JPH04156739A - Communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify a memory to store the address of each terminal equipment, and to attain the reduction of cost by distributing automatically the address after the application of power supply from a center controller to each terminal equipment. CONSTITUTION:Plural terminal equipments 11a to 11c are provided with a microcomputer 21 to control a transmitting and a receiving parts 22, 23, an address registering key 24, a volatile memory 25, and an identification number storage part 26 respectively. Besides, the center controller 10 is provided with the microcomputer 13 to control the transmitting and the receiving parts 14, 15 and a non-volatile memory 17, and the address after the application of the power supply is distributed from the controller 10 to the equipments 11a to 11c. Since the addresses of the equipments 11a to 11c can be distributed after the power supply is applied in this way, the non-volatile memory is made unnecessary, and in addition, since a fuse box for which a diffusion process is not increased can be incorporated as the identification number storage part 26 even in the case that the equipments 11a to 11c are made into an LSI, the cost can be suppressed low.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a communication system in which a plurality of terminal devices are controlled from a center controller via a transmission path, and in particular to a communication system that automatically sets addresses of a plurality of terminal devices. Regarding communication systems.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a communication system including a center controller connected to multiple terminal devices via a transmission path, in order for the center controller to control the multiple terminal devices, each terminal device has a different Assigning an address. Moreover, the center controller sends an address and a control code to the terminal device as a communication frame, and only the terminal device that is assigned the address that matches the address in the communication frame sent by the center controller receives the control code. It operates according to the control code.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a communication system showing an example of such a conventional communication system.

As shown in Figure 10, this communication system
A controller 10 and a plurality of terminal devices 11a, 1 l
It consists of a center controller 10 and a plurality of terminal devices 11a, 11c, and a transmission FI@12.
llc is connected via a transmission line 12. Note that although only three terminal devices are shown here, more than three terminal devices may be connected.

First, the center controller 10 operates the transmitting/receiving sections 14 and 15 connected to the output terminal 19 from the transmission line 12 and the input terminal 20 to the transmission line 12, the microcomputer 13, and the operation of the microcomputer 13 from the outside. and a nonvolatile memory 17 that stores the addresses of each terminal device 11a to llc.

On the other hand, the terminal device 11a has an output terminal 2 from the transmission line 12.
7 and a transmitting section 22 and a receiving section 23 connected to an output terminal 28 to the transmission line 12, and a microcomputer 21.
, an address registration key 24 connected to the microcomputer 21 and a non-volatile memory 3 for storing addresses.
6. Furthermore, the terminal devices 11b and llc have the same configuration.

Next, the operation of registering the address of each terminal device 11a will be explained.

The address registration of the terminal device 11a is performed from the outside to the terminal device 1.
This is done by pressing the address registration key 24 of 1a. When the address registration key 24 is pressed, the terminal device 11a clears the address stored in the nonvolatile memory 36 and requests an interrupt from the microcomputer 21 at the same time.

The microcomputer 21 executes an automatic address setting processing routine from a main processing routine for performing original transmission/reception processing in its program area. Further, the microcomputer 21 sends a communication frame for an address registration request including the cleared address stored in the nonvolatile memory 36 to the center via the transmitter 22 and the transmission line 12.
The data is sent to the controller 10.

On the other hand, the center controller 10 receives the communication frame requesting address registration from the terminal device 11a, selects an address that is not assigned to the nonvolatile memory 17 from the operation unit 16, and stores it in the nonvolatile memory 17. A communication frame for address distribution is transmitted to the terminal device fla via the transmitter 14.

Furthermore, the terminal device 11a stores the address transmitted from the center controller 10 in the nonvolatile memory 36,
Used as the address of the terminal device 11a.

The above address registration operation is performed by other terminal devices 11b and ll.
This is also done for c, and all addresses are set.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The conventional communication systems described above require non-volatile memory for storing addresses in each terminal device. However, when converting a terminal device into an LSI, EEPROM (electrically readable and erasable memory), which is a non-volatile memory,
The drawback is that incorporating it increases the number of diffusion steps and increases the cost.

Furthermore, even when the volatile memory is backed up by a battery or the like, conventional communication systems have the disadvantage that maintenance work such as replacement after the battery's life has expired increases.

An object of the present invention is to provide a communication system in which the memory for storing the address of each terminal device is simplified and the address can be automatically set each time the power is turned on.

