JPH0350653A - Automatic recognition method for various peripheral equipment in graphic display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate an artificial error and generalize conventional connection mechanism which are separately prepared by automatically recognizing various peripheral equipments to which asynchronous communication system is connected and eliminating mistake by an operator. CONSTITUTION:At first, a specific command (it is called return command hereafter) is given to a first channel. Since communication cannot be executed in transfer speed 9,600BPS with which the peripheral equipment connected to a channel A is initialized, the loop back command cannot normally be received. Then, the return command is not returned even if a program A waits for prescribed time and therefore transfer speed is switched to 4,800BPS. The loop back command is given again to the channel A in such a state. Thus, the peripheral equipment connected to the channel A can normally receive the loop back command and therefore it returns the loop back command. The channel A recognizes that something is connected in 4,800BPS and decides the transfer speed of the channel. The transfer speed of channels B, C and D is decided in the same procedure.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field J] The present invention relates to various peripheral devices important as man-machine interfaces in graphics display devices, such as 1
A keyboard for inputting characters, a function A-6 consisting of 16 to 32 buttons, a joystick for inputting numerical data in 3-axis directions, and a joystick for inputting movement amounts in 2-axis directions. Mouse, dial device for inputting 8 to 9 numerical data, 2D dust), W I
This invention relates to automatic device recognition when connecting a tablet device for inputting I to a graphics display device.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention provides a method for connecting several peripheral devices with different characteristics used in a graphics display device, through a protocol in which the relationship between the connected channel and the peripheral device is set in advance. This is automatically recognized by the display device.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when connecting various peripheral devices to a graphics display device, the following two methods have been mainly used.

(1) The relationship between the channel to be connected and the peripheral device is fixed so that different peripheral devices cannot be connected to a specific channel. This avoids human-induced problems such as connection errors, but requires a personalized channel that can accommodate all the peripherals that can be connected.

Therefore, it leads to an increase in cost. Also, peripheral devices that existed at the time of system design can be connected, but new peripheral devices that will be supported in the future cannot be connected.

(2) The relationship between the channel to be connected and the peripheral device is not fixed, but the connection relationship is artificially set by the operator.
This method has a lower cost than the method (1) in that it is sufficient to prepare the maximum number of general-purpose channels that the average user will connect to. However, due to the human work involved, errors may occur.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As shown in the two methods that have been adopted in the past, dedicated channels must be prepared for all connectable peripheral devices, which leads to high costs and future support problems. There were three flaws: connectivity to peripheral devices that would otherwise be available, and artificial troubles in setting the association of peripheral devices to a generalized channel.

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate these defects and automatically recognize various peripheral devices connected to a general-purpose channel using an asynchronous communication method and with various transfer speeds.
Protect from human-induced troubles.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method that leaves room for connection even to unknown peripheral devices that may be developed in the future.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve these problems, the present invention provides the following two protocols between the graphics display device and various peripheral devices, and (1) connects them using an asynchronous communication method. (2) Protocol for recognizing the type of peripheral device connected using asynchronous communication method By issuing this information to each channel for which it is unknown whether or not it is connected, the appropriate transfer rate for that channel can be determined, and the type of peripheral device connected can also be automatically recognized.

[Operation] The present invention is effective under the condition that the graphics display device and various peripheral devices are all connected by an asynchronous communication method as shown in FIG. The protocol (1) described above is used to determine the transfer speed of the graphics display device for the peripheral devices connected at different transfer speeds. Figure 1 shows the procedure for automatically recognizing the transfer rate. By repeating the procedure shown in Figure 1 for all channels of the graphics display device, you can check whether each channel is connected or not, and the transfer rate. It can be confirmed.

For the channel whose transfer rate has been determined, the protocol (2) described above is used to determine the type of peripheral device. FIG. 2 shows a procedure for determining the type of peripheral device. By executing the procedure shown in FIG. 2, each channel of the graphics display device and the various peripheral devices connected to them can be determined.

[Example] Next, an example of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 shows a graphics display device l having four channels as an example.
Consider a case where three peripheral devices, a keyboard 3, a function keyboard 4, and a dial device 5 are connected. These peripheral devices are connected to the A, B, and D channels of the graphics display device 1 at 4800.4800.9, respectively.
It is assumed that the connection is made using 6008PS.

The program (hereinafter referred to as the A program) installed in the graphics display device 1 (!II) first recognizes the transfer speed at which each of the four channels is connected to the peripheral device. In order to make it easier to execute the flow shown in the figure for four channels, it is assumed that 96008 PS is set as the initial setting for all four channels in program A. First, the first channel On the other hand, in step A, which issues a specific command (hereinafter referred to as a callback command), peripheral devices connected to a different channel cannot communicate at the initial transfer rate of 9600 BPS, so they cannot receive the callback command normally. Then, program A does not receive a return command even after waiting for a certain period of time, so it switches the transfer rate to 48008 PS (steps B to D), and in this state issues a return command to channel A again (step E). As a result, the peripheral device connected to channel A can normally receive the return command (step J), so it returns the return command (step K). Since the A program has confirmed that the return command has been returned, , channel A is 480
08PS recognizes that something is connected and determines the channel transfer rate (step H). Through a similar procedure, channel B also recognizes that something is connected at 4800 BPS. Next, for channel C, 9f
Issue a return command at 300 BPS. After a certain period of time, there is no return command, so the transfer speed is set to 48.
Switch to 008PS and try again. Since nothing is returned even with this, change the transfer speed further. Repeat this,
Since no return command is returned after trying all possible transfer rates, program A uses channel C
It is determined that nothing is connected to (step F),
A similar attempt was then made for channel D with 9600
BPS recognizes that a peripheral device is connected.With 0 or more, you can determine whether or not all 4 channels are connected and the transfer speed.

Next, the types of peripheral devices connected to channels A, B, and D are determined. For this purpose, the A program executes the procedure shown in FIG. This is done by issuing a specific command (hereinafter referred to as a model matching command) from the A program to that channel (steps M to N), and each peripheral device that receives this uniquely determines the device specified by the protocol. Returns the model notification command that can be used (
Step S-Step V). For example, when a model matching command is issued to channel A (step N), a model notification command indicating that the connected peripheral device is a keyboard is sent back to the A program (step V). Similarly, when a model matching command is issued to channel B and channel D, a model notification command indicating that the device is a function keyboard or dial device is returned (this allows the model of connected peripheral devices for all channels to be determined. .

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, various peripheral devices connected to an asynchronous communication system can be automatically recognized, operator intervention can be eliminated, and human error can be eliminated. By fixing the peripheral devices and channels that can be created, the conventional connection mechanism, which was prepared separately for all types of peripheral devices, can be made more general, reducing costs. An advantage is that it can flexibly respond to peripheral devices.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

trgcR) is a flowchart of the automatic transfer rate recognition procedure on the graphics display device side, Figure 1(b) is a flowchart of the automatic transfer rate recognition procedure on the peripheral device side, and Figure 2(a) is a flowchart of the automatic transfer rate recognition procedure on the graphics display device side. Flowchart 1 of the peripheral device confirmation procedure, FIG. 2(b) is a flowchart of the peripheral device confirmation procedure on the peripheral device side, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the connection side between the graphics display device and the peripheral device. . that's all

Claims (1)

[Claims] When connecting and using any number of various peripheral devices with various characteristics required as a man-machine interface, it is possible to determine whether or not they are connected, automatically determine the transfer speed of the peripheral device, and identify the peripheral device. A method for automatically recognizing various peripheral devices in a graphics display device, characterized in that: