JPH04275612A - information processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the information processor capable of combining plural information processors and effectively utilizing resources including their information. CONSTITUTION:Low-order equipments 2 and 3 are incorporated in high-order equipments 1 and 2 and access to information of the low-order equipments from the high-order equipments is enabled. The high-order equipments 1 and 2 have storage parts 1g and 2g for storing the low-order equipments 2 and 3 and connection parts 1f and 2f for interfaces with the low-order equipments. The interfaces use bus interfaces so as to access the contents of the storage parts and auxiliary storage devices of the low-order equipments. Then the storage devices and auxiliary storage devices of the low-order equipments are enabled to function as the storage devices and auxiliary storage devices of the high-order equipments.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer device or an information processing device such as a word processor or an electronic notebook constructed using a computer device.

0002

[Prior Art] Relatively small electronic computers, generally referred to as personal computers (hereinafter referred to as personal computers), have evolved from desktop to laptop, book, notebook, and palmtop types. Miniaturization is progressing. On the other hand, an information processing device called an electronic notebook that can be used like a calculator has appeared.

[0003] Users of this type of device use electronic notebooks or palmtop computers for meetings and outings.
When people return to the workplace, they are increasingly using laptops or desktop computers.

[0004] At this time, it is necessary to transmit information between devices, but conventionally, in such cases, this has generally been done by exchanging storage media such as floppy disks or communication means such as RS232C. It is true.

[0005] References to this type of technology include JP-A No. 1-111268 and Utility Model Application No. 59-118038.

[0006]

[Problem to be solved by the invention] As mentioned above, OA
Devices are becoming smaller and more personalized, and people generally use electronic notebooks in places like meetings, carry laptops with them when they go out or on business trips, and use laptops or desktop computers when they return to their workplaces. It is becoming common to use . In this case, the information contained in the electronic notebook is often the information necessary when using a notebook computer, and the information held by the notebook computer is also usually necessary information for the desktop computer. Of course, information sharing in the opposite direction is also required. Examples of such shared information include customer information, order information, etc. in the case of a salesperson.

[0007] When I go out, I take only the customer information for that day with me on my laptop, and when I return to the office, I input that day's order information into the desktop computer and output the aggregated data for the entire group. It is used in many ways.

However, in the conventional system, sufficient consideration has not been given to the compatibility of information exchange procedures between each device. For example, when attempting to exchange data using a flexible disk, the 8 in size
There are many types such as inch, 5 inch, 3.5 inch, and 2 inch, and even if the size is the same, it cannot always be read due to differences in writing format, so physical conversion or format conversion is necessary. It was necessary.

[0009] This is not only limited to flexible disks, but also many IC cards used in electronic notebooks, etc., whose formats are not standardized, and users have had to prepare conversion equipment and software each time. .

Another method is to use the RS2 provided in each device.
Some devices exchange information by transmitting information using a communication cable such as 32C. However, RS232C
This requires separate equipment for interface conversion, which is inconvenient for users.

[0011] Furthermore, in terms of electronic devices themselves, there are many duplicates between the functions and information provided by electronic notebooks and the functions and information provided by personal computers, and there has been a demand for the sharing of these functions and information. For example, a flexible disk drive is attached to each device, and communication cables and, in some cases, an interface box are required.

[0012] As described above, the user wants to select the equipment to be used depending on the usage environment, but there are problems such as time and trouble for exchanging information between the equipment, and duplication of equipment purchases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to provide an information processing device that allows upper-level equipment to effectively utilize resources including information of lower-level equipment. There is a particular thing.

[0014]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention allows a lower-level device to be built into a higher-level device, and allows access to the resources of the lower-level device from the higher-level device.

For this reason, in the present invention, the upper device is provided with a storage section for storing the lower device and a connecting section for providing an interface between the lower device and the lower device.

[0016] This interface is a storage section of a lower-order device,
Alternatively, a bus interface may be used to access the contents of the auxiliary storage device at high speed.

[0017]

[Operation] According to the above method, when the higher-level device requires the resources of the lower-level device, the lower-level device is stored in the storage section of the higher-level device, and the two are connected by the connection section. This allows the higher-level device to access the resources of the lower-level device,
The storage device and auxiliary storage device of the lower-level device also function as the storage device and auxiliary storage device of the higher-order device.

[0018]

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the structure of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes, for example, a desktop personal computer with a 32-bit configuration as the highest level device. It has a keyboard KB as an input device and a CRT display device DSP as an output device. and,
The auxiliary storage device EM is equipped with a large-capacity hard disk and a floppy disk. 2 is a so-called notebook computer, which is a medium-sized device that can be powered by a battery, and uses a 16-bit microcomputer and a liquid crystal flat display device as an output device.
It is equipped with a built-in keyboard as an input device and a 3.5-inch floppy disk device as an auxiliary storage device. Both can connect a mouse and printer as optional input/output devices.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a palmtop computer, also called an electronic notebook, as the lowest level device. It is equipped with a battery-operated 8-bit microcomputer, a sheet-type key input device as an input device, and a small liquid crystal display device as an output device.

The main body of the computer 1 is provided with a housing section 1g for housing the main body of the lower-level computer 2 and a connecting connector 1f. The main body of the computer 2 is provided with a connecting connector 1f' for connection to the main body of the computer 1, and further provided with a storage section 2g for storing the lower-level computer 3 and a connecting connector 2f. The main body of the lower computer 3 is provided with a connector 2f' for connection to the main body of the computer 2.

