JPH06214907A - Inter-personal-computer communication equipment, power unit and keyboard - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily connect personal computers to each other in a short time so as to be capable of communicating mutually. CONSTITUTION:An interface for a keyboard at the front face of a desk type personal computer 2 and the interface for communication of a portable type personal computer 1 are connected to each other by a cable 3 so as to be capable of executing data transmission mutually. Besides, direct input to the desk type personal computer 2 can be executed by the keyboard 11 of the portable type personal computer 1. Further, power for driving is supplied from the desk type personal computer 2 to the portable type personal computer 1 through the cable 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inter-personal computer communication device and a power supply device for performing data transmission and power supply between two personal computers (personal computers), mainly between a portable personal computer and a desktop personal computer. Also, it relates to a keyboard that inputs and outputs to a personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Communication between personal computers is performed for the purpose of utilizing and processing data between the personal computers. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional communication method between personal computers. FIG. 4 shows a state of communication between the desktop computer 5 and the portable computer 6. The desktop personal computer 5 includes a main body 51, a display 52, and a keyboard 53. An RS-232C connector is usually provided on the rear surface of the main body 51 (not shown). On the other hand, an RS-232C connector 61 is also provided on the side surface of the portable personal computer 6, and communication between the personal computers can be performed by connecting both RS-232C connectors with a dedicated cable 62. Moreover, in order to take the power source of the portable personal computer 6 from the outside,
The AC adapter 63 was plugged into the outlet.

[0003]

The above method has various inconveniences. Since the portable personal computer 6 is carried around and used, it was necessary to connect the cable 61 to the RS-232C connector 61 by screwing and connect the AC adapter 63 each time when trying to communicate with the desktop personal computer 5. In addition, the RS-
When the 232C connector was used for personal computer communication and other purposes, the plugs connected to these had to be temporarily removed and replaced. Desktop PC 5
Since the rear surface is usually placed in contact with a wall or the like, it is narrow and it is difficult to work, and it is complicated because it is necessary to work around the rear surface side.

Further, since the keyboard 53 and the like already occupy space on the desk on which the desk type personal computer 5 is arranged, if the portable type personal computer 6 is also placed on the desk, the top of the desk becomes very narrow. Was becoming.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an inter-personal computer communication device, a power supply device, and a keyboard that can eliminate the above-mentioned inconvenience.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an inter-personal computer communication device for transmitting data between a first personal computer and a second personal computer. The inter-personal computer communication device is configured to transmit data via a cable built in the first personal computer and connected to the keyboard interface of the second personal computer.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the inter-personal computer communication device according to the first aspect is configured such that the first personal computer is a portable personal computer.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the code input by the keyboard of the first personal computer is the second code.
2. The personal computer communication device according to claim 1, wherein the personal computer communicates data in such a manner that it is treated in the same manner as a code input by the keyboard of the second personal computer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power supply device for allowing the first personal computer to receive power from the second personal computer, which is built in the first personal computer and serves as a keyboard interface of the second personal computer. The power supply device is configured to use the electric power transmitted through the connected cable as the power supply for operating or charging the first personal computer.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the power supply device according to the fifth aspect is configured such that the first personal computer is a portable personal computer.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inter-personal computer communication device for transmitting data between a first personal computer and a second personal computer, which is built in the first personal computer and A first transmission device that transmits and receives data that conforms to a keyboard interface, a second transmission device that is built in a second personal computer and that transmits and receives data through the keyboard interface of the second personal computer, and a first transmission device. The inter-personal computer communication device is configured so as to include a cable for connecting the keyboard interface of the second personal computer and the second personal computer.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the first transmission device flags the data to be transmitted depending on whether or not the code is input by the keyboard, and the second transmission device is the first transmission device. The flag attached to the data is identified so that the code input by the keyboard of the personal computer is treated in the second personal computer in the same manner as the code input by the keyboard of the second personal computer. The communication device between personal computers described in No. 6 was constructed.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a keyboard which can be connected to a keyboard interface of a personal computer and can be input / output to / from the personal computer. The central processing unit, the display device, the auxiliary storage device, the input / output port, and the power supply unit. A keyboard is provided which is capable of performing data processing by key input and is portable.

