JP2007124463A5 - - Google Patents

Description

Wireless communication device for information processing device

The present invention relates to a wireless communication apparatus for a portable information processing apparatus (hereinafter collectively referred to as a notebook personal computer) such as a notebook personal computer.

In recent years, when a notebook personal computer is connected to a network such as the Internet, network communication using a wireless LAN has become common. In addition, there are more and more opportunities for data communication connection by wireless communication such as wireless LAN and Bluetooth (Bluetooth) than the connection using a wired cable such as USB and IEEE 1394 for connection between a notebook computer and an external device. ing.

Figure 3 is a conventional laptop, notebook PC body 11, 12 to 14 is an antenna for wireless communication, 12 digital cellular phone (hereinafter, a mobile phone) in a wireless communication system that is used in standard It is an antenna (Whip Antenna vertical antenna), and the same service as the Internet connection service provided for mobile phones can be received by a notebook personal computer.

Reference numeral 13 denotes one of the wireless LAN standards and an IEEE802.11b standard antenna, and reference numeral 14 denotes a Bluetooth antenna standardized as a wireless communication technology for portable information devices. The antenna 13 for IEEE802.11b and the Bluetooth antenna 14 have a simple configuration for receiving or transmitting a high-frequency signal through a cable 32 when receiving from a printed wiring board 31 in which a copper foil is printed on an insulator as shown in the antenna diagram of FIG. In general, it cannot be confirmed from the outside because it is mounted inside the PC casing. On the other hand, the antenna 12 of the mobile phone is a vertical antenna that can be confirmed from the outside of the personal computer as in a general mobile phone but can be stored in the personal computer casing.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a portion related to wireless communication of a conventional notebook computer.

21 in FIG. 4 is an application (hereinafter referred to as APL), a software designed for a specific purpose. Reference numeral 22 denotes a BIOS (hereinafter referred to as “Bios ” ), which is a program for controlling hardware connected to the computer, and provides basic input / output means for the hardware to the OS and application software. 23 is an embedded controller (Embedded Controller, embedded controller, hereinafter referred to as EC), which is one of the hardware. 26a, 26b, 26c is a wireless module (Wireless Module, hereinafter referred to as WM), with no laptop digital data 26a from the main mobile phone standard according to Fig, 26b is IEEE802 standards, 26c are thus Blue tooth standard Modulate and demodulate. Reference numerals 12, 13, and 14 denote antennas that transmit and receive high-frequency signals of each wireless communication standard by the WMs 26a, 26b, and 26c .

A switch group 24 opens and closes a plurality of power supply lines 25a, 25b, and 25c, and opens and closes the power supply line instructed by the control of the EC23 via the Bios 22 in response to an instruction from the APL 21 .

The EC 23 receives the wireless communication standard designated by the APL 21 via the Bios 22 and the switch group 24 closes the power line for the WM of the designated wireless communication standard, and the power is supplied to the designated WM through the power line. because, only the wireless communication standard for which the indication in APL21 the transmission of data through the antenna 12 to 14, the reception is performed.
JP 11-149330 A

Opportunities for carrying laptop computers of this type and using them outdoors or outside offices or in vehicles are increasing.

  However, on the other hand, cellular phones and notebook computers with such wireless communication functions use a gigahertz band of radio waves, and thus have properties similar to X-rays and gamma rays with shorter wavelengths. Although X-rays and gamma rays have the ability to directly damage cells, they are used for cancer treatments, but they are known to induce leukemia and cancer when exposed to large amounts. Although electromagnetic waves emitted from home appliances such as mobile phones, personal computers, microwave ovens, and televisions are considered to have a longer wavelength than X-rays and gamma rays and have little effect on the human body, the effects of electrical stimulation and heat are May be a problem with equipment. Use of portable devices such as mobile phones and laptop computers is often restricted in hospitals because of consideration for patients.

  In addition, there is a problem with not only the human body but also the influence on electronic devices. For example, in airplanes, electromagnetic waves emitted from mobile phones and laptop computers are very dangerous because they may cause undesired disturbances to electronic devices that make up aircraft operating systems as unintended electromagnetic waves (unwanted radiation). In many cases, use is prohibited. In the case of unnecessary radiation, it is difficult to specify the influence of electromagnetic waves having an integral multiple of the fundamental frequency called harmonics, spurious, etc. in addition to the fundamental frequency electromagnetic waves.

In aircraft, there are many cases where the occurrence of analog faults caused by lightning and static electricity, which has been known for a long time, is clearly known, and there are many cases where the causal relationship is relatively identifiable and highly reproducible. In the case of a failure involving equipment, the reverse occurs, and a phenomenon that is poor in reproducibility and cannot be estimated occurs and is called a digital failure.

