JP3224067B2 - Signal transmission equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a signal transmission apparatus for easily maintaining operation of a lower network system only when a higher network system or the like fails (stops).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a process control facility or the like, a plurality of devices are often operated in combination, and it is necessary to monitor the status of each device. A signal transmission device is used. For example, the equipment that monitors the condition of the power shovel and the condition of the belt conveyor are installed in a facility where the piled earth and sand is picked up by a power shovel, and the earth and sand is loaded one after another on a belt conveyor. If the devices are far from each other, signal transmission is performed between them, and if an abnormality occurs in one of them, control for stopping the entire equipment is performed. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a lower-level network system including a conventional signal transmission device, in which a common master station is provided to handle common signals transmitted from a plurality of different systems of master stations. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an upper controller, and 2 denotes an upper network to which master stations 3a and 3b and a common master station 4 are connected. From the master stations 3a and 3b and the common master station 4, the lower network 6
The slave stations 5a, 5b, 5 are connected to each other via.

In such a conventional signal transmission device,
The input A of the slave station 5a and the input B of the slave station 5b are, for example, AND
(Logical product), and the output C of the slave station 5 is set. In the above example of the process control equipment, input A is the state of the power shovel (ON if normal), input B is the state of the belt conveyor (ON if normal), and output C is the state of the power shovel and the state of the belt conveyor. Both are turned on when they are normal, and the operation is such that the lamp is turned on. Inputs A and B are the respective slave stations 5a and 5
After being input from b, it is transferred to the common master station 4, which is another system, and used for logical operation, so that it is positioned as a common signal in the entire system. In this case, a common signal between the master station 3a and the master station 3b is transferred to the common master station 4 via the upper controller 1 or the upper network system 2. The logical operation processing (AND) of the common signal is executed in the common master station 4, and the operation result is transferred to the slave station 5 via the lower network 6. As described above, the slave station 5
From the output C. Information from the slave station 5 is transmitted from the common master station 4 to the master stations 3a, 3
b.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a lower-level network system including a conventional signal transmission device, in which a common slave station is provided for handling common signals transmitted from a plurality of different systems of master stations. is there. In this case, the upper controller 1 and the master stations 3a, 3b are connected to the upper network 2, and the lower networks 6a, 6b are transmitted from the master stations 3a, 3b.
The slave stations 5a and 5b and the common slave stations 7a and 7b are connected to each other via b. 8 is a common slave station 7a and 7b
Is an AND circuit that performs a logical AND operation on the signals from.

In such a signal transmission device, as in the previous example, the input A of the slave station 5a and the input B of the slave station 5b are ANDed.
(Logical product), and the output C of the common slave stations 7a and 7b is set. Inputs A and B are positioned as common signals in the entire system. Master station 3 in this case
The common signal of each of a and 3b is transferred to the common slave stations 7a and 7b via the individual lower networks 6a and 6b.
The AND circuit performs arithmetic processing on the transferred common signals, and an output C is obtained. Information such as output signals to the AND circuit 8 from the common slave stations 7a, 7b to the master stations 3a, 3b is transferred via the respective lower networks 6a, 6b. As can be seen from the above, the common master station 4 or the common slave stations 7a and 7b are specially provided only for handling common signals.

[0006]

In a conventional signal transmission apparatus provided with a common master station as in the example shown in FIG. 4 described above, one master station is required for a common signal, so that economic efficiency is poor. Moreover,
When the upper system failed (stopped) or the common master station failed, the redundant system of the lower network system was difficult to remove. That is, it becomes impossible to handle common signals only by the lower network system. Further, in the device provided with a common slave station as in the example shown in FIG. 5, the same number of common slave stations as the master station that handles the common signal is required, so that the economic efficiency is further reduced, and furthermore, the logical operation of the common signal is performed. The processing must be configured by hardware using relay logic or the like, and there has been a problem that specification changes and the like cannot be easily performed. In addition, since both transfer common signals and exchange information via a higher-level controller or a higher-level network system, when the higher-level network system is offline,
In order to check the operation of a series of processes, it is necessary to monitor and monitor the status of the master station (the status of the power shovel and the status of the belt conveyor in the example of the process control equipment described above). There is a problem that it is difficult to perform such operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. A first object of the present invention is to provide a signal transmission device capable of removing a redundant system of a lower network system when a higher network system fails (stops). Things. A second object is to obtain a highly reliable signal transmission device.

