JPH09297725A - Computer system and system specification discrimination device applied to the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To standardize a circuit board by providing a function which automatically discriminates respective system specifications for domestic use and foreign use. SOLUTION: For a computer system such as a personal computer, etc., on which a BIOS(basic input/output system) adapted to the system specifications for domestic use and foreign use is mounted, a keyboard 13 is prepared which has a discriminating circuit 13A outputting a discrimination signal SS, based on the system specifications. On the circuit board 10, a keyboard controller 11 is mounted which decides the system specification according to the discrimination signal SS from the keyboard 13 when connected to the keyboard 13. The BIOS corresponding to the corresponding system specification is set on the circuit board 10 in accordance with the decision result of the system specifications.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a personal computer, and more particularly to a computer system having a function of automatically identifying system specifications such as BIOS.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a personal computer is basically composed of main body components including a CPU, a main memory and the like and peripheral devices. The peripheral devices include an input device such as a keyboard, an output device such as a display device, and an external storage device such as a hard disk device or a floppy disk device. The components on the main body side are usually composed of various integrated circuits mounted on several circuit boards (boards).

By the way, personal computers are designed with different system specifications based on their respective usage environments and the like in consideration of compatibility for each model.
Specifically, for example, a domestic personal computer and an overseas personal computer have different system specifications.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6 (A), in a domestic personal computer, a memory for storing a domestic BIOS (basic input / output system) according to domestic system specifications is provided on the circuit board 1 on the main body side. (Usually ROM)
2A and similarly a domestic keyboard controller 3A are mounted. Of course, the keyboard, which is an input device, is also designed according to the domestic system specifications. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6 (B), in a personal computer for overseas use, the circuit board 1 on the main body side has a ROM 2B storing an overseas BIOS according to the overseas system specifications.
Also, an overseas keyboard controller 3B is mounted.

[0005]

As mentioned above, each personal computer for domestic and overseas use is equipped with a BIOS, a keyboard controller, etc. which are adapted to the respective system specifications. Therefore, as the circuit board 1 on the computer main body side, it is necessary to prepare one that meets each system specification. That is, at the time of manufacturing a personal computer, it is necessary to prepare several types of circuit boards on the main body side according to each system specification and to assemble them into the main body of each domestic and overseas personal computer.

In such a work environment in the manufacturing process, the circuit boards of different types are almost the same in appearance, and it is not easy for the operator to visually identify the circuit boards. Therefore, for example, it is easy to cause a problem that a domestic circuit board is mistakenly incorporated into a main body of a personal computer for overseas. An object of the present invention is to unify circuit boards by providing a function of automatically identifying system specifications for domestic and overseas systems, for example.

[0007]

The present invention has a function of outputting an identification signal based on a system specification in advance in a computer system such as a personal computer equipped with a BIOS adapted to domestic and overseas system specifications. In this configuration, an input device having the above is prepared and a circuit board having a function of discriminating the system specifications based on the identification signal is mounted on the system main body.

A circuit board is provided with a keyboard controller, for example, for inputting an identification signal from the keyboard and discriminating system specifications when the keyboard is connected to the keyboard. Also, on the circuit board,
A system setting means is provided for setting a BIOS corresponding to the system specifications determined by the keyboard controller. The system setting means reads the corresponding BIOS from an external storage device storing the BIOS for each system specification, and stores the BIOS in a predetermined memory (EEPROM or the like).
Set to.

With such a configuration, it is possible to unify the circuit boards without preparing circuit boards for each domestic and overseas system specifications. Therefore,
In the process of manufacturing a personal computer that matches each system specification, it is not necessary for the operator to check the circuit board that matches the system specification, and it is possible to prevent the situation where a circuit board of another specification is mistakenly installed. Becomes

In other words, the present invention is a computer system having means for setting or changing the specifications of the system by recognizing the type (identification signal) of the keyboard set in the system. Therefore, the personal computer actually used can be changed to another system specification and used by replacing the keyboard.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are block diagrams showing a system configuration related to this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of this embodiment. (System Configuration) The present embodiment is a computer system that assumes a personal computer with system specifications for domestic use and a personal computer with system specifications for overseas use, and causes a BIOS to function according to each system specification. The functions of the keyboard controller described later are assumed to be the same for each system specification.

