JP3471589B2 - Connection status transmission device and connection status display method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to IEEE 1394.
The present invention relates to a connection status transmission device and a connection status display method suitable for a network compatible with the standard.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as a unified standard of digital interface system for transmitting and receiving data between digital image devices, IEEE (The Inst) which is a low-cost peripheral interface suitable for multimedia applications is used.
itute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, In
c.) 1394 is becoming popular. IEEE 1394 is
Multiple transfer of multiple channels is possible. In addition, IE
EE1394 is an isochronous (isochronou) that guarantees that video and audio data are transferred within a fixed time.
s) Since it has a transfer function, it is a digital interface suitable for image transmission.

IEEE 1394 allows the construction of daisy chain-like and tree-like topologies.
Up to 63 nodes can be connected to one bus.

Since the free connection status is allowed in this way, it is convenient to display the current connection status. The current connection status is managed by the bus manager provided at a specific node in the bus.

However, the node having the function of the bus manager does not always have the display section. Therefore, in order to display the connection status, it is necessary to transmit the connection information from the bus manager to the node having the display unit, but there is no standard for the transmission format for transmitting the connection information.

On the other hand, the IEEE 1394 data transfer protocol is defined by three layers (hereinafter, also referred to as 1394 layer) of a physical layer, a link layer and a transaction layer. These 1394 layers are standardized, but operating system (Operatin
g)) (hereinafter referred to as OS), there is no standardized OS layer that regulates hardware management and user interface provision. A standardized interface for applications to use services such as OS
There is no standardized PI (Application Programming Interface).

Recently, in the field of information equipment and home appliances,
There is a movement to standardize these OS layers and APIs. In this case, if the data format of the connection information from the bus manager is specified, the API can be made common.

A method is also conceivable in which image data showing the display of the connection status is created from the connection information of the bus manager and this image data is transmitted. However, in this case, the amount of data to be transmitted becomes enormous, and the burden on both the bus manager side and the display side increases.

[0009]

As described above, conventionally, a bus manager having topology information has such a function in an OS layer having a display function, or a node having a bus manager having topology information has such a function. There is no standard for data that transmits a connection status display to a node that is a non-display device, and it is not possible to display the connection status without increasing the burden on both the output side and the display side of the connection information. There was a point.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. By standardizing the transmission format of the connection information, the connection status is increased without increasing the load on both the output side and the display side of the connection information. Connection status transmitting device and connection status capable of displaying a common display on all display devices by sharing the interface between the 1394 layer and the API or OS layer The purpose is to provide a display method.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a connection status transmitting apparatus is provided for each node based on data indicating a port status in a topology map in a network.
Node IDs and child nodes connected to each of the above nodes
The first correspondence which is the correspondence with the number of
Based on the node ID of each node and its parent node
The second correspondence, which is the correspondence with the node ID, is calculated and calculated.
And calculating means for outputting the second correspondence as parent node ID information, and the parent node ID information from the calculating means.
A connection status display method according to claim 5 of the present invention comprises: a data output means for converting the transmission data into a predetermined transmission data format and transmitting the transmission data onto the network. Node ID of each node based on the data showing the status of the port in the map
And the number of child nodes connected to each node
A first correspondence that is
The node ID of each node and the node ID of its parent node
And calculating a second correspondence that is the correspondence of the calculated second correspondence
A procedure for outputting the correspondence as parent node ID information, and transmitting the parent node ID information in a predetermined transmission data format
The procedure of converting to data and sending out on the network, and the transmission data transmitted via a predetermined transmission line
And a procedure for creating image data for displaying a display indicating the connection status of the network based on the input transmission data .

In claim 1 of the present invention, the calculating means is
The correspondence between the ID of each node and its parent node is calculated based on the data indicating the state of the port in the topology map of the network. This calculation result is supplied to the data transmission means as parent node ID information and converted into connection display data in a predetermined data format. This connection display data indicates the connection status of the network.
The data transmission means sends out the connection display data or the transmission data created from the connection display data. For example,
By performing display based on these data on the receiving side, the connection status of the network can be grasped.

