JP2013140078A - Connection confirming system, control device, and connection confirming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To certainly confirm a connection state between devices, and to keep the safety of a circuit to be protected.SOLUTION: A connection confirming system 1 is composed of a control device 10, and a control target device 20. The control device 10 includes: a connector 11 connected to the control target device 20; a pseudo random pattern generating circuit 13 for generating a random first pattern signal; a pattern confirming circuit 14 for confirming whether the first pattern signal and a second pattern signal supplied from the control target device 20 match with each other; and a switching circuit 16 for switching connecting between a protection target circuit 15 and the connector 11. The control target device 20 includes: a connector 21 connected to the control device 10; and a loop circuit 22 turning the first pattern signal supplied from the control device 10 to output that as the second pattern signal. The pattern confirming circuit 14 controls the switching circuit 16 to be turned on, by determining that two devices are connected when the first and second pattern signals match with each other.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connection confirmation system, a control apparatus, and a connection confirmation method, and more particularly, to a system, apparatus, and method that are connected using a general-purpose connector.

  Conventionally, when connecting a plurality of devices, a connector is provided for each device, and the connectors are connected by a cable. At this time, since the connection between the plurality of devices is performed by an operator's hand, there is a possibility that each device is not securely connected.

  In addition, as a connector used when connecting a plurality of devices, a highly versatile connector such as D-sub is often adopted, and thus a device different from the device to be originally connected is erroneously connected. There is a fear.

  Therefore, recently, various methods for detecting connection states between a plurality of devices have been proposed in order to prevent such erroneous connection. For example, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of connectors are provided for devices connected to each other, and all the connectors are connected in a daisy chain by using a wrapping wiring that uses unused pins of the connector. A method of detecting the connection state of the connector by determining whether or not is satisfied is described.

JP 63-278111 A

  However, the method described in Patent Document 1 is intended to detect whether or not all connectors are connected, and detects disconnection under the precondition that no erroneous connection occurs. For this reason, there has been a problem that it is not possible to detect erroneous connector connection.

  In addition, in order to detect a connection state based on whether or not a plurality of connectors provided in a plurality of devices are connected in a daisy chain, if all the connectors are connected, they are normally connected even if an erroneous connection occurs. There was a problem of being judged. For this reason, there is a possibility that a circuit provided in the apparatus may be destroyed due to application of an overvoltage due to erroneous connection.

  In addition, because a fixed value set in advance is used to check the connection status, even if some connectors are not connected, if the final signal value matches the expected value, the connection will be successful. There was a problem of being judged.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the prior art, and reliably confirms the connection state between a plurality of devices connected to each other and maintains the safety of a circuit to be protected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a connection confirmation system, a control device, and a connection confirmation method.

  To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a connection confirmation system for confirming a connection state of a control device and a control target device controlled by the control device, and a first connector connected to the control target device; A pseudo-random pattern generation circuit that generates a random first pattern signal, and a pattern confirmation circuit that confirms whether or not the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal supplied from the control target device match. A control device comprising a switching circuit for switching the connection between the circuit to be protected and the first connector based on the control of the pattern confirmation circuit, a second connector connected to the control device, and the control device. A control target device comprising a loop circuit that folds the supplied first pattern signal and outputs the first pattern signal as the second pattern signal, The pattern check circuit determines that the control device and the device to be controlled are connected when the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal match, and controls the switching circuit to turn on. It is characterized by doing.

  And according to this invention, a control apparatus and control are performed by comparing the 1st pattern signal produced | generated by the control apparatus with the 2nd pattern signal obtained by folding back the 1st pattern signal with a control object apparatus. Since the connection of the target device is confirmed, the connection state between the devices can be reliably confirmed. Only when it is determined that the connection is normal, the control target circuit of the control device is connected to the load of the control target device, so that the safety of the circuit can be maintained.

  In the connection confirmation system, the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal are composed of a serial pattern of a plurality of bits, and the pattern confirmation circuit includes the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal. A pattern comparison unit that compares bit by bit, a counter that counts the number of bits that do not match based on the result of comparison by the pattern comparison unit, and a protection that controls ON / OFF of the switching circuit based on the value of the counter And a target circuit control unit.

  In the connection confirmation system, the protection target circuit control unit controls the switching circuit to be turned off when a threshold value is set for the counter value and the counter value is equal to or greater than the threshold value. When the value of the counter becomes less than the threshold value, the switching circuit can be controlled to be turned on. As a result, it is possible to reduce a detection error caused when a part of the value of the serial pattern fluctuates instantaneously due to the influence of noise or the like.

