AUTOMATIC DETECTOR FOR DETECTING ATTACHMENT AND IDENTIFICATION OF EXTERNAL EQUIPMENT, INFORMATION PROCESSING EQUIPMENT AND EXTERNAL EQUIPMENT

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve both of connection failure and identification by using the minimum number of pins in a connector that is used for connection. SOLUTION: This external equipment has a 1st identification pin group that consists of more than one pin on the side of one edge in the longitudinal direction of connecting connectors 21A to C, a 2nd identification pin group that comprises more than two pins on the side of the other edge and a control pint that is allocated to one pin of one edge side and connects at least one pin in the 2nd identification pin group to the control pin, and also, each pin in other 1st and 2nd identification pin groups forms identification information through its connection or disconnection to/from the control pin. When a 1st signal level is supplied to the control pin on the external device side, if any of the 2nd identification pin group shows the 1st signal level, both ends of a connector normally come into contact. Also, an external device can be identified by the combination of the signal level of each pin of the 1st and 2nd identification pin groups.