KR20020048330A - apparatus for communication interface of information equipment using a portable memory interface - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A communication interface device of an information device using a portable memory interface is provided to make a serial communication possible without a PC communication interface by sharing a data bus for a memory when a digital device using a portable memory connects to an external device. CONSTITUTION: The communication interface device comprises a socket(150) for installing an attachable communication adaptor to connect a portable memory card(210) or the information device with the external device and a device judging unit judging whether the device installed to the socket is the portable memory card or the external communication adaptor(220). A controller(120) carries out an operation for accessing to the installed portable memory card in case of installing the portable memory card, and carries out the communication with the external device connecting through the external communication adaptor in case of installing the external communication adaptor.

Description

Apparatus for communication interface of information equipment using portable memory interface {apparatus for communication interface of information equipment using a portable memory interface}

The present invention relates to a communication interface device of an information apparatus using a portable memory interface.

In recent notebook type personal computers, PC card slots are usually equipped. By attaching a PC card to this PC card slot, it is possible to extend the function of a notebook personal computer. PC cards include flash memory cards, modem cards, SCSI cards, and the like.

The PC card conforms to the PC card standard specification, and its outer shape has a rectangular flat shape of 54.0 mm short side and 85.6 mm long side, having a thickness of 3.3 mm (type I), 5.0 mm (type II), There are three types of things that are 10.5 mm (type III).

On the other hand, in a small information device such as a digital camera, an electronic notebook, a mobile phone, or the like, due to the strong demand for miniaturization, it is impossible to use a PC card as it is, and thus a smaller CF (Compactflash) card Is often used. A representative example of a CF card is a flash memory card, which is used for storing data of an image captured by a digital camera, schedules or address data in an electronic notebook.

The CF card conforms to the CFA (CompactFlash Association) standard and has a rectangular shape of 36.4 mm short side and 42.5 mm long side in plan view, and has a thickness of 3.3 mm (type I) and 5.0 mm (type II). There are two kinds of things.

In addition, small memory cards specialized in memory functions are used in digital cameras, digital voice recorders, mobile phones, and the like. This compact memory card is a package in which the die of a memory IC is sealed with resin as it is, and its thickness is extremely thin. Such memory cards include smart media (SSFDC: Solid State Floppy Disk Card), miniature cards, memory sticks, multimedia cards, and the like.

The external dimensions of this card are as follows.

Smart Media (SM) 37 × 45 × 0.76 mm

Miniature Cards (MC) 38 × 33 × 3.5 mm

Memory stick (MS) 50 * 21.5 * 2.8mm

Multi-Media Card (MMC) 32 × 24 × 1.4 mm

Since small information devices are not limited to having sufficient data processing capability, image data collected by a data camera can be inserted into a notebook personal computer for editing, or data can be exchanged between an electronic notebook and a notebook personal computer. There is often an inevitable need.

However, even if a CF card or a small memory card is mounted in a notebook personal computer for inserting data of the small information device into the notebook personal computer, for example, the PC card slot is configured in accordance with the PC card standard. It is impossible to mount.

Therefore, a card connection adapter for connecting a CF card or a small memory card to a PC card slot has been conventionally provided.

This type of card connection adapter includes a PC card-shaped housing, a first connection portion provided at the front end of the housing and connected to a PC card slot or a small memory card, and installed in the housing to a CF card or a small memory. It has a 2nd connection part to be connected. In the housing, a card accommodating space for accommodating a CF card or a small memory card is formed, and the card accommodating space is opened toward the rear end in relation to the insertion direction when the adapter for card connection is mounted in the PC card slot. Doing. When the thickness of the small card is close to the thickness of the card connection adapter, the card accommodation space may be open upward and / or downward. In either case, the small card is inserted and mounted in the direction corresponding to the insertion direction when the card connection adapter is mounted in the PC card slot at the rear end of the card connection adapter.

On the other hand, digital devices using portable memory have become an obstacle to the miniaturization trend of portable digital devices by using a separate connector for parallel communication or USB (Universal Serial Bus) communication for the purpose of connecting a memory socket and a PC.

