JPH04195697A - Data holding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent data from being lost even when a battery is replaced by connecting the electrodes of two battery storage means in parallel and providing a data storage means which is supplied electric power from batteries. CONSTITUTION:The data holding device is equipped with the two battery storage means 1a and 1b of the same size which contain the batteries as a power source and the data storage means 4 consisting of a volatile semiconductor memory, etc., and the battery storage means 1a and 1b are connected in parallel to each other and connected to the data storage means 4. When a battery comes down to drop in output voltage and needs to be replaced with new one, the new battery is inserted into the battery storage means in parallel before the battery to be replaced is removed. Consequently, various data recorded in the data storage means are never erased even when the battery is replaced with the new battery.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a data storage device for electronic equipment in which data storage means such as a volatile semiconductor memory uses a battery to retain the memory contents.

[Prior Art] In recent years, data storage devices installed in IC cards, RAM cards, electronic notebooks, portable computers, remote control devices, etc. control these devices and store various types of fixed information. The electronic device consists of a read-only memory (ROM) that serves as a continuous memory, and a random access memory (RAM) that allows a person using the electronic device to directly input and output information and store it.

Since volatile semiconductor memory is normally used in this RAM, power must be continuously supplied in order to continue storing information in the memory.

Therefore, when the electronic device is not in use, a battery or the like is used to supply power to the volatile semiconductor memory even if the main power source is turned off.

A conventional data holding device will be explained below.

FIG. 7 shows a power supply connection diagram of this conventional data holding device. A battery 2 and a capacitor 3 are connected in parallel by a battery storage means 1 such as a battery holder, and power is supplied to a data storage means 4 comprised of a volatile semiconductor memory or the like.

When replacing the battery 2, remove the old battery 2 whose output voltage has become low from the battery housing means 1, and the capacitor 3
The data storage means 4 is
will be powered and data already recorded will continue to be retained, but new batteries must be installed soon.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above conventional configuration, when the old battery 2 is removed from the battery storage means I when replacing the battery 2,
The electric charge stored in the capacitor 3 is used as a power source during this time, and the data storage means 4 is used for only a short period of time, for example, several tens of seconds.
cannot retain data. Therefore, there is a drawback that a new battery must be installed before the data already recorded in the data storage means 4 is lost.

The present invention is intended to solve these conventional problems, and its technical problem is to prevent data from being lost even when replacing batteries.

[Means to solve the problem]

The invention of claim 1 of the present application provides at least two battery accommodating means in which batteries having substantially the same nominal voltage are housed, and electrodes of the battery accommodating means are connected in parallel to receive power from the batteries. The apparatus is characterized by comprising a data storage means.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present application is characterized in that a voltage selection means is provided for selecting one of the power supply voltages supplied from the batteries of the battery housing means, which has a higher output voltage, and outputting the selected one to the data storage means. That is.

[Effect]

According to the invention of claim 1 of the present application having such features, at least two battery accommodating means for accommodating batteries having the same nominal voltage are provided in parallel in the data holding device. Therefore, when a new battery is replaced as the battery ages and its output voltage decreases, the new battery is inserted in parallel into the battery storage means before the old battery is removed. This allows the battery to be replaced without interrupting the battery supply to the data storage means.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2 of the present application, even if a new battery and an old battery are housed in parallel in the battery housing means, the voltage selection means selects the one with the higher output voltage and supplies power to the data storage means. It operates to supply. Therefore, even if new batteries and old batteries are housed together, the power supply voltage having the nominal voltage is always supplied to the data storage means.
Moreover, the power of the new battery is not consumed by the old battery.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Components having the same functions as those in FIG. 7 showing the conventional example will be described with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a data holding device in an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, data holding device 5
The apparatus is equipped with two battery housing means 1a and 1b of the same size for housing batteries as a power source, and a data storage means 4 composed of a volatile semiconductor memory or the like.

FIG. 2 shows a power supply connection diagram in the data holding device 5 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, battery housing means 1
a and 1b are connected in parallel to each other, and the data storage means 4
It is connected to the.

Also, Fig. 3(a) to Fig. 3(C) and Fig. 4(a) to Fig. 4
Figure (e) shows the battery housing means 1a and lb of the data holding device 5.
2 shows a power supply connection diagram showing combinations of states in which new batteries and old batteries are housed, respectively.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3(a), it is assumed that the battery 2a is installed only in the battery storage means 1a, and data retention is started by supplying power for data retention to the data storage means 4. Eventually, the voltage of the battery 2a will decrease and its life will come to an end. When replacing the battery, first insert a new battery 2b having the same nominal voltage as the battery 2a into the battery storage means 1b, as shown in FIG. Installing. Then, the old battery 2a becomes a load when viewed from the new battery 2b, but since the voltage of the battery 2b is higher, the output voltage does not fall below the voltage of the battery 2a. Therefore, the power for the data storage means 4 is substantially supplied from the battery 2b. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3(C), by removing the old battery 2a from the battery housing means 1a,
The battery can be replaced without interrupting the power supply for data storage to the data storage means 4.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4(a), two battery housing means 1a,
It is assumed that two batteries 2a and 2b are attached to the lb, respectively, and data retention in the data storage means 4 is started by supplying power for data retention. Before long, the batteries 2a and 2b will reach the end of their service life, and when these batteries are replaced, they should be replaced as shown in Figure 4(b).
As shown in FIG. 2, first, the negative old battery 2a is removed from the battery housing means 1a. At this time, power to the data storage means 4 is supplied from the old battery 2b. Next, Figure 4 (C
), insert another new battery 2C into the battery housing means 1a.
When installed, the old battery 2b becomes a load on the new battery 2C, but since the voltage of the battery 2c is higher, the voltage supplied to the data storage means 4 does not fall below the voltage of the battery 2b. Thereafter, power for the data storage means 4 is supplied from the battery 2C. Then, as shown in FIG. 4(d), the old battery 2b is removed from the battery housing means 1b. At this time, power for the data storage means 4 is supplied from the new battery 2C. Finally, as shown in FIG. 4(e), add yet another new battery 2.
By attaching d to the battery storage means 1b, the battery can be replaced without interrupting the data storage power supply to the data storage means 4.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, two identical battery storage means 1a and 1b are provided in one data holding device 5, and by using them alternately or replacing batteries one by one, data can be stored. The battery can be replaced without interrupting the power supply for data storage to the data storage means 4.

