JP3063870B2 - Communication device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication channel device in an exchange. The communication path device includes a communication path and a communication path control circuit. The communication path is considered to be configured by connecting a plurality of communication circuit units in cascade. Therefore, a plurality of communication circuit units are connected in tandem to form
2. Description of the Related Art A plurality of communication paths (for example, two paths) are arranged in parallel to form a multiplexed communication path, which is used for improving reliability.

In other words, the same signal (copied signal) is passed through a plurality of communication paths, and when a failure occurs in one communication path, the system is switched to take in a signal flowing through another system. Thereby, normal operation can be maintained. The present invention relates to a communication path device in which system switching is performed by a selector when such a system failure occurs.

[0003]

2. Description of the Prior Art FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a conventional configuration of a portion related to the present invention of the above-mentioned communication channel device. In the figure, reference numerals 1, 2, 11 and 12 denote communication path circuit sections, respectively, and especially reference numerals 1 and 11 denote front-end-side communication path circuit sections and 2 and 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a rear-stage communication path circuit unit.

[0004] In addition, 21 and 22 are selectors, 30 communication path control circuits, 31 and 32 are selector control circuits, respectively, and 101 to 108 are communication path signals, respectively.
01 and 202 are alarm signal lines, 203 and 20 respectively.
Reference numerals 4 and 4 denote selector switching instruction signal lines, respectively.
06 is a selector control signal line.

In the configuration example shown in FIG. 2, a communication path system composed of a front-end communication path circuit section and a rear-end communication path circuit section (1 and 2, and 11 and 12) is duplicated (0 system and 1 system). There are selectors (21 and 22) between the two communication path circuit units (front and rear stages) of the system, and confounding is realized by the selectors. That is, the signal from the first-stage communication path circuit unit 1 is transmitted through the selectors 21 and 22 to the second-stage communication path circuit unit 2.
To the front-end-side communication path circuit section 11
Can be transmitted to the rear-side communication path circuit section 2 and also to 12 via the selectors 21 and 22.

Each of the communication path circuit units (1, 11) has at least a function of detecting an abnormality in its own circuit in its own circuit.
02), a signal to that effect can be output. The abnormality can be detected, for example, by using the parity or CRC for the failure of the memory unit in the own circuit.

In the conventional circuit configuration shown in FIG. 2, the switching control of the communication path selectors 21 and 22 is performed by notifying the communication path control circuit 30 of an abnormality in the communication path circuit unit,
0 performs this by detecting this and giving an instruction to the selector control circuits 31 and 32.

[0008] The following is a specific description. That is, in FIG. 2, when the front-stage communication path circuit sections (1 and 11) are normal, the selectors 21 and 22 are switched to the upper side to guide the communication path signal 101 to the rear-stage communication path circuit sections (2 and 12). It is assumed that

At this time, when the communication path circuit section 1 detects an abnormality in its own circuit, an alarm is sent to the communication path control circuit 30 via the alarm signal line 201. When the communication path control circuit 30 knows that an alarm has occurred in the communication path circuit section 1, the communication path control circuit 30 issues a selector switching instruction via the selector switching instruction signal lines (203 and 204).
1 and 32).

As a result, the selectors 21 and 22 switch to the lower side, and transmit the communication path signal 103 to the subsequent communication path circuit unit (2).
And 12), and it is possible to guide a correct communication path signal regardless of occurrence of an alarm in the communication path circuit unit 1. As described above, in a normal state where no alarm is generated, the communication path signal 103 is a copy of the communication path signal 101.

These processes in the channel control circuit 30 are performed by software in a CPU in the circuit. As described above, the selector switching control of the communication path is performed by a series of operations when an alarm occurs.

[0012]

In recent years, the speed of communication channels has been increasing more and more, and it is expected that the speed will be further increased in the future, and that the speed of several tens of gigabits / second will not be far from it. . In such a high-speed communication path, from the viewpoint of preventing the quality of the communication path from deteriorating, the time required from the detection of the alarm to the switching of the selector is shortened as much as possible. It is important to minimize the amount of lost bits.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional method, the communication path control circuit 3 which performs software processing for selector switching.
0, there is a problem that the time required for switching after the alarm detection cannot be shortened. It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems of the prior art and to provide a communication path device in which means for shortening the time required for selector switching after an alarm is detected is provided.

