MXPA01009481A - Repeater - Google Patents

Abstract

A repeater has multiple operation terminal connections to which operation terminals are connected, multiple external memory device connections that are set in correspondence with the operation terminal connections and to which external memory devices are connected, and a main body connection terminal with which an electronic device main body is connected. The repeater makes possible communication between electronic device main body and connected operation terminals and external memory devices. An independent operation terminal communication system and an independent external memory device communication system are integrated into a main body connection terminal, hereby enabling simultaneous connection of such communication systems with the operation terminal connection and memory device connection on the electronic device main body.

Description

REPEATER FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a repeater that can be used, for example, with an entertainment device operated by several people, and more particularly to a repeater having multiple operation terminal connections to which the operation terminals are connected, multiple external memory device connections that are set to correspond to the operation terminal connections and to which the external memory devices are connected, and a main body connection terminal to be connected to an electronic device main body, said repeater making possible the communication between the terminals of operation and connected external memory devices and the main body of the electronic device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION To date, an electronic device, such as an entertainment device for home use, has been conventionally constructed in such a way that a controller or other operating terminal is connected to the main body of the device, and a memory card or other device of external memory that stores different data concerning the operating environment of the operation terminal and the state of the game that is executed in the entertainment device, also connected to the main body of the device. Meanwhile, in recent years, in order to allow several people to run a game simultaneously, devices have become known in which, without directly connecting an operating terminal to the main body of the entertainment device, a repeater is connected to the main body of the entertainment device, and the operation terminals may be multiple connected simultaneously to this repeater. If said repeater is used, the multiple operation terminals can be connected to a simple repeater, which gives the advantage that diversification of the game can be done, with several people running a game with the entertainment device. But in an entertainment device in which multiple operating terminals may be simultaneously connected to the main body of the device through said repeater, previously, an external memory device was directly connected to the main body of the device. Therefore, there is a problem that if the individual data of each operation terminal will be stored in the external memory device, it is necessary to divide the memory region of the external memory device and record the individual data in each memory region, and reconnecting the external memory device to each operation terminal and registering them, and the external memory device can be reinserted for each operation terminal that can not ensure sufficient memory region. In this way, technology has been proposed that provides for the reduction of the complicated nature of reinserting external memory devices and that ensures a memory region for each operation terminal, by providing in the repeater a number of connections of external memory device that correspond to the operation terminals that will be connected and connect the internal memory devices corresponding to the number of operation terminals that will be connected to these external memory device connections (see patent without reviewing H8-191951 [1996]). But with the technology of the prior art described above, the main body of the entertainment device and repeater are connected by a communication system. With signal input to the repeater through this communication system, it must first be decided within the repeater whether a signal is for an operating terminal or for an external memory device, then the signal is emitted to an operating terminal or to a external memory device, and this composition implies the problem that time is needed for this communication. In particular, with the faster speed of central processing devices in recent years, there is a need for a repeater in which high-speed communications can be made with the main body of the entertainment device and which is simple to connect to the body main device. The purpose of this invention is to provide a repeater that ensures high speed communication between the main body of the electronic device and the operating terminal or the external memory device, and which is simple to connect to the main body of the electronic device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A repeater is provided with multiple operation terminal connections to which the operation terminals are connected, multiple external memory device connections that are established to correspond to the operation terminal connections and to which the external memory devices are connected. , and a main body connection terminal that will be connected to a main body of the electronic device, and that makes possible the communication between the connected external memory and operation terminals and said main body of the electronic device. The communication between the repeater and the main body of the electronic device is carried out by means of an independent operation terminal communication system and a communication system of the external memory device, and said main body connection terminal is constituted by the integration of a operation terminal communication terminal constituting said operation terminal communication system and a communication terminal of the external memory device constituting said external memory device communication system. The communication system of operation terminal and communication system of external memory device are constituted independently, so that the input and output of signals can be performed separately between the main body of the electronic device and operating terminals and external memory devices, and high-speed communication can be performed through the repeater between the operating terminals or external memory devices and the main body of the electronic device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of an entertainment device incorporating the repeater of the present invention. Figure 2 is a horizontal projection of the repeater of the present invention. Figure 3 is a side view of the repeater of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the repeater of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a block diagram of the structure of communication systems in the repeater of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the structure of the connecting terminal of the main body of the repeater of the present invention. Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the connection terminal of the main body of Figure 6 mounted on a main body of the electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The following detailed description is of the best mode or modes of the invention currently contemplated. Said description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but as an example of the invention presented exclusively for illustration thereof, and that with reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, one skilled in the art can become aware of the advantages and advantages of the invention. construction of the invention. In the different views of the drawings, similar reference characters designate similar or similar parts. Figure 1 illustrates an entertainment device consisting of a main body of the device 10, a plurality of controllers 30, each of which serves as a control terminal, a plurality of memory cards 50, each of which serves as an external memory device and the repeater 70. The main body of the device 10, which is conventionally connected to an audio output device (not shown), has the function of reading games, images and other application programs stored in a computer. optical disk, etc. and executing said programs when deployed in said audiovisual output device according to the instructions given by the operator using a controller 30. The main body of the device 10 further comprises a main board, power source unit, disk device, and input and output signal control board (none shown), which are housed within the cabinet 11. The main board (not shown), which controls the device as a set, has a control system (not shown) consisting of a CPU and its peripheral devices, a graphics system (not shown) that includes a GPU that draws images, and a sound system that plays music and sound effects, etc. The power source unit (not shown), which supplies power to the peripheral devices within the entertainment device, also supplies power to the controller 30, memory card 50, and repeater 70, which are connected to the main body of the device. device 10. This power source unit can be manipulated by turning on the master switch (not shown) on the back of the cabinet 11 and operating switch 12 on the right side of the cabinet 11. The disk device, which plays CD -ROM, DVD-ROM, and other optical discs, has a main body that includes an optical pickup unit (not shown) disposed within the cabinet 11 and a disk tray 13 by which an optical disc is loaded into the main body , with the end face of the disk tray 13 being exposed on the front right side of the cabinet 11. The disk tray 13 is operated by the switch 14 located at the top or the disk tray 13. The input and output signal control board (not shown) has an optical disk controller that controls the optical disk in which the application programs are recorded, and a communication controller that performs the communication between the main body of the entertainment device 10 and external devices. The optical disk controller has for example, a decoder that decodes programs or data, registered with an attached error correction code, and a buffer that increases the speed of reading the data from the optical disk by temporarily recording data from the optical disk. Connected to the communication controller is the connection of controller 15 and card slot 16, which are arranged in the device 10 shown in figure 1 on the left front side of the cabinet 11 and, arranged below them, the device connection external 17, which is in compliance with USB. The communication controller performs communication control with the external devices connected to these connections. Also provided in the main body of the device 10 of Figure 1 is a PCMCIA slot (not shown) and an audiovisual output terminal (not shown), and these are also connected to the communication controller and are controlled in a similar manner. As shown in Figure 1, the controller 30, which serves as an operation terminal and outputs operation signals to the main body of the device 10, has a main body 31, operation switches 2, which are preferably arranged in the top and side of the main body of the controller 31, and a connection terminal 33 for directly connecting with the repeater 70 or with the main body of the entertainment device 10. As an external memory device, the memory card 50 has memory snapshot mounted on the board and a box housing the board including this flash memory, and an electrically conductive pattern is formed at the end of the board as is known in the art. In other words, a card-edge connector by which the electrical connection is made, is adopted as the connection structure of the memory card 50, when said board end is inserted into the prescribed socket, for example, card slot 16 of the main body of the entertainment device 10. The state of advancement and adjustment of a game or other application can be recorded on this memory card 50., and when a game ends, signals are emitted from the main body of the entertainment device 10 to the memory card 50 in order to maintain the state. And when a game that has been paused is resumed at a later date, when the main body of the entertainment device 10 starts, the information recorded on this memory card 50 is loaded or transferred into the main body of the entertainment device 10. As shown in Figures 2-4, the repeater 70 has a main body 71, cable 73, and a connecting terminal of the main body 75. The main body of the repeater 71, preferably consists of a cabinet 717 housing four controller connections 711, four card slots 713 and control board 715. Each controller connection 711 has the same structure as the controller connection 15 of the main body of the entertainment device 10, and each card slot 713 has the same structure that the card slot 16 of the main body of the entertainment device 10. Attached to the controller 711 connections, which serve as the As operation terminal connections, connection terminals 33 of said controller 30 are found (see Figure 1). The card slots 713, which serve as the external memory device connections, are provided on top of the controller connections 711 corresponding to the arrangement of said controller connections 711, and the memory cards 50 are inserted and connected to it. Said controller 711 connections and card slots 713 are joined in two boards 719, which are arranged approximately symmetrically around the cable 73 in the center, i.e., the pair of controller 711 connections and the pair of card slots. 713 are arranged facing each other to the rear surface part, and this combination is arranged in two rows in a direction perpendicular to the direction facing forward (see Figure 4). The two controller connections 711 and card slots 713 that make up each row are electrically connected by boards 719, and are connected to the control board 715 through the connector 721.

