JP4079762B2 - Data terminal equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data terminal device, and more particularly to a data terminal device that can be shipped to overseas countries with current hardware and software and can be connected to domestic and foreign lines.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a data terminal apparatus sends and receives encoded / decoded data between a modem and a line via an NCU (Network Control Unit). Here, the connection condition to the line is defined for each country, and it is indispensable to design a communication system that conforms to the technical standards corresponding to the country or region where the data terminal device is installed.
[0003]
Conventionally, the switching mechanism has been provided so as not to make every board as much as possible to suppress the increase in cost. However, in recent years, transformers, inductors, relays, etc. have been miniaturized and further insulated from the primary side. Technology and signal processing are becoming possible with a silicon chip composed of a digital processor chip and an analog processor chip, and the switching operation as described above can be handled by an internal register in software. It is coming.
[0004]
On the other hand, for example, in the communication device described in Patent Literature 1, when the connection destination area or country is determined in advance from the selection number (destination number) input by the user, and the modem transmission output needs to be changed, The communication is started after the level is automatically changed, and the manual operation for changing the transmission level setting is canceled.
[0005]
In the technology described in Patent Document 2, in a terminal equipped with a line powered codec that operates by obtaining power necessary for operation from a telephone line that is in an off-hook state, the startup procedure or the like for each country or region. A means for guaranteeing the operation is provided, and the instability of the operation is eliminated.
[0006]
Furthermore, in the information processing apparatus described in Patent Document 3, a single modulation / demodulation apparatus is provided with a switching mechanism for a line control apparatus that can conform to a plurality of types of standards, and performs settings in accordance with standards conforming to the shipping destination of the apparatus. This eliminates the trouble of reworking and replacing the line control device.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-4-95460
[Patent Document 2]
JP 2001-203804 A
[Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-321901
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the communication device described in Patent Document 1, as described above, the transmission level is automatically changed by determining the communication partner, so that the main point is to improve the communication stability from the country where the terminal is installed. However, since the connection between the destination number and the termination condition of the terminal itself is thin, it is not possible to obtain the conforming characteristics by installing the terminal device in an arbitrary country.
[0011]
Further, in the prior art described in Patent Document 2, it is possible to improve the stability of communication via the codec, with a focus on stabilizing the powered codec operation for DAA that operates by obtaining power from the line. Yes, but it does not lead to conditions for connection to the line.
[0012]
Furthermore, the information processing apparatus described in Patent Document 3 has a switching mechanism corresponding to each country of the line control unit (NCU), and the connection conformity to the line is set by a register. Is already set in the communication application software and focuses on labor-saving in factory settings when the shipping destination is determined. There was a problem that it was difficult to make it possible to ship.
[0013]
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the problems in the above-described conventional communication devices and the like, and data communication devices such as facsimile devices, personal terminal devices, and PDAs can be used overseas with the current hardware and software as they are. The object is to provide a data communication device that can be shipped to various countries and that is improved in operability, reliability, maintainability and productivity.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data terminal device comprising a modem and a network controller, wherein the network controller controls in advance the voltage value, current value and frequency of the dial tone signal. Recording means for recording for each country as a line setting condition at least one of the voltage value, current value and frequency of the busy tone signal, and the ringer signal frequency, and the loop current limit value when the line is closed, and the received line A comparison means for comparing information and the line setting conditions recorded in the recording means; and if the received line information and the line setting conditions recorded in the recording means match, the matched line setting conditions And a control means for controlling the network based on the above.
[0015]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of line setting conditions are recorded in advance in the recording means of the line network control device, and the line information received by the comparing means and the line setting conditions recorded in the recording means are obtained. If they match, the control means controls the network based on the matched line setting conditions. For example, various line setting conditions corresponding to the technical conformity standards of each country are erroneously set. Even if the device is connected, the line setting conditions can be set automatically without the user's awareness, and it is possible to prevent the wrong setting from being used when taking the portable device out of the country. .
[0016]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the data terminal device according to the first aspect, the line network control device has the received line information compared by the comparing means and the line setting conditions recorded in the recording means. In the case where they do not coincide with each other, there is provided a line setting condition correcting means for correcting the line setting condition recorded in the recording means to a line setting condition based on the received line information.
[0017]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the line setting condition received by the line setting condition correcting unit does not match the line setting condition recorded in the recording unit, the line setting condition recorded in the recording unit is set. In order to correct the line setting condition based on the received line information, a relatively large device such as a facsimile machine is set for shipment according to the partner country, or the device is not particularly conscious by the local coordinator or maintenance personnel. Can be handled.
[0018]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, as a preferred form of the data terminal device according to the first or second aspect, the line setting condition further includes at least one of a billing information signal frequency, a facsimile activation signal frequency, and a terminal activation signal frequency. It is characterized by including one .