In claim 2 of the present invention, the connection display data or transmission data created by the same means as in claim 1 is input to the image data creating means. The image data creating means extracts connection display data from the input transmission data. The image data creating means obtains image data for displaying a display showing the connection status of the network from the connection display data. For example, the connection status of the network can be grasped by giving this image data to the display device.

In claim 7 of the present invention, first, the correspondence between the IDs of the respective nodes and their parent nodes is calculated based on the data indicating the state of the ports in the topology map, and the connection display data is calculated based on the calculation result. Is created. Next, the connection display data or the transmission data created from the connection display data is transmitted. The transmission data transmitted via the predetermined transmission path is returned to the original connection display data on the receiving side. Direct connection display data may be supplied to the receiving side. On the receiving side, image data for displaying a display showing the connection status of the network is obtained from the connection display data thus obtained. For example, the connection status of the network can be grasped by giving this image data to the display device.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are block diagrams showing an embodiment of a connection status transmission device and a connection status display data creation device according to the present invention, respectively. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the protocol configuration of IEEE1394.

In FIG. 3, the protocol configuration of the node 21 includes an IEEE 1394 interface 22, an API 23 and an OS layer 24. The IEEE 1394 interface 22 has three 1394 layers of a physical and link layer 25 and a transaction layer 26, and also has a bus management unit 27.

The physical and link layer 25 performs encoding and decoding processing of transmission data, bus arbitration processing and interface processing with a medium in the physical layer, and performs transmission / reception of packets and cycle control in the link layer.

The transaction layer 26 defines a protocol for transmitting and receiving commands. The transaction layer 26 sends and receives transmission data to and from a transmission medium (IEEE 1394 bus) not shown via the physical and link layers 25.

The transaction layer 26 transmits data, commands and functions to the OS layer 24 via the API 23. The API 23 is an interface for applications to use services such as the OS, and the OS layer
Reference numeral 24 provides hardware management and a user interface. For example, when the OS layer 24 has a display unit, if the connection display data is specified, it is possible to perform display based on the connection display data input via the API 23.

In addition, in one specific node on the IEEE 1394 bus (not shown), IEEE 1394
The interface 22 is provided with a bus management unit 27.
The bus management unit 27 is for performing node control and bus management, and for example, performs cycle master control, performance optimization control, power supply management, transmission rate management, configuration management, and the like. Node control enables communication between nodes.

By the way, in IEEE1394,
As described above, each node is connected in a daisy chain shape or a tree shape. When the power is turned on, a bus reset occurs, and information about the connection status of the nodes (connection information) is initialized. At the time of node initialization, each node is a branch that is connected to multiple other nodes, is a leaf that is connected to only one node, or is in a disconnected state. I have the information.

In IEEE 1394, when a bus reset occurs, the topology is first identified. That is, after the bus reset, all leaf nodes send a parent notification signal (parent_notify) indicating a notification from the child node to the parent node via the port (hereinafter referred to as the parent port) to which the branch node is connected. The branch node that has received the parent notification signal sends a child notification signal (child_notify) indicating a notification from the parent node to the child node via the port that has received the signal (hereinafter referred to as a child port). Thereby, the parent-child relationship is determined between the two nodes.

Further, among the ports connected to other nodes, the branch node having a port that has not received the parent notification signal or the child notification signal sends the parent notification signal via this port. 2 ports are connected
Of the two nodes, the node that receives the parent notification signal first becomes the parent node, and the other node becomes the child node.

The same process is repeated thereafter, and the parent node finally determined in the bus becomes the root. Once the topology is identified, the node ID is then identified.

That is, each node is given a node ID with a smaller number as the node connected to a port with a lower port number in each layer, and a node ID with a smaller number as the node connected to the lower layer in the hierarchy. Is added. Therefore, the node ID of the leaf node which is connected to the youngest port of the node of each layer including the root and is located in the lowest layer from the root is 0. When the branch node on the upper layer side of the node having the node ID 0 has only one child node, this branch node becomes the node ID 1 and 2
When it has three or more child nodes, the node ID of the leaf node located at the lowest layer connected to the next lowest port number is 1.

A node having a node ID of 0 first broadcasts that its own node ID is 0 to other nodes. After that, the other node sets its own node ID to the number of own node ID packets received from the other node at the time of broadcasting. In the order described above, each node broadcasts its own node ID, and all nodes broadcast their own node ID.