As shown in Figure 5, the control board 715 has a controller connection switch 715A, which is electrically connected to the controller 711 connections, memory card slot switch 715B, which is electrically connected to the card slots 713, and communication controller 715C, which controls the communication of switches 715A and 715B. The controller connection switch 715A is connected to any of the four controller connections 711 and to the controller connection 15 of the main body of the entertainment device 10. The memory card slot switch 715B is connected to any of the four card slots 713 and with the card slot 16 of the main body of the entertainment device 10. The communication controller 715C receives instructions from the main body of the entertainment device 10 and controls the controller connection switch 715A and card slot switch of memory 715B. That is, a controller communication system including said controller connection 15 and the four controller connections 711, and a memory card communication system including said card slot 16 and the four card slots 713, are constituted as independent communication systems, and the communication controller 715C performs interruption control of said communication system. Therefore, also within the cable 73, the two systems are independently configured and exchange signals with the main body of the entertainment system 10. In other words, the control signals of the main body of the entertainment device 10 are supplied to through the controller communication system to the communication controller 715C, and the composition is such that based on these signals, the connection of the controller connection switch 715A and the memory card slot switch 715B is made through the 715C communication controller. Turning now to Figures 2 and 3, the repeater cabinet 717 consists of a rectangular box-shaped body having a relief pattern of multiple projecting horizontal stripes 723 at its side. The openings 725 and 727 are formed as along the fringes projecting into positions corresponding to the arrangement of the controller connections 711, and the controller connections 711 are exposed therethrough. The openings 727 are formed in positions corresponding to the card slot arrangement 713 and are covered by cover elements 729, which open and close when a memory card is inserted and removed. As shown in Figure 6, the connection terminal of the main body 75 has a controller communication terminal 77, which serves as the operation terminal communication terminal that is connected to the controller connection 15 of the main body of the controller. entertainment device 10, and memory communication terminal 79, which serves as the communication terminal of the external memory device which is connected to card slot 16, and housing box 81, which houses the controller terminals 75 and 79 in an integrated unit. The controller communication terminal 77 has multiple contact pins 771 within the 772 housing, and the base ends of the contact pins 771 are connected with signal wires within the cable 73. The controller communication terminal 77 is electrically connected through the cable 73 to the controller connection switch 715A of the repeater 70 and constituted as part of the controller communication system. The memory communication terminal 79 has a board 791, in which multiple electrically conductive patterns are formed at the insertion direction end, in the same way as the memory card 50, and the signal wire connectors 792, which are mounted on this board 791 and to which multiple signal wires (not shown) are connected within the cable 73. The Memory communication 79 is electrically connected through cable 73 to memory slot switch 715B of repeater 70 and is constituted as part of the memory card communication system. Although not illustrated in Figure 6, the electrically conductive pattern of the board 791 is formed on its inner surface and is electrically connected to signal wire connectors 792 by a wiring pattern formed in correspondence of the electrically conductive patterns. The signal wire connectors 792 are attached to the bottom surface of the board 791 and are held in place by multiple contact pins 793 in holes formed in the board 791. The housing box 81 is a three layer structure having a frame central 811, which supports the controller communication terminal 77 and the memory communication terminal 79, an upper case 812, which houses the memory communication terminal 79 in the central frame 811, and a lower case 813, the which houses the controller communication terminal 77. The central frame 811 has a handlebar-shaped cross section; multiple ribs 811A supporting the board 791, are formed in the horizontal part of its insertion direction end side, and multiple guide ribs 811 B for directing the main body connection terminal in the prescribed position of said card slot 16, are formed in the insertion part in the card slot 16. The cable 73 is attached to the base end part of the central frame 811. In the upper case 812, a spreading portion 812A is formed in the part of base end of insertion direction and projecting beyond the external shape of the tip mounting portion of the upper case 812 with the card slot 16. The pins 793 of the connectors 792 are housed in an extended space within of the widening part 812A. The lower case 813 supports the controller communication terminal 77, which is held in the housing 772 between the lower surface of the central frame 811 and the upper surface of the lower case 813. Because the controller communication terminals 77 and memory communication terminals 79 are covered by a housing box, the terminal part of each connection can be protected against deformation by external forces and can prevent bad contact from occurring due to adhesion of dust, etc. and because the housing box is made with a three layer structure, the strength of the housing box is improved as a whole, which is further advantageous to avoid deformation of the terminal part, etc. As shown in Figure 7, the connecting terminal of the main body 75 allows, through a one-time connection operation, the electrical connection of the controller communication terminal 77 with the controller connection 15 and the electrical connection of the memory communication terminal 79 with the card slot 16 of the main body 10. That is, the communication terminal of the controller 77 is inserted into the controller connection 15 with contact pins 771 mated with a plug of the connection controller 15, and the memory communication terminal 79 is inserted into the card slot 16 (when the cover element 18 is rotated) at the same time as the connection of the controller communication terminal 67 with the controller connection is made. , with the bottom surface of the board 791 engaging with the socket part of the card slot 16, so that the pattern is electrically contacted conductor at the end of the board 791 and mechanical spring material 161 provided in the base part of the card edge. To remove the main body connection terminal 75 from the main body of the entertainment device 10, the base end part of the connection terminal 75 is held in the same way as it is removed horizontally with a finger also in the widening part 812A, so that the controller communication terminal 77 and the memory communication terminal 79 can be removed from the controller connection 15 and the card slot 16 for simultaneous maneuvering. In this way, due to the construction of the spreading portion 812A, it is easy to insert and retract the main body connection terminal of the electronic device. With the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the memory card communication and controller communication systems are constituted independently, that is, the signal input and output can be made separately between the main body of the device of entertainment 10 and the controller 30 and between the main body of the entertainment device 10 and the memory card 50, and high-speed communication can be performed through the repeater 70 between the controller 30 or memory card 50 and the main body of the device 10. However, when using the body connection terminal 75, the controller communication terminal 77 and the memory communication terminal 79 can be housed in a single box and can be connected to the main body of the device 10 in a simple operation. In addition, because a relief pattern consisting of multiple stripes projecting 723 is formed in the main body of the repeater 71 as projected stripes 723 are formed along the openings 725 and 727, the controller connections 711 may be exposed aligned with the relief pattern, and the appearance of the repeater 70 may be improved. Further, because the multiple controller 711 connections and multiple card slots 713 are disposed within the cabinet 717 so that their rear portions face each other, the shape of the cabinet 717 can be simplified, and the repeater 70 can be simplified. to make smaller. And because the control board 715 is disposed between the controller 711 connections and card slots 713, which face each other, the control board 715, controller connections 711 and card slots 713 can be connected by a simple part, namely the connector 721, and the connection structure can be simplified. Although a modality of the invention has been described above, said modality may include modifications. For example, the repeater cabinet may assume a shape different from a rectangular parallelepiped, and the controller connections and card slots may be arranged in different places. The connection terminals may constitute other structures than cards, pins and the like. Provided that this is the same connection structure as the connection structure adopted for controllers or other operating terminals and memory cards or other external memory devices, then another connection structure can be adopted for the terminal communication terminal of operation and the communication terminal of the external memory device.

