JP2005354433A - Device connection diagram display system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device connection diagram display system by which the connection states of I/O terminals of respective apparatuses can be checked at a glance when a plurality of apparatuses such as a video display apparatus and a video recorder provided with a plurality of I/O terminals are connected. <P>SOLUTION: Signal change-over switches 1, 11 for switching and connecting signal I/O parts 2, 12 or serial interfaces 3, 13 are connected to an input terminal 2 and an output terminal 2, and when a device connection diagram display mode is set, a control part 5 sets the signal change-over switch 1 to the serial interface side. The control part 5 or 15 in each apparatus checks the connection state of the I/O terminals of its own apparatus with the I/O terminals of the other apparatus and stores the connection state in each connection state storage part 6 or 16. A display device of an apparatus number 000 which is a specific apparatus acquires the connection states stored in respective apparatuses and displays the acquired connection states on a display part 6. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a device connection that can easily display a device connection diagram of each device in a system in which a plurality of devices having input / output terminals for video or audio signals, such as video display devices and video recording devices, are connected. The present invention relates to a diagram display system.

  A video display device, a video recording device, and the like usually include a plurality of input terminals and output terminals, and a plurality of these devices may be subordinated or connected in parallel. When multiple devices are connected in parallel or subordinately, each device may have multiple input / output terminals, and the user can connect which device's input terminal to which device's main terminal or which device It is impossible to immediately grasp to which input terminal the output terminal is connected, and this tendency becomes more prominent as the number of connected devices increases. For this reason, when the connection status is not correct, or when a new device is added later or a device is removed, the connection status of the input / output terminals of each device cannot be immediately grasped. Often caused difficulties.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1 and the like, a connection diagram of devices connected to the bus is analyzed and displayed. In this apparatus, a connection diagram of a plurality of devices connected to one IEEE 1394 bus is displayed.
JP 2003-37598 A

  However, since the device disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses a data communication line (bus) for transmitting information of each device, a video display device or a video recording device that does not include such a line. In, the input / output terminal information of each connected device could not be grasped.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to confirm the connection state of the input / output terminals of each device at a glance when connecting a plurality of video display devices and video recording devices having the plurality of input / output terminals as described above. It is to provide a device connection diagram display system capable of performing the above.

The present invention is connected to an input terminal or an output terminal of a video or audio signal, and a signal switching unit for switching and connecting the input terminal or the output terminal to a signal processing unit or a serial interface unit,
When the device connection diagram display mode is set, the identification code and the output terminal identification code of the own device with respect to the input terminal of the other device connected to each output terminal of the own device via the serial interface unit Output the information of the own machine including the above, and obtain the information output from the output terminal of the other machine connected to each input terminal of the own machine, based on the information, input / output terminal of the own machine A control unit that checks the connection status between the I / O and the input / output terminals of other devices,
A connection state storage unit for storing the connection state;
The control unit of the specific device further includes a display unit that acquires the connection state stored in the connection state storage unit of another device through the serial interface unit and displays the acquired connection state. It is characterized by that.

  In the present invention, when the device connection diagram display mode is set, the signal switching unit switches and connects the input terminal and the output terminal to the serial interface unit, and communicates signal lines for video or audio signals connecting each device. Further, by using this communication line, information including an identification code and an output terminal identification code of each device is exchanged, and the connection state of each device is displayed on the display unit. As a result, there is no need to connect each device with a special serial interface, and the conventional signal line can be used as it is. Even when a new device is added or an existing device is removed on the way. The correct connection status can be displayed immediately.

  As a result, erroneous connection can be eliminated, and the operation of newly connecting or disconnecting a line becomes extremely efficient.

  According to the preferred implementation of the present invention, when the device connection diagram display mode is set in each device, each device automatically outputs information on the own device to the other device. The information sent from the machine is acquired, and the connection status is checked based on this information. As a result, all connected devices will automatically check their own status, so even if multiple devices are connected in a way that is connected, the connection status of each device is very Can be easily grasped.

  According to the present invention, even when a large number of devices are connected, the connection state of the input / output terminals of each device can be displayed on the display unit in a short time and accurately, so that a new device can be obtained. Even when adding or removing an existing device, there is no error in the new connection of the line or the removal of the line, and the work can be performed very efficiently in a short time.

  FIG. 1 shows a connection example of a plurality of devices adopting an apparatus connection diagram display system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In this example, a total of four devices from 000 to 003 are connected. The device number 000 is a display device that includes a display unit that displays a connection state, which will be described later, and in this example, includes a total of three input terminals. The device number 002 is connected to the device number 000, and the output terminal 2 is connected to the input terminal 2 of the device number 000 by a signal cable (line). The input / output terminal of device number 002 is connected to the input / output terminal of device number 001. The device number 003 is connected to the device number 003 (in this example, the receiver), and the device number 002 is connected to the device number 003. Each signal cable guides a video signal or an audio signal in a normal state, and is switched to a serial data communication line when a device connection diagram display mode to be described later is set.

