JP2004015116A - Communication exchange - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication exchange capable of reducing the time and labor, and costs required for the installation, and enhancing the routing efficiency of cables. <P>SOLUTION: The communication exchange 1 has an enclosure 2, and the enclosure 2 comprises: a main boy 3; and a cover 4 provided to the main body 3 in an opening / closing enabled way. The cover 4 contains a power supply module 8. The main body 3 contains a trunk line interface module 13, a branch line interface module 14, and a control module 19. The interface module 13 has a connector (trunk line connection port) 16, and the interface module 14 has a connector (branch line connection port) 18. The control module 19 switches the connection between the trunk line connection port 16 and the branch line connection port 18 and the connection between the branch line connection ports 18. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a communication exchange used for a LAN system or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a communication exchange used in a LAN system, for example, a LAN switch such as a Cisco Catalyst 2950 series is known. Such a LAN switch can support up to a transmission bandwidth of 1 Gbps by a telecommunications system, and the transmission system conforms to IEEE802.3. The LAN switch has a function of reading a destination address in a data frame sent from a terminal such as a personal computer and transferring the data frame to a corresponding port.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional technique has the following problems. That is, the LAN switch is generally assumed to be installed indoors, and there are various problems when installed outdoors. For example, in an environment exposed to wind and rain or an environment with a lot of dust, the LAN switch cannot be installed outdoors as it is. Therefore, it is necessary to install a LAN switch in one room of an apartment building, a storage shed in an empty space of a parking lot, or the like, and install a LAN switch in this small room together with an air conditioner. However, securing a place for installing the LAN switch requires a lot of trouble and cost. In addition, since the LAN switch cannot be freely installed at the place where the user wants to install, the cable needs to be routed extra to the nearest access device. For this reason, the trunk cable and a plurality of branch cables are laid on the same wiring route in any number of cases, or in the worst case, the wiring design is such that the trunk cable and the branch cable exist in one multi-core cable. I had to be. Therefore, the wiring management of the cables becomes extremely complicated, and there is a problem in terms of maintainability and reliability of the system. Further, when such a LAN system is to be implemented by an optical communication system, it is necessary to change an electric cable to an optical cable, and furthermore, it is necessary to provide each communication device with an electric / optical conversion function. .
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to provide a communication exchange which can reduce the labor and cost required for installation and improve the wiring efficiency of cables.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A communication exchange according to the present invention includes an interface unit having a plurality of connection ports, an exchange unit connected to the interface unit and switching connection between the connection ports, and a housing for housing the interface unit and the exchange unit. It is assumed that.
[0006]
Such a communication exchange according to the present invention is installed on an existing telephone pole, a newly installed installation pole, a wall surface of a building, or the like with the interface unit and the exchange unit housed in a housing. Here, when the housing has weather resistance and water tightness, there is no particular problem even if the communication exchange is installed as it is in an environment exposed to wind and rain or an environment with a lot of dust. Therefore, since it is not necessary to rent a room in an apartment or to build an installation cabin in an empty space of a parking lot, labor and cost required for installing a communication switch can be reduced. Further, since the communication exchange can be installed outdoors as it is, it is possible to install the communication exchange at a place where it is actually desired to be installed or in the vicinity thereof. Therefore, it is not necessary to extraly route the cable connected to the communication exchange to the nearest access device, and the laying length of the cable can be optimized, and the wiring efficiency of the cable can be improved.
[0007]
Preferably, the power supply unit further includes a power supply unit housed in the housing and supplying power for operating the interface unit and the exchange unit. Thus, for example, by supplying commercial power, the interface unit and the exchange unit can be easily converted to direct current and the communication unit can be reliably operated outdoors. At this time, it is preferable to use a power supply having a current stabilizing function. As a result, the communication switch is less likely to be affected by fluctuations in the power supply, and the communication switch can be operated stably.
[0008]
Preferably, a heat radiating portion for releasing heat generated inside the housing is provided on an outer surface of the housing. As a result, even in a high-temperature environment, the communication switch can be installed outdoors without providing a large-scale air conditioner.
[0009]
In this case, preferably, the replacement unit includes a substrate and a plurality of electronic components mounted on the substrate, and each of the electronic components is arranged so as to face an inner surface of the housing. When the upper surface of the electronic component is in contact with the housing, the heat generated by the electronic component is transmitted to the housing and is radiated by the heat radiating portion, so that the heat exchange efficiency of the communication switch is improved.
