JP5522593B2 - Connected device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a connection device that connects electrical devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a connection device having a function of preventing erroneous connection of cables so that erroneous connection of cables can be prevented when a plurality of electrical devices are connected by cables.

  There is provided a computer system in which a plurality of host computers, a plurality of external storage devices, communication devices, peripheral devices and the like are connected via a network or a network switch. These devices (units) are connected by a plurality of cables. However, if the devices are separated from each other, confirmation of the connection source and connection destination of the cables becomes troublesome. In addition, several to several tens of cables may be bound together, and it may be difficult to check the connection route by searching.

  In order to facilitate the cable connection between such devices, for example, in the inventions described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2003-28909 and 2007-178174, light emitters are provided at both ends of the connection cable, respectively. The connection cable can be easily recognized at both ends.

JP 2003-28909 A JP 2007-178174 A

  However, in the configuration of the invention described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, since a light emitter (for example, LED) is provided in the connector portion, it becomes bright and the connector portion of the cable is easy to see, but an error in the connection destination itself is prevented. I can't do it. For example, when there are a plurality of devices of the same type such as a disk array, there is a possibility that the connection destination (unit or node) of the cable itself is wrong.

  Further, when the cable is provided with a light emitter, a signal line for driving the light emitter is required in addition to the signal line for transmitting data, so the number of signal lines in the cable increases. Also, specially manufactured cables are required. This increases the cost of the cable. The invention described in the above-mentioned patent documents cannot cope with such a case.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a connection device that enables a node or a unit to which a cable is connected to be identified on the cable side, and prevents erroneous connection of the cable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connection device that can prevent erroneous connection of cables at low cost.

The connection device according to the present invention is a connection device that electrically connects the first and second nodes, and includes a plurality of signal transmission paths that are connected between the first and second nodes and transmit data signals. A first display control unit that supplies a first drive signal to the signal transmission path provided in the first node and associated with a node number assigned in advance to the first node. A second display control unit for supplying a second drive signal to the signal transmission path provided in the second node and associated with a node number assigned in advance to the second node; and the cable And a connection node display unit that displays each node number of the first and second nodes based on the first and second drive signals.
The first device of the reference example is a connection device that connects at least two nodes, and is provided at each end of the cable and a cable that forms a plurality of signal transmission paths between the two nodes. Two connection node display units for displaying a connection destination node of the cable, and the signal transmission path includes a pair of signal lines and a ground line, and one of the connection node display units includes one of the signal lines and the above-described signal line. A display element connected to the ground line is included, and the other of the connection node display units includes a display element connected between the other of the signal lines and the ground line.

  With this configuration, it is possible to obtain a connection cable or a connection device that can display node information such as the number of a node (unit) to be connected to at the end of the cable. Thereby, the operator can confirm the connection source node and the connection destination node at the end of the cable at the same time, and can avoid erroneous connection of the cable.

  Here, a node is an element constituting a network, and includes various units connected by cables such as a computer, a hub, a storage device, and a router in a communication network and a computer system.

  In the case of incorrect connection, the display element of the node to be connected is not lit. In the case of incorrect connection, the display element of the number of the erroneously connected node is turned on. Thereby, it is possible to visually check whether the cable connection is correct or not, and it is possible to reduce labor for checking the cable connection.

  According to the present invention, when a cable is connected to a node, a node connected to a connection node display unit provided at one or both ends of the cable is displayed or a display corresponding to the connection node is made. Since the operator can visually recognize the connection source and the connection destination node (unit) on one end side of the cable, it is easy to avoid erroneous connection of the cable. Further, since the display element is arranged between the signal line for transmitting the differential signal and the ground line, there is no need to increase the number of signal lines for driving the display element, which is convenient.

It is explanatory drawing explaining the example of the connection cable used for the connection apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of the connection apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation example of the switch which drives the display element provided in the LED mounting part.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, a display unit is provided at each end of a cable connecting between nodes. When the connector of the cable is connected to one of the nodes, a signal representing the node is displayed on the two display units by a signal from this node. When the other connector of the cable is connected to the other node, a signal indicating the other node is further displayed on the two display portions by a signal from the other node. As a result, two nodes connected at either end of the cable can be known at the same time, and it is possible to immediately determine whether the cable is connected correctly.

