JPH09292939A - Memory card system device and control method for memory card - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the power consumption of a memory card by measuring the continuous time of a standby mode in a memory part and switching the mode to a sleep mode when the measured value exceeds a prescribed value. SOLUTION: The memory card 1 is provided with an input/output interface circuit part 2 satisfying the standard of PCMCIA and a memory part 3 constituted of an IC memory having an active mode, the standby mode and the sleep mode whose consumption current becomes lower than the standby mode. The input/output interface circuit part 2 and the memory part 3 are connected by an internal bus 4 composed of plural signal lines. An information processing unit 5 identifies the operation modes of the memory part 3, measures continuous time being the standby mode and gives a command so that the operation mode is switched to the sleep mode to the memory part 3 when measured time exceeds the prescribed value.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a PC card conforming to the PCMCIA standard, in an active mode,
It has three types of operation modes, a standby mode and a sleep mode in which current consumption is lower than that of the standby mode, and switching of each operation mode can be controlled by software using a command, for example, flash. The present invention relates to reduction of power consumption in a memory card using an IC memory including a memory.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Portable personal computers and PDs
The information processing equipment such as A is operated by a battery in order to emphasize portability, and in order to maximize the operating time on the battery, the low power consumption of the PC card used in such an information processing equipment. There is a need for Therefore, used in the above portable information processing equipment,
In a conventional memory card using a flash memory, an IC memory including a flash memory having two kinds of operation modes, an active mode in an operating state and a standby mode in a standby state, is used. In such a memory card, when operating in response to access from the information processing device, the IC memory is operated in the active mode, and when there is no access from the information processing device, the IC memory is in a standby mode with low current consumption. By doing so, the power consumption of the memory card was reduced.

[0003]

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the operating state of a memory card using a conventional IC memory composed of a flash memory and the current consumption of the IC memory. . In FIG. 5, when the memory card is inserted into the information processing device and there is no access from the information processing device, the IC memory of the memory card is in the standby mode which is a non-operating state. For example, if the current consumption of the IC memory is 30 to 40 mA when the IC memory is being accessed from the information processing device and the operation mode of the IC memory is the active mode, the current consumption of the IC memory is reduced to 200 μA in the standby mode. However, it is difficult to further reduce the power consumption of the memory card using the IC memory having the two kinds of operation modes such as the active mode and the standby mode as described above.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has three types of operation modes: an active mode, a standby mode, and a sleep mode in which the current consumption is lower than that of the standby mode. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a memory card system device and a method for controlling the memory card, in which the power consumption of the memory card is reduced by using the IC memory including the flash memory.

[0005]

The present invention has three types of operation modes, namely, an active mode, a standby mode, and a sleep mode in which current consumption is lower than that of the standby mode, and switching between the operation modes is performed. , A memory card system apparatus in which an IC memory that can be controlled by software using commands, for example, a memory card using an IC memory configured by a flash memory is connected to an information processing device. .

That is, according to the present invention, in the memory card system device having the above-mentioned structure, the memory unit is composed of at least one IC memory of the memory card, and stores the data from the information processing device. In addition to identifying the operation mode, an operation mode identification unit that measures the continuous time in which the memory unit is in the standby mode, and an instruction to switch the operation mode of the memory unit according to the time measured by the operation mode identification unit An operation mode instruction unit, the operation mode instruction unit instructing the memory unit to switch the operation mode to the sleep mode when the time measured by the operation mode identification unit exceeds a predetermined value. The present invention provides a memory card system device characterized by the following. Specifically, the operation mode identification unit and the operation mode command unit are provided in the information processing device.

Further, the present invention has three kinds of operation modes, that is, an active mode, a standby mode, and a sleep mode in which current consumption is lower than that of the standby mode, and a command is used to switch between the operation modes. The present invention has been made in a method of controlling a memory card for use in an information processing device, which uses an IC memory that can be controlled by software, for example, an IC memory composed of a flash memory.

That is, the present invention provides a method for controlling a memory card as described above, wherein the IC in the memory card is
A method for controlling a memory card, characterized in that continuous time during which an operation mode in a memory is a standby mode is measured, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined value, the operation mode of the IC memory is switched to a sleep mode. To do. Further, when the memory card has a plurality of the IC memories, the continuous time during which all the operation modes of the IC memories are in the standby mode is measured, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined value, the ICs
The operation mode of the memory is switched to the sleep mode. Specifically, the measurement of the time is performed by the information processing device, and switching of the operation mode of the IC memory is instructed by the information processing device.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a memory card system device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the memory card 1 is a PCM.
A PC card that complies with the CIA standard.
An input / output interface circuit section 2 that satisfies the A standard;
It is composed of an IC memory having three kinds of operation modes such as an active mode, a standby mode, and a sleep mode in which the current consumption is lower than that of the standby mode, for example, M5M29F016 which is a DINOR type flash memory IC manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. And the memory unit 3, the input / output interface circuit unit 2 and the memory unit 3 are
They are connected by a card internal bus 4 composed of a plurality of signal lines.

