JP4967165B2 - POST code display system, POST code display method, and POST code display program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a POST code display system, a POST code display method, and a POST code display program, and more particularly, a POST (Power-On Self Test) executed on a mother board (electronic circuit board) or the like. The present invention relates to a POST code display system for visually displaying codes, a POST code display method, and a POST code display program for causing a computer to execute the method.

  For example, a personal computer (PC) motherboard (hereinafter referred to as a PC motherboard) is connected to a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus with the progress of BIOS (Basic Input Output System) setting, which is a program for controlling hardware, as a POST code. Output. Therefore, by displaying the POST code output to the PCI bus on an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like and confirming it, the user can specify the progress of the BIOS.

  FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a POST code display device mounted on a PC motherboard. As shown in the figure, the POST code display device 20 includes a POST code latch circuit 12 and a 7-segment LED 13. When the progress status of the BIOS setting of the PC motherboard during operation is input from the PCI bus 11 to the POST code latch circuit 12, a command signal corresponding to the progress status of the BIOS setting is sent from the POST code latch circuit 12 to the 7-segment LED 13. Sent. As a result, the 7-segment LED 13 displays a POST code having contents corresponding to the progress of BIOS setting. Therefore, the user can confirm the progress of the BIOS setting of the PC motherboard by confirming the POST code displayed on the 7-segment LED 13. For example, when “01” is displayed on the two-digit 7-segment LED 13, “memory test is completed”, and when “02” is displayed, “PC controller initialization is completed”, etc., it is displayed on the 7-segment LED 12. The progress of BIOS setting can be confirmed by the POST code. Such a POST code latch circuit 12 and 7 segment LED 13 are prepared on a PC motherboard (not shown), and the POST code latch circuit 12 and 7 segment LED 13 are prepared as one extended PCI card. There are cases where it is inserted into a PC motherboard only when necessary.

Further, although it is not the technology of the POST code display device, the remote control operation body is provided with a plurality of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags and push button switches corresponding to the respective RFID tags, and the push button switches are operated. A technique of a remote operation system is disclosed in which only an infrared remote control signal corresponding to an RFID tag is output and only an operation target device corresponding to the infrared remote control signal is operated by remote control (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to this technology, since the remote control operation body that transmits operation information using a passive RFID tag is configured, the remote control operation body has an advantage that a power source (battery) is not required.
JP 2006-287807 A

  However, in the POST code display device, the POST code cannot be visually confirmed when the PC motherboard is incorporated in the chassis. That is, in the method of displaying the POST code with the 7-segment LED, when the PC motherboard is incorporated in the chassis and the 7-segment LED is mounted on the PC motherboard, the chassis is used to visually check the POST code. It is necessary to open the lid. Such a disassembly of the chassis takes a considerable amount of time to deal with the trouble in the case of a function inspection at the time of manufacture or when a failure occurs in the market. It is also possible to install the 7-segment LED so that it can be seen from the outside by extending it with a cable, etc., but there are many cases where it is not necessary to visually mount the 7-segment LED that is unnecessary during normal operation. From the viewpoint of space and cost, it is not preferable that the 7-segment LED is visibly mounted by being routed with a cable.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, only an infrared signal (information) corresponding to an RFID tag whose push button switch is pressed among a plurality of RFID tags is output. For example, when 12 pushbutton switches correspond to 12 RFID tags, only 12 types of infrared signals (information) can be output when one pushbutton switch is selected and operated. On the other hand, for example, when information (POST code) is displayed on a two-digit 7-segment LED by a radio signal from an RFID tag, a desired POST code (for example, a 7-segment LED by a combination of radio signals from a plurality of RFID tags) “01”, “02”, etc.) can be displayed, and as in the technique described in Patent Document 1, a 7-segment LED is displayed by a radio signal from one RFID tag whose pushbutton switch is pressed. The desired POST code cannot be displayed. In other words, depending on the technique for transmitting a radio signal from an RFID tag described in Patent Document 1, a technique for wirelessly transmitting a signal corresponding to a POST code from a motherboard covered with a chassis to a 7-segment LED installed at a visible position. Can not be deployed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a POST code display system capable of easily confirming a POST code executed on a motherboard or the like even when the motherboard or the like is incorporated in a chassis. An object of the present invention is to provide a POST code display method and a POST code display program for causing a computer to execute the method.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the first configuration of the present invention wirelessly transmits a POST code indicating the progress of a program being executed on the electronic circuit board from the IC tag on the electronic circuit board. The present invention relates to a POST code display system for visual display on a POST code display device as an external device , each of which has a plurality of IC tags each having a separate antenna and pre-recorded different information , and each antenna. A POST code latch circuit that switches between enabling / disabling, an IC tag reader that wirelessly reads information recorded on each IC tag, and the POST code visually based on the information read by the IC tag reader together comprising a said POST code display device of seven segments configured to be displayed, said plurality of IC tags The POST code display circuit is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of segments constituting the POST code display device, and the POST code latch circuit is configured to output the POST code output to the PCI bus among the plurality of IC tags. Only the antenna of the IC tag in which the corresponding information is recorded can be used, and the POST code display device supports the IC tag reader based on the information read from the IC tag including the usable antenna. The POST code is visually displayed by driving a segment .

