JP2010161519A - Communication device for home networks - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication device for home networks, capable of building up a home network with a simple configuration and allowing a plurality of single units to communicate over an identical line, while preventing the transmission characteristics of the communication device from being easily influenced by usage environment. <P>SOLUTION: The home network includes an assembly unit 101 connected to the Internet and a plurality of single units 102-104. Using an in-home telephone line 105 of branch connection, the assembly unit 101 and the plurality of single units 102-104 are coupled to build up the home network. The assembly unit 101 divides an available frequency band on the telephone line 105 into a plurality of subbands, and assigns one or more subbands as bands to be used for a request for using bands from the single units 102-104, so that the bands used for the respective single units may not be overlapped. Each of the plurality of single units 102-104 uses one subband assigned by the assembly unit 101 to transmit or receive communication data with assembly unit 101. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device for a home network, and more particularly to a communication device for constructing a home network using an xDSL technology or the like using a laid telephone line that is not used.

  In recent years, broadband broadband services (over 100 Mbps) such as FTTH (Fiber To The Home) have been provided at a low price, and are being widely introduced into homes such as condominiums and detached houses in ordinary households. In addition, terminal devices and home appliances that can be connected to the Internet even in general homes are provided in each room, and the number of users who construct home networks for connecting them to the Internet is increasing.

  However, many condominiums and detached houses do not have a LAN cable for home network installed in each room. Therefore, a home network is constructed by laying a new LAN cable in each room or using a wireless LAN. Recently, an increasing number of users use PLC (Power line communication).

  When a LAN cable is laid in each room, installation of the LAN cable becomes complicated by drawing a barrier between rooms or floors. In addition, when using a wireless LAN, transmission characteristics are affected by the usage environment, such as a decrease in communication speed due to the presence of an obstacle for radio wave propagation.

  Also, when using PLC (power line carrier communication), communication data is placed on the power line in the house, so it is easily affected by noise from the electrical equipment connected to the outlet, and the transmission characteristics depend on the environment of the user's house. In order to obtain stable transmission characteristics, it is necessary to perform a complicated circuit configuration and signal processing.

  On the other hand, there are cases where telephone lines are drawn into many homes such as ordinary homes, and telephone lines connected in a branch (branch) connection are laid in a plurality of rooms. Recently, some telecommunications carriers have provided telephone services over optical fibers by introducing FTTH, and in that case, existing telephone lines laid in the house are not used at all. If this telephone line that is no longer used is used, it is possible to construct a home network with stable transmission characteristics without being affected by other electrical devices and with less influence on the environment of the user's home. .

  As a technology standard for constructing a network using a telephone line, xDSL, HomePNA, and the like exist. The xDSL standard includes ADSL (ITU G.992.1 / 992.2) for long distances, VDSL (G.933.1) for relatively short distances, and the like. HomePNA is standardized by the Home Phoneline Network Alliance, and the latest version (3.0) is ITU G. 9954 is standardized.

  A collective device using the xDSL technology and a single device in each user's home are connected one-to-one with a physical line, and one single device can use all bands of one physical line. However, since the transmission characteristics of the xDSL transmission method deteriorate as the transmission distance becomes longer, the frequency components that can be used are reduced, and the entire band cannot always be used.

  A technique for constructing a network on the premises by using a telephone line of a premises facility as an ADSL line is described in, for example, Patent Document 1 below.

JP 2004-112719 A

  When building a home network that spans multiple rooms using a LAN cable, wireless LAN, PLC (power line carrier communication), etc., the transmission characteristics are affected by the home environment, and a stable communication environment is always ensured. In addition, expensive equipment and laying work are necessary in terms of cost. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication device in which a transmission characteristic is hardly influenced by a use environment, a home network can be constructed with a simple configuration, and a plurality of single devices can communicate on the same line. Objective.

  Further, when the collective device and the single device are connected, it is necessary to negotiate between the collective device and the single device to determine the band to be used and to calculate communication constants (transmission delay, transmission level, etc.). The present invention makes it possible to negotiate the use band or the like without colliding with communication data of a connected single device, that is, without destroying the communication data when a connection request is received from a single device accommodated for the first time. .