The circuit board 10 mounted on the main body of each personal computer is, as shown in FIG. 1, a keyboard controller 11, a built-in register 11A, and a BIOS.
Memory (ROM or EEPROM) for storing
Is implemented and is the same for each system specification.

The circuit board 10 is connected to a keyboard 13, which is an input device, by an FPC (flexible printed cable), and the input signal lines 14A and 14 from the keyboard 13 are connected.
Various input signals are input via B. In the present embodiment, in addition to the input signal line 14B for transferring a normal input signal such as a character key signal from the keyboard 13, an identification signal line 14A for transferring an identification signal SS for identifying system specifications is provided. There is.

The keyboard 13 is prepared in accordance with the system specifications (in this embodiment, two types, domestic and overseas), and outputs an identification signal SS corresponding to each system specification. The identification circuit 13A is included. This identification circuit 13A includes an identification signal line 14A.
Is a circuit that grounds or opens the circuit, and here it is assumed that it is a grounded circuit for domestic use. On the other hand, the keyboard controller 11 has a circuit for pulling up the identification signal line 14A, determines that it is the domestic system specification in the case of the identification signal SS of the logic level "L", and also determines the logic level "H". In the case of the identification signal SS, it has a function of determining that the system specification is for overseas. The keyboard controller 11 sets an identification flag indicating the determined result in the internal register 11a.

Further, the circuit board 10 is mounted with a memory 12 for storing a BIOS for controlling the input / output of the personal computer. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the memory 12 is a common BIOS common to each system specification.
ROM 21 storing S and BIO according to system specifications
A configuration including an EEPROM (non-volatile writable ROM) 22 for storing S is assumed.

The personal computer of this embodiment is
Floppy disk device (FDD) as external storage device
23 is standard equipment, and has a function of reading system software such as BIOS from a floppy disk set in the FDD 23 and setting it in the internal memory 12. That is, the common BIOS 21 monitors the built-in register 11a of the keyboard controller 11, and based on the set identification flag, the FDD 23 to the domestic BIOS 23.
A or BIOS 23B for overseas is read. (Operation of this Embodiment) In this embodiment, in the manufacturing process of the personal computer, the keyboard 13 for each domestic and overseas system specifications is prepared in advance,
This keyboard 13 is the circuit board 10 of the computer main body.
This is a system in which a BIOS that matches the system specifications is automatically set by connecting to the. Below, FIG. 2 and FIG.
The operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, a prepared keyboard 13 is provided on the circuit board 10 of the computer main body.
Are connected (step S1). The keyboard controller 11 mounted on the circuit board 10 inputs the identification signal SS from the identification signal line 14A of the connected keyboard 13 and determines whether the system specification is for domestic or overseas (step). S2). Keyboard 13
1 is provided with an identification circuit 13A that outputs an identification signal that matches system specifications in advance.

The keyboard controller 11 provides an internal register 11A with an identification flag according to the determined system specifications.
(Step S3). Here, it is assumed that the identification signal SS of the logical level "L" has domestic system specifications, and the identification signal SS of the logical level "H" has international system specifications.

Next, a domestic BIOS 23A and an overseas BI are installed in the FDD 23 which is standard equipment in the computer body.
Set the floppy disk containing both OS23B. The FDD 23 may be an external type instead of the built-in type. As shown in FIG. 2, the circuit board 10 is mounted with a ROM storing a common BIOS 21 shared by each system specification. The common BIOS 21 is a common routine that executes various boot processes of the system.

The common BIOS 21 monitors the internal register 11A of the keyboard controller 11 and checks the set identification flag (step S4). Based on this identification flag, the common BIOS 21 determines that the FDD
23 to domestic BIOS23A or overseas BIOS2
One of 3B is selected and set on the main body side (steps S5 to S7).

