SE503839C2 - Device for enabling communication between computer and external device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a device to allow communication betwen a computer comprising a flexible-disk drive (5) and an external unit (7), such as a smartcard, which unit (7) is temporarily connected to the computer. The device consists of a connection means (1) for connection of the external unit (7) to the computer, an internal communication means (2) for reception of magnetic signals from the read/write head (6) of the flexible-disk drive (5) and conversion of said signals into sequential digital signals, and a control means (3) for reception of the sequential digital signals, interpretation of said signals and conversion thereof into parallel digital signals that are transferable to the connection means (1) and further, to the external unit (7). Inversely, digital signals could be inputted from the external unit (7) and, after conversion in the control means (3) and the internal communication mean (2) be transferred to the read/write head (6) in the flexible-disk drive (5).

Description

503 839 10 15 20 25 30 35 2 The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which fig. 1 shows the device schematically from the side and fig. same in plan view.

The device consists of the three devices, connector 1, internal communication device 2 and control device 3, which are assembled into a unit 4. This unit 4 is insertable into a computer in that location in the computer diskette drive 5 (only indicated on the drawing), which is intended for the computer diskette.

According to known technology, information is stored in the form of magnetic signals on a floppy disk serially, i.e. in- the data pieces of the formation are located one after the other.

Such a storage technique is abbreviated as MFM. At reading of a floppy disk is converted in the floppy disk drive read / write head 6 the magnetic signals to electrical signals in the form of voltage variations for further processing in a known manner in a signal converter to digital signals. Conversely, incoming digital from the computer is converted signals in the read / write head 6 of the diskette drive 5 to magnetic signals, which are transmitted to the floppy disk and stored on this.

The device's internal communication device 2 is as follows procured, generated by the read / write head 6 of the floppy disk drive 5 and which that it senses the magnetic signals, which is normally intended to magnetize the diskette, which mounted in the floppy disk drive 5. The internal communication the device 2 has the same signal language as the floppy disk. station 5, whereby signals can thus be transmitted from the computer via the floppy disk drive 5 to the device. In it the internal communication device 2 is converted into the magnetic one the signals to digital signals in serial form, which signals are then transmitted to the controller 3.

The internal communication device 2 is also so provided that it can receive digital signals from the controller 3 and converting these into magnetic signals, readable by the read / write head of the floppy disk drive 5 On in this way, the digital signals can be transmitted from 10 15 20 25 30 35 503 839 3 via the floppy disk drive 5 to the computer for processing.

When transmitting digital signals to an external unit 7, which is illustrated in the drawing as an active short, this unit 7 requires that the signals be fed on several parallel lines, partly that the signals are on the voltage levels specified by the standard for the device 7.

The required number of lines can vary from a few to several tens depending on the type of external unit 7 man wish to connect to the device.

The device 3's control device has the task of performing one conversion of the digital signals (in serial form), which transferred from the internal communication device 2. This conversion involves an interpretation of the signals and setting them to signals, which are correct for it the external unit in question 7. In addition, the signals distributed on a number of parallel lines during transmission to the connector of the device 1.

This connector 1 was used to transfer signals from the controller 3 to the external unit 7, for example, the active card shown. The to the outer the signals transmitted by the device 7 may represent digital data to be processed in the external device 7.

The device 4 according to the invention is placed as mentioned, at the location in the floppy disk drive 5, where a floppy disk normally placed, and thus constitutes an aid for computer communication with an external device 7. Instead of an active card, this unit 7 can be, for example, one PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association), a body for communication with other computer systems, printers or other external equipment, which may need to be connected to a computer. If, for example, an active card is inserted into the connector 1, an identification of a user is easily done in such a way that information in form of digital signals from several parallel lines is fed via the connector 1 to the control device 3, which interprets the signals and converts them into serial digital signals, which are transmitted in a line to the internal 503 839 10 15 20 25 30 35 4 the communication device 2, after which the latter device converts the signals to the computer floppy disk drive 5 are understandable signals. For the conversion of those from the active card the emitted signals are stored in the control device 3 of the device instruction description.

One from the computer diskette drive 5 to the external one the unit 7 Transmitted signal order can be of e.g. type: store information, send characters or activate modem.

The device constitutes an integrated, separate unit, only temporarily inserted into the computer's floppy disk drive 5. This means that the floppy disk drive 5 can always be used in a conventional manner, when any external device 7 SOIII does not need to be connected to the computer.

Claims (1)

Device for enabling communication between a computer with a diskette drive (5) and an external unit (7) temporarily connected to the computer, such as an active card, means for communication with another computer system, printer or other external equipment, characterized by a (7) magnetic signals from the floppy disk drive 5 and conversion thereof, that the device consists of connectors (1) for connecting the external unit to the computer, internal communication means (2) for receiving these to serial digital signals and a controller (3) for receiving the serial digital signals, interpreting them and converting them into parallel digital signals, which are transferable to the connector (1) and further to the external unit (7) or vice versa for receiving digital signals from the external unit (7) via the connector (1), converting them and transmitting them to the internal communication device (2) in a form understandable for this, its conversion of the signals into magnetic signals and transmission to the floppy disk drive (5).