supply is controlled so that the ON / OFF state is set to the requested setting. Further, each device of the input / output device 100 also controls the ON / OFF state of the device power so that the requested setting is obtained.

The power supply voltage monitoring unit 302
I / O device 1 that changes depending on the operating state of each device
00 at a predetermined time interval.
Generates voltage output information for outputting the obtained voltage to the host computer 120, and via the communication unit 304,
The generated voltage output information is output to the host computer 120.

The host computer 120 generates operation control command information for each device of the input / output device 100 based on the voltage output information input from the power supply voltage monitoring unit 302, and inputs and outputs the generated operation control command information. By outputting to each device of the device 100, the drive of each device of the input / output device 100 is controlled so that the voltage of the power supply 102 of the input / output device 100 becomes an appropriate voltage. In the above description, the voltage acquired at predetermined time intervals is output to the host computer 120. However, only when the acquired voltage is outside the predetermined voltage reference range, the voltage information is output to the host computer 120. It is also possible to output to.

The power supply environment condition adjusting unit 303 obtains the temperature of the power supply 102, which changes due to heat generated from the power supply 102 of the input / output device 100, at predetermined time intervals using a temperature sensor. When the temperature is out of the temperature reference range, the cooling fan is driven and controlled so as to lower the temperature of the power supply 120. Further, it is also possible to cause the host computer 120 to control the driving of each device so that the acquired temperature falls within a predetermined temperature reference range.

The controller 103 further includes a device status management unit 305. The device status management unit 305 acquires status information of a predetermined device of the input / output device 100 such as a printer or a scanner, and outputs the acquired status information to an output device such as a display device or a printer, or For example, a predetermined device of the input / output device 100 is initialized.

For example, when a predetermined device of the input / output device 100 is a printer, status information of the printer is obtained, error information is determined from the obtained status information, and output information for displaying the error information on a display device is obtained. Is generated, and the generated output information is output to the display device. The error information of the printer is displayed on the display device, so that the operator can easily recognize the error. Further, when the printer needs to be initialized due to an error occurring in the printer, the operator generates the printer initialization command information and outputs the generated initialization command information to the printer so that the operator turns off the device power of the printer. It is also possible to initialize the printer without performing an initialization operation such as performing.

Lastly, the input / output device of the present invention has been described above by taking a POS terminal system as an example.
The system that can include the input / output device is not limited to the POS terminal system, but may be any system that includes devices such as a printer, a scanner, and a display device and a host computer.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The following effects are obtained. By utilizing an I / O device connected to a hub such that one or more devices of the system are integrated, the communication cable required is only between the host computer of the system and the I / O device. Cable management tasks can be performed more easily than stand-alone systems.

Also, since the host computer of the system is connected via a communication cable, the system can be provided with the functions of the latest computer simply by replacing the host computer with the latest host computer. .

Further, by providing a power supply for supplying power to a predetermined device of the input / output device and a controller, a device and / or a hub can be provided based on status information of a device and a power supply provided in the system. A predetermined process may be executed by a host computer of a system connected to the system via a communication cable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an example of a schematic diagram of a POS terminal system using an input / output device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an input / output device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional block of a controller in the input / output device.

FIG. 4 is an example of a schematic diagram of an integrated POS terminal system.

FIG. 5 is an example of a schematic diagram of a stand-alone POS terminal system.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 I / O device 101 hub 102 power supply 103 controller 111 Printer 112 Display device 113 keyboard 114 Scanner 115 Power switch 120 Host computer 130 Communication cable

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Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A device provided in a predetermined system, one or more devices, a hub connected to integrate one or more of the devices, and a predetermined device connected to the hub. A power supply that supplies power to the device, and based on the status information of the device and the power supply provided in the predetermined system, connected to the device and / or the hub via a communication cable. An input / output device comprising: a controller for causing a host computer of the predetermined system to execute a predetermined process. 2. A device power control section, wherein the controller controls setting of an ON / OFF state of a device power supply for each device and setting of an ON / OFF state of a computer power supply of the host computer, and a voltage of the power supply. A power supply voltage monitoring unit that obtains information, and requests the host computer to execute optimal drive control of the device based on the obtained power supply voltage information; and information of information indicating an environmental state of the power supply. Get the measured values,
A power supply environment state adjustment unit that controls the connected predetermined device and inputs and outputs data between the device and the host computer so that the measured value falls within a predetermined allowable range. The input / output device according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication unit configured to perform the operation. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information indicating the environmental state of the power supply of the power supply environment state adjustment unit is a temperature, and the connected predetermined device is a cooling fan. I / O device. 4. The device status management unit that obtains status information of a predetermined device among one or a plurality of the devices and executes a predetermined process based on the obtained status information. The input / output device according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising: 5. The input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined system is a POS terminal system.