In addition, the circuit inside the digital device has a separate data line and control line for communication, which makes it difficult to use the circuit space of the PCB.

Disclosure of Invention The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and an object thereof is to provide a communication interface device for an information apparatus using a portable memory interface that can use a portable memory interface and a communication interface.

1 is a structural diagram of a communication interface device using a portable memory interface according to the present invention installed in an information apparatus having a portable memory card.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the device determination unit illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram illustrating converting four lines of a memory access line into a USB line through a multi-switch according to the present invention. FIG.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: information device 110: external interface]

120: control unit 130: peripheral IC

140: device determination unit 141: pull-up resistor

150 socket portion 151 pin

160: multi-switch 210: memory card

220: external communication adapter 230: PC

A communication interface device for an information device using a portable memory interface according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a portable information device having a portable memory card, the portable memory card and communication adapter for connecting an external device to the information device A socket unit for detachably installing, a device determination unit determining whether the device mounted on the socket unit is a portable memory card or an external communication adapter, and when the portable memory card is mounted according to the determination result of the determination unit of the device, The controller is configured to perform an operation for accessing the mounted portable memory card, and to perform communication with an external device connected through an external communication adapter when the external communication adapter is mounted.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a structural diagram of a communication interface device using a portable memory interface according to the present invention installed in an information apparatus including a portable memory card.

Referring to FIG. 1, an external interface 110, a control unit 120, a peripheral IC 130, a device determination unit 140, and a socket unit 150 are installed in the information device 100. The memory card 210 or the external communication adapter 220 may be coupled to the socket part 150.

The external interface 110 is an interface in which the information device outputs a signal to the outside or receives a signal from the outside. For example, an earphone port for plugging in an earphone jack or a microphone for receiving a voice signal may be used.

When the portable memory card is mounted according to the determination result of the device determining unit 140, the controller 120 performs an operation for accessing the mounted portable memory card, and when the external communication adapter 220 is mounted, Communicate with external devices connected via the communication adapter. The controller 120 may be implemented as a microcomputer that can perform such a function.

The peripheral IC 130 is a functional IC chip for performing a function of the information device according to the use of the information device.

The device determination unit 140 determines whether the device mounted in the socket unit 150 is a portable memory card or an external communication adapter 220. To this end, when the portable memory card is mounted in the socket unit 150, the insertion of the portable memory card 210 is detected to generate a first status signal to the control unit 120, and an adapter for external communication is provided in the socket unit 150. When mounted, it may be configured to generate a second status signal.

The socket 150 may include a portable memory card 210 and a communication adapter 220 for connecting an external device to an information device.

Most digital devices use a portable memory, and for this purpose, a socket unit (or connector) 150 to connect the portable memory card 210 is required.

The most important point of the present invention is to enable connection of the PC 230 through the portable memory socket 15 without using a separate PC connection socket in a digital device using a portable memory card.

In this case, the adapter 220 for external communication should be present in the PC connection cable to fit the memory socket 150.

The external communication adapter 220 may be connected using a connection terminal having a shape similar to that of the portable memory. In this case, the similar shape refers to a card-shaped adapter corresponding to the socket for the portable memory.

For example, when a parallel portable memory (SMC card) is used, when communication is required, the memory access data line is converted to a parallel communication line and connected to a PC, and the memory access control lines are converted to a communication control line. do.

Comparing the line for memory access with the line for communication is as follows.

Line for Memory Access PC communication line (ECP communication) Data line Data bus eight lines Data bus 8 lines Control line ALE, CLE, WP, WE, R / B, RE, CE, Protect 8 lines Peripheral-CLK, Peripheral-ACK, Ack-reverse, Xflag, ReverseRequest, 1284Active, Host-CLK, Host-Ack 8 lines

After confirming the memory insertion in the control unit 120 serves to access the external memory card 210, when the external communication adapter 220 for connecting to the PC 230 instead of the memory card 210 entered Recognizes this and performs parallel communication.

