JPH0546300A - Multiple input device connection controller - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention adds two functions of a numeric keypad and an internal SCC to a single KBC in addition to the conventional functions, and makes it possible to connect a plurality of data input devices. Constitution: means 1 for supplying information indicating which input device is controlled when the power is turned on, means 3 for storing the supplied control information, and the plurality of inputs based on the stored control information Devices 9, 5, 11, 17, 13
Means for sequentially and selectively controlling the input data and processing the input data, and connecting and controlling the plurality of input devices by a single control device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

 [Object of the Invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connection control device for supporting a plurality of input devices in a portable computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a standard system configuration of an input device of a portable computer such as a laptop type or a book type has two keyboard controllers (hereinafter referred to as KBC) for controlling a keyboard and a scan controller for generating a key code. (Hereinafter referred to as SCC). An apparatus of this type is, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-745.
No. 38 publication is known. As shown in FIG. 3, this device has a system I / F 1 and a host CPU, R
It interfaces with OM and RAM (not shown). Reference numerals 19a and 19b denote KBCs, which perform a function of controlling the SCC and communication with the system. The KBC controls communication with the SCC 7, 21 based on the command sent from the system 1.
Reference numerals 7 and 21 are built-in / external SCCs. Key tops 5 and 9 are read and the key code corresponding to the key input is KBC19a and 19
send to b. Reference numeral 23 is a selection circuit that activates one of the KBCs 19a and 19b connected to the system 1. Next, a conventional operation for controlling the selection of the external / internal keyboard will be described with reference to FIG.

When the power of the portable computer is turned on, C
The PU executes the initialization program stored in the ROM. After executing the initialization program, the hardware of the personal computer is sequentially initialized. The CPU executes KBC diagnosis, initial setting, and keyboard selection processing. First,
The KBC 19b for controlling the external SCC 7 is selected for the selection circuit 23. Then, the KBC 19b waits for one or more transmission data from the external SCC 7. If there is transmission data here, it is determined that the external SCC 7 is connected. When there is no received data, the selection circuit 23 selects KBC19a for controlling the built-in SCC21.

With such a structure, the KBC has only the function of communicating with a single SCC. For that reason,
It needed to have two KBCs to support the standard internal keyboard and an optional external keyboard. As a result, the mounting area and cost have increased as the number of hardware components constituting the system has increased.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and adds two functions, a numeric keypad and an internal SCC, to a single KBC in addition to the conventional functions. An object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of input device connection control devices capable of connecting a plurality of data input devices. [Constitution of Invention]

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, means for supplying information for controlling a plurality of input devices at the time of power-on, and storing the supplied control information. And a means for selectively controlling the plurality of input devices based on the stored control information, wherein the plurality of input devices are connected and controlled by a single controller. And an input device connection control device for the same.

[0007]

With the above arrangement, information for controlling the plurality of input devices is supplied when the power is turned on. The supplied control information is stored and the input device is selectively controlled based on the control information. As a result, multiple input devices can be supported.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Descriptions of the same reference numerals as those of the conventional technique and those of the present embodiment will be omitted. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 3 is a single-chip keyboard controller (hereinafter referred to as SKBC),
Keyboard control that was conventionally performed by two microcomputers (KBC, SCC) is processed by one microcomputer. SKB
C3 receives the command from the system 1 and executes command processing. It also receives the key code sent from the external SCC 7 or the mouse data sent from the mouse (hereinafter referred to as MOU) 13 and sends it to the system 1. Further, the SKBC 3 reads the key status from the internal 101 key top 5 and generates a key code. S
The KBC3 is, for example, a single-chip 8-bit microcomputer "M37452" manufactured by Mitsubishi. The functional block of the SKBC 3 is composed of a KBC basic unit 3a, an SCC unit 13b, a ten-key input unit 3c, an SCC unit 23d and a switching unit 3e. The SCC unit 13b supports the internal 101 key top 5 in English mode. The SCC unit 23d supports the Japanese mode 84/101 key top 17. SKBC
3 is initialized, it is determined whether to use the keyboard 5 or the keyboard 17 based on the selection information from the system 1. When using a Japanese keyboard, the 84/101 key is switched by command input. Code 3e is SKB
It is a switching unit in C3, and based on the selection information at the time of initialization of SKBC3, internal SCC unit 3b, d or external SC
Select C7. Reference numeral 11 denotes a removable ten-key pad, and the SKBC 3 constantly monitors the connection of the ten-key pad and requests data transmission at the time of connection and receives data. Sign
Reference numeral 13 denotes a MOU, which transmits mouse data corresponding to a change in the state itself, that is, a mouse button being pressed, a mouse being moved, etc., to the KBC basic unit 3a. Reference numeral 15 is a light emitting diode (hereinafter referred to as LED), which is directly connected to the SKBC 3. Even if the internal keyboard or the external keyboard is selected, the same LED lighting display is executed. Reference numeral 25 is a bidirectional bus line, which is used for system 1 and S
It is a parallel signal line for communication with the KBC 3. Sign
27a and 27b are external SCC and mouse serial lines, and are serial signal lines for communication with the SKBC3. The main functions of SKBC3 are as follows.

