JPH0944441A - Information processor, control method and peripheral equipment connected to information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set response information from a connected peripheral equipment by setting the contents of the response information to the peripheral equipment when a detected peripheral equipment is identical with the peripheral equipment of a set object. SOLUTION: A host computer 1 searches a scanner 3 on an SCSI bus and issues an inquiry command to the scanner 3. The scanner 3 returns identification information as the sense data of the inquiry command. Also, the host computer 1 sends an identification information setting command to the scanner 3. Further, the scanner 3 performs the processing of performing write to a RAM and a ROM or the like. Then, when the program is called from an application or the like, a menu for specifying the kind of an input/output device to be set is displayed and an operator is made to perform selection. Thereafter, the kinds of the respective connected input/output devices are detected, and when the input/output device is found, an identification information setting instruction is constructed and sent out to the pertinent input/output device and set contents are registered in the storage medium of the host computer 1 as well.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing device and control method, and a peripheral device connected to the information processing device, and more specifically, an information processing device capable of connecting a plurality of peripheral devices to the same input / output bus. And its control method, and further relates to peripheral devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an input / output device connected to the same input / output bus as a host computer, the application software of the host computer identifies the connected input / output device and controls the device appropriately. , Sends an instruction to the input / output device to inquire about the identification information, and the input / output device responds to the built-in ROM (Read On).
It is configured to return the fixed identification information for each model stored in (ly Memory) or the like.

[0003]

However, the model name of the input / output device is generally used as the identification information. On the other hand, the input / output device may undergo model change while maintaining compatibility of the command system from the host computer in order to add new functions, speed up processing, improve image quality, and reduce costs. At this time, the model name is changed, and along with this, the identification information stored in the built-in ROM is also changed. I / O devices that have undergone a model change while maintaining compatibility of command systems,
Except for new functions, the application software for conventional models cannot be used because it is configured to identify the specific model by the identification information. Also, the part that checks the identification information of the application software should be compatible with the new model name that has been changed, but it is very difficult to modify many types of application software and replace it with the application software on the market. It was a difficult task.

[0004]

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an information processing apparatus capable of setting response information from a connected peripheral device and a control method thereof, and It intends to provide the peripheral device.

In order to solve this problem, for example, the information processing apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is,
An information processing apparatus capable of connecting a plurality of peripheral devices and for identifying each peripheral device by response information by an inquiry command, and detecting means for detecting one of the connected peripheral devices, and the detected peripheral device. Is a peripheral device to be set, the setting means for setting the content of the response information for the peripheral device.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image processing system showing a position embodiment of the present invention. For example, SCSI (Small Computer) which is a small computer interface.
It corresponds to the case where the image processing system is constructed by the input / output device connected to the bus. Note that SCSI is ANSIX3.
According to 131.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of an image processing system using this SCSI bus.
In the figure, 1 is a host computer for system control, and 2 is an external storage device (a hard disk device in the embodiment), which stores a system control program, image information, and the like. 3 is a document reading device (hereinafter referred to as a scanner) that converts document information of a document placed on a document table into an electric signal by an image pickup device such as a CCD, and 4 is recorded based on the information converted into an electric signal by a laser beam printer or the like. A high-speed printer that records images on materials. An SCSI bus 5 electrically connects the host computer 1, the hard disk 2, the scanner 3, and the interface 4.

A host computer 1 is installed on the SCSI bus.
In addition, up to eight I / O devices (also referred to as peripheral devices) such as the hard disk device 2, the scanner 3 and the printer 4 can be connected. Different ID numbers from 0 to 7 are assigned to the connected host computers and input / output devices so that they can be distinguished from other devices. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the host computer 1 has an ID number of 7, the hard disk 2 has an ID number of 0, the scanner 3 has an ID number of 2, and the printer 4 has
Indicates that the ID number of is set to 3.

The image processing operation by the application software for image processing installed in the host computer 1 will be described below with reference to FIG.

(1) Reading of Image In order to read the image, the host computer 1 uses the SCS
Acquire the right to use I-bus 5. At this time, the host computer 1 does not know the ID number of the scanner 3. Since the ID number of the host computer 1 has been determined to be 7,
Search for the target scanner among the numbers 0 to 6.

