JP2004192108A - Handy terminal system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable communications with a host computer via a stand without the need to provide a handy terminal with a dedicated light-receiving means. <P>SOLUTION: The stand 30 has a power circuit 301. The power circuit 301 adjusts to 7V of voltage supplied from an AC adapter connected to a commercial power supply, and applies the voltage to a power supply contact terminal 32. When the operation of reading barcodes is complete and the handy terminal is placed on the stand 30, the handy terminal 1 operates on the power supplied from the stand 30 and a rechargeable battery unit 3 installed is charged. When a voltage detection circuit 208 of the handy terminal 1 detects the voltage coming from the stand 30, an interrupt signal is supplied to a CPU 201. On receiving the interrupt signal, the CPU 201 executes a program and powers an IrDA part 204. Thereby the IrDA part 204 enters a state in which it awaits reception. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a handy terminal system used by a user to collect various data while carrying it.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The handy terminal is generally cordless, and is operated by a built-in dry cell or rechargeable battery and used for collecting data such as reading a bar code. After completing such work, the worker transmits data from the handy terminal to the host computer, and receives work instructions and the like from the host computer.
[0003]
Communication between the handy terminal and the host computer is performed by placing the handy terminal on a table that interfaces between the two. However, in order to reduce battery consumption of the handy terminal, the handy terminal is placed on the table. In some cases, the handy terminal is switched to a "waiting for transmission / reception" mode.
[0004]
However, in a handy terminal provided with a non-contact communication means such as infrared communication (IrDA), the "waiting for transmission / reception" mode requires the operation of a circuit for monitoring reception, so that the battery is wasted. Cannot be avoided. In addition, if the operation of switching to the “waiting for transmission / reception” mode is forgotten when the device is placed on the table, a problem arises that the data of the handy terminal is not updated, as a matter of course.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 10-143600 A
The invention disclosed in this publication raises a problem that the battery is wasted by continuously driving the communication circuit of the handy terminal placed on the table in preparation for data communication with the host computer. As means for solving this problem, a mounting detection means for detecting that the handy terminal is mounted on the mounting table, a power supply switching means for controlling the driving power to the processing means (CPU), and A dedicated light receiving means for receiving a power control signal is provided. When the handy terminal placed on the table receives the power control signal from the host computer, an interrupt signal is supplied to the CPU by the interrupt signal generating means. In this case, the power supply switching means is operated to activate the processing means (CPU) to change the state to a state where communication with the host computer is possible.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when the method proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-143600 is adopted, a dedicated light receiving means for receiving a power control signal from a host computer is required, which complicates the internal structure and reduces the manufacturing cost. Will be high.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a handy terminal system capable of communicating with a host computer via a mounting table without providing a dedicated light receiving means in the handy terminal.
[0009]
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a handy terminal system that does not require a power control signal to be transmitted from a host computer to a handy terminal.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, such a technical problem
A handy terminal comprising a first communication optical element and a charging contact terminal, and operable by a rechargeable battery;
A second communication optical element that faces the first communication optical element when the handy terminal is mounted, and interfaces communication between the handy terminal and a host computer, and the charging contact terminal; And a table that has a power supply contact terminal for contact and interfaces with charging of the handy terminal using a commercial power supply.
The first voltage required by a charging circuit that is provided on the table and that charges a rechargeable battery of the handy terminal by converting power supplied from a commercial power source into power for charging the rechargeable battery is used as the power. A power supply circuit applied to the supply contact terminal;
A voltage detection circuit provided on the handy terminal and supplying an interrupt signal to a CPU of the handy terminal when the first voltage is applied to the charging contact terminal of the handy terminal;
An optical communication circuit that controls the first communication optical element,
The above-mentioned CPU is achieved by providing a handy terminal system characterized in that the CPU turns on the power of the optical communication circuit in response to the interrupt signal, thereby switching the optical communication circuit to a reception waiting state.
[0011]
That is, in the handy terminal system of the present invention, when the handy terminal is placed on the table for communication with the host computer, the first voltage required by the charging circuit for charging the rechargeable battery is supplied from the table. And the voltage detection circuit detects the first voltage, so that the handy terminal is in a state of waiting for reception.
