JPH096501A - Portable computer system and method for switching connection of shared connector in the system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To share an external keyboard and a mouse by one connector and to make it possible to simultaneously use both the keyboard and mouse. CONSTITUTION: The shared connector 27 is provided with an unused pin, which is directly connected to an external keyboard interface in a keyboard controller 14. Although the mouse or the external keyboard is selectively connected to the connector 27 in a normal format, the mouse and the external keyboard can be simultaneously used by connecting a Y type branch cable to the connector 27 while selecting a mouse interface of an IPS controller 29 by a second selector 26.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable computer, and more particularly to a portable computer having a connector for using an external keyboard and an external mouse.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various notebook-type or laptop-type portable personal computers which are easy to carry and can be operated by a battery have been developed. In this type of portable computer, in addition to the standard equipped internal keyboard unit, an external keyboard or mouse connected to the connector via a cable is used.

However, conventionally, the external keyboard and the mouse are separately connected to the two connectors provided in the computer body. Therefore, the use of two connectors causes problems such as a reduction in mounting efficiency, an increase in cost, and a complicated assembly process.

[0004]

As described above, conventionally, the external keyboard and the mouse are separately connected to the two connectors mounted on the system board via the cables, respectively, so that the mounting efficiency is improved. There was a drawback that caused the decrease of the.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to share both an external keyboard and a mouse with a single connector, and it is also possible to support simultaneous use of the external keyboard and mouse. An object of the present invention is to provide a system and a connection switching method for a shared connector in the system.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides
In a portable computer equipped with a pointing stick, a keyboard controller for controlling key input, a control IC for controlling the pointing stick, and a mouse connected to a common connector provided in the computer body, the pointing stick A control IC having a first interface connected to the keyboard controller, a second interface connected to the shared connector, and a third interface connected to the mouse interface of the keyboard controller.
And a third of the keyboard controller and the control IC
It is provided between the interface and the common connector,
Alternatively, the shared connector is provided between the first selector that connects the third interface of the control IC to the mouse interface of the keyboard controller and the shared connector and the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller. A second interface or a second selector connected to an external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller, the shared connector having a communication pin used for communication with an external mouse or an external keyboard, and an unused pin; The communication pin is connected to the second selector, and the unused pin is connected to an external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller.

In this system, if the common connector is connected to the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller by the second selector, the external keyboard can be used by connecting it to the common connector, and the common connector is controlled by the second selector. If connected to the second interface of the IC, the mouse can be connected to the common connector for use. If the common connector is selected by switching the first selector, the external mouse can be directly connected to the keyboard controller without going through the control IC. Therefore, various mice can be used regardless of the control IC.

Further, when the connector to which the external mouse is connected is selected by switching the first selector, the control IC is configured so as to be disabled so that a signal from the control IC and a signal from the keyboard controller are sent. Problems such as signal collisions can also be prevented.

Further, the common connector has unused pins, which are directly connected to the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller. For this reason, usually, the mouse and the external keyboard are selectively connected to the common connector for use, but the second interface of the control IC is selected by the second selector and the Y-type branch is made to the common connector. By connecting a cable, you can use the mouse and external keyboard at the same time.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the system configuration of a portable computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This portable computer is of a laptop type or a notebook type and, as shown in the figure, a CPU 11, a system memory 12, and a BIO.
SROM 13, keyboard controller (KBC) 14
It has.

The CPU 11 controls the entire system, and executes a program to be processed stored in the system memory 12. As the CPU 11,
For example, a microprocessor “Pentium” manufactured and sold by Intel Corporation in the United States is used. The system memory 12 stores an operating system, an application program to be processed, user data created by the application program, and the like. An operating system (OS) having an I / O device hardware resource (interrupt level, DMA channel number, I / O address space, etc.) management function is used. The system memory 12 is composed of a dynamic RAM.

The BIOS ROM 13 is a system BIOS.
It stores S (Basic I / O System) and is composed of a flash memory so that the program can be rewritten. The system BIOS has various I / O routines executed when the power is turned on and various I / O routines.
A device driver for controlling the O device, a system management program, a setup program and the like are included.