The method of selecting the device connected to the bus is SC
It is defined by the SI standard. If the input / output device does not respond to the selection of the host computer 1 within 250 msec, the selection is not established. That is, it is assumed that there is no input / output device having that ID number. After selecting some input / output device, the host computer 1 determines whether or not the selected device is the target scanner by the inquiry command.

[0013] The Inquiry instruction is an instruction for the host computer to know the connected function and the like, which is defined by the SCSI standard to be provided in all SCSI devices.

FIG. 3 shows CCB (Co
It is a figure which shows a command descriptor block) format. The input / output device that receives this Inquiry command returns the sense data block shown in FIG. 4 to the host computer.

In FIG. 4, Peripheral D
device Type, Vendor Identity
ication field, Product Iden
specification field, Product R
The evolution Level field is identification information.

As shown in FIG. 4, the sense data block for the Inquiry instruction is a data string consisting of bytes 0 to 35 and a total of 36 bytes.

Bit 0 to bit 4 of byte 0 (a numerical value from 0 to 31 is represented as a value) is Periphe
This is a real Device Type field, and the type of the device can be specified by this value.

FIG. 5 is a Peri defined by SCSI.
This is the value of the general Device Type field. The host computer 1 can confirm that the value of the Peripheral Device Type field returned from the input / output device is, for example, 2 when it is a printer device, and 6 when it is a scanner device.

In FIG. 4, bytes 8 to 15 are a Vendor Identification field, which consists of an ASCII character string of 8 characters, and each input / output device stores the manufacturer's name. From this value, the host computer 1 can know the name of the manufacturer of the device. For example, in the case of the scanner 3, "AB
The character string "C" (manufacturer company name is ABC, for example) is entered. A space code 20H (H is a hexadecimal number) of ASCII characters is stored in a portion less than 8 characters.

In FIG. 4, byte 16 to byte 31
Is a Product Identification field, which is composed of an ASCII character string of 16 characters, and each input / output device stores its model name. From this value, the host computer 1 can know the model name of the device. For example, the model name is "IX-000.
If it is "1", the character string is included. Similarly, the space code 20H of ASCII characters is stored in the portion less than 16 characters.

In FIG. 4, byte 32 to byte 35
Is a Product Revision Level field, which is composed of a 4-character ASCII character string, and each input / output device stores the firmware version of the model. From this value, the host computer 1 can know the firmware version of the 0 device model. For example, if the character string "1.00" is included, it means that the device (or the firmware inside the device) is version 1.00.

In the above search method, the host computer 1 selects the scanner having the ID "2", the manufacturer name "ABC", the model name "IX-0001" and the firmware version "1.00" on the SCSI bus. Can be found.

Since the host computer 1 finds on the SCSI bus that the target scanner is located at ID number "2", the host computer 1 sends an image reading command to the SC.
It is sent to the scanner 3 having the ID number “2” via the SI bus 5.

Upon receipt of this command, the scanner 3 reads the original placed on the original table and transfers the original image to the host computer 1 via the SCSI bus 5. Upon receiving the transferred image data, the host computer 1 stores the original image in the internal memory.

(2) Image storage The host computer 1 acquires the right to use the SCSI bus 5 and selects the hard disk 2 with the ID number "1" in the same sequence as in (1).

The host computer 1 transfers the original image in the internal memory to the hard disk 2 via the SCSI bus 5 and writes it.

(3) Image printing The host computer 1 acquires the right to use the SCSI bus 5 and selects the printer 4 with the ID number "5" in the same sequence as in (1).

The host computer 1 converts the original image in the internal memory into print data (converts it into data in a format recognizable by the printing apparatus), transfers it to the printer 4 via the SCSI bus 5, and prints it.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of the input / output device connected to the SCSI bus 5 shown in FIG. 1, and corresponds to the scanner 3, for example.

