Abstract:
An electronic apparatus having a main body includes a connector for detachably connecting a first or second electronic circuit to the main body, a discriminator for discriminating whether the first electronic circuit or the second electronic circuit has been connected to the connector in accordance with information included in the first or second electronic circuit, and a device for executing transmission and reception of information to and from a memory provided in a first electronic circuit in the case where the discriminator discriminates that the first electronic circuit has been connected. The executing device also accesses data in an external device further connected to the second electronic circuit through a control circuit provided in the second electronic circuit in the case where the discriminator discriminates that the second electronic circuit has been connected. The invention also relates to a method for controlling such an electronic apparatus.

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/803,608 filed Dec. 9, 1991, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an electronic apparatus and, more particularly, to an electronic apparatus in which a detachable IC card is connected to an IC card junction portion and a CPU bus of the electronic apparatus main body is connected to the IC card by the junction portion and the IC card is used as an external memory device. 
     2. Related Background Art 
     FIG. 8 shows an external view of a conventional data processing apparatus such as personal computer, word processor, or the like and an IC card which is used as a small external memory device for the data processing apparatus. 
     A construction of a data processing apparatus  90  shown in FIG. 8 is used in a word processor, a personal computer, or the like and has a display  68  comprising an LCD panel or the like and a keyboard  86  as user interface means. The apparatus  90  also has an IC card  50  as an external memory device. Reference numeral  91  denotes an eject lever to remove the IC card  50 . 
     As shown in FIG. 9, a control system of the data processing apparatus  90  comprises: a CPU  65 ; various control circuits which are connected to a data/address bus of the CPU  65 ; the display  68 ; a power source (P/S) section  84 ; and the key input section  86 . 
     The IC card  50  is connected through an IC card connector  60  in a slot which is formed in the side wall of the keyboard  86  in FIG.  8 . 
     The IC card is used as a memory area to store processing data of the apparatus main body, operation data or KANJI (Chinese characters) font data which has already been stored in the card, or data of utility softwares, or the like. 
     A plurality of read only memories (ROMs)  54  and a plurality of random access memories (RAMs)  55  are enclosed in the IC card  50  and are connected to the IC card connector  60  through a buffer  53  and a junction portion  51  by an address/data/control bus  56 . 
     The address/data/control bus of the data processing apparatus  90  and signal lines of a power source and the like are also connected from the apparatus main body to the IC card connector  60  through a buffer  62  as necessary as shown in FIG.  9 . The signal is connected to the IC card  50  by the connector. 
     To the address/data/control bus of the CPU  65 , there are connected: a KANJI (or Chinese characters) ROM  69 ; a DMA controller  70 ; an RAM  82 ; an ROM  83 ; a timer  81 ; an I/O controller  71 ; a display controller  66  to control the input/output operation for the display  68  and keyboard  86 ; a key input controller  85 ; and the like. 
     An external expansion bus connector  89  is provided on the rear wall (not shown in FIG. 8) of the main body. A hard disc or an external control unit can be connected to the external expansion bus connector  89  through an exclusive control board and can be used to expand the external memory or to control the apparatus. 
     In recent years, a higher degree of miniaturization of the apparatus has been evident. In the apparatus as mentioned above, it is becoming impossible to provide enough apace to attach both of the connector  60  for the IC memory and the external expansion bus connector  89 . For instance, there are also commercially available a portable data processing apparatus and the like such as an IC card system pocket-book, an IC card electronic calculator, and the like having a small space only for providing a connector terminal for the IC card. 
     On the other hand, in such an apparatus as well, the function such as a high processing speed to input/output data from/to an external apparatus or the like is required similarly for the case of a desk-top type personal computer or the like. 
     As mentioned above, however, in recent years, it is difficult to assure an installation space for the connector to input/output data from or to an external device. In a conventional device, using a countermeasure is used, such that the control of the external device and the data input/output operation are executed or the like by using a serial communication connector. This is because the installation space for the serial communication connnector is smaller than that for the external expansion bus connector since the serial communication connector has only a signal line. 
