JP2009098778A - Hub device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hub device having a FIFO (First In First Out) memory in each communication port, and establishing communication with the outside by the port to improve communication speed and to properly control the communication speed. <P>SOLUTION: In this hub device, when the communication is performed from a personal computer 20, communication data are stored in a FIFO memory 12, and the communication is ended. Then, communication data stored in the FIFO memory 12 are transmitted to a FIFO memory 14 or a FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port connected to a device on the other end by an arbiter 17, and are sent to a device A-30 or a device B-40 on the other ends. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a hub device.

  In recent years, with the development of computer equipment, a technique has been developed in which a plurality of devices are installed as expansion equipment in a personal computer in order to expand the applications.

  A bus, which is a transmission path, is used to exchange data between the installed extension device and the personal computer.

  Patent Document 1 provides an interrupt control system that efficiently arbitrates a large number of interrupt requests from a plurality of peripheral devices and easily sets interrupt priorities as a technology related to buses that are expansion devices and transmission paths. Has been.

Patent Document 2 provides an expandable local area hub network.
JP-A-9-016411 JP-A-8-228201

  However, although the technique of Patent Document 1 enables multistage connection of interrupts, it is merely signal transmission and cannot be used as a bus having an access type.

  Furthermore, with the technique of Patent Document 2, a device can be freely added to the bus, but there is a drawback that the access speed becomes slow.

  In view of this, the present invention provides an access type bus with a FIFO memory for each communication port, enabling communication with the outside by the port alone, and improving the communication speed and appropriately controlling the communication speed. It is an object to provide a hub device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the hub device according to claim 1 is provided corresponding to a first connection port to which a master device is connected, and is connected to the first connection port from the master device. Provided in correspondence with the first storage means for storing the communication data and terminating the communication with the master side device when the communication is performed, and the second connection port to which the slave side device is connected And when the communication from the slave device to the second connection port is performed, the communication device stores the communication data and terminates the communication with the slave device. When the communication destination of the communication data stored in one storage means is the slave device, the communication data is transmitted to and stored in the second storage means and stored in the second storage means. The communication destination of the communication data is the master side In the case of a device, the communication data is transmitted to the first storage means for storage, and when the communication destination of the communication data stored in the first storage means is the master side device, The communication data is transmitted to the master device, and when the communication data stored in the second storage means is the slave device, the communication data is transmitted to the slave device. And a communication control means.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the first storage means and the second storage means process the communication data stored next after processing the communication data stored first. It is configured to be a first-in first-out type storage means.

  The invention of claim 3 is the invention of claim 1 or 2, further comprising accepting means for accepting a desired access speed from a user, wherein the communication control means is based on the access speed accepted by the accepting means. The communication data stored in the first storage means is transmitted to the second storage means and stored, and the communication data stored in the second storage means is transmitted to the first storage means and stored. It is comprised so that it may control.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the accepting means accepts a desired access speed for each access type in communication with the slave side device, and the communication control means is the accepting means. The communication data stored in the second storage unit is transmitted to the first storage unit and stored for control based on the access speed for each access type received in step (b).

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third or fourth aspect of the present invention, the access speed received by the receiving means is a three-stage speed that sequentially decreases at the first speed, the second speed, and the third speed. And the communication control means immediately transmits the communication data stored in the second storage means to the first storage means when the access speed received by the reception means is the first speed. When the access speed received by the receiving means is the second speed, the communication data stored in the second storage means is idled with respect to the master side device in the first connection port. When the access speed received by the receiving means is the third speed, the communication data stored in the second storage means is transmitted to the first connection port. In the above Communication with the device on the master side is in an idle state, and communication with the device on the slave side is idle at the second connection port corresponding to the second storage means for storing the communication contents. It is configured to transmit to the first storage means when in a state.

  Further, the invention of claim 6 is the invention of claim 5, wherein the communication data is received from the first connection port after receiving the communication data from the slave device at the second connection port. Measuring means for measuring the time until output to the master device, time receiving means for receiving a desired time from the operator, and time received by the time receiving means for the time measured by the measuring means In the case of longer, it is configured to include a changing means for changing the access speed received by the receiving means to a speed one step higher.

