JP2022085415A - Connector switching device and connector switching system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique for switching an output-side connector to which an input signal is output without adding an input-side terminal.SOLUTION: A connector switching device 20 includes an input connector 210, a plurality of output connectors 22a to 22d, a switching circuit 260, and a generation circuit 250. An input signal is input to the input connector 210 from an input coaxial cable 30. The output connectors 22a to 22d are connected to output coaxial cables 41 to 44. The switching circuit 260 switches the output connector to which the input connector 210 is connected from the output connectors 22a to 22d. The generation circuit 250 generates an output connector designation signal indicating an output connector to which the input connector 210 is connected on the basis of the input signal. The switching circuit 260 switches the connection destination of the input connector 210 to the output connector indicated by the output connector designation signal. The output connector connected to the input connector 210 outputs an input signal from the output coaxial cable.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3A

Description

The present invention relates to a connector switching device and a connector switching system.

In recent years, in factories, warehouses and the like, a technique has been provided in which an RF (Radio Frequency) tag is provided for each article and a reader / writer manages the article by transmitting and receiving data to and from each RF tag. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a reader / writer device that performs non-contact communication with an RF tag using a plurality of loop antennas when managing such an article. This reader / writer device is connected to the antenna switch via a coaxial cable (hereinafter, input side coaxial cable), and the antenna switch is a plurality of loop antennas via a coaxial cable (hereinafter, output side coaxial cable). Is connected to. When the reader / writer device transmits / receives an RF signal to / from the RF tag, a switching signal is input from the reader / writer device to the antenna switch, and the loop antenna used for non-contact communication is switched from among the plurality of loop antennas. That is, the output side coaxial cable that is electrically connected to the input side coaxial cable is switched by the switching signal. After that, the RF signal for the RF tag is input from the reader / writer device to the input side coaxial cable, and the RF signal is emitted from the loop antenna connected to the output side coaxial gable electrically connected to the input side coaxial cable.

International release WO2008 / 105103

The reader / writer device described in Patent Document 1 has an interface for outputting a switching signal for switching an antenna to an antenna switch and an antenna device connected to the antenna switch, and an antenna via the above-mentioned input side coaxial cable. It has an interface for transmitting and receiving RF signals to and from the switch. The antenna switcher includes a switching circuit provided for each antenna, switches on / off of the switching circuit according to the switching signal input from the reader / writer device, and switches the output port of the RF signal. This switching signal is a voltage signal that controls the bias voltage of the pin diode constituting the switching circuit. That is, in the antenna switch described in Patent Document 1, in order to switch the antenna for transmitting and receiving the RF signal, a terminal for inputting the switching signal must be added separately from the input side coaxial cable to which the RF signal is input. Must be.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connector switcher and a connector switching system capable of switching an output-side connector to which an input signal is output without adding an input-side terminal.

The connector switch according to the present invention includes an input connector, a plurality of output connectors, a switching circuit, and a generation circuit. An input signal is input to the input connector via a coaxial cable for input. The plurality of output connectors are connected to the output coaxial cable. The switching circuit switches the output connector to which the input connector is connected from among the plurality of output connectors. The generation circuit generates an output connector designation signal indicating an output connector to which the input connector is connected, based on the input signal. The switching circuit switches the connection destination of the input connector to the output connector indicated by the output connector designated signal. The output connector connected to the input connector outputs an output signal based on the input signal via an output coaxial cable.

Further, the connector switching system according to the present invention includes the above-mentioned connector switching device and a wireless communication device. The wireless communication device is connected to the connector switch via a coaxial cable for input.

According to the connector switching device and the connector switching system according to the present invention, the connector on the output side can be switched without adding a terminal on the input side.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a connector switching system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the reader / writer shown in FIG. FIG. 3A is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the connector switch shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3B is an equivalent circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the switching circuit shown in FIG. 3A. FIG. 4 is an operation flow diagram of the connector switching process in the connector switching system.