     According to the above method, however, the high-speed input/output operation cannot be executed by a communication device using the serial communication connector. Such a method can be used for only an interface with a relatively low-speed external device such as printer, analog modem, or the like. It is difficult to apply the above method to an application field such that the memory of the IC card of a small capacity is expanded by connecting an external memory or the like. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the first object of the invention that even in a small electronic apparatus having a limited installation space, the data input/output operation can be executed at a high speed by using an IC card interface. 
     The second object of the invention is to enable an input/output operation with an external device such as an external memory device or the like to be performed through pseudo card means connected under the same junction condition as that for the IC card connector. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external view of a data processing apparatus employing the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the apparatus of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram of a table showing a pin arrangement of a junction portion on the pseudo IC card side; 
     FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a data construction to distinguish between an IC card and a pseudo IC/card; 
     FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a different control system of the electronic apparatus; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the invention is applied to an electronic camera; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a construction of a conventional electronic apparatus; and 
     FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a construction of a control system of the conventional electronic apparatus. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention will be described in detail hereinbelow on the basis of an embodiment shown in the drawings. In the following description, the same or corresponding members as those of the conventional apparatus are designated by the same reference numerals and their detailed descriptions are omitted. 
     According to the invention, an external device (an expansion port of an external expansion memory device such as a floppy disk, a hard disk device, a semiconductor memory, etc., or another apparatus such as a computer, word processor, etc., or the like) is connected to the data processing apparatus  90  by using an IC card interface. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, in an electronic apparatus using the invention, a pseudo IC card (second card)  1  is inserted into an IC card slot (inserting hole) and is used in place of the IC card (first card)  50 . The pseudo IC card  1  is constructed as a pseudo IC card section. The CPU of the data processing apparatus  90  executes the input/output operation to the same interface as the ordinary IC card  50  for the pseudo IC card  1 , so that the CPU can perform the input/output operation to an external device  11 . 
     The pseudo IC card  1  has a cable  8  to execute the input/output operation to the external device  11 . The cable  8  is connected to the external device  11  through connectors  9  and  10 . In the above construction, since the input/output interface between the pseudo IC card  1  and the external device  11  can be executed irrespective of the data processing apparatus  90  side, it can be performed by arbitrary means such as an SCII interface or the like. 
     An explanation will now be provided hereinbelow of an example in which the external device  11  is constructed as an external expansion memory device such as a floppy disk, a hard disk device, a semiconductor memory, or the like and supplements the capacity of the IC card and data is handled as if the apparent capacity of the IC card when it is seen from the data processing apparatus  90  has increased. 
     In FIG. 2, in a manner similar to the conventional apparatus, the data processing apparatus  90  is constructed by a display  68 , a power source section  84 , and a key input section  86  and has the IC card connector  60  on the side wall of the apparatus main body at a position adjacent to the key input section. 
     In a manner similar to the conventional apparatus, internal circuits of the data processing apparatus  90  comprise: a RAM  82  to store data or utility softwares; a timer IC  81  which is used to calculate an execution period or an operation time; a key input controller  85  to convert a key input code from the key input section  86  into a code in a form which can be easily read by a CPU  65 ; a display controller  66  to convert display characters sent from the CPU  65  so as to be displayed by the display  68  such as LCD or plasma display; the KANJI (or Chinese characters) ROM  69  which is referred as necessary to convert the display characters to the display  68  into KANJI; an I/O controller  71  of a communication control IC such as an RS232C or the like for communication with a outside; the DMA controller  70  to control a DMA (direct memory access) from the I/O controller  71 ; and the like. 
     The apparatus of the invention differs from the conventional apparatus because the pseudo IC card  1  is not constructed so as to use the self internal memory as in the IC card but has an external device controller  4  to control the input/output operation to the external device  11 , an I/O driver  5 , a mold member  6  to connect the cable  8  and the I/O driver  5 , and a monitor  7  to assure safety. 
