JP2001069101A - Multichannel nurse call audio transmitting system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable real time speaking and to prevent load on a field programmable gate array(FPGA) by making a controller and a passageway light not equal but in a master/slave relation. SOLUTION: While using a nurse call device provided with a controller 1, to which a board base unit and a handy nurse or the like are connected, and a passageway light 3a to which a bed handset and a toilet call or the like are connected, four slots are provided in a time division manner, a speech path is assigned for each slot, in order to encode audio into adaptive differential pulse code modulation(ADPCM), to transmit the audio, to encode that audio and to receive it, the frame synchronism of an ADPCM signal is controlled corresponding to each slot and plural speech channels are formed by performing ADPCM encoding/decoding to audio.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system, and more particularly, to a multi-channel nurse call which is adapted to voice digital communication between a controller for a multi-channel nurse call and a corridor lamp so that a plurality of calls can be made. The present invention relates to a nurse call voice transmission system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Nurse call apparatuses using a multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system have been proposed.

As shown in FIG. 2, this nurse call device has a control unit 51 to which a handset and a board master 52 having a bed display and a hand dinner (not shown) are connected.
And a bed slave unit 91a with a built-in microphone and speaker
Corridor lights 53a, 53b, 5c to which 96a, 91b to 96b, 91c to 96c and a toilet call (not shown) are connected.
3c. The controller 51 includes a corridor lamp 5.
3a, 53b and 53c are connected by a bus.

The controller 51 of such a nurse call device
The internal processing method including the timing of the voice data communication between the vehicle and the corridor lamp 53a will be described with reference to FIG. Since the corridor lights 53b, 53c,... Have the same configuration as the corridor lights 53a, description thereof will be omitted.

[0005] The controller 51 includes an adaptive differential.
CODEC 71, 72, 73, 74 of pulse code modulation (hereinafter referred to as "ADPCM") method, FPGA (field progr
An ammable gate array 61 and a CPU 62 are built in. CODEC 71, 72, 73, 74 are FPGA
The FPGA 61 is connected to the CPU 62, and is connected to an FPGA 63 of a corridor lamp 53a to be described later via a transmission line (not shown). The FPGA 61 provides four slots in a time-division manner and allocates a communication path to each slot.

The ADPCM-encoded audio transmission data td51 to td54 output from the CODECs 71, 72, 73, 74
Is the ADPCM input to the FPGA 61 and output from the FPGA 61
The encoded audio reception data rd51 to rd54 are respectively
It is input to CODECs 71, 72, 73, 74. Also, FPG
The frame synchronization signal f50 output from A61 is a CODEC
71, 72, 73, and 74 are commonly input.

The corridor light 53a has an ADPCM type CODEC 8
1, 82, 83, 84, FPGA 63 and CPU 64 are built in. The CODECs 81, 82, 83 and 84 are connected to the FPGA 63, respectively, and the FPGA 63 is connected to the CPU 64. The FPGA 63, like the FPGA 61 of the controller 51, provides four slots in a time-division manner and allocates a communication path to each slot.

[0008] ADPCM-encoded audio transmission data td71 to td74 output from CODECs 81, 82, 83 and 84
Is the ADPCM input to the FPGA 63 and output from the FPGA 63
The encoded audio reception data rd71 to rd74 are respectively
It is input to CODECs 81, 82, 83 and 84. Also, FPG
The frame synchronization signal f70 output from A63 is
81, 82, 83, and 84 are commonly input.

