JP2007293978A - Detection and protection device for unstable operation of connected equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a detection and protection device for unstable operation of connected equipment in which operation of connected equipment can be stopped when equipment using an HDD connected to a device main body is operated unstably. <P>SOLUTION: The equipment using an HDD is connected to an on-vehicle audio device 1, a connected equipment media kind detecting part 7 detects it, when a connected equipment unstable operation detection output part 13 detects unstable operation by operation detection output of a connected equipment operation detecting part 8, operation of the connected equipment is stopped by instruction of an operation stop instruction part 14, or warning is output for a user from an unstable operation warning output part 15. Also, when a temperature/atmospheric-pressure limit area operation detecting part 12 detects an area of temperature and pressure causing defective operation of HDD by the detected result by a temperature atmospheric-pressure detecting part 9, operation stop is instructed by the connected equipment unstable operation detection output part 13, warning is output by the unstable operation warning output part 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention detects and uses, for example, when a device connected to an audio device for a vehicle is operating within a range where unstable operation is performed due to the influence of temperature, pressure, or the like, or when performing unstable operation. The present invention relates to a connected device unstable operation detection protection device that can notify a person or stop the operation of those devices to protect externally connected devices.

  For example, in a vehicle audio device, a portable audio device having a large-capacity data storage means that has been widely used in recent years is brought into the vehicle, and connected to the vehicle audio device by wire or wirelessly. Audio recorded on equipment is played and listened to through the vehicle's speakers. As such a large-capacity data storage means of the portable audio device, there are mainly NAND flash memory using a large-capacity flash memory and a hard disk system using a hard disk.

  On the other hand, it is known that the operation of a hard disk becomes unstable due to a high temperature above a predetermined level and a low temperature below a predetermined level. Also, the operation may become unstable due to atmospheric pressure, and may become unstable due to a high atmospheric pressure above a predetermined level and a low atmospheric pressure below a predetermined level. In particular, in a portable audio device such as that described above that uses a hard disk, a change in temperature often occurs due to a change in temperature depending on the environment in which it is carried.

  Furthermore, when portable audio devices using these hard disks are brought into the vehicle and connected to the vehicle audio device, the interior of the vehicle is 50 degrees when leaving the vehicle while parked in an outdoor parking lot in a midsummer drive, for example. When the temperature of the hard disk of those devices becomes high and the audio device is operated again after that, the connected audio device may be unstablely operated and the hard disk may be damaged. Further, in winter, the vehicle may become extremely cold, and in that case, the vehicle may be similarly unstable and damaged. Furthermore, the vehicle may climb up a high mountain, and it may be considered that the vehicle operates unstablely under the atmospheric pressure and is damaged.

In this way, as a technology for preventing the occurrence of unstable operation of the hard disk depending on the usage environment of the hard disk, when the hard disk is used in a vehicle-mounted device, the hard disk should be used depending on the vehicle speed condition, the temperature condition, and further the dew condensation condition. A technique for limiting is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-113563.
JP 2000-113563 A

  As described above, particularly in a vehicle, the temperature and pressure conditions of the usage environment are severe. When a device using a hard disk is used in the vehicle, malfunctions may occur due to these conditions, and the hard disk may be damaged. In particular, since portable audio equipment brought into a vehicle is inexpensive and small in size, it is difficult to provide means for dealing with these environmental conditions, and most equipments do not have these correspondence means. This applies not only to the vehicle equipment but also to general household equipment.

  Therefore, the present invention detects an unstable operation of a device using a hard disk connected to the apparatus main body, detects that there is a possibility of an unstable operation, and informs the user of the operation, or operates the device. The main object of the present invention is to provide a connected device unstable operation detection protection device that prevents the hard disk from being damaged by restricting the above.

  In order to solve the above problems, the connected device unstable operation detection protection device according to the present invention is connected to the device body, and connected device media type detection means for detecting the type of the data storage medium of the device connected to the device body. The connected device operation detecting means for detecting the operating state of the device and the connected device media type detecting means detect that the data storage medium of the connected device is a hard disk, and the connected device operation detecting means performs an unstable operation. Connected device unstable operation detection output means for outputting that the operation of the connected device is unstable when it is detected.

  In addition, the other connected device unstable operation detection protection device according to the present invention includes at least one of a temperature / atmospheric pressure detection means for detecting an ambient temperature or atmospheric pressure and a temperature / atmospheric pressure detected by the temperature / atmospheric pressure detection means. Is operating in the unstable operation region of the connected device by the temperature / atmosphere restriction region operation detection means for detecting that the device is connected to the apparatus main body and the temperature / atmosphere restriction region operation detection means. When detecting this, a connected device unstable operation detection output means for outputting that the operation of the connected device is operating in an unstable region is provided.