According to a second configuration of the present invention, a POST code indicating the progress of a program being executed on an electronic circuit board is transmitted wirelessly from an IC tag on the electronic circuit board, and a POST code display device as an external device is provided. A plurality of IC tags each having an individual antenna, in which different information is recorded in advance, and a POST code for switching each of the antennas to be usable / unusable A latch circuit, an IC tag reader that wirelessly reads information recorded in each IC tag, and the POST code having a 7-segment configuration that visually displays the POST code based on the information read by the IC tag reader A display device, wherein the plurality of IC tags are formed on the POST code display device. In order to display the POST code on a POST code display device in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of segments, the POST code latch circuit outputs the plurality of IC tags to the PCI bus. Only the antenna of the IC tag in which information corresponding to the POST code is recorded can be used, and the IC tag reader can wirelessly read the information recorded in the IC tag including the usable antenna, In the POST code display device, the IC tag reader drives a corresponding segment based on information read from the IC tag including the usable antenna, and visually displays the POST code. Yes.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, since the POST code executed on the motherboard is wirelessly output by the IC tag (RFID tag), the POST code executed on the motherboard can be changed even when the motherboard is incorporated in the chassis. It can be confirmed visually. This makes it possible to deal with troubles in a shorter time than before when performing inspection defect detection or failure cause investigation at the manufacturing site. In addition, since this POST code display system does not require additional hardware if an IC tag is mounted on the motherboard in advance, the POST code display system for the motherboard can be realized at low cost. In addition, even if a PC operating in the market breaks down, it is not necessary to add hardware to the motherboard of the PC (that is, mounting a dedicated POST card). You can check the POST code.

  The present invention is a POST code display system for a mother board having a POST code output function using an IC tag (RFID tag), and wirelessly transmits the POST code of the mother board recorded on the IC tag to serve as an external device. It is characterized by being displayed on a segment LED. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a POST code transmitting apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of the POST code transmitting apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 2B is a configuration diagram showing details of an IC tag constituting the POST code transmitting apparatus.
The POST code transmitting apparatus 10 of the present invention is used by being mounted on a PC motherboard (not shown), and, as shown in FIG. 1A, a POST code latch circuit 2 for inputting the progress of BIOS setting from the PCI bus 1; , A plurality of IC tags 3 (A1, A2, B1, B2,..., G1, G2 for wirelessly outputting data recorded in advance based on information latched (held) by the POST code latch circuit 2 ). Each IC tag 3 (A1, A2, B1, B2,... G1, G2) is a passive type that does not require a battery.

  In FIG. 1B, among the IC tags 3 (A1, A2, B1, B2,..., G1, G2) shown in FIG. 1, the antennas 3a (a1, b1 attached to the IC tags A1, B1, C1 and the respective tags are shown. , C1) are shown in detail, but each IC tag 3 shown in FIG. 1 includes an individual antenna 3a. That is, a POST code latch circuit 2, a plurality of IC tags 3, and an antenna 3a for each IC tag 3 are mounted on a PC motherboard (not shown).

