JP2001053809A - Data converting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the cost or labor required for network construction. SOLUTION: This data converting device is provided with a communication interface 21 for a low speed network connected with a low speed network for operating communication with the low speed network, a communication interface 25 for a high speed network connected with a high speed network for operating communication with the high speed network, and a CPU 22 for controlling the management, conversion, and transmission of communication information between the low speed network and the high speed network.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data converter for controlling information communication between a low-speed network and a high-speed network, and more particularly to a technique for reducing the cost and labor required for constructing a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a network (vehicle network) used in a vehicle includes a plurality of head units 91, a CD changer 92, a navigation device 93, a TV monitor device 94, etc., as shown in FIG. Analog devices to low-speed LAN (Local Area Network:
(See JP-A-62-29247). Here, the low speed refers to a data transmission speed of about several tens of kbps.

On the other hand, with the rapid digitization of network-connected devices in recent years, a multi-display 95 and a DVD (Digital Video) as shown in FIG.
Disc) changer 96, DSP (Digital Signal Proce)
ssor) A high-speed digital network in which a plurality of digital devices such as an amplifier 97 and a digital radio 98 are connected using a high-speed digital line such as an optical fiber has appeared.
There has been an increasing movement to add and expand this high-speed digital network to vehicle networks. Here, high speed indicates a data transmission speed of about several Mbps.

[0004]

However, basically, when an attempt is made to add or expand a high-speed network such as a high-speed digital network to a conventional low-speed network such as a vehicle network, each device in the low-speed network transmits high-speed data. Since it is necessary to provide an interface including a data transmission medium and a light emitting / receiving element for enabling the data transmission, it is necessary to add / extend an existing low speed network which does not support the high speed network as it is in the high speed network. Involves a number of technical difficulties.

Further, when an interface for high-speed data transmission is added to each device in the low-speed network, it is necessary to greatly change specifications and modify each device. Therefore, the high-speed network is added to the low-speed network. -Expanding and building new networks requires a great deal of expense and effort.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a data conversion apparatus which reduces the cost and labor required for constructing a network.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problem, the invention according to claim 1 is a communication interface for a low-speed network connected to a low-speed network for performing communication processing with a low-speed network. A communication interface for a high-speed network connected to a high-speed network that performs communication processing with a high-speed network;
The gist is a data conversion device including a CPU for controlling a transmission process.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, without changing the specifications and structures of the devices in the existing network,
Since a new network can be easily added, the cost and labor required for constructing the network can be significantly reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an analog and digital selector for controlling analog / digital conversion of communication information, and A / D and D / D for performing analog / digital conversion and digital / analog conversion of communication information. A
A gist is a data conversion device including a converter.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, analog / digital conversion and digital / analog conversion of communication information can be easily performed at the time of data communication, so that management and transmission of a source such as audio can be easily performed. Becomes

[0011] The invention according to a third aspect is a data conversion device including a communication relay for switching a communication route of communication information between a low-speed network and a high-speed network.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, data communication can be easily switched between the existing network and the newly added network, so that communication between devices in the existing network is greatly affected. New networks can be easily added and expanded without giving

A fourth aspect of the present invention is directed to a data converter including a power supply circuit for supplying power to internal components.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the power supply circuit is provided inside the data converter, there is no need to supply power from the outside, and an independent network system can be designed.

The gist of the invention described in claim 5 is that a gist of the invention is that each internal element is a data conversion device having a configuration separable for each function.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize a data conversion device having a minimum configuration according to the specifications of the network, so that the cost required for data conversion processing can be minimized. It becomes possible.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A data conversion device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

Data converter 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention
0 indicates that a plurality of analog devices are connected at a low speed L as shown in FIG.
Low-speed network 1 connected to control lines such as AN and analog lines such as audio lines and video lines
As shown in FIG. 2, a low-speed network 1 is provided between high-speed digital network devices 13 and 14 in which high-speed digital lines such as optical fibers connect the digital devices 1 and 12 with a plurality of digital devices.
A communication interface 21 for a low-speed LAN connected to the control lines 1 and 12; a CPU 22 for controlling management, conversion, and transmission of communication information between networks; controlling analogization and digitization of communication information such as audio information; Analog and digital selectors 23 connected to audio lines of the low-speed networks 11 and 12, A / D and D / A for performing analog / digital (A / D) conversion processing and digital / analog (D / A) conversion processing of communication information. It includes a converter 26, a high-speed digital network communication interface 25 connected to a high-speed digital network device high-speed digital line, and a power supply circuit 24 for supplying power to each component in the data converter 20. Here, the communication interfaces 21 and 25 are configured by a communication IC, a transceiver circuit, and a connector, and have the same configuration as the interface already provided in the network. The data conversion device 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the processing line 1 of (the communication interface 21 for low-speed LAN) → (CPU 22) → (the communication interface 25 for high-speed digital network) and the (analog and digital selector 23). ) → (A / D and D / A converter 26) → (processing interface 2 for high-speed digital network), and has two independent processing lines. It is possible to perform three patterns of processing, ie, processing of only 2 and processing in which processing lines 1 and 2 are linked.
Here, the processing lines 1 and 2 are controlled by the same CPU 2.
Step 2

As a modification of the data converter 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, a communication relay 30 is provided between a low-speed LAN communication interface 21 and a low-speed network control line. May be introduced.
This makes it possible to easily switch information communication between the existing network and the newly added network.

