GB2336072A

GB2336072A - Data communication adaptor unit

Info

Publication number: GB2336072A
Application number: GB9906867A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keiichi Ikawa; Tetsuaki Nakanishi
Original assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
Priority date: 1998-04-01
Filing date: 1999-03-24
Publication date: 1999-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-03-24
Also published as: CN1235461A; GB2336072B; CN1115033C; GB9906867D0; JPH11289401A

Abstract

A data adaptor unit enables a mobile telephone and a data terminal to transmit or receive control signals directly, and enables the power supply of the mobile telephone to be operated by commands from the data terminal. The adaptor unit comprises: means for receiving a control command to control a mobile unit from a data terminal unit; means for analysing the command to output an analysis signal; and means for generating a signal for controlling the mobile unit according to the analysis signal. Communication time can be reduced between the telephone and the data terminal by changing the data rate of an up serial signal and a down serial signal. Malfunction of the mobile telephone due to reception of unidentified signals can be prevented since the control signal for shifting the telephone into a normal command mode is not output to the up serial signal input terminal.

Description

2336072 DATA COMMUNICATION ADAPTER UNIT The present invention relates to a

data communication adapter unit and, more particularly, a data communication adapter unit employed to establish data communication by connecting a mobile telephone to a data terminal.

In order to execute data communication from an information processing unit such as a personal computer via a communication line, a data communication adapter unit such as a modem is employed between the information processing unit (data terminal unit) and a communication equipment. In recent, mobile data communication is carried out by connecting a mobile personal computer and a mobile telephone via the data communication adapter unit. In such data communication adapter unit, like a personal computer disclosed in Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) Hei 4-2996 33, f or example, various controls are ef f ected by supplying commands from the data terminal unit.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the conventional data communication adapter unit. In FIG.5, a TCH receive signal is input into a TCH receive signal input terminal (21) from the mobile telephone, and data are restored by a TCH data processor (26). Also, the TCH data processor (26) converts data being input f rom a command processor (2 7) into a TCH transmit signal and then outputs the signal to a TCH transmit signal output terminal (22). Further, the TCH data processor (26) transmits analyzed results of TCH data to a control unit (30), and executes 2 processing of TCH data according to control signals transmitted from the control unit (30). A down serial signal is input into a down serial signal input terminal (23) fromthemobile telephone, and then such down serial signal is analyzed by a serial signal processor (29). Analyzed results of the down serial signal is transmitted from the serial signal processor (29) to the control unit (30). Then, the serial signal processor (29) outputs an up serial signal to an up serial signal output terminal (24) according to a response signal being transmitted f rom the control unit (3 0).

Based on analyzed results of the down serial signal transmitted from the serial signal processor (29), analyzed results of input commands transmitted from the command processor (27), and analyzed results of TCH data transmitted from the TCH data processor (26), the control unit (30) controls the TCH data processor (26), the serial signal processor (29), the command processor (27), a data transmitting/receiving flow controller (28), etc. and also transmits the control signal and the response signal to the serial signal processor (29) and the command processor (27).

A [KIK1]data input/output terminal (25) is connected to the data terminal. AT commands, which are normal control method to control data-circuit-terminating equipment (DCE) such as a modem by the data terminal equipment (DTE), and transmit/ receive data are input/output from/to the data terminal via the data input/output terminal (25). The data transmitting/receiving flow controller (28) sets a transfer rate of the signal being input into the data input/output terminal (25), and executes flow control not to generate overf low of data between the data terminal and the data input/output terminal (25).

The command processor (27) discriminates which one of a command mode, an on-line mode, and an on-line command mode a current state belongs to, then decides which one of data or the commands the input signal corresponds to, based on the current mode and analyzed results of character strings of the input signal supplied from the data transmitting/receiving controller, and then transmits the data to the TCH data processor (26) if the input signal is the data, or transmits the commands to the control unit (30) if the input signal is the commands. Also, the command processor (27) transmits the signal supplied from the control unit (30) and the signal supplied from the TCH data processor (26) to the data transmitting/ receiving flow controller (28) according to the current mode.

As described above, the data communication process can be handled in the conventional data communication adapter unit.

However, in the conventional data communication adapter unit, there has been the problem that, since the down serial signal being input into the down serial signal input terminal (23) is analyzed by the serial signal processor (29), such down serial signal cannot be transmitted directly to the command processor (27). Also, there has been the problem that, since the signal being input to the data input/output terminal (25) is transmitted to the control unit (30) or the TCH data processor (26) via the command processor (27), such signal cannot be transmitted directly to the up serial signal output terminal (24). Further, there has been the problem that a control line for controlling a power supply of the mobile telephone cannot be operated and also the power supply of the mobile telephone cannot be controlled from the data terminal unit side.