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a two-digit 7-segment LED constituting the POST code display device (as an external device) according to this embodiment. That is, as shown in FIG. 1A, the data written in advance in each IC tag 3 is stored in each IC tag 3 in the first row from the top as “A1”, “A2”, and the second row. Different data is written in each IC tag 3 such as “B1” and “B2” in the IC tag 3 and “G1” and “G2” in each IC tag 3 in the seventh row. 2, the POST code display device 5 shown in FIG. 2 emits LEDs at positions corresponding to “A1” to “G1” and “A2” to “G2” of the two-digit 7-segment LEDs 5a and 5b. . When the 7-segment LED has one digit, the data “A” to “G” of each IC tag 3 causes the corresponding positions “A” to “G” of the 7-segment LED to emit light.

  FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an operation mode of one IC tag 3 constituting the POST code transmitting apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. 3, a semiconductor switch (opening / closing means) 4 is connected to the antenna 3 a of the IC tag 3, and the semiconductor switch 4 is turned on / off by the POST code latch circuit 2. That is, each semiconductor switch 4 is turned on / off by a signal from the POST code latch circuit 2 so that the antenna 3a of each IC tag 3 can be individually switched between usable and unusable. The opening / closing means for turning on / off the circuit of the antenna 3a is not limited to a semiconductor switch, and may be a mechanical contact switch. However, in order to prevent noise and the like during ON / OFF, the semiconductor switch It is desirable to use

  That is, in the same way as a general data reading method of an IC tag, when a LED of a certain segment (for example, segment A1 in FIG. 2) is caused to emit light (light on), it corresponds by a signal from the POST code latch circuit 2 in FIG. The semiconductor switch 4 to be turned on is turned on so that the antenna a1 of the IC tag A1 shown in FIG. Then, the data (A1) of the IC tag A1 is read by an IC tag reader (not shown), thereby causing the LED A1 of the 7-segment LED 5a shown in FIG. 2 to emit light.

When turning off an LED of a certain segment (for example, segment B1 in FIG. 2), the corresponding semiconductor switch 4 is turned off by a signal from the POST code latch circuit 2 in FIG. The antenna b1 of the IC tag B1 shown is made unusable. Thus, since the IC tag reader (not shown) cannot read the data (B1) of the IC tag B1, the B1 LED of the 7-segment LED 5a shown in FIG. 2 is turned off.
In this way, each antenna 3a is turned on or off by the POST code latch circuit 2, and the two-digit 7-segment LEDs 5a and 5b shown in FIG. Since the code can be displayed, the user can determine the display content of the POST code.

  FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which the information of the IC tag is read by the IC tag reader according to this embodiment. In FIG. 4, when the POST code latch circuit 2 turns on or off an antenna (not shown) of an arbitrary IC tag 3, the IC tag reader 6 can use the antenna because the antenna of the IC tag 3 is turned on. Only in this case, information (for example, A1) written in the corresponding IC tag 3 can be read.

  FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which the POST code “2F” is displayed by the two-digit 7-segment LEDs 5 a and 5 b of the POST code display device 5. Therefore, the operation when the POST code “2F” is displayed will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, a POST code transmission device 10 mounted on a PC motherboard (not shown) outputs POST code “2F” data to the PCI bus. Then, the POST code latch circuit 2 has the IC tags “A1”, “B1”, “G1”, “E1”, “D1”, and “A2”, “F2”, “E2”, “G2” semiconductors. The switches 4 are turned on so that the corresponding antennas can be used.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 4, data of these IC tags (“A1”, “B1”, “G1”, “E1”, “D1”, “A2”, “F2”, “E2”, “ G2 ") is read by the IC tag reader 6 and the data is wirelessly transferred to the POST code display device 5, the POST code" 2F "is displayed by the two-digit 7-segment LEDs 5a and 5b as shown in FIG. At this time, even if the POST code transmission device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on the motherboard and covered with the chassis, if the POST code display device 5 shown in FIG. 5 is installed outside, the user will receive the POST code “2F”. It can be discriminated visually. As a preferred embodiment, if the POST code display device 5 is installed in the IC tag reader 6, the user can read the POST code with good workability.

Embodiment 2

  In the first embodiment described above, a desired POST code is displayed on the POST code display device 5 using a plurality of IC tags. However, as a second embodiment, a POST code display device using only one IC tag. A method for displaying a desired POST code in FIG. That is, the read-only IC tag is used in the first embodiment, but the read / write IC tag is used in the second embodiment.

