JPH0567028A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To use plural card devices whose interfaces are different by switching the interface according to the kind of the card device, in an information processor using the card device. CONSTITUTION:Card identification information stored in a card identification information register 12 of a card device 11 is read through a standard interface (interface signal line (a)). The interface necessitated by the card device 11 is recognized from the information, and the switching of an extended interface (interface signal line (b)) is operated so that the pertinent interface can be obtained. After the completion of the switching, an enable F/F 13 of the card device 11 is set, and the connection with the card device 11 is permitted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus using a card type device, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus capable of using a plurality of devices having different interfaces.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent development of light, thin, short, and small technologies,
Card-shaped memory and I / O devices (modems, etc.) are on the market. Standardization of such card-type devices (hereinafter referred to as card devices) is also progressing, and it is clear that ultra-small information processing devices using these card devices will appear in the market one after another. is there.

However, due to differences in host systems and types of card devices (memory, I / O),
Different interface signals are required. For example, a memory card requires a large address space and many address bits. The communication control card requires a plurality of interrupt signals and DMA signals. Attempting to absorb all of these would increase the number of interface signal pins and would require a huge connector.

If the user mistakenly inserts an incompatible card device into the host system, the card or the host machine may be destroyed in the worst case, and it is necessary to prevent this. Conventionally, the number of poles of the connector is changed according to the type of the card, or a polar key is provided on the connector to prevent erroneous insertion. In addition, providing the polar key means, for example, crushing the pin to prevent erroneous insertion.

[0005]

From the above, in the conventional information processing apparatus, when using a plurality of card devices having different interfaces, it is necessary to prepare a connector according to the type of the card. .. In this case, since a variation in the connector that differs depending on the type of card is required, it is not possible to achieve cost reduction due to the effect of mass production as in the case of using a single connector. Further, since the number of connector pins and the combination of polar keys are limited, it is impossible to completely prevent erroneous insertion.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an information processing apparatus capable of using a plurality of card devices having different interfaces by switching the interface according to the type of the card device. With the goal.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in an information processing apparatus using a card device, a signal set according to the type of the card device is provided separately from a standard interface consisting of a preset combination of signals. An extension interface composed of a combination is provided, identification information of the card device is read through the standard interface to identify a card type, the extension interface is selected based on the identification result, and the card device according to the selected extension interface. It is designed to allow connection with.

[0008]

According to the above configuration, the interface switching according to the type of the card device is executed, and after the switching is completed, the connection with the card device is permitted. As a result, it is possible to use a card device with a different interface, and it is possible to prevent damage due to erroneous insertion because the card device cannot be used until a connection permission is issued.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information processing apparatus using a card device. As shown in FIG. 1, a card device 11 used in this apparatus includes a card identification information register (or memory) 12, an enable flip-flop (hereinafter referred to as an enable F / F) 1
3 and driver / receiver (hereinafter referred to as D / R) 1
4 are provided. The card identification information register 12 is
It stores card identification information indicating card identification. The enable F / F 13 stores information for permitting connection between the card device 11 and the host system 21.
The D / R 14 transmits / receives data to / from the host system 21 through an interface signal line (expansion interface) b, which will be described later.
The enable / disable state is set by the output signal of F13.

On the other hand, in the host system 21 of this apparatus,
Control circuit 22, standard D / R 23, D / R selection register 2
4 and D / Rs 25a to 25n are provided. The control circuit 22 controls the entire device. Standard D / R23
Is for transmitting / receiving data to / from the card device 11 through the interface signal line (standard interface) a. The interface signal line (standard interface) a is a signal line provided in advance as a standard, that is, a signal line formed by a combination of preset signals, and includes a card identification information register 12 and an enable F / en in the card device 11. Connect to F13.

The D / R selection register 24 is a D / R 25a.
It is a register for selecting ˜25n. D / R25
a to 25n are for transmitting and receiving data to and from the card device 11 through the interface signal line (expansion interface) b, and one corresponding to the type of the card device 11 is selected by the output signal of the selection register 24. The interface signal line (extended interface) b is a signal line formed of a combination of signals set according to the type of the card device 21 separately from the interface signal line (standard interface) a. Connect with R14. In the figure, c is the system bus in the host system 21, and d-1 to d-n are D
/ R25a to 25n are input / output signal groups. Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described.

In the initial state, the enable F / F 13, D
The / R selection register 24 has been reset and D / R1
4. Each driver / receiver of D / R 25a to 25n is in a disabled state. Here, when the control circuit 22 of the host system 21 detects the power-on state or the card insertion state, it reads the card identification information from the card identification information register 12 of the card device 11 through the interface signal line a. The control circuit 22 determines the type of the card device 11 based on the read card identification information, and recognizes the expansion interface corresponding to the card type. At this time, the control circuit 22 determines whether or not the host system 21 can support the extended interface recognized as described above, and if it cannot, displays a message to that effect (error message) to notify the user. In addition, when support is possible, the control circuit 22 switches the interface hardware so that such an extension interface is provided.

That is, the control circuit 22 sets the D / R selection register 24 so that the interface signal line b requested by the card device 11 is obtained. This allows
Depending on the output signal of the D / R selection register 24, the D / R 25
One of a-25n becomes active. here,
The control circuit 22 sets the enable F / F 13 of the card device 11 through the interface signal line a and permits the connection with the card device 11. As a result, the D / R 14 is activated by the output signal of the enable F / F 13, and the card device 11 and the host system 21 are connected by the expansion interface according to the card type.

2 and 3 show examples of actual signal arrangement. Here, the signal arrangement in the 68-pin card interface is shown. In the figure, the column described as “standard” corresponds to the standard interface, and the column described as “extended” corresponds to the extended interface. Further, “I / O” indicates the direction of the signal as seen from the card device, “I” is the input signal to the card, “O” is the output signal from the card, and “I”.
/ O "indicates bidirectional. The left arrow" ← "indicates that the signal is commonly used in the standard / extended interface and corresponds to the interface signal line a in FIG. Signals other than the left arrow "←" are signals that can be switched at the time of the extension interface, and correspond to the interface signal line b in FIG.

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of card devices having different interfaces can be used because the interface is switched according to the type of the card device. As a result, one type of connector with a small number of signal pins can be used, and the connector cost can be reduced.

Further, the incorrect insertion of the card device can be surely detected, and the card device cannot be used until the connection permission is issued. Therefore, the electrical damage of the host system and the card device due to the incorrect insertion can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of signal arrangement of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of signal arrangement of the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Card device, 12 ... Card identification information register, 13 ... Enable F / F, 14 ... D / R, 21 ... Host system, 22 ... Control circuit, 23 ... Standard D / R, 2
4 ... D / R selection register, 25a to 25n ... D / R, a
... interface signal line (standard interface), b ...
Interface signal line (expansion interface), c ... System bus, d-1 to dn ... Input / output signal group.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus using a card device, comprising: a standard interface consisting of preset signal combinations; and a combination of signals separate from the standard interface and set according to the type of the card device. The identification information of the card device is read through the extension interface and the standard interface, the identification means for identifying the type, the selection means for selecting the extension interface based on the identification result of the identification means, and the selection means An information processing apparatus comprising: a permitting unit that permits connection to the card device by the extended interface.