[0010]
At this time, a heat dissipation plate is fixed to the inner surface of the housing, and the heat dissipation plate has an uneven shape corresponding to the height dimension of each electronic component so as to be in contact with the upper surfaces of the plurality of electronic components. In this case, the heat generated by the plurality of electronic components is collected on the heat radiating plate and transmitted to the housing and is radiated by the heat radiating portion, so that the heat radiation efficiency of the communication switch is further improved. Also, by processing the heat dissipation plate into an uneven shape according to the height dimension of each electronic component, the distance between the board and the housing becomes shorter, so compared to the case where the heat dissipation plate is made of a plate of uniform thickness , Space efficiency is improved.
[0011]
Preferably, the housing has a main body, and a lid provided to be openable and closable with respect to the main body. The interface and the exchange unit are housed in one of the main body and the lid. A power supply unit is housed in the other of the main unit and the lid, and the heat radiating unit is provided on the outer surface of the main unit and the outer surface of the lid. By housing the exchange unit and the power supply unit, which easily generate heat, in separate members, the weight balance and heat balance of the housing are improved. For this reason, it becomes easy to install the communication exchange, and heat generated in the exchange section and the power supply section is effectively released by the heat radiating sections provided corresponding to the main body section and the lid section, respectively.
[0012]
Further preferably, the apparatus further comprises means for detecting a state in the housing and outputting the information to the outside. Thereby, it is possible to know the state inside the housing, for example, the state of a plurality of connection ports and the temperature change state, while being far away from the communication exchange.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a communication exchange according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a communication exchange according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the communication exchange. The communication exchange 1 of the present embodiment is a device for outdoor installation used in a LAN transmission system (the transmission method conforms to IEEE802.3).
[0015]
The communication exchange 1 has a substantially box-shaped casing 2 formed of, for example, aluminum die casting. The housing 2 includes a main body 3 and a lid 4 provided to be openable and closable with respect to the main body 3. The housing 2 has sufficient weather resistance and watertightness so that the housing 2 can be installed outdoors with the cover 4 closed and bolted.
[0016]
Further, a plurality of radiating fins 5 and 6 for releasing heat generated inside the housing 2 are provided on the outer surface of the main body 3 and the outer surface of the lid 4, respectively. Thereby, the heat resistance of the housing 2 is ensured.
[0017]
The housing 2 is provided with a lid opening / closing sensor 7 (see FIG. 4) for detecting whether the lid 4 is closed. The lid opening / closing sensor 7 is constituted by, for example, a limit switch.
[0018]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an appearance in a state where the cover 4 of the housing 2 is open. 2 and 3, the lid unit 4 houses two power supply modules 8 and an operation panel 9 having various switches.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 4, the power supply module 8 converts an AC voltage sent from an external power supply 10 via a power cable 11 into a DC voltage. The power supply module 8 is formed of a switching fabric with low heat loss in order to reduce the amount of heat generated. Further, the power supply module 8 has a current stabilizing function. Thereby, the influence on the fluctuation of the power supply is small, and the communication exchange 1 can be operated stably. One of the two power supply modules 8 is used for backup. By duplicating the power supply module 8 in this way, even if one power supply module 8 fails, the system does not need to be stopped.
[0020]
Such a power supply module 8 is attached to a heat radiating plate 12 fixed to the inner surface of the lid 4. With such a configuration, heat generated in the power supply module 8 is transmitted to the lid 4 via the heat radiation plate 12 and is radiated by the plurality of heat radiation fins 6.
[0021]
The main body 3 of the housing 2 includes a trunk line interface module group 13A including two trunk line interface modules 13 and a branch line interface module group 14A including a plurality of branch line interface modules 14. It is stored.
[0022]
These interface modules 13 and 14 are operated by the power supplied from the power supply module 8. Each trunk line interface module 13 has a connector 16 that is a port (trunk line connection port) to which the trunk cable 15 is connected. Each branch line interface module 14 has a plurality of connectors 18 which are ports (branch connection ports) to which the branch cable 17 is connected.
[0023]
In the case where communication is performed using an optical fiber cable, an optical communication interface module further having a function of converting an optical signal and an electric signal is used as the interface modules 13 and 14. In this case, connectors for optical fibers are used as connectors 16 and 18 to which optical fiber cables are connected.