  In addition, another connected device unstable operation detection protection device according to the present invention includes a connected device medium type detecting means for detecting the type of data storage medium of the device connected to the apparatus main body, and a temperature for detecting ambient temperature or atmospheric pressure. The pressure detection means and the connected device media type detection means detect that the data storage medium of the connected device is a hard disk, and at least one of the temperature or the pressure detected by the temperature / pressure detection means is connected. And connected device unstable operation detection output means for outputting that the operation of the connected device is operating in the unstable region when it is detected that the device is in the unstable operation region. .

  Further, according to another connection device unstable operation detection protection device according to the present invention, in the connection device unstable operation detection protection device, the operation of the connection device is unstable in the connection device unstable operation detection output means. When it is output, or when it is output that it is operating in an unstable region, an operation stop means for stopping the operation of the connected device is provided.

  Further, according to another connection device unstable operation detection protection device according to the present invention, in the connection device unstable operation detection protection device, the operation of the connection device is unstable in the connection device unstable operation detection output means. It is characterized by comprising an unstable operation warning output means for outputting a warning to the user when it outputs or when it is output that it is operating in an unstable region.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connected device unstable operation detection protection device, wherein the connection device unstable operation detection protection device is provided in a vehicle audio device. To do.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, it detects an unstable operation of a hard disk device connected to the apparatus main body, or detects a state estimated to perform an unstable operation. Since it can be stopped or notified to the user, it is possible to surely protect the connected device that does not have such a function.

  The present invention has a problem that when a hard disk device connected to the main body of the apparatus is performing or is likely to perform an unstable operation, the operation of the connected device is stopped or a message to that effect is transmitted to the user. A connected device medium type detecting means for detecting a type of a data storage medium of the device connected to the apparatus main body, a connected device operation detecting means for detecting an operating state of the device connected to the apparatus main body, and the connected device medium type detecting. When the means detects that the data storage medium of the connected device is a hard disk and detects that the connected device operation detecting means is performing an unstable operation, the fact that the operation of the connected device is unstable is output. A connected device unstable operation detection output means, a temperature / atmospheric pressure detection means for detecting ambient temperature or atmospheric pressure, and the temperature A temperature / atmosphere restriction region operation detection means for detecting that at least one of the temperature or the air pressure detected by the air pressure detection means is an unstable operation region of the device connected to the apparatus main body; Thus, when it is detected that the connected device is operating in the unstable operation region, it is realized by estimating that the operation of the connected device is unstable and further combining them.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 3, the present invention is applied to a head unit (HU) 31 of a vehicle audio device, and a portable audio device 32 and a personal digital assistant (PDA) 33 equipped with an HDD are connected to the head unit 31. An example is shown in which reproduction is performed by the head unit 31 that selects and inputs either of them and is output from the in-vehicle speaker system 34. Here, as an audio recording medium built in the portable audio device 32, there is a case of an HDD in addition to a flash memory. The present invention is not limited to such an in-vehicle audio device but can be used in various audio devices including a home audio device, and is not limited to an audio device. The same can be applied to the apparatus.

  FIG. 4 shows a system outline of the present invention in the system as shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, an example in which an external HDD 42 such as a portable audio device 32 having the HDD of FIG. 3 or a portable information terminal 33 having the HDD is connected to the head unit 41 is shown. The head unit 41 is provided with application software 43 so that the user can perform various audio reproductions, and the check controller 44 and the reproduction controller 45 are controlled by the software.

  In the playback controller 45, the external HDD 42 is operated by a driver 46 to read data and output audio. The check controller 45 checks whether or not the operation of the external HDD 42 read by the driver 46 is stable. When the operation becomes unstable, the driver 46 stops the operation of the external HDD. FIG. 4 shows the most basic operation of the present invention, and various other functions can be added.

  FIG. 1 shows the functional block diagram shown in FIG. 4 in more detail. In the example shown in FIG. 1 as well, an example in which the present invention is applied to the vehicle audio apparatus 1 is shown. The vehicle audio apparatus in FIG. 1 normally includes an internal audio source 2 such as a radio, a CD player, an MD player, a cassette tape, and the like. The audio output is output from the speaker 4 into the vehicle.

  The audio device for vehicle 1 is provided with an external device connection unit 5, and the external device connection unit 5 is connected to an HDD audio device 20 having an HDD as an audio data storage device by, for example, a USB cable, or has a large capacity. A NAND flash audio device 21 that records audio data such as MP3 is connected to the flash memory or a HDD including an HDD as an internal data storage medium, and includes a PDA that records audio data or various data in the HDD. A personal computer 22 can be connected, and a portable external HDD or the like on which audio data is recorded can be connected. When connecting these devices, in addition to the USB cables as described above, they are also connected by cables of various communication formats normally used in personal computers and the like, and also by connection cables specific to each device, but these are all vehicles. The audio device 5 can be controlled.