  In the connection confirmation system, the loop circuit can be configured by wiring. Thereby, it is not necessary to provide a power supply circuit for connection confirmation for the loop circuit, and an increase in manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

  The present invention is also a control device for confirming a connection state with an external control target device, a connector connected to the control target device, and a pseudo random pattern generation circuit for generating a random first pattern signal. A pattern check circuit for checking whether or not the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal supplied from the device to be controlled match, and a protection target circuit and the first pattern based on the control of the pattern check circuit A switching circuit for switching connection between the first connector and the pattern check circuit, when the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal coincide with each other, determine that it is connected to the device to be controlled. The switching circuit is controlled to be turned on. In the present invention, as in the case of the above-described invention, the connection state between the devices can be reliably confirmed, and the safety of the circuit can be maintained.

  Further, the present invention is a connection confirmation method for confirming a connection state of a control device and a control target device controlled by the control device, wherein the control device generates a random first pattern signal, and the control target A step of outputting to a device, a step of turning back the first pattern signal supplied from the control device to the device to be controlled by a loop circuit and outputting the second pattern signal to the control device, A pattern confirmation step for confirming whether or not the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal supplied from the device to be controlled match, wherein the pattern confirmation step includes the first pattern signal and When the second pattern signals match, it is determined that the control device and the control target device are connected. In the present invention, as in the case of the above-described invention, the connection state between the devices can be reliably confirmed, and the safety of the circuit can be maintained.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably confirm the connection state between a plurality of devices connected to each other and to maintain the safety of a circuit to be protected.

It is a block diagram which shows one Embodiment of the connection confirmation system which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of a pattern confirmation circuit. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the flow of the confirmation process of the connection state in the connection confirmation system which concerns on this invention.

  Next, an embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In a connection confirmation system in which a conventional control device and a control target device whose operation is controlled by the control device are connected by a highly versatile connector, a control target device other than the desired control target device is connected to the control device. May be connected. In this case, since the control device starts the operation without determining whether or not the connection state with the control target device is normal, the control device and / or the control target device is damaged due to an unexpected overvoltage or the like. There was a fear.

  Therefore, in the connection confirmation system according to the present invention, the connection state between the control device and the control target device is determined based on a predetermined pattern signal output from the control device, and the connection between both devices is controlled according to the determination result. I did it. In the following description, it is assumed that the pin arrangement of the connector is different between a control target device that is a desired control target and a different control target device.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a connection confirmation system according to the present invention. This connection confirmation system 1 is composed of a control device 10 and a control target device 20, and the control target device 20 is controlled by the control device 10 according to various types. Operation is controlled. The control device 10 determines whether or not the connector connecting the control device 10 and the control target device 20 is normally connected based on a predetermined pattern signal supplied to the control target device 20.

  The control device 10 includes a connector 11, an integrated circuit 12, a protection target circuit 15, a switching circuit 16, and protection circuits 17A and 17B. The connector 11 is a highly versatile connector such as D-sub, and is connected to a connector 21 provided in the control target device 20 via the cable 2.

  The integrated circuit 12 includes a pseudo random pattern generation circuit 13 and a pattern confirmation circuit 14, and determines whether or not the connector 11 and the integrated circuit 12 that connect the control device 10 and the control target device 20 are normally connected.

  The pseudo random pattern generation circuit 13 is a circuit for confirming the connection state between the control device 10 and the control target device 20, and controls a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown) provided in the control device 10. Based on the reset signal and the ON signal supplied from the control unit, the connection state confirmation operation between the control device 10 and the control target device 20 is started. Specifically, for example, when a reset is canceled by a reset signal and an ON signal is supplied, a predetermined random pattern signal (serial pattern) is generated and output. For generation of the serial pattern, a low-speed clock A of about several kHz supplied from the control unit is used.

  As a random pattern generation method by the pseudo random pattern generation circuit 13, for example, PN6 can be used, and the generated random pattern is constituted by a serial pattern of about several tens of bits. For example, when PN6 is used as a random pattern generation method, the generated random pattern is composed of a 64-bit serial pattern.

