JPH09120325A - Network connecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to connect a desired arbitrary equipment or line by the network connecting device, which connects an external equipment such as a personal computer main body and a printer, and a communication line to a LAN as a network, without the restrictions of the operation state of the personal computer wherein an extension board is stored even when the connecting device is actualized as the extension board which advantageously saves the space and lower the cost. SOLUTION: A printer server 1 is equipped with an extension board substrate 8 inserted into a slot 10 of the personal computer 2. This board substrate is provided with a dedicated adapter 9 and can operate independently without being supplied with the electric power from the side of the personal computer 2, so that data from other personal computers connected to the LAN 3 can be transferred to the printer 4 irrelevantly to whether or not the personal computer 2 is powered on.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer and a network connection apparatus preferably implemented for connecting an external device, a communication line, or the like to a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An information processing device such as the personal computer is connected to a common printer shared by a plurality of information processing devices via a connection device called a printer server, and is also called a LAN base. It may be used by being connected to a communication line such as so-called Ethernet or ISDN via a connecting device, and further connected to the computer network from the communication line. As described above, in the network connection device for connecting the information processing device and its external devices, communication lines, and the like to the network, in the related art, the network connection device is provided separately from the information processing device.

[0003]

Therefore, such a conventional technique has a problem that an installation space and a housing cost are required. On the other hand, by realizing the network connection device in the form of a so-called expansion board, the network connection device is built in the information processing device, and such a problem is solved. However, in such a configuration, the network connection device is provided in association with a specific information processing device and is activated by the power supplied from the information processing device. Therefore, there is a problem that since the specific information processing device operates in conjunction with the specific information processing device, it is not activated unless the specific information processing device is powered on, and the connection operation cannot be performed.

That is, for example, in the case of the printer server, a plurality of personal computers are connected to a common printer via the printer server, and no matter which personal computer prints, power is supplied to the printer server. It is necessary to turn on the power of the specific personal computer. Similarly,
In a connection device such as a so-called router or bridge that connects a LAN (Local Area Network) and a telephone line, it is necessary to turn on a personal computer that wants to perform data communication and a personal computer that supplies power to the connection device. is there.

As described above, in the conventional network connection device, it is necessary to turn on the power supply of the information processing device for supplying power to the network connection device, and there is a problem that the operation is complicated.

An object of the present invention is to connect an arbitrary information processing apparatus desired to be connected to a network regardless of the operating state of the specific information processing apparatus in order to realize space saving and cost reduction. It is to provide a network connection device with improved convenience.

[0007]

A network connection device according to the present invention temporarily stores data to be communicated in a network connection device for connecting an information processing device and its external equipment, a communication line and the like to a network. A storage circuit for storing the data and an arithmetic processing circuit that performs a connection operation with the network and controls writing and reading of communication data to and from the storage circuit, and the information processing device operate independently to perform the arithmetic operation. A power supply circuit for supplying electric power to a processing circuit, a storage circuit, and the like, and an expansion board substrate which is mounted with each circuit and which is fitted into an extension slot in the information processing apparatus are characterized.

According to the above configuration, the network connection device has its own power supply circuit, and therefore occurs when power is supplied from a specific information processing device.
It is not necessary to turn on the power of the specific information processing apparatus, and any information processing apparatus desired to be connected can be connected to an external device, a communication line, etc., and convenience can be improved.

Further, since the arithmetic processing circuit and the memory circuit for realizing the communication operation are mounted on the single expansion board substrate together with the power supply circuit and are fitted and stored in the expansion slot of the information processing apparatus, the housing is provided. The cost can be reduced and the installation space can be eliminated. Furthermore, for example, for setting parameters such as a telephone number in the case of the router, an input means such as a keyboard of an information processing device can be used via an expansion bus extended in the expansion slot, It is also possible to eliminate the means for setting such parameters in the network connection device itself.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Regarding one embodiment of the present invention,
The following is a description based on FIG. 1 and FIG.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer server 1 which is a network connection device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a configuration related thereto. The printer server 1 includes a LAN 3 such as Ethernet to which a plurality of personal computers 2 as information processing devices are connected, and a printer 4 commonly used by the plurality of personal computers 2.
And to connect. Therefore, the LAN connector 5 of each personal computer 2 is
3 and the LAN 3 is connected to the LAN connector 6 of the printer server 1. A cable 7 connects the printer server 1 and the printer 4.