  According to invention of Claim 1, compared with the case where it does not have this structure, there exists an effect that a communication speed becomes high speed.

  According to invention of Claim 2, it processes in order from the communication data received initially.

  According to invention of Claim 3, there exists an effect that a communication speed can be controlled according to the access speed received from the user.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the communication speed can be controlled for each access type.

  According to invention of Claim 5, there exists an effect that a communication speed can be controlled according to the access speed received from the user.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when the communication time is slower than the desired time, the access speed can be increased.

  Embodiments of the hub device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, the configuration of a system in which a hub device according to the present invention is arranged will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a system including a hub device 10/50 according to the present invention (the hub device 10 in the first embodiment and the hub device 50 in the second embodiment).

  The hub device 10/50 according to the present invention is a so-called hub (HUB) that functions as a line concentrator that connects a plurality of network devices with cables and relays them.

  The hub device 10/50 includes a bus such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) or PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Express, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the hub device 10/50 is connected to various devices such as a USB memory and a DVD drive (device A-30 and device B-40 are connected in FIG. 1). Data communication with the personal computer 20 is relayed.

  First, a basic function and configuration of the hub device 10 will be described in the first embodiment, and a hub device 50 in which an access counter or the like is further arranged than the hub device 10 in the second embodiment will be described.

  First, the configuration of the hub device 10 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the hub device 10.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the hub device 10, the personal computer 20 described in FIG. 1 is connected to the master side, and the devices A-30 and B-40 described in FIG. 1 are connected to the slave side.

  In the hub device 10, a port M-11 that is a connection port with the personal computer 20 that is a master and a port A-13 and a port B-15 that are connection ports with a device that is a slave are arranged. . The hub device 10 includes a FIFO (First In First Out) memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11, a FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13, and corresponds to the port B-15. A FIFO memory 16 is provided.

  In the FIFO memories 12, 14, and 16 corresponding to each port, stored data is handled according to the FIFO operation principle. In other words, after the communication content stored first is processed, the communication content stored next is processed.

  The FIFO memory 12 temporarily stores data such as a command transmitted from the personal computer 20 as a master, or from a device as a slave transferred from the port A-13 or port B-14 as a slave side port. Performs processing to temporarily store data such as commands.

  The FIFO memories 14 and 16 arranged corresponding to the slave-side ports temporarily store data such as commands transmitted from the slave devices A-30 and B-40 and transfer them from the port M-11. A process of temporarily storing data such as commands from the personal computer 20 is performed.

  An arbiter 17 is also arranged in the hub device 10. The arbiter 17 transmits data such as commands temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11 to the personal computer 20 which is a communication destination described in the data according to the access type of the data. Alternatively, the command A or the like temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11 is connected to the communication destination device described in the data depending on the access type of the data. 13 or the FIFO memory 14 or the FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port B-15. Furthermore, the arbiter 17 converts data such as commands temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13 or the FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port B-15 into the data according to the access type of the data. It is transmitted to the device A-30 or device B-40 as the communication destination to be described, or temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13 or the FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port B-15 Data such as a command is controlled to be transferred to the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11 to which the personal computer 20 of the communication destination described in the data is connected according to the access type of the data.

  Access types include register access, data access, DMA (Direct Memory Access), and the like.

  Next, the exchange of data inside the hub apparatus 10 performed during communication between the personal computer 20 as a master and the device as a slave will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the exchange of data inside the hub device 10 during communication between the personal computer 20 as a master and the device as a slave.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when the hub device 10 accesses the slave device from the master personal computer 20, the data transmitted from the personal computer 20 is received at the port M-11. ACK (ACKnowledgement) that is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11 and received from the hub device 10 to the personal computer 20 is notified, and communication between the personal computer 20 and the hub device 10 is performed. Ends (reference number 301).

  The data temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11 is transferred to the port of the slave device (consider transfer to the device A-30 as an example) (reference number 302).

  The data sent to the port A-13 which is the slave side port from the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11 is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13, and then from the port A-13. Sent to port 31 of device A-30.