[Means to solve the problem]

The communication system of the present invention includes a plurality of terminal devices connected to a transmission path, and a center controller connected to the transmission path and controlling the plurality of terminal devices, wherein the plurality of terminal devices are , an identification number storage comprising a first transmitting/receiving unit connected to an input/output terminal of the transmission line, a volatile memory for storing an address registration key and an address, and a fuse ROM for storing a unique identification number. and a first microcomputer that controls the first transmitting/receiving unit, the address registration key, the volatile memory, and the identification number storage unit, and the center controller is configured to control input/output terminals of the transmission line. a second transmitting/receiving section connected to the terminal device, a nonvolatile memory storing addresses and identification numbers of the plurality of terminal devices, and a second microcomputer controlling the second transmitting/receiving section and the nonvolatile memory. and is configured to automatically distribute addresses from the center controller to each of the terminal devices after power is turned on.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a format diagram of a communication frame of a home bus control line used in the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a communication frame on the control line of the home bus of the present invention has a priority code 1 indicating the priority of the communication frame, a self address 2 indicating the source address of the communication frame, and a communication frame of the communication frame. A destination address 3 that represents the destination address, a control code 4 that specifies the data content of the communication frame, a message length code 5 that specifies the number of bytes of the data field, a data field 6 that is the data part of the communication frame, and a communication frame. The field consists of a check code 7 for detecting errors, a dummy code 8, and an acknowledge bit 9 for checking whether the communication frame has arrived at the destination. This communication frame is transmitted and received between the center controller and the terminal device via a transmission path.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication system showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the Gagaru communication system includes a center controller 10, a plurality of terminal devices 11a, llb, l
lc (represented here as three terminals) and
It is composed of a transmission line 12 and a center controller 10.
and the plurality of terminal devices 11a, llb, llc are connected to the transmission path 12.
are interconnected through.

First, the center controller 1o has a receiving section 15 connected to the output terminal 19 from the transmission path 12, a transmitting section 14 connected to the input terminal 2o to the transmission path 13, and a transmitting section 14 connected to the transmitting/receiving section 14.15. microcomputer 13
, an operation unit 16 for controlling the operation of the microcomputer 13 from the outside, a non-volatile memory 17 connected to the microcomputer 13 and storing the addresses of each terminal device 11a, llb, llc, and the microcomputer 13. It has a display section 18 that is controlled.

On the other hand, the terminal device 11a is connected to the output terminal 2 from the transmission line 12.
7, a transmitting section 22 connected to an input terminal 28 to the transmission line 12, and these transmitting/receiving sections 22.
23 and an address registration key 24 connected to the microcomputer 21.
, a volatile memory 25 that is connected to the microcomputer 21 and stores addresses, and a volatile memory 25 that is connected to the microcomputer 21 and stores addresses;
The terminal device 11a has an identification number storage section 26 which is connected to the terminal device 11a and stores an identification number unique to each terminal device 11a.

The terminal device mentioned above is about lla, but 11b,
The same applies to llc. Each terminal device 11a.

11b and llc are implemented as LSIs, and the identification number storage section 26 is constructed from a fuse ROM. That is, the identification number is determined for each terminal device by writing a consecutive serial number starting from 0 into the fuse ROM at the time of manufacture. This identification number is used for each terminal device 11a within the communication system.
This identification number is used to identify each terminal device 11a, llb, and llc, and by using this identification number, an address negotiated within the communication system is distributed to each terminal device 11a, llb, and llc.

Next, the center controller 10 and each terminal device 11a,
The operations of llb and llc, especially the address registration operation and address distribution operation, will be explained.

First, a method of registering the addresses of each terminal device 11a, llb, llc will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is a format diagram of a communication frame for an address registration request used in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing an address assignment processing routine in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the communication frame for the address registration request, the self address 2 in the communication frame of FIG.
For example, the FFH 29 with an 8-bit configuration is set, the destination address 3 is set to the address 30 of the center controller 10, and the control code 4 and data field 6 are similarly stored in the address registration request code 31 and identification number storage section 26, respectively. The configuration is such that the identification number 32 is set.

Therefore, when the address registration key 24 of the terminal device 11a is pressed, the address registration request processing routine is called from the normal transmission/reception control routine in the program area of the microcomputer 21. As a result, the microcomputer 21 generates the communication frame for the address registration request shown in FIG.

Next, as shown in FIG.
When the microcomputer 13 receives a communication frame requesting rearaddress registration from each of the terminal devices 11a, llb, and llc, the microcomputer 13 performs address assignment processing.

First, the identification number 32 written in the data field 6 of the communication frame of the address registration request is stored in the nonvolatile memory 17.
Check whether it is stored in . Here, if the address is not stored in the non-volatile memory 17, an address that is not registered in the non-volatile memory 17 is set from the operation unit 16, and
7 stores the identification number and the corresponding address, and displays on the display section 18 that the address registration has been successful.