The keyboard controller 14 is for controlling an internal keyboard 25 incorporated in the computer main body, scans a key matrix of the internal keyboard 25 to receive a signal corresponding to a pressed key, and sends it to a predetermined signal. It has a built-in SCC (scan code controller) for converting it into a key code (scan code).

The keyboard controller 14 has a function of controlling an external keyboard that is optionally connected, and a function of controlling a pointing stick 30 (IPS) by using a dedicated processor (IPS controller) 29. The IPS controller 29 is a pointing stick control IC including a circuit that detects a signal from the pointing stick 30.

The portable computer body has a common connector 27 for connecting a PS / 2 keyboard or a PS / 2 mouse and a PR / DS connector 31 for connecting an expansion unit such as a port replicator or a docking station. Is provided. The port replicator has a large number of connectors on its back surface, and is used for expanding the connectors that are provided as standard equipment in the body of a portable computer. If the port replicator is installed in the portable computer, P
Various signal lines input to the R / DS connector 31 are led out to the corresponding connectors of the port replicator. In this case, the common connector 27 cannot be used because it is covered by the port replicator.

The docking station is also used to expand the connectors that are provided as standard equipment in the main body of the portable computer, but it is also configured so that various expansion cards can be mounted.

Next, the keyboard controller 14 and the IP
The connection relationship with the S controller 29 will be described. As shown in the figure, the keyboard controller 14 includes a bus interface connected to the system bus, an internal keyboard interface having a scan line / return line for controlling the internal keyboard 25, a PS / 2 external keyboard and an external mouse with a built-in scan controller. It has an external keyboard interface and a maun interface for controlling each.

As shown in FIG. 3, the keyboard controller 14 is provided with a switching selector (S3) for simultaneously using the internal keyboard interface and the external keyboard interface or using only the internal keyboard interface. ing. The keyboard controller 14 has a function of automatically determining whether or not an external keyboard is connected. If there is an external keyboard, the selector (S3) is turned on, and if not, it is turned off. The on / off state of the selector (S3) can be read by the CPU 11 via the register.

The IPS controller 29 has an IPS interface connected to the pointing stick 30 and a mouse interface connected to the external mouse 32, and controls the pointing stick 30 and the external mouse via these interfaces. . The external mouse is connected to the mouse interface of the IPS controller 29 via a shared connector provided in the computer body.

A first selector (S1) 28 including a bidirectional analog switch circuit is connected between the IPS controller 29 and the PS / 2 mouse interface of the keyboard controller 14. This selector (S1)
28 denotes ports B and I of the second selector (S2) 26.
The first port A commonly connected to the mouse interface of the PS controller 29 and the IPS controller 28
And a second port B connected to the KBC interface, and one of the first port A and the second port B is connected to the PS / 2 mouse interface of the keyboard controller 14.

The switching control of the first selector (S1) 28 is controlled by the switch signal IPSSEL generated according to the switch flag set in the register of the keyboard controller 14. The switch signal IPSSEL is also supplied to the enable input terminal of the IPS controller 29 in order to link the switching control of the selector (S1) 28 and the enable / disable control of the IPS controller 29.

When the switch signal IPSSEL is "0", the port B of the first selector (S1) 28 is connected to the PS / 2 mouse interface of the keyboard controller 14, and the IPS controller 29 is set to the enable state. .

In this case, in addition to the pointing stick 30, a mouse of a type supported by the IPS controller 29 can be used. IPS controller 2
When using a mouse other than the ones supported by 9, the switch signal I is set by setting the switch flag.
PSSEL is switched from "0" to "1". At this time, the port A of the selector (S1) 28 is connected to the PS / 2 mouse interface of the keyboard controller 14, and the IPS controller 29 is disabled.

In this case, an external mouse can be directly connected to the keyboard controller 14 without going through the IPS controller 29. Therefore, the IPS controller 2
Various mice can be used regardless of the type. Furthermore, when the port A is selected by switching the selector, the IPS controller 29 is disabled, so that a problem such as a collision of the signal from the IPS controller 29 and the signal from the keyboard controller 14 may occur. Absent.