That is, if the keyboard 13 connected to the main body has domestic system specifications, the common BIOS 21 reads the domestic BIOS 23A from the FDD 23, and the writable EEPROM 2 mounted on the circuit board 10.
Write to 2 (step S6). Also, if the keyboard 13 connected to the main body has system specifications for overseas, the common BIOS 21 changes from the FDD 23 to the overseas BIOS 23B.
To read the EEPRO mounted on the circuit board 10.
Write to M22 (step S7).

As described above, when manufacturing a personal computer that uses the keyboard 13 and the BIOS according to each domestic and overseas system specifications, the computer main body can be simply connected by connecting the keyboard 13 that meets the system specifications. The system automatically identifies the system specifications.
Then, select the BIOS that matches the identified system specifications.
The data is read from the DD 23 and set in the EEPROM 22 in the main body. Therefore, for example, a personal computer manufactured for foreign countries is equipped with the keyboard 13 that meets the overseas system specifications, and the overseas BIOS 23B that meets the system specifications executes predetermined input / output control processing.

According to this embodiment, without preparing a circuit board for each system specification for domestic and overseas,
The same circuit board 10 can be used for each system specification. Therefore, the operator needs to select a keyboard that matches the system specifications, but does not need to confirm a circuit board that is difficult to distinguish visually. For this reason, it is possible to reliably prevent a situation where a circuit board prepared for each system specification is mistakenly incorporated into the computer body as in the conventional case. (Modification of this Embodiment) As described above, this embodiment is a system in which the system specifications are automatically identified especially at the time of manufacture, and the BIOS matching the identified system specifications is set in the computer main body. On the other hand, in the modification of the present embodiment, on the circuit board 10 in the computer main body,
A dedicated BIOS corresponding to each system specification is installed in advance, and the BIOS corresponding to the result of automatic identification of the system specification.
Is a method of selecting and specifying.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, on the circuit board 10, in addition to the ROM 21 storing the common BIOS, the domestic BIOS 23A and the overseas BIOS 2 for each system specification are provided.
ROM 30 storing 3B and 3B is mounted in advance. Note that the ROM 21 and the ROM 30 are usually the same chip and mean different storage areas.

The operation of the above arrangement will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. In the present modification, it is assumed that a personal computer that has already been commercialized is replaced by a system-specific keyboard for domestic use with a keyboard for international system specification instead of the manufacturing process.

That is, when the keyboard 13 of another specification is connected to the circuit board 10 of the computer main body, the keyboard controller 11 outputs the identification signal SS from the identification signal line 14A of the connected keyboard 13 as described above. It is input and it is determined whether the system specifications are domestic or overseas (steps S10 and S11).
The keyboard controller 11 sets an identification flag according to the determined system specification in the internal register 11A (step S12).

Next, the common BIOS 21 checks the identification flag set in the built-in register 11A, and recognizes whether the system specification is domestic or overseas based on this identification flag (step S1).
3). The common BIOS 21 is a domestic BIOS 23A or an overseas BIOS 23 corresponding to the recognized system specifications.
One of B is selected and designated (steps S14 to S16).

As described above, if the keyboard 13 connected to the computer main body has domestic system specifications, the common BIOS 21 selects and specifies the domestic BIOS 23A from the ROM 30 previously mounted on the circuit board.
Therefore, the computer main body executes the input / output control process using the domestic keyboard 23 and the domestic BIOS 23A according to the domestic system specifications (step S15). Further, if the keyboard 13 connected to the computer main body has system specifications for overseas, the common BIOS 21 is
From the ROM 30 that is mounted on the circuit board in advance, to the overseas BIO
Select S23B. Therefore, the computer main body executes the input / output control process using the keyboard 13 and the overseas BIOS 23B according to the system specifications for overseas (step S16).

Even in such a configuration, as described above, the circuit board 10 can be unified without preparing a circuit board for each system specification for domestic and overseas. Furthermore, in this modification, the circuit board 10 is previously prepared.
BIO for each system specification for domestic and overseas
Since the system is equipped with S, it is possible to automatically set the BIOS according to the system specifications only by exchanging the keyboard after the product is commercialized, not limited to the manufacturing process. (Application example) Furthermore, as an application example of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the circuit board 10 of the computer main body can be used for domestic and overseas system specifications (for domestic model or overseas model). And basically the same BIOS
Has been implemented. This BIOS is mounted with a common BIOS part 12A having the same content and BIOS parts 12B and 12C that are partially different for the domestic model and the overseas model. Furthermore, the circuit board 10 has a keyboard 1
A RAM 41 that functions as a register for storing identification data (identification information corresponding to an identification flag) for identifying whether the type 3 is for a domestic model or an overseas model is mounted.