Furthermore, when the identification number 32 of the address registration request frame is stored in the nonvolatile memory 17, it means that a terminal device with the same identification number 32 already exists in the communication system, so an error message is displayed on the display unit 18. Display.

In this case, the user converts the terminal device to a new one with a different identification number, presses the address registration key 24, and performs the address registration process again.

The above address registration operation is performed on all terminal devices 11a and 11a.
By performing this for lb and llc, address tables corresponding to the identification numbers of all terminal devices are registered in the nonvolatile memory 17 of the center controller 10.

Next, FIG. 5(a) shows the operation of distributing addresses to each terminal device 11a, llb, llc when the power of the communication system is turned on after registering the address of each terminal device 11a, llb, llc.

This will be explained with reference to (b) and FIG.

FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) are flowcharts showing the processing routine for distributing addresses to the terminal device and center controller at power-on in FIG. 2, respectively, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a format diagram of a communication frame for address distribution used in (b).

As shown in FIG. 5 (a), the terminal device 11a receives the communication frame for address distribution, determines whether or not the identification numbers match, and if so, transmits an acknowledge bit and addresses the are stored in the volatile memory 25. If the identification numbers do not match, the process ends.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the center controller 10 determines whether or not the identification number received from the terminal device 11a is registered in the nonvolatile memory 17, and if it is registered, the center controller 10 distributes the address. The communication frame is transmitted to the terminal device 11a.

Thereafter, it is determined whether or not an acknowledge bit has been returned from the terminal device 11a, and if not, the address and identification number are deleted from the nonvolatile memory 17. Further, if the identification number is not registered on the non-volatile memory 17, the process ends.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, in the communication frame for address distribution described above, self address 2 is set to address 30 of the center controller, partner address 3 is set to FFH 29, which has no fixed address, and control code 4 is set to address 30 of the center controller. A code 33 indicating address distribution is set, and a data field 6 is set with an identification number and a communication address 34 corresponding to the identification number.

In short, when the center controller 10 and the plurality of terminal devices 11a, 11b, llc are powered on at the same time,
The microcomputer 13 checks whether an address is registered in the nonvolatile memory 17, and if it is registered, transmits the communication frame for address distribution described above. Each terminal device 11a.

11b, LLC receives the address distribution communication frame, checks whether the identification number written in data field 6 matches its own identification number, and the terminal device that matches sends acknowledge bit 9. . When the acknowledge bit 9 is returned from the terminal device, the center controller 10 checks again whether it is stored in the non-volatile memory 17, and when the acknowledge bit is not returned, the center controller Assuming that there is no terminal device having the number, the identification number and address stored in the nonvolatile memory 17 are deleted. This processing routine is
This is performed for all addresses registered in the nonvolatile memory 17.

The above is the operation of distributing addresses when the power is turned on, but by performing this in conjunction with the operation at the time of address registration described above, each terminal device can automatically set an address.

In addition, by configuring the identification number storage section 26 in each terminal device 11a, llb, llc with a fuse ROM, when the terminal device is integrated into an LSI, the conventional diffusion process is not increased, so the EEPROM, which is a non-volatile memory, can be used. The cost can be reduced compared to the case where it is built-in.

The first embodiment of the present invention described above has a center controller 10 of a communication system, each terminal device 11a, l
This is an example in which the lb and llc are powered on at the same time.

Next, as a second embodiment, an example in which the power is not turned on at the same time and the timing of power-on differs depending on each terminal device and the center controller will be described.

First, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the blocks representing the configuration of the communication system are as shown in FIG. As shown in Figure 4.

Therefore, a description of the configuration of the second embodiment and the operation of registering an address in the center controller 10 will be omitted.

The operation of distributing addresses to 11c will be described below.

FIG. 7 is a communication sequence diagram for distributing addresses for explaining the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a communication sequence diagram for distributing addresses stored in each terminal device in the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing routine of FIG. 8, and FIG. 9 is a format diagram of a communication frame for an address distribution request used in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, here, the operation of the program shown in FIG. 8 stored in the program area of the microcomputer 21 of the terminal device 11a after power-on is explained as well as the operation of the communication sequence shown in FIG. This will be explained using the address distribution request communication frame shown in FIG.

In FIG. 8, the terminal device 11a generates a random number, waits for random time processing, and then transmits a communication frame requesting address distribution as shown in FIG. 9 to the center controller 10. The reason for waiting for this random time processing is to avoid collision with communication frames requesting address distribution from other terminal devices that are powered on at the same time.