Further, the input / output interface circuit section 2 is provided.
Is connected to an information processing device 5 driven by a battery such as a personal computer or a PDA by an external bus 6 composed of a plurality of signal lines, and the memory card 1 and the information processing device 5 connect the memory card system device 10 to the memory card system device 10. Is forming. In addition, the information processing device 5 identifies the operation mode of the memory unit 3 and also identifies the continuous time during which the memory unit 3 is in the standby mode, and the time measured by the identifying unit 7. Is greater than a predetermined value, the memory section 3 is provided with a command section 8 for instructing to switch the operation mode to the sleep mode. The memory unit 3 of the memory card 1 serves as a memory unit, the identifying unit 7 serves as an operation mode identifying unit, and the command unit 8 serves as an operation mode command unit.

FIG. 2 shows that in the memory card system device 10 shown in FIG. 1, the memory card 1 is inserted into the information processing device 5, and the information processing device 5 accesses the memory card 1 for data. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing an operation procedure of each software up to. The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 2, an adapter 20, which is a slot for inserting the memory card 1, is provided in the information processing device 5.

Further, in the information processing device 5, a PCM
A socket service software 21 defined by the CIA standard, a card service software 22 and a memory card driver supporting the basic operations of the memory card 1 such as reading, writing, erasing and ID code reading. Software 23 and, for example, Microsoft Win
Windows 3.1 (Windows is a registered trademark) or Wi
operating system 2 such as Windows 95
4 and software such as application software 25 such as a file manager for reading and writing the memory card 1 are installed.

In the above structure, when the memory card 1 is inserted into the adapter 20, the socket
The service software 21 is activated and the socket service
The software 21 is the attribute information (hereinafter, C
(Called IS) is read to detect the memory card 1 and recognize its existence, and also to perform hardware management such as identifying the card type. Next, the card service software 22 manages resources such as setting an interrupt level and an I / O address, and manages the software. At this time, when the driver software designated by the CIS in the memory card 1 exists in the information processing device 5, the socket service software 21 and the card service software 22 operate to operate for the memory card 1. The memory card driver software 23 is prepared under the operating system 24 so that the application software 25 such as a file manager can operate.

Here, a dedicated driver having a special function that does not exist in the information processing device 5, that is, a CIS defined by the PCMCIA standard in the memory card 1 is used.
When the memory technology driver 26 that loads based on the above is used, the memory technology driver 26 is installed in the information processing device 5 in advance, and the memory The technology driver 26 may be designated. Therefore, the memory technology driver 26 and the CIS in the memory card 1 can support various operations and performances.

Next, the IC memory which constitutes the memory section 3 will be described. The following Table 1 shows the above Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Made DINOR flash memory IC M5M2
9 is a table showing current consumption in each operation mode, using 9F016 as an example. The M5M29F016 is in the standby state 1 when the chip enable terminal / CE is “H” or when a Suspend command is input.
Standby mode, / RP (RESET / POWER DOWN
INPUT) terminal is "L" or sleep (Sleep)
It can be roughly divided into three types of operation modes: a sleep mode which is one of standby states when a command is input, and an active mode which is an operation state in which operations such as reading, writing and erasing are performed. Note that / in the above / CE and / RP means inversion of the signal level.

[0017]

[Table 1]

As can be seen from Table 1, in the active mode in which the IC memory is in the operating state, the current consumption of the IC memory is 30 to 40 mA, while in the non-operating state of the IC memory is the standby mode. There are two types of sleep modes. In standby mode, the consumption current of the IC memory is 200 μA, and in sleep mode, I
The current consumption of the C memory is 5 μA. Thus, it can be seen that the consumption current of the IC memory in the sleep mode is extremely small.

Next, an operation example of the memory card system device 10 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation example in the memory card system device 10 shown in FIG. In the following description of FIG. 3, the input / output interface circuit section 2 is omitted, but each command output from the information processing device 5,
Also, all the various data input / output between the information processing device 5 and the memory unit 3 are input / output interface circuit unit 2 described above.
It is done through. In FIG. 3, when the memory card 1 is inserted into the adapter 20 of the information processing device 5, first, in step S1, the information processing device 5 performs a plug-and-play process on the memory card 1, At the end of the and play process, the information processing device 5 outputs the suspend command to the memory unit 3 of the memory card 1 to switch the memory unit 3 to the standby mode, and then the step S2.
Proceed to.