In the figure, reference numeral 71 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) including a microcomputer. Reference numeral 72 is a ROM in which a scanner control program is written in advance, and the CPU 71 is controlled by the program in the ROM 72. Identification information is written in the ROM 72 in advance. This identification information is shown in FIG.
Peripheral Device Type,
Vendor Identification field, Product Identification field, Product Revision Lev
Used in the el field. In the present embodiment, FIG.
Are stored in the table format of "6" and "AB", respectively.
C "," IX-0001 ", and" 1.00 "are written in the ROM and read by the instruction of the CPU 71. The description will be mixed, but the ROM 7 in the embodiment.
2 is an electrically rewritable ROM (for example, a CMOS RAM that is constantly energized by a battery and always retains the written contents)
Or an EEPROM or the like).

Reference numeral 73 is a RAM (random access memory)
And is used as a working memory of the CPU 71. Reference numeral 74 denotes an image sensor composed of a CCD or the like, which has a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in rows and converts the document information of the original into an electric signal. 75 is a driver circuit for driving the image sensor 74.
An amplifier 76 amplifies the electrical signal output from the image sensor 74. Reference numeral 77 is an A / D converter for converting an analog signal output from the amplifier 76 into a digital signal. An image processing circuit 78 is for performing image processing such as shading correction, enlargement, reduction, negative / positive inversion, and clipping of the digital image signal output from the A / D converter 77. Reference numeral 79 is a buffer RAM, which is an image processing circuit 78.
It is an image memory for a plurality of lines that stores the image signal output from the main scanning in units of one line.

Reference numeral 80 denotes an SCSI controller, which is used to send image signals to the host computer via the SCSI bus 90, receive commands, and send statuses.
It is for communication. A timing circuit 81 generates a timing signal for the drive circuit 75 and the image processing circuit 78. An address controller 82 generates an address for writing the image signal output from the image processing circuit 78 into the buffer RAM 79 and an address for reading the image signal from the buffer RAM 79 to the SCSI controller 80.

A CPU bus 83 electrically connects the timing circuit 81, the address controller 82, and the like. Reference numeral 84 is a light source for illuminating a document. Reference numeral 85 is a power source for turning on the light source 84, and turns on and off the light source 84 according to an instruction from the CPU 71. A motor 86 moves the image sensor 74 in the sub-scanning direction. 87 is a motor driver for driving the motor 86. Reference numeral 88 denotes a home position position detection sensor for detecting the reading start position. 89
Is an ID number setting switch for inputting the scanner ID number. Reference numeral 90 denotes an SCSI bus for electrically connecting the host computer and the scanner, which is the same as the SCSI bus 5 in FIG.

Next, the setting of the identification information in this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, as described above, FIG.
As shown in, the Peripheral Device Type of the sense data block of the Inquiry instruction,
Vendor Identification field, Product Identification field, Product Revision Lev
The el field is used as identification information. Then, the host computer 1 has an instruction to set these identification information in the input / output device, while the scanner 3 receives and stores these identification information transmitted from the host computer 1 or rewrites the built-in identification information. , And can be returned as identification information for subsequent Inquiry commands of the host computer 1.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are format diagrams of the identification information setting command in this embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a CDB (Com
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a “man Descriptor Block” format. FIG. 8 is a parameter list for identification information setting.

The parameter list of the identification information setting command of FIG. 8 is a data string consisting of 30 bytes from byte 0 to byte 29.

Bit 0 to bit 4 of byte 1 are Per
This is the ipheral Device Type field, and is the Peripheral Device in FIG.
It has the same meaning as the eType field and indicates the type of device. In FIG. 8, bytes 2 to 9 are Vend
or Identification field, which is the Vendor Identification in FIG.
It has the same meaning as the field field. In FIG. 8, bytes 10 to 25 are ProductIde.
This field is an information field and has the same meaning as the Product Identification field in FIG. In FIG. 8, byte 26
To byte 29 is Product Revision
This is the Level field, and Produ in FIG.
It has the same meaning as the ct Revision Level field.

In FIG. 8, byte 0 is a mode designation field for designating the identification information writing mode. When this identification information command is sent, the scanner 3 checks the mode designation field of byte 0 of the parameter list and performs the following processing corresponding to it.