Hereinafter, the connector switching device and the connector switching system according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the figure, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and the description is not repeated.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the connector switching system 1 in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the connector switching system 1 includes a reader / writer 10 and a connector switching device 20. The reader / writer 10 is an example of a wireless communication device.

The reader / writer 10 and the connector switch 20 are connected via an input coaxial cable 30. The connector switch 20 has one input side connector 21 and four output side connectors 22. A coaxial cable 30 is connected to the input side connector 21, and output coaxial cables 41 to 44 are connected to each output side connector 22. Antennas A1 to A4 are connected to the output coaxial cables 41 to 44. The connector switch 20 switches the output-side connector 22 that is electrically connected to the input-side connector 21, that is, the output-side connector 22 that is the output destination of the RF signal, in response to an instruction from the reader / writer 10. The reader / writer 10 is an RF tag device (not shown) provided on an article or the like via an antenna connected to an output side connector 22 electrically connected to an input side connector 21 among antennas A1 to A4. Wireless communication with. Hereinafter, the configurations of the reader / writer 10 and the connector switch 20 will be specifically described.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the reader / writer 10 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the reader / writer 10 includes an RFID module 110, a data processing device 120, an external I / F (Interface) 130, a power supply circuit 140, a capacitor 150, and a connector 160.

The RFID module 110 includes a control circuit 111, a transmission circuit 112, and a reception circuit 113.

The control circuit 111 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory (ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory)). The control circuit 111 is electrically connected to the data processing device 120, and acquires antenna information indicating one of the antennas A1 to A4 of the connector switch 20 from the data processing device 120. The control circuit 111 controls the transmission circuit 112 by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM, and based on the antenna information, the RF signal instructing the switching of the antennas A1 to A4, that is, the switching signal is switched to the connector. Output to the device 20. In the present embodiment, the RF signal is, for example, a high frequency signal corresponding to a frequency in the UHF band (860 to 900 MHz). Further, the control circuit 111 controls the transmission circuit 112 and the reception circuit 113 to perform wireless communication with the RF tag device (not shown) via either antenna.

The transmission circuit 112 generates an RF signal based on the input data input from the control circuit 111, and outputs the RF signal from the input coaxial cable 30. Specifically, the transmission circuit 112 includes a transmitter, a coding circuit, a modulation circuit, and an amplifier circuit (all of which are not shown). The transmission circuit 112 encodes the data input from the control circuit 111 with a coding circuit. The transmission circuit 112 modulates the carrier wave from the transmitter with the coded data sequence in the modulation circuit to generate an RF signal. The transmission circuit 112 amplifies the RF signal by the amplifier circuit and outputs it to the input coaxial cable 30.

The receiving circuit 113 receives the RF signal input from the input coaxial cable 30, demodulates the received RF signal, and outputs the received RF signal to the control circuit 111. Specifically, the receiving circuit 113 includes an amplifier circuit, a demodulation circuit, and a decoding circuit (all are not shown). The receiving circuit 113 amplifies the received RF signal with an amplifier circuit, demodulates the amplified signal with a demodulation circuit, decodes the demodulated signal with a demodulation circuit, and outputs the demodulated signal to the control circuit 111.

The data processing device 120 includes, for example, an MCU (Micro-Control Unit). The data processing device 120 is connected to a host device via an external I / F 130. The host device is, for example, an external server connected via the Internet network. The data processing device 120 acquires antenna switching information related to switching of the antennas A1 to A4 and various data for transmitting and receiving data to and from the RF tag device (not shown) from the host device. Further, the data processing device 120 transmits the data received from the RF tag device (not shown) to the host device via the external I / F 130.

The external I / F 130 is an interface that communicates with a host device via an Internet network, a LAN (Local Area Network), or the like.

The power supply circuit 140 is connected to an external power source, and power is supplied from the external power source. The power supply circuit 140 supplies electric power for the reader / writer 10 to transmit and receive RF signals.

The capacitor 150 removes the DC (Direct Current) component of the RF signal from the RFID module 110 and the coaxial cable 30.

The connector 160 is connected to the input coaxial cable 30.

