JPH10155033A - Portable telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attach and detach an external storage device without increasing the volume and number of components of the portable telephone set main body by providing the external storage device that is connected to the portable telephone set through the use of an I/O connector being an existing external interface, thereby unnecessitating the provision of an exclusive interface to the portable telephone set main body. SOLUTION: An external storage device 2 is composed of an I/O connector B9 to connect a data line, a serial parallel converter 10 that converts serial data into parallel data, an external storage circuit A11 for data write/read, and a backup battery 12 that is used to stored data stored in the external storage circuit A11. Then a built-in control program is used to control data written/read to/from an internal storage circuit 6 so as to be inputted/outputted from/to an I/O connector A8 being an existing interface specified for the portable telephone set 1 as serial data when a command is entered by key operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable telephone, and more particularly, to a portable telephone to which an external storage device can be attached.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some recent mobile phones have a memory dial function, a telephone directory function, a voice memo function, and the like. These functions use a user memory.
There is a case where the capacity of the user memory built in the ordinary mobile phone becomes insufficient, and these functions cannot be fully utilized. In order to make full use of these functions, a user memory having a large storage capacity is required. However, if a memory circuit having a large storage capacity is built in the main body of the mobile phone, problems such as an increase in the size of the device arise. Therefore, some portable telephones have a structure in which an external storage device is mounted, as in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-21868 “External storage device for portable radio telephone”.

FIG. 6A is a block diagram schematically showing the structure of a conventional portable telephone having an external storage device, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the external structure. In FIG. External storage device. In this mobile phone, the external storage device 2 including the dedicated interface unit 29, the external storage circuit 30, and the power supply connection unit 32 is attached to the mounting position of the mobile phone main body 1 having the dedicated interface unit 28 by the battery unit. When the external storage device 2 is not mounted, the battery unit 31 is directly mounted on the mobile phone main body 1.

[0006] Both the portable telephone 1 and the external storage device 2 are provided with dedicated interface units 28 and 29, and the interface units 28 and 29 input and output data to and from the external storage device 2. The data input by the user from the key input unit 26 on the mobile phone 1 is as follows:
The processing is performed by the control unit 24 and written into the external storage circuit 30 via the storage circuit 27 or the interface units 28 and 29,
The data stored in the storage circuit 27 or the external storage circuit 30 is read out under the control of the control unit 24 and displayed on the display unit 25 of the mobile phone 1.

[0005]

As described above, when the telephone directory function and the voice memo function are used in the conventional portable telephone,
In a mobile phone without an external storage device, necessary data cannot be stored because of a small storage capacity. In particular, when recording voice such as a voice memo function, the limit is several tens of seconds. In addition, when one person uses a plurality of mobile phones, it is necessary to register a necessary telephone number and input the same data for each mobile phone, and data cannot be shared by a plurality of mobile phones. And so on.

[0006] Even for a portable telephone equipped with an external storage device, a conventional portable telephone requires a dedicated interface unit, which requires parts and mounting space, and increases costs. Further, since the external storage device can be used only for a mobile phone provided with the same interface, for example, when a different type of mobile phone is used repeatedly in a company or the like, there is a problem that the external storage device cannot be used. there were.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and it is not necessary to provide a special interface unit for a mobile phone, and an external storage device which can be mounted on a mobile phone of a different model is provided. It is intended to provide a mobile phone.

[0008]

A portable telephone according to the present invention comprises a detachable external storage device comprising a serial / parallel converter, a storage circuit capable of reading and writing data, and a power supply for backing up the storage circuit. , An external interface, that is, an I / O connector.

More specifically, in a portable telephone to which an external storage device can be connected, when a command is input by key operation, data to be written to and read from an internal storage circuit is converted into an existing interface standardized by the portable telephone. I /
A mobile phone main body containing a control program which is controlled to be input / output as serial data from the O connector A, an I / O connector B connected to the I / O connector A, and connected to the I / O connector B; A serial-to-parallel converter, a storage circuit connected to the serial-to-parallel converter and capable of writing and reading data, and an external storage device configured with a power supply for backing up the storage circuit and detachable from the main body of the mobile phone. It is characterized by having. Therefore, the external storage device into which the data has been written can be shared by other types of mobile phones.

An I / O connector A connected to the I / O connector A
I / O connector B, serial / parallel converter connected to this I / O connector B, storage having a memory connected to this serial / parallel converter and capable of writing, reading and holding data without the need for backup by a power supply An external storage device comprising a circuit and detachable from the mobile phone main body is provided.