[0008]

A signal transmission apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a means for setting a plurality of station numbers in a transmission processor for a lower network system in a master station.

[0009] Further, among a plurality of station numbers set in the master station, a station number for performing signal transmission to a master station in another system is the same as the station number of the master station in the higher-level network system. .

Further, the same station number is set in a plurality of master stations.

Further, a transmission data structure for logical operation is added to a common signal from the master station to the slave station of another system, and the slave station has a logical operation function.

[0012] Further, for one signal transmission from one specified slave station to a plurality of master stations, reception completion return is sequentially performed to the plurality of master stations in accordance with a predetermined priority order. is there.

[0013]

In the signal transmission device configured as described above, a plurality of station numbers are set in one master station for a slave station of the own system, a slave station of another system, and a master station of another system, respectively. , A common signal can be exchanged with each station.

Signal transmission in a lower network system from a master station to a master station in another system is performed by a station number in the upper network system.

Also, by setting the same station number to a plurality of master stations, a common signal is transmitted and received between the plurality of master stations and one specified slave station.

In the slave station, a plurality of common signals transmitted from a plurality of master stations are processed according to a logical operation specified by the transmission data, and the operation result is output.

[0017] In addition, one slave station sends a plurality of master stations.
For a single signal transmission, a plurality of master stations return reception completion signals in priority order.

[0018]

【Example】

Embodiment 1 FIG. FIG. 1 shows a signal transmission apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the same or corresponding parts as those of the conventional apparatus are denoted by the same reference numerals, but the master stations 3a and 3b are internally provided with a lower network. And two transmission processors (dotted lines), which are dedicated circuits for communication with the mobile station. One of the transmission processors is set with a station number used for communication with a slave station of the own system. In the transmission processor, a station number used when communicating a common signal with a slave station or a master station of another system is set. That is, the other transmission processor can set a station number used when communicating with the slave station 5 and a station number used when communicating with another master station.

Next, the operation of the slave station 5 is the same as in the conventional example.
AND (logical product) between input A of terminal a and input B of slave station 5b
The description will be made on the assumption that the output C of the slave station 5 is set. First, signal transmission between a slave station and a master station of the own system will be described. The station number of the master station 3a for the slave station 5a (the station number of the master station 3a when transmitting signals from the master station 3a to the slave station 5a) is the same as the station number of the master station 3a in the upper network 2.
The station number of the master station 3b for the slave station 5b is set in the same manner, and the input A and the input B are transmitted to the master stations 3a and 3b, respectively, according to the respective station numbers. Next, signal transmission between a master station and a slave station of another system will be described. The slave station can recognize only one master station number, that is, only one master station number can be set for the slave station. Are set to be the same, and signal transmission is performed using the station number. In the slave station 5, since the station number of the master station 3a is the same as the station number of the master station 3b, signals from both are processed as signals from one master station. The data from the master station 3a and the master station 3b include a logical operation code (for example, AND) and operation data (A and B). By incorporating, slave station 5
Outputs C based on the received logical operation code and operation data.

Conversely, the slave station 5 sends two master stations 3a and 3
The case of transmitting a signal to b will be described with reference to FIG. Transmission data from the slave station 5 is transferred to the master stations 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d via the lower network 6.
Since the number of the master station for the slave station is one and the number of the master station is regarded as one, the transmission data is transferred once. In order to confirm that each master station has received the transfer data, each master station performs reception completion return in the order of priority determined according to the station number for an individual signal. The slave station 5 determines whether or not there is a reception completion return from the master station and performs a retry process or the like, so that highly reliable communication can be performed.