[0012]
As described above, according to the present invention, when the handy terminal detects the first voltage to be supplied to the handy terminal via the table, the handy terminal automatically enters a state of waiting for reception. Need not supply a special signal to the handy terminal.
[0013]
【Example】
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0014]
Referring to FIG. 1, a handy terminal 1 of the embodiment has a handy terminal main body (HT main body) 2. The handy terminal 1 is a so-called cordless handy terminal including a dedicated rechargeable battery unit 3 and a dedicated dry battery box 4 that can be selectively mounted on the HT main body 2 as described in detail later. The handy terminal 1 further includes a serial communication unit 5, which is attached to the HT main body 2 instead of the dedicated rechargeable battery unit 3 or the dedicated dry battery box 4 during a debugging operation.
[0015]
Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a view of handy terminal 1 as viewed from the front. The HT main body 2 has a plurality of LCDs 7 arranged on the front surface of the HT main body 2 as a display unit, and a plurality of three colors, red, green and orange, arranged at the upper end of the front surface of the HT main body 2 as operation confirmation display means. LED 8 and a key input unit 9. The key input unit 9 includes a menu key 10, a trigger key 11 for starting barcode scanning, a four-way key 12, a cancel key 13, an enter (ENT) key 14, and a numeric keypad 15 arranged on the front of the main body 2. , A plurality of function keys 16, a power switch 17, and the like, and a side trigger key 18 disposed on a side surface of the HT main body 2.
[0016]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the handy terminal 1 with the serial communication unit 5 attached, as viewed from the rear side. A bar code reading window (filter) 20 is provided at the upper end of the back surface of the HT main body 2, and a bar code (not shown) can be read through the window 20. That is, the handy terminal 1 is a barcode reader handy terminal. In addition, a pair of charging contact terminals 21 is provided at the lower end of the back surface of the HT body 2. The HT body 2 also has an optical communication window (infrared transmission filter) 22 (FIG. 4) in the center of the lower end surface.
[0017]
The system including the handy terminal 1 has an interface with a host computer (not shown) and a table 30 for connecting an AC adapter (not shown) to interface the charging of the handy terminal 1 with a commercial power supply. That is, the handy terminal 1 can perform communication with the host computer by placing the handy terminal 1 on the table 30, and transmit data recorded by normal operation, that is, normal work, to the host computer, Information such as a work instruction and a product name list from the host computer can be received.
[0018]
Communication between the handy terminal 1 and the table 30 is performed by optical communication, typically, infrared communication (IrDA). The stand 30 is provided with a connector 34 (FIG. 13) for connecting a communication cable connected to a host computer (not shown), and when the handy terminal 1 is placed on the stand 30. A pedestal-side optical communication window (infrared transmission filter) 31 is provided at a position where the handy terminal-side optical communication window 22 faces (FIGS. 5 and 6).
[0019]
When the handy terminal 1 when the rechargeable battery unit 3 is mounted on the main body 2 is mounted on the mounting table 30, a pair of power supply contact terminals 32 provided on the mounting table 30 are connected to a pair of the lower end portions of the HT main body 2. The portable terminal 1 is electrically contacted with the charging contact terminal 21, whereby the handy terminal 1 (rechargeable battery unit 3) can be charged using a commercial power supply. For this reason, the table 30 is provided with a power supply port 33 (FIG. 13) capable of receiving a jack of an AC adapter connected to a commercial power supply.
[0020]
As described above, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the handy terminal 1 with the serial communication unit 5 mounted, as viewed from the rear side. When the illustrated serial communication unit 5 is detached from the HT main body 2, a recess 23 (FIG. 7) having a cut-out lower portion and accessible from the outside appears on the rear surface of the HT main body 2.
[0021]
The recess 23 of the HT main body 2 is provided with five terminal groups 24 (FIGS. 7, 8, and 13) at positions corresponding to five terminal groups 35 described later at the lower end thereof. With particular reference to FIG. 11, the configuration of the five terminal groups 24 provided in the HT main body 2 is as follows.