  Also, as a method of dividing and allocating bandwidth to multiple communication devices, the method of dividing and allocating the bandwidth fairly to each communication device is common, but it is unclear what kind of communication device is connected on the line However, depending on the model, the band may be narrow and the transmission / reception band may be asymmetrical. Therefore, when the band is allocated fairly, an unused band is generated, and the transmission efficiency is lowered.

  Also, in the xDSL device, the communication band is determined at the time of initial connection depending on the distance between the collective device and the single device and the line state. In order to change or expand the band, the communication band is reconnected. There is no choice but to improve. However, this does not necessarily widen the bandwidth and cannot be expanded dynamically. The present invention makes it possible to efficiently use the unused band and dynamically expand the band.

  A communication device for a home network according to the present invention includes a collective device connected to the Internet and a plurality of single devices, and the collective device and the plurality of single devices are connected by a branch-connected telephone line. The aggregation device divides a frequency band that can be used on the telephone line into a plurality of subdivided bands, and in response to a band use request from the single device, the one or more Band allocation means for allocating the subdivided band as a used band so that it does not overlap with each single device, and the used band in which communication data transmitted in the used band allocated to each single device is allocated to another single device of the transmission destination The single device uses one or a plurality of subdivided bands allocated from the collective device, and transmits and receives communication data to and from the collective device. Those provided with means that.

  In addition, the band allocation unit allocates the subdivided band by preliminarily securing a band for bandwidth allocation control that is commonly used in each single device among frequency bands that can be used on the telephone line, Means for transmitting and receiving response information including the bandwidth use request and notification information of the allocated bandwidth from the aggregation device to the request using the bandwidth for bandwidth allocation control between the device and the single device Is.

  In addition, when there is no free bandwidth that can be allocated in response to a bandwidth expansion request from the single device, the collective device sets a non-communication bandwidth that has not been used for a certain period of time in a subdivided bandwidth allocated to another single device. Searching and requesting the single device to which the non-communication band is allocated to release all or a part of the allocated used band, and the band released by the release request, the band expansion request Bandwidth expansion assigning means for assigning to the single device that has performed the above.

  The single device may further include a band filter that passes only one or more subband signals assigned by the aggregation device and discards signals in other bands.

  According to the present invention, a network can be constructed using an existing telephone line that is laid in a plurality of rooms in a house and connected to the main line by a branch connection, and a cable is newly installed in a plurality of rooms. There is no need to do. In many cases, FTTH optical fiber is installed at the user's home, and the existing telephone line is not used. In this case, the telephone line is disconnected from the external main line, and is affected by external influences. It is difficult to obtain a stable communication environment.

  In an existing xDSL system, in order to realize a plurality of connections with only one-to-one connection, a complicated configuration for aggregating a large number of ports is required. In the present invention, a band is shared on one line. As a result, a one-to-many connection is possible, and a plurality of single devices can communicate simultaneously on one line.

  In addition, by pre-defining a bandwidth allocation control band that is used in common by each single device, communication for negotiation between the collective device and the single device when connecting the single device for the first time This makes it possible to manage bandwidths and automate allocation without manually setting the bandwidths used individually.

  Further, according to the present invention, a band that is not used in a band allocated to another single device can be transferred to a single device that requires the bandwidth, and a band that is suitable for the use environment can be effectively used.

  Further, by dynamically changing the transmission band of the band filter, unnecessary communication signals can be cut off, and the signal processing load can be reduced and the confidentiality of communication can be increased.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the home network by this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the frequency band of xDSL standard, and the subdivision of this frequency band. It is a figure which shows the example of a processing sequence of the band for band allocation control used for an initial connection, and negotiation of use band acquisition. It is a figure which shows the process sequence example of a zone | band setting. It is a figure which shows the processing sequence example of a band expansion. It is a figure which shows the structural example which extracts a use zone | band. It is a figure which shows the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of an aggregation apparatus and a single-piece | unit apparatus. It is a figure which shows the example of allocation of the communication frequency band which can be used in an Example.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a home network according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a collective device 101 controls connection settings of a plurality of single devices 102, 103, and 104 that are physically connected by a telephone line 105 laid in the home, and constitutes a home network. In addition, the collective device 101 has a connection function compliant with the xDSL standard.

