JPH0934610A - Pci system and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To omit the conversion processing of data by a PCI bus conversion LSI by providing a route other than a PCI bus between the extension boards of a PCI system. SOLUTION: A printer controller board 201 is unified with the internal local bus of a scanner controller board 202 by a connector 208 for internal local bus connection. The printer controller board 201 is connected to the scanner controller board 202 on a bypass A by the connector 208 for internal local bus connection separately from the PCI bus 203a. Therefore, VIDEO data is directly transferred from the scanner controller board 202 to the printer controller board 201 via the bypass A, which enables the conversion processing of the data by the PCI bus conversion LSI to omit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a PCI system and a printer device, and more particularly to a PCI system and a printer device for directly connecting the internal local buses of a plurality of expansion boards.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, due to the development of fine processing technology, C
The processing speed of the PU has dramatically increased, and the processing speed of a device equipped with such a high-speed CPU is limited by the performance of the system bus. Therefore, as one of the high-speed buses that solves this problem, PCI (Perip
heral Component Interconn
ect) buses include PCI SIG (Sp
provided by the International Interest Group).

On the other hand, in recent years, along with the demand for higher performance, multi-functionality, and miniaturization of various devices, the progress of networking (construction of LAN), the reduction of installation space, etc. By combining a printer module unit having a function and a scanner module unit having a scanner function via a PC motherboard having a PC function, in addition to the printer function and the scanner function, a multi-function such as a copy function and a facsimile function. A printer device that realizes the realization has been proposed.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram when a PCI system using a PCI bus is applied to a conventional printer device, which is a printer controller board as a printer module unit that controls a printer engine 401 to realize a printer function. 402, a scanner controller board 404 as a scanner module unit that realizes a scanner function by controlling the scanner 403 from the printer side, and a printer controller board 402 and a scanner controller board 404 to control a copy function, a facsimile function, and the like. It is composed of a PC motherboard 405 for realizing it.

A host CPU and a memory are connected to a host bus (internal local bus) on the PC motherboard 405, and a general PCI bus has a device with a large amount of data (here, HDD). : Hard disk), a device that needs to transfer data at high speed (for example, high-speed I / O such as a video device), etc. are connected. Further, by connecting the PCI bus and the host bus via a PCI host bridge (bus bridge circuit), the entire CPU of the PC motherboard 405 can be controlled by the CPU for the host.

Further, the printer controller board 402 and the scanner controller board 404, which are expansion boards, are PCI bus conversion LSIs 402a and 404 including PCI bridges (bus bridge circuits), respectively.
a is installed, and connector 4 on each board
06 and PCI connector 4 on the PC motherboard 405 side
PCI bus conversion LSI 4
The internal local buses of the boards 402 and 404 and the PCI bus of the PC motherboard 405 are connected via 02a and 404a.

FIG. 5 shows an example of mounting an expansion board in the conventional printer device shown in FIG. 4, and more specifically, a PCI connector 40 on the PC motherboard 405 side.
The system can be easily expanded by inserting the connectors 406 of the printer controller board 402 and the scanner controller board 404 which are expansion boards into 7.

[0008]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional technique, the expansion boards connected to the PC motherboard are connected to each other via the PCI bus on the PC motherboard, but the expansion boards are separated from each other. It was not offered in the configuration connected by the bus.

Therefore, when data is exchanged only between the expansion boards, in other words, even when it is not necessary to transfer the data on the PC motherboard, only the route via the PCI bus is used, so that one expansion board is used. Of P
After converting the data with the CI bus conversion LSI,
PCI bus conversion L of the other expansion board via the CI bus
Since the data conversion process is performed again by SI, there is a problem that the data conversion process takes time.

Particularly, in the conventional printer apparatus shown in FIG. 4, even when the VIDEO data input from the scanner 403 is simply output by the printer engine 401 to realize the copy function, the input VIDEO data is input to the scanner controller board. After conversion by the PCI bus conversion LSI 404a of 404, it is necessary to transfer to the printer controller board 402 via the PCI bus and to convert data again by the PCI bus conversion LSI 402a.
There is a problem that the data conversion process takes time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and a route different from the PCI bus is secured between expansion boards of a PCI system, so that data conversion by a PCI bus conversion LSI is performed as necessary. The purpose is to be able to omit processing.