When the mode designation field is "1", bytes 1 to 2 of the parameter list of the identification information setting command of FIG. 8 are stored in the temporary storage area (not shown) in the RAM 73 of FIG.
9 is stored in the table format of FIG. 6, and R of FIG.
“1” is set in the identification information information change flag (not shown) in the AM 73.
Write.

When the mode designation field is "2" and the ROM 72 is rewritable, the identification information of byte 1 to byte 29 of the parameter list of the identification information setting instruction of FIG. 8 is displayed in the table format of FIG. Is directly written in the ROM 72, and 0 is written in the identification information information change flag (not shown) in the RAM 73 of FIG. However, when the ROM 72 is not configured to be rewritable, the same processing is performed as when the mode designation field is "1".

When the mode designation field is "0", 0 is written in the identification information information change flag (not shown) in the RAM 73 of FIG.

The identification information information change flag (not shown) in the RAM 73 of FIG. 2 is written with 0 when the scanner 3 is powered on and reset. When the inquiry command is sent from the host computer 1, the scanner 3 checks the value of the identification information information change graph in the RAM 73 of FIG. 2, and when this value is “0”, the table format of FIG. The sense data lock shown in FIG. The value of the identification information information change flag is checked. When this value is "1", the sense data block of FIG. 4 is constructed based on the identification information (not shown) in the RAM 73 of FIG. 2 and is returned to the host computer 1.

Next, the identification setting procedure of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S1, the host computer 1 searches for the scanner 3 on the SCSI bus. Thereafter, in step S2, the host computer 1 sends the scanner 3 an I
Issue the nquery command.

In response to this, when the identification information change flag in the RAM 73 is "0", the scanner 3 in FIG.
The identification information stored in the
When it is “1”, the identification information stored in the RAM 73 in the format of FIG. 6 is returned as the sense data of the Inquiry command.

In step S4, the host computer 1
Sends the identification information setting command shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 to the scanner 3. At this time, for example, the mode designation field of FIG. 8 is "1", and Peripheral Device Type is set.
e is “6”, VendorIdentificatio
n is “ABC”, Product Identification
ation is "IX-0000", Product R
The evolution Level is set to "1.00".

In step S5, when the scanner 3 receives the above-mentioned identification information setting command, the value of the mode designation field of byte 0 is confirmed, and when it is 1, the value of byte 1 or less is written in the RAM 73 in the format of FIG. At the same time R
Write 1 to the identification information change flag in the AM 73.

When the value of the mode designation field of byte 0 is "2", the value of byte 1 or less is written in the ROM 72 in the format of FIG. At the same time, 0 is written in the identification information change flag in the RAM 73. When the ROM 72 is not rewritable, the same processing as when 1 is set in the mode designation field of byte 0 is performed.

The value of the mode designation field of byte 0 is 0.
At this time, 0 is written in the identification information change flag in the RAM 73.

In the above process, steps S3 and subsequent steps are processes (a program stored in the ROM 72) by the CPU 71 in the scanner 3, and steps S1,
2 is a process by the host computer 1.

On the host computer 1 side, for example,
A setting program for the scanner 3 is stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk or a floppy disk (not shown), and the above setting process is performed by appropriately calling this program.

An example of mode setting processing for the input / output device (scanner 3) in the host computer 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when this program is called from an application or the like, a menu for designating the type of the input / output device to be set is displayed in step S21, and the operator is prompted to select one (for example, to select the scanner). . After that, the type of each connected input / output device is detected by the procedure described above, and it is determined whether or not the corresponding input / output device (scanner) has been found (step S22). If there is no corresponding input / output device, the process proceeds to step S23, error processing is performed to display a message or the like indicating that the specified device does not exist, and the present process ends.

When the specified input / output device can be found, the process proceeds to step S24, and a menu indicating what model and version the input / output device is desired to be displayed is displayed. This menu shall be displayed by referring to a file in which various model names, versions, etc. are stored in advance. If there is no corresponding item, use a keyboard (not shown), etc. Set. At this time, an instruction as to whether the mode designation is temporary or registered and held in the scanner 3 is also input.