[0014]

Since the present invention has the above-mentioned structure, it has the following effects.

The inter-personal computer communication device according to the invention of claim 1 is built in the first personal computer in order to perform data transmission between the first personal computer and the second personal computer. The personal computer communication device performs data transmission via a cable connected to a keyboard interface, which is usually provided on the front surface or a side surface near the front surface of the second personal computer.

An inter-personal computer communication device according to a second aspect of the present invention is built in a portable personal computer.

In the inter-personal computer communication device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the inter-personal computer communication device performs normal data transmission, and the code generated by operating the keyboard of the first personal computer The code is transmitted to the personal computer, and the second personal computer treats the code in the same manner as the code input by the keyboard of the second personal computer. Therefore, by operating the keyboard of the first personal computer, the second personal computer can be made to work.

A power supply device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a power supply device that is built in the first personal computer and that receives power from the second personal computer. The power supply device originally uses the electric power for driving the keyboard, which has been transmitted through the cable connected to the keyboard interface of the second personal computer, and uses the electric power for the operation or charging of the first personal computer. Used as a power source.

A power supply device according to a fifth aspect of the invention is
It is built into a portable computer.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inter-personal computer communication device, wherein a first transmission device is built in a first personal computer for data transmission between the first personal computer and the second personal computer. However, the second transmission device is built in the second personal computer. The first transmission device transmits and receives data compatible with the keyboard interface of the second personal computer. The second transmission device transmits / receives data through the keyboard interface of the second personal computer. The first transmission device and the keyboard interface of the second personal computer are connected by a cable, and data is transmitted through the cable.

In the inter-personal computer communication device according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the first transmission device attaches a flag to the data to be transmitted depending on whether or not the code is input by the keyboard, and transmits the second data. The transmission device identifies the flag attached to the data, and when the code is the code input by the keyboard, the transmission device treats the same as the code input by the keyboard of the second personal computer in the second personal computer.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a central processing unit, a display unit, and a central processing unit so that the keyboard can perform data processing by itself.
Since it is equipped with an auxiliary storage device, an input / output port, and a power supply unit, it can be carried and used by removing the connection with the keyboard interface of the personal computer.

[0023]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments shown in the drawings will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a portable personal computer equipped with an inter-personal computer communication device and a power supply device according to the present invention and a desktop personal computer are connected.

In FIG. 1, a portable personal computer 1 and a desktop personal computer 2 are provided with a cable 3 for a keyboard interface provided on the front surface of the desktop personal computer 2 and a communication interface provided on the rear surface of the portable personal computer 1. By connecting, portable PC 1 and desktop PC 2
Data can be transmitted to and from.

The keyboard 11 of the portable personal computer 1
By operating, the code of a character or a control character can be input to the desk-top type personal computer 2, and the desk-top type personal computer 2 can be made to work in the same manner as an ordinary keyboard. Therefore, the desktop computer 2 does not need a dedicated keyboard.

Further, electric power for driving the portable personal computer 1 is supplied from the desktop personal computer 2 via the cable 3. Therefore, it is not necessary to connect an AC adapter for power supply.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main components of the portable personal computer 1 and the desktop personal computer 2.

In FIG. 1, the portable personal computer 1 comprises a keyboard 11, an auxiliary storage unit 12, a central processing unit 13, a flag addition unit 14, an interface 15 and a liquid crystal display 17. The desktop personal computer 2 includes a keyboard interface 21, a flag identification device 22, and a central processing unit 23. The portable personal computer 1 also has a power supply unit 16.

The portable personal computer 1 includes a flag addition device 14,
Data transmission is performed through the cable 3 through the interface 15. The code input by the keyboard 11 is sent from the central processing unit 13 to the flag addition device 14, and a flag indicating that it is a character input by the keyboard or a control character code is added. On the other hand, the data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 12 corresponds to the flag addition device 1
In 4, a flag indicating that the data is communication data such as image data or text data is added. The data is transmitted to the desktop personal computer 2 via the interface 15.