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration diagram of main parts of the device number 000 and the device number 002 in the system of FIG.

  In the figure, in the device number 000, a signal changeover switch 1 is connected to the input terminal 2, and a signal input / output unit 2 and a serial interface 3 are connected to the signal changeover switch 1. A signal processing unit 4 is connected to the signal input / output unit 2, and a control unit 5 is connected to the signal input / output unit 2 and the serial interface 3. Further, a display unit 6 is connected to the control unit 5.

  In the device number 002, a signal changeover switch 11 is connected to the output terminal 2, and a signal input / output unit 12 and a serial interface 13 are connected to the signal changeover switch 11. A signal processing unit 14 is connected to the signal input / output unit 12, and a control unit 15 is connected to the signal input / output unit 12 and the serial interface 13. As the serial interface, for example, an RS232C interface can be used.

  The device numbers 000 and 002 and the device numbers 001 and 003 are configured as shown in FIG. 2 in the vicinity of each input / output terminal.

  In FIG. 2, in the normal mode, the signal changeover switch 1 connects the input terminal 2 to the signal input / output unit 2 and the output terminal 2 connects to the signal input / output unit 12. Therefore, in this normal mode, an audio signal or a video signal flows through the signal line 20 between the device number 000 and the device number 002.

  When the normal mode is switched to the device connection diagram display mode by the user's operation, the control unit 5 switches the signal switch 1 to connect the input terminal 2 to the serial interface 3 at the device number 000, and the device number. At 002, the signal selector switch 11 is switched to the serial interface 13. As a result, the signal line 20 becomes a serial communication line, and information is exchanged between the control unit 5 and the control unit 15.

  When switching to the device connection diagram display mode above, in each device, the control unit checks the connection status between the input / output terminals of its own device and the input / output terminals of the other device, and the results of these investigations are connected to each other. Store in the storage units 6 and 16.

  Specifically, the control unit of each device sends information on its own machine including its own identification code and output terminal identification code to the input terminal of the other machine connected to each output terminal of its own machine. Output. Moreover, the information output from the output terminal of the other machine connected to each input terminal of the own machine is acquired, the connection state centering on the own machine is acquired based on this information, and this is collected. Store in the connection state storage unit.

  The above processing is performed asynchronously in each device, and at the same time, or at the timing when the operation is completed, in the control unit 5 of the device number 000 which is a display device, it is stored in the connection state storage unit of the other device. The connection state is acquired via the serial interface 3, and the acquired connection state is displayed on the display unit 6 in a graphic form.

  In this case, regarding the connection state of the device number 001 connected to the device number 002, the display device of the device number 000 is acquired via the device number 002.

  As described above, the connection state acquired from each device number is as shown in FIG. 3 in the case of the connection example shown in FIG. The state in which the connection state shown in FIG. 3 is displayed as a graphic diagram on the display unit 6 is as shown in FIG.

  The user can immediately know which input / output terminal of which device is connected and how by referring to the connection state shown in FIG.

  Next, the operation of each device will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 shows an operation of outputting the information of the own device when the device connection diagram display mode is set in each device.

  In step ST1, the initial value N is set to 1 (where N indicates the number of the output terminal), and ST3 and subsequent steps are executed until all processing is completed in ST2.

  In ST3, it is determined whether or not communication of the Nth output terminal is possible. This determination determines whether or not the input terminal of the other device connected to the Nth output terminal can acquire information. That is, when a communication start command is transmitted and an ACK is received from the other party, it is determined that the Nth output terminal is communicable. Otherwise, the determination of ST3 is repeated until time-out in ST4. Do. If it is determined that the Nth output terminal is communicable within a certain period of time until timeout, the process proceeds to ST5, and information on the output terminal is output. That is, information including at least the device number and the output terminal number is output to the other device connected to the Nth output terminal.

  Subsequently, N is incremented by 1 in ST6, and the above operation is repeated until N reaches a maximum value in ST7. When N reaches the maximum value, the process returns to ST1 and repeats from the beginning. Therefore, the above operation is repeated until the end state is reached in ST2. Note that the timing determined to end in ST2 is when the mode is switched from the device connection diagram display mode to another mode, or when the above operation ends.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation when receiving information output from the output terminal side in FIG. 4 on the input terminal side.

  First, M is set to an initial value 1 in ST10. This M indicates the number of the input terminal.