A data format Ld61 composed of an FPGA 61 and a data format Ld62 composed of an FPGA 63 are transmitted on the transmission path. In the nurse call device configured as described above, when a call is made between the receiver of the board base unit 52 and the bed handset 91a, one of the CODECs built in the controller 51 by an analog signal,
One of the CODECs built in the hallway lamp 53a is connected. Which CODEC is connected to each other's CPU 62, 64
Specified by

Here, for example, the CPUs 62 and 64
71 and the CODEC 81 and the CODEC 72 and the CODEC 82 are connected to each other.
Analog signal input to 71 is digital 4bit ADPCM
The signal is converted into a signal and output to the FPGA 61 (ADPCM encoding).
Similarly, an analog signal input to the CODEC 72 is converted into a digital 4-bit ADPCM signal and output to the FPGA 61 (ADPCM).
M encoding). At this time, any ADPCM signal is output in synchronization with the frame synchronization signal f50. The slot of the audio transmission data output on the transmission path is determined by the slot designation from the CPU 62, and the audio transmission data td51 and td52 are
In 61, it is inserted into the slot according to the designation. At this time, the audio transmission data td51 and td52 are temporarily stored in the FPGA 61, and are rearranged by the slot designation of the CPU 62. Thereafter, the data is output to the FPGA 63 in the corridor lamp 53a as the data format Ld61, and is rearranged in the FPGA 63 so as to synchronize with the frame synchronization signal f70. Is output. CODEC8
1 and 82 output (decoding) as analog signals to the corresponding bed slave unit.

On the other hand, on the corridor lamp 53a side, the CODEC 81
Is converted into a digital 4-bit ADPCM signal and output to the FPGA 63 (ADPCM encoding). Similarly, the analog signal input to CODEC 82 is converted to a digital 4 bit
And outputs it to the FPGA 63 (ADPCM encoding). At this time, any ADPCM signal is the frame synchronization signal f7.
Output in synchronization with 0. The slot of the audio transmission data output on the transmission path is determined by the slot designation from the CPU 62, and the audio transmission data td 71 and td 72 are
Is inserted into the slot according to the specification. At this time,
The audio transmission data td71 and td72 are temporarily stored inside the FPGA 63, and are rearranged by the slot designation of the CPU 64. After that, the data is output to the FPGA 61 in the controller 51 as the data format Ld62, and rearranged in the FPGA 61 so as to be synchronized with the frame synchronization signal f50. Data is output. The CODECs 71 and 72 output (decode) the analog signals to the board master.

A telephone call is established by such a voice data transmission system.

[0013]

However, in such a conventional multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system, the voice data from the CODEC has to be stored twice in the FPGA, which lacks real-time performance. . Registers and RAM are used to store audio data inside the FPGA.
In addition to the large number of devices, there are drawbacks in that the device becomes larger and the price increases, and that the slot must be specified from the CPU.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system that enables real-time communication by having a master-slave relationship instead of equality, and also allows a configuration that does not burden the FPGA.

[0015]

A multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system according to the present invention that achieves the above object is as follows.
Using a nurse call device equipped with a control device to which a board master unit and a hand dinnerer are connected, and a corridor light to which a bed child device and a toilet call are connected, a plurality of slots are provided by time division, and each slot is provided. A multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system in which a communication path is allocated for each, PCM-encoded and transmitted voice is decoded, and received.
A plurality of communication channels are formed by controlling the frame synchronization of a signal in accordance with each slot and performing PCM encoding / decoding of voice.

According to such a multi-channel nurse call audio transmission system, since the frame synchronization of the PCM signal is controlled in accordance with each slot and the audio is PCM encoded / decoded, the CPU does not need to specify the slot. Can also communicate. In addition, since the controller can be in the relationship of the master and the corridor light can be in the relationship of slave, it is possible to make a call in real time, and it is possible to adopt a configuration that does not burden the FPGA.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of a multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A nurse call apparatus using the multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system of the present invention has the same configuration as a conventional nurse call apparatus, and as shown in FIG. And a control device 1 to which a hand dinner (not shown) or the like is connected, and bed slave units 41a to 46a and 41b to which microphones and speakers are built.
46b, 41c-46c and toilet call (not shown)
Etc. are provided with corridor lights 3a, 3b, 3c.
The corridor lights 3a, 3b, 3c are connected to the controller 1 via a bus.