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a data terminal device according to the present invention. This data terminal device is roughly divided into a data storage unit 1, an encoding / decoding unit 2, a modem DSP unit 3, and a modem. It comprises a DAA unit 4, a communication register unit 5, a line setting library 6, a comparison / determination unit 7, a communication control driver unit 8, and a main control unit 9.
[0021]
The data storage unit 1 and the encoding / decoding unit 2 are blocks for transferring information such as data to and from the modem DSP unit 3 and the modem DAA unit 4 that perform data modulation / demodulation to a general subscriber line. The operation is performed by the unit 9.
[0022]
The modem DSP unit 3 mainly executes a communication protocol and transmits or detects related tone signals to a subscriber line using a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The modem operation based on the 30 recommendation is performed.
[0023]
The modem DAA unit 4 is called DAA (Direct Access Arrangement or Data Access Arrangement). The modem ADA (Analog Front End) function performs digital / analog data conversion between the modem DSP unit 3 and the line, and hooks off the line. And an NCU (Network Control Unit) function for performing a hook-on operation and the like. These functions have a programmable mechanism, and perform hook operation, extraction of ringer signal frequency, loop current and line release voltage measurement by software setting in the communication system register unit 5. The modem DSP unit 3 can also set the communication mode and send various tonal signals through a register using the same mechanism as the modem DAA unit 4, and the communication system register unit 5 controls communication as a register that integrates both. The driver unit 8 controls the software.
[0024]
The communication control driver unit 8 operates in cooperation with the modem operation in the modem DSP unit 3 and the modem DAA unit 4 to perform a series of transmission operations and reception operations on the line. For example, the hook state of the modem DAA unit 4 with respect to the line is monitored from the loop current value by the communication system register unit 5, and when there is a reception instruction from the main control unit 9, the line off hook is instructed through the communication control driver unit 8. To do. Further, after controlling the tone signal coming from the line to pass through the modem DAA unit 4, the modem DSP unit 3 detects the frequency, and the detection result appearing in the communication system register unit 5 is notified to the communication control driver 8. The main control unit 9 operates to shift to the reception sequence.
[0025]
The line setting library 6 holds communication setting values for domestic and foreign lines as necessary register setting values and automatically sets them to the modem DSP unit 3 and the modem DAA unit 4 through the communication control driver unit 8. Can be adapted to each country and region.
[0026]
In the comparison determination unit 7, the line information from the communication control driver unit 8 is sent to the line setting library 6 as the specific tonal signal frequency through the communication system register unit 5 and the setting information of the modem DSP unit 3 and the modem DAA unit 4. It is input as information that can be compared with the recorded line information. If there is no difference between the two, it is determined that the content instructed by the current communication control driver unit 8 is a setting condition suitable for the country or region, and the setting is basically maintained. . On the other hand, if there is a difference between the two, the operation shifts to the calibration operation, and the communication control driver unit 8 through the main control unit 9 to other communication setting parameters from the line setting library 6 based on the country / region information. And confirm the difference again. Then, the calibration function ends when each communication system setting value finally matches a unique country and region.
[0027]
Next, the operation of the data terminal apparatus having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0028]
In FIG. 1, the data terminal device that transmits and receives data from the data storage unit 1 via the modem DAA unit 4 is an example of a model that can be realized at a low cost and in a space-saving manner. As a specific component, the modem DSP unit 3 has a single LSI configuration, and the modem DAA unit 4 is generally configured by a silicon chip set equivalent to a logic IC. Conventionally, the modem DSP + AFE ( Analog Front End) + Hardware functions built in NCU are inherited as they are, but switching of those functions can be controlled on the software. For this reason, it is possible to implement overseas specifications that have conventionally been able to cope with impedance conditions, current conditions, etc. with lines by replacing components on the NCU by switching on the software of the communication system register unit 5.
[0029]
Next, the operation of the communication system register unit 5 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0030]
The setting of all the functions of the modem DSP unit 3 and the modem DAA unit 4 is instructed from the communication system register 5, or the setting value is read. The tonal setting unit 31, the communication mode setting unit 32, and the level setting unit 33 are internal registers used mainly for setting the communication protocol and the frequency and level of various tone signals for the modem by the communication system register unit 5. It is an example and is a part of the functions belonging to the modem DSP unit 3.
[0031]
Next, an example of functions belonging to the modem DAA unit 4 will be described.
[0032]
The modem DAA unit 4 has an insulation structure similar to that of the transformer by the primary side isolation unit 42 across the modem DSP unit 3 on the primary side and the secondary side such as a subscriber line. The level measuring unit 41, the impedance converting unit 43, the line closing control unit 44, the current limiting circuit 45, and the ringer extracting unit 46 are examples of registers similar to those described above. For example, communication with respect to hardware inside the silicon chip is possible. It has a mechanism that allows parameter setting from the system register unit 5.