[0022]
(1) GND terminal 24a
(2) Positive power supply terminal 24a of rechargeable battery unit, dry cell box, serial communication unit
(3) Terminal 24b for specifying rechargeable battery unit
(4) Transmission side terminal 24c for serial communication
(5) Serial communication receiving terminal 24c
[0023]
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the rechargeable battery unit 3 as viewed from the front side, that is, the side facing the recess of the handy terminal body 2. The rechargeable battery unit 3 has five terminal groups 35 arranged side by side at the lower end of the front surface. The five terminal groups 35 include blank terminals, and the effective terminals specify (1) the GND terminal 24a, (2) the plus power supply terminal 24a, and (3) the rechargeable battery unit in the terminal group 24 of the main body 2 described above. Terminals 35 corresponding to the terminals 24b for the serial communication, and two terminals corresponding to (4) the transmission-side terminal 24c for the serial communication and (5) the reception-side terminal 24c for the serial communication in the terminal group 24 of the main body 2 described above. The terminal 35 is a blank terminal (invalid terminal).
[0024]
A groove 36 is formed in the center of the upper end surface of the rechargeable battery unit 3. On the other hand, a protrusion having a shape complementary to the groove 36 is formed on the upper end wall of the recess of the HT main body 2, and a slide lock 37 (FIG. 3) is provided at a portion facing the upper end wall of the recess. The rechargeable battery unit 3 mounted on the HT main body 2 can be fixed by the slide lock 37 provided.
[0025]
10 and 11 are perspective views of the battery box 4 as viewed from the front side, that is, the side facing the recess of the HT main body 2. FIG. This shows a state where the accommodated AAA batteries 41 are exposed. By removing the lid 40 of the dry battery box 4, the battery 41 can be replaced with a new battery. Reference numeral 42 in FIG. 10 indicates an engagement claw 42, and the lid 40 can be removed from the dry cell box 4 by operating the engagement claw 42.
[0026]
Like the rechargeable battery unit 3, the dry battery box 4 has five terminal groups 43 arranged side by side at the lower end of the front surface. The five terminal groups 43 include blank terminals, and the effective terminals are two terminals 43 corresponding to (1) GND terminal 24a and (2) plus power supply terminal 24a among the five terminal groups 24 of the main body 2 described above. It is valid, and the other three terminals 24b and 24c are blank terminals (invalid terminals).
[0027]
The same groove 36 as the rechargeable battery unit 3 is formed on the upper end surface of the dry cell box 4, and the dry cell box 4 can be fixed using the slide lock 37 of the HT main body 2.
[0028]
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the serial communication unit 5 as seen from the front side, that is, from the side facing the recess of the HT main body 2. The serial communication unit 5 has five terminal groups 50 arranged side by side at the lower end of the front surface. The five terminal groups 50 include a blank terminal, and the effective terminals are (1) GND terminal 24a, (2) plus power supply terminal 24a, (4) serial communication transmission terminal 24c, (5) Four terminals 50 corresponding to the receiving terminal 24c of the serial communication are effective, and one terminal 50 corresponding to (3) the terminal 24b for specifying the rechargeable battery unit in the main body side terminal group 24 is Invalid.
[0029]
The serial communication unit 5 has on its side a power supply port 54 (FIG. 12) for receiving a jack 53 (FIG. 1) provided at an end of a line extending from the AC adapter 52 (FIG. 1), and a serial communication cable 55 (FIG. 1). ) Is provided with a communication port 57 (FIG. 12) for receiving a jack 56 (FIG. 1) provided at one end.
[0030]
The same groove 36 as the rechargeable battery unit 3 is formed on the upper end surface of the serial communication unit 5, and the serial communication unit 5 can be fixed using the slide lock 37 of the HT main body 2.
[0031]
FIG. 13 is a circuit block diagram of the HT body 2 and the table 30. The HT main body 2 has a CPU 201, a ROM 202, a RAM, and the like. The CPU 201 operates according to a program written in the ROM 202, controls the confirmation LED 8, the LCD display unit 7, and processes data read by a bar code reader. In a predetermined area of the RAM. In addition, the HT main body 2 has sound and vibration confirmation means such as a buzzer and a vibrator in addition to the confirmation LED 8, and these confirmation means are also controlled by the CPU 201.
[0032]
The HT main body 2 includes an IrDA unit 204 for communicating using a light emitting / receiving element 203 disposed facing the optical communication window 22 on the lower end surface thereof and a serial communication unit 205 for debugging. The serial communication unit 205 is controlled by the CPU 201.