The internal processing method including the voice data communication timing between the controller 1 of the nurse call device and the corridor lamp 3a will be described with reference to FIG. Since the corridor lights 3b, 3c ... have the same configuration as the corridor lights 3a,
Description is omitted.

The controller 1 has adaptive differential pu
lse code modulation (hereinafter referred to as "ADPCM") CODEC 21, 22, 23, 24, FPGA (field program
mable gate array) 11 and a CPU 12. CODEC21,22,23,24 are each FPGA1
1 and the FPGA 11 is connected to the CPU 12 and to an FPGA 13 of a corridor lamp 3a to be described later via a transmission line (not shown). Note that the FPGA 11 provides four slots in a time-division manner and allocates a communication path to each slot.

The CODECs 21, 22, 23, and 24 have A
DPCM encoded voice transmission data td11 to td14
ADPC output from FPGA 11
M-coded audio reception data rd11 to rd14 are input. Further, from the FPGA 11, transmission frame synchronization signals f11 to f14 and reception frame synchronization signals f21 to f24 are received.
And these frame synchronization signals are input to the corresponding CODECs 21, 22, 23, and 24, respectively.

The corridor lamp 53a has an ADPCM CODEC3.
1, 32, 33, 34, FPGA (field programmable gate)
array) 13 and a CPU 14. CODEC3
1, 32, 33, and 34 are connected to the FPGA 13, respectively, and the FPGA 13 is connected to the CPU 14. In addition, FPGA
Reference numeral 13 provides four slots by time division, and allocates a communication path to each slot.

The CODECs 31, 32, 33, and 34
DPCM-encoded audio transmission data td21 to td24 are converted to FPGA
ADPC output from FPGA 13
M-coded audio reception data rd21 to rd24 are input. Further, from the FPGA 13, frame synchronization signals f31 to f34 commonly used for transmission and reception are output, and input to the corresponding CODECs 31, 32, 33, and 34, respectively.

The data format Ld1 composed of the FPGA 11 and the data format Ld2 composed of the FPGA 13 are transmitted on the transmission path.

In the nurse call device configured as described above, when a call is made between the receiver of the board base unit 2 and the bed slave unit 41a, one of the CODECs built in the controller 1 by analog signals and the corridor Any CO built in the light 3a
DEC is connected. In this case, the CPU 12 on the controller 1 side
Is set to determine which CODEC of the corridor lamp 3a is to be connected. This allows the FPGA to determine the slots that can be output to the CODEC to be connected in advance.
There is no need to specify a slot at 11.

Here, for example, the data format Ld1
It is assumed that slot 1 is assigned to CODEC 21, slot 2 is assigned to CODEC 22, slot 3 is assigned to CODEC 23, and slot 4 is assigned to CODEC 24. At this time, the data format Ld1 to be transmitted on the transmission path is changed to the frame synchronization signal f1.
FPG so that the beginning of each slot comes in each of 1 to f14
If you set to output from A11,
CODEC2 so that voice transmission data is inserted in time series
1, CODEC 22, CODEC 23, and CODEC 24 are input. In other words, by adjusting the frame synchronization position to each slot, each CODEC reads only the audio reception data at the beginning of the frame and converts it into analog audio, so that it is transmitted from the transmission path to read the audio reception data in real time. The received data format Ld1 is directly input to the reception data terminal of the CODEC. This gives F
Since the RAM in the PGA 11 does not need to be used, the data format Ld1 can be created in real time.

On the other hand, the corridor lamp 3a is set to operate after the data format Ld1 starts to arrive at the FPGA 13. As a result, the controller 1 becomes the master and the hallway lamp 3a becomes the slave, so that the data format Ld1 is transmitted first on the transmission line, and then the data format Ld2 is transmitted on the transmission line.