(Connector switch 20)
FIG. 3A is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the connector switch 20 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3A, the connector switch 20 includes an input side connector 21 and an output side connector 22 (22a to 22d), a capacitor 220, a directional coupler 230, an RF tag 240, an MCU 250, a switching circuit 260, and a power supply. Includes circuit 270. The directional coupler 230, RF tag 240 and MCU 250 are examples of generation circuits.

The capacitor 220 removes the DC (Direct Current) component of the RF signal input from the input coaxial cable 30 via the input side connector 21.

The directional coupler 230 is, for example, a unidirectional coupler in which two microstrip lines 231 and 232 are formed on a dielectric substrate. Specifically, both ends of the microstrip line 231 are connected to terminals P1 and P2. The terminal P1 is connected to the capacitor 220, and an RF signal is input. The terminal P2 is connected to the switching circuit 260, and transmits the RF signal transmitted via the microstrip line 231 to the switching circuit 260. Further, the RF signal output from the switching circuit 260 is transmitted to the microstrip line 231. Both ends of the microstrip line 232 are connected to terminals P3 and P4. The terminal P3 is connected to the RF tag 240. The terminal P4 is connected to the ground via a resistor. A part of the RF signal transmitted to the microstrip line 232 is transmitted from the terminal P3 to the RF tag 240. That is, the directional coupler 230 (unidirectional coupler) transmits the RF signal input to the terminal P1 to the terminal P2 via the microstrip line 231 and microstrips a part of the RF signal by coupling. It is transmitted to line 232.

The RF tag 240 includes an RF circuit 241, a control circuit 242, a memory 243, and a serial I / F 244.

The RF circuit 241 includes a decoder that demodulates the RF signal transmitted from the directional coupler 230 and a decoding circuit that decodes the demodulated data (both are not shown). The RF circuit 241 outputs the decoded data to the control circuit 242.

The control circuit 242 includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The control circuit 242 is electrically connected to the RF circuit 241 and the memory 243, and the serial I / F 244. The control circuit 242 controls each part connected to the control circuit 242 by the CPU executing a program stored in the ROM or the memory 243, and is designated by a switching signal based on the data output from the RF circuit 241. The memory 243 stores the antenna instruction information (an example of the output connector designation information) indicating the antenna. Further, the control circuit 242 outputs the antenna instruction information stored in the memory 243 to the serial I / F 244.

The memory 243 stores ID information for identifying the RF tag 240, antenna instruction information, and the like.

The serial I / F 244 is an interface for performing serial communication between the control circuit 242 and the MCU 250. The serial I / F 244 outputs a serial signal including the antenna instruction information output from the control circuit 242 to the MCU 250.

The MCU 250 is electrically connected to the RF tag 240 and the switching circuit 260. The MCU 250 stores in advance connector connection information (not shown) in which the connection relationship between the output side connectors 22a to 22d and the antennas A1 to A4 is defined. The MCU 250 outputs an output connector designation signal to the switching circuit 260 based on the antenna instruction information included in the serial signal input from the serial I / F 244 and the connector connection information. The output connector designation signal indicates any of the output-side connectors 22a to 22d that conducts with the input-side connector 210.

The switching circuit 260 includes switching circuits 261 to 263. The switching circuit 261 is connected to the directional coupler 230, the switching circuit 262 and the switching circuit 263. The switching circuit 262 is connected to the switching circuit 261 and the output side connectors 22a and 22b. Further, the switching circuit 263 is connected to the switching circuit 261 and the output side connectors 22c and 22d.

FIG. 3B is an equivalent circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the switching circuits 261 to 263 shown in FIG. 3A. As shown in FIG. 3B, the switching circuit 261 includes pin diodes 261a-261d. The switching circuit 262 includes pin diodes 262a to 262d. The switching circuit 263 includes pin diodes 263a to 263d. The pin diodes 261a and 261b are connected in parallel so that their anodes and cathodes are connected to each other. Similarly, the pin diodes 261c and 261d, the pin diodes 262a and 262b, the pin diodes 262c and 262d, the pin diodes 263a and 263b, and the pin diodes 263c and 263d are also connected in parallel.