In addition, in the communication frame requesting address distribution in FIG. 35, and the data field 6 is set to the identification number 32.

When the terminal device 11a follows the communication sequence shown in FIG. 7, it is correctly transmitted to the center controller 10 because there is no collision with a communication frame requesting address distribution from other terminal devices 11b and llc. Therefore, the center controller 10 returns an acknowledge bit, then transmits a communication frame for address distribution, and distributes the address to the terminal device 11a.

In addition, like the terminal devices 11b and llc shown in FIG.
If a communication frame requesting address distribution happens to collide, the communication frame becomes invalid and the center controller 1o does not return an acknowledge pit. Then,
After waiting for a random time again, the terminal devices 11b and 11c transmit a communication frame requesting address distribution.

As described above, each terminal device 11a, llb.

11c individually transmits a communication frame requesting address distribution to the center controller 10 after being powered on, and addresses are distributed according to the communication frame. Therefore, each of the terminal devices 11a, llb, and llc can receive addresses regardless of the timing of power-on.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, since the communication system of the present invention can automatically distribute the address of each terminal device after power is turned on, it is possible to eliminate the need for nonvolatile memory provided in each terminal device, and moreover, each terminal device can be Even in the case where the identification number storage section is changed to a fuse ROM that does not require an increase in the number of diffusion steps, the cost can be kept low.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a format diagram of a communication frame of a home bus control line used in the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication system showing the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an address used in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the address assignment processing routine in FIG. 2; FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing routine for address distribution of the center controller, and FIG. 5(a). FIG. 7 is a communication sequence diagram for distributing the address of each terminal device to explain the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a diagram of the format of the communication frame for address distribution used in (b). FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing routine for address distribution stored in each terminal device in the second embodiment, FIG. 9 is a format diagram of a communication frame for an address distribution request used in FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a conventional example. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system shown in FIG. 1...Priority code, 2...Self address, 3...
Destination address, 4... Control code, 5... Message length code, 6... Data field, 7... Check code, 8... Dummy code, 9... Acknowledge bit, 10... ...Center controller, lla,
llb. 11c...Terminal device, 12...Transmission line, 13.21
...Microcomputer, 14.22...Transmission section, 15.23...Reception section, 16...Operation section, 17.
...Nonvolatile memory, 18...Display section, 24...
Address registration key, 25... Volatile memory, 26...
- Identification number storage unit, 29... Initial state undetermined address value, 30... Center controller address, 31...
・Address registration code, 32...Identification number, 33...
-Address distribution code, 34...Identification number and communication address, 35...Address distribution request code.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of terminal devices connected to a transmission path, and a center connected to the transmission path and controlling the plurality of terminal devices.
In a communication system comprising a controller, each of the plurality of terminal devices includes a first transmitting/receiving section connected to an input/output terminal of the transmission path, a volatile memory storing an address registration key and an address, and a unique identification number. an identification number storage section configured with a fuse ROM to store the information, and a first microcomputer that controls the first transmitting/receiving section, the address registration key, the volatile memory, and the identification number storage section. , the center controller includes a second transmitting/receiving unit connected to an input/output terminal of the transmission path, a nonvolatile memory that stores addresses and identification numbers of the plurality of terminal devices, the second transmitting/receiving unit, and a second microcomputer that controls the nonvolatile memory, and an address is automatically distributed from the center controller to each of the terminal devices after power is turned on. 2. The program area of the first microcomputer of each terminal device includes a processing routine for transmitting an address registration request communication frame containing the identification number in the identification number storage unit when the address registration key is pressed. On the other hand, when the program area of the second microcomputer of the center controller receives the address registration request communication frame, the program area selects an address that has not already been set and stores it in the nonvolatile memory together with the identification number. 2. The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a processing routine to be stored. 3. The program area of the second microcomputer of the center controller transmits an address distribution communication frame containing an address stored in the nonvolatile memory and an identification number corresponding to the address when the power is turned on. and a processing routine for transmitting an address distribution communication frame including an address corresponding to the identification number of the address distribution request communication frame, and a program area of the microcomputer of each terminal device is configured to include the identification number storage unit. A processing routine for storing in the volatile memory an address in the communication frame for the address distribution that matches the contents of the address distribution, a routine for waiting for random time processing when the power is turned on, and communication of an address distribution request including the identification number in the identification number storage unit. Claim 1, further comprising a processing routine for transmitting a frame.
Communication frame as described.