  FIG. 2A shows usable frequency bands defined by the xDSL standard. In xDSL, frequency bands that can be used for downstream and upstream data distribution are standardized as DS1, US1, DS2, US2, DS3, and US3 as shown in FIG. Here, DS1 to DS3 are downstream bands, and US1 to US3 are upstream bands.

  2B and 2C show examples of subdivision of the downstream band (DS) and the upstream band (US) according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2B, the downstream band (DS) of the xDSL standard is divided into a plurality of subdivided bands. Further, as shown in FIG. 5C, the upstream band (US) is divided into a plurality of subdivided bands. Then, some of the subdivided bands are allocated to each single device. In this way, a plurality of single devices can communicate on the same line.

  FIG. 3A shows a bandwidth for bandwidth allocation control used for initial connection. As shown in the figure, a part of the downstream band (DS) and the upstream band (US) is secured in the band for band allocation control. This bandwidth for bandwidth allocation control is commonly used by a plurality of single devices. Each single device uses the bandwidth for bandwidth allocation control at the time of a connection request, and negotiates with the collective device to acquire the used bandwidth.

  FIG. 3B shows an example of a processing sequence for negotiating use band acquisition. When a connection setting request for communication is generated from a single device, the single device 102 sends a connection request message (S301) to the collective device. Upon receiving the connection request message (S301), the aggregation device 101 determines communication constants such as transmission delay and transmission level from the request, selects some optimum bands from the subdivided bands in the free state, and The device is assigned (S302), and the assigned bandwidth is notified to the single device 102 by a response message (S303).

  The single device 102 that has received the response message (S303) transmits a response message (S304) indicating that the notification of bandwidth allocation has been received to the aggregation device 101, and the aggregation device 101 receives the response message (S304), A use band is set (S305).

  At the time of sending out the connection request message (S301) at the time of negotiation, the single device 102 transmits communication characteristic information such as model information and stream data type acquired from a home terminal device (not shown) connected to the interface terminal unit. To the collective device 101. The collective device 101 that has received the communication characteristic information determines a bandwidth necessary for transmission / reception of communication data from the communication characteristic information, and allocates a use band.

  FIG. 4 shows a processing sequence example for bandwidth setting. In the figure, a connection setting request is generated from the first single device (# 1) 102, and a connection request message (S 4-1) including communication characteristic information 401 is sent to the collective device 101. When the aggregation device 101 receives the connection request message (S4-1), the aggregation device 101 causes the internal bandwidth allocation unit to perform a bandwidth allocation search (S4-2).

  In the bandwidth allocation search (S4-2), the aggregation device 101 prepares in advance a table 402 that stores the required bandwidth for each piece of communication characteristic information. The bandwidth used for the connection request requested from the single device (# 1) 102 is searched and allocated, and the allocated bandwidth 403 is notified by a response message (S4-3).

  Similarly, when the connection setting request is generated in the second single device (# 2) 103 and the connection request message (S4-4) is sent to the collective device 101, the collective device 101 stores the table 402 described above. Referring to, the bandwidth used for the connection setting requested from the second single device (# 2) 103 is searched and allocated, and the allocated bandwidth 404 is notified by a response message (S4-5).

  FIG. 5 shows an example of a bandwidth extension processing sequence. When a bandwidth extension request is generated from the first single device (# 1) 102, a bandwidth extension request message (S5-1) including information on the requested bandwidth 501 is sent to the aggregation device 101. When the aggregation device 101 receives the bandwidth extension request message (S5-1), the aggregation device 101 causes the internal bandwidth allocation unit to perform an empty bandwidth search (S5-2).

  When a free bandwidth is detected in the free bandwidth search (S5-2), the collective device 101 notifies the usable bandwidth 502 by a response message (S5-3) to the first single device (# 1) 102. In response to a response message from the first single device (# 1) 102, the setting of the used band is changed.

  When the free bandwidth is not detected, the collective device 101 controls the first stand-alone device (# 1) 102 that has requested the bandwidth extension to wait for the bandwidth extension because the available bandwidth is being searched. Meanwhile, the collective device 101 performs a non-communication band search (S5-4), and searches for a non-communication band in which communication has not been performed for a certain time or more.