In FIG. 3A, the antenna A1 is designated by the antenna instruction information from the reader / writer 10, and the output side connector 22a corresponding to the antenna A1 is electrically connected to the input side connector 21. In this case, as output connector designation signals, a bias voltage signal in which the pin diode 261a and the pin diode 262a are forward biased and the other pin diodes are reverse biased is input from the MCU 250 to the switching circuit 260. That is, the pin diodes 261a to 261d and 262a are connected to the switching circuits 261 to 263 from the MCU 250 so that the output side connector 22 corresponding to the antenna indicated by the antenna instruction information is electrically connected to the input side connector 21. The output connector designation signal for controlling the bias voltage of ~ 262d, 263a to 263d is input.

The power supply circuit 270 is connected to an external power supply and supplies power to the RF tag 240, the MCU 250, and the switching circuit 260.

(motion)
FIG. 4 is an operation flow diagram of the connector switching process in the connector switching system 1. The reader / writer 10 acquires antenna switching information from the host device via the external I / F 130 by the data processing device 120 (step S11).

The reader / writer 10 outputs the antenna information indicating the antenna specified by the antenna switching information to the RFID module 110 by the data processing device 120, generates a switching signal based on the antenna information by the RFID module 110, and inputs the coaxial cable. Output to 30 (step S12). Specifically, the RFID module 110 generates and outputs an RF signal including an antenna switching command instructing switching to the antenna indicated by the antenna information as a switching signal.

The connector switch 20 acquires an RF signal (switching signal) via the input coaxial cable 30 (step S21). The RF signal acquired by the connector switch 20 has a DC component removed by the capacitor 220 and is input to the directional coupler 230. A part of the RF signal input to the directional coupler 230 is input to the RF tag 240.

The connector switch 20 performs demodulation of the RF signal by the RF circuit 241 in the RF tag 240, and the control circuit 242 indicates the antenna instruction information (output connector designation) indicating the antenna specified by the antenna switching command included in the RF signal. An example of information) is acquired and stored in the memory 243 (step S22).

The connector switch 20 outputs the antenna instruction information stored in the memory 243 to the MCU 250 via the serial I / F 244 (step S23).

The connector switcher 20 outputs an output connector designation signal to the switching circuit 260 based on the connector connection information and the antenna instruction information by the MCU 250, and switches the output side connector (step S24). Specifically, the MCU 250 identifies the output-side connector corresponding to the antenna indicated by the antenna instruction information in the connector connection information stored in the internal memory. When the switching circuit 260 is composed of the pin diodes 261a to 261d and 262a to 262d and 263a to 263d shown in FIG. 3B, the MCU 250 conducts the specified output side connector and the input side connector 210 as the output connector designation signal. The bias voltage signal for making the signal is input to each switching circuit 261 to 263. As a result, the output-side connector corresponding to the antenna indicated by the antenna instruction information is electrically connected to the input-side connector 210.

In the switching state of the switching circuit 260 shown in FIG. 3A, the RF signal input from the reader / writer 10 is emitted from the antenna A1 connected to the output side connector 22a. Further, the RF signal received by the antenna A1 is transmitted from the switching circuit 260 to the terminal P2, and when the directional coupler 230 is a unidirectional coupler, the RF signal received by the antenna A1 is a directional coupler. It is transmitted to the capacitor 220 via the 230 microstrip line 231. The RF signal transmitted to the capacitor 220 is input to the reader / writer 10 via the input coaxial cable 30 after the DC component is removed.

In the embodiment, the switching signal for switching the output side connector 22 in the connector switching device 20 is the same high frequency signal as the RF signal used when the reader / writer 10 wirelessly communicates with the RF tag device (not shown). Since the connector switch 20 is provided with the RF tag 240, the RF signal input as the switching signal is demodulated by the RF tag 240 to correspond to the antenna instructed to be switched by the reader / writer 10. The output side connector 22 can be specified by the MCU 250. A voltage signal for conducting the specified output-side connector with the input-side connector 210 is supplied from the MCU 250 to the switching circuit 260. Therefore, in the connector switch 20, it is not necessary to add a terminal on the input side of the connector switch 20 in order to switch the output side connector.