  Even in vehicles other than aircraft, the use of mobile phones is restricted in the vicinity of priority seats in trains, and even in the case of laptop computers, this is the same, and it has multiple wireless communication functions as shown in FIGS. For laptop computers, the impact should be more than for mobile phones.

The present invention provides a plurality of wireless modules including high-frequency circuit units compliant with a plurality of wireless communication standards, a built-in controller that supplies power to each of the wireless modules, and power to each wireless module from the built-in controller. A switch group that opens and closes each power supply line to be supplied, and one control switch that instructs the built-in controller to open and close the switch group, and the power supply line is closed by the switch group from the built-in controller. When power is supplied to the wireless module and data is transmitted / received by the wireless module, the embedded controller operates the control switch to open all the switch groups and supply power to the wireless module. The control switch is operated while the switch is stopped and all the switches are in the “open” state. Thus, the built-in controller returns the switch group to the state before all of the switch groups are opened, and data is transmitted / received by the wireless module to which power was supplied before all of the switch groups were opened. It is a wireless communication device characterized by returning to the state, and the wireless communication device that was operating can be stopped by one-touch operation of the control switch, so it can be instantly used in places such as hospitals and airplanes. It is possible to stop unintentional emission of electromagnetic waves (unwanted radiation) so as not to cause a serious problem to hospital patients and electronic devices constituting an aircraft operation system .

Then, it is possible to immediately return to the original wireless communication state and resume communication.

Further, according to the present invention, the embedded controller controls the switch group so as to supply power to a preset wireless module by operating the control switch while all the switch groups are in the “open” state. The wireless communication device is characterized in that data is transmitted / received by the wireless module to which the power is supplied, and can immediately resume communication in a predetermined wireless communication state set in advance. It can be done.

As described above, the present invention can be stopped and restarted by the one-touch operation of the control switch, so that it is not intended immediately in a place such as a hospital or an aircraft. An excellent effect is obtained in that the emission of electromagnetic waves (unnecessary radiation) can be stopped so as not to cause a serious hindrance to hospital patients and electronic devices constituting an aircraft operation system.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an external view of a notebook personal computer according to the present invention, 11 is a notebook personal computer body, 12 to 14 are antennas for wireless communication, and 12 is one of wireless communication systems used in digital mobile phones. GSM antenna, 13 is one of wireless LAN standards and IEEE802.11b standard antenna, and 14 is a Bluetooth antenna standardized as a wireless communication technology for portable information devices. Reference numeral 15 denotes a control switch for controlling a wireless module of each wireless communication standard.

The IEEE802.11b antenna 13 and the Bluetooth antenna 14 have a simple configuration for receiving or transmitting a high-frequency signal via a cable 32 when receiving from a printed wiring board 31 having a copper foil printed on an insulator as shown in the antenna diagram of FIG. In general, it cannot be confirmed from the outside because it is mounted inside the PC casing. On the other hand, the antenna 12 for mobile phones can be confirmed as with ordinary mobile phone from the computer outside a vertical antenna capable of accommodating to the computer housing.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a portion related to wireless communication of the notebook personal computer of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes an APL, which is software designed for a specific purpose. Reference numeral 22 denotes Bios, which is a program for controlling hardware connected to the computer, and provides basic input / output means for the hardware to the OS and application software. Reference numeral 23 denotes an EC (embedded controller), which is one of the above hardware. 26a, 26b, 26c is a wireless module 1 to 3, 26a digital data from the notebook PC not described in FIG mobile phone standard, 26b is IEEE802 standards, 26c in the Blue tooth standard thus modulating, demodulating. Reference numerals 12, 13, and 14 denote antennas that transmit and receive high-frequency signals of each wireless communication standard by the WMs 26a, 26b, and 26c .

A switch group 24 opens and closes a plurality of power supply lines 25a, 25b, and 25c, and opens and closes the power supply line instructed by the control of the EC23 via the Bios 22 and the instruction of the APL21.

  The operation of the wireless communication apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

The EC 23 receives the wireless communication standard designated by the APL 21 via the Bios 22 and the switch group 24 closes the power line for the WM of the designated wireless communication standard, and the power is supplied to the designated WM through the power line. For this reason, data is transmitted and received through an antenna that is compatible only with the wireless communication standard instructed by the APL 21. The above is the same operation as a conventional notebook computer.

In the present embodiment, a control switch 15 is newly provided. This switch 15 stops unintentional emission of electromagnetic waves (unwanted radiation) in places such as hospitals and airplanes, and does not seriously affect the electronic devices constituting the patient and aircraft operation systems. It is a switch for. When the control switch 15 is turned on , all of the switch group 24 is opened and power supply to the WMs 26a, 26b, and 26c is stopped, so that data transmission and reception are not performed. Therefore, the emission of electromagnetic waves from each WM can be stopped by one-touch operation of the control switch 15 without performing the off control of each WM 26a, 26b, 26c by the APL 21.