  The pattern confirmation circuit 14 compares the serial pattern generated by the pseudo random pattern generation circuit 13 with the serial pattern supplied from the control target device 20 for each bit, and performs control based on the match / mismatch of the two serial patterns. It is determined whether or not the device 10 and the control target device 20 are normally connected. Then, the pattern confirmation circuit 14 outputs a switching control signal for controlling the switching circuit 16 described later based on the determination result of the connection state.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the pattern check circuit 14 includes an input pattern comparison unit 31, an error counter 32, and a protection target circuit control unit 33. The input pattern comparison unit 31 compares the serial pattern output from the pseudo random pattern generation circuit 13 with the serial pattern supplied from the control target device 20 for each bit, and supplies the comparison result to the error counter 32.

  The error counter 32 counts the number of values that do not match (the number of errors) based on the comparison result supplied from the input pattern comparison unit 31. In the error counter 32, a threshold is set in advance for the number of errors, and when the number of errors is equal to or greater than the threshold, the connection state of the control device 10 and the control target device 20 is abnormal (serial patterns do not match). judge. When the number of errors is less than the threshold, it is determined that the connection state is normal (serial pattern matches). Thereby, for example, even when a part of the values of the serial pattern fluctuates instantaneously due to the influence of noise or the like, it can be determined that the serial patterns match.

  The error counter 32 performs sampling using a clock B having a frequency several hundred times that of the clock A. The clock B is supplied from a control unit (not shown). Thereby, the influence of the data delay which arises when the cable 2 is extended can be prevented.

  The protection target circuit control unit 33 turns off the switching circuit 16 when determining that the serial patterns do not match based on the result of the connection state by the error counter 32, and switches the switching circuit 16 when determining that the serial patterns match. A switching control signal for turning ON is output.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the protection target circuit 15 is various circuits for controlling the operation of the control target device 20, and supplies a control signal to the control target device 20 via the connector 11.

  The switching circuit 16 is provided between the protection target circuit 15 and the connector 11, and controls ON / OFF of the connection between the protection target circuit 15 and the connector 11 based on a switching control signal supplied from the pattern confirmation circuit 14. . The connection between the protection target circuit 15 and the connector 11 is normally turned off by the switching circuit 16.

  The protection circuits 17A and 17B are provided between the integrated circuit 12 and the connector 11, and prevent damage to the integrated circuit 12 and the control target device 20 due to overvoltage or the like.

  The control target device 20 includes a connector 21, a loop circuit 22, and a load 23. Similarly to the connector 11 of the control device 10, the connector 21 is a highly versatile connector such as D-sub, and is connected to the connector 11 of the control device 10 via the cable 2.

  The loop circuit 22 is composed of, for example, wiring, and loops back the serial pattern supplied from the control device 10 via the connector 21 and outputs it to the connector 21 as it is. The load 23 is configured by a circuit or the like that operates under the control of the control device 10.

  Next, the operation of the connection confirmation system 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, when the reset is released by the reset signal supplied to the integrated circuit 12 and the ON signal is supplied, the connection state confirmation process is started, and the pseudo-random pattern generation circuit 13 performs random serial of several tens of bits. A pattern is generated (step S1). Then, the generated serial pattern is output to the control target apparatus 20 via the connector 11 (step S2).

  The serial pattern output from the control device 10 is supplied to the control target device 20 via the connector 21. The serial pattern received by the control target device 20 is supplied to the loop circuit 22, folded back as it is, and output to the control device 10 via the connector 21.

  Next, the serial pattern output from the control target device 20 is received by the pattern confirmation circuit 14 via the connector 11 (step S3), and the pseudo random pattern generation circuit 13 is input by the input pattern comparison unit 31 of the pattern confirmation circuit 14. And the serial pattern received from the control target device 20 are compared bit by bit. Then, the number of errors is counted by the error counter 32, and it is determined whether or not the two serial patterns match based on the number of errors and a threshold value preset for the number of errors (step S4).

  If the number of errors is less than the threshold, it is determined that the two serial patterns match (step S4: Yes), a switching control signal for turning on the switching circuit 16 is output, and the switching circuit 16 is turned on. (Step S5). Thereby, the protection target circuit 15 and the connector 11 are connected.

  On the other hand, when the number of errors is abnormal in threshold value, it is determined that the two serial patterns do not match (step S4: No), a switching control signal for turning off the switching circuit 16 is output, and the switching circuit 16 is turned off. (Step S6). Thereby, the connection between the protection target circuit 15 and the connector 11 is cut off.