The embodiments of the connector switching system and the connector switching device according to the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 1 to 4). However, the connector switching system and the connector switching device are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various embodiments without departing from the gist thereof. The drawings are schematically shown mainly for each component for easy understanding, and the thickness, length, number, etc. of each of the illustrated components are different from the actual ones for the convenience of drawing creation. .. Further, the shape, dimensions, and the like of each component shown in the above embodiment are merely examples, and are not particularly limited, and various changes can be made without substantially deviating from the effects of the present invention. Hereinafter, a modified example of the above embodiment will be described.

[Modification example]
(1) In the embodiment, the connector switch 20 includes the RF tag 240, but the configuration of the connector switch 20 is not limited to this. The connector switch 20 may include at least a decoding circuit that demodulates and decodes the RF signal input from the directional coupler 230 and outputs the decoded data to the MCU 250.

(2) In the connector switch 20 of the embodiment, four output-side connectors 22a to 22d are provided, but the number of output-side connectors is not limited to four, and may be a plurality.

(3) The switching circuits 261 to 263 of the switching circuit 260 shown in FIG. 3A are not limited to the configuration using the pin diode. For example, the switching circuits 261 to 263 may be composed of a semiconductor switch such as a MOSFET or a mechanical switch such as a mechanical relay.

The present invention can be applied to wireless communication between a reader / writer and an RF tag device.

1: Connector switching system 10: Reader / writer 20: Connector switch 21: Input side connector 22, 22a to 22d: Output side connector 30: Input coaxial cable 41 to 44: Output coaxial cable 110: RFID module 111, 242: Control circuit 112: Transmit circuit 113: Receive circuit 120: Data processing device 130: External I / F
140: Power supply circuit 150, 220: Capacitor 210: Input side connector 230: Directional coupler 231: 232: Microstrip line 240: RF tag 241: RF circuit 243: Memory 244: Serial I / F
260: Switching circuit 261 to 263: Switching circuit A1 to A4: Antenna

Claims (7)

An input connector to which an input signal is input via an input coaxial cable,
Multiple output connectors connected to the output coaxial cable,
A switching circuit that switches the output connector to which the input connector is connected from among the plurality of output connectors, and
A generation circuit that generates an output connector designation signal indicating an output connector to which the input connector is connected based on the input signal is provided.
The switching circuit switches the connection destination of the input connector to the output connector indicated by the output connector designated signal.
The output connector connected to the input connector is a connector switch that outputs the input signal via the output coaxial cable. Further comprising a plurality of the output coaxial cables connected corresponding to each of the plurality of output connectors.
The connector switch according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of output coaxial cables are connected to antennas different from each other. The generation circuit is
An acquisition unit that acquires output connector designation information indicating an output connector to which the input connector is connected from the input signal, and an acquisition unit.
A recording unit that records the output connector designation information acquired by the acquisition unit, and a recording unit.
The output connector designation signal further includes a control unit that generates a switching circuit control signal for controlling switching to the output connector indicated by the output connector designation information recorded in the recording unit and outputs the control signal to the switching circuit.
The connector switch according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the switching circuit switches the connection destination of the input connector based on the switching circuit control signal. The generation circuit includes a directional coupler and
The directional coupler outputs the input signal to the switching circuit and outputs a part of the input signal to the acquisition unit.
The connector switching device according to claim 3, wherein the acquisition unit demodulates a part of the input signal output from the directional coupler to acquire the output connector designation information. The generation circuit includes an RF (Radio Frequency) tag.
The connector switch according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the RF tag includes the acquisition unit and the recording unit. The connector switch according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the input signal is a high-frequency signal corresponding to an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) type frequency band. The connector switch according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and the connector switch.
A connector switching system including the connector switching device and a wireless communication device connected via the input coaxial cable.

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