The data sent through the cable 3 is sent from the keyboard interface 21 to the flag identifying device 2
It is discriminated whether it is the code sent to the terminal 2 and inputted by the keyboard or the communication data. If the code is a keyboard input code, the central processing unit 23 treats the code in the same manner as a code input from the keyboard of the desk top type personal computer 2. That is, a character is displayed on the display according to the input code, a print instruction is given to the printer, and calculation is performed. If it is communication data, it is processed as normal communication data.

Conversely, data can be transmitted from the desktop personal computer 2 to the portable personal computer 1 through the keyboard interface 21, the cable 3 and the interface 15.

FIG. 3 shows a part of the interface 15, the keyboard interface 21, and the cable 3.

The line 31 of the cable 3 is used to supply a power supply voltage from the desktop personal computer 2 side to the portable personal computer 1 side. The line 32 is used to send a reset signal from the desktop personal computer 2 side to the portable personal computer 1 side. The line 33 is used for exchanging clock pulses between the desktop personal computer 2 side and the portable personal computer 1 side. Line 34 is used for bidirectional data communication. Line 35 is the ground.

The cable 3 includes the interfaces 15 and 21.
Are connected to the terminals 151 and 211. The power supply voltage line 31 is connected to the power supply unit 16.
The clock pulse and the data signal are controlled by the transistors 152 and 153, respectively. The reset signal, the clock pulse, and the data are sent to the central processing unit 13.

In the above embodiment, the flag adding device 14 and the flag identifying device 22 are not always necessary. Even if the flag adding device 14 and the flag identifying device 22 are not provided, communication is possible if the software for communication is activated in the portable personal computer 1 and the desktop personal computer 2, and the portable personal computer 1 If the keyboard software is activated, the portable personal computer 1 can be used as a keyboard. Also, the flag addition device 1
4. Needless to say, the flag identification device 22 can be configured by software.

The data transmission / reception on the side of the desk top personal computer 2 is performed by the keyboard interface or the I interface.
It is possible to process with software without modifying hardware such as / O port or adding equipment. The portable personal computer 1 side needs to have an interface 15 for communication.

According to the above embodiment, when the portable personal computer 1 and the desktop personal computer 2 are going to communicate with each other, the cable is connected to the RS-232C connector,
There is no need to connect a C adapter, and the keyboard interface on the front of the desktop PC 2 and the portable PC 1
It suffices to connect the communication interfaces of each other with the cable 3. Therefore, it is possible to communicate easily and in a short time. Further, it does not occupy the RS-232C connector or the AC power output connector of the desk-top type personal computer 2, and can be used for other purposes. Also, there are no disturbing cables on the desk.

Further, since a dedicated keyboard is not required for the desktop personal computer 2, the desk on which the desktop personal computer 2 is placed can be widely used, and the keyboard key layout is such that the desktop personal computer 2 and the portable personal computer 1 are arranged. Since it does not change with, it is easy to operate and there are few mistakes. That is, from the opposite side, it can be seen that the keyboard of the desk-top type personal computer 2 is provided with the central processing unit 13 liquid crystal display 17 and the like to add the personal computer function. Further, if the portable personal computer 1 is carried around, the desktop personal computer 2 cannot be used, so that data cannot be seen or stolen by others.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.
It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

For example, the power supply unit is a portable personal computer 1.
Although it has been described that power is supplied to drive the battery, it may include a charging battery.

[0042]

As described above, according to the inter-personal computer communication device of the first aspect of the present invention, the second data is transmitted for data transmission between the first personal computer and the second personal computer. Since the data is transmitted via the cable connected to the keyboard interface of the personal computer, the personal computer communication can be prepared in a simpler and shorter time than connecting the RS-232C connectors together. This is because the keyboard interface is usually provided on the front surface of the personal computer or on the side surface near the front surface, and it can be connected simply by inserting the plug. Also, the number of cables can be reduced.

According to the inter-personal computer communication device of the second aspect of the present invention, since the inter-personal computer communication device is built in the portable personal computer, the portable personal computer that has been carried around is to be connected to the desktop personal computer. RS-232 every time
The work of connecting the C connectors together can be saved.

