JPH05336133A - Signal connection control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a result discrimination time in the case of signal connection changeover fault with respect to the signal connection control method on the changeover of signal connection among terminal equipments. CONSTITUTION:The control method is a signal control method such that a terminal equipment management section B12 reads processing time information required for the execution of a signal changeover command from a command processing time table B15 and sends the information to a terminal equipment management section A12 based on the signal changeover command sent from the terminal equipment management section A12 to the terminal equipment management section B12, a signal changeover section B14 implements signal changeover represented by the signal changeover command, the terminal equipment management section A12 stores the received processing time information to a processing time information storage section A16 and when the signal connection information is not received from the terminal equipment management section B12 for the processing time based on the processing time information, it is discriminated that the changeover represented by the signal changeover command is failed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a signal connection control method for controlling connection switching of video / audio signals by connecting home terminals such as a television and a video.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, so-called AV (Audio Visual) devices have become more diverse and multifunctional, and various products such as televisions, videos, tuners for sanitary broadcasts, laser disks, and video movies have become widespread, and these products as a single unit. Instead, it is required to be used as a system. As an example of this systemization, a system is being constructed in which a plurality of AV devices are connected on one communication line and the connection and switching of the video and audio signals are automatically switched between the terminal devices by the user's remote control operation or panel input. is there.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional network system for video / audio signal connection. In FIG.
Each terminal device 30 includes a communication control unit 31 that transmits / receives a communication command sent via a communication line, a terminal unit 33 that transmits / receives a video / audio signal, a signal switching unit 34 that switches a video / audio signal connection, and a communication control unit. The terminal management unit 32 manages the terminal unit 33, the terminal unit 33, and the signal switching unit 34. The communication cable 35 connects the terminal device A30 and the terminal device B30, and the communication cable 36 connects the terminal device B30 and the terminal device C30.

4 and 5 show communication sequences in the conventional signal connection control method. 4 and 5, the signal switching command C1 is transmitted from the terminal unit A33 of the terminal device A30 to the terminal device C30 via the signal switching unit B34 of the terminal device B30.
Is a signal switching command for connecting to the terminal unit C33, and the signal switching command C2 is a signal switching command for connecting from the signal switching unit B34 of the terminal device B30 to the terminal unit C33 of the terminal device C30. Signal connection information transmission request R1
Is a signal connection information transmission request for the terminal device A30 to request signal connection information of the terminal unit C33 of the terminal device C30 from the terminal unit A33 of the terminal device A30. Signal connection information transmission request R2,
From the terminal unit B30 of the terminal device B30 to the terminal device C30
Is a signal connection information transmission request for requesting signal connection information of the terminal unit C33. Signal connection information ANS1 is the terminal device B3
0 is signal connection information indicating the connection status from the terminal unit A33 of the terminal device A30 to the terminal unit C33 of the terminal device C30, which is transmitted to the terminal device A30, and the signal connection information ANS2 indicates that the terminal device C30 is the terminal device B.
It is signal connection information indicating the connection status from the signal switching unit B34 of the terminal device B30 to the terminal unit C33 of the terminal device C30 to be transmitted to the terminal device C30. The signal connection information ANS11 is signal connection information indicating the connection status of the terminal unit A33 of the terminal device A30 to the terminal unit C33 of the terminal device C30 in response to the signal connection information transmission request R1. The signal connection information ANS21 is signal connection information indicating the connection status of the terminal unit B33 of the terminal device B30 to the terminal unit C33 of the terminal device C30 in response to the signal connection information transmission request R2. The transmission request time T is the time from the transmission of the command frame indicating the signal switching command to the transmission of the transmission request frame indicating the signal connection information transmission request, and normally the signal transmitted in the command frame within the transmission request time T The time is sufficient to carry out the signal switch indicated in the switch command. The vertical axis represents the passage of time.

A signal switching command for the signal connection from the terminal unit A33 in the terminal device A30 to the terminal unit C33 in the terminal device C30 by the terminal device A30 shown in FIG. 3 with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 below. C1 is used to send and receive signal switching commands.
A conventional signal connection control method using a conventional terminal device when transmitting to the terminal will be described.

Here, the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C1 is the terminal device A30, the terminal device B30, the terminal device C3.
It is assumed that 0 is logically possible.