  The cable includes, for example, a plurality of sets (multiple lanes) of two signal lines for transmitting a differential signal, a ground line, and two display elements as one set (one lane). The display elements are respectively disposed at both ends of one lane. A display drive circuit is provided at a node to which the cable is connected, and each node is assigned in advance which lane display element is to be driven. When the cable is connected to the node, a signal for driving the display element of the corresponding lane is supplied from the drive circuit. When the display elements are turned on at both ends of the cable, the number of the node actually connected to the cable is known. Further, it is convenient to use the two signal lines and the ground line for driving the display element because it is not necessary to add a signal wiring for driving the display element.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a connection cable portion in the connection device of the present invention. In the figure, reference numerals 1 and 1 are provided at both ends of the cable 3 to connect signal lines inside the cable and an electric circuit of a predetermined node, and 21 and 22 are between the connector parts 1 and 1 and the cable 3. Are LED mounting portions (corresponding to connection node display portions) provided respectively. The LED mounting portion 21 provided on the left end side of the cable 3 includes LEDs (light emitting diodes) 41 to 44 that are light emitting elements, and one of them emits light corresponding to the selection of a lane by one node described later. Further, the LED mounting portion 22 provided on the right end side of the cable 3 includes LEDs 45 to 48 as light emitting elements, and emits light corresponding to the lane selection by the other node.

  Although not particularly shown, the length of the cable 3 is set or selected as appropriate in accordance with the distance between the electric circuits arranged apart from each other. Further, in this embodiment, four sets (4 lanes) of signal lines are provided in the cable 3, and four LEDs are provided correspondingly to the LED mounting portions 21 and 22, respectively. However, the number of signal lines and the number of LEDs in the cable can be arbitrarily selected. For example, in the case of a 10-lane connection cable, 10 LEDs are arranged on each of the LED mounting portions 21 and 22.

FIG. 2 shows a circuit configuration of a connection device including the connection cable corresponding to the four lanes described above. In the figure, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.
In FIG. 2, 61 to 68 are switches, vt0 to vt3 are DC power supplies on the electric circuit 51 side, and vr0 to vr3 are DC power supplies on the electric circuit 52 side. These correspond to the display control unit. The switches 61 to 64 set a node number (information for identifying a node) on the electric circuit 51 side. The switches 65 to 68 set node numbers on the electric circuit 52 side. The switches 61 to 64 and the switches 65 to 68 can be configured by dip switches, for example.

  The connection cable connects between the connection destination and the connection source electrical circuits 51 and 52. The electric circuits 51 and 52 correspond to, for example, an interface unit such as a signal processing device or a storage device. Each of the electric circuits 51 and 52 is provided with an LED control circuit (display control unit) for driving and controlling the LED provided on the cable 3.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cable 3 connects between the electric circuits 51 and 52. The output part of the electric circuit 51 is constituted by a differential amplifier (differential circuit). The input part of the electric circuit 52 is constituted by a differential amplifier (differential circuit). The cable 3 includes a plurality of unit signal transmission paths, and is configured by four lanes of lanes 0 to 3 in the illustrated example.

  Each lane (unit signal transmission line) includes a differential transmission line (balanced transmission line) for transmitting a differential signal (for example, a data signal) by connecting the electric circuits 51 and 52, and this differential transmission line. It consists of a grounding wire to shield. The differential transmission path includes a first data signal line for transmitting the positive output of the electric circuit 51 to the positive input of the electric circuit 52, and a first data signal line for transmitting the negative output of the electric circuit 51 to the negative input of the electric circuit 52. The data signal line is composed of a pair of data signal lines.

  The LEDs 41 to 44 and 45 to 48 mounted on the LED mounting portions 21 and 22 are provided on both ends of the cable of each lane. The LEDs 41 to 44 on the left end side have an anode connected to a data signal line that transmits a negative output of the differential circuit, and a cathode connected to a ground line. In the LEDs 45 to 48 on the right end side, the anode is connected to the data signal line for transmitting the positive side output of the differential circuit, and the cathode is connected to the ground line.

  As a specific example, in Lane 0 of FIG. 2, the anode of the LED 41 is connected to the negative output data signal line of Lane 0 and the cathode is connected to the ground line. The anode of the LED 45 on the opposite side across the cable 3 is connected to the data signal line of the positive output of lane 0, and the cathode is connected to the ground line.

  Each lane on the output side of the electric circuit 51 is provided with an LED control circuit. For example, the LED control circuit in lane 0 includes a DC voltage source vt0, a switch 61 having one end connected to the DC voltage source vt0, and a first pull connected between the other end of the switch 61 and the first data line. An up resistor, a second pull-up resistor connected between the other end of the switch 61 and the second data line, and is inserted in series between the positive output of the differential amplifier and the first data signal line. And a second capacitor inserted in series between the negative output of the differential amplifier and the second data signal line.

  Here, the DC voltage source vt0, the switch 61, and the first and second pull-up resistors correspond to a display control unit. The first and second capacitors send the differential output of the differential amplifier of the electric circuit 51 to the first and second data signal lines and prevent the DC voltage vt0 from flowing into the differential amplifier. The first and second capacitors correspond to a signal selection circuit. The lanes (1 to 3) on the output side of the electric circuit 51 are similarly configured.