(1) Scan code creation function. A make code is generated when the key is pressed, and a break code is generated when the key is released. These two scan codes are stored in a key code buffer (not shown).

(2) Numeric keypad control function. Similarly to the internal keyboard 5, the scan codes transmitted from the ten-key pad 11 are sequentially buffered in the key code buffer. The data communication method with the numeric keypad 11 is 2-wire asynchronous serial communication. The communication line 29 is composed of a ground line and two lines in which a data signal and a power supply are multiplexed. Communication with the numeric keypad 11 is started by a request signal from the SKBC 3 side. Only the request signal can be transmitted from the SKBC 3 side, and the numeric keypad data is transmitted from the numeric keypad 11 side. Regarding the format of the data to be transferred, 1-bit data is returned from the numeric keypad 11 in response to a 1-bit request signal from the SKBC 3, or 10-bit data is returned if there is data. The 10-bit data format is composed of a first bit indicating the presence or absence of key data, second to ninth bit data indicating 8-bit key code data, and a tenth bit indicating the transfer order of transmission data. A start bit and a stop bit are added to each data. The SCC sections 3b and 3d inspect the key pad of the internal 101-key top 5 every time the key matrix is scanned, whether the ten-key pad is connected or not. Whether or not the ten-key pad is connected is determined by whether or not the first bit data from the ten-key pad side in response to the request signal is returned. That is, when the response to the request signal from the SKBC 3 side is not received within the predetermined time, the SKBC 3 determines that the numeric keypad 11 is not connected.

(3) Command control function. It controls the KBC and SCC control commands transferred from the system 1.
When using the internal keyboard, the KBC basic unit 3a processes SCC control commands. Command control is executed with the highest priority over other processes. Command the host system port 64
The data is transferred from the host to the input buffer (not shown) of SKBC3 through h or 60h. Whether or not the data stored in the input buffer of SKBC3 is transferred through the host system port is determined by the content of a predetermined flag in the SKBC status buffer. When the content of the flag is logic level 1, it means writing to the system port 64h.
The first data transferred to the host port 64h is “KBC
The control command "and the first data transferred to the host port 60h are called" SCC control command ". The parameters are transferred to host port 60h following the control command.

(4) Scan code transfer function. SCC section 1
3b or the scan code buffered by the SCC unit 23d is transferred to the system 1. When using the external keyboard 7, the scan code transmitted from the external keyboard 7 is transferred to the system 1. The scan code is converted into an ASCII code if necessary.

(5) Special command control function. SCC part 13
b, or the SCC unit 23d or the external SCC 7 is
Converts certain keystrokes into special scan codes. The KBC basic unit 3a checks the type of scan code and executes the corresponding process in the case of a special command. For example,
The host CPU speed is switched by the function keys, the display device is changed to the internal LCD or the external CRT, and the screen stretch control is performed. The special command is not transferred to the system 1.