First, as shown in FIG. 4, a signal switching command C1 is sent by a command frame via a communication line to a terminal management unit A3 via a communication control unit A31 in the terminal equipment A30.
2 transmits to the terminal management unit B32 of the terminal device B30.
After the command frame indicating the signal switching command C1 is received by the communication control unit B31, the terminal management unit B32 switches the connection of the signal switching unit B34 to the signal connection indicated by the signal switching command C1 and the signal switching command C1 indicates. Detects the signal switching command and the other party to which the signal switching command is required when executing the connection. Here, this signal switching command is
C2, the signal transmission command transmission destination can be the terminal management unit C32 of the terminal device C30. Therefore, the terminal management unit B32 has the communication control unit B3 for the terminal management unit C32 in the terminal device C30.
A signal frame indicating a signal switching command C2 for connecting the terminal unit C33 is transmitted from the signal switching unit B34 via 1. After the command frame indicating the signal switching command C2 is received by the communication control unit C31 via the communication line, the terminal management unit C32 switches the connection of the signal switching unit C34 to the signal connection indicated by the signal switching command C2, and The switching unit B34 and the signal switching unit C34 are connected, and the signal switching unit C34 and the terminal unit C33 are connected. The terminal management unit C32 uses the result of the signal connection indicated by the signal switching command C2 as the signal connection information ANS2 and the connection information frame indicating the signal connection information ANS2 via the communication control unit C31.
Send to. Terminal management unit B3 that received the connection information frame
2 indicates that the result indicated by the signal connection information ANS2 is added to the connection information frame as the result of the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C1 and the communication control unit B3
Transmission of the terminal management unit A32 via 1. Terminal management unit A32
Is the signal connection information ANS1 received via the communication control unit A31.
The success or failure of the signal switching command C1 is determined by.

However, as shown in FIG. 5, the signal connection information
When the connection information frame indicating ANS1 is not received within the time based on the transmission request time T, after the time based on the transmission request time T has elapsed, the terminal management of the terminal device B30 is performed by the transmission request frame indicating the signal connection information transmission request R1. Send to section B32. Upon receiving the transmission request frame from the terminal management unit A32 via the communication control unit B31, the terminal management unit B32 transmits the signal connection information ANS1 corresponding to the signal connection transmission request R1 to the terminal management unit A32 by the connection information frame. Terminal management unit A
32 is a signal connection control method for determining success / failure of the signal switching command C1 based on the signal connection information ANS1 shown in the received connection information frame (D2B-applicatio
n protocols-book version 1.2).

[0009]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional signal connection control method, when the terminal device which has transmitted the signal switching command does not receive the connection information frame indicating the signal connection information within the transmission request time, the transmission is performed. After the request time has elapsed, a transmission request frame indicating a signal connection information transmission request is transmitted, and success or failure of signal switching indicated by the signal switching command transmitted by the signal connection information for the signal connection transmission request is determined. Here, since the transmission request time is long enough to perform the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command, it takes time to determine whether the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command is successful or unsuccessful. It has a problem that the processing performance is deteriorated.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems by reducing the time required for a terminal device that has transmitted a signal switching command to determine the success or failure of the signal switching command. It is an object of the present invention to provide a signal connection control method that improves the processing performance of.

[0011]

In order to achieve this object, a signal connection control method of the present invention and a terminal device using the same include a communication control section for transmitting and receiving a communication command sent via a communication line, and a video. A terminal unit for inputting and outputting an audio signal, a signal switching unit for switching the video and audio signal connection,
A command processing time table that stores the command processing time required to execute the video / audio signal connection switching requested by the signal switching command requesting the video / audio signal connection switching, and from the partner terminal device that sent the signal switching command. A processing time information storage unit for storing processing time information indicating command processing time received by a processing time frame used for transmitting and receiving command processing time;
The communication control unit, the terminal unit, the signal switching unit, the command processing time table, and the terminal management unit for managing the processing time information storage unit are provided, and when the terminal device receives the command frame indicating the signal switching command, the signal switching command The processing time detecting means for detecting the command processing time required when executing the video / audio signal switching shown in the command processing time information table, and the detected command processing time as processing time information is transmitted to the terminal device which has transmitted the signal switching command. Processing time information transmitting means, signal switching means for executing the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command received within the time based on the detected command processing time in the signal switching part, and success or failure of signal switching by the signal connection information. Notify the terminal device that sent the signal switching command. When the switching result notifying means and the terminal device transmit a command frame indicating a signal switching command, the processing time information for the signal switching command received from the terminal device of the other party who has transmitted the signal switching command is stored in the processing time information storage unit. The processing time information storing means for storing and the signal connection information storing the signal switching result indicated by the transmitted signal switching command within the time based on the processing time information received from the other party who has transmitted the signal switching command. If it does, the success or failure of signal switching is determined by the signal connection information,
It has a switching result judging means for judging that the signal switching has failed when the signal connection information is not received within the time based on the received processing time information.