Also, when a command is input by a key operation, data to be written to and read from the internal storage circuit is
Input / output to / from the internal storage device as it is or
It is characterized by having a mobile phone main body incorporating a control program for allowing a user to select whether to input / output as serial data from the connector A. Therefore, the user can easily select a storage circuit to be stored according to the type and length of data.

Also, "writing to an internal storage circuit", "reading from an internal storage circuit", "writing to an external storage device",
Commands are provided which can specify “read from external storage device”. These commands are input by key operation in a state where the external storage device is mounted, so that writing to the internal storage circuit and the internal A mobile phone main body having a control program for executing reading from a storage circuit, writing to the external storage device, or reading from the external storage device is provided. Therefore, the number of input commands required for the operation can be reduced and the key operation can be simplified.

Further, when data is read or written in the internal storage circuit while the external storage device is mounted, it is detected that the storage capacity of the internal storage circuit is full, A portable telephone main body incorporating a control program for inputting / outputting the data to / from the external storage device and continuing writing / reading of the data in the storage circuit. Therefore, a large amount of data can be written and read continuously.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a mobile phone, and 2 is an external storage device. In the mobile phone 1, 3 is a display unit, 4 is a key operation unit, 5 is a control unit, 6 is an internal storage circuit,
Reference numeral 7 denotes a parallel-serial converter, and 8 denotes an I / O connector A which is an existing external interface. This mobile phone 1 is different from an existing mobile phone except that a control program (not shown) of the control unit 5 is different. The configuration is the same. In the external storage device 2, 9 is an I / O connector B, 10 is a serial / parallel converter, 11 is an external storage circuit A, 12
Is a backup battery for holding data stored in the external storage circuit A11.

A mobile phone is usually provided with an I / O connector which is an existing interface of the RCR standard for connecting a personal computer or an in-vehicle adapter. The present invention constitutes an external storage device capable of inputting / outputting data to / from the mobile phone 1 using this I / O connector. As a result, an external storage device that can be used for different models can be obtained. That is, an I / O connector B for connecting a data line, a serial / parallel converter 10 for converting serial data into parallel data, an external storage circuit A11 for writing and reading data, and an external storage circuit A11. By configuring the external storage device 2 with the backup battery 12 for holding the stored data, the data to be written to and read from the internal storage circuit 6 by the input of a command by key operation is portable. I / O connector A, which is an existing interface standardized for telephones
By using a mobile phone having a built-in control program that is controlled so as to be input / output as serial data from 8, a general-purpose external storage device that can be used even with mobile phones of different models can be obtained.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 denote the same or corresponding parts.
Reference numeral 13 denotes an external storage circuit B including a memory capable of writing, reading, and holding data without requiring a backup power supply. That is, in the second embodiment, the external storage circuit B13 is configured by a memory that does not require a backup power supply, thereby making the backup battery 12 unnecessary.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the state of waiting for key input after the power of the mobile phone 1 is turned on (step 301), when the user inputs a command for selecting data reading or writing with the key operation unit 4 while checking the command on the display unit 3 ( Step 302), the mobile phone 1 uses the internal storage circuit 6
Or an external storage device 2 to wait for an input to select either (step 303). If the user selects the internal storage circuit 6 here, the control unit 5
(Step 304), and the user can write or read data while checking on the display unit 3 (step 305). Then, by inputting an end command (step 311), the process returns to the state of waiting for input (step 301).

When a command for selecting the external storage device 2 is input in step 303, the control unit 5 specifies the address of the external storage circuit A11 (step 306).
First, it is confirmed whether or not the external storage device 2 is mounted (step 307). One way to do this is
A method for preparing a port for connection confirmation in the I / O connectors A8 and B9, or connection confirmation data is output from the external storage circuit A11 when an address is designated, and the data is read by the control unit 5. And the like. When the external storage device 2 is not connected,
An indication that the external storage device is not connected is displayed on the display unit 3 (step 309), and the process returns to the initial state of waiting for key input (step 301).