The printer server 1 generally includes an expansion board 8 on which various circuits shown in FIG. 2 to be described later are mounted.
And an adapter 9. The expansion board 8 is housed in an expansion slot 10 formed on the back surface of the personal computer 2. The adapter 9 is plugged into a commercial AC power outlet. Therefore, the printer server 1 has an independent power source, and can independently operate regardless of whether or not the power of the personal computer 2 housing the printer server 1 is turned on.

When the expansion board 8 is accommodated in the slot 10, the connector 11 formed on one end surface of the expansion board 8 is connected to the expansion bus in the personal computer 2. Therefore, the expansion board 8
Is formed on a so-called intelligent LAN board, the keyboard 12 of the personal computer 2 can be used for various settings.

A power cord 13 to the adapter 9 is extended to the exposed portion of the expansion board substrate 8 stored in the slot 10, and at one end of the LAN connector 6 and the cable 7. A connector 15 to which the attached connector 14 is fitted is attached.
In addition, the connector 16 attached to the other end of the cable 7
Is fitted into a connector 17 provided on the back surface of the printer 4.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the printer server 1. The expansion board 8 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 21 and a ROM (read only memory) 22 realized by a microcomputer or the like.
A RAM (random access memory) 23, a bus interface 24, a printer interface 25,
A LAN interface 26 and the like are mounted, and their respective circuits are mutually connected by a bus 27. A power supply circuit 28 that stabilizes the power from the adapter 9 and supplies it to each circuit is mounted on the extension board substrate 8.

The ROM 22 stores a basic operation program of the CPU 21, and the RAM 23 stores various information such as variables relating to the operation of the CPU 21. The bus interface 24 is connected to the expansion bus 18 of the personal computer 2 in a state where the expansion board 8 is housed in the slot 10 to enable parameter setting and the like. However, the power supply circuit 28 does not supply power from the personal computer 2 side to each circuit in the extension board 8. Printer interface 25 and LAN interface 26
Is for transferring data and commands between the LAN 3 and the printer 4.

Printer server 1 configured as described above
Then, slot 1 for expansion of personal computer 2
The expansion board substrate 8 that can be stored in the personal computer 0 connects the printer 4 and the LAN 3 to each other, connects the expansion board substrate 8 to the adapter 9, and mounts the power supply circuit 28 on the expansion board substrate 8 to provide a personal computer. It can operate independently of whether or not the computer 2 is powered on.

Therefore, in the form of the expansion board which can reduce the housing cost and the installation space, the LAN
The print data from any personal computer connected to the printer 3 can be transmitted to the common printer 4, and the power of the specific personal computer 2 accommodating the expansion board 8 is turned on each time the printer 4 is used. There is no need to do so, and convenience can be improved. Also,
By configuring the printer server 1 in the form of an expansion board, it is possible to set parameters from the personal computer 2 side via the expansion bus 18, and the printer server 1 does not need a dedicated setting means. it can.

Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a router 31 which is a network connection device according to another embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of the router 31 is similar to the configuration of the printer server 1 described above, and corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

The router 31 is used to connect the LAN 3 to a communication line such as a telephone line or an ISDN line, and therefore, the expansion board substrate 32.
Is equipped with a communication interface 33 instead of the printer interface 25. A communication line 34 such as the telephone line is connected to the communication interface 33.

In such a router 31 as well, the expansion board substrate 32 can be housed in the personal computer 2, and in order to save space and reduce costs, the operating state of the housed personal computer 2 is not relevant. Instead, it becomes possible to transmit communication data from any personal computer or network side.

With respect to still another embodiment of the present invention,
The following is a description with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 is a network connection board 4 which is a network connection device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of FIG. The network connection board 41 is similar to the printer server 1 and the router 31 described above, and corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

The network connection board 41 is used by being interposed between the personal computer 2 and the LAN 3. It should be noted that in this network connection board 41, the flash memory 43 is mounted in the expansion board substrate 42.

A LAN is provided in the flash memory 43.
Other personal computer connected via 3 or
When performing data communication with the LAN 3, the router 31, and another personal computer connected via a communication line, a response message to a call and received data are stored. The flash memory 43 is a non-volatile memory that does not require backup power for holding the stored contents, for example, 1
It has a storage capacity of 0 MB.