[0012]

To achieve the above object, in a PCI system according to a first aspect, at least a host CPU, an I / O, a memory, a host bus, a PCI host bridge and a PCI bus are provided. PCI capable of connecting a plurality of expansion boards having at least I / O and an internal local bus to a PC motherboard
The system is provided with an internal local bus connection connector having two connector parts that can be directly connected to the internal local bus of the expansion board, and two internal local bus connection connectors are connected to the PC motherboard. It is an integration of the internal local bus of the expansion board.

The printer device according to claim 2 is
A printer module unit having a printer function and a scanner module unit having a scanner function are
A control board of the printer module unit in a printer device that realizes multifunctional functions such as a copy function and a facsimile function in addition to a printer function and a scanner function by fusing through a PC motherboard having a C function, And a printer controller board on which an internal local bus is laid, a control board for the scanner function, and a scanner controller board on which the internal local bus is laid, and a PC motherboard on which a host bus and a PCI bus are laid, Direct connection to the internal local bus of the printer controller board and scanner controller board 2
An internal local bus connecting connector having two connector parts, and the internal local buses of the printer controller board and the scanner controller board connected to the PC motherboard are integrated via the internal local bus connecting connector. Is.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a PCI system and a printer device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a printer device 102 of this embodiment.
The external view of is shown. The printer device 102 of this embodiment is
In addition to having a printer function by itself, as shown in the figure, by combining with the scanner 101, the image data (VIDEO data) read by the scanner 101 can be output by the printer device 102. In other words, the printer device 102 and the scanner 1
This is a configuration that can realize the copy function with the configuration of 01. Reference numeral 103 denotes a table for mounting the printer device 102 and the scanner 101.

FIG. 2 shows a hardware structure of a control system which is a main part of the present invention. The printer device 102 is a printer controller board as a control board of a printer module part for controlling the printer engine 102a to realize a printer function. 201, a scanner controller board 202 as a control board of a scanner module unit that realizes a scanner function by controlling the scanner 101 from the printer device 102 side, and the printer device 102.
And a PC motherboard 203 that performs various controls for increasing the number of functions. In the figure, 204-
207 are printer controller boards 201
Or, it shows the connector for connecting the scanner controller board 202 to the PC motherboard 203.
Reference numeral 08 denotes the internal local bus 201e of the printer controller board 201 and the scanner controller board 20.
2 shows an internal local bus connection connector for connecting to the second internal local bus 202c.

Further, the printer controller board 20
Reference numeral 1 denotes an ASIC 201a for exchanging data with the printer engine 102a, and a CPU 2 for controlling the printer function of the printer device 102.
01b, memory 201c and I / O 201d, RI
An internal local bus 201e composed of an SC bus and a PCI bus conversion LSI 201f for connecting the internal local bus 201e to a PCI bus 203a described later are provided. Although illustration is omitted, if necessary, LAN
It is assumed that an interface such as NIC for connecting to a telephone line or a telephone line and an expansion memory such as an HDD are provided.

The scanner controller board 202 is
An ASIC 202a for exchanging data with the scanner 101, an I / O 202b for realizing a scanner function from the printer device 102 side, and an RI.
An internal local bus 202c composed of an SC bus and a PCI bus conversion LSI 202f for connecting the internal local bus 201c to a PCI bus 203a described later are provided. Although not shown, if necessary, a CPU
An expansion memory such as a hard disk drive or an HDD can be provided, and at least the illustrated configuration is assumed.

The PC motherboard 203 is a general-purpose PCI.
Bus 203a and internal local bus 2 which is a host bus
03b, PCI bus 203a, and internal local bus 20
PCI host bridge 203c for connecting to 3b, and CPU for host connected to internal local bus 203b
203d, a memory 203e, an HDD 203f connected to the PCI bus 203a, and an I / O 203g.

Next, the structure of the internal local bus connecting connector 208 and an example of mounting the internal local bus connecting connector 208 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3A, the connectors 205 and 207 of the PC motherboard 203 are connected to the connector 204 of the printer controller board 201 and the connector 206 of the scanner controller board 202.
Is inserted, and the printer controller board 201 and the scanner controller board 202 are connected to the PC motherboard 203.

Next, the internal local bus connection connector 208 integrates the internal local buses of the printer controller board 201 and the scanner controller board 202. Connector 2 for internal local bus connection
Reference numeral 08 denotes two connector units 208a and 208b that can be directly connected to the internal local bus of the expansion board (here, the printer controller board 201 and the scanner controller board 202), as shown in FIG.
have. Specifically, the connector portion 208a,
By holding a part of the internal local buses 201e and 202c so as to be sandwiched by 208b, a bypass A that integrates the internal local buses 201e and 202c is formed as shown in FIG.