     A buffer  3  receives an input/output signal for the apparatus main body from a junction portion  2  and electrically protects the internal circuits. The external device controller  4  converts the signal from the buffer into a signal timing of the external device. The I/O driver  5  is provided to execute the input/output operation to the external device  11  by a predetermined interface system (SCII or the like) which can accurately perform communication between the external device controller  4  and the external device  11  even when the cable  8  is long to a certain extent. 
     Further, the monitor  7  monitors the power source voltage which is supplied from the data processing apparatus  90  to the pseudo IC card  1  through the junction portion  2  and provides a reset signal to the external device controller  4  at a time when the power source voltage is lower than a predetermined voltage, thereby preventing runaway of the CPU. 
     FIG. 3 is a table diagram showing a pin arrangement of two rows of the junction portion  2  of the pseudo IC card  1  in order to connect the pseudo IC card  1  to the data processing apparatus  90 . Numbers in the table indicate the pin numbers and each signal name is shown by a code which is generally used. For instance, GND indicates a ground potential; D 0  to D n  denote bits of the data bus; A 0  to A n  denote bits of the address bus; CS denotes a chip enable signal; and NC denotes a non-connection signal. 
     The operation of the above construction will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows a control procedure of the data processing apparatus  90  by the CPU  65 . 
     When a power source is turned on in step S 1  in FIG. 4, the CPU  65  starts the execution of the operating system software of the data processing apparatus stored in the ROM  83  and starts to check the function of each of the internal ICs. 
     In the next step S 2 , directory management data stored in the head address of the IC card  50  or pseudo IC card  1  as shown in FIG. 5 is read in order to automatically discriminate whether the IC card has been connected or the pseudo IC card has been connected to the IC card connector  60 . 
     FIG. 5 shows information for the CPU  65  to handle the IC card  50  or pseudo IC card  1  as a file. Such information is stored into addresses 0 to 4 of the IC card  50  or pseudo IC card  1 . 
     As shown in the diagram, different kinds of data are stored into those addresses by the IC card  50  or pseudo IC card  1 . 
     Information ( 01  (hexadecimal notation) in the case where the device is an RAM card;  02  in the case of ROM card; FO in the case of the pseudo IC card  1 ) indicative of the kind of IC card  50  or the distinguishment between the IC card  50  and the pseudo IC card  1  is stored into address 0. 
     In the case of the IC card  50 , words (stored in addresses 1 and 2) indicative of the number of registered files and words (stored in addresses 3 and 4) indicative of the head address of the first file are stored into subsequent addresses 1 to 4. Necessary file location information is stored into the subsequent addresses. 
     In the case of the pseudo IC card  1 , the head address of a device driver program to access to the pseudo IC card  1  stored in the ROM  83  on the apparatus main body side is stored into addresses 2 and 3. 
     In step S 2 , the data indicative of the kind of device in address 0 is read and when the data kind indicates the IC card, the processing routine advances to steps S 3  and S 5 . An ordinary IC card control driver software written in the ROM  83  is loaded into the RAM  82 . The CPU  65  sequentially executes programs stored in the RAM  82  and controls a method of giving a signal to the IC card connector and handles the IC card  50  as an ROM card or an RAM card. The above operations are substantially the same as those in the conventional apparatus. 
     On the other hand, in the case where the read directory management data indicates the pseudo IC card in step S 2 , step S 4  follows and the device driver program for the pseudo IC card control is loaded from the ROM  83  into the RAM  82 . After that, in the run of the operating system in steps S 6  to S 8 , the CPU  65  sequentially executes the programs in the RAM  82  and changes a method of giving signals to the IC card connector  60  to a method of giving control signals according to the kind of external device which is connected. 
     On the pseudo IC card  1  side, a high-speed communication by parallel transfer using the CPU bus is executed between the data processing apparatus  90  and the CPU  65 . The external device controller  4  executes the necessary data conversion or interface conversion on the basis of the high-speed communication, thereby performing the input/output operation to the external device  11 . 