[0033]
For example, by setting the current limit circuit 45 with a CLIM (Current Limit) register, for example, it is possible to set so as not to exceed the loop current limit value 60 mA at the time of closing defined in the European standard (CTR21). Further, by reading an LCS (Loop Current Sense) register when the register is closed, it becomes possible to know the loop current value in units of Hex. By setting with an ACT / DCT (AC / DC Termination) register, domestic 600Ω termination can be set for the line as an example. The ringer extraction unit 46 can set a function for detecting the amplitude, frequency, and intermittent timing of a ringer signal waveform that arrives at the time of an incoming call using a RIT (Ringer Threshold) register. The line closing control unit 44 instructs to close and release the line and is controlled by an HK (Hooking) register.
[0034]
Next, the operation of the comparison determination unit 7 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0035]
Confirm that the line connection to the data terminal device is established by the current / voltage value and hook information measured by the modem DAA unit 4 in advance as a status in the communication system register unit 5 and taken over by the communication control driver unit 8 To do. When the line is not connected, if it is possible to determine the situation in a register not shown in FIG. 2 due to the fact that the DC voltage supply to the modem DAA unit 4 is not performed, check using that register May be.
[0036]
In order to use the dial tone as a determination condition, after confirming the on-hook state, the main control unit 9 instructs the modem DAA unit 4 to perform an off-hook operation by setting the communication system register unit 5. When connected to a normal line, a dial tone is input together with the detection of the DC voltage. The voltage value, current value, dial tone frequency, and level are taken over by the communication control driver unit 8, and first, it can be confirmed whether or not the detection status can be confirmed by the set value in the current communication control register unit 5. In the case of a single tone or some frequencies, in the case of an intermittent tone, the ON / OFF time is read as determination information for comparison and stored in the comparison determination unit 7.
[0037]
The same data collection is performed by continuously inputting a busy tone. However, if it is possible to determine a specific country / region and a specific dedicated line at this point, the process is completed without proceeding to the next sequence.
[0038]
In the next sequence, a busy tone is input, and the process proceeds to an operation for making a comparison decision. When the data terminal device has its own telephone number information like a facsimile, the main control unit 9 automatically instructs the communication control driver unit 8 to make a call to the local number. Also, a tone input from the exchange when the off-hook state times out may be used. After the busy tone is input, the information is output to the comparison / determination unit 7 as information on voltage, current value, frequency, etc., as in the case of the dial tone. After the above two types of information are collected, the HK register shifts to the line release procedure. However, depending on the subscriber line, leased line, and extension, there may be specific specifications such as howrah sound and congestion sound. When other means (condition judgment by a soft switch of the data terminal device) is possible, a sequence may be added.
[0039]
In the line setting library 6, the dial tone, busy tone, ringer signal frequency, loop current data, etc. of each country are the register setting values and the status of the call data appearing in the register setting values in the communication control register unit 5. Is stored and saved in advance. Since there are various standards for data terminal devices in each region in each country, the default values for these information can be set using standard values, but are generally defined values for the detection range. In many cases, the range is arbitrarily determined by using a typical value such as the type of the exchange that is widely used or a current value confirmed in a specific area, and the range is stored in the line setting library 6.
[0040]
The comparison / determination unit 7 narrows down which country or region is connected to each other by checking each parameter based on the characteristics of the line such as collected various tone information. As an example, in the case of a dial tone or busy tone signal, narrowing down is performed centering on the frequency (three types of single frequency type, dual tone, and modulation tone) and the period of intermittent sound (On / Off time). In addition, when a ringer signal arrives, the frequency of the ringer signal and the On / Off interval period may be used. Generally, it is not necessary to make detailed settings for the modem DSP unit 3 and the modem DAA unit 4 in order to adapt to each country or region all over the world, but it is necessary to narrow down the region and apply it to other communication applications. If you want to do this, or if you are connected to a dedicated line or extension, as described above, you will hear howling sounds and congestion sounds, as well as country-specific signal sounds (billing information, facsimile communication network activation signals, By narrowing down including the phone number display = terminal activation signal in CallerID, etc., it becomes possible to narrow down the area. The final result is notified to the main control unit 9 through the communication control driver unit 8.
[0041]
In addition to FIG. 3, detailed description of the operation of the comparison determination unit 7 will be continued using FIG. 4.
[0042]
When the various information collected by the comparison judgment unit 7 and the line setting conditions recorded in the line setting library 6 do not completely match, communication control is performed with respect to a communication system setting value that does not match, as a parameter. The driver unit 8 is set in the communication system register unit 5.