  Steps ST12 and after are repeated until the process ends at ST11. In ST12, it is determined whether or not the Mth input terminal can communicate. This determination is a determination as to whether or not communication is possible with the output terminal of the other device connected to the Mth input terminal, that is, a communication start command is received from the output terminal of the other device, and This is a determination as to whether or not a response corresponding to the command is possible in the own machine. If it is determined that communication is possible, the process proceeds to ST13 after returning ACK, and output terminal information (FIG. 4) sent from the output terminal of the other device connected to the Mth input terminal. Information output in ST5). Thereafter, M is incremented by 1 in ST14, and if ST is not the maximum value in ST15, the process returns to ST11. If the maximum value is exceeded, the process returns to ST10 and is repeated again from the beginning. When the device connection diagram display mode is ended or when it is ended for other reasons, the process proceeds to ST16, and a connection state table of the own apparatus based on the input / output terminal information acquired in ST13 is created (ST16). And stored in the connection state storage unit. Then, the process proceeds to ST17 where the flag is set to 1 and the process returns.

  4 and 5, the connection state storage unit of each device stores the state in which the input / output terminals of the device are connected to other devices in a table format.

  Next, in the display device having the device number 000, an operation of acquiring the connection state in the table format stored in each of the devices is performed. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing this operation.

  In ST20, J is set to an initial value 1. This J indicates each device number. When the flag of the device number J is 1 in ST21, ST23 and subsequent steps are repeated until the process ends in ST22. That is, a table of all devices is acquired through the serial interface 3, and a table as shown in FIG. 3 is created. When the acquisition of tables from all devices is completed in ST22, the process proceeds to ST26, where a graphic connection diagram is created based on the obtained table and displayed on the display unit 6. This display is, for example, as shown in FIG.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In the above embodiment, the processing of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is individually performed asynchronously in each device, but in this embodiment, a request is transmitted to each device from the display device with device number 000, In response to this request, the device checks the connection status and returns the status (connection status) of each input / output terminal. The display device having the device number 000 obtains this status and creates a graphic connection diagram.

  That is, in ST31 of FIG. 7, a request is transmitted from the display device to each device (ST310), and a status corresponding to the request is acquired (ST311). In this request, it is performed for the device number J, and the device number J is incremented by one for acquiring the status. The status in ST311 is uniquely performed by using a self-diagnosis program or the like in each device.

  When the statuses of all devices are acquired in ST32, a graphic connection diagram as shown in FIG. 1 is created and displayed on the display unit 6 in ST33.

The figure which shows the connection state of the some apparatus which employ | adopted the apparatus connection diagram display system which is embodiment of this invention. Configuration diagram of the main part of FIG. Diagram showing the connection status of all devices Flow chart showing the operation when each device outputs its own information Flowchart showing the operation when creating a table by acquiring information output from other devices in each device Flow chart showing the operation when creating and displaying a connection diagram on a specific device The flowchart which shows operation | movement of other embodiment of this invention.

Claims (4)

A signal switching unit that is connected to an input terminal or an output terminal of a video or audio signal, and that switches the input terminal or output terminal to a signal processing unit or a serial interface unit;
When the device connection diagram display mode is set, the identification code and the output terminal identification code of the own device with respect to the input terminal of the other device connected to each output terminal of the own device via the serial interface unit Output the information of the own machine including the above, and obtain the information output from the output terminal of the other machine connected to each input terminal of the own machine, based on the information, input / output terminal of the own machine A control unit that checks the connection status between the I / O and the input / output terminals of other devices,
A connection state storage unit for storing the connection state;
The control unit of the specific device further includes a display unit that acquires the connection state stored in the connection state storage unit of another device through the serial interface unit and displays the acquired connection state. A device connection diagram display system. A signal switching unit that is connected to an input terminal or an output terminal of a video or audio signal, and that switches the input terminal or output terminal to a signal processing unit or a serial interface unit;
When the device connection diagram display mode is set, a control unit for examining the connection state between the input / output terminal of the own machine and the input / output terminal of the other machine by communication with the other machine by the serial interface unit;
A connection state storage unit for storing the connection state;
The control unit of the specific device further includes a display unit that acquires the connection state stored in the connection state storage unit of another device through the serial interface unit and displays the acquired connection state. A device connection diagram display system.   The control unit outputs, to the input terminal of another machine connected to each output terminal of the own machine, information on the own machine including the identification code of the own machine and the output terminal identification code; The apparatus connection diagram display system according to claim 2, wherein the information output from an output terminal of another device connected to each of the input terminals is acquired and the connection state is checked based on the information. The control unit outputs a request command for checking the connection state of the other device via an input / output terminal of the own device and an input / output terminal of another device connected thereto, and the request command The apparatus connection diagram display system according to claim 2, further comprising: means for checking the connection state of the own device when receiving the message.

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