[0024]
The two trunk cables 15 are connected to a higher-level network device, and the plural (for example, 48) branch cables 17 are connected to terminals in each home (see FIG. 4). The reason for providing two trunk cables 15 is to provide a communication service without stopping the system even if there is a trouble transfer or route change work. 15 may be one.
[0025]
A control module 19 that is operated by electric power supplied from the power supply module 8 is housed below the interface module groups 13A and 14A in the main body 3 of the housing 2 (on the inner surface side of the main body 3). The control module 19 has a substrate 20 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, and a plurality of electronic components 21 including a CPU and a switching fabric are mounted on the back surface (lower surface) of the substrate 20. A connector 22 for connecting to the interface modules 13 and 14 is provided on the surface (upper surface) of the substrate 20. By using this connector 22 in common, an interface module for electric communication and an interface module for optical communication can be installed in a mixed manner.
[0026]
The connector 22 has a ground line terminal longer than a signal line terminal and a power supply terminal. As a result, when the connectors (not shown) of the interface modules 13 and 14 are connected to the connector 22, the ground line terminal comes in contact with the signal line terminal and the power supply terminal before the connector 22 and the interface module 13 , 14 are unplugged, the ground line terminal is in contact with the signal line terminal and the power line terminal. Therefore, even if the interface modules 13 and 14 are inserted and removed while the power supply module 8 is turned on, the occurrence of noise is suppressed, so that the operation of the control module 19 is hardly affected.
[0027]
In order to enable the insertion and removal of the interface modules 13 and 14 while the power supply module 8 is turned on, the following means can be used. That is, when the connectors of the interface modules 13 and 14 are connected to the connector 22, the ground line terminal, the power supply terminal, and the signal line terminal may be contacted in this order. Further, a configuration may be employed in which an abnormal voltage is prevented from being applied to the electronic component 21 of the control module 19 by using a capacitor, a resistor, a diode, or the like. Further, the resistance value of the terminal (pin) of the terminal of the connector 22 may be increased so that when the pin first comes into contact, a small voltage is applied (current does not flow much) due to the resistance. Further, when the connectors of the interface modules 13 and 14 are connected to the connector 22, the impedance of the substrate 20 may be set to a high level so that a small amount of current may flow. Further, the above means may be combined.
[0028]
By enabling the insertion and removal of the interface modules 13 and 14 in the power-on state in this way, even if a new branch cable 17 is laid and the branch interface module 14 is added, for example, the existing (connected) ) Does not hinder the branch line interface module 14 and the communication using the same.
[0029]
A heat dissipation plate 23 is fixed to the inner surface of the main body 3 of the housing 2. The heat radiating plate 23 preferably has an uneven shape corresponding to the height dimension of each of the electronic components 21 so as to be in contact with the upper surfaces of a plurality of electronic components 21 that generate a large amount of heat, such as a CPU and a switching fabric. (See FIG. 5).
[0030]
With such a structure of the heat radiating plate 23, heat generated by the plurality of electronic components 21 having different heights is collected by one heat radiating plate 23, transmitted to the main body 3 of the housing 2, and radiated. The heat is dissipated by the fins 5. Thereby, the heat radiation of the control module 19 can be performed efficiently. Further, since the heat radiating plate 23 is processed into an uneven shape according to the height dimension of each electronic component 21, the distance d between the back surface of the substrate 20 and the inner surface of the main body 3 is reduced. Thereby, space saving can be achieved as compared with the case where the heat dissipation plate is formed of a plate having a uniform thickness.
[0031]
Note that an electronic cooling device may be further provided to promote heat radiation. For example, if the Peltier element is arranged so as to be in contact with the heat radiating plate 23 or each of the electronic components 21 generating high heat, the cooling efficiency can be increased as compared with the case where only the heat radiating fins 5 are used. Further, a conductive paste or a conductive resin may be filled in a gap between the back surface of the substrate 20 and the inner surface of the main body 3 to increase the cooling efficiency.
[0032]
In addition, a temperature sensor 24 for detecting the temperature on the substrate 20 is provided on the back surface of the substrate 20 in order to cope with a rise in temperature (see FIG. 4).
[0033]
The control module 19 includes an exchange unit 25 and a state monitoring unit 26, as shown in FIG. The exchange unit 25 and the state monitoring unit 26 are configured by the board 20 and the plurality of electronic components 21.