The identification unit 7 of the information processing device 5 is in step S
In step 2, the time during which the memory section 3 is in the standby mode is measured, and in step S3, it is checked whether or not the memory section 3 is switched to the active mode. If not switched (NO), the process proceeds to step S4. . Step S4
Then, the command unit 8 of the information processing device 5 checks whether or not the measurement time by the identification unit 7 exceeds a predetermined value, and when it exceeds the predetermined value (YES), the process proceeds to step S5 and step S5.
Then, the command unit 8 of the information processing device 5 outputs a sleep command to the memory unit 3 to switch the memory unit 3 to the sleep mode.

Next, when the memory unit 3 is switched from the sleep mode to the active mode, step S
In step 6, the information processing device 5 outputs a read array command to the memory section 3, and in step S7, the memory section 3 switches to the active mode.
The information processing device 5 causes the memory unit 3 to perform operations such as reading, writing, and erasing. When these operations are completed, a suspend command is output to the memory unit 3 to switch to the standby mode. Return to step S2. If the memory unit 3 is switched to the active mode in step S3 (YES), step S8
Then, the identification unit 7 of the information processing device 5 proceeds to step S8.
Then, after the time measurement is stopped, the measurement time is reset in step S9, and the process proceeds to step S7.

As described above, the measurement of the time is for measuring the continuous time when the memory unit 3 is in the standby mode, and is ended when the memory unit 3 is switched to the operation mode other than the standby mode. The measured time is reset.

FIG. 4 shows the M5M29 manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corp. shown in Table 1 in the IC memory constituting the memory unit 3.
Each operation of the memory card system device shown in FIG. 1 when using F016 and M5 for each operation
It is a figure showing the relation with the consumption current of M29F016.
The IC memory in FIG. 4 is the M5M29F
016 is shown. Although the input / output interface circuit unit 2 is omitted in the description of FIG. 4 below, each command output from the information processing device 5 and input / output between the information processing device 5 and the memory unit 3 are performed. All the various data to be processed are carried out through the input / output interface circuit section 2.

In FIG. 4, when the memory card 1 is inserted into the adapter 20 of the information processing device 5, plug-and-play processing is performed. At this time, the current consumption of the IC memory is 30 to 40 mA. When the plug-and-play processing is completed and the suspend command is output from the information processing device 5 to the memory unit 3, the IC memory is switched to the standby mode, and the consumption current of the IC memory is reduced to 200 μA. .

When the standby mode continues for a time exceeding a predetermined value, the command unit 8 of the information processing device 5 outputs a sleep command to the memory unit 3, the IC memory is switched to the sleep mode, and the IC memory is consumed. The current is further reduced to 5 μA. To switch the IC memory from the sleep mode to the active mode again, the read array command is issued from the information processing device 5 to the memory unit 3.
When the read array command is input to the memory unit 3, the IC memory switches to the active mode and the current consumption increases to 30 to 40 mA.

The information processing device 5 is
When operations such as reading, writing and erasing are performed, and when these operations are completed, a suspend command is output to the memory unit 3 to switch to the standby mode, and the consumption current of the IC memory is reduced to 200 μA again. If the information processing device 5 switches the memory unit 3 to the access mode within the predetermined time duration of the standby mode of the memory unit 3, the current consumption of the IC memory increases to 30 to 40 mA, and the memory unit 3 When the duration time of the standby mode exceeds the predetermined value, the information processing device 5 outputs the sleep command to the memory unit 3 to switch the memory unit 3 to the sleep mode, and the consumption current of the IC memory is further reduced to 5 μA.

As described above, in the memory card system device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, the standby mode in the memory section 3 of the memory card 1 continues for a predetermined time or longer. In this case, since the information processing device 5 switches the memory unit 3 of the memory card 1 to the sleep mode in which the current consumption is lower than that in the standby mode, the power consumption of the memory card 1 can be reduced and the battery can be used. Since the consumption of the battery in the information processing device 5 such as a driven personal computer or PDA can be reduced, the operating time of the battery in the information processing device 5 can be lengthened.

In the above-described first embodiment, for the sake of easy understanding of the explanation, it is explained as if there is only one IC memory forming the memory unit 3, but the IC memory forming the memory unit 3 is described. May be plural, and in this case, the information processing device 5 measures the continuous time in which all the IC memories of the memory unit 3 are in the standby mode, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined value, the memory Part 3
All the IC memories constituting the above are switched to the sleep mode. Further, the information processing device 5 accesses the memory unit 3 and switches any of the IC memories of the memory unit 3 to the active mode by the time the measured time exceeds a predetermined value. Also in all the other IC memories in 3, the sleep mode can be switched to another operation mode.