  An LED control circuit is also provided in each lane on the input side of the electric circuit 52 on the opposite side of the cable 3. For example, the LED control circuit in lane 0 includes a DC voltage source vr0, a switch 65 having one end connected to the DC voltage source vr0, and a third pull connected between the other end of the switch 65 and the first data line. The differential resistor of the electric circuit 52 is used as an up resistor, a fourth pull-up resistor connected between the other end of the switch 65 and the second data line, and a differential output from the first and second data signal lines. And the third and fourth capacitors that prevent the DC voltage vt0 from flowing into the differential amplifier. The DC voltage source vr0, the switch 65, and the first and second pull-up resistors correspond to a display control unit. The third and fourth capacitors correspond to a signal selection circuit. The lanes (1 to 3) on the input side of the electric circuit 52 are similarly configured.

  FIG. 3 illustrates operations of the switches 61 to 64 provided on the electric circuit 51 side and the switches 65 to 68 provided on the electric circuit 52. The switch numbers SW0 to SW3 in the figure correspond to the switches 61 to 64 and 65 to 68, respectively. As shown in the figure, only one of the switches 61 to 64 is set to be turned on (selective operation) corresponding to the node number (0 to 3) assigned to each electric circuit. The switches 65 to 68 are also set so that only one of them is turned on (selective operation) corresponding to the node numbers (0 to 3) assigned to other electric circuits.

Next, the overall operation of the connection device will be described with reference to FIG.
First, when all the switches 61 to 68 in the electric circuits 51 and 52 are closed (ON state), a driving voltage (driving signal) is supplied from the DC voltage sources vt0 to vt3 and vr0 to vr3 of each LED control circuit. Thereby, the potentials of the first data signal line (positive differential line) and the second data signal line (negative differential line) of each lane are pulled up to a predetermined potential by the pull-up resistor. Thereby, a current flows in the forward direction through the LEDs 41 to 49 of the cables connected to the electric circuits 51 and 52, and the LEDs 41 to 49 are lit.

  Conversely, when all of the switches 61 to 68 are opened (OFF state), the supply of the drive voltage from the DC voltage sources vt0 to vt3 and vr0 to vr3 of the LED control circuit is cut off. Thereby, since neither the first data signal line (positive differential line) nor the second data signal line (negative differential line) of each lane is pulled up, forward current flows in the LEDs 41 to 49. First, the LEDs 41 to 49 are turned off.

  Next, as a connection example when the switches 61 to 64 and 65 to 68 perform an exclusive operation, the electric circuit 51 to which the node 0 is assigned and the electric circuit 52 to which the node 2 is assigned are connected by a cable. explain.

  The connector part 1 of the cable is connected to the electric circuit 51 side. As shown in FIG. 3, in the electric circuit 51 to which the node 0 is assigned, only SW0 (switch 61) is ON. Thereby, when the connector part 1 of the cable is connected to the electric circuit 51, in the LED mounting part 21, only the LED 41 in the lane 0 is turned on and the LEDs 42 to 44 remain turned off.

  Even in the LED mounting portion 22 on the opposite side (right side) of the cable 3, only the LED 45 in the lane 0 is turned on and the LEDs 46 to 48 are still turned off. Thereby, since only the LED of lane 0 is lit from either side of the cable, it can be seen that the cable is connected to the electric circuit of node 0.

  Next, the connector part 1 on the opposite side of the cable is connected to the electric circuit 52 to which the node 2 is assigned. As shown in FIG. 3, since only SW2 is ON (switch 67 of the electric circuit 52 is ON) in the node 2, the LED mounting portions 21 and 22 have the LEDs 41 and 45 in the lane 0 connected immediately before, The LEDs 43 and 47 in lane 2 are lit. LEDs 42, 44, 46 and 48 remain off. This indicates that the electrical circuit 51 at node 0 and the electrical circuit 52 at node 2 are correctly connected from either side of the cable.

  Next, when the electric circuit 51 of the node 0 and the electric circuit 52 of the node 2 are to be connected by a cable, the cable is not connected to the electric circuit 52 of the node 2 but to another electric circuit 52 to which the node 1 is mistakenly assigned. Consider the case of connection.

  In the electric circuit 52 of the node 1, only SW1 (corresponding to the switch 66) is ON according to FIG. For this reason, the LEDs 41 and 45 in the lane 0 and the LEDs 42 and 46 in the lane 1 are lit, and the LEDs 43, 44, 47, and 48 remain off. Since LEDs 41 and 45 are lit, it can be seen that the cable is connected to the electrical circuit of node 0. Further, since the LEDs 42 and 46 are lit, it can be recognized from either side of the cable that the cable is connected to the electric circuit of the node 1. As a result, it is understood that the cable is misconnected, and if there is an operator near the electrical circuit (unit) of node 1, it is not necessary to trace the cable to find out which is the wrong one, and the node 1 electrical circuit is immediately connected to the node on the spot. The connection of the cable to the electric circuit of 2 can be corrected.