Since the data position for transmission / reception is determined at the timing of the input frame synchronization, it is necessary to use the RAM in the FPGA 13 if the data format Ld2 is configured in a time-series manner when the data format Ld2 is inserted. Disappears.
In addition, since the audio transmission data of the hallway lamp 3a is transmitted through the transmission line in the same slot as when the data format Ld1 is output from the controller 1, the head position of the slot is slightly delayed due to the transmission delay. You don't have to.

Next, as specific examples, CODEC 21 and CODEC 3
1 and the case of communication between the CODEC 22 and the CODEC 32 will be described.

The controller 1 converts the analog signal input to the CODEC 21 into a digital 4-bit ADPCM signal,
Output to the FPGA 11 (ADPCM encoding). Similarly, CODEC22
Is converted to a digital 4-bit ADPCM signal and output to the FPGA 11 (ADPCM encoding). At this time, the ADPCM signal output from the CODEC 21 is output in synchronization with the frame synchronization signal f11, and the ADPCM signal output from the CODEC 22 is output in synchronization with the frame synchronization signal f12. Since the slot to be used is predetermined by the CODEC, the audio transmission data td11 and td12 are
It is directly inserted into the slot in the GA 11. Thereafter, the data is output to the FPGA 13 in the corridor lamp 3a as the data format Ld1, and is output to the CODECs 31 and 32 without any processing. At this time, the data format Ld1 is
By generating frame synchronization signals f31 and f32 from the start flag of
The analog signals are output from 31 and 32 to the corresponding child device (decoding).

On the other hand, on the corridor lamp 3a side, the analog signal input to the CODEC 31 is converted into a digital 4-bit ADPCM signal and output to the FPGA 13 (ADPCM encoding). Similarly C
Analog signal input to ODEC32 is converted to digital 4-bit A
The signal is converted into a DPCM signal and output to the FPGA 13 (ADPCM encoding). At this time, the ADPCM signal output from the CODEC 31 is output in synchronization with the frame synchronization signal f31, and the ADPCM signal output from the CODEC 32 is output in synchronization with the frame synchronization signal f32. Since the slot follows the slot on the controller 1 side as it is, there is no need to specify the transmission slot. Thereby, the audio transmission data td21, td2
2 is directly inserted into the slot in the FPGA 13. Then, the FPGA in the controller 1 is used as the data format Ld2.
11 is output. At this time, the FPGA 11 changes the frame synchronization signal f2 from the start flag of the data format Ld2.
1 and f22 are generated and output to the CODECs 21 and 22, so that the CODECs 21 and 22 output the analog signals to the board parent device 2 (decoding).

Because of such a transmission method of audio data,
A plurality of communication channels can be formed.

According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system of the present invention,
Although the case of voice communication between the control device and the hallway light has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be between the control device and the main terminal of the handrail, and has the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment. .

According to a preferred embodiment of the multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system of the present invention,
Although the ADPCM signal was used, another PCM signal may be used.

The CODEC provided for the controller and the corridor light
It is needless to say that the number of is not limited.

[0036]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system of the present invention, the PC
Since the frame synchronization of the M signal is not uniformly the same, but the frame synchronization is controlled according to each slot, there is no need to store audio data in the internal RAM of the FPGA, and even when there is no CPU You will be able to communicate. As a result, the cost of devices such as FPGAs and ASICs can be reduced, and voice data communication can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a detailed timing diagram showing a preferred embodiment of a multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the entire nurse call device.

FIG. 3 is a detailed timing diagram of a conventional multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Control device 2. Board master device 3a, 3b, 3c Corridor light 41a-46a, 41b-46b, 41c-46c
・ Bed child unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A nurse call device including a control device to which a board master device and a hand dinnerer are connected, and a corridor light to which a bed child device and a toilet call and the like are connected,
A multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system in which a plurality of slots are provided by time division, a communication path is assigned to each slot, voice is PCM-encoded and transmitted, decoded and received, and frame synchronization of the PCM signal is performed. A multi-channel nurse call voice transmission system, wherein a plurality of communication channels are formed by performing PCM encoding / decoding of the voice under control in accordance with each slot.