  In this way, data such as commands are sent from the personal computer 20 as the master to the device as the slave.

  When the slave device accesses the master personal computer 20 (for example, consider the case where the device A-30 accesses the personal computer 20), the slave device A-30. Is transmitted from the port 31 of the device A-30 and temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port 13 of the hub device 10. When the data sent from the device A-30 is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port 13, the communication between the hub device 10 and the device A-30 is terminated.

  The data temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 is sent to the port M-11 on the master side by the arbiter 17 inside the hub device 10 and temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14. The data temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 is transmitted from the port M-11 to the personal computer 20 by the arbiter 17.

  As described above, in the communication between the personal computer 20 serving as the master and the device serving as the slave, the communication between the master side and the hub device side (communication between the port 21 and the port 11) is performed inside the hub device 50. Since the communication between the slave side and the hub device side (communication between the port 31 and the port 13) is performed independently, the communication speed is increased compared to the case where the communication is not independent as in the prior art.

  Next, the configuration and data exchange of the conventional hub device compared with the hub device 10 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a conventional hub device and data exchange, FIG. 4 (a) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a conventional hub device, and FIG. 4 (b) is a diagram showing the conventional hub device. It is the schematic diagram which showed the flow of the data in a hub apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, unlike the hub apparatus 10 according to the present invention, the conventional hub apparatus does not include a FIFO memory corresponding to each port on the master side and the slave side.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4B, when data is exchanged between the master and the slave, even if the data sent from the master is received at the port M-401 of the hub device, the ACK is immediately received. The signal is not returned to the master, but the received data is transferred to the slave.

  Communication between the master and the hub device is completed only when a response from the slave is returned to the master again via the hub device.

  Next, data exchange with the master and slave will be described in time series so that the difference in communication speed between the conventional hub device and the hub device 10 according to the present invention becomes clear.

  FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing data exchange when a command is transmitted from the master to the slave. An example in which two commands, a command for the device A-30 and a command for the device B-40, are transmitted from the master will be described.

  FIG. 5A is a sequence diagram when a command is sent from the conventional hub device to the device A-30 and the device B-40, and FIG. 5B shows the device A from the hub device 10 according to the present invention. -30 is a sequence diagram when a command is sent to the device B-40.

  In the conventional hub device, when a command is issued from the master, the conventional hub device transmits the command to the destination device A-30. Then, the conventional hub device that has received the response command from the device A-30 returns the response command to the master (reference number 501).

  In response to the response of the command transmitted to the device A-30, the master issues a command for the device B-40 (step 502). The command for the device B-40 issued from the master is received by the conventional hub device, and the command is transmitted to the device B-40. The device B-40 returns a response to the command to the conventional hub device, and the response is transmitted from the conventional hub device to the master (step 503).

  As described above, in the communication using the conventional hub device, the master cannot transmit a command for the next new device B-40 unless receiving a response from the device A-30.

  Compared to such a conventional hub device, in the hub device 10 according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the hub device 10 receives a command from the master to the device A-30 (reference number). 504), since the ACK is immediately returned from the hub apparatus 10 to the master (reference number 505), the master does not wait for a response from the device A-30 after receiving the ACK sent from the hub apparatus 10, and the device B Can issue commands to -40.

  In the hub device 10 according to the present invention, a command for the device A-30 issued from the master is received by the hub device 10 (step 504), and temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port 11 on the master side of the hub device 10. Remembered. Then, an ACK notification is sent from the port 11 to the master personal computer 20 (reference number 505).

  After receiving the ACK sent from the hub device 10, the personal computer 20 issues a command for the device B-40 (reference number 506).

  The command for the device A-30 is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12, and then sent to the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the slave-side port 13, temporarily stored, and transmitted to the device A-30. The device A-30 returns a response to the command to the port 13 of the hub device 10 (step 507). The response data from the device A-30 is sent from the slave-side port 13 to the master-side port 11 in the hub device 10, and is sent to the personal computer 20 that is the master (reference number 508).