  In addition, in the said Example, although the LED mounting parts 21 and 22 were provided in the both ends of the cable, even if it provides an LED mounting part only in either one end, the node to which the cable was connected can be confirmed. Thereby, it is possible to prevent erroneous connection at a lower cost.

  As described above, according to the embodiment, by using a connection cable including a signal transmission line, a ground line, and a display element, it is possible to display a node to which the cable is connected at the end of the cable. It becomes possible to avoid erroneous connection. In addition, it is not necessary to separately add a signal line for driving the display element by using the differential signal transmission line, the ground line, and the display element, which is good.

  A part or all of the above-described embodiment can be described as in the following supplementary notes, but is not limited thereto.

(Appendix 1) A connection device for connecting at least two nodes, a cable forming a plurality of signal transmission paths between the two nodes, and connection of the cables provided at both ends of the cable, respectively Two connection node display units for displaying a destination node, wherein the signal transmission path includes a pair of signal lines and a ground line, and one of the connection node display units includes one of the signal lines and the ground line. And a display device connected between the other of the signal lines and the ground line. The connection device includes a display element connected between the signal line and the ground line.

(Supplementary Note 2) A connection device for connecting at least two nodes, a cable forming a plurality of signal transmission paths between the two nodes, and connection of the cables provided at both ends of the cable, respectively Two connection node display units for displaying the previous node, and a display control unit that is provided in each node and supplies a drive signal representing the node to the connection node display unit, wherein the signal transmission path is a pair of signals One of the connection node display units includes a display element connected between one of the signal lines and the ground line, and the other of the connection node display units is the other of the signal lines. A display element connected between the signal line and the ground line, wherein the display control unit includes a pair of signal lines of the signal transmission line corresponding to the identification information previously assigned to the node among the plurality of signal transmission lines. The above Supplying a signal, the connection device.

(Additional remark 3) The said display control part contains the switch by which ON / OFF is set according to the identification information of the said node, The signal transmission path to which the said drive signal is supplied is set by this switch, Additional remark 2 Connected device.

(Supplementary note 4) The connection device according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 3, wherein the display element is an LED.

(Appendix 5) A connection device for connecting at least two nodes, a cable forming a plurality of signal transmission paths between the two nodes, and a connection destination of the cable provided at one end of the cable A connection node display unit for displaying a node, wherein the signal transmission path includes a pair of signal lines and a ground line, and the connection node display unit is connected between one of the signal lines and the ground line. A connection device including a display element.

(Appendix 6) A connection device for connecting at least two nodes, a cable forming a plurality of signal transmission paths between the two nodes, and a connection destination of the cable provided at one end of the cable And a display control unit that is provided in each node and supplies a drive signal representing the node to the connection node display unit, and the signal transmission path includes a pair of signal lines and a ground The connection node display unit includes a display element connected between one of the signal lines and the ground line, and the display control unit is assigned to the node in advance among the plurality of signal transmission paths. A connection device that supplies the drive signal to one signal line of a signal transmission line corresponding to the identification information.

(Additional remark 7) The said display control part contains the switch by which ON / OFF is set corresponding to the identification information of the said node, The signal transmission path to which the said drive signal is supplied by this switch is set, Additional remark 6 Connected device.

(Supplementary note 8) The connection device according to any one of supplementary notes 5 to 7, wherein the display element is an LED.

1 connector part, 3 cable, 21, 22 LED mounting part, 41-48 LED, 61-68 switch, Vt0-Vt3, Vr0-Vr3 DC voltage source

Claims (5)

A connection device for electrically connecting the first and second nodes,
A cable including a plurality of signal transmission paths connected between the first and second nodes for transmitting data signals ;
A first display control unit for supplying a first drive signal to the signal transmission path provided in the first node and associated with a node number assigned in advance to the first node ;
A second display control unit configured to supply a second drive signal to the signal transmission path provided in the second node and associated with a node number assigned in advance to the second node ;
A connection node display unit for displaying each node numbers of the first and second nodes based provided on the cable in the first and second drive signals,
A connection device comprising: 2. The connection device according to claim 1, wherein each display control unit includes a plurality of switches that are set to ON / OFF corresponding to the node number, and a signal transmission path that supplies the drive signal is selected by the plurality of switches. . The connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connection node display unit is provided at one end and the other end of the cable . The signal transmission path includes a pair of signal lines and a ground line,
The first and second display control units supply the drive signal to the pair of signal lines,
The connection node display unit provided at one end of the cable includes a display element connected between one of the pair of signal lines and the ground line,
The connection device according to claim 3, wherein the connection node display unit provided at the other end of the cable includes a display element connected between the other of the pair of signal lines and the ground line .   The connection device according to claim 4, wherein the display element is an LED.

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