[0033]
The HT main body 2 has a power control unit 206. The power control unit 206 includes a charging control (charging circuit) 207 and a power supply circuit 208. When the rechargeable battery unit 3 is mounted on the HT main body 2, When recognizing the unit 3 as a signal from the terminal 24b, the rechargeable battery unit 3 is charged through the charge control (charging circuit) 207.
[0034]
The power supply control unit 206 further includes a voltage detection circuit 208, and the voltage supplied to the HT main body 2 is higher than the voltage supplied from the dry cell box 4 or the rechargeable battery unit 3 (for example, 6 V as a threshold). When this is detected by the voltage detection circuit 208, an interrupt signal is supplied to the CPU 201.
[0035]
The table 30 has a power supply circuit 301. The power supply circuit 301 generates a charging voltage obtained by converting a voltage supplied from an AC adapter connected to a commercial power supply to 7V, and converts the charging voltage to a power supply contact. Apply to terminal 32. The table 30 also has a communication interface control and processing unit 302 for communicating with the host computer, and the handy terminal 1 is placed on the table 30 so that the optical communication window 31 ( It can communicate with the host computer using the light receiving / emitting element 303 installed facing the infrared transmitting filter).
[0036]
A series of steps related to communication with the host computer using the table 30 will be described with reference to FIG. When the work on the handy terminal 1 is completed (S1), the handy terminal 1 is switched to the stop mode. In the stop mode, although the power supply to the CPU 201 is continued, the main clock operation is stopped, and the execution of the program is stopped. In the stop mode, the power of the IrDA unit 204 is turned off.
[0037]
Next, the handy terminal 1 is placed on the table 30 (S2). FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a state where the handy terminal 1 is placed on the table 30. When the handy terminal 1 is placed on the table 30, as shown in FIG. 16, the IrDA light emitting / receiving element 203 on the handy terminal side and the IrDA light emitting / receiving element 303 on the table side face each other. In addition, the power supply contact terminal 31 on the table side comes into contact with the charging contact terminal 21 on the handy terminal side, whereby a 7V charging voltage is supplied from the table 30 to the handy terminal 1.
[0038]
When the voltage detection circuit 208 of the handy terminal 1 detects the charging voltage (7 V) from the table 30 (S3), it supplies an interrupt signal to the CPU 201 (S4). Upon receiving this interrupt signal, the CPU 201 switches to the main clock operation, that is, the normal operation mode, and the CPU 201 executes the program (S5) and turns on the power of the IrDA unit 204 (S6). As a result, the IrDA unit 204 enters a reception waiting state (S7).
[0039]
As described above, when the handy terminal 1 is placed on the table 30, the handy terminal 1 is in a state of waiting for reception by detecting the power supplied from the table 30 without transmitting an activation signal from the host computer. become. The handy terminal 1 operates with a power supply supplied from the table 30. When the handy terminal 1 has the rechargeable battery unit 3, the rechargeable battery unit 3 is charged.
[0040]
When data is transmitted from the host computer while the handy terminal 1 is waiting for reception (S8), the light receiving / emitting element 203 on the table side emits light, and the light receiving / emitting element 303 on the handy terminal receives the light. The received data is sent from the 204 to the CPU 201.
[0041]
The received data is processed by the CPU 201, and if necessary, the data is transmitted to the host computer through the IrDA unit 204 and the light receiving / emitting elements 203 and 303 (S11) to end the communication (S12), and then returns to S8. It will be waiting for reception. When the handy terminal 1 is detached from the table 30 in the state of waiting for reception, the charging contact terminal 21 on the handy terminal side is separated from the power supply contact terminal 31 on the table side. ) Can no longer be detected, a non-detection signal is sent to the CPU 201 from the voltage detection circuit 208, and upon receiving this signal, the CPU 201 turns off the power of the IrDA unit 204, and the CPU 201 also enters the stop mode.
[0042]
As can be understood from the above description, when the handy terminal 1 is placed on the table 30, the power supply contact terminal 31 on the table and the charging contact terminal 21 on the handy terminal are in contact with each other, and the terminal waits for reception. By detecting the 7V power supplied from the table 30 through the contact terminals 31 and 21 without using any means such as a dedicated signal line for creating the state of the above, the low power consumption mode (stop mode). The standby CPU 201 starts operating, the IrDA unit 204 is turned on, and enters a reception standby state, so that the handy terminal 1 can respond to various requests transmitted from the host computer. Become. When the handy terminal 1 is placed on the table 30, the handy terminal 1 is operated by the power supplied from the table 30. Therefore, there is no need to worry about battery consumption, and there is no need to switch to the low power consumption mode. .