FIG. 5 shows a data holding device 1 in a second embodiment of the present invention.
This figure shows a power supply connection diagram in Embodiment 0, and its configuration is the same as that in FIG. 1 which shows the configuration diagram in the first embodiment.

The same parts as in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. In this figure, battery housing means 1a and 1
b are connected to the input terminals 6a and 6b of the voltage selection means 6, respectively, and the output terminal 6C of the voltage selection means 6 is connected to the power supply line of the data storage means 4. The voltage selection means 6 selects and outputs the higher voltage of either the battery accommodating means 1a or the battery accommodating means 1b, and the anode sides of the diode D1 and the diode D2 are used as input terminals 6a and 6b, and the cathode sides are commonly connected. This is used as the output terminal 6C.

The operation of the data holding device 10 in the second embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

FIG. 6(a) to FIG. 6(C) are power supply connection diagrams showing combinations of states in which new batteries and old batteries are respectively accommodated in the battery accommodating means 1a and lb of the data holding device 10 of the second embodiment. It is.

As shown in FIG. 6(a), the battery 2a is placed in the battery storage means 1a.
Attach. Then, since there is no battery in the battery housing means 1b, the diode DI of the voltage selection means 6 becomes conductive. Then, power is supplied from the battery 2a to the data storage means 4 through the output terminal 6c, and data storage is started. When the battery 2a reaches the end of its lifespan and needs to be replaced, the battery 2a should be replaced as shown in Figure 6(b).
As shown in FIG.
Attach.

Since the voltage of the new battery 2b is higher than that of the old battery 2a, the diode D2 of the voltage selection means 6 becomes conductive. Therefore, the voltage at the output terminal 6c becomes higher than the voltage at the input terminal 6a, and the diode D1 is cut off, so that the current from the battery 2b is output and supplied to the data storage means 4. At this time, the old battery 2a does not become a load on the new battery 2b as seen in the first embodiment. After this,
By removing the old battery 2a as shown in FIG. 6(C), the battery can be replaced without interrupting the power supply to the data storage means 4.

As described above, according to this embodiment, two battery storage means 1a and lb of the same size are each stored in one data storage device 5.
．． By using these alternately in 10, the batteries can be replaced without interrupting the power supply for data retention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained in detail above, according to the invention of claim 1 of the present application, by providing at least two battery accommodating means for accommodating batteries having the same nominal voltage, data stored in a volatile memory etc. The battery can be replaced without interrupting the power supply for data retention in the storage means. Therefore, even when replacing an old battery with a new one, the data storage device can be operated without losing various data recorded in the data storage means.

Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 2 of the present application, among the power supply voltages supplied from the batteries of the battery accommodating means provided in plurality,
By providing a voltage selection means that selects the higher output voltage and outputs it to the data storage means, even if both a new battery and an old battery are housed in the battery storage means, the old battery becomes the load of the new battery. Instead, there is an effect that the prescribed voltage of the battery is automatically supplied to the data storage means.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a data holding device according to a first embodiment and a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a power supply connection diagram of a data holding device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. The figure is a power supply connection diagram showing combinations of states in which batteries are housed in the battery housing means, FIG. 5 is a power supply connection diagram in a data holding device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a connection diagram of 1B showing combinations of states in which batteries are housed in the battery housing means, and FIG. 7 is a power supply connection diagram of a conventional data holding device. 1a, 1b-1---Battery housing means,
2a, 2b, 2c, 2d---Battery, 4
------Data storage means, 5.10--data holding device, 6--voltage selection means. Patent applicant Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Yoshiki Okamoto Figure 1 1a 5 No. lb 41a, lb
Battery housing means Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 (Part 1) Figure 4 (Part 2) Figure 5 Figure 6 (Part 1) Figure 6 (Part 2) Figure 7

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) at least two battery accommodating means for accommodating batteries having substantially the same nominal voltage; and a data storage means that receives power from the batteries by connecting electrodes of the battery accommodating means in parallel. A data holding device comprising: (2) A voltage selection means is provided for selecting one of the power supply voltages supplied from the batteries of the battery storage means, which has a higher output voltage, and outputting the selected one to the data storage means. data retention device.