The self node ID from each node is transmitted by a self ID packet. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of this self-ID packet.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the self ID packet, "10" is arranged at the beginning, and then the self node ID
Indicating PHY_ID, “0”, “L”, gap_cn
t, sp, del, c, pwr, p0, p1, p2,
i and m are arranged, and the logical inversion signal of the first quadlet is arranged in the next 32 bits. In the self ID packet, p0, p1, and p2 are 3 bits each with 2 bits.
The state of each port is shown, "11" indicates that it is connected to the child node, "10" indicates that it is connected to the parent node, and "01" indicates that it is connected to another node. "00" indicates that the port does not exist. When there are four or more ports in each node, p3, p4, ... Indicating the state of the ports are transmitted in the next quadlet.

The bus management unit 27 has a bus manager (not shown). The bus manager is given the self ID packets transmitted from all the nodes,
A topology map, which is a set of the first quadlets of D packets, is created.

In FIG. 1, the connection information reading circuit 2 is
The information of the topology map 1 created by the bus manager in the bus management unit 27 is read out. The connection information read circuit 2 uses the read information as the parent node ID table creation circuit 3
Output to.

5 and 6 show the parent node ID table creation circuit 3
It is an explanatory view for explaining.

FIG. 5 shows six nodes # 0 to # 5 on the bus.
Indicates that they are connected. Further, in the example of FIG. 5, the port number is indicated by the numeral following the symbol p. The nodes # 0 to # 5 are assigned node IDs 0 to 5 by the above-described node ID identification method. The node whose node ID is 5 is the root.

Between each node, there can be only one parent node, but there can be multiple child nodes. For this reason, the parent node ID table creation circuit 3 is configured to calculate the ID of the parent node for each node so that the connection status can be grasped. Parent node ID table creation circuit 3
First, the ID of the child node is checked for each node, and the parent node of each node is calculated from this.

As described above, the data p0, p1 and p2 in the self ID packet are "11" when each port is connected to the child node. The parent node ID table creation circuit 3 first checks the data p0, p1, p2 indicating the port status for all the nodes on the network, and checks the number of child ports to which the child nodes are connected (hereinafter referred to as the child number). To count.

For example, the data p0 and p2 included in the self-ID packet output from the node # 3 are both "11", and the parent node ID table creation circuit 3 has a child number of 2 for the node # 3. Detect that there is. Table 1 below shows information indicating the number of children for each node counted by the parent node ID table creation circuit 3 in the example of FIG.

[0036] Next, the parent node ID table creation circuit 3 checks a node having a child port in ascending order of the node number, that is, a node having a child node, and calculates the node ID of the child node. The ID of the child node is 1 from the ID of the parent node if the parent node has only one child port.
Is subtracted. In the example of FIG. 5, as is clear from Table 1 above, the child ports do not exist in the nodes # 0 and # 1. The node having the child port first in ascending order of the node number is the node # 2 having the node ID 2 from Table 1. Since the number of children of node # 2 is 1, the child node for this node has a node ID of 1
It is the node # 1 of (= 2-1).

Next, the parent node ID table creating circuit 3 checks whether or not the next node # 3 has a child port. Node # 3 has two child ports as shown in Table 1. Therefore, for node # 3, at least one child node has a node ID of 3
It is node # 2 of 2 which is smaller by 1 than. Another child node of the node # 3 is a node having a node ID smaller than that of the node # 2 and not a child node of other nodes. Since node # 1 is a child node of node # 2, the other child node of node # 3 is node # 0 whose node ID is 0.

By the same procedure, the parent node ID table creating circuit 3 checks the node IDs of the child nodes of the respective nodes in ascending order of node number. In the example of FIG. 5, as shown in Table 1, since the number of children of both node # 4 and node # 5 is 1, node I of the child node of these nodes
D is 3 and 4, respectively.

Thus, the parent node ID table creating circuit 3
The node ID of the child node for each node is calculated. The parent node ID table creation circuit 3 utilizes that one parent node is always connected to any node other than the root,
On the contrary, from the information of the child nodes connected to each node, the relationship of the node ID between each node and its parent node is obtained.
Table 2 below shows the relationship between each node and its parent node.