  The connected device data capturing unit 6 captures data of various connected devices connected to the external device connecting unit 5 as described above, and the connected device data capturing unit 6 captures data in the same manner as a normal audio playback device. Audio data is reproduced by the reproduction control unit 3 and output from a speaker 4 installed in the vehicle. Also, the playback control unit 3 outputs various control signals such as audio playback order control, playback speed control, and operation stop control to the connected device via the external device connection unit 5, Arbitrary reproduction according to the will becomes possible.

  In the connected device media type detection unit 7, the various devices connected to the external device connection unit 5 are used by the connected devices based on the respective device information captured by the connected device data capturing unit 6. It is detected whether or not the data storage means is an HDD system, that is, it is not a NAND flash audio device, and the detection result is output to the operation stop instruction unit 13. The connected device operation detection unit 8 detects the operation state of the connected device based on the data acquired by the connected device data acquisition unit 6. In the connected device unstable operation detection unit 13, the connected device medium type detection unit 7 detects that the recording medium used in the currently connected device is an HDD system, and the connected device operation detection unit 8 detects this. When an unstable operation such as continuation of data reading failure in an externally connected device is detected, for example, depending on the device operating state, the operation stop instruction unit 14 and the unstable operation are detected via the connected device unstable operation detection output unit 13. Output to the operation warning output unit 15.

  The vehicular audio device 1 includes a temperature / atmospheric pressure detection unit 9, the temperature sensor 10 measures the temperature of the portion where the vehicular audio device is installed or the interior of the vehicle, and the pressure sensor 11 measures the atmospheric pressure of the surrounding environment. And the measurement result is output to the temperature / atmospheric pressure limited region operation detection unit 12. The temperature / atmospheric pressure detector 9 may measure either temperature or atmospheric pressure, but it is preferable to measure both. In the temperature / atmospheric pressure limit region operation detection unit 12, the device is detected in a limit region exceeding each threshold value compared with a predetermined temperature set in advance and an upper and lower limit value of a predetermined pressure based on the measurement results. Detect if it is working. When it is detected from the detection result that the device is operating in a restricted area exceeding the threshold, it is assumed that the connected device is performing unstable operation or there is a possibility of performing it, and the connected device unstable operation detection output An output to that effect is output to the unit 13.

  In the operation stop instruction unit 14, the operation of the connected device is unstable in the connected device unstable operation detection output unit 13 when the connected device is connected to the HDD audio system or the device using the HDD. When it is detected, and the temperature / atmospheric pressure limited region operation detection unit 12 detects that the connected device is in an unstable operation environment, an output indicating that the current operation is unstable is output. When it is done, an instruction output to stop the operation is given to the reproduction control unit 3.

  When the operation stop instructing unit 14 detects that the connected device is operating in the restricted region where the unstable operation is performed by the temperature / atmospheric pressure limited region operation detecting unit 12, the regeneration operation of the externally connected device is immediately performed only by the signal. However, when the connected device medium type detection unit 7 detects that the connected device is an HDD, a stop instruction may be issued. .

  In the unstable operation warning output unit 15, the connected device unstable operation detection output unit 13 detects the fact that the connected device is performing an unstable operation or is in an environment where it is performed. In order to detect that the connected device using the device is in an unstable operation or is in an environment to be used and to inform the user to that effect, the fact is displayed on the display unit of the vehicle audio device or the sound To that effect.

  In the connected device unstable operation detection device of the present invention composed of the functional blocks as described above, it can be operated in sequence, for example, according to the operation flow shown in FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the connected device signal is first input in the control system corresponding to the operation of the externally connected device (step S1). With this connection, the audio playback control of the connected device is performed by the operation of the playback controller 45 of FIG. 4 (step S2).

  On the other hand, when the connected device signal is input in step S1, the connected device media type is confirmed by random access (step S3). Next, it is determined whether or not the connected device is an HDD system (step S4). If it is determined that the HDD system is not used, the process returns to step S3 and the above operation is repeated. In step S4, when it is determined that the currently connected device that is in playback operation is an HDD system, operation check of the connected device that is currently in playback operation is performed at a fixed period (step S5).

  It is determined whether or not an unstable operation has been detected by checking the operation in step S5 (step S6). If no unstable operation is detected, the process returns to step S4 and the above operation is repeated. When an unstable operation is detected here, the operation of the externally connected device currently being reproduced is forcibly stopped (step S10). As a result, when an external connection device performs unstable operation for some reason, the operation can be stopped immediately, and even when the external connection device does not have such a function, the connection device is surely protected. Can do.