If the connection of the external storage device 2 is confirmed in step 307, the user can write or read data while confirming the data on the display unit 3 (step 308). Here, the data path will be described. Parallel data input by the key operation unit 4 and transmitted from the control unit 5 is converted into serial data by the parallel / serial converter 7 and the I / O connector A8 is connected to the I / O connector A8. The signal is input to the serial / parallel converter 10 via the O-connector B9, and the serial / parallel converter 10
The original parallel data is returned to the external storage circuit A11.
And is written to the external storage circuit A11. In the case of reading, it is displayed on the display unit 3 along the reverse route. When an end command is input (step 310), the process ends and returns to a state of waiting for input (step 301).
Therefore, whether the writing and reading of data are performed by the internal storage circuit 6,
It is possible to adopt a configuration in which the user can select whether to perform the processing using the external storage circuit A11. The above operation can be easily realized by the control program of the control unit 5.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the above-described third embodiment, in the state of waiting for key input (step 301),
When a command to select data reading or writing is input (step 302), the operation is performed so as to be in an input waiting state for selecting either the internal storage circuit 6 or the external storage device 2 (step 302). ), "Write to internal storage circuit", "read from internal storage circuit", "write to external storage device", and "command to read from external storage device". Step 3
02 is omitted, and step 303
The subsequent operation is the same as that of the third embodiment shown in FIG. With this configuration, the number of necessary input commands can be reduced, and the key operation can be simplified.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the fifth embodiment, when the mobile phone 1 is writing or reading data to or from the internal storage circuit 6 and the storage capacity of the internal storage circuit 6 is full, the data is automatically transferred to the external storage circuit A11. The input and output are switched to continue writing and reading.
First, from the state of waiting for key input (step 301), when writing or reading is performed by selecting the internal storage circuit 6 (steps 303 to 305), the capacity of the internal storage circuit 6 becomes full during the operation. When the control unit 5 detects the fullness of the capacity of the internal storage circuit in step 312, the process proceeds to step 306, where the control unit 5 specifies the address of the external storage circuit A11. The writing and reading are continued. The control unit 5 determines whether or not the storage capacity of the internal storage circuit 6 is full, for example, by a method of determining the remaining storage capacity by time. Other operations are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. With this configuration, writing and reading of long data can be performed continuously.

[0022]

As described above, the portable telephone of the present invention has an I / O which is an external interface existing in the portable telephone.
Since an external storage device that can be connected using a connector is provided, there is no need to provide a dedicated interface on the mobile phone main body, and the external storage device can be attached and detached without increasing the volume and the number of parts of the mobile phone main body. Can be configured. In addition, since the external storage device can be reused even if the model is different, it is particularly effective when a new mobile phone is replaced or when a plurality of mobile phones are reused. Further, by monitoring the storage capacity of the internal storage circuit and automatically switching to the external storage circuit when the storage capacity is full, there is an effect that continuous long data can be written and read. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a mobile phone provided with a conventional external storage device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 mobile phone (main body) 2 external storage device 3 display unit 4 key operation unit 5 control unit 6 internal storage circuit 7 parallel-serial converter 8 I / O connector A 9 I / O connector B 10 serial-parallel converter 11 external storage circuit A 12 Backup battery 13 External storage circuit B 28 Dedicated interface unit 29 Dedicated interface unit 31 Battery unit 32 Power supply connection terminal

Claims (5)

[Claims] In a portable telephone to which an external storage device can be connected, when a command is input by a key operation, data to be written to and read from an internal storage circuit is an existing interface standardized by the portable telephone. A mobile phone main body incorporating a control program controlled to be input / output as serial data from the I / O connector A, an I / O connector B connected to the I / O connector A, and a connection to the I / O connector B A serial-to-parallel converter, a storage circuit connected to the serial-to-parallel converter and capable of writing and reading data, and an external storage device which is constituted by a power supply for backing up the storage circuit and which is detachable from the portable telephone body. A mobile phone, comprising: 2. An I / O connected to the I / O connector A.
A storage circuit having a connector B, a serial / parallel converter connected to the I / O connector B, and a memory connected to the serial / parallel converter and capable of writing, reading, and holding data without the need for backup by a power supply. The mobile phone according to claim 1, further comprising an external storage device configured and detachable from the mobile phone main body. 3. When a command is input by a key operation, data written to or read from an internal storage circuit is directly input / output to / from the internal storage device, or is serialized from the I / O connector A. 3. The mobile phone according to claim 1, further comprising a mobile phone main body having a control program for allowing a user to select input / output or input / output. 4. A command is provided which can designate “write to internal storage circuit”, “read from internal storage circuit”, “write to external storage device”, and “read from external storage device”. By inputting these commands by key operation while the external storage device is mounted, writing to the internal storage circuit, reading from the internal storage circuit, writing to the external storage device, or 4. The mobile phone according to claim 1, further comprising: a mobile phone main body having a control program for executing reading from said external storage device.
The mobile phone described in the item. 5. When reading and writing data in the internal storage circuit while the external storage device is mounted, it is detected that the storage capacity of the internal storage circuit is full, and 2. A portable telephone main body having a control program for inputting / outputting the data to / from the external storage device and continuing writing / reading of the data in the storage circuit. The mobile phone according to claim 4.