[0040] Further, FIG. 6 shows a state in which eight nodes # 0 to # 8 are connected to the bus. Also in this example, the nodes # 0 to # 7 are assigned node IDs 0 to 7 by the above-described node ID identification method. The node whose node ID is 7 is the root.

Also in the case of this example, the parent node ID table creation circuit 3 first checks the ID of the child node for each node, and thereby calculates the parent node of each node. That is, the parent node ID table creation circuit 3 checks the data p0, p1, p2 indicating the state of the port for all the nodes on the network, and counts the number of children.

Table 3 below shows information indicating the number of children for each node counted by the parent node ID table creation circuit 3 in the example of FIG.

[0043] Next, the parent node ID table creation circuit 3 checks the nodes having child ports in ascending order of the node number, and calculates the node ID of the child node. In the example of FIG. 5, as is clear from Table 3 above, the child ports do not exist in the nodes # 0 and # 1. Next node # 2 has 1 child
, The child node for this node is node I
It is the node # 1 in which D is 1 (= 2-1).

The next node # 3 does not have a child port. The next node # 4 has three child ports as shown in Table 3. For node # 4, at least one child node is node # 3 whose node ID is 2 smaller by 1 than 3. Also, node # 3
2 are the nodes having a node ID smaller than that of the node # 4 and not the child nodes of the other nodes. From Table 3, the node # 2 and the node # 0 are child nodes. It turns out that

By the same procedure, the parent node ID table creating circuit 3 checks the node IDs of the child nodes of the respective nodes in ascending order of node number. In the example of FIG. 6, as shown in Table 3, the child node of the node # 6 is the node # 5, and the child nodes of the node # 7 are the nodes # 6 and # 4.

Based on the calculated node ID of the child node for each node, the parent node ID table creation circuit 3 obtains the relationship between the node ID of each node and its parent node. Table 4 below shows the relationship between each node and its parent node in the case of FIG.

[0047] The parent node ID table creating circuit 3 outputs information indicating the ID relationship between the created node and the parent node to the connection display data creating circuit 4.

The connection display data creating circuit 4 creates connection display data in a predetermined data format from the input information and outputs it to the encoding circuit 5. The encoding circuit 5 converts the input connection display data into a transmission data format and outputs it.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the connection display data format and the transmission data format. Figure 7 (a)
Shows the connection display data format, and FIG. 7B shows the transmission data format.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the connection display data creating circuit 4 indicates the node ID in 8 bits and the ID of the parent node of this node ID in 8 bits, and each node and its parent node. Create connection display data that is a set of data of and. The numbers in parentheses in FIG. 7A indicate the node ID in the example of FIG.

FIG. 7B shows the structure of an IEEE 1394 asynchronous packet. The asynchronous packet is configured by arranging a header, a header CRC, data, and a data CRC. Encoding circuit 5
Places the connection display data in the data portion of the IEEE 1394 asynchronous packet. Encoding circuit 5
Are arranged to transmit connection display data in an asynchronous packet.

The transmission data from the encoding circuit 5 is sent to an IEEE1394 bus (not shown) via the terminal 6. The connection display data creation circuit 4
The connection display data from can be output as it is via the terminal 7.

In FIG. 2, the transmission data transmitted via the IEEE 1394 bus is supplied to the transmission data decoding circuit 11 via the terminal 9. The transmission data decoding circuit 11 depacketizes the input asynchronous packet and supplies the connection display data arranged in the data portion to the connection status image data creating circuit 12.

Connection display data may be input to the terminal 10. In this case, the connection display data from the terminal 10 is directly supplied to the connection status image data creating circuit 12.

The connection status image data creation circuit 12 creates image data showing the connection status of the network from the input connection display data and supplies it to the display circuit 13.

For example, the connection status image data creation circuit 12
When the connection display data shown in FIG. 7A is input,
The connection status image data shown in FIG. 5 is created. That is, in the connection display data, the node IDs and the IDs of their parent nodes are arranged in ascending order of the node IDs, and the connection status image data creation circuit 12 displays boxes in the arrangement order (the node IDs are in ascending order). , And a display showing the box of its parent node are created and connected, and then the boxes are sequentially arranged and connected according to the connection display data, and image data is created to display the display showing the connection status.