[0029]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the memory card system device of the present invention, there are three types of operations: the active mode, the standby mode, and the sleep mode in which the current consumption is lower than that of the standby mode. In the case of using a memory card that has a mode and can control the switching of each operation mode by software using a command, for example, a memory card using an IC memory composed of a flash memory in an information processing device, When the operation mode identification unit measures the duration of the standby mode in the memory unit and the measured value exceeds a predetermined value, the operation mode command unit causes the memory unit to consume less current than the standby mode. By switching to sleep mode, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the memory card. Personal computers driven by Teri, it is possible to reduce the consumption of the battery in the information processing apparatus such as a PDA, it is possible to lengthen the operating time of a battery in the information processing apparatus.

On the other hand, even if the memory section is provided in the memory card and the operation mode identification section and the operation mode command section are provided in the information processing device, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

Further, according to the memory card control method of the present invention, there are three kinds of operation modes, that is, the active mode, the standby mode, and the sleep mode in which the current consumption is lower than that of the standby mode, and the respective operation modes are performed. Mode switching can be controlled by software using a command. For example, when a memory card using an IC memory composed of a flash memory is used in an information processing device, the above-mentioned IC memory in the memory card The continuous operation time of the operation mode is measured, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined value, the operation mode of the IC memory is switched to the sleep mode, so that the power consumption of the memory card can be reduced. A personal computer that can be powered by a battery,
Since it is possible to reduce the consumption of the battery in the information processing device such as a PDA, it is possible to lengthen the operating time of the battery of the information processing device.

On the other hand, a plurality of I's in the memory card are
A C memory may be provided, and in this case, the continuous time during which all the operation modes in each IC memory are in the standby mode is measured, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined value,
Since the operation mode of each IC memory is switched to the sleep mode, the same effect as described above can be obtained. Further, even if the information processing device measures the time and the operation mode of the IC memory is instructed by the information processing device, the same effect can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a memory card system device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a memory card system device 10 shown in FIG.
3 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of an operation procedure of each software.

FIG. 3 is a memory card system device 10 shown in FIG.
3 is a flowchart showing an operation example in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a memory card system device 10 shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a relationship between an operating state in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the operating state of a memory card using a conventional IC memory and the current consumption of the IC memory.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 memory card, 2 input / output interface circuit section, 3 memory section, 5 information processing equipment, 7 identification section, 8 command section, 10 memory card system device

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An active mode, a standby mode,
And a memory using an IC memory that has three types of operation modes, namely, a sleep mode in which current consumption is further lower than that of the standby mode, and switching of each operation mode can be controlled by software using a command. In a memory card system device in which a card is connected to an information processing device, at least one IC memory of the memory card, which stores data from the information processing device, and an operation mode of the memory part are identified. At the same time, the operation mode identification unit for measuring the continuous time in which the memory unit is in the standby mode, and the operation mode command for instructing the switching of the operation mode of the memory unit according to the time measured by the operation mode identification unit The operation mode command section has a predetermined value for the time measured by the operation mode identification section. When it exceeds, for the above memory part,
A memory card system device for instructing switching of an operation mode to the sleep mode. 2. The memory card system device according to claim 1, wherein the IC memory is a flash memory. 3. The memory card system device according to claim 1, wherein the operation mode identification unit and the operation mode command unit are provided in the information processing device. Memory card system device. 4. An active mode, a standby mode,
And an IC memory having three kinds of operation modes of a sleep mode in which current consumption is further lower than that of the standby mode, and switching of each operation mode can be controlled by software using a command, In a method of controlling a memory card for use in an information processing device, a continuous time during which an operation mode of the IC memory in the memory card is a standby mode is measured, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined value, the IC A method of controlling a memory card, characterized in that the operation mode of the memory is switched to a sleep mode. 5. The method of controlling a memory card according to claim 4, wherein when the memory card has a plurality of the IC memories, the continuous time during which all the operation modes of the IC memories are in the standby mode is measured. A method of controlling a memory card, characterized in that when the measured time exceeds a predetermined value, the operation mode of each IC memory is switched to a sleep mode. 6. The method of controlling a memory card according to claim 4, wherein the IC memory is
A memory card system device comprising a flash memory. 7. The method of controlling a memory card according to claim 4, wherein the time is measured by:
A method of controlling a memory card, which is performed by the information processing device, and switching of the operation mode of the IC memory is instructed from the information processing device.