JPH0749545Y2 - Computer system - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer system using a battery as a main power source.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a portable personal computer which can be operated by a battery, when the portable personal computer is operated without using an AC adapter, the battery is lowered and the system cannot operate. Therefore, before the battery is disabled, if the battery voltage drops below a certain level, a "LOW BATTERY" display or alarm is issued to alert the user. User is LOW BATTER
When the Y state is reached, use an AC adapter, replace the battery with a sufficient remaining capacity, or finish the work immediately.

[0003]

By the way, when the battery is replaced without using the AC adapter, after finishing the work, the power switch is turned off and the battery is replaced or the power switch is turned off to enter the resume mode. You have to set it and replace the battery. The resume mode is a function that holds all the states required for the program that is currently being executed even when the power is turned off, and allows the program to continue execution when the power is turned on again.
Here, if the battery is accidentally removed during operation, it will not be possible to enter the resume mode and the power will be cut off. In this case, the function that the user has will not be able to be utilized.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a computer system which, even if a battery is accidentally removed, detects the same as when the power is turned off and guarantees the operation in the resume mode. The purpose is to do.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a housing having a battery pack housing, a battery pack slidably mounted in the housing, and a surface of the battery pack which is slidably contacted with the housing. The power supply terminal provided with a predetermined length along the direction always contacts the power supply terminal of the battery pack when the battery pack is mounted in the storage section, and the power supply of the battery pack when the battery pack is removed. A contactor provided in the storage unit so as to slide on the terminals to supply power to the system main body, a means for detecting the start of removal of the battery pack from the storage unit, and the detection means for starting the removal of the battery pack. When detected, the system main body having a processing means for interrupting the program currently being executed and saving the data necessary for continuing the execution of the program to the non-volatile memory when the power is turned on again. Characterized in that by comprising.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the detection means has a detection terminal provided in the accommodating portion so as to come into contact with the power supply terminal of the battery pack when the removal of the battery pack from the accommodating portion is started. And

[0007]

According to the structure of the present invention, when the battery pack is accidentally removed from the housing of the housing, the detection means detects the start of removal of the battery pack. Then, when the detection means detects the removal of the battery pack, the system main body interrupts the program currently being executed and saves the data necessary for continuing execution of the program in the nonvolatile memory when the power is turned on again. To do.

Further, according to the structure of the present invention, when the battery pack is accidentally removed from the housing of the housing, the power terminal of the battery pack and the detection terminal provided in the housing come into contact with each other to generate a hold signal. It is sent to the system body.

At this time, the detection terminal provided in the storage unit slides on the power supply terminal provided with a predetermined length along the mounting direction on the surface that is in sliding contact with the storage unit of the battery pack, and during this time, the system body Will continue to be powered.

Upon receipt of the hold signal, the microprocessor of the system body, which is supplied with this electric power, suspends the program currently being executed and non-volatilely stores the data necessary for continuously executing the program when the power is turned on again. Saved to memory.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing a mechanism for detecting removal of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a computer housing having a removable battery pack storage portion, 2 is a removable battery pack for supplying electric power to the system body, and 3 is a battery pack 2 that has been detected. Power supply terminal 4 of the battery pack 2 that is long enough in the direction of pulling out the battery pack 2 that is in contact with the contact of the storage section from the start to the resume mode contacts the power supply terminal of the battery pack 2 Is a detection terminal that outputs a hold request to a microprocessor (not shown) when it comes into contact with the power supply terminal 3 of the battery pack.

If the battery pack 2 is accidentally removed from the storage portion, the power supply terminal 3 and the detection terminal 5 of the battery pack 2 come into contact with each other to generate a hold signal. Further, the contact 4 slides on the power supply terminal 3 of the battery pack 2, and during this time, the system body is continuously supplied with electric power.

Then, the system main body which receives the supply of the electric power enters the resume mode upon receiving the hold signal. Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the computer system according to the embodiment. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, when the battery pack 2 is removed from the storage unit, the power supply terminal 3 and the detection terminal 5 of the battery pack 2 come into contact with each other, so that a hold signal is input to the microprocessor 6. Microprocessor 6 that receives this hold signal
Detects that the battery pack 2 has been removed, and sets the system body 7 to the resume mode.

At this time, since the power supply terminal 3 of the battery pack 2 is provided long enough in the direction of pulling out the battery pack 2, the battery is not detected until the battery pack 2 is pulled out and the resume mode is entered. Since the power supply terminal 3 of the pack 2 and the contactor 4 are in contact with each other, power is continuously supplied to the system body 7.

As an alternative to the mechanism shown in FIG. 2, it is conceivable to use a battery pull-out detection switch that outputs a hold signal when the lock is released in conjunction with the battery lock release button.

[0018]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, if the battery is removed without turning off the power switch, or if the battery is accidentally removed during operation, it will be set to resume mode if the battery is replaced. Then the operation can be restarted. Therefore, a more reliable battery-powered computer system can be constructed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a mechanism for detecting removal of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a computer system according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Computer housing, 2 ... Battery, 3 ... Battery terminal, 4,
5 ... contactor, 6 ... microprocessor, 7 ... system body.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A housing having a battery pack storage portion, a battery pack slidably attached to and detached from the storage portion, and a predetermined length along a mounting direction on a surface of the battery pack which is in sliding contact with the storage portion. When the battery pack is installed in the above-mentioned storage part, it is always in contact with the provided power supply terminal and the power supply terminal of the battery pack, and it slides on the power supply terminal of the battery pack when the battery pack is removed. A contactor provided in the storage unit for supplying electric power to the system main body, a means for detecting the start of the removal of the battery pack from the storage unit, and a current operation being performed when the detection means detects the start of the removal of the battery pack. And a system main body having processing means for saving data necessary for continuing execution of the program when the power is turned on again to a non-volatile memory. Computer system that. 2. The detection means has a detection terminal provided in the storage part so as to come into contact with a power supply terminal of the battery pack when the removal of the battery pack from the storage part is started. The computer system according to item 1.