[0043]
On the other hand, as described above, it is possible to narrow down the information based on the presence / absence of additional service specific to the built-in soft switch setting information other than the communication system in the data terminal device or the presence of signal sound peculiar to each country. When a data terminal device such as a facsimile is installed in the North American region, it may be a unique sequence such as CallerID when receiving a call. For example, a specific intermittent ringer signal that arrives at the time of the primary response is If there is, the communication control driver unit 8 instructs the communication system register unit 5 on the line setting library information in the North American region. Further, as an example of the North American region setting, various information in the comparison determination unit 7 collected so far has a learning function for newly inputting information to the line setting library 6 through the main control unit 9.
[0044]
Next, with reference to FIG. 4, an example in which the communication system register unit 5 has setting parameters mainly related to DC characteristics, such as loop current, voltage, various impedances, and ringer impedance will be described.
[0045]
Even when the country and region are narrowed down and the line is set by the tonal signal such as dial tone and busy tone as described above, for example, the comparison judgment unit 7 exceeds the loop current value standard (60 mA) in the European region. In such a case, it is considered that the current internal register setting state belongs to an illegal position. Therefore, through the main control unit 9, the communication driver unit 8 attempts to change the parameters related to the current characteristics as described above one by one in the setting of the communication system register unit 5, and performs a self-calibration operation for confirming the actual measurement. To implement.
[0046]
If there is data such as a standard current value in the European region in the past, the data may be stored in the line setting library 6 and additionally used as a determination condition. Also, regarding the transmission level from the modem, if the off-hook instruction is given and the modem signal transmission is performed in advance and is different from the level information registered in the line setting library 6, the AC termination condition of the modem DAA section or It may be determined that the level setting of the modem DSP unit is different, and the same calibration operation may be performed.
[0047]
As a result of the self-calibration, a series of operations ends when the data finally converges to the library data in the corresponding country or the corresponding region on the line setting library 6. In addition to existing information related to the line setting library 6, additional information is stored as domestic and foreign line characteristics, and information on switch conditions in a limited and narrow area can be stored to connect to private lines or dedicated lines. It is possible to minimize the time loss related to the connection error / connection of the modem as much as possible by using the fine adjustment mechanism when performing the operation.
[0048]
As in the case of the communication control driver unit 8 in FIG. 1, the data terminal device generally performs software control for each control element. Therefore, when a driver unit that acts on a component part of the data terminal device, for example, an operation control driver unit is connected to the main control unit 9 and the communication control driver unit 8 instructs European setting, operation control is performed. The driver unit also instructs the European setting. For example, the display font and language of the operation screen can be simultaneously set for Germany, which can improve the maintainability. In particular, small data terminal devices such as notebook personal computers, PDAs, and even ultra-compact portable terminals have a great advantage because they are mostly installed as software modems.
[0049]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, data communication devices such as facsimile machines can be shipped to overseas countries with the current hardware and software, and the operability, reliability, maintainability and productivity are improved. It is possible to provide a data communication device that achieves the above.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a data terminal device according to the present invention.
2 is a block diagram showing a modem DSP unit, a modem DAA unit, and a communication system register unit of the data terminal device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram of a comparison / determination unit of the data terminal device of FIG. 1;
4 is an operation explanatory diagram of a comparison / determination unit of the data terminal device of FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Data storage part 2 Encoding / decoding part 3 Modem DSP part 4 Modem DAA part 5 Communication system register part 6 Line setting library 7 Comparison judgment part 8 Communication control driver part 9 Main control part 31 Tonal setting part 32 Communication mode setting part 33 level setting unit 41 level measurement unit 42 primary side isolation unit 43 impedance conversion unit 44 line closing control unit 45 current limiting circuit 46 ringer extraction unit

Claims (3)

In a data terminal device having a modem device and a network control device,
The network control device is
Line setting condition in advance at least one of voltage value, current value and frequency of dial tone signal, voltage value, current value and frequency of busy tone signal, and ringer signal frequency, and loop current limit value when the line is closed As a means of recording for each country ,
Comparison means for comparing the received line information with the line setting conditions recorded in the recording means;
Data comprising: control means for controlling the line network based on the matched line setting conditions when the received line information matches the line setting conditions recorded in the recording means Terminal device.   When the received line information compared by the comparison unit and the line setting condition recorded in the recording unit do not match, the line network control device sets the line setting condition recorded in the recording unit as the line setting condition. 2. The data terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising a line setting condition correcting means for correcting the line setting condition based on the received line information. 3. The data terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the line setting condition further includes at least one of a billing information signal frequency, a facsimile activation signal frequency, and a terminal activation signal frequency .

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