JP5962528B2 - Wireless communication device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is configured such that a wireless communication device main body and a controller having an operation unit of the wireless communication device main body are detachable, and the wireless communication device main body and the controller are mutually connected via mutual communication means. The present invention relates to a wireless communication device configured to perform communication.

In some recent wireless communication devices, a wireless communication device main body and a controller having an operation unit of the wireless communication device main body are configured to be detachable. In that case, the wireless communication device main body and the controller are directly connