JPH0257042A - Terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate wastefulness and inconvenience caused by omitting use end processing even to all host computer systems by providing a detecting means to detect the use condition of a terminal equipment. CONSTITUTION:A detecting means 2 detects weather a terminal equipment 2 is operated by an operator or not by monitoring a change in the contents of a video RAM part 222 in the terminal equipment 2 or a change in the contents of an input buffer 223 in the terminal equipment 2. A terminal control means 25 counts a passing time from turning-off when the output of the detecting means 24 is turned off. When the counted time lapses over a prescribed time, the operator goes to observe the use condition flag of the terminal equipment 2 in a host computer 1. When the use and processing is not executed in the host computer 1, an instruction to execute the use end processing is transmitted to the host computer 1. After that, a power source 26 of the terminal equipment 2 is turned off.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a terminal device such as a computer.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in systems using computers such as CAD and CAM systems, a plurality of display terminal devices may be connected online to a host computer. In that case, even if the terminal device has been used, the operator may forget to turn off the terminal device, or (
The user may forget to terminate the session (or forget to terminate the session), or may leave the terminal device without having the host computer complete the process of terminating the use of the terminal device.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In such a case, even though the terminal device is not in use, the power source is still available, resulting in wasted electricity costs and the like.

Also, the host computer terminates the use of the terminal device t? Since S has not been performed, the host computer
The terminal device must be monitored at regular intervals, which places an unnecessary load on the host computer.

Additionally, there is a system that automatically performs the end-of-use processing when the host computer is not accessed by a terminal device for a certain period of time, but even in that case, the problem is that the load on the host computer increases because the processing for this purpose is performed. There is.

The present invention takes into account the problems of such conventional terminal devices, and
It is an object of the present invention to provide a terminal device that does not place an unnecessary burden on a host computer.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides detection means for detecting whether or not the terminal device is being used in a terminal device connected to a host computer, and based on a signal output from the detection means, and terminal control means for instructing the host computer to terminate use of the terminal device.

[Operation] The present invention detects whether the terminal device is being used by the detection means, and when the terminal control means determines that the terminal device is not being used based on the signal output from the detection means. This command instructs the post computer to terminate the use of the terminal device for the host computer.

[Examples] The present invention will be described below based on drawings showing examples thereof.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a terminal device according to the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a post computer.

A terminal device 2 equipped with a CRT display is connected online to the host computer 1.

The terminal device 2 includes a CRT display 21 and a control device 2.
2, input means 23 such as a keyboard, and a power source 26. The control device 22 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 221, a video RAM (VIDEORAM) section 222 that stores data used when displaying images, and an input buffer 223 for reading data from the input means 23. , data can be exchanged with the host computer 1. The input means 23 is for inputting operation signals and the like to the control device 22.

The detection means 24 detects whether the terminal device 2 is being operated by an operator by monitoring changes in the contents of the video RAM section 222 of the terminal device 2 or changes in the contents of the input buffer 223 of the terminal device 2. It is a means to do so. That is, if the contents of the video ram section 222 have not changed, it can be assumed that the terminal device 2 is not being used. The same applies to changes in the contents of the input buffer 223. Note that when checking the contents of these memories in order to monitor changes, it is not necessarily necessary to search the entire memory, and it is also possible to check several locations that are likely to change.

If the terminal device 2 has not been used for a predetermined period of time based on the signal output from the detection device 24, the terminal control means 25 outputs a processing instruction for terminating the use of the terminal device 2 itself to the host computer 1. Alternatively, it is a means for outputting a command to the power supply 26 to turn off the power. The predetermined time interval can be freely set by the user of the terminal device using the time setting means 27, taking into consideration the usage status of the terminal device.

Although the detection means 24 and the terminal control means 25 are realized by a microcomputer, they may also be realized by using a conventional microcomputer (for communication) provided in the control device 22.

Further, as the detection means 24, a sensor may be used that detects whether or not the terminal device 2 is in operation by detecting whether or not an operator is sitting on an operator chair of the terminal device 2. For example, a light emitting diode and a light receiving phototransistor are arranged in the frame of both the left and right armrests of the chair, and when the operator is seated, the light is blocked and the presence of the operator is detected.

Alternatively, a load sensor that detects the weight applied when the operator sits on the chair, or a displacement sensor that detects the expansion and contraction of the spring of the chair when the operator sits on the chair, etc. may be used.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation.

The terminal control means 25 initializes a timer counter to 0 (step Sl). Next, the terminal control means 25 inputs the output of the detection means 24 (step S2). Detection means 2
If the output signal of No. 5 is on, that is, a signal indicating that the contents of the video ram 222 or the input buffer 223 are changing, or a signal indicating that the operator is seated on the chair, ( Step S3), return to the original state (Step Sl). When the output of the detection means 24 is off (step S3), the elapsed time from the time when the output was turned off is counted (step S4). Then, the counted time is compared with a predetermined time predetermined by the time setting means 27 (step S5). When the counted time exceeds a predetermined time (step Sδ), the terminal device is determined to be unused because it has not been operated for a long time, and the terminal device control means 25 controls the terminal device in the host computer 1. Check the usage status flag of No. 2 (step S6). If the end-of-use process has not been performed in the host computer 1 (step S7), a command to perform the end-of-use process is sent to the host computer 1 (step S8). Thereafter, the power 826 of the terminal device 2 is turned off (step S9).

Further, if the end-of-use process has already been performed (step S7), the power supply 26 is turned off (step S9).

It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other terminal devices such as liquid crystal type and plasma type displays in addition to CRT.

Note that the above-described processing according to the present invention may be performed during a time period when fewer terminal users are expected (for example, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.).

[Effects of the Invention] By providing a detection means for detecting the usage status of a terminal device, the present invention eliminates waste and inconvenience caused by forgetting end-of-use processing for all host computer systems. This is a terminal device that allows resolution to be performed without placing an unnecessary burden on a host computer or the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a terminal device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment. 1... Host computer 2... Terminal device 222
...Video RAM section 223...Input buffer 23.
...Input means 24...Detection means 25...Terminal control means

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a terminal device connected to a host computer, a detection means for detecting whether or not the terminal device is being used, and based on a signal output from the detection means, the terminal device is used for the host computer. A terminal device comprising terminal control means for instructing termination. (2) The detection means detects whether or not the terminal device is being used by monitoring changes in the contents of the video ram section of the terminal device or changes in the contents of the input buffer of the input means of the terminal device. 2. The terminal device according to claim 1. (3) The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the detection means detects whether or not the terminal device is being used by detecting whether or not an operator is sitting on an operator chair of the terminal device. Device.