The CPU 40, when the power of the system is turned on,
A command requesting identification data for identifying the type of the keyboard 13 is transmitted to the keyboard controller 11. Further, the CPU 40 receives the identification data from the keyboard controller 11 and stores it in the RAM 41 according to the command response. CPU 40 is RA
With the identification data stored in M41, the keyboard 13
The type is identified and the initialization process corresponding to each is performed.

The operation of the application example will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this application example, it is assumed that a personal computer on which the circuit board 10 shown in FIG. 7 is mounted has been commercialized. First, when the user turns on the power of the computer, a program for performing initialization processing is usually executed for each device (step S2).
0). Here, in this system, the CPU 40 transmits a command for requesting the identification data to the keyboard controller (KBC) 11 before executing the initialization processing program (step S21).

In response to the command, the KBC 11 inputs the identification signal SS from the identification signal line 14A of the connected keyboard 13 and sends the identification data indicating either the domestic model or the overseas model to the CPU 40. CPU
The 40 stores the identification data received from the keyboard controller 11 in the RAM 41 (step S22).

Next, when the CPU 40 needs to perform different initialization processes for the domestic model and the overseas model in the process of executing the initialization process for each device, the identification data stored in the RAM 41 is stored. Refer to. Based on the identification data, the CPU 40 identifies whether the keyboard 13 installed in the computer is for a domestic model or an overseas model (step S
23).

As described above, the CPU 40 executes the keyboard 13 installed in the computer during the initialization process.
If the keyboard for the domestic model is mounted, the BIOS 12B is selected and the initialization process suitable for the domestic model is executed (step S).
24). On the other hand, when the keyboard for the foreign model is mounted, the BIOS 12C is selected and the initialization process suitable for the foreign model is executed (step S25). After the completion of the initialization process, the process proceeds to a boot process for booting the disk operating system (DOS) of the computer (step S26).

According to this application example, by recognizing the type of the keyboard (domestic or overseas) mounted on the commercialized personal computer, the system automatically adjusts to the system specifications corresponding to the type of the keyboard. Set or change manually. As a result, the user can automatically operate the computer with the system specifications corresponding to the keyboard type, without being aware of changing the system specifications according to the keyboard type.

[0036]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, in a computer system that requires input / output control according to each domestic and overseas system specifications, for example, an input device such as a keyboard according to the system specifications. The system specifications to be set can be automatically identified and the system such as the BIOS can be set according to the identification result only by connecting. Therefore, as a result, it is possible to unify the circuit boards for each system specification without preparing several kinds of circuit boards according to each system specification. Furthermore, it is possible to eliminate the need for the operator to visually identify the circuit board, especially in the manufacturing process of the computer. This makes it possible to improve work efficiency and prevent a situation where a circuit board having different system specifications is mistakenly incorporated in the computer body.

Furthermore, in a commercialized personal computer, it is possible to automatically set or change compatible system specifications in accordance with the type of input device such as a mounted keyboard. Therefore, for example, when the user wants to change the system specifications for domestic use and overseas use, he / she can operate the computer according to the system specifications only by exchanging the type of the keyboard to be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system configuration related to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a system configuration related to a modification of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of a modified example of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a circuit board of a conventional personal computer.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a system configuration related to an application example of the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an application example of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Circuit board (conventional method) 2A ... ROM (domestic BIOS) 2B ... ROM (overseas BIOS) 3A ... Domestic keyboard controller 3B ... Overseas keyboard controller 10 ... Circuit board 11 ... Keyboard controller 11A ... Built-in register (identification) Flag) 12 ... Memory (BIOS) 13 ... Keyboard 13A ... Identification circuit (identification signal output means) 14A ... Identification signal line 21 ... Common BIOS 22 ... EEPROM (nonvolatile writable ROM for BIOS) 23 ... Floppy disk device (FDD) ) 23A ... Domestic BIOS 23B ... Overseas BIOS 30 ... ROM (domestic BIOS and overseas BIOS storage memory)