(6) Mouse control function. SKBC3 and mouse
The line 13 performs bidirectional clock synchronous serial communication using the two lines 27b of the clock line and the data line. SK
When the BC3 is ready to receive the data from the mouse 13, the clock line and the data line are set to the logic level "1".
Set to. Input / output terminals of SKBC3 side and mouse side 13
The input and output terminals of are configured with open collector outputs.
As a result, the line line can be set to the logic level "0" from both the SKBC3 side and the mouse 13 side. SKBC
When 3 communicates with the mouse 13, a data clock is supplied from the mouse 13 side. When the SKBC 3 is not communicating with the mouse 13, both the clock line and the data line are at the logic level "1", the SKBC 3 is in the receivable state. If the clock line is at the logic level "0" and the data line is at the logic level "1", the SKBC3 cannot receive. In addition, the clock line has a logic level "1".
When the data line is at the logic level "0", the SKBC3 can transmit. The condition of the logic level of the clock line and the data line is called a polling condition. The transmission data format with the mouse has the same 11-bit configuration as the data format with the internal / external SCC. The data format is
1 start bit, 8 data bits,
It is a parity bit of 1 bit and a stop bit of 1 bit. When transmitting data from SKBC3 to mouse 13, SKBC3 sets the data line to the logic level "0" and the clock line to the logic level "0" for a predetermined time. The SKBC 3 sets the clock line to the logic level "0" for a predetermined time, sets only the clock line to the logic level "1", and waits for the clock sent from the mouse 13. The SKBC 3 sends out data in synchronization with the clock signal sent from the mouse 13. If the logic level of the data line is set to "0" immediately after the mouse 13 sends out the stop bit, the SKBC 3 judges that the data transmission is normally completed. On the contrary, when the SKBC 3 receives the data from the mouse 13, the mouse 13 sends the data to both the data line and the clock line at the logic level "1".
Send when The SKBC 3 detects the start bit and takes in the data that is continuously sent in synchronization with the clock. After receiving the data, the SKBC 3 sets the logic level of the clock line to "0" and the logic level of the data line to "1" to process the received data. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing a procedure for controlling a plurality of input devices according to the present invention. The operation procedure of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

When the power of the portable computer is turned on, the host CPU sends an initialization command "AA" to the SKBC3.
When the command "AAh" is received, the SKBC 3 sequentially initializes the KBC basic unit 3a. The contents of the initialization are as follows: All LEDs are blinked once. Disable keyboard interrupts.
Prohibits serial communication with keyboard and mouse. Disable interrupts to the host CPU. After the initialization is completed normally, SKBC3 sends the end code "55" to the host CPU.
Then, the host CPU issues a command to the SKBC3 to allow the external keyboard automatic recognition function after the initialization of the KBC basic unit 3a. Then, the host CPU initializes the SKBC3 to the SCC. When the SKBC 3 receives the SCC initialization command, it issues a command “FFh” to the external SCC 7.
h ”is transmitted. When the clock is returned from the external SCC 7 within a predetermined time in response to the command transmission request from the SKBC 3, the SKBC 3 determines that an external keyboard is present.
If the clock does not return within the specified time SK
BC3 determines that there is no external keyboard. In this embodiment, consider a case where an external keyboard is not connected.
Next, the host CPU issues a command to the SKBC 3 to selectively control the SCC unit 1. When the SKBC 3 receives the command, it controls the switching unit 3e to control the KB.
The C3a and the SCC section 3b, d are connected. Similarly, SKBC3
Issues an SCC initialization command "FFh" to the internal SCC. The contents of SCC initialization include clearing the key code buffer, initializing repeat parameters, and setting the key code mode. After the initialization is normally completed, the SKBC 3 sends an end command "AAh" to the host CPU (step 100).

After the initial setting of SKBC3 is completed, SKBC3
Becomes the keyboard controllable state. SKBC3 determines whether the repeat counter value has become zero (step 11).
0). If it is determined in step 110 that it is the repeat timing, the SCC unit 1 repeatedly creates the make code of the pressed key at specified repeat intervals.
When the key is released, the SCC section 1 creates a break code (step 120). If it is determined in step 110 that the repeat counter value is not zero, the process routine jumps to step 130.

The SKBC 3 incorporates three 16-bit timers (not shown). One of the timers is assigned as the timer counter 1 for the internal scan timing. After the timer counter 1 counts a predetermined time, the SCC 1 scans the keyboard matrix of the internal key tops 5. S if the specified key is pressed
CC1 generates a scan code (make code and break code). When the scan code occurs, the return line is read twice considering the chattering of the keyboard. The SCC 1 buffers the output data in order to reliably send the scan code data of the pressed key to the system 1. The buffer for the key code is a 32-byte First-In-First-Out (FIFO) buffer (steps 140-150). If step 130 determines that it is not the internal scan timing, the process routine jumps to step 160.

