JPH0546820A - Battery exchange device for cardlike electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To supply a battery exchange device which can inexpensively and easily exchange the memory protection battery of a cardlike electronic equipment without consuming the power of a computer where the battery is loaded. CONSTITUTION:A connector 12 inserts the cardlike electronic appliance in an electric connection state. Power is supplied to the volatile memory of the cardlike electronic appliance from a backup power source part 11 through the connector 12 by turning on an operation switch 13, and a power supply state is displayed by a power display part 14. The memory protection battery 1b of the cardlike electronic equipment is exchanged in such a state. Thus, battery exchange becomes considerably easier compared to a case when it is exchanged in the inserted state into the slot of the computer, and it is more inexpensive compared to a case when a disk device is equiped without consuming any power of the computer. When a switching element is provided instead of the operation switch 13 and a card detection terminal detects the insertion of the card so as to turn on switching, the switching operation of the operation switch 13 becomes unnecessary.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention prevents a volatile memory such as a RAM from losing its stored contents when a memory protection battery such as an IC memory card is exhausted and is replaced with a new one. The present invention relates to a battery replacement device for a card-shaped electronic device used to supply power for the purpose of

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an IC memory card used for a computer which has only an IC memory card as a data file device and has only one insertion slot for the IC memory card, When the memory protection battery that backs up the volatile memory is replaced due to exhaustion, only one IC memory card can be inserted into the computer, and therefore the stored data cannot be temporarily rewritten directly to another IC memory card. Therefore, the battery is generally replaced by the following method. That is, a method of mounting the IC memory card in a computer equipped with the IC memory card, temporarily rewriting the stored data in the IC memory card to the internal memory of the computer, and then replacing the memory protection battery,
As shown in FIG. 6, the IC memory card 1 is attached to the card insertion slot 2b of the computer 2, and the battery 2a which is a power source for driving the computer is connected to the volatile memory 1a.
A method for replacing the memory protection battery 1b with the power supplied to the computer, as shown in FIG. 5, an optional disk device 3 is connected to the computer 2 to store the stored data in the IC memory card 1 to the disk device 3 One of the methods is used in which the memory protection battery 1b is replaced after the disk is temporarily rewritten.

[0003]

However, according to the method of (1), the memory capacity of the IC memory card is 2 bytes, whereas the memory capacity of the computer is 1 byte, while the memory capacity of the IC memory card is 2 bytes. Will not be possible if the number exceeds the memory capacity of the computer. In the method (1), the computer 2 must be turned on without fail and the battery 1b must be replaced while the memory 1a of the IC memory card 1 is being supplied with power. In the small computer 2, the inconvenience of exhausting the computer driving battery 2a occurs. Moreover, I of computer 2
In the case where the insertion slot of the C memory card 1 has a shape in which the IC memory card 1 is inserted substantially flush with the outer surface, only the battery 1b is removed and replaced when the IC memory card 1 is attached to the computer 2. Will be very difficult. The further method can solve the above problems, but is extremely uneconomical because the disk device 3 and the external interface are required only for battery replacement.

Therefore, it is a technical object of the present invention to provide a battery replacement device for a card-shaped electronic device that can easily replace a battery for memory protection at low cost without consuming the power of a computer. ..

[0005]

As a technical means for achieving the above-mentioned object, the present invention has constituted a battery exchange device for a card-shaped electronic device as follows. That is, a battery exchange device that supplies power to the volatile memory when replacing the memory protection battery of a card-shaped electronic device such as an IC memory card having a volatile memory and a memory protection battery that supplies power to the volatile memory. There is a backup power supply unit for outputting electric power for driving the volatile memory, a connector for connecting the power supply unit to the volatile memory by mounting the card-shaped electronic device, the connector and the power supply. And an electric power supply display unit for displaying electric power supplied from the power supply unit when the operation switch is turned on.

In the battery exchange device for the card-shaped electronic device, a switching element is connected instead of the operation switch, and when the card-shaped electronic device is attached to the connector, it is connected to a predetermined portion of the electronic device. A card detection terminal for giving a trigger signal for turning on the switching element may be provided. Further, in the above-described battery exchanging device for the card-like electronic device, an operation switch may be inserted and connected between the backup power source section and the switching element.

[0007]

When the operation switch is turned on after inserting the IC memory card into the connector prior to the replacement of the memory protection battery, power is supplied from the backup power source to the volatile memory of the IC memory card and the power indicator is displayed. Indicates that the unit is energized and power is being supplied to the memory.
The memory protection battery is replaced while the volatile memory is backed up. This battery replacement work is IC
This is easier than when the memory card 1 is inserted into a slot of a computer. Further, the drive battery of the computer using the IC memory card 1 is not consumed at all, and the configuration is extremely simple, and is much cheaper than the case where a disk device or the like is provided only for battery replacement. .. Further, the operation for returning the data to the volatile memory of the IC memory card after the battery replacement is unnecessary.

Further, a switching element is connected in place of the operation switch, and when the card-shaped electronic device is attached to the connector, it is connected to a predetermined portion of the electronic device and a trigger signal for turning on the switching device is provided. If the card detection terminal is provided, the switching element is automatically turned on / off upon detecting the attachment / detachment of the IC memory card 1, and thus the operation of switching the operation switch as described above is not necessary.