Further, the connection status image data creation circuit 12 may receive device information from each node via the terminal 8. The device information includes a device name of each device and an icon (graphic information) indicating the device. In IEEE1394 WG, IEEE1
212 is a memory space of each device that can be read from other devices (Configuration RO
It is considered to put a device name, device icon information, etc. in M), and as the device information, information read from this memory space may be used.

The connection status image data creating circuit 12 has a terminal 8
When the device information is input from, the image data for displaying the device name and the icon display of the device provided by the device information can be created instead of the box display showing the node. ing.

The display circuit 13 is adapted to display an image based on the image data from the connection status image data creating circuit 12.

The encoding circuit 5 and the transmission data decoding circuit 11 can be realized by the physical and link layer 25 and the transaction layer 26.

Next, the operation of the embodiment thus configured will be described with reference to FIGS. Figure 8
10 to 10 are explanatory views showing the data flows of the connection display data and the transmission data by arrows. 11 and 12 are explanatory diagrams showing an example of image display by the display circuit 13. 11 and 12 show display examples corresponding to the topologies of FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively.

1 and 2, the topology map 1, the connection information reading circuit 2, the parent node ID table creating circuit 3, the connection display data creating circuit 4, the connection status image data creating circuit 12 and the display circuit 13 are the same. It shall be provided on the device of the node. FIG. 8 shows an example of this case. The bus management unit 27 is assumed to have its function provided by software, and the connection information reading circuit 2 in FIG.
The parent node ID table creation circuit 3 and the connection display data creation circuit 4 are configured by the bus management unit 27.

The node 21 receives the self ID packet from each node via the IEEE 1394 bus. This self-ID packet is supplied to the bus management unit 27 via the physical and link layer 25 and the transaction layer 26. The bus management unit 27 forms the topology map 1 from the self ID packet.

Connection information read circuit 2 by bus management unit 27
Reads the information of the topology map 1 and supplies it to the parent node ID table creation circuit 3. The parent node ID table creation circuit 3 creates a parent node ID table indicating which node is the parent node for all the nodes. The connection display data creation circuit 4 creates connection display data based on the parent node ID table and outputs it from the terminal 7.

The connection display data is sent from the bus management unit 27 to the AP.
It is supplied to the OS layer 24 via I23. OS layer 24
Has a display unit 31, and this display unit 31 has the function of the connection status image data creation circuit 12 of FIG.

The connection display data input through the terminal 10 is supplied to the connection status image data creating circuit 12. The connection status image data creation circuit 12 creates image data indicating the display of the connection status of the network from the correspondence between each node given by the connection display data and its parent node.

Now, it is assumed that the connection display data corresponds to Table 2 above. In this case, the connection status image data creation circuit 12 first creates a display of a box with a node ID of 0, and then creates a box with a parent node, node # 3, above this box. Then, the position from the position corresponding to the parent port of the box indicating node # 0 to the position corresponding to the child port of the box indicating node # 3 is connected.

Next, the connection status image data creating circuit 12
Based on the connection display data, a display of a box indicating the node ID1 is created, and a box indicating the node # 2 that is the parent node is created above this box to correspond to the parent port of the box indicating the node # 1. Position to node # 2
Connect up to the position corresponding to the child port of the box. Since the box indicating the node # 3, which is the parent node of the node # 2, has already been created, the connection status image data creation circuit 12 next determines the node # 2 from the position corresponding to the parent port of the box indicating the node # 2. Connect up to the position corresponding to the child port of the box shown in 3.

Thereafter, the same operation is repeated. Thus, FIG.
Image data of the display showing the connection status shown in is created.
This image data is supplied to the display circuit 13 not shown,
It is displayed on the screen. This display allows the user to easily understand the current connection status.
The display of S100, S200, and S400 in FIG. 5 shows transfer rates of 100 Mbps, 200 Mbps, and 400 M, respectively.
It shows that it is bps.

Device information may be transmitted from each node via the IEEE 1394 bus. This device information is supplied to the display unit 31 of the OS layer 24 via the physical and link layer 25, the transaction layer 26, and the API 23, and is supplied to the connection status image data creation circuit 12 configuring the display unit 31.