Furthermore, in the aforementioned embodiment, the control signals of the main body of the entertainment device 10 to the communication controller 715C of the repeater 70 are supplied through the controller communication system, said signals can be supplied using the communication system of memory card. Also, although the repeater is described in connection with an entertainment device, it can be used with other electronic devices, such as a personal computer or the like. In addition to this, in terms of the specific form and structure, at the time of implementing this invention, other structures may be adopted as long as they fulfill the purpose of this invention. Although the present invention has been described to some extent and with some particularity with respect to the different modalities described, it is not intended that it should be limited to any of said particularities or modalities of any particular modality, but should be interpreted with reference to the appended claims so as to provide the widest possible interpretation of said claims in view of the prior art and therefore, effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A repeater for use with an electronic device, said electronic device having an operation terminal connection and an external memory device connection, said repeater comprising: a) a plurality of operation terminal connections to which the terminals are connected of operation; b) a plurality of external memory device connections adapted to correspond to said plurality of operation terminal connections and to which the external memory devices are connected; and c) a main body connection terminal adapted for connection to said electronic device and making possible the communication between connected operating terminals and external memory devices connected to said electronic device, d) wherein said communication between said plurality of connections of operation terminal through an operation terminal communication system and said electronic device, occurs independently of the communication between said plurality of external memory device connections through an external memory device communication system and said electronic device, and e) wherein said operating terminal communication system and said "external memory device communication system are integrated in said main body connection terminal."