  Further, when a command for the device B-40 issued from the personal computer 20 as a master is received at the port 11 on the master side of the hub apparatus 10, an ACK is notified from the port 11 to the master (reference number). 509). The command for the device B-40 received at the port 11 is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port 11, and then sent to the port B-15 and temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 16. Then, the command is sent to the device B, and the response of the command is returned from the device B-40 to the port B-15 of the hub apparatus (reference number 510).

The response data to the command sent to the port B-15 is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 16, and then sent to the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port 11 on the master side, and temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12. Is transmitted to the personal computer 20 (step 511).
The time from when a command is first issued from the personal computer 20 to the device A-30 until the response data from the device B-40 is received by the personal computer 20 is longer than that of the conventional hub device (FIG. 5 (a )) And the hub apparatus 10 according to the present invention (shown in FIG. 5B) are shorter (reference number 512), and the personal computer 10 instructs the device A-30 and the device B-40. The communication time required for this is shortened by the hub device 10 according to the present invention.

  Next, the access speed set in the hub device 10 according to the present invention will be described.

  In the hub device 10, the master side port M-11 accesses the data temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13 and the FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port B-15 under the control of the arbiter 17. It is possible to set an access speed related to access for receiving such data.

  The access speed can be set in three types: “fast”, “nomal”, and “slow”.

  When “fast” is set in the hub device 10, as soon as the data is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13, the port M-11 accesses the data and immediately stores it in the FIFO memory 12. As soon as the data is transferred and the data is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port B-15, the port M-11 accesses the data and the data is transferred to the FIFO memory 12.

  When “nomal” is set in the hub device 10, data is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13 (or the FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port B-15) and the master side. Port 11 is in an idle state in communication with the port 21 of the personal computer 20, the port M-11 is the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13 (or the FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port B-15). The data is transferred to the FIFO memory 12.

  When “slow” is set in the hub device 10, data is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13 (or the FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port B-15) and the master side. Port 11 is idle in communication with port 21 of personal computer 20, and slave-side port A-13 (or port B-15) is idle in communication with device A-30 (or device B-40). The port M-11 accesses the FIFO memory 14 corresponding to the port A-13 (or the FIFO memory 16 corresponding to the port B-15), and the data is transferred to the FIFO memory 12.

  Such an access speed can be set for each port to which a device is connected. That is, the speed setting related to the port A-13 that communicates with the device A-30 and the speed setting related to the port B-15 that communicates with the device B-40 can be performed separately. .

  FIG. 6 shows how the speed is set separately for each device.

  As shown in FIG. 6, “fast” is set for communication with the port A-13 when the access type is DMA, and the communication with the port B-15 is “ nomal "is set.

  FIG. 6 shows only the setting for the DMA access type, but it is also configured to set different speeds for each access time such as register access and data access.

  Further, the speed setting method can be performed both hardware and software. As shown in FIG. 6, the speed setting can be performed hardware by a dip switch provided in the hub device 10. It is also possible to configure the speed setting by software by a special command input from the personal computer 20 or the like.

  By setting the access speed in the hub device 20 in this way, the access delay can be controlled.

  Note that the access speed is not limited to the setting for the control of the arbiter 17 when data is transferred from the slave side memory (FIFO memory 14 or FIFO memory 16) to the master side memory (FIFO memory 12). It may be configured to be a setting for controlling the arbiter 17 when data is transferred from the side memory to the slave side memory.

  At this time, if the access speed for data transfer from the master side memory to the slave side memory is set to “fast”, the data is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11. Immediately under the control of the arbiter 17, the memory (FIFO memory 14 or FIFO memory 16) corresponding to the port (port A-13 or port B-15) to which the communication destination device described in the data from the FIFO memory 12 is connected. ) Is transferred.

  When the access speed for data transfer from the master side memory to the slave side memory is set to “nomal”, the data is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11 and the data When the port (port A-13 or port B-15) connected to the communication destination device described in the above is in an idle state with the device, it is described in the data from the FIFO memory 12 under the control of the arbiter 17. Data is transferred to a memory (FIFO memory 14 or FIFO memory 16) corresponding to a port (port A-13 or port B-15) to which a communication destination device is connected.