The personal computer 44 incorporates software that works in conjunction with the network connection board 41. The software notifies the network connection board 41 that the software is operating at the time of starting the software, and notifies that the software will not operate at the time of ending the software. Therefore, C
The PU 21 detects whether the personal computer 44 is in a communicable state based on whether the software is operating.

The power source of the network connection board 41 is always turned on, and the user is required to use the personal computer 4
4 is turned on, the network connection board 41
It is possible to communicate with other information processing devices by using the communication function of. In the flash memory 43, a response message (characters, voice, video, etc.) to be returned in response to a line connection request from another information processing device via a computer network is stored (registered) in advance.

In this state, a line connection is requested from another information processing apparatus via the computer network, and the CPU 21 of the network connection board 41 receives the personal computer as described above via the bus interface 24. When it is detected that 44 is not in the communicable state, the communication function is activated according to the program stored in the ROM 22, and when the line connection is confirmed, a response message is read from the flash memory 43 and returned. .

In response to this, when another information processing apparatus which has requested the line connection desires to transmit data to the personal computer 44, the network connection board is used instead of the personal computer 44. 41 receives the data and stores it in the flash memory 43.

On the other hand, when the power of the personal computer 44 is turned on, the software is first activated, and a command for confirming the contents of the flash memory 43 is output to the CPU 21 of the network connection board 41.
Returns the confirmation result of the presence of received data such as an electronic mail. Then, by inputting a read command from the personal computer 44, the user is allowed to enter the network connection board 4
From 1, the received data can be confirmed at any time.

In this way, even if the personal computer 44 is not powered on, and the personal computer 44 is used for another purpose, the electronic mail or the like sent from another information processing apparatus, etc. Data can be reliably received, and in this way, L
A so-called answering machine function can be added to the AN connection board.

The rectifying / smoothing circuit in the adapter 9 may also be mounted on the extension board substrates 8, 32, 42.

[0034]

As described above, the network connection device of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention performs the connection operation between the storage circuit for temporarily storing the data to be communicated and the network and the storage. An arithmetic processing circuit that controls writing and reading of communication data to and from the circuit, and a power supply circuit that operates independently of the information processing device and supplies power to the arithmetic processing circuit and the storage circuit are mounted on an expansion board substrate. Then, it is configured in the form of an expansion board that can be inserted into the expansion slot in the information processing apparatus.

Therefore, even in the form of an expansion board which can reduce the housing cost and can save the installation space, it is possible to receive power from a specific information processing device by providing its own power circuit. In this case, it is not necessary to turn on the power of the specific information processing device, which may occur in the case of the above, and convenience can be improved.

For setting parameters such as a telephone number in the case of the router, input means such as a keyboard of an information processing apparatus can be used via an expansion bus extended in the expansion slot. It is also possible to eliminate the means for setting such parameters in the network connection device itself.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a printer server which is a network connection device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a configuration related thereto.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the printer server shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a router that is a network connection device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a network connection board which is a network connection device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Printer Server (Network Connection Device) 2 Personal Computer (Information Processing Device) 3 LAN (Network) 4 Printer (External Device) 8 Expansion Board Board 9 Adapter (Power Circuit) 10 Slots 12 Keyboard 18 Expansion Bus 21 CPU (Arithmetic Processing Circuit) ) 22 ROM (memory circuit) 23 RAM (memory circuit) 24 Bus interface 25 Printer interface 26 LAN interface 28 Power supply circuit 31 Router (network connection device) 32 Expansion board substrate 33 Communication interface 34 Communication line 41 Network connection board (Network connection device) 42 Expansion board substrate 43 Flash memory 44 Personal computer (information processing device)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A network connection device for connecting an information processing device and its external equipment, a communication line, etc. to a network, and a storage circuit for temporarily storing data to be communicated, and a connection operation with the network. And an arithmetic processing circuit that controls writing and reading of communication data to and from the storage circuit, and a power supply circuit that operates independently of the information processing device and supplies power to the arithmetic processing circuit and the storage circuit. And an expansion board substrate which is mounted with each of the circuits and is inserted into an expansion slot in the information processing apparatus.