[0012]

In the signal connection control method having the above structure, the processing time detecting means detects and detects the command processing time required for executing the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command received by the terminal device receiving the signal switching command. The command processing time is transmitted as processing time information to the terminal device that transmitted the signal switching command by the processing time information transmitting means, and the signal switching indicated by the received signal switching command is signaled within the time based on the detected command processing time. The signal switching means, which is executed by the switching unit, performs signal switching, and notifies the terminal device that has transmitted the signal switching command of the success or failure of signal switching by the signal connection information. The terminal device that sent the switch command switches the signal. The processing time information received from the other party who sent the command is stored in the processing time information storage unit by the processing time information storage unit, and the transmitted signal is sent within the time based on the processing time information stored in the processing time information storage unit. When the signal connection information that stores the information indicating the success or failure of the signal switching indicated by the switching command is received, the success or failure of the signal switching is determined based on the received signal connection information and is also stored in the processing time information storage unit. When the signal connection information cannot be received within the time based on the processing time information being provided, by having a switching result determination means for determining that the signal switching indicated by the transmitted signal switching command has failed, as in the conventional case, The terminal device that transmitted the signal switching command switches the signal transmitted within the time based on the transmission request time. If success or failure of command can not be determined, it is possible to determine the result of the signal switching commands without waiting for the elapse of the transmission request time. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time taken to determine the result of signal switching and improve the performance of the terminal device.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network system for video / audio signal connection according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, each terminal device 10 includes a communication control unit 11 that transmits / receives a communication command sent via a communication line, a terminal unit 13 that transmits / receives a video / audio signal, and a signal switching unit 14 that switches a video / audio signal connection. , Command processing time table 15 that describes the processing time for executing the signal switching command
A processing time information storage unit 16 for storing the received processing time information, a communication control unit 11, a terminal unit 13, and a signal switching unit 14.
Command processing time table 15 and processing time information storage unit 16
It has a terminal management unit 12 for managing the. The communication cable 17 connects the terminal device A10 and the terminal device B10,
The communication cable 18 connects the terminal device B10 and the terminal device C10.

FIG. 2 shows a communication sequence in the signal connection control method of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the signal switching command C1 is transmitted from the terminal unit A13 of the terminal device A10 to the terminal device C1.
A signal switching command for connecting the terminal unit C13 of 0, and a signal switching command C2 is a signal switching command for connecting the terminal unit C13 of the terminal device C10 from the signal switching unit B14 of the terminal device B10. The signal connection information ANS1 is signal connection information indicating the connection status from the terminal unit A13 of the terminal device A10 to the terminal unit C13 of the terminal device C10 which the terminal device B10 transmits to the terminal device A10, and the signal connection information ANS2 is the terminal device. C10
Signal switching unit of the terminal device B10 that the device transmits to the terminal device B10
It is signal connection information indicating the connection status from B14 to the terminal unit C13 of the terminal device C10. The processing time information T1 is processing time for the terminal device B10 to execute the signal switching command C1. The processing time information T2 is processing time for the terminal device C10 to execute the signal switching command C2. The vertical axis represents the passage of time.

Hereinafter, the terminal device A10 shown in FIG. 1 uses the terminal device according to the present invention when the signal switching command C1 for connecting the terminal unit A13 in the terminal device A10 and the terminal unit C13 in the terminal device C10 is transmitted. A signal connection control method will be described.

Here, it is assumed that the signal connection indicated by the signal switching command C1 is logically possible between the terminal equipment A30, the terminal equipment B30, and the terminal equipment C30.