The second selector (S2) 26 includes a bidirectional analog switch circuit, and the first selector (S1).
28 has a port A and a port B to which the mouse interface of the IPS controller 28 is commonly connected, and a port A to which an external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller 14 is connected. The connector 27 is connected to either port A or port B. Selector (S2) 26
Is controlled by a switch signal KBSEL generated according to a second switch flag set in a predetermined register of the keyboard controller 14.

When the switch signal KBSEL is "0", the PS / 2 common connector 27 is connected to the selector (S2) 26.
Since it is connected to the port B, the external mouse can be used.

On the other hand, when the switch signal KBSEL is "1", the PS / 2 shared connector 27 causes the selector (S
2) Connected to port A of 26. As a result, the PS / 2 shared connector 27 is directly connected to the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller 14,
If a PS / 2 external keyboard is connected to the PS / 2 shared connector, that keyboard can be used.

Therefore, if the configuration of FIG. 1 is adopted, it becomes possible to support both the external keyboard and the external mouse with one PS / 2 shared connector 27. Further, the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller 14 and the mouse interface of the IPS controller 29 are also led to the PR / DS connector 31. Therefore, connect a port replicator or docking station to the PR / DS connector 31,
By connecting an external keyboard and an external mouse to the two connectors of the port replicator or docking station, the external keyboard and external mouse can be used at the same time.

The empty pins of the common connector 27 are
An external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller 14 is also connected. This state is shown in FIG. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the common connector 27 has 6 pins, and normally, the 2nd pin P2 and 6th pin P6 are unused, and the 1st pin P1 and 5th pin are unused. P5 is connected to the selector (S2) 26 and is used for communication with an external keyboard or external mouse.

In this embodiment, the unused 2nd pin P2 is connected to the KB data line of the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller 14, and the unused 6th pin P6 is connected to the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller 14. The KB clock line is connected. Further, a selector (S2) is provided on the first pin P1 for communication.
The data line selected by 26 and the fifth pin P5 are connected to the clock line selected by the selector (S2) 26.

The third pin P3 and the fourth pin P4 are used as a ground pin and a power source pin, respectively. A Y-branch cable 50 can be connected to the common connector 27. This Y-branch cable 50 is for branching the common connector 27 into a mouse connector 51 and a keyboard connector 52.
The six pins of the common connector 27 are respectively connected to the six pins of No. 1, and the keyboard connector 52 has its first pin P1 and fifth pin P5.
2nd pin P2 and 6th pin P6 of the common connector 27
Are twisted and connected.

Therefore, the selector (S2) 26 is connected to the port B.
If it is switched to the side, the external keyboard and the external mouse can be used at the same time by using the Y branch cable 50.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of FIG. 1 of the present invention. In the configuration of FIG. 4, a switch circuit (S5) is used in place of the selector (S1) 28 of FIG. 1, and the switch circuit (S5) includes a mouse interface of the keyboard controller 14 and an IPS controller 29. It is connected to the mouse interface and connects or disconnects between them. Also in the configuration of FIG. 4, the same effect as that of FIG. 1 can be obtained.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, the system BIOS
The keyboard initialization procedure executed by the keyboard driver of will be described. (Use of unused pins or PR / DS connection check) The system BIOS first sends a reset signal to the keyboard controller 14 to initialize the keyboard controller 14 (step S11). After that, when the reset completion code is received from the keyboard controller 14 (step S12), the switch of the selector (S3) is turned on to switch the selector (S2) 26 to the port B side (step S13).

Next, the system BIOS enables the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller 14 (step S14), and the external keyboard B
The AT end code is received (step S15). The system BIOS is the keyboard controller 14
Sends a keyboard reset signal to (step S
16) The ACK signal and the BAT end code are received from the keyboard controller 14 (step S17).

Upon receiving the keyboard reset signal, the keyboard controller 14 performs communication processing with the keyboard using the external keyboard interface, and determines whether or not the external keyboard is connected according to the communication result.
Here, since the selector (S2) 26 is switched to the port B side, normal communication with the external keyboard can be used when the external keyboard is connected via the port replicator or the docking station, and when Y This is the case where an external keyboard is connected via the branch cable 50.