Further, if the operation switch is inserted between the backup power source section and the switching element, it is possible to more reliably prevent the backup power source section from being wasted.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view thereof, which are the same as or equivalent to “FIG. 5” and “FIG. 6”. Are given the same reference numerals. The battery exchanging device 10 of the present invention has a built-in backup battery 11 for supplying a voltage of 5 V to a volatile memory (not shown) of the IC memory card 1, and inserts the IC memory card 1 into an electrically connected state. Connector 12 for wearing
Is equipped with. A backup battery 11 is inserted into the connector 12 when the IC memory card 1 is inserted, and a power supply circuit of the volatile memory of the IC memory card 1 and a ground terminal GND.
It is equipped with a Vcc terminal 12a and a GND terminal 12b connected to the backup battery 11 and a Vcc terminal 12a.
An operation switch 13 that can be operated externally is connected between the two, and a power source display unit 14 including a light emitting diode is connected to both ends of the backup battery 11 via the operation switch 13.

Therefore, when replacing the memory protection battery 1b, the IC memory card 1 is connected to the connector 1 as shown in the drawing.
When the operation switch 13 is turned on after it is inserted into the battery pack 2, the power is supplied from the backup battery 11 to the volatile memory of the IC memory card 1, and the power supply display unit 14 is energized and lit to indicate the power supply state to the memory. Is displayed. The memory protection battery 1b is replaced while the volatile memory is backed up. This battery replacement work can be extremely easily performed, unlike the case where the IC memory card 1 is inserted into the slot of the computer. In addition, the battery for driving the computer using the IC memory card 1 is not consumed at all, the configuration is extremely simple, and it is much cheaper than a disk device and the like. Moreover, the operation for returning the data to the volatile memory of the IC memory card 1 after the battery replacement is unnecessary.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention,
The difference from "Fig. 1" and "Fig. 2" is that the operation switch 13 of "Fig. 1" is replaced by a PN as a switching element.
While connecting the P-type transistor Q, the connector 12
A card detection terminal 12c connected to the base of the transistor Q via a pull-up resistor R1 is provided, and accordingly, a load resistor R2 is connected between the power supply display unit 14 and the collector of the transistor Q. .. The card detection terminal 12c is the connector 1 of the IC memory card 1.
When it is inserted into the IC memory card 2, it is connected to the ground potential part of the IC memory card 1.

Therefore, the IC memory card 1 has the connector 1
2 is not attached to the card detection terminal 12c
Is in an open state and the signal at the terminal 12c is not activated, the base potential of the transistor Q is held at a high level by the pull-up resistor R1 and the transistor Q is kept in an off state. Automatically and reliably prevent necessary power consumption. When the IC memory card 1 is inserted into the connector 12 to replace the battery, the card detection terminal 12c is connected to the ground potential part of the IC memory card 1, so that a trigger signal is applied to the base of the transistor Q. In this state, the transistor Q is turned on, power is supplied to the volatile memory of the IC memory card 1 through the transistor Q, and the power supply display section is energized and lit to display the power supply state. In this embodiment, I
Since the transistor Q is automatically turned on / off upon detecting the attachment / detachment of the C memory card 1, it is not necessary to switch the operation switch 13 as in the above-described embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows still another embodiment of the present invention in which the operation switch 13 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is added to the configuration of FIG. It has a double safety mechanism to prevent wasteful use. still,
The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but may include various modifications without departing from the scope of the claims. For example, although the battery 11 is shown as the backup power supply unit, it may be configured to full-wave rectify commercial AC by high voltage.

[0015]

As described above, according to the battery exchanging device for a card-shaped electronic device of the present invention, the battery exchanging work is much easier than the case where the IC memory card 1 is inserted into the slot of the computer. In addition, the drive battery of the computer using the IC memory card 1 is not consumed at all, and the configuration is extremely simple, and is much cheaper than a disk device or the like provided only for battery replacement. is there. Further, the operation for returning the data to the volatile memory of the IC memory card after the battery replacement is unnecessary.

A switching element is connected in place of the operation switch, and a trigger signal for turning on the switching element is connected to a predetermined portion of the electronic device when the card-shaped electronic device is attached to the connector. With the card detection terminal provided, the switching element is automatically turned on / off upon detection of the attachment / detachment of the IC memory card 1, so that the operation of switching the operation switch is unnecessary. Further, if the operation switch is connected between the backup power source section and the switching element, the backup power source section can be more reliably prevented from being wasted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block configuration diagram of still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional battery replacement method.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing another conventional battery replacement method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 IC memory card 1b Memory protection battery 10a to 10c Battery exchange device 11 Backup battery (backup power supply unit) 12 Connector 12c Card detection terminal 13 Operation switch 14 Power display unit Q transistor (switching element)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A battery that supplies power to the volatile memory when replacing the memory protection battery of a card-shaped electronic device such as an IC memory card having a volatile memory and a memory protection battery that supplies power to the volatile memory. An exchange device, a backup power supply unit that outputs driving power for the volatile memory, a connector that connects the power supply unit to the volatile memory when the card-shaped electronic device is mounted, and the connector. And a power supply unit, and an operation switch connected between the power supply unit and the power supply unit, and a power supply display unit that displays power supplied from the power supply unit when the operation switch is turned on. Battery changer. 2. The battery replacement device for a card-shaped electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a switching element is inserted in place of the operation switch and the card-shaped electronic device is mounted on the connector. A battery exchange device for a card-shaped electronic device, comprising a card detection terminal connected to a predetermined portion and providing a trigger signal for turning on the switching element. 3. The battery replacement device for a card-shaped electronic device according to claim 2, wherein an operation switch is inserted and connected between the backup power supply section and the switching element. apparatus.