According to the inter-personal computer communication device of the third aspect of the present invention, the inter-personal computer communication device performs normal data transmission, and the code generated by operating the keyboard of the first personal computer is changed to the second code. To a personal computer
The second personal computer handles the code in the same manner as the code entered by the keyboard of the second personal computer. Therefore the first
The second personal computer can be made to work by operating the keyboard of the personal computer. Therefore, the keyboard of the second personal computer becomes unnecessary.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the power source device is built in the first personal computer and receives power from the second personal computer, the trouble of connecting an AC adapter or the like is omitted. You can

According to the fifth aspect of the power supply device of the present invention, since the power supply device is built in the portable personal computer,
You can save the trouble of connecting an AC adapter every time you try to connect a portable PC that you were carrying around with a desktop PC.

According to the inter-personal computer communication device of the sixth aspect of the present invention, in order to perform data transmission between the first personal computer and the second personal computer, the first personal computer transmits the first transmission device. And the second transmission device is built in the second personal computer. The first transmission device transmits and receives data compatible with the keyboard interface of the second personal computer. The second transmission device transmits / receives data through the keyboard interface of the second personal computer. The first transmission device and the keyboard interface of the second personal computer are connected by a cable, and data is transmitted through the cable. Therefore, RS-232C with a dedicated cable
It is possible to prepare for personal computer communication in a simpler and shorter time than connecting the connectors together. Also, the number of cables can be reduced.

According to the inter-personal computer communication device of the seventh aspect of the invention, the first transmission device attaches a flag to the data to be transmitted depending on whether or not the code is input by the keyboard, and transmits the second data. The transmission device identifies the flag attached to the data, and if the code is the one entered by the keyboard, the second personal computer handles it in the same manner as the code entered by the keyboard of the second personal computer. Communication and keyboard input can be switched without any special operation.

According to the keyboard of the eighth aspect of the present invention, the keyboard can carry out data processing by itself and is portable, so that it can be used as a keyboard or detached from a personal computer and used. can do. Since the keyboard makes it impossible to operate the computer by carrying it around, there is no risk of the computer data being stolen.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a portable personal computer and a desktop personal computer incorporating an embodiment of an inter-personal computer communication device according to the present invention are connected.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main part of the configuration of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the terminal portion of each interface and cable line allocation of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which conventional communication between personal computers is performed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Portable PC 11 Keyboard 2 Desktop PC 3 Cable

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A personal computer communication device for transmitting data between a first personal computer and a second personal computer, the first personal computer comprising:
Inter-personal computer communication device that transmits data via a cable that is built into the personal computer and is connected to the keyboard interface of the second personal computer. 2. The inter-personal computer communication device according to claim 1, wherein the first personal computer is a portable personal computer. 3. The data transmission is performed so that the code input by the keyboard of the first personal computer is treated in the same manner as the code input by the keyboard of the second personal computer in the second personal computer. The inter-personal computer communication device according to Item 1. 4. A power supply device for supplying power from a second personal computer to a first personal computer, which is built in the first personal computer and connected via a cable connected to a keyboard interface of the second personal computer. A power supply device that uses the transmitted power as a power supply for operating or charging the first personal computer. 5. The power supply device according to claim 5, wherein the first personal computer is a portable personal computer. 6. A personal computer communication device for transmitting data between a first personal computer and a second personal computer, the first personal computer comprising:
No. 1 built-in personal computer, which transmits / receives data conforming to the keyboard interface of the second personal computer, and second personal computer incorporated in the second personal computer, which transmits / receives data through the keyboard interface of the second personal computer. An inter-personal computer communication device comprising: the second transmission device; and a cable connecting the first transmission device and the keyboard interface of the second personal computer. 7. The first transmission device flags data to be transmitted depending on whether or not the code is input by a keyboard, and the second transmission device is input by a keyboard of the first personal computer. 7. The inter-personal computer communication device according to claim 6, wherein the flag attached to the data is identified so that the code is treated in the second personal computer in the same manner as the code entered by the keyboard of the second personal computer. 8. A keyboard which is connected to a keyboard interface of a personal computer and can be input / output to / from the personal computer, and which comprises a central processing unit, a display unit, an auxiliary storage unit, an input / output port, and a power supply unit to input data by key input. A keyboard capable of performing processing and being portable.