[0014]

According to the present invention, in order to attain the above object, one system in which speech path circuit sections are connected in tandem and another system are arranged in parallel, and a call at a preceding stage belonging to one system is provided. In addition to transmitting the signal to the subsequent communication path circuit section, the communication path circuit section can also transmit the signal to the subsequent communication path circuit section belonging to another system. A selector is provided between the communication path circuit section and the subsequent communication path circuit section,

Normally, the selector selects an output signal from the communication path circuit section belonging to one system and transmits a signal to the communication path circuit sections of the two subsequent stages, thereby selecting the communication path circuit section belonging to the one system. When receiving a more failure detection signal, the selector to switch the selector, so as to select an output signal from the communication path circuit unit belonging to another system and to transmit a signal to the communication path circuit units of both subsequent systems. In a communication path device including a communication path circuit system of a multiplex configuration including a communication path control circuit that sends a selector switching instruction to a selector control circuit belonging to the communication path control circuit,

When a failure detection signal is output from the communication path circuit unit belonging to the one system, the selector control circuit switches the selector in response to the judgment and instruction of the communication path control circuit that has received the signal. Mode, and a second operation mode that allows the selector control circuit to directly receive a failure detection signal and switch the selector without waiting for the determination and the instruction of the communication path control circuit, did.

[0017]

As described above, by adopting the second operation mode, it is possible to shorten the time required for switching the selector and cope with the speeding up of the communication path. In addition, the second
When it is not desirable to take the operation mode described above, the first operation mode as in the related art can be used, and no maintenance inconvenience occurs.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, as in the case of FIG. 2, another system including a front-stage communication line circuit unit 1, a rear-stage communication line circuit unit 11, a front-stage communication line circuit unit 11, and a rear-stage communication line circuit unit 12 is provided. The communication path system is duplicated by the system (0 system and 1 system).
System), there are selectors (21, 22) between the previous and subsequent communication path circuit units of each system, and confounding is realized by the selectors.

The present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is different from the conventional circuit shown in FIG. 2 in that not only the alarm signal line 201 from the communication path circuit section 1 is connected to the communication path control circuit 30 but also The point that it is also directly connected to the selector control circuits 31 and 32, and that the alarm signal line 2
02 is connected not only to the communication path control circuit 30 but also to the selector control circuits 31 and 32 directly.

That is, when the preceding communication path circuit (1, 11) autonomously detects a failure in its own circuit, an alarm is issued via the alarm signal line (201, 202).
In addition to being sent to 0, it is also sent directly to each selector control circuit (31, 32).

The selector control circuits (31, 32) are shown in FIG.
The selectors (21, 22) are switched according to the selector switching logic included in the circuit as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the selector switching logic will be described.

The selector switching logic has two operation modes, namely, a control system instruction mode and a communication path system autonomous operation mode, and one of them is set in the communication path control circuit 30 by means not shown (for example, an operator console). , The maintenance person sets the communication path control circuit 30).

As a result of the mode setting by the maintenance person, the control system instruction mode is transmitted from the communication path control circuit 30 via the instruction signal lines (203, 204) to the selector control circuit (31, 204).
32), the communication path circuit section (1, 1)
Regardless of the presence / absence of an alarm from the alarm signal line (201, 202) from 1), the selector control circuit (31,
32) is the system (0) specified by the communication path control circuit 30.
(System or 1 system) by switching the selectors (21, 22) (switching to the upper side or lower side of the connection path shown by the broken line).

That is, if the current direction (switching destination) of the selectors (21, 22) matches the designated system, the direction of the selectors (21, 22) is held as it is, and if they do not match, an instruction is given. Switch the selector to the new system.

When the speech path system autonomous operation mode is designated by the speech path control circuit 30 to the selector control circuits (31, 32) via the instruction signal lines (203, 204), the speech path circuit section ( According to the contents of the alarm via the alarm signal line (201, 202) from (1, 11),
The selector control circuits (31, 32) set the selectors (21, 22) in a predetermined system.

In this case, the selector control circuit (31, 3)
2) does not wait for an instruction from the communication path control circuit 30, but operates directly by an alarm via the alarm signal line (201, 202). This makes it possible to operate at a higher speed than in the case where the operation is performed.

The channel control circuit 30 is used to replace the ROM in which its operation is described and for other reasons such as inspection and repair in the event of failure. When it is necessary to restrict the system switching operation of the selector control circuits (31, 32) in the above, the control system instruction mode is designated to the selector control circuits (31, 32) and the direction of the selector is indicated.

In other cases, the selector control circuit (3
1, 32) to specify the operation in the communication path system autonomous operation mode to enable high-speed switching. The designation of the operation mode and the instruction of the system from the communication path control circuit 30 to the selector control circuits (31, 32) can be notified by a signal format such as a voltage level of a plurality of signal lines or a code composed of a pulse train. .