Upon recognizing the presence of the external keyboard, the keyboard controller 14 keeps the switch S3 in the on state. On the other hand, when recognizing that there is no external keyboard, the keyboard controller 14 turns off the switch S3.

The system BIOS judges whether the switch of the selector (S3) is ON or OFF (step S18), and if the switch of the selector (S3) is ON, the port is transmitted via the PR / DS connector 31. It is determined that the external keyboard is connected via the replicator or the docking station, or the external keyboard is connected via the Y-branch cable 50, and this processing ends. At this time, the common connector 27
Is treated as if an external mouse is connected to.

(Check of shared connector) On the other hand, if the switch of the selector (S3) is off, the system BIOS
S shifts to a process for checking whether or not the common connector 27 is used. First, the system BIOS turns on the switch of the selector (S3) again to turn on the selector (S3).
2) 26 is switched to the A side this time (step S1)
9).

Next, the system BIOS enables the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller 14 (step S20), and the external keyboard B
The AT end code is received (step S21). The system BIOS is the keyboard controller 14
Sends a keyboard reset signal to (step S
22), the ACK signal and the BAT end code are received from the keyboard controller 14 (step S23).
Also at this time, the automatic determination process is performed by the keyboard controller 14, and the selector (S3) is turned on / off according to the result.

The system BIOS determines whether the switch of the selector (S3) is on or off (step S24). If the switch of the selector (S3) is off, the shared connector 27 has an external keyboard and an external keyboard. When it is determined that neither mouse is connected, this process ends. Also at this time, the shared connector 27 is treated as if an external mouse is connected.

(Keyboard / Mouse Discrimination) On the other hand, if the switch of the selector (S3) is on, the system BI
The OS determines that the connection to the common connector is made, and determines which of the external keyboard and the external mouse is connected. That is, the system BI
The OS first transmits a scan operation prohibition command of the scan controller (SCC) to the keyboard controller 14 (step S25), and then transmits a read ID command after receiving an ACK signal from the keyboard controller 14 (steps S26 and S27). ). The microcomputer of the external keyboard sends back a predetermined keyboard ID in response to the command from the keyboard controller 14.

The system BIOS judges the returned ID (step S28), and if the ID is the keyboard ID, judges that an external keyboard is connected to the common connector 27 (step S30). On the other hand, system B
If the returned ID is other than the keyboard ID, the IOS determines that a mouse is connected to the shared connector 27 (step S29).

If an external keyboard is connected to the shared connector 27, the system BIOS will operate as a selector (S
2) is set to the A side, and if the mouse is connected, the selector (S2) is set to the B side.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, both the external keyboard and the mouse can be shared by one connector, and the simultaneous use of the external keyboard and the mouse can be supported.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