  When the access speed for data transfer from the master side memory to the slave side memory is set to “slow”, the data is temporarily stored in the FIFO memory 12 corresponding to the port M-11 and the data The port (port A-13 or port B-15) to which the communication destination device described in the above is connected is in an idle state with the device, and the master side port 11 is in an idle state with the personal computer 20 Further, under the control of the arbiter 17, the memory (FIFO memory 14 or FIFO) corresponding to the port (port A-13 or port B-15) to which the communication destination device described in the data from the FIFO memory 12 is connected. Data is transferred to the memory 16).

  For such access speed settings, once the access speed is set, the access speed is transferred from the slave memory to the master memory and from the master memory to the slave memory. It can also be configured to be applied, or the access speed setting of data transfer from the slave side memory to the master side memory and the data transfer access from the master side memory to the slave side memory The speed setting may be performed separately.

  In the present embodiment, a hub device 50 in which a further function is added to the hub device 10 described in the first embodiment will be described.

  First, the configuration of the hub device 50 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the hub device 50.

  FIG. 7 shows a configuration of a hub device 50 in which a further function is added to the hub device 10 described in the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as the hub device 10 and the description thereof will be given. Is omitted.

  In the hub device 50, an access counter M-51, a counter A-52, and a counter B-53 are further arranged than the hub device 10.

  The access counter M-51 measures the time (or the number of clocks) required until the data input to the slave side port is output from the master side port.

  The counter A-52 is set to an arbitrary value in advance by the user. The counter B-53 is also set to an arbitrary value by the user in advance. The values set in these counter A-52 and counter B-53 are set assuming time or the number of clocks.

  In the hub device 50, the value measured by the access counter M-51 during the operation of the hub device 50 is compared with the values set in the counter A-52 and the counter B-53 in advance, and the comparison result is obtained. Based on this, the setting of the access speed in the hub device 50 is changed.

  Next, the time measured by the access counter M-51 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the time measured by the access counter M-51.

  As shown in FIG. 8, regarding the time measured by the access counter M-51, the time when data is input to the slave-side ports (port A-13, port B-15) in the hub device 50 is the start of measurement. The data is transferred from the slave-side port in the hub device 50 to the master-side port (port M-11) in the hub device 50 and output from the master-side port (port M-11). The measurement is finished at the time.

  That is, the access counter M-51 measures the time from when data is input to the slave-side port in the hub device 50 to when the data is output from the master-side port in the hub device 50.

  The time measured by the access counter M-51 and the values set by the counters A-52 and B-53 are compared to change the access speed setting. For example, when certain data is input from slave port A-13 (or port B-15) and output from master port M-11, the access counter M-51 measures the time from input to output. The measured time is compared with the time set in the counter A-52 (or the counter B-53).

  As a result of the comparison, if the time measured by the access counter M-51 is less than or equal to the time set in the counter A-52 (or counter B-53), the port A-13 (or port B- The access speed setting set in 15) remains unchanged.

  As a result of comparison, when the time measured by the access counter M-51 is longer than the time set in the counter A-52 (counter B-53), the port A-13 (or port B-15) ) Is set as follows. If the access speed of port A-13 (or port B-15) is set to “slow”, the set access speed is changed to “nomal”. If the access speed of port A-13 (or port B-15) is set to “nomal”, the set access speed is changed to “fast”. If the access speed of port A-13 (or port B-15) is set to “fast”, the set access speed remains “fast” and the user is interrupted. You will be notified that the speed will not increase. In this way, every time data is sent from the slave to the master, the hub device 50 compares the time measured by the access counter M-51 with the value set in the counter A-52 (counter B-53), The access speed setting is changed.

  In the hub apparatus 50, the access speed is controlled in this way, so that the access speed is controlled to be close to the access speed desired by the user, and the access delay is more effective than the hub apparatus 10 described in the first embodiment. Is controlled.

  The hub device 50 can be configured such that a counter for each access type corresponding to each port on the slave side is arranged. That is, the counter A-52 includes a counter A (for register access), a counter AA (for data access), and a counter AAA (for DMA) for counting communication at the port A-13 for each access type. The B-53 can also be configured to include a counter B (for register access), a counter BB (for data access), and a counter BBB (for DMA) that count communication at the port B-15. As described above, when the counter is arranged for each access type, the speed control of each port is compared with the value set in the counter for each access type and the measurement time in the access counter M-51, The access speed setting is changed for each access type.