  Further, unlike the autonomous detection operation system in FIG. 2, that is, the protection of the device corresponding to the operation of the externally connected device in the steps S3 to S6, the autonomous function of the head unit of the vehicle audio device detects temperature and atmospheric pressure. (Step S7), it is determined whether or not the temperature is within the limit range (Step S8). If the temperature is not within the limit range, that is, there is a possibility that the externally connected device is performing unstable operation or its danger. If the temperature is within a range where it is determined that there is a risk of equipment damage, the operation proceeds to step S10 to forcibly stop the operation of the connected equipment.

  When it is determined that the temperature detected in step S8 is within the limit range, it is determined whether the atmospheric pressure is within the limit range (step S9). In this determination, when the current atmospheric pressure is not within the limit range, that is, there is a risk of unstable operation for the externally connected device, and further, the atmospheric pressure is in a range where it is determined that there is a risk of damage, step S10. Proceed to to forcibly stop the operation of the connected device. If it is determined in step S9 that the atmospheric pressure is within the limit range, the process returns to step S7 and the above operation is repeated. In this embodiment, both the temperature and the atmospheric pressure are detected, and the control is performed based on the detection result. However, the control is performed by detecting at least one of the temperature and the atmospheric pressure. Also good.

  In the operation flow, the example in which the operations in steps S7 to S10 are performed independently of the operations in and after step S3 is shown. However, when it is detected in step S4 that the connected device is an HDD system. The operation of steps S7 to S10 as an autonomous detection operation system may be performed. In addition, when the externally connected device is in an unstable operation region as described above, the externally connected device does not operate with respect to the display unit of the vehicle audio device as described above, other than stopping the externally connected device. It may be displayed that there is a possibility of being stable or unstable, and further outputting that effect by voice.

  In the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to a vehicle audio device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be used in various audio devices including a home audio device. The present invention is not limited to this, and can be used in the same manner for various devices connected to hard disk devices.

It is a functional block diagram of the Example of this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart of the Example. It is a figure which shows the system example when applying this invention to the audio apparatus for vehicles. 1 is a system configuration diagram when the present invention is applied to an audio device for a vehicle.

Explanation of symbols

1 Vehicle audio system
2 Internal audio source 3 Playback control unit 4 Speaker 5 External device connection unit 6 Connected device data capture unit 7 Connected device media type detection unit 8 Connected device operation detection unit 9 Temperature / pressure detection unit 10 Temperature sensor 11 Pressure sensor 12 Temperature / pressure Restricted area operation detection unit 13 Unstable operation detection output unit for connected device 14 Operation stop instruction unit 15 Unstable operation warning output unit 20 HDD audio device 21 NAND flash audio device 22 Portable PC 23 External HDD

Claims (6)

Connected device media type detection means for detecting the type of data storage medium of the device connected to the apparatus body;
Connected device operation detecting means for detecting the operating state of the device connected to the apparatus body;
When the connected device media type detecting means detects that the data storage medium of the connected device is a hard disk and the connected device operation detecting means detects that an unstable operation is being performed, the connected device does not operate properly. A connected device unstable operation detection protection device comprising: a connected device unstable operation detection output means for outputting that the device is stable. Temperature / atmospheric pressure detection means for detecting ambient temperature or atmospheric pressure;
A temperature / atmospheric pressure restriction region operation detecting means for detecting that at least one of the temperature or the atmospheric pressure detected by the temperature / atmospheric pressure detection means is an unstable operation region of a device connected to the apparatus main body;
When the temperature / atmospheric pressure restriction region operation detecting means detects that the device is operating in the unstable operation region of the connected device, it outputs that the device connected is operating in the unstable operation region. An apparatus for detecting unstable operation of a connected device, comprising: an operation detection output means. Connected device media type detection means for detecting the type of data storage medium of the device connected to the apparatus body;
Temperature / atmospheric pressure detection means for detecting ambient temperature or atmospheric pressure;
The connected device medium type detecting means detects that the data storage medium of the connected device is a hard disk, and at least one of the temperature or the pressure detected by the temperature / atmospheric pressure detecting means is an unstable operation of the connected device. The connected device unstable operation characterized by comprising connected device unstable operation detection output means for outputting that the operation of the connected device is operating in the unstable operation region when it is detected that the device is in the region. Detection protection device.   When the connected device unstable operation detection output means outputs that the operation of the connected device is unstable or outputs that it is operating in an unstable region, the operation stop that stops the operation of the connected device The connected device unstable operation detection protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising means.   When the connected device unstable operation detection output means outputs that the operation of the connected device is unstable or outputs that the connected device is operating in the unstable operation region, a warning is not output to the user. The connected device unstable operation detection protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a stable operation warning output means. The connected device unstable operation detection protection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the connection device unstable operation detection protection device is provided in an audio device for a vehicle.

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