[0034]
The exchange unit 25 electrically connects between the trunk line connection port 16 of the interface module 13 and the branch line connection port 18 of the interface module 14, and between the branch line connection ports 18 or between the trunk line connection ports 18. The electric connection between the connection ports 16 is switched by an electric signal.
[0035]
Specifically, a connection request from data sent from a higher-level network device is read, a home to which data is to be transmitted / received is selected, and a trunk connection port 16 and a branch connection port 18 corresponding to the selected home are connected. Is formed, and data transfer is enabled. It also reads the connection request from the data sent from the home terminal, selects a higher-level network device or another home to which data is to be sent and received, and connects to the branch connection port 18 corresponding to the home of the transmission source and the main line. A transmission path is formed between the connection port 16 and the branch connection port 18 corresponding to the selected home, and the data transfer is enabled.
[0036]
The state monitoring unit 26 detects the state in the housing 2 and sends the information to a higher-level network device via the trunk line interface module 13.
[0037]
Specifically, the state monitoring unit 26 detects the insertion / removal state of the interface modules 13 and 14 based on the voltage signal, and when the interface modules 13 and 14 are removed, the state monitoring unit 26 An instruction is given to the exchange unit 25 so as not to perform data transfer. Further, the state monitoring unit 26 monitors, for example, a monitoring packet in the transmission data, and detects whether communication is normally performed. Further, the state monitoring unit 26 detects whether the power supply module 8 is inserted or removed and whether the power supply module 8 is operating normally. Further, the state monitoring unit 26 detects whether or not the lid 4 of the housing 2 is closed based on the output signal of the lid opening / closing sensor 7, and displays on the substrate 20 based on the output signal of the temperature sensor 24. Detects whether a temperature abnormality has occurred. Furthermore, by providing the power supply module 8 with a voltage sensor and monitoring the power supply module 8 to prepare for a failure, the state monitoring unit 26 can detect the state before the failure completely occurs.
[0038]
Such detection information is sent to a higher-level network device and displayed on a monitor screen when a status change occurs and a notification request is issued from a higher-level network device. As a result, the current state of the communication exchange 1 can be known by the higher-level network device without the operator having to go to the installation site every time. In addition, by recording the history information of a fault in a higher-level network device, it is possible to use it for troubleshooting. Note that the detection information may be sent to the upper-level network device at all times or periodically instead of when the status changes or when a notification request is issued from the upper-level network device.
[0039]
One side of the interface module groups 13A and 14A and the control module 19 in the main body 3 of the housing 2 holds a plurality of cables 15 and 17 introduced from the cable inlet 27 of the main body 3. And a plurality of storage trays 29 for storing the extra lengths of the cables 15 and 17 are arranged.
[0040]
The method for housing the interface modules 13 and 14, the control module 19, the power supply module 8, and the like in the housing 2 is not necessarily limited to the above-described arrangement. For example, the interface modules 13 and 14, the control module 19, the power supply module 8, and the like may all be housed in the main body, and nothing may be housed in the lid.
[0041]
Further, the interface modules 13 and 14 do not always need to be plural. For example, one interface module may be provided in the control module 19, a plurality of connection ports may be provided in the control module 19, one of which may be the main line connection port 16, and the other may be the branch line connection port 18.
[0042]
The communication exchange 1 configured as described above is installed outdoors with the cables 15 and 17 connected, the cover 4 of the housing 2 closed and bolted. A fixing hole for hanging and a band insertion portion are provided on the outer surface of the communication exchange 1, and are installed using these. As a method for installing the communication switch 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the communication switch 1 is suspended and fixed on a wire 31 attached to a power pole 30, and the power supply 10 is further mounted on the power pole 30. Alternatively, a dedicated installation column may be set up at a predetermined location, and the communication exchange 1 may be installed on the installation column, or the communication exchange 1 may be installed on a wall surface of a building. Further, the power may be directly supplied from the power line without using the power supply device 10.
[0043]
In the communication exchange 1 of the present embodiment as described above, the interface modules 13 and 14, the control module 19, the power supply module 8, and the like are housed in the casing 2 having weather resistance, water tightness, and heat resistance. Due to the structure, these modules are reliably protected from rain, snow, dust and the like. For this reason, it becomes possible to install the communication exchange 1 as it is even in an environment exposed to wind and rain, a dusty environment, and a high-temperature and high-humidity environment. Therefore, it is not necessary to rent a room in an apartment to install a communication switch, or to build a hut for installation in an empty space of a parking lot. Thus, it is possible to save the trouble of searching for the installation location of the communication exchange and to reduce the cost for installing the communication exchange.