  As described above, the time measured by the access counter M-51 is compared with the values set by the counters A-52 and B-53, and the set access speed is changed. The access speed may be not only the access speed related to the data transfer from the slave side memory to the master side memory but also the access speed related to the data transfer from the master side memory to the slave side memory.

  The present invention can be used in a hub device.

An example of the system comprised by the hub apparatus 10/50 concerning this invention. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the hub device 10. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing exchange of data inside the hub device 10. The schematic diagram which showed the structure of the conventional hub apparatus, and the exchange of data in the conventional apparatus. The sequence diagram which shows the exchange of the data of the conventional hub apparatus, and the exchange of the data of the hub apparatus 10. FIG. The figure which shows a mode that the speed setting was carried out separately for every port. The block diagram which showed the structure of the hub apparatus 50. FIG. The schematic diagram shown about the time measured by the access counter M-51.

Explanation of symbols

10 Hub device 11 Port M
12 FIFO memory 13 Port A
14 FIFO memory 15 Port B
16 FIFO memory 17 Arbiter 20 Personal computer 21 Port 30 Device A
31 port 40 device B
41 Port 50 Hub device 51 Access counter M
52 Counter A
53 Counter B

Claims (6)

Provided corresponding to the first connection port to which the master side device is connected, and when communication from the master side device to the first connection port is performed, the communication data is stored, and the master First storage means for terminating communication with the device on the side,
Provided corresponding to the second connection port to which the slave device is connected, and when communication from the slave device to the second connection port is performed, the communication data is stored, and the slave Second storage means for terminating communication with the device on the side,
When the communication destination of the communication data stored in the first storage means is the device on the slave side, the communication data is transmitted to and stored in the second storage means, and the second storage means When the communication destination of the stored communication data is the device on the master side, the communication data is transmitted to and stored in the first storage means, and communication of the communication data stored in the first storage means is performed. When the destination is the device on the master side, the communication data is transmitted to the device on the master side, and the communication destination of the communication data stored in the second storage means is the device on the slave side And a communication control means for transmitting the communication data to the slave device. The first storage means and the second storage means are:
2. The hub device according to claim 1, wherein the hub device is a first-in first-out storage unit that processes communication data stored first after processing communication data stored first. A reception means for receiving a desired access speed from the user,
The communication control means includes
The communication data stored in the first storage unit is transmitted to the second storage unit based on the access speed received by the reception unit, and the communication stored in the second storage unit The hub device according to claim 1, wherein a timing for transmitting and storing data to the first storage unit is controlled. The accepting means is
Accepting a desired access speed for each access type in communication with the slave device,
The communication control means includes
4. The timing for transmitting and storing the communication data stored in the second storage unit to the first storage unit based on an access speed for each access type received by the reception unit. Hub equipment. The access speed received by the receiving means is a three-stage speed that sequentially decreases in the first speed, the second speed, and the third speed,
The communication control means includes
When the access speed received by the receiving means is the first speed, the communication data stored in the second storage means is immediately transmitted to the first storage means, and the access received by the receiving means When the speed is the second speed, the communication data stored in the second storage means is stored in the first storage port when communication with the master device in the first connection port is in an idle state. When the access speed received by the receiving means is the third speed, the communication data stored in the second storage means is communicated with the master-side device in the first connection port. When the communication is in an idle state and the communication with the slave device at the second connection port corresponding to the second storage means in which the communication content is stored is in the idle state, the first Hub according to claim 3 or 4 transmits to the storage means. The time from when the communication data is received from the slave device at the second connection port to when the communication data is output from the first connection port to the master device is measured. Measuring means;
Time receiving means for receiving a desired time from the operator;
6. The changing unit according to claim 5, further comprising: a changing unit configured to change the access speed received by the receiving unit to a one-step higher speed when the time measured by the measuring unit is longer than the time received by the time receiving unit. Hub device.

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