In the above configuration, the printer controller board 201 and the scanner controller board 20
In addition to the PCI bus 203a, 2 is connected by bypass A by an internal local bus connection connector 208. Therefore, the data from the scanner 101 is
Through the PCI bus 203a, or the PCI bus 2
It can be sent to the printer controller board 201 through bypass A without passing through 03a.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the internal local buses are connected to each other by the bypass A formed by the internal local bus connecting connector 208 in addition to the general-purpose PCI bus 203a. Accordingly, the VIDEO data can be directly transferred from the scanner controller board 202 to the printer controller board 201 via the bypass A, and the data conversion processing by the PCI bus conversion LSI can be omitted.
In other words, the efficiency of data transfer processing can be improved.

Further, in this embodiment, since the bypass A is formed by the connection by the connector (connector 208 for internal local bus connection) without using a harness, there is an advantage that the electrical characteristics are not deteriorated. Further, the mounting structure shown in FIG. 3 has an advantage that the mounting strength of the expansion board is further increased.

Further, since it is only necessary to sandwich a part of the internal local bus between the connector parts 208a and 208b of the internal local bus connection connector 208, it is not necessary to provide a special connector on the expansion board side, and therefore the installation is easy. . Further, as shown by a dotted line in FIG. 3B, it is possible to continuously integrate (connect) the internal local buses of a plurality of expansion boards.

[0026]

As described above, the PCI system of the present invention (Claim 1) is provided with the internal local bus connection connector having two connector portions which can be directly connected to the internal local bus of the expansion board. Since the internal local buses of the two expansion boards connected to the PC motherboard are integrated via the local bus connection connector, it is necessary to secure a route different from the PCI bus between the expansion boards of the PCI system. Accordingly, the data conversion process by the PCI bus conversion LSI can be omitted, and the efficiency of the data transfer process can be improved.

A printer device according to the present invention (claim 2) is a control board of a printer module section, a printer controller board on which an internal local bus is laid, and a control board of a scanner function, and A scanner controller board with an internal local bus, a PC motherboard with a host bus and a PCI bus, and an internal local bus with two connector parts that can be directly connected to the internal local buses of the printer controller board and the scanner controller board. The printer controller board and the scanner controller board that are connected to the PC motherboard via the internal local bus connection connector are integrated into an internal local bus. Between the Rabodo and scanner controller board, by securing another route from the PCI bus, PCI bus conversion LSI optionally
It is possible to omit the data conversion process due to, and to improve the efficiency of the data transfer process.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a printer device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a hardware configuration of a control system that is a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an internal local bus connection connector and an example of mounting the internal local bus connection connector.

FIG. 4 shows a P using a PCI bus in a conventional printer device.
It is a schematic structure figure when a CI system is applied.

5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of attachment of an extension board in the conventional printer device shown in FIG.

[Description of Reference Signs] 101 Scanner 102 Printer Device 201 Printer Controller Board 201e Internal Local Bus 202 Scanner Controller Board 202c Internal Local Bus 203 PC Motherboard 203a PCI Bus 203b Internal Local Bus (Host Bus) 203c PCI Host Bridge 203d CPU for Host 204 204 -207 Connector 208 Connector for internal local bus connection 208a, 208b Connector part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A PC motherboard provided with at least a host CPU, I / O, memory, host bus, PCI host bridge, and PCI bus, and at least I / O.
Also, in a PCI system capable of connecting a plurality of expansion boards provided with an internal local bus, an internal local bus connection connector having two connector parts that can be directly connected to the internal local bus of the expansion board is provided. A PCI system in which the internal local buses of two expansion boards connected to the PC motherboard are integrated via the internal local bus connection connector. 2. A printer module unit having a printer function and a scanner module unit having a scanner function are fused together via a PC motherboard having a PC function to provide a copy function in addition to a printer function and a scanner function. In a printer device that realizes multifunctional functions such as a facsimile function, a printer controller board that is a control board of the printer module section and has an internal local bus laid,
Directly to the scanner controller board that is the control board for the scanner function and has the internal local bus laid, the PC motherboard that has the host bus and PCI bus laid, and the internal local bus of the printer controller board and the scanner controller board. An internal local bus connection connector having two connectable connector parts, and an internal local bus of the printer controller board and the scanner controller board connected to the PC motherboard via the internal local bus connection connector. A printer device characterized by being integrated.