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A computer system having a circuit board on which constituent elements of a system body are mounted, and having an input device connected to the circuit board, the computer system being provided in the input device and preliminarily based on system specifications. Identification signal output means for outputting an identification signal to be set, and provided on the circuit board, based on the identification signal output from the identification signal output means when the input device is connected to the circuit board. A computer system comprising: a discriminating means for discriminating a system specification corresponding to the input device; and a system setting means for setting a basic input / output system corresponding to the system specification discriminated by the discriminating means. 2. A computer system having an input device and a circuit board on which the constituent elements of the system main body are mounted, the circuit board being connected to the input device to implement input control means for performing input processing. A system specification identification device to be provided, which comprises an identification signal output means which is provided in the input device and which outputs an identification signal set in advance based on system specifications, wherein the input control means is configured such that the input device is A system configured to execute a process of determining a system specification corresponding to the input device based on an identification signal output from the identification signal output means when connected to a circuit board. Specification identification device. 3. The identification signal output means outputs an identification signal of a logic level "L" corresponding to the first system specification, and outputs an identification signal of a logic level "H" corresponding to the second system specification. The system specification identifying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the system specification identifying apparatus is configured to: 4. An external storage means for storing each program corresponding to a basic input / output system for each system specification, wherein the system setting means discriminates from the external storage means based on the discrimination result of the discrimination means. 2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the program corresponding to the specified system specifications is read out and set in a predetermined memory means as a basic input / output system. 5. A memory means storing each program corresponding to a basic input / output system for each system specification is mounted on the circuit board, and the system setting means is discriminated based on a discrimination result of the discriminating means. 2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein a basic input / output system corresponding to system specifications is selected and designated from the memory means. 6. A circuit board having components of a system body mounted thereon, and an input device connected to the circuit board,
A system setting method of a computer system having an external storage unit that stores each program corresponding to a basic input / output system for each system specification, the method comprising: connecting the input device to the circuit board; Identifying the system specification based on the identification signal from the identification signal output means, and based on the identification result of the system specification, a program corresponding to the basic input / output system corresponding to the identified system specification is externally provided. A system setting method comprising: a step of reading from a storage means; and a step of setting a program read from the external storage means to a predetermined memory means as a basic input / output system. 7. A circuit board having components of a system body mounted thereon, and an input device connected to the circuit board,
A system setting method for a computer system in which a memory means storing each program corresponding to a basic input / output system for each system specification is mounted on the circuit board, the step of connecting the input device to the circuit board, A step of identifying a system specification based on an identification signal from an identification signal output means provided in the input device; and a basic input / output system corresponding to the identified system specification based on an identification result of the system specification. A system setting method comprising the step of selectively designating a corresponding program from the memory means. 8. A keyboard for performing key input corresponding to various data, a keyboard controller for processing a key matrix signal corresponding to the key input from the keyboard, and a keyboard controller for turning on the power of the system. Means for transmitting a command requesting identification data for identifying the type to the keyboard controller; means for transmitting identification data for identifying the type of the keyboard from the keyboard controller in response to the command; Memory means for storing the identification data transmitted from the keyboard controller, and referring to the identification data stored in the memory means,
A computer system, comprising: means for setting or changing system specifications corresponding to the type of the keyboard identified by the identification data. 9. A keyboard as a data input device,
The present invention is applied to a computer system including a keyboard controller that executes input processing according to a key input of the keyboard, and memory means for storing identification data for identifying system specifications corresponding to the keyboard type. A system setting method, comprising: transmitting a command requesting identification data for identifying the type of the keyboard to the keyboard controller when the system is powered on; and outputting the identification data transmitted from the keyboard controller. Storing in the memory means, referring to the identification data stored in the memory means,
System setting comprising: a step of determining a system specification corresponding to the keyboard type identified by the identification data; and a step of executing an initialization process according to the determined system specification. Method.