First, the terminal management unit A12 transmits the signal switching command C1 via the communication line to the terminal management unit B12 of the terminal device B10 via the communication control unit A11 of the terminal device A10. The terminal management unit B12 reads the command processing time required for signal switching when executing the signal switching command C1 from the command processing time table B15 of the terminal device B10 by the processing time detection means, and the terminal management unit A12 as processing time information T1. To the terminal portion A13 indicated by the signal switching command C1 while being transmitted to the processing time information transmitting means.
From the terminal unit C13 to the video and audio signal connection, the signal switching unit B14 of the terminal device B10 performs signal connection switching by the signal switching means, and the terminal management unit C12 in the terminal device C10 via the communication control unit B11. Signal switching section
A signal switching command C2 for connecting the terminal unit C13 is transmitted from B14. Upon receiving the processing time information T1 via the communication line, the terminal management unit A12 of the terminal device A10 stores the processing time information T1 in the processing time information storage unit A16 of the terminal device A10 by the processing time information storage means. The terminal management unit C12 of the terminal device C10, which has received the signal switching command C2 via the communication control unit C11 of the terminal device C10, determines the command processing time required for signal switching when executing the signal switching command C2 by the processing time detection means. The command processing time table C15 of the terminal device C10 is read by the processing time information T2 to the terminal management unit B12 of the terminal device B10 as the processing time information T2 by the processing time information transmitting means, and the audio / video indicated by the signal switching command C2. In order to perform the signal connection, the signal switching unit C14 of the terminal device C10 switches the signal connection by the signal switching means. The terminal management unit B12 transmits the processing time information T2 received from the terminal management unit C12 to the terminal management unit A12 by the processing time information transmitting means via the communication control unit B11, and also the processing time information storage unit B of the terminal device B10.
The processing time information T2 is stored in 16 by the processing time information storage means. Upon receiving the processing time information T2 via the communication line, the terminal management unit A12 of the terminal device A10 processes the processing time information T1 stored in the processing time information storage unit A16 of the terminal device A10 by the processing time information storage means. Only T2 is updated and the processing time information is set to T1 + T2. Terminal management unit C13 of terminal device C10
The signal connection information ANS2 indicating the result of the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C2 to the terminal management unit B12 of the terminal device B10 by the switching result notifying means within the time based on the processing time information T2 transmitted to the terminal device B10. Communication control unit
Notify via C11. The terminal management unit B12, which has received the signal connection information A2 stored as a result of the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C2 from the terminal management unit C12 via the communication control unit B11 of the terminal device B10, transmits it to the terminal device C10. Processing time for transmitting the signal connection information ANS1 indicating the result of signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C1 to the terminal device A10 by determining the success or failure of signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C2 Within a time period based on the information T1, the switching result notification means notifies the terminal management unit A12 of the terminal device A10 via the communication control unit B11. The terminal management unit A12 of the terminal device A10 is the terminal device B1.
The success or failure of the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C1 is determined by the signal connection information ANS1 received from 0. If the terminal management unit B12 of the terminal device B10 does not receive the signal connection information ANS2 from the terminal management unit C12 of the terminal device C10 within the time based on the processing time information T2 received,
The terminal management unit B12 determines by the switching result determination means that the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C2 has failed, and the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C1 for the terminal management unit A12 of the terminal device A10 has failed. And the signal connection information ANS1 is transmitted. Furthermore,
The terminal management unit A12 of the terminal device A10 is the processing time information storage unit A16.
Within the time based on the processing time information T1 + T2 stored in, the signal connection information ANS1 from the terminal management unit B12 of the terminal device B10.
If not received, the terminal management unit A12 determines by the switching result determination means that the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command C1 has failed. Further, even in a communication system having a plurality of terminal devices on a communication line, the same signal connection control method is performed between the terminal devices by a signal switching command requesting a video / audio signal connection switching.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above description, the signal connection control method of the present invention and the terminal equipment using the same are such that when the terminal equipment receives the signal switching command, the signal switching is executed when the signal switching command is executed. Processing time detecting means for detecting the command processing time required for the command processing time table, processing time information transmitting means for transmitting the detected command processing time as processing time information to the terminal device which transmitted the signal switching command, and detected Signal switching means for executing in the signal switching unit the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command received within the time based on the command processing time, and notifying the success or failure of the signal switching to the terminal device which transmitted the signal switching command by the signal connection information. Switching result notification means and the terminal device When transmitted, processing time information storage means for storing the processing time information received from the transmitted terminal device in the processing time information storage unit, and the signal switching command of the transmitted signal switching command within the time based on the received processing time information. When the signal connection information that stores the result of the signal switching shown is received, the signal connection information is used to determine the success or failure of the signal switching, and the signal connection information is not received within the time based on the received processing time information. In this case, by providing a switching result determining means for determining that the signal switching has failed, the switching indicated by the signal switching command transmitted by the terminal device that transmitted the signal switching command within the time based on the transmission request time as in the conventional case. If it cannot determine the success or failure of the signal switching command without waiting for the transmission request time to elapse. It is possible to determine the result of the de. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time taken to determine the result of signal switching and improve the performance of the terminal device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a network system for video / audio signal connection in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a communication sequence diagram in the signal connection control method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional network system for video / audio signal connection.

