Abstract:
A PC card slot and an information processing device using the PC card slot are provided which are capable of having a user recognize a state of a PC card so that the user should not pull out the PC card carelessly or accidentally during access to the PC card or before completion of software termination procedures.  
     The PC card slot is equipped with a PC card interface and a light emitting unit which goes on or off in response to a state of the PC card connected to the PC card interface.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a PC (Personal Computer) card slot and an information processing device using a PC card and more particularly to the PC card slot capable of preventing the PC card being pulled out carelessly or accidentally while the PC card is being accessed or power is being supplied to the PC card and the information processing device using the same.  
           [0003]    The present application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-031558 filed on Feb. 9, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    A conventional information processing device having a PC card interface such as a portable personal computer (hereafter referred to as a notebook personal computer) is not provided with a hardware-based mechanism that can inform a user that a PC card is being accessed.  
           [0006]    Therefore, there are the following problems with conventional technology:  
           [0007]    1. A user pulls out the PC card carelessly or accidentally from a PC card slot while data is being written in or read from the PC card such as a memory card or a like embedded in the PC card slot in the conventional information processing device having the PC card interface such as the notebook personal computer, thus causing data corruption in the PC card.  
           [0008]    2. The information processing device such as the notebook personal computer stalls when the PC card is pulled out from the PC card slot before a software termination procedure for the PC card interface is completed if no measures against insertion and withdrawal of hot lines are installed in the conventional information processing device having the PC card interface, an OS (Operating System) or a driver.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a PC (Personal Computer) card slot and an information processing device using the PC card slot which are capable of having a user recognize a state of a PC card so that the user should not pull out the PC card carelessly or accidentally from the PC card slot during access to the PC card or before completion of software termination procedures.  
           [0010]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a PC card slot including:  
           [0011]    a PC card interface; and  
           [0012]    a light emitting unit which goes on or off in response to a state of a PC card connected to the PC card interface.  
           [0013]    In the foregoing, a preferable mode is one wherein the light emitting unit is an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or an electro-luminescence device or an electro-luminescence device.  
           [0014]    According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing device including:  
           [0015]    a PC card slot being equipped with a PC card interface and with a light emitting unit which goes on or off in response to a state of a PC card connected to the PC card interface.  
           [0016]    In the foregoing, it is preferable that the light emitting unit is an LED.  
           [0017]    Also, it is preferable that the information processing device is a portable personal computer.  
           [0018]    With the above configurations in which the PC card interface and the light emitting unit connected to the PC card interface which goes on or off in response to the state of the PC card are provided, the following effects can be obtained:  
           [0019]    (1) Data corruption in the PC card can be prevented. That is, since the user can recognize by illumination of the LED that the PC card is being used, careless and accidental pulling-out of the PC card from the PC card slot during access to the PC card or before completion of software termination procedures can be prevented.  
           [0020]    (2) Stalling of the information processing device can be prevented. That is, since the user can recognize by the illumination of the LED that the PC card is now in operation, the stalling that would occur if the PC card is pulled out before the completion of the software termination procedures for the PC card in the information processing device in which measures against insertion and withdrawal of hot lines have not been installed.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing configurations of an information processing device using a PC card slot according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the PC card slot of FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]    Best modes of carrying out the present invention will be described in further detail using various embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       Embodiment  
       [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing configurations of an information processing device using a PC card slot according to an embodiment of the present invention. It also shows one example of a PC card interface section in an internal circuit of the information processing device such as a notebook personal computer or a like. As shown in FIG. 1, an information processing device  100  includes a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) controller  101 , a PC card slot  102 , a resistor  103 , a transistor  104 , a power source  105 , an LED (Light Emitting Diode)  106 , a resistor  107 , a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  108 , a RAM (Random Access Memory)  109 , a ROM (Read Only Memory)  110 , an HDD (Hard Disk Driver)  111 , a keyboard  112  and a display section  113 .  
         [0026]    A PC card  200  is inserted into the PC card slot  102 , where a connector of the PC card  200  is connected to that of the PC card  200  so that an electrical connection between their signal lines is established. The PCMCIA controller  101  and the PC card slot  102  (including connectors or a like embedded therein) make up a PC card interface. In the information processing device  100 , being, for example, the notebook personal computer, application programs stored in the HDD  111  are read to the RAM  109  by a user&#39;s operation of the keyboard  112  and are executed by the CPU  108 . Results from the execution are displayed on the display section  113  made up of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a like. Moreover, in the ROM  110  are stored control programs including a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or a like.  
         [0027]    Software including OS controls the PCMCIA controller  101  using the BIOS read from the ROM  110  and operations of the PC card  200  are controlled by the PCMCIA controller  101 . At this point, the PCMCIA controller  101  exchanges a variety of signals  114  (including data signals and control signals) through the PC card slot  102  with the PC card  200 .  
         [0028]    On the other hand, the PC card slot  102  is controlled by the PCMCIA controller  101 , that is, a PC card power control signal  115  being a control signal fed from the PCMCIA controller  101  is input not only to the PC card  200  but also to a transistor  104  through the resistor  103 . The PC card power control signal  115  is used to control an ON/OFF of the transistor  104 , thus causing an output voltage from the power source  105  to be applied to the LED  106 . Moreover, instead of the LED  106 , an other light emitting device such as an electro-luminescence device or a like may be employed.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 illustrates a part of an appearance of the information processing device  100  including the PC card slot  102  of the embodiment of the present invention. The PC card slot  102  is installed in a cabinet (not shown) of the information processing device  100  and at an upper part of the PC card slot  102  is mounted the LED  106 . A lid  116  is used to block an opening of the PC card slot  102  after the PC card  200  is pulled out, which prevents an entry of dust. Moreover, a placement of the LED  106  is not limited to the case shown in FIG. 2, that is, it may be placed at any place, for example, at an upper part of the PC card slot  102  or in a vicinity of the PC card slot  102  (on the cabinet of the information processing device  100 ), so that the user can monitor easily operations at a time of detachment of the PC card  200 .  
         [0030]    Next, operations of circuits shown in FIG. 1 will be described below. Normally, when the PC card  200  is inserted into the PC card slot  102  of the information processing device  100 , the PCMCIA controller  101  recognizes that the PC card  200  has been inserted and asserts the PC card power control signal  115 . When the PC card power control signal  115  is asserted, power for the PC card  200  is supplied to the PC card slot  102  and, at the same time, the transistor  104  is turned ON, causing the LED  106  to go on. After that, when the execution of application programs being used is stopped, the PCMCIA controller  101  takes a predetermined software termination procedure and deasserts the PC card power control signal  115 , causing the transistor  104  to be turned OFF and the LED  106  to go off.  
         [0031]    In FIG. 2, when the user inserts the PC card  200  into the PC card slot  102  to use the PC card  200  while the information processing device is in operation, the LED  106  goes on. So long as the PC card  200  is being used, the LED  106  continues illuminating. When the use of the PC card  200  is terminated and software termination procedures are taken, the LED  106  goes off. If the LED  106  has gone off, even if the PC card  200  is pulled out, data corruption does not occur.  
         [0032]    It is apparent that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments but may be changed and modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the circuit of the present invention may be applied, due to its small-sized configurations, to any information processing device having the PC card-slot and placing importance on portability such as small notebook personal computers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) or a like. Moreover, the present invention can be used for not only PC cards constructed in accordance with the PCMCIA standards (including Type I, II and III) but also other cards and card slots having similar configurations.