As described above, by using the data conversion device 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention, commands, audio signals, etc. can be transmitted through the data conversion device 20 without specially changing the specifications of the devices in the network. Communication information can be shared.

When data is transmitted from the low-speed network to the high-speed network by the data converter 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, (1) (information input step, S401) Communication information is input from the low-speed network to the low-speed LAN communication interface 21.

(2) (Information Interpreting Step, S402) Next, the CPU 22 interprets the contents of the input communication information.

(3) (Analog / Digital Conversion Step, S403) Subsequently, an analog / digital conversion process is performed on the communication information. Note that this processing step is omitted in the case of a device other than the audio device (= device with only command and status information).

(4) (Format conversion processing, S40
4) Next, the format of the digitized communication information is converted. In the case of a device other than an audio device (a device having only a command and status information), format conversion of only a command is performed.

(5) (Information Output Step, S405) Subsequently, the format-converted communication information is output to the high-speed digital network device via the high-speed digital network communication interface 25.

Here, the data conversion device 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured to be separable for each function, as shown in FIG. 5, and has a minimum configuration according to the specifications of the network. The operation and effect of the data conversion device 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be realized with the cost kept to a minimum. That is, if necessary, a video selector function 55, a drawing circuit function 56, a communication interface 57 for other networks, etc.
Data conversion device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention having additional functions
It can be added within 0. Also, by providing the video selector function 55 with the A / D and D / A conversion processing functions for video signals, the video signals can also be transmitted over a high-speed network.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of (63, 66) data conversion devices 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be provided in a network. Optimum arrangement, improvement of device expandability, and the like can be realized.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the data conversion device 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be integrated with other devices, for example, by adding it inside a high-speed digital network device 25 or the like. Therefore, space saving of the network system can be realized.

Further, according to a modification of the data converter according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.
Since 0 is provided, switching between the existing network communication and the newly added network can be easily performed as shown in FIG.

Thus, it should be appreciated that the present invention encompasses various embodiments not described herein. Therefore, the present invention must be limited only by the matters specifying the invention according to the claims that are reasonable from this disclosure.

[0031]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a new network can be easily added without changing the specifications and structure of the devices in the existing network system, which is necessary for network construction. Expenses and labor can be greatly reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, analog / digital conversion and digital / analog conversion of communication information can be easily performed, so that management and transmission of a source such as audio can be facilitated.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, switching between an existing network and a newly added network can be easily performed, which greatly affects communication between devices in the existing network. Therefore, a new network can be easily added.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the power supply circuit is provided inside the data converter, there is no need to supply power from the outside, and an independent network system can be designed.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the minimum configuration according to the specifications of the network can be realized, so that the cost required for the data conversion processing can be minimized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a data conversion device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a data conversion device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a modification of the data conversion device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a data conversion method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a data conversion device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an application example of the data conversion device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an application example of the data conversion device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an application example of the data conversion device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a low-speed and high-speed network.

[Explanation of symbols]

11, 12, 61, 62, 67, 68, 71, 72 Low-speed LAN and analog equipment 13, 14, 64, 65, 73, 74 High-speed digital network equipment 20, 75, 83 Data converter 21, 52 Communication for low-speed LAN Interface 22 CPU 23 Analog and digital selector 24, 54 Power supply circuit 25 Communication interface for high-speed digital network 26 A / D and D / A converter 30 Communication relay 51 Communication interface and CPU for high-speed digital network 53 Analog / digital selector And A / D ・ D /
A converter 55 Video selector 56 Drawing circuit 57 Other network communication interface 81 Master device 82 Slave device 84 Additional monitor 85 DVD 86 Amplifier (AMP) 87 Additional switching (SW) device

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Katsushi Nakajima 1500 Onjuku, Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture F-term (reference) 5K030 GA19 HD01 HD06 JA07 KA01 KA23 LB05 5K033 AA04 CB08 DA05 DB14 DB16 DB18 DB25 5K034 AA14 FF02 FF11 KK08 KK12 9A001 CC02 EE02 EE05 JJ77

Claims (5)

[Claims] And performing communication processing with a low-speed network.
A communication interface for the low-speed network connected to the low-speed network; a communication interface for the high-speed network connected to the high-speed network for performing communication processing with the high-speed network; and management of communication information between the low-speed network and the high-speed network. A data conversion device comprising a CPU for controlling conversion / transmission processing; 2. An analog / digital selector for controlling analog / digital conversion of the communication information, and A / D and D / A converters for performing analog / digital conversion and digital / analog conversion of the communication information. The data conversion device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The data conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication relay for switching a communication route of communication information between the low-speed network and the high-speed network. 4. The data conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply circuit for supplying power to the internal elements. 5. The data conversion device according to claim 1, wherein each internal element is configured to be separable for each function.