JP4133658B2 - PC card modem and its operation status acquisition method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a PC card type modem device (hereinafter referred to as a PC card modem), and more particularly to an operation status acquisition method for acquiring information related to a PC card modem and its operation status.

  The PC (Personal Computer) card is a standard for a card-type peripheral device for PC (personal computer) established jointly by PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) and JEIDA (Japan Electronics Industry Promotion Association). A PC card modem is generally widely used today as a communication device for performing personal computer communication using a device such as a PC or Internet connection. As for the types of PC card modems, in addition to conventional analog line modems and digital line terminal adapters for wired connection, modems for wireless connection such as cellular phones are available.

  The PC card modem as described above generally has various physical connection methods (PC card slot, adapter, etc.) with a PC (personal computer) or the like. However, in any case, in consideration of the affinity with the PC, it is logically connected as a serial communication device (serial modem). Further, the PC card modem is required to be designed in accordance with standardization regulations such as PCMCIA, thereby enabling connection with various devices in addition to the PC. Further, a haze AT command is generally used as a command system for controlling such a serial modem. Therefore, in order to consider compatibility with connected devices, modem control and status acquisition using this AT command is a standard system in practice.

  Several prior arts in this technical field have been disclosed. There has been disclosed a cable modem management system that enables a setting change or the like to be performed at low cost without restarting (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, an AT command sent from the CPU by serial communication for controlling the modem device has a command capable of controlling various ports of the modem device and reading the status. Has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2001-157181 A (2nd page, FIG. 1) JP 2001-339467 A (2nd page, FIG. 2)

  With the recent diversification of communication infrastructure, modem devices that perform wireless connection acquire the internal state of the modem (for example, wireless communication quality and field strength) during communication, unlike modems that use conventional wired connections. In addition, there is a demand to easily set communication control (for example, change of communication frequency) even during data communication. However, in a serial modem including such a PC card modem, an AT command for acquiring an internal state such as an operation state and a setting value of a modem function is prepared, but once communication is started, In order to notify such a control AT command to the modem, it is necessary to temporarily interrupt communication, and there is a problem in that communication continuity and responsiveness are impaired.

  The problem to be solved is that the compatibility and generality within the range of various standards and regulations are not impaired, and the continuity and responsiveness are not impaired during data communication by the modem, and the internal function setting of the modem is performed. It is a point that enables acquisition of the internal state.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the PC card modem and the operation status acquisition method thereof according to the present invention employ the following characteristic configuration.

(1) A PC card type including a communication device , a communication interface, and a configuration register for initial setting in the PCMCIA standard , and the communication device can perform data communication with a communication terminal such as a personal computer (PC) through the communication interface. In a modem device (PC card modem),
A control device and a control interface for obtaining a modem state;
Wherein the control interface is constituted by substituting the configuration register after the initial setting ends,
The control device is a PC card modem that is connected to the communication terminal via the control interface and enables acquisition of the modem status.

(2) the communication device, PC card modem (1) connected to a communication network via a connection interface.

  (3) The PC card modem of (1) or (2) connected to the communication terminal via a PC card connection device.

  (4) The PC card modem according to (1), (2), or (3), wherein the control interface is made usable after receiving a notification of completion of initialization processing from the communication device.

  (5) The PC card modem according to (1), (2), (3) or (4), wherein the modem state is an internal state or a communication state.

(6) In a PC card modem operation state acquisition method that includes a configuration register for initial setting in the PCMCIA standard and acquires the modem state of a PC card modem that can communicate with a communication terminal such as a personal computer (PC).
The PC card modem includes a control device and a control interface for acquiring the modem state,
Wherein the control interface is constituted by substituting the configuration register after the initial setting ends,
The control device is connected to the communication terminal via the control interface;
Said communication terminal, said when PC card modem in communication also, the operation status acquisition method of the PC card modem to get the modem status.

(7) The PC card modem, a communication device that will be connected to the communication terminal via the communication interface, wherein the control device,
After receiving the initialization completion notification from the communication device, the communication terminal operation status acquisition method of the PC card modem (6) which makes it possible to obtain the operating state of the modem via the control interface .

  According to the PC card modem and the operation status acquisition method of the present invention, the following remarkable practical effects can be obtained. That is, the PC card modem of the present invention operates as a general serial communication modem and maintains connectivity with conventional connection devices. Furthermore, the function added according to the present invention enables setting / acquisition of the internal state / communication state of the PC card modem regardless of whether the communication is on standby or during communication. As a result, the user of the PC card modem can easily grasp the operation state from the sequential communication terminal.

  Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of a preferred embodiment of a PC card modem and its operation status acquisition method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing the relationship between a PC card modem and a communication terminal (PC or the like) in the present invention. In FIG. 1, a PC card modem 20 is coupled via a PC card connection device 30 attached to the communication terminal device 10. In the PC card modem 20 according to the present invention configured as described above, an interface for providing a normal modem function, and a notification and setting for an internal state and a communication state added separately in the present invention are provided. The interface is connected to the communication terminal 10.

  With the above-described configuration, it is possible to acquire the state of the PC card modem 20 at an arbitrary time point using the interface newly added in the present invention while maintaining compatibility with the conventional PC card modem. . Details thereof will be described later.

  Next, FIG. 2 shows a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a preferred embodiment of the PC card modem according to the present invention together with a related communication apparatus and communication network. The PC card modem 20 according to the present invention includes two types, that is, a communication interface 22 with a communication terminal (such as a PC) 10 and a control interface 23 for notifying / setting the internal state and communication state of the PC card modem 20. Like the modem, the connection interface 21 with the communication network 40 is included. The PC card modem has a communication device 24 for realizing a normal modem function, and a control device 25 for acquiring an internal state and a current communication state.