  When the presence of a non-communication band is detected by the non-communication band search (S5-4), for example, the use band assigned to the second single device (# 2) 103 to which the non-communication band is assigned. A release request message (S5-5) requesting the release of is sent.

  Upon receiving the release request message (S5-5), the second single device (# 2) 103 transmits a response message (S5-6) including information on the bandwidth 503 to be released to the collective device 101, and the response message ( The collective device 101 having received S5-6) secures the non-communication bandwidth 503, and notifies the secured bandwidth 503 as an available bandwidth to the first single device (# 1) 102 that has transmitted the expansion request. A response message (S5-7) is transmitted.

  FIG. 6 shows a configuration example for extracting a used band. (A) of the figure shows the band of the output signal of the termination section that terminates the signal of the xDSL standard, and (b) of FIG. 9 shows the pass characteristic of the band filter that passes the band assigned as the use band. By passing the output signal shown in FIG. 10A through the band filter shown in FIG. 10B, a signal assigned to the use band is extracted as shown in FIG. By making the band filter a multi-pass filter that allows a plurality of bands to pass, only a plurality of subdivided bands assigned as used bands can be passed.

  FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the present invention. The figure shows a configuration example of a home network. The collective device 701, the single device (# 1) 702, the single device (# 2) 703, and the single device (# 3) 704 are branch-connected by a home telephone line 705, and are connected to an external network above the collective device 701. A terminating device 706 is connected. Further, it is assumed that a personal computer (PC) 707, a content server 708, and a network player 709 are connected to each of the single devices 702, 703, and 704, respectively.

  In the home network configuration example of FIG. 7, for example, communication data from the single device (# 2) 703 to the single device (# 3) 704 passes through the collective device 701 from the single device (# 2) 703 to the single device (# 2) 703. # 3) sent to 704. This is because the allocation frequency for transmission / reception differs for each single device, and it is necessary for the aggregation device 701 to transfer communication data to the frequency of another single device.

  FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of the collective device and the single device. The aggregation device includes an interface termination unit (SNI) 801, a bridge unit 802, a management / control unit 803, a reception unit 804, a transmission unit 805, and an interface termination unit (xDSL) 806, as shown in FIG. .

  An interface termination unit (SNI) 801 is a part that terminates a connection with an external network. The bridge unit 802 is a part that determines a distribution route of communication data from the external network side and communication data from the single device side. A single device is treated as a port, and communication data is transferred to a boat for which a use frequency band is set.

  Further, the bridge unit 802 dynamically learns the correspondence between the MAC address and the port from the communication data, and transmits the communication data to another single device inside the external network or the home network based on the MAC address of the communication data according to the learning result. Forward. Further, an IP address is distributed from a communication device (router) (not shown) connected to the interface terminal unit (SNI) 801 of the aggregation device, and the home network is also managed by the communication device (router).

  Communication data between single devices is first transferred to the communication device (router) and other single devices. However, the distribution route of communication data to the communication device (router) is determined based on the IP address, and the communication data of the local IP address used in the home network is transferred again to the aggregation device. Therefore, user communication between single devices is possible without setting a communication path in the collective device in advance.

  The receiving unit 804 receives and identifies communication data for each single device, and transfers the communication data to the bridge unit 802. Information on the reception frequency band corresponding to each single device is acquired from the management / control unit 803. The transmission unit 805 is a part that transmits communication data to each single device, and information on the transmission frequency band assigned to each single device is set from the management / control unit 803. The interface termination unit (xDSL) 806 is a part that terminates the connection with a single device.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, the single device includes an interface termination unit (UNI) 811, a bridge unit 812, a management / control unit 813, a reception unit 814, a transmission unit 815, and an interface termination unit (xDSL) 816.

  The interface termination unit (UNI) 811 is a part that terminates the connection with the user terminal. The bridge unit 812 is a part that determines a distribution route of communication data from the user terminal side and communication data from the aggregation device. A single device is treated as a boat, and communication data is transferred to a boat for which a use frequency band is set.

  Further, the bridge unit 812 dynamically learns the correspondence between the MAC address and the port from the communication data, and based on the MAC address of the communication data according to the learning result, the aggregation device, another single device, or the communication device on the user terminal side Transfer communication data to.