In the present invention, since the selector switching operation when an alarm occurs is performed in the speech channel autonomous operation mode, the switching operation can be performed only by hardware. Therefore, the time from the occurrence of the alarm to the end of the selector switching can be shortened as compared with the case where the communication path control circuit 30 operated by the conventional software is used.

As a mode instructing method from the communication path control circuit 30 to the selector control circuits (31, 32), the communication path control circuit 30 does not directly designate an operation mode, but instructs the direction of the selector. There is a method in which the selector control circuits (31, 32) operate in the control system instruction mode, and operate in the speech path system autonomous operation mode when there is no instruction. In this case, the circuit can be simplified accordingly.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of selector switching logic of the selector control circuits (31, 32) in FIG. 1, as described above. In FIG. 3, CP
This means the communication path control circuit 30 in the sense of a central processor.

As the selector switching logic shown in FIG.
It has two operation modes, a control system instruction mode and a communication path autonomous operation mode. In the control system instruction mode, there is a system instruction from the communication path control circuit 30 (CP), and the instruction is given regardless of the presence or absence of an alarm. Set the selector for the specified system.

In the speech channel system autonomous operation mode, there is no system instruction from the speech channel control circuit 30 (CP), and the selector is set according to the contents of the alarm. That is, if no alarm comes from either system, or if an alarm comes from both systems, the selector keeps its connection state, and if an alarm comes from either system, the selector is switched to the side where the alarm does not come. To change the connection. Note that the logic in FIG. 3 can be applied commonly to switching of the selectors of both systems.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, the alarm is directly sent to the selector control circuit, and the selector control circuit is configured so that all of the selector switching logic for the alarm can be performed by hardware. When there is no restriction on selector switching for maintenance reasons, all the selector switching logic can be performed by hardware, so the time from the occurrence of an alarm to the end of selector switching is shorter than that through software processing of the channel control circuit. And can be shortened.

Further, the selector switching is restricted due to maintenance reasons, and the proportion of the period (time) during which the selector switching logic cannot be entirely performed by hardware is very small. Therefore, the noise generated during the alarm switching process can be reduced, and the quality of the communication path can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a conventional configuration example of a portion related to the present invention of a communication path device.

FIG. 3 is a selector control circuit (31, 32) in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of selector switching logic.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numerals 1, 11: front-end communication path circuit section, 2, 12: rear-end communication path circuit section, 21, 22, selector, 30: communication path control circuit, 31, 32: selector control circuit, 101 to 108
Call path signal lines, 201, 202 ... alarm signal lines, 20
3,204 ... selector switching instruction signal line, 205,2
06 ... selector control signal line.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A system in which at least a first communication path circuit section and a second communication path circuit section are connected in cascade,
And another system in which the fourth communication path circuit unit is connected in cascade is arranged in parallel, and the first communication path circuit unit of the preceding stage belonging to one system is connected to the second communication line of the subsequent stage. In addition to transmitting a signal to the circuit unit, it is also possible to transmit a signal to the subsequent fourth communication path circuit unit belonging to another system. 4th of
So that the signal can be transmitted not only to the second communication path circuit unit but also to the second communication path circuit unit belonging to one system. A selector is provided between the circuit units.
And outputs a signal to the subsequent second and fourth communication path circuits, and receives a failure detection signal from the first communication path circuit. When,
In order to select the output signal from the third communication path circuit unit belonging to another system and switch the selector so as to transmit the signal to the second and fourth communication path circuit units at the subsequent stage. A communication path apparatus including a communication path control circuit for transmitting a selector switching instruction to a selector control circuit belonging to the selector, the communication apparatus including a multiplexed communication path circuit system, wherein a failure detection signal is output from the first communication path circuit section. When the signal is output, the first operation mode in which the selector control circuit switches the selector in response to the judgment and instruction of the communication path control circuit which has received the output, and the first operation mode directly without the judgment and instruction of the communication path control circuit. A second operation mode in which the selector control circuit receives a failure detection signal and switches the selector, and the second communication mode is enabled in the communication path control circuit. . 2. The communication channel device according to claim 1, wherein
The selector control circuit, when previously receiving a selector control instruction from the communication path control circuit, ignores a direct failure detection signal from the first communication path circuit unit and takes the first operation mode. A channel device functioning according to control logic. 3. The communication path device according to claim 1, wherein
The selector control circuit receives a direct failure detection signal from the first communication path circuit unit and receives the second failure detection signal from the second communication path circuit unit when the selector control instruction is not received in advance from the communication path control circuit.
Characterized in that it functions according to the selector control logic that takes the operation mode of (1).