Next, the upper network 2 fails (stops).
Signal transmission such as information exchange between the master station 3a and the master station 3b of another system when the upper network 2 is not used will be described. In this case, since a signal line for handling a common signal to the slave station 5 of the lower network 6 is used,
If the station number of the parent station 3b with respect to the parent station 3a is the same as the station number of the parent station 3b with respect to the child station 5, it cannot be distinguished. Accordingly, the station number of the master station 3b with respect to the master station 3a is different from the station number of the master station 3b with respect to the slave station 5, that is, the master station 3b in the upper network 2 when transmitting an individual signal. To the station number.
Similarly, the station number of the master station 3a with respect to the master station 3b is different from the station number of the master station 3a with respect to the slave station 5;
That is, it is set to the station number of the master station 3a in the upper network 2. As described above, since a slave station capable of handling a common signal with a plurality of master stations is provided, economy is excellent, and since the lower network system operates irrespective of the presence or absence of the upper network system, a system redundancy system can be obtained.

Embodiment 2 FIG. In the first embodiment, two transmission processors for the own system and another system are provided in the master station, and two station numbers can be set to the transmission processors for the other system, as shown in FIG. Further, if one transmission processor can set a plurality of station numbers for the own system, for the slave station of another system, and for exchanging information with the master station of another system, a more economical system can be achieved. Can be configured.

[0023]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

Since a plurality of station numbers are set in the transmission processor in the master station, even when the higher-level network system has failed (stopped) or is starting up, the transmission of the common signal and the master signal are performed only by the lower-level network system. Information can be exchanged between stations.

Further, since signal transmission between the master stations is performed according to the station number of each master station in the upper network system, information can be exchanged between the master stations only by the lower network system.

Also, since the same station number is set for a plurality of master stations, one specified slave station recognizes the plurality of master stations as one master station, and a plurality of master stations and one child station are recognized. A common signal can be exchanged with the station.

In addition, a transmission data configuration for logical operation is added to a common signal from the master station to a slave station of another system, and a logical operation function is provided in the slave station, so that the logical operation can be performed only by the lower network system.

Also, for one signal transmission from one specified slave station to a plurality of master stations, reception completion return is sequentially performed to the plurality of master stations in accordance with a predetermined priority order. Therefore, highly reliable communication between a plurality of master stations and a specific slave station can be achieved only by the lower network system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a signal transmission device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating that reception completion return is performed for data transmission from a specific slave station to a plurality of master stations in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram illustrating a signal transmission device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating a case where a common master station that handles a common signal is provided in a conventional signal transmission device.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a case where a common signal station for handling a common signal is provided in a conventional signal transmission device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 upper controller, 2 upper networks, 3, 3
a, 3b, 3c, 3d master station, 5, 5a, 5b slave station,
6 Lower network.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04Q 9/00-9/16 H04L 11/00

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] A master station sets its own station number for a slave station, and the slave station recognizes a master station having the set station number as a master station of the slave station, thereby forming one master station. One system consisting of a station and its child stations as subordinate stations is configured. A plurality of the above systems are provided, and one system (hereinafter referred to as own system).
A signal transmission device that communicates a signal handled only by itself as an individual signal, and a signal handled commonly by the own system and other systems (hereinafter referred to as another system) as a common signal. Means for setting a plurality of station numbers in a processor for use in a system, so that a common signal can be exchanged with a slave station of another system or a master station of another system together with an individual signal with a slave station of the own system. Transmission equipment. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, among a plurality of station numbers set in the master station, a station number for performing signal transmission to a master station of another system is the same as the station number of the master station in the upper network system. The signal transmission device according to claim 1. 3. A common signal can be exchanged between the plurality of master stations and one specified slave station by setting the same station number in the plurality of master stations. Item 3. The signal transmission device according to item 1 or 2. 4. A transmission signal configuration for logical operation is added to a common signal from a master station to a slave station of another system, and a logical operation function is provided in the slave station, so that a plurality of signals transmitted from the plurality of master stations are provided. 4. The signal transmission device according to claim 3, wherein a logical operation is performed on said common signal in said slave station, and the operation result is output. 5. For one signal transmission from one slave station to a plurality of master stations, reception completion return from the master station to the slave station according to a priority order predetermined for the plurality of master stations. 5. The signal transmission device according to claim 3, wherein the signal transmission is performed sequentially.