That is, the controller 120 alternately performs control memory access and Enhanced Capability Port (ECP) communication.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of recognizing a case in which a PC connection connection adapter is mounted, and is a detailed configuration block diagram of the device determination unit 140 illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, a pull-up resistor 141 is connected to a pin 151 which is connected to the ground terminal GND of the socket portion, so that the pin 151 is not inserted when the portable memory card 210 is not inserted. The ground to the ground terminal GND is cut off, and a high signal is provided to the controller 120. When the portable memory card 210 is inserted, a pin (through a puncturing portion 211 formed in the portable memory card 210 is inserted). 151 is configured to be grounded to ground GND.

The ground (GND) line of the portable memory card (SMC card) socket portion 150 is composed of six pins. One of them 151 is used as a means of recognition. In other words, it is to check whether the memory socket is mounted on the memory or the PC connection terminal.

In this way, the pull-up resistor 141 is connected to the pin 151 connected to the GND so that the controller 120 recognizes the signal as a high signal, and when the SMC card is connected, falls to the GND to connect to the memory. PC adapter 220 is distinguished. At this time, one of the six pins of GND can be used as a recognition terminal.

Non-parallel SD cards and MMC cards can also be used to communicate.

The parallel method is possible because the number of pins is the same as PC communication (ECP communication), but for other cards, the number of pins does not match each other, so ECP communication is not possible. However, when connecting to the PC 230 through the socket 150 may use USB communication instead of ECP communication.

3 is a structural diagram illustrating converting four lines of a memory access line into a USB line through a multi-switch according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, a multi-switch 160 is provided between the memory access line, the USB line, and the socket 150.

When the pins of the portable memory card 210 are less than the pins of the external communication adapter, the multi-switch 160 inserts the external communication adapter 220 into the socket part 150 to allow the multi-switch 160 to enter the digital device 100. It converts a certain number of installed memory access lines into pre-installed USB lines, and performs the function of matching the total number of pre-installed USB lines and converted lines with the pin number of the external communication adapter.

That is, when four lines of the memory access lines are converted to the USB lines through the multi switch 160, communication with the PC is possible through the connection terminal of the memory socket unit 150.

According to the present invention, when an external device is connected to a digital device using a portable memory, the data bus for the memory can be shared in common without a separate PC communication interface, and parallel communication is possible, and space of the device can be saved. In addition, by not using a connection jack, it can be connected to a PC with a smaller product.

Claims (5)

An information apparatus comprising a portable memory card, A socket for detachably installing a communication adapter for connecting an external device to the portable memory card and the information device; A device determination unit determining whether the device mounted in the socket is a portable memory card or the external communication adapter; When the portable memory card is mounted according to the determination result of the determination unit of the interface, an operation for accessing the mounted portable memory card is performed, and when the external communication adapter is mounted, an external device connected through the external communication adapter is connected. Communication interface device of an information apparatus using a portable memory interface including a control unit for performing communication. The method of claim 1, wherein the device determination unit, When the portable memory card is mounted in the socket, the controller detects the insertion of the portable memory card and generates a first status signal in the controller. When the portable communication card is mounted in the socket, the second status signal is output. Communication interface device for information equipment using a portable memory interface to generate. The method of claim 2, The first state signal is a high signal, the second state signal is a low signal, When the portable memory card is not inserted by connecting a pull-up resistor to a pin that is connected to the ground terminal of the socket part, the pin is blocked from being grounded to the ground terminal so that a high signal is provided to the controller, and the portable memory card is inserted. The communication interface device of the information apparatus using a portable memory interface configured to ground the pin to the ground through a perforation formed in the portable memory card. The method of claim 1, wherein the pin of the portable memory card is smaller than the pin of the external communication adapter. By inserting the external communication adapter into the socket portion, a predetermined number of memory access lines pre-installed in the information device are converted into pre-installed USB lines, and the total number of pre-installed USB lines and switched lines and Communication interface device of the information device using a portable memory interface further comprises a multi-switch to match the pin number of the external communication adapter. The communication interface device of an information apparatus using a portable memory interface according to claim 1, wherein the external communication adapter is a card type adapter detachable from the socket.