[0044]
Further, since the communication switch 1 can be installed outdoors as it is, there is no great restriction on the installation location of the communication switch. Therefore, by installing the communication switch 1 in a place where the wiring efficiency of the cable is the best for a plurality of homes, it is not necessary to route the cable more than necessary. As a result, maintenance and management of the cable wiring can be easily performed, and the reliability of the system is improved.
[0045]
Further, by installing the communication exchange 1 outdoors, it is not necessary to obtain an entrance permission each time as in the case where the communication exchange 1 is installed on private land, and the user can easily access when he / she wants to access. The contents of the communication data can be eavesdropped by locking the housing 2 or fixing the lid 4 with a special screw that requires a special tool so that the housing 2 is not easily opened. Can be reliably prevented from being performed.
[0046]
When the control module 19 and the power supply module 8 that generate a large amount of heat are stored separately in the main body 3 and the lid 4 of the housing 2, the heat balance of the housing 2 is improved, and the communication switchboard is improved. 1 can efficiently dissipate heat. Further, since the interface modules 13, 14, the control module 19, the power supply module 8, and the like can be stored in the housing 2 with good space efficiency, the communication switch 1 can be reduced in size.
[0047]
The communication exchange according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the communication exchange of the above embodiment is used for a LAN transmission system, but the present invention is also applicable to other communication systems such as CATV. Further, the present invention is applicable to a communication system using an electric cable, a communication system using an optical cable, and a communication system in which electricity and light are mixed.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since the interface section and the exchange section are housed in the housing, the labor and cost required for installing the communication exchange can be reduced. Further, since the wiring efficiency of the cable can be improved, the cable laying length can be reduced. Further, monitoring the state of the communication exchange remotely is advantageous in terms of maintainability and reliability. Further, since the module can be replaced by a module, maintenance / replacement becomes easy, and an interface module suitable for a use can be provided. In addition, since an interface module having an electric / optical conversion function can be provided on the interface module, it can be easily connected not only to a telecommunication cable but also to an optical fiber in a trunk optical cable or a branch optical cable.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view showing an embodiment of a communication exchange according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an internal structure of the communication exchange shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is an external view showing a state in which a lid of the housing shown in FIG. 2 is open.
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram schematically showing the communication exchange shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the control module and the heat radiation plate shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a method of installing the communication exchange shown in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Communication exchange, 2 ... Case, 3 ... Main body part, 4 ... Lid part, 5 ... Heat radiation fin (heat radiation part), 6 ... Heat radiation fin (heat radiation part), 7 ... Lid opening / closing sensor, 8 ... Power supply module (power supply) 13) Trunk line interface module (interface unit), 14 ... branch line interface module (interface unit), 16 ... connector (connection port), 18 ... connector (connection port), 19 ... control module, 20 ... Substrate, 21: electronic component, 23: heat dissipation plate, 24: temperature sensor, 25: replacement unit, 26: state monitoring unit.

Claims (7)

An interface unit having a plurality of connection ports,
An exchange unit connected to the interface unit and switching connection between the connection ports;
A communication exchange comprising: a housing that houses the interface unit and the exchange unit. The communication exchange according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit housed in the housing and supplying power for operating the interface unit and the exchange unit. The communication exchange according to claim 1, wherein a heat radiating unit for releasing heat generated inside the housing is provided on an outer surface of the housing. The said exchange part has a board | substrate and the some electronic component mounted in the said board | substrate, The said each electronic component is arrange | positioned so that it may face the inner surface of the said housing | casing. Communication switch as described. A heat dissipation plate is fixed to the inner surface of the housing,
The communication switch according to claim 4, wherein the heat radiating plate has an uneven shape corresponding to a height dimension of each of the electronic components so as to be in contact with upper surfaces of the plurality of electronic components. The housing has a main body, and a lid provided to be openable and closable with respect to the main body,
The interface unit and the exchange unit are housed in one of the main body unit and the lid unit, and the power supply unit is housed in the other of the main body unit and the lid unit,
4. The communication exchange according to claim 3, wherein the heat radiator is provided on an outer surface of the main body and an outer surface of the lid. 3. The communication exchange according to claim 1, further comprising a unit that detects a state in the housing and outputs the information to the outside.

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