     As mentioned above, the electronic apparatus can be used for expansion of an external memory or for control of an external device by using the IC card connecting portion of the data processing apparatus  90  through the pseudo IC card  1  in which the shape, signal arrangement, and characteristics are the same as those of the IC card section. Therefore, even in a small data processing apparatus such that there is not enough space to attach a connector terminal for expansion of an external memory and only a slot (inserting hole) of an IC card can be arranged, the transmission and reception of data with an external device can be realized by the high-speed parallel data transmission using the CPU bus. 
     In the above embodiment, the device driver program to execute the input/output operation to/from the pseudo IC card  1  is stored into the ROM  82  on the data processing apparatus  90  side. As shown in FIG. 6, however, it is also possible to construct in a manner such that an ROM  12  is provided for the pseudo IC card  1  and a device driver program to execute the interface which is peculiar to the pseudo IC card  1  is stored therein and is transferred to the RAM  82  on the apparatus main body side at the start of the program. 
     In the above case, when it is determined that the pseudo IC card  1  is connected in the discrimination about the device in step S 2  in FIG. 4, for the access procedure, the device driver program is loaded not from the RAM  82  but from the ROM  12  in the pseudo IC card  1  in step S 4 . 
     According to the above construction, a device driver such that the use of the pseudo IC card  1  will not be presumed in the future doesn&#39;t need to be stored into the main memory in vain. The main memory comprising the ROM and RAM on the main body side of the data processing apparatus  90  can be saved and effectively used. 
     Since the device driver program is stored in the pseudo IC card  1 , the changing and maintenance of the device driver program can be also easily performed. 
     Further, in the above embodiment, although the data processing apparatus has been considered as an electronic apparatus which handles characters such as a word processor, a note-shaped personal computer, an electronic pocketbook, or the like, the invention is also effective for all apparatuses using an IC card such as an electronic calculator which handles numerals, a facsimile apparatus which handles a video image, an electronic camera, and the like. 
     FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram when the invention is applied to an IC card camera. FIG. 7 shows an electronic camera which stores photographed images into the IC card  50 . Reference numeral  202  denotes a flash and  203  indicates a lens to photograph an image. The other elements of the camera mechanism are substantially the same as that of the conventional apparatus except that in the control system of the camera, the portion which handles the interface of the IC card  50  is constructed as shown in FIG. 1 or  6  to thereby enable the pseudo IC card  1  as mentioned above to be connected. 
     According to the above construction, the external device  11  can be connected through the pseudo IC card  1  in place of the IC card  50  and the number of photographed images of about tens of images can be remarkably increased. 
     In the above embodiment, upon the start of the program, the discrimination between the pseudo IC card  1  and the IC card  50  and the setting of the device driver are executed. Upon exchange of the pseudo IC card  1  and IC card  50 , the discrimination of the device, the loading of the device driver, and the like can be also dynamically performed. 
     Further, in the above embodiment, the pseudo IC card  1  and the external device are connected by using the cable. However, the cable is not an indispensable element and the pseudo IC card  1  can be also directly attached to the external device. 
     As will be obviously understood from the above explanation, according to the invention, in an electronic apparatus in which a detachable IC card is connected to the IC card junction portion and the CPU bus of the electronic apparatus main body is connected to the IC card by the junction portion and the IC card is used as an external memory device, there is provided the pseudo card means having a junction portion which can be connected to the IC card junction portion of the electronic apparatus main body, and further, the pseudo card means has therein the control means for converting the data input/output interface between the electronic apparatus and the pseudo card means and the data input/output interface between a predetermined external device and the pseudo card means, and the data input/output operation is executed between the electronic apparatus main body and the external device through the pseudo card means. Therefore, there is an excellent advantage such that even in a small data processing apparatus in which the connector terminal for expansion of an external memory cannot be separately attached, the data input/output operation can be executed between the apparatus main body and an external device at a high speed by using the bus of the IC card through the pseudo card means connected to the IC card junction portion.