  The communication interface 22 between the communication terminal 10 and the communication device 24, which is a communication module, is a serial communication interface conforming to a general PCMCIA standard in consideration of compatibility with a conventional PC card modem. On the other hand, the control interface 23 between the communication terminal 10 and the control device 25, which is a control module, uses a part of a configuration register (configuration register) in the PCMCIA standard. Conventionally, this register is used at the time of initialization operation of the PC card, and is not used at the time of communication. In the present invention, this register can be used continuously after the initialization of the PC card modem, and this register is used as a control interface between the communication terminal 10 and the control device 25.

  Since the communication terminal 10 and the communication network 40 shown in FIG. 2 are not directly related to the present invention, the details thereof are omitted.

  Next, the operation of the preferred embodiment of the PC card modem 20 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the operation sequence diagram shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows an operation sequence between the communication terminal 10, the PC card connection device 30 and the PC card modem 20, particularly the communication device 24 and the control device 25.

  The PC card modem 20 is connected to the communication terminal 10 and used in the same manner as a general PC card. At that time, the PC card is detected between the PC card connection device 30 and the communication terminal 10 in accordance with the PCMCIA standard (step S1), and a setting register (not shown) is connected between the communication device 24 of the PC card modem 20 and the communication terminal 10. ) Is performed (step S2). Details regarding this initialization operation are not directly related to the present invention and are well known to those skilled in the art, and therefore will not be described.

  The completion of the initialization process is notified from the PC card connection device 30 to the communication terminal 10 (step S3). The completion of the initialization process is also notified from the communication device 24 to the control device 25 (step S4). After completion of this initialization operation, the PC card modem 20 in the present invention, specifically, the communication device 24 thereof, communicates with the communication terminal 10 through the communication interface 22 as in the conventional manner, as in the conventional modem device. Connection / disconnection operation and communication data related to communication operation are performed (step S5).

Next, the function of the control interface 23 inside the PC card modem 20 is validated (that is, the use of the control interface 23 is enabled), and the setting from the control device 25 to the communication terminal 10 and the notification of the internal state are started. Similarly, in the communication terminal 10, after the initialization process is completed, the control interface 23 is monitored and set, and the operations of the control device 25 and the communication device 24 connected thereto are changed as necessary (step S6). Various methods of using the control interface 23 in the communication terminal 10 are conceivable and are not directly related to the present invention, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The control interface 23 in the PC card modem 20 is effective until the PC card modem 20 is turned off or an initialization operation is performed again from the communication device 24.

  As described above, an object of the present invention is to sequentially acquire or set the setting state and communication state in the PC card modem 20 by improving the register function of the PCMCIA standard for the PC card modem compliant with the PCMCIA standard. Yes. For this reason, in the present invention, a communication network and a communication terminal (such as a personal computer) are shown, but these may be other devices and apparatuses.

  If the PC card modem conforms to the PCMCIA standard and is operated as a serial device, the present invention can be applied to improve the function. Further, in the internal configuration diagram of the PC card type modem device of FIG. 2, the communication device (communication module) 24 and the control device (control module) 25 are separated from each other, but these two devices are integrated. It may be configured as a module having two types of interfaces of communication and control between the communication terminal 10 and the communication terminal 10.

  The configuration and operation of the preferred embodiment of the PC card modem and its operation state acquisition method according to the present invention have been described in detail above. However, it should be noted that such embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the present invention in any way. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that various modifications and changes can be made according to a specific application without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1 is a system configuration diagram of a communication system using a PC card modem according to the present invention. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the detailed structure of suitable embodiment of the PC card modem by this invention. It is a sequence diagram explaining operation | movement of the PC card modem by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Communication terminal 20 PC card modem 21 Connection interface 22 Communication interface 23 Control interface 24 Communication apparatus 25 Control apparatus 30 PC card connection apparatus 40 Communication network

Claims (7)

A PC card type modem device having a communication device , a communication interface, and a configuration register for initial setting in the PCMCIA standard , and capable of data communication with the communication terminal such as a personal computer (PC) through the communication interface. PC card modem)
A control device and a control interface for obtaining a modem state;
Wherein the control interface is constituted by substituting the configuration register after the initial setting ends,
The PC card modem, wherein the control device is connected to the communication terminal via the control interface and can acquire the modem state. The communication device, PC card modem of claim 1, characterized in that it is connected to a communication network via a connection interface.   The PC card modem according to claim 1, wherein the PC card modem is connected to the communication terminal via a PC card connection device.   4. The PC card modem according to claim 1, wherein the control interface is made usable after receiving a notification of completion of initialization processing from the communication device.   5. The PC card modem according to claim 1, wherein the modem state is an internal state or a communication state. In the PC card modem operating state acquisition method, which includes a configuration register for initial setting in the PCMCIA standard and acquires the modem state of a PC card modem capable of communicating with a communication terminal such as a personal computer (PC).
The PC card modem includes a control device and a control interface for acquiring the modem state,
Wherein the control interface is constituted by substituting the configuration register after the initial setting ends,
The control device is connected to the communication terminal via the control interface;
Said communication terminal, said when in communication with the PC card modems, PC Card modem operation status acquisition method characterized by obtaining the modem status. The PC card modem, a communication device that will be connected to the communication terminal via the communication interface, wherein the control device,
After receiving the initialization completion notification from the communication device, PC card according to claim 6, wherein the communication terminal is characterized in that it allows to obtain the operating state of the modem via the control interface How to get modem operating status.

Images