The present invention has been made to overcome the above problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide an excellent data communication adapter unit which enables a mobile telephone and a data terminal to transmit /receive control signals directly and also enables the mobile telephone to control its power supply.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the data communication adapter unit is constructed to comprise means for receiving a command to control a mobile unit from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the command to output a command analyze signal; and means for generating a signal for controlling the mobile unit according to the command analyze signal. According to this configuration, the power supply of the mobile telephone, etc. can be operated by the command supplied from the data terminal unit side.

Also, the data communication adapter unit is constructed to comprise means for receiving a control command from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the control command to output a command analyze signal; and means for outputting a signal being input into a down serial signal input terminal to a serial data input/output connector and outputting a signal being input into the serial data input/output connector to an up serial signal input terminal according to the command analyze signal. According to this configuration, the serial signals can be transmitted/ received between the data terminal unit and the mobile unit as they are, reception level information from the mobile telephone can be displayed and edited by the data terminal, memory dial can be copied between the mobile telephone and the data terminal, so that its convenience can be improved.

Further, the data communication adapter unit is constructed to comprise means for receiving a command to control a serial signal transfer rate from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the command to output a command analyze signal; and means for changing a transfer rate of an up serial signal and a down serial signal, according to the command analyze signal. According to this configuration, the serial signal transfer rate can be controlled from the data terminal unit side, a communication time can be reduced between the mobile telephone and the data terminal by increasing a transfer rate, so that its convenience can be improved.

Furthermore, the data communication adapter unit is constructed to comprise means for receiving a command to control state transition from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the command to output a command analyze signal; and means for executing the state transition according to the command analyze signal in a situation that no output is supplied to an up serial signal output terminal. According to this configuration, since unnecessary signals are not sent out when the state transition of the data communication adapter unit is controlled f rom the data - 6 terminal unit side, malfunction of the communication unit can be prevented [KIK21.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a data communication adapter unit in an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.2 is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the mobile unit operator first control signal in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the mobile unit operator second control signal in the embodiment of the present invention; FIG.4 is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the data communication adapter unit in the embodiment of the present invention; FIG.5 is a block diagram showing the data communication adapter unit in the prior art.

A data communication adapter unit according to an embodiment of the present invention can analyze commands being input from the data terminal unit, control a power supply of a mobile telephone, etc., pass serial signals through between the mobile telephone and the data terminal as they are, change a transfer rate of the serial signals, and perform its state transition without output of the signal to mobile telephone.

FIG[KIK3].1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the data communication adapter unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a data input/output terminal (7) is a terminal employed to receive the command from the data terminal and to transmit/ receive the data to/from the data terminal. A TCH data processor (8) is a means for processing the data supplied from the mobile telephone, and also converting the command to output to the mobile telephone. A command processor (9) is a means for executing processes such as command analysis.

A data transmitting/ receiving flow controller (10) is a means for preventing overflow by virtue of flow control. A transfer rate setting portion (11) is a means for setting a transfer rate. A bus controller (12) is ameans for selectinga signal path. Aserial signal processor (13) is a means for executing processes such as serial signal analysis. A control unit (14) is a means for controlling respective processors of the unit. A mobile unit operator control signal operating unit (15) is a means for controlling the power supply of the mobile telephone, etc.

Functions of the data communication adapter unit as constructed as above will be explained hereunder. A TCH receive signal is input into a TCH receive signal input terminal (1) from the mobile telephone and then the data are restored by the TCH data processor (8). The TCH data processor (8) converts the data being input from the command processor (9) into a TCH transmit signal, and then outputs the TCH transmit signal to a TCH transmit signal output terminal (2). Also, the TCH data processor (8) transmits analyzed results of TCH data to the control unit (14) and also executes the process of TCH data according to the control 8 - signal transmitted from the control unit (14).

A down serial signal is input into a down serial signal input terminal (3) from the mobile telephone and then transmitted to the transfer rate setting portion (11). In the transfer rate setting portion (11), a transmission rate of the serial signal can be changed by setting AT commands. The transfer rate setting portion (11) transmits the signal being supplied from the down serial signal input terminal (3) to the bus controller (12) and also transmits the signal being supplied from the bus controller (12) to an up serial signal input terminal (4).