2 is a shared connector and Y provided in the system of FIG.
The figure for demonstrating the connection relationship with a branch cable.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a keyboard controller provided in the system of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another system configuration example of the portable computer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of keyboard initialization processing required to use the shared connector in the system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... CPU, 12 ... Memory, 13 ... BIOS RO
M, 14 ... Keyboard controller, 25 ... Internal keyboard, 26 ... Second selector, 27 ... Common connector, 28
... first selector, 29 ... IPS controller, 30 ... pointing stick, 31 ... PR / DS connector.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A portable computer equipped with a pointing stick, comprising a keyboard controller for controlling key input, and a control IC for controlling the pointing stick and a mouse connected to a common connector provided on the computer body. And a control IC having a first interface to which the pointing stick is connected, a second interface to the common connector, and a third interface for connecting to a mouse interface of the keyboard controller, and the keyboard controller And a third interface of the control IC, the first connector connecting the common connector or the third interface of the control IC to the mouse interface of the keyboard controller. And a second selector that is provided between the common connector and the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller and that connects the common connector to the second interface of the control IC or the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller. The common connector has a communication pin used for communication with an external mouse or an external keyboard and an unused pin, the communication pin is connected to the second selector, and the unused pin is connected to the keyboard controller. A portable computer system characterized by being connected to an external keyboard interface. 2. A first connector for connecting an external mouse and a second connector for connecting an external keyboard, which are detachably connected to the common connector provided in the computer main body. The device further comprises a Y branching device for branching a shared connector into the first and second connectors, the first connector having a communication pin used for communication with an external mouse, the communication pin being the shared connector. Characterized in that the second connector has a communication pin used for communication with an external mouse, and the communication pin is connected to an unused pin of the shared connector. The portable computer system according to claim 1. 3. The computer further comprises an expansion connector which is provided in the computer body and to which an expansion unit is detachably connected. The expansion connector is connected to an external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller and a second interface of the control IC. The portable computer system according to claim 1, wherein the portable computer system is connected. 4. A portable computer provided with a pointing stick, a keyboard controller for controlling key input, and a control for controlling the pointing stick and a mouse connected to a mouse / keyboard shared connector provided on the computer body. A control IC having a first interface connected to the pointing stick, a second interface connected to the shared connector, and a third interface connected to a mouse interface of the keyboard controller, Provided between the mouse interface of the keyboard controller and the second interface of the control IC,
A switch for connecting or disconnecting between the two is provided between the common connector and the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller, and the common connector is connected to the second interface of the control IC or the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller. The selector has a plurality of selectors, the common connector has a communication pin used for communication with an external mouse or an external keyboard, and an unused pin, the communication pin is connected to the second selector, and the unused pin is A portable computer system connected to an external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller. 5. A first connector for connecting an external mouse and a second connector for connecting an external keyboard, which are detachably connected to the common connector provided in the computer main body. The device further comprises a Y branching device for branching a shared connector into the first and second connectors, the first connector having a communication pin used for communication with an external mouse, the communication pin being the shared connector. Characterized in that the second connector has a communication pin used for communication with an external mouse, and the communication pin is connected to an unused pin of the shared connector. The portable computer system according to claim 4. 6. The computer further comprises an expansion connector provided in the computer main body, to which an expansion unit is detachably connected, the expansion connector being connected to an external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller and a second interface of the control IC. The portable computer system according to claim 4, wherein the portable computer system is connected. 7. A keyboard controller for controlling key input, a common connector provided in the computer body, to which an external mouse or an external keyboard can be connected, and the common connector provided between the common connector and the keyboard controller. And a selector for connecting to an external keyboard interface or mouse interface of the keyboard controller, the shared connector having a communication pin used for communication with an external mouse or an external keyboard, and an unused pin. Is connected to the selector, and the unused pins are connected to an external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller, a portable computer, a first connector for connecting an external mouse, and a second connector for connecting an external keyboard. And a connector, wherein is removably connected to said common connector provided in the computer main body, a Y branching device which branches the common connector to said first and second connectors, said first
The connector has a communication pin used for communication with an external mouse, the communication pin is connected to a communication pin of the shared connector, and the second connector is used for communication with the external mouse. Y which is connected to an unused pin of the common connector.
In a connection switching method for a shared connector in a system including a branching device, the selector is controlled to connect the shared connector to a mouse interface of the keyboard controller, and an external keyboard using the external keyboard interface for the keyboard controller. Communication is performed, and it is determined whether unused pins of the shared connector are used for communication with the external keyboard according to the communication result, and the unused pins are used for communication with the external keyboard. If not, the selector is controlled to connect the shared connector to the external keyboard interface of the keyboard controller, cause the keyboard controller to perform communication with an external keyboard using the external keyboard interface, and perform the communication. According to the result, it is determined whether an external keyboard or an external mouse is connected to the shared connector, and when either the external keyboard or the external mouse is connected to the shared connector, the external keyboard is attached to the keyboard controller. The ID is read from the external keyboard using the interface, and the ID
A method for switching connection of a common connector, characterized in that it determines whether an external keyboard or an external mouse is connected to the common connector according to the value of, and controls the connection destination of the selector according to the result of the judgment. ..