  When a control target device different from the desired control target device 20 is connected to the control device 10 due to an erroneous connection of an operator or the like, the pin arrangement in the connector of the control target device is different, and thus the control device 10 The serial pattern output from does not return to normal. Accordingly, the determination of connection in step S4 becomes inconsistent, and the connection between the protection target circuit 15 and the connector 11 is cut off. Therefore, application of an overvoltage to the protection target circuit 15 and the load 23 can be prevented, and the circuit is damaged. Can be prevented. Even when the control device 10 is erroneously connected, normal operation can be performed by reconnecting the desired control target device 20 to the control device 10.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, based on the serial pattern output from the control device to the control target device, the connection state between the control device and the control target device is checked. The connection state can be confirmed reliably. Only when it is determined that the connection is normal, the control target circuit of the control device is connected to the load of the control target device, so that the safety of the circuit can be maintained.

  In addition, when a control target device other than the desired control target device is connected to the control device, the pin arrangement is different, and the serial pattern output from the control device does not return to the control device. Circuit breakage can be prevented.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the connection confirmation processing of the control device and the control target device is performed by an integrated circuit provided independently, it depends on the load status of a control unit such as a CPU provided in the control device. And can be monitored independently and continuously.

  Furthermore, since the connection state of the control device and the control target device is confirmed using a random pattern, it is difficult to intentionally match the pattern, and security can be improved.

  Furthermore, since the loop circuit provided in the device to be controlled is configured by wiring or the like, a power supply circuit for connection confirmation becomes unnecessary, and an increase in manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is. For example, in the above-described example, the case where PN6 is used as the random pattern generation method has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a known pattern generation method such as PN7 may be used. A predetermined fixed-length pattern may be used as the serial pattern.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connection confirmation system 2 Cable 10 Control apparatus 11 Connector 12 Integrated circuit 13 Pseudorandom pattern generation circuit 14 Pattern confirmation circuit 15 Protection target circuit 16 Switching circuit 17 (17A, 17B) Protection circuit 20 Control target apparatus 21 Connector 22 Loop circuit 23 Load 31 Input pattern comparison unit 32 Error counter 33 Protection target circuit control unit

Claims (6)

A connection confirmation system for confirming a connection state of a control device and a control target device controlled by the control device,
A first connector connected to the device to be controlled;
A pseudo-random pattern generation circuit for generating a random first pattern signal;
A pattern confirmation circuit for confirming whether or not the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal supplied from the device to be controlled match,
A control device comprising a switching circuit for switching the connection between the circuit to be protected and the first connector based on the control of the pattern confirmation circuit;
A second connector connected to the control device;
A control target device comprising a loop circuit that loops back the first pattern signal supplied from the control device and outputs the first pattern signal as the second pattern signal,
The pattern check circuit determines that the control device and the control target device are connected when the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal match, and controls the switching circuit to turn on. The connection confirmation system characterized by doing. The first pattern signal and the second pattern signal are composed of a multi-bit serial pattern,
The pattern confirmation circuit
A pattern comparison unit that compares the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal bit by bit;
Based on the result of the comparison by the pattern comparison unit, a counter that counts the number of mismatched bits,
The connection confirmation system according to claim 1, further comprising: a protection target circuit control unit that controls ON / OFF of the switching circuit based on a value of the counter. In the protection target circuit control unit, a threshold is set for the value of the counter,
When the counter value is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the switching circuit is controlled to be turned off, and when the counter value is less than the threshold value, the switching circuit is controlled to be turned on. The connection confirmation system according to claim 2, wherein:   The connection confirmation system according to claim 1, wherein the loop circuit is configured by wiring. A control device for confirming a connection state with an external control target device,
A connector connected to the device to be controlled;
A pseudo-random pattern generation circuit for generating a random first pattern signal;
A pattern confirmation circuit for confirming whether or not the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal supplied from the device to be controlled match,
A switching circuit that switches connection between the circuit to be protected and the first connector based on the control of the pattern confirmation circuit;
When the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal coincide with each other, the pattern confirmation circuit determines that it is connected to the device to be controlled and controls to turn on the switching circuit. Control device. A connection confirmation method for confirming a connection state of a control device and a control target device controlled by the control device,
Generating a random first pattern signal in the control device and outputting it to the control target device;
A step of looping back the first pattern signal supplied from the control device to the device to be controlled by a loop circuit and outputting the second pattern signal to the control device;
A pattern confirmation step for confirming whether or not the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal supplied from the device to be controlled match,
The connection confirmation method, wherein the pattern confirmation step determines that the control device and the control target device are connected when the first pattern signal and the second pattern signal match.

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