  The receiving unit 814 identifies and receives communication data addressed to the own device, and transfers the communication data to the bridge unit 812. Information on the reception frequency band for receiving communication data addressed to the own apparatus is acquired from the management / control unit 813. The transmission unit 815 is a part that transmits communication data to the aggregation device, and information on the transmission frequency band assigned to each single device is set from the management / control unit 813. The interface termination unit (xDSL) 816 is a part that terminates the connection with the aggregation device.

  The interface termination units (xDSL) 806 and 816 of the aggregation device and the single device may apply a VDSL system suitable for short-range communication. FIG. 9 shows usable communication frequency bands in the case of the VDSL system. As shown in the figure, the upstream and downstream bands are each divided into three (DS1, US1, DS2, US2, DS3, US3).

  The single device uses the frequency band allocated to a part of the upstream and downstream bands DS1 and US1 as shown in FIG. 9A for bandwidth allocation control at the time of initial connection. Negotiate to obtain the frequency band used. For example, as shown in FIG. 9B, the aggregation device allocates use frequency bands 901, 902, and 903 to the individual devices # 1, # 2, and # 3, respectively.

  In the network configuration example of FIG. 7, when the network player 709 downloads content requiring a large bandwidth from the content server 708, the single device 704 on the network player 709 side expands downstream (DS) bandwidth and content. Assume that the single device 703 on the server 708 side needs upstream (US) bandwidth expansion. In response to requests from the single devices 703 and 704, the aggregation device 701 allocates unassigned bands (free bands 904 and 905 in FIG. 9B) to each.

  Next, when a large file is transferred from the personal computer (PC) 707 to the content server 708, the single device 702 on the personal computer (PC) 707 side expands the upstream (US) bandwidth. Is required.

  However, all the usable bandwidths have been allocated by the bandwidth expansion of the content server 708 to the single device 703, and there is no free bandwidth. In order to secure the necessary bandwidth, it is necessary to recover from the allocated bandwidth once allocated. In this case, since the upstream (US) bandwidth allocated to the single device 704 of the network player 709 is only a download request to the content server 708, the bandwidth may be small.

  The aggregation device 701 can release the bandwidth by sending an upstream (US) bandwidth change request message to the single device 704, and all of the bandwidth can be allocated to the single device 702. May be assigned. This band expansion negotiation can also be performed using the frequency band assigned to each single device for communication data.

101 Aggregate device 102-104 Single device 105 Home phone line

Claims (4)

A communication device for a home network composed of a collective device connected to the Internet and a plurality of single devices, wherein the collective device and a plurality of single devices are connected by a branch-connected telephone line,
The aggregation device divides a frequency band that can be used on the telephone line into a plurality of subdivided bands, and in response to a band use request from the single device, each single device is divided into one or a plurality of subdivided bands. Band allocation means for allocating as a used band so as not to overlap with each other, and band reassigning means for replacing the communication data transmitted in the used band allocated to each single device with the used band allocated to the other single device of the transmission destination With
A communication device for a home network, wherein the single device includes means for transmitting and receiving communication data to and from the aggregation device using one or a plurality of subdivided bands allocated from the aggregation device.   The band allocating means allocates the subdivided band by preliminarily securing a band for bandwidth allocation control that is commonly used in each single device among frequency bands that can be used on the telephone line, and Means for transmitting / receiving response information including the bandwidth use request and notification information of the allocated bandwidth from the aggregation device to the request using the bandwidth for bandwidth allocation control with the single device; The communication device for a home network according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is a home network. In response to a bandwidth expansion request from the single device, the collective device searches for a non-communication bandwidth that has not been used for a certain period of time in a subdivided bandwidth allocated to another single device if there is no free bandwidth that can be allocated. Opening request means for requesting the single device to which the non-communication band is allocated to release all or part of the allocated use band;
Bandwidth extension allocation means for allocating the bandwidth released by the release request to a single device that has made the bandwidth extension request;
The communication device for a home network according to claim 1, comprising:   2. The single device according to claim 1, further comprising: a band filter that passes only signals of one or a plurality of subdivided bands assigned by the aggregation device and discards signals of other bands. Communication device for home network.

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