Based on setting of AT commands, the bus controller (12) can be set such that the down serial signal being received from the transfer rate setting portion (11) should be transmitted selectively to the serial signal processor (13) or the command processor (9). Also, based on setting of AT commands, the bus controller (12) can be set such that one of the signal transmitted from the serial signal processor (13) and the signal transmitted from the command processor (9) should be transmitted selectively to the transfer rate setting portion (11).

The serial signal processor (13) analyzes the down serial signal. Also, the serial signal processor ( 13) transmits analyzed results of the down serial signal to the control unit (14), and then outputs the up serial signal to the bus controller (12) according to the response signal transmitted f rom the control unit (14).

Based [KIK4]on analyzed results of the down serial signal transmitted from the serial signal processor (13), analyzed 9 - results of input commands transmitted from the command processor (9), and analyzed results of TCH data transmitted from the TCH data processor (8), the control unit (14) controls the TCH data processor (8), the serial signal processor (13), the command processor (9), adata transmitting/receiving flowcontroller (10) the bus controller (12), the transfer rate setting portion (11) ' the mobile unit operator control signal operating unit (15), etc., and also transmits the control signal and the response signal to the serial signal processor (13) and the command processor (9).

The data input/output terminal (7) is connected to the data terminal. AT commands, which are normal control method to control the modem, etc. (DCE) by the data terminal, etc. (DTE), and transmit/ receive data are input/output from/to the data terminal via the data input/output terminal (25).

The data transmitting/receiving flow controller (10) sets a transfer rate of the signal being input into the data input/output terminal (7), and performs flow control not to generate overflow of data between the data terminal and the data input/output terminal (7).

The command processor (9) discriminates which one of a command mode, an on-line mode, and an on-line command mode a current state belongs to, then decides which one of data or the commands the input signal corresponds to, based on the current mode and analyzed results of character strings of the input signal supplied from the data transmitting/receiving controller, and then transmits the data to the TCH data processor (8) if the input signal is the data, or transmits the commands to the control unit (14) if the input signal is the commands, or transmits the commands according to setting of the AT commands. Also, the command processor (9) transmits the signal supplied from the control unit (13), the signal supplied from the TCH data processor (8), and the signal transmitted from the bus controller (12) to the data transmitting/receiving flow controller (10) according to setting of the AT commands and the current mode.

The mobile unit operator control signal operating unit (15) receives an instruction indicating a level of a mobile unit operator first control signal or a mobile unit operator second control signal f rom the control unit (14). The mobile unit operator control signal operating unit (15) outputs the level indicated by the instruction to an output terminal (5) for a mobile unit operator first control signal and an output terminal (6) for a mobile unit operator second control signal according to setting of the AT commands.

FIG[KIM1.2 is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the mobile unit operator first control signal of the data communication adapter unit in the embodiment of the present invention. If the AT command for designating the level of the mobi le unit operator f irs t contro 1 s ignal i s is sued f rom the data terminal, the data communication adapter unit can change the level of the mobile unit operator first control signal regardless of other conditions, so that the state of the power supply of the mobile telephone can be controlled.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the mobile unit operator second control signal of the data communication adapter unit in the embodiment of the present invention. If the AT command for designating the level of the mobile unit operator second control signal is issued from the data terminal, the data communication adapter unit can change the level of the mobile unit operator second control signal regardless of other conditions, so that the state of the power supply of the mobile telephone can also be controlled.

Although the AT commands for controlling the mobile unit operator f irst control signal and the mobile unit operator second control signal are assigned as follows, they can be assigned to other commands unless they are not overlapped with other commands.

AT+POW1 = 0 the mobile unit operator first control signal = GND AT+POW1 = 1 the mobile unit operator first control signal = OPEN AT+POW2 = 0 the mobile unit operator second control signal = GND AT+POW2 = 1 the mobile unit operator second control signal = OPEN A default is the mobile unit operator first and second control signals = OPEN. In this case, AT+POW1 = n, AT+POW2 = n are not stored.

FIG.4 is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the data communication adapter unit in the embodiment of the present invention. There is shown an operation in the state in which the down serial signal supplied from the mobile telephone is sent out to the data terminal and also the signal supplied from the data terminal is sent out to the mobile telephone as the up serial signal. The AT commands are assigned in the following, they can be assigned - 12 to other commands unless they are not overlapped with other commands.

AT&Fl:

AT&F2:

AT&FO: cable mode (a transmission rate of up/down serial signals is 600 bps) cable mode (a transmission rate of up/down serial signals is 2400 bps) cable mode (a transmission rate of up/down serial signals is 9600 bps) According to the AT command (AT&FO), the data communication adapter unit is brought into a state wherein the down serial signal supplied from the mobile telephone is sent out to the data terminal at a transfer rate of 600 bps and also the signal supplied from the data terminal is sent out to the mobile telephone as the up serial signal. The data communication adapter unit outputs the down serial signal supplied from the mobile telephone to the data terminal without analysis, and also outputs the signal supplied from the data terminal to the mobile telephone as the up serial signal without analysis.