  Thus, for example, when “2F” is transmitted as the POST code from the POST code transmitting device mounted on the PC motherboard, “2F” is written in the IC tag. In this case, since the POST code latch circuit of the POST code transmission device in the PC motherboard needs to have a function of writing data to the IC tag, the board area and the number of parts of the PC motherboard may increase and the cost may increase. . However, since the data read from the IC tag information by the IC tag reader is displayed as it is on the POST code display device, there are advantages such as improved operability and easy handling. The same effect can be expected not only in the PC motherboard but also in firmware of a general-purpose microcomputer.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and there are design changes and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. Are also included in the present invention.

  The POST code display system according to the present invention can be effectively used when an abnormality occurs in a shipping inspection at the manufacturing site of a PC or a server, or during maintenance of a PC or a server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the POST code transmission apparatus based on 1st Embodiment of this invention, The figure (a) is a block diagram which shows the whole structure of the POST code transmission apparatus, The figure (b) These are the block diagrams which show the detail of the IC tag which comprises the same POST code transmission apparatus. It is a figure which shows 2 digits 7 segment LED which comprises the POST code display apparatus concerning the embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the operation | movement aspect of one IC tag 3 which comprises the same POST code transmission apparatus. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the state which reads the information of an IC tag with the IC tag reader which concerns on this embodiment. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the example of a POST code display by the same POST code display apparatus. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the structure of the related POST code display apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1, 11 PCI bus 2, 12 POST code latch circuit 3 (A1, A2, B1, B2,... G1, G2) IC tag 3a (a1, b1, c1) Antenna 4 Semiconductor switch 5, 20 POST code display device 5a, 5b 7 segment LED
6 IC tag reader 10 POST code transmitter

Claims (7)

A POST code indicating the progress of a program being executed on the electronic circuit board is wirelessly transmitted from the IC tag on the electronic circuit board and is displayed visually on a POST code display device as an external device. A system,
A plurality of the IC tags each having an individual antenna, in which different information is recorded in advance,
A POST code latch circuit that switches between enabling and disabling each antenna;
An IC tag reader that wirelessly reads information recorded on each IC tag;
And a POST code display device having a 7-segment configuration for visually displaying the POST code based on the information read by the IC tag reader ,
The plurality of IC tags are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of segments constituting the POST code display device,
The POST code latch circuit enables only the antenna of the IC tag in which information corresponding to the POST code output to the PCI bus is recorded among the plurality of IC tags,
In the POST code display device, the IC tag reader drives the corresponding segment based on information read from the IC tag including the usable antenna, and visually displays the POST code. POST code display system. 2. The POST code display circuit according to claim 1, wherein the POST code latch circuit switches on / off the corresponding antenna by turning on / off the open / close means connected in series to each of the antennas. system. POST code display system of claim 1, wherein said POST code display device characterized by being composed of a plurality the LED. A POST code indicating the progress of a program being executed on the electronic circuit board is wirelessly transmitted from the IC tag on the electronic circuit board and is displayed visually on a POST code display device as an external device. A method,
A plurality of the IC tags each having an individual antenna, in which different information is recorded in advance ,
A POST code latch circuit that switches between enabling and disabling each antenna;
An IC tag reader that wirelessly reads information recorded on each IC tag;
A POST code display device having a 7-segment configuration for visually displaying the POST code based on the information read by the IC tag reader;
At this time, the plurality of IC tags are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of segments constituting the POST code display device,
To display the POST code on the POST code display device,
In the POST code latch circuit, among the plurality of IC tags, only the antenna of the IC tag in which information corresponding to the POST code output to the PCI bus is recorded can be used.
Let the IC tag reader wirelessly read the information recorded in the IC tag comprising the usable antenna,
The POST code display device displays the POST code visually by driving a corresponding segment based on information read from the IC tag including the usable antenna by the IC tag reader. POST code display method. 5. The POST code display method according to claim 4, wherein the POST code latch circuit switches the corresponding antenna to be usable by turning on an opening / closing means connected in series to each of the antennas. 5. The POST code display method according to claim 4 , wherein an LED display device is used as the POST code display device. A POST code display program for causing a computer to execute the POST code display method according to claim 4, 5 or 6 .

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