2. The repeater according to claim 1, characterized also because said The operation terminal communication system further comprises an operation terminal communication terminal and wherein said external memory device communication system further comprises an external memory device communication terminal, said operation terminal communication terminal adapted for connection to said operation terminal connection of said electronic device, and said external memory device communication terminal for connection to said external memory device connection of said electronic device.

3. The repeater according to claim 2, further characterized in that said connection between said operation terminal communication terminal and said operation terminal connection of said electronic device occurs simultaneously with said connection between said communication terminal of said terminal. external memory device and said external memory device connection of said electronic device.

4. The repeater according to claim 1, further characterized in that said main body connection terminal further comprises a first housing unit for housing said operating terminal communication system and a second housing unit for housing said operating system. External memory device communication.

5. The repeater according to claim 4, further characterized in that said first and second housing units are independent of each other and are housed within a housing box.

6. The repeater according to claim 5, further characterized in that said housing box has a widening portion for manual manipulation of said main body connection terminal.

7. The repeater according to claim 1, further characterized in that said repeater is housed inside a cabinet having a relief pattern of multiple fringes projecting and extending in the same direction and are arranged at least in one face of said cabinet.

8. The repeater according to claim 7, further characterized in that said cabinet further comprises multiple openings formed along the projecting fringes through which said plurality of operation terminal connections and said plurality of operating terminals are exposed. Multiple connections of external memory device.

9. The repeater according to claim 1, further comprising a control board for controlling the output of signals from said plurality of connection terminal connections and said plurality of external memory device connections.