FIG. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of FIG. 1, with a part cut away. The main body of the computer 1 is provided with a storage section 1g for storing the main body of the lower computer 2,
A connecting connector 1f, which is an extension of the bus 1e of the main body of the computer 1, is provided in this storage portion 1g. On the other hand, the lower computer 2 has a connecting connector 1f which is an extension of the bus.
' is provided. The connecting connectors 1f and 1f' are configured as male and female sides, respectively, and the main bodies of the computer 1 and the main bodies of the computer 2 can be connected through the connectors 1f and 1f'. Here, the computer 2 is stored in the storage section 1g of the computer 1, but at this time, the connection connector 1f' of the computer 2 is connected to the connection connector 1f of the computer 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the computer 2 just before it is stored in the storage section 1g of the computer 1. In this figure, the computer 1 has a storage section 1g that stores the computer 2, and a connector 1f for connection to the computer 2 is located at the deepest part of the storage section 1g. This connection connector 1f is connected to the bus 1e of the computer 1. The computer 2 has a connector 1f' for connection to the connector 1f, which is connected to the bus of the computer 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the computer 2 housed in the housing section 1g of the computer 1. At this time, the connection connector 1f of the computer 1 and the connection connector 1f' of the computer 2 are connected, and the computer 2 can be housed inside the computer 1.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams for explaining details of the connector 1f for connecting the computer 1 and the connector 1f' for connecting the computer 2. The connecting connector 1f of the computer 1 has a male pin connector structure, and the connecting connector 1f' of the computer 2 has a female pin connector structure. The connection connectors 1f and 1f' are connected to the corresponding computers 1 and 2, respectively.
It is connected to the bus. When the computer 2 is housed in the computer 1, the connection connector 1f of the computer 1 and the connection connector 1f' of the computer 2 are connected, and as a result, the buses of the computers 1 and 2 are connected to each other as shown in FIG. connected to.

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of a system in which computers 1, 2, and 3 are combined.

The computer 1 is a higher-level device, and includes a lower-level device, the computer 2.
includes computer 3 as a lower-order device. Each computer 1, 2, 3 has an input/output device 1a, 2, respectively.
a, 3a and arithmetic processing units 1b, 2b, 3 including a control device
b, storage devices 1c, 2c, 3c, and auxiliary storage devices 1d, 2
d, 3d, and buses 1e, 2e, 3e, which are common signal lines. And between each device,
They are connected by a bus via connectors 1f, 1f', 2f, 2f'.

These computers 1, 2, and 3 can be used as independent computers that function independently, and when they are connected, the lower-level equipment functions as part of the higher-level equipment.

FIG. 8 shows each device 1, 2, 3 in the storage device.
This shows the relationship between Addresses are assigned to the memory space of the computer 1 so as to include the memory spaces 2c' and 3c' of lower-order devices. Similarly, the memory space of the computer 2 includes the storage device 3 of the lower computer 3.
Addresses are assigned to include the memory space of c. As a result, when the computer 2 is installed in the computer 1, the computer 1 can freely access its own memory space 1c and the memory space 2c' of the computer 2. The same applies to the case where the computer 3 is incorporated into the computer 2, and the computer 2 can also access the memory space 3c of the computer 3. The computer 1, which is the highest-level device, can access all the memories of the lower-level devices 2 and 3.

Input/output devices 1a, 2a, 3a other than storage devices 1c, 2c, 3c and auxiliary storage devices 1d, 2d, 3d are also allocated to the input/output address space in a similar manner to enable shared use of the devices. be.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a combination of the devices 1, 2, and 3. That is, FIGS. 9(1), (2),
(3) is a diagram showing a mode when each device 1, 2, and 3 is used individually, and FIG. 9 (4) is a diagram showing a mode when the main body of computer 2 is stored in the main body of computer 1 and used. 9(5) is a diagram showing a case where the main body of the computer 3 is stored and used in the main body of the computer 2, and FIG. 9(6) shows the main body of the computer 3 in the main body of the computer
2 is a diagram showing a state in which the main body of the computer 2 is housed in the main body of the computer 3.

[0032] In this way, the combination can be freely selected according to the operational form.

[0033] In the above embodiment, the case where three computer devices are combined has been explained as an example.
There is no limit to the number of these, as long as they are multiple. In addition, although the embodiments have been explained using a computer device as an example,
This can be widely used in information processing devices such as word processors using computer devices.

[0034]

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, devices can be used in combination according to the purpose of use, and information that has been individually collected or processed can be used for media conversion or communication. It is possible to obtain an information processing device that can easily share information simply by incorporating devices without using any means.

[0035] Furthermore, when lower-level devices are combined, the higher-level device can share the devices and memory of the lower-level device, eliminating the need for duplicative investment.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing details of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a combination configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the configuration after combination according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a connection configuration of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the connector after connection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the connection relationship of each device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a memory configuration diagram showing a memory map showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a combination of devices according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 3... Information processing device, 1g, 2g... Storage section, 1f
, 1f', 2f, 2f'...connection section, KB...keyboard as an input device, DSP...display device as an output device.

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: An information processing device having an input device, an output device, an arithmetic processing device, and a storage device, wherein the information processing device includes an information processing device as a lower-order device having resources shared by the processing device. What is claimed is: 1. An information processing apparatus comprising: a storage section for storing information on a lower-level device; and a connecting section for connecting to a lower-level device so as to share resources of the lower-level device when the lower-level device is stored in the storage section. Claim 2: Information processing comprising an input device, an output device, an arithmetic processing device, and a storage device, and a connection section that is connected to a connection section of the host device when stored in the storage section of the host device. Device.