In this case, the connection status image data creating circuit 12 uses the input device information to obtain the data shown in FIG.
The image data for displaying the name of the device and its icon is created instead of the box indicating each node and the name of the node.

FIG. 11 shows the display on the display screen of the display circuit 13 in this case. In the example of FIG. 11, the nodes # 0 to # 5 are the PC camera, the camcorder, and the DVD-R, respectively.
It is shown to be an OM, a laptop, a set top box and a television receiver. With this display, the user can easily understand what device the connected node actually corresponds to.

Note that, in FIG. 8, the topology map 1, the connection information reading circuit 2, and the parent node I in FIGS.
Although the D table creating circuit 3, the connection display data creating circuit 4, the connection status image data creating circuit 12 and the display circuit 13 are described as being provided on the device of the same node, for example,
Obviously, the topology map may be on another node, and the functions of these circuits may be realized by another circuit or software other than the bus management unit 27.

FIG. 9 shows an example in which the node 32 has no display section. The function of each circuit in FIG. 1 can be realized by, for example, the bus management unit 27 or the like. Although FIG. 10 does not have the function of each circuit in FIG. 1,
A node 33 included in the display unit 31 that realizes the function of the connection status image data creation circuit 12 in FIG. 2 is shown.

Now, it is assumed that the network is connected in the connection state shown in FIG. The bus management unit 27 of FIG.
Based on the information of the topology map, connection display data corresponding to Table 4 above is created. This connection display data is supplied to the transaction layer 26 and the physical and link layer 25, and is converted into a transmission data format compatible with IEEE 1394 by the encoding circuit 5 of FIG. In this case, the connection display data is placed in the data portion of the asynchronous packet.

Transmission data from the physical and link layer 25 is transmitted via the IEEE 1394 bus to the node shown in FIG.
Transmitted to 33. The node 33 is a transmission data decoding circuit 11 of FIG.
The connection display data is extracted from the transmission data by.
This connection display data is sent to the OS layer 24 via the API 23.
Is supplied to the display unit 31 of.

Connection status image data creation circuit 12 of display unit 31
Creates image data for displaying the connection status shown in FIG. 6 based on the connection display data. This image data is given to the display circuit 13, and the display shown in FIG. 6 is performed on the screen. In addition, S100, S200, S40 in FIG.
The display of 0 indicates the transfer rate.

When the node 33 receives device information from another node via the IEEE 1394 bus, the connection status image data creation circuit 12 of the display unit 31 replaces the box of FIG. Image data for displaying an icon or the like is created.

FIG. 12 shows an image display in this case. That is, in the example of FIG. 12, the nodes # 0 to # 7 of FIG.
Are PC cameras, camcorders, amplifiers, printers, notebook computers, CD changers, DV decks and television receivers, respectively.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the transmitting side creates the parent node ID table showing the correspondence between the IDs of each node and its parent node based on the topology map,
The information in the parent node ID table is converted into connection display data in a predetermined data format. Also, the connection display data is converted into a predetermined transmission data format and transmitted. On the receiving side, the connection display data is obtained from the transmission data or the direct connection display data is obtained, and the image data for displaying the display showing the connection state is created from the connection display data. Therefore, if there is a node in the network that has the function of creating and displaying image data from the connection display data, no matter which device each node is, the sender and the receiver are the same node. If the display device is different from the above, or if the display device is different, the connection status can be displayed in the same format.

Therefore, it is extremely effective when the OS layer and API are shared.

Further, in particular, a method for displaying the connection status from the node which is the bus manager having the topology map information to the node which is the display device having no such function with the simplest transmission data is described. Can be provided.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the node having the function of the connection status image data creating circuit 12 reads the device information from another node, but the node having the bus management unit 27 has another function. The device information may be read from the node and transmitted to the node having the function of the connection status image data creation circuit 12.

That is, the circuits shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be formed in any node, and may be formed in any position in the node. As described above, FIG. 1 and FIG.
Each circuit of may be realized by software. For example, the connection status image data creation circuit 12 and the display circuit 13 may exist on different nodes. Further, the connection display data is written in a readable / writable memory space of the device of a predetermined node, and the node having the connection status image data creating circuit 12 reads the connection display data stored in this memory space. Good.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, I of all nodes in the network and their parent nodes are I.
Although the connection display data indicating the correspondence of D or its transmission data is used, when the number of devices increases or decreases in the network, the device information of the increased or decreased devices may be transmitted.