FIG. 4 is a communication sequence diagram in a conventional signal connection control method.

FIG. 5 is a communication sequence diagram in a conventional signal connection control method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Terminal device 11 Communication control unit 12 Terminal management unit 13 Terminal unit 14 Signal switching unit 15 Command processing time table 16 Processing time information storage unit 17 Communication cable 18 Communication cable

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A communication control unit for transmitting / receiving a communication frame sent via a communication line, a terminal unit for inputting / outputting a video / audio signal, a signal switching unit for switching a video / audio signal connection, and the signal switching unit. A command processing time table that stores a command processing time for executing the video / audio signal connection switching requested by the signal switching command requesting the video / audio signal connection switching, and the command from the partner terminal device that has transmitted the signal switching command. A processing time information storage unit that stores processing time information indicating the command processing time received by the processing time frame used for transmitting and receiving the processing time, the communication control unit, the terminal unit, the signal switching unit, and the command processing time table. And a terminal including a terminal management unit that manages the processing time information storage unit The terminal management unit having a plurality of devices on the communication line and receiving the signal switching command by the command frame used for transmitting and receiving the signal switching command analyzes the received signal switching command and detects the next connection destination. In a communication system in which a new signal switching command necessary for performing signal switching indicated by the signal switching command is transmitted to the next connection partner by the command frame, and video / audio signals are sequentially switched between terminal devices, The terminal management unit of the first terminal device transfers the terminal unit of the first terminal device and the second terminal device to the terminal management unit of the second terminal device via the communication control unit of the first terminal device. A command frame used to send and receive commands for signal switching commands for connecting video and audio signals between terminals. When transmitted by the second terminal device, the terminal management unit of the second terminal device determines the command processing time required when the signal switching unit of the second terminal device executes the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command by the second terminal device. The command processing time is detected from the command processing time table of the terminal device, and the signal switching command is detected using the command processing time as processing time information according to the processing time frame used for transmitting and receiving the command processing time. Within the time based on the command processing time, the processing time information transmitting means for transmitting via the communication control section of the second terminal device transmits the processing time information to the terminal management unit of the first terminal device which has transmitted. In the above, the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command is performed by the signal switching unit of the second terminal device. The signal switching means executes the signal switching, and the result of the signal switching is based on the signal connection information indicating success or failure of the signal switching, and the signal connection information frame used for transmitting and receiving the signal connection information is used to generate the second signal. The signal connection information is transmitted by the switching result notifying means for transmitting to the terminal management unit of the first terminal device via the communication control unit of the first terminal device, and the terminal management unit of the first terminal device is The processing time information received by the processing time frame from the terminal management unit of the second terminal device via the communication control unit of the first terminal device is first stored in the processing time information storage unit of the first terminal device. The preprocessing time information that has been updated is updated by the time indicated by the processing time information, and the first
Stored in the processing time information storage unit of the terminal device, and within the time based on the processing time information, the terminal management unit of the first terminal device stores the terminal of the second terminal device. When the signal connection information storing the result of the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command is received from the management unit by the signal connection information frame, the success or failure of the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command is indicated by the signal connection information. If the signal connection information is not received within the time based on the processing time information, it is determined that the signal switching indicated by the signal switching command has failed, and the switching result determination means determines the terminal of the first terminal device. Connection control method for determining a connection status between a terminal unit and a terminal unit of the second terminal device.