When the control switch 15 is returned to the OFF state , the power supply is resumed by closing the line of the switch group 24 to the WMs 26a, 26b, and 26c of the wireless communication standard that was originally operating. Even if the control switch 15 is turned off, the power line is not closed by the switch group 24 and power is not supplied to the WM that has not been operated in the off state by the switch group 24. This can be easily realized by the EC 23 storing the previous state.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the wireless communication that has been in operation can be stopped by one-touch operation of the control switch 15, so that an unintended electromagnetic wave can be immediately used in a place such as a hospital or an aircraft. It is possible to stop the emission of (unnecessary radiation) so as not to cause a serious trouble to the electronic devices constituting the hospital patient and the aircraft operation system.

  It has been described that when the control switch 15 is turned on, all the lines of the switch group 24 are opened and the power supply to the WMs 26a, 26b, and 26c is stopped, so that transmission and reception of data are not performed. By separating the power supply circuit from the receiving unit and turning on the control switch 15, the operation of only the transmitting unit is stopped, and the emission of electromagnetic waves can be stopped even if the operation of the receiving unit is maintained.

Further, the operation of each WM is controlled by supplying power. However, there is a method of realizing the present invention with a configuration in which the operation / stop of the WM circuit operation is performed in addition to the power supply.

Needless to say, the switch group 24 can be arranged between the WM and the antennas 12 to 14 to control the emission / stop of the electromagnetic wave into the space.

Further, in the description of the embodiment, if the control switch 15 is returned to the OFF state, the power supply line of the wireless communication standard WM that was originally operating is closed by the switch group 24, so that power is supplied to the WM. However, the present invention is not limited to this. When the control switch 15 is turned off (electromagnetic wave emission stop) from the off state, the WM power line indicated by the user setting, that is, the APL 21 setting is switched. The emission of electromagnetic waves may be resumed from the WM of the wireless communication standard that is closed by the group 24 and supplied with power.

Since the wireless communication apparatus according to the present invention can stop the wireless communication being operated by one-touch operation of the control switch, the electromagnetic wave (unwanted radiation) which is not intended immediately in a place such as a hospital or an aircraft. Portable information processing such as a laptop computer, with the effect of stopping the launch of the computer and preventing serious problems from occurring in the electronic equipment that constitutes hospital patients and aircraft operation systems. It is useful as a wireless communication device or the like that is detachably attached to the device body.

External view of the notebook computer of the present invention The block diagram of the part relevant to the radio | wireless communication of the notebook personal computer of this invention External view of a conventional notebook computer and IEEE802.11b, Bluetooth antenna diagram Block diagram of the parts related to wireless communication of conventional notebook computers

Explanation of symbols

11 Laptop PC 12 Mobile phone standard antenna 13 IEEE 802.11b standard antenna 14 Bluetooth antenna 15 Control switch 21 APL (application)
22 Bios
23 EC (Embedded Controller)
24 switch group 25 power line 26 wireless module (Wireless Module)
31 Printed wiring board 32 Cable

Claims (2)

A plurality of radio modules including high frequency circuit that complies with a plurality of radio communication standards,
And embedded controller for supplying power to each of the radio module,
A switch group for opening and closing respectively the power supply line for supplying electric power to the embedded controller from each wireless module,
One control switch that instructs the built-in controller to open and close the switch group ;
With
Power is supplied to the wireless module from the embedded controller through a power line closed by the switch group, and the embedded controller is operated by operating the control switch in a state where data is transmitted / received by the wireless module. Are all opened, the power supply to the wireless module is stopped, and all the switch groups are in the “open” state, and the control switches are operated, so that the built-in controller To the state before all of the switches are opened, and to return to a state where data is transmitted and received by the wireless module to which power was supplied before all of the switches were opened. A wireless communication device of a processing device . A plurality of wireless modules including a high-frequency circuit unit conforming to a plurality of wireless communication standards;
An embedded controller for supplying power to each of the wireless modules;
A group of switches for opening and closing power lines for supplying power to the wireless modules from the built-in controller;
One control switch that instructs the built-in controller to open and close the switch group;
With
Power is supplied to the wireless module from the embedded controller through a power line closed by the switch group, and the embedded controller is operated by operating the control switch in a state where data is transmitted / received by the wireless module. The built-in controller is preset by operating all of the switches to “open” to stop the power supply to the wireless module and operating the control switches while all the switches are in the “open” state. A wireless communication apparatus of an information processing apparatus, wherein the switch group is controlled to supply power to a wireless module, and data is transmitted and received by the wireless module to which the power is supplied .