At step 160, a request signal is transmitted from the SKBC 3 to the ten-key pad 11 and the ten-key pad 11 is sent.
It is determined whether there is input data from. Step 1
If it is determined at 60 that there is key input data from the numeric keypad, the key input data is buffered in the buffer (step 170).

In step 180, it is determined whether there is an input from the host CPU, that is, whether there is data in the input buffer (IBF = 1?) Of the KBC basic unit 3a. Immediately, in step 180, communication with the SCC unit 1 is prohibited, and SK
It is determined whether a command is input in the F1 flag state of the BC3 status buffer. If F1 = 1, it is determined that a command has been input, and SKBC3 reads the command. And
Each processing is started based on the read command.
If the input at step 180 is a parameter or transmission data, the process routine proceeds to step 200. Then, according to the parameters transferred from the host CPU, the control of the KBC basic unit 3a, the update of the control buffer of the KBC basic unit, and the data from the host are processed as the transmission data to the SCC unit 3b (step 200).

At step 210, the SKBC 3 determines whether there is data from the MOU 13 based on the mouse clock and the polling condition of the mouse data communication line. When the logic level of the mouse clock line is "1" and the logic level of the mouse data line is "0", the SKBC3 determines that it is a data transmission request from the MOU 13 and performs mouse data processing. When the logic levels of the mouse clock line and mouse data line are both "1" MOU13
Transmits data to SKBC3 in synchronization with the mouse line (step 220).

Next, the SKBC 3 determines whether or not there is data in the keyboard buffer. If it is determined that there is data in the keyboard buffer, the SKBC 3 reads the key code set (scan code) from the key code buffer of the SCC section 3b. Then, the SKBC 3 performs ASCII conversion of the key code set into the key code mode based on the data conversion mode condition set in the predetermined bit of the control buffer of the KBC basic unit 3a. After conversion KBC basic part 3a is SKB
Write the key code mode into the C output buffer. SK
When BC3 writes the key code mode to the output buffer, it sets the OBF bit of the SKBC status buffer to the logic level "1". If the data written in the output buffer is the data from MOU13, SKBC3 outputs S
A logical level "1" is set to the MOBF bit of the KBC status buffer. Then, the SKBC 3 makes an interrupt to the host CPU based on the logical level state of the MOBF bit of the SKBC status buffer. That is, the MOBF
When the bit is at logic level "0", SKBC3 executes a keyboard interrupt. If the MOBF bit is at logic level "1", SKBC3 executes a mouse interrupt.
After executing the interrupt, the host CPU reads the data written in the SKBC output buffer. When the SKBC output buffer becomes empty, the values of the OBF and MOBF bits of the SKBC status buffer are cleared to zero (steps 230 to 24).
0). After completion of step 240, the process routine jumps to step 110.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the method of controlling the internal keyboard has been described. However, when it is determined that the external keyboard is connected in the initialization process of SKBC3, SKBC3 enables the internal keyboard and the external keyboard to operate simultaneously. In the control method in this case, the host CPU issues a predetermined command to the SKBC 3 at the time of initialization processing to enable simultaneous operation of the internal keyboard and the external keyboard. Next, the SKBC 3 changes the control of the KBC basic unit 3a from the SCC unit 13b to the external SCC 7 after the execution of step 250. The SKBC3 sets the logic levels of the external clock line and the external data line of the external SCC7 to "1" to bring the SKBC3 into the data receiving state. SKBC3 is SCC in case of data transmission request from external SCC7 based on polling condition
The key code set stored in the key code buffer 7 is sequentially transferred to SKBC3. Then, the SKBC 3 executes the same processing procedure that was being processed by the internal keyboard. After the external keyboard control is completed, the SKBC 3 changes from the external keyboard control to the internal keyboard control. With such a method, a plurality of input devices can be simultaneously operated, and data input can be executed at high speed and efficiently.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, since a plurality of data input devices can be connected, usability is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure for controlling a plurality of input devices of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for controlling a plurality of input devices according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a conventional input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... System I / F, 3 ... SKBC, 5 ... Internal 101 key top, 7 ... External SCC, 9 ... External 101 key top, 11
… Numeric pad, 13… Mouse

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A means for supplying information indicating which input device is controlled when the power is turned on, a means for storing the supplied control information, and the plurality of inputs based on the stored control information. A plurality of input device connection control devices comprising means for selectively controlling devices sequentially and processing input data, wherein the plurality of input devices are connected and controlled by a single control device.