That is, in IEEE1394, a bus reset occurs when the connection state changes. Then, since the ID value of each node may change, a device such as a bus manager is used to compare the device information of the nodes before and after the bus reset to detect the increased or decreased device. Since the parent node of the increased / decreased device is the device that existed before the bus reset, only the device information of the increased / decreased device and the device information of the device of the parent node may be transmitted as connection status change data, for example.

In this case, the connection status image data creating circuit 12 has a memory and updates the connection display data in the memory with the newly transmitted connection status change data. Image data indicating the connection status is created based on the updated connection display data.

As a result, even in this case, the connection status after the bus reset can be displayed.

[0089]

As described above, according to the present invention, by standardizing the transmission format of connection information, the connection status is displayed without increasing the burden on both the output side and the display side of the connection information. And enable 1
By making the interface of the 394 layer and the API or the OS layer common, there is an effect that a common display can be displayed on all the display devices.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a connection status transmission device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a connection status display data creation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a node connected to an IEEE 1394 standard network.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a self-ID packet.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a connection example of a network.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a connection example of a network.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a format of connection display data and transmission data.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment.

11 is an explanatory diagram showing a display of connection status corresponding to FIG.

12 is an explanatory diagram showing a display of connection status corresponding to FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Topology map, 2 ... Connection information reading circuit, 3 ... Parent node ID table creating circuit, 4 ... Connection display data creating circuit,
5 ... Encoding circuit, 11 ... Transmission data decoding circuit, 12
… Connection status image data creation circuit, 13… Display circuit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-9-282263 (JP, A) JP-A-11-163866 (JP, A) Actual Kaihei 1-147444 (JP, U) Special Table 2001-503930 (JP, A) IEEE Std 1394-1995 IEEE Standard for a High Performance Serial Bus, August 30, 1996, E.I. 3.4 Topology construction (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04L 12/28-12/46 G06F 13/00 353

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A node of each node based on data indicating a state of a port in a topology map in a network.
And the number of child nodes connected to each node
The first correspondence which is the correspondence of the
The node ID of each node and the node of its parent node
The second correspondence, which is the correspondence with the ID, is calculated, and the calculated
Calculation means for outputting the second correspondence as parent node ID information, and predetermined transmission of the parent node ID information from the calculation means
A connection status transmission device, comprising: a data output unit for converting the data into transmission data in a data format and transmitting the data on the network. 2. The transmission data is stored in the network.
Connection display data for devices that have all the display functions of
2. The connection status transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection display data is created in a connection display data format that can be converted into a connection display data format that can be used by all devices having a display function in the network. . 3. The transmission data is the node number of the parent and child nodes.
The data, which is a set of de IDs.
1. The connection status transmission device according to 1. 4. The calculating means uses the first correspondence.
The number of child nodes is 1 from the node with the smallest node number
Whether or not the number of child nodes is 1 is determined for the node to be determined.
If the node number is 1, the node number is 1
It is determined that a small node is a child node of the determination target node, and the number of the child nodes is 2 or more for the determination target node.
If the node number is
Child node judgment by the judgment target node among small nodes
Node that has not been determined as a child node before
Determined as a child node of the target node and use the node ID of the determined child node for each node
Node ID of each node and the node ID of its parent node
The second correspondence which is the correspondence of
The connection status transmission device according to claim 1. 5. The node of each node is based on the data showing the state of the port in the topology map in the network.
And the number of child nodes connected to each node
The first correspondence which is the correspondence of the
The node ID of each node and the node of its parent node
The second correspondence, which is the correspondence with the ID, is calculated, and the calculated
A procedure of outputting the second correspondence as parent node ID information, and the parent node ID information in a predetermined transmission data format
The procedure of converting to the transmission data of the above and transmitting to the network, and the transmission data transmitted via the predetermined transmission path is input.
And a step of creating image data for displaying a display showing the connection status of the network based on the input transmission data . 6. The transmission data is the node number of the parent and child nodes.
The data, which is a set of de IDs.
The connection status display method described in 5.