[0043]
In the handy terminal 1 of the embodiment, when an application program is developed and debugged, the serial communication unit 5 is attached to the HT main body 2 and the external communication is performed via the communication port 57 of the serial communication unit 5. By connecting to a computer, debugging can be performed using an external computer. During the debugging operation, when the serial communication unit 5 is used, the AC adapter 52 is connected to the power port 54 (FIG. 12) of the unit 5. By connecting, debugging can be performed using commercial power.
[0044]
In a normal operation of the handy terminal 1, the handy terminal 1 is operated by the rechargeable battery or the dry battery by mounting the dedicated rechargeable battery unit 3 or the dedicated dry battery box 4 on the HT main body 2. In the normal operation of the handy terminal 1, the data stored in the handy terminal 1 is supplied to the host computer connected to the stand 30 by placing the handy terminal 1 on the stand 30 as described above. can do. Further, since infrared communication is performed between the handy terminal 1 and the table 30, the handy terminal 1 may be simply placed on the table 30, and a connection work for communication is unnecessary.
[0045]
In addition, when the rechargeable battery unit 3 is mounted on the HT main body 2, charging using a commercial power supply can be performed by mounting the handy terminal 1 on the table 30.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of a handy terminal system according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the handy terminal of the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the handy terminal of the embodiment on which the serial communication unit is mounted, as viewed obliquely from the rear.
FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view illustrating a lower portion of the handy terminal of the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a table used together with the handy terminal of the embodiment as viewed obliquely from above.
FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view illustrating a part of the placing table.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the rear surface of the handy terminal as viewed obliquely from behind.
FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing a lower portion of the back surface of the handy terminal.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a dedicated rechargeable battery unit that can be mounted on the HT main body, as viewed obliquely from the front (HT main body side).
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a dedicated battery box that can be mounted on the HT main body, as viewed obliquely from the front (HT main body side).
FIG. 11 is a view corresponding to FIG. 10 and shows a state where a lid is removed from the dry cell box.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a serial communication unit that can be mounted on the HT main body as viewed obliquely from the front (HT main body side).
FIG. 13 is a circuit block diagram of an HT main body and a table.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining S in which the handy terminal of the embodiment is placed on a table and communicates with a host computer.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a state where the handy terminal is placed on a table.
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between components related to each other when the handy terminal is placed on a table.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Handy terminal 2 Handy terminal main body 3 Rechargeable battery unit 4 Dry battery box 21 Charging contact terminal 23 Recess 30 on the back of the handy terminal 30 Stand 31 Power supply contact terminal 201 CPU
203 Light emitting / receiving element on handy terminal side 303 Light emitting / receiving element on mounting table side

Claims (3)

A handy terminal comprising a first communication optical element and a charging contact terminal, and operable by a rechargeable battery;
A second communication optical element that faces the first communication optical element when the handy terminal is mounted, and interfaces communication between the handy terminal and a host computer, and the charging contact terminal; A table that has a contact terminal for power supply to be contacted and interfaces with charging of the handy terminal using a commercial power supply.
The first voltage required by a charging circuit that is provided on the table and that charges a rechargeable battery of the handy terminal by converting power supplied from a commercial power source into power for charging the rechargeable battery is used as the power. A power supply circuit applied to the supply contact terminal;
A voltage detection circuit provided on the handy terminal and supplying an interrupt signal to a CPU of the handy terminal when the first voltage is applied to the charging contact terminal of the handy terminal;
An optical communication circuit that controls the first communication optical element,
The handy terminal system, wherein the CPU turns on the optical communication circuit in response to the interrupt signal, thereby switching the optical communication circuit to a reception waiting state. The handy terminal has a low power consumption mode for turning off the power of the optical communication circuit and stopping the execution of a program in the CPU. The handy terminal system according to claim 1, wherein the mode is switched to a mode and the program is executed. 3. The handy terminal according to claim 1, wherein the handy terminal is operated with electric power supplied from the power supply contact terminal to the charging contact terminal when the portable terminal is placed on the table. 4. Terminal system.

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