An operation of the data terminal requested to shift from the state, wherein the down serial signal supplied f rom the mobile telephone is sent out to the data terminal and also the signal supplied from the data terminal is sent out to the mobile telephone as the up serial signal, to the normal command mode may be set equally to an operation (sent out... (variable according to setting of the register)) requested to shift the normal on-line mode to the on-line command mode. In this case, "+++" (depending upon the setting of the register) character strings sent out from - 13 the data terminal are not sent out to the mobile unit as the up serial signal.

According to the AT command (AT&F2), the data communication adapter unit is brought into a state wherein the down serial signal supplied from the mobile telephone is sent out to the data terminal at a transfer rate of 9600 bps and also the signal supplied from the data terminal is sent out to the mobile telephone as the up serial signal - The transfer rate of the serial signal can be changed by this command.

In this embodiment, an example in which control is carried out by expanding the AT command of Heise Co. Ltd. has been explained. However, it is evident for one skilled in the art that the object can be attained similarly by expanding other similar commands such as V.25bis command.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the data communication adapter unit is constructed to analyze commands being input f rom the data terminal unit, control a power supply of a mobile telephone, etc., pass serial signals through between the mobile telephone and the data terminal as they are, change a transfer rate of the serial signals, and perform its state transition without output of the signal to mobile telephone. Therefore, the power supply of the mobile telephone can be controlled by the AT command, reception level information from the mobile telephone can be displayed and edited, memory dial can be copied between the mobile telephone and the data terminal, a communication time can be reduced between the mobile telephone and the data terminal by changing a transfer rate, 14 - and malfunction of the mobile telephone due to reception of undefined signals can be prevented if the control signal transmitted from the data terminal to the data communication adapter unit is not sent out to the mobile telephone.

As described above, in the present invention, the data communication adapter unit is constructed to comprise means for receiving a command to control a mobile unit from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the command to output a command analyze signal; and means for generating a signal for controlling the mobile unit according to the command analyze signal. Therefore, such an advantage can be achieved that, if the command is set, the power supply of the mobile telephone, etc. can be operated by the mobile unit operator control signal.

Also, the data communication adapter unit is constructed to comprise means for receiving a control command from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the control command to output a command analyze signal; and means for outputting a signal being input into a down serial signal input terminal to a serial data input/output connector and outputting a signal being input into the serial data input/output connector to an up serial signal input terminal according to the command analyze signal. Therefore, such advantages can be achieved that reception level information from the mobile telephone can be displayed and edited by the data terminal if the command is set, and memory dial can be copied 2-3 between the mobile telephone and the data terminal.

Further, the data communication adapter unit is constructed to comprise means for receiving a command to control - 15 a serial signal transfer rate from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the command to output a command analyze signal; and means for changing a transfer rate of an up serial signal and a down serial signal, according to the command analyze signal. Therefore, such an advantage can be achieved that a communication time can be reduced between the mobile telephone and the data terminal.

Furthermore, the data communication adapter unit is constructed to comprise means for receiving a command to control state transition from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the command to output a command analyze signal; and means for executing the state transition according to the command analyze signal in a situation that no output is supplied to an up serial signal output terminal. Therefore, such advantages can be achieved that the state transition can be carried out without output of the serial signal, and malfunction of the mobile telephone due to reception of undefined signals can be prevented.

Claims

1. A data communication adapter unit comprising:

means for receiving a command to control a mobile unit from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the command to output a command analyze signal; and means for generating a signal for controlling the mobile unit according to the command analyze signal.

is

2. A data communication adapter unit comprising:

means f or receiving a control command f rom a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the control command to output a command analyze signal; and means for outputting a signal being input into a down serial signal input terminal to a serial data input/output connector and outputting a signal being input into the serial data input/output connector to an up serial signal input terminal, according to the command analyze signal.

3. A data communication adapter unit comprising: means for receiving a command to control a serial signal transfer rate from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the command to output a command analyze signal; and means for changing a transfer rate of an up serial signal and a down serial signal, according to the command analyze signal.

- 17 1

4. A data communication adapter unit comprising: means for receiving a command to control state transition from a data terminal unit; means for analyzing the command to output a command analyze signal; and means for executing the state transition according to the command analyze signal in a situation that no output is supplied to an up serial signal output terminal.

5. A data communication adapter substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.