Next, in step S25, the identification information setting command described above is constructed according to the designated contents, and is sent to the corresponding input / output device in step S26.
Then, in step S27, the setting contents are registered in a storage medium (hard disk or floppy disk) (not shown) of the host computer 1 in order to match the contents set in the input / output device with the host computer 1.

As a result, from the viewpoint of the application of the host computer 1, the connected input / output device, for example, the scanner 3 appears as a model that can be used for the application. It should be noted that the actual scanning process of the original image and the process of passing the received data to the application are performed by a scanner driver (software) (not shown). With this scanner driver, the process according to the set model and version is emulated and passed to the application.

FIG. 11 shows an example of a program stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk device or a floppy disk in the host computer 1 according to this embodiment.

In the figure, reference numeral 111 denotes a module storing a procedure code for detecting one of the connected peripheral devices, and reference numeral 112 denotes a peripheral device for the peripheral device when the detected peripheral device is a peripheral device to be set. A module that stores a procedure code for setting the content of response information, 113
Is a control module for controlling the reading of the modules 111 and 112 and realizing the above processing.

Although the scanner connected to the SCSI interface has been described in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and any input / output device may be used.

In the embodiment, SCSI is used as an example of the interface, but the type of interface is not limited to this. In short, this is applicable as long as a plurality of input / output devices are connected to the same bus (interface).

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
The user can immediately use the abundant application software on the market by the input / output device provided with the identification information setting means for identifying the input / output device and the software and device driver of the host computer for setting the identification information of the old model. .

The software maker has only to deal with the identification information for the new model when the application software incorporating the new function after the model change is completed and the version is upgraded.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of one device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is implemented by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus. In this case, the storage medium storing the program according to the present invention constitutes the present invention. Then, by reading the program from the storage medium to a system or an apparatus, the system or the apparatus operates in a predetermined manner.

[0065]

As described above, according to the present invention, it becomes possible to set the response information from the connected peripheral device. The existing rich application programs on the information processing apparatus side can be used without any change.

[0066]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration block diagram of an image processing system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram of a scanner to which the embodiment is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of a CDB of an inquiry instruction of the scanner.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing sense data of an inquiry instruction of the scanner.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing types of peripheral devices of the SCSI standard.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a storage format of scanner identification information to which the embodiment is applied.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a CDB of a scanner identification information setting command applied to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing sense data of a scanner identification information setting command applied to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation contents of the entire system in the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the host computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing modules stored in a storage medium in a host computer.

[Description of numbering]

 1 Host computer 2 Hard disk 3 Scanner 4 Printer 5 SCSI bus

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An information processing device capable of connecting a plurality of peripheral devices and identifying each peripheral device by means of response information according to an inquiry command, wherein the detecting device detects one of the connected peripheral devices. If the detected peripheral device is the peripheral device to be set,
An information processing apparatus, comprising: a setting unit that sets the content of response information for the peripheral device. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is connected to a SCSI interface. 3. An information processing apparatus for reading a predetermined program from a memory medium and performing processing, wherein the memory medium has a procedure code of a step of detecting one of the connected peripheral devices, and the detected procedure code. If the peripheral device is the peripheral device to be set,
An information processing apparatus, comprising: a procedure code of a step of setting the content of response information for the peripheral device. 4. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus capable of connecting a plurality of peripheral devices and identifying individual peripheral devices by means of response information in response to an inquiry command, the detection method detecting one of the connected peripheral devices. If the process and the detected peripheral device is the peripheral device to be set,
And a setting step for setting the content of response information for the peripheral device. 5. A peripheral device connected to an information processing device, the detecting device detecting whether or not predetermined command information is received from the information processing device, and the predetermined command information by the detecting device. When the reception of is received, the peripheral device is provided with an updating unit that updates the response information of itself according to the setting contents in the command information. 6. The peripheral device according to claim 5, wherein the updating unit registers the setting content in a nonvolatile memory provided in advance. 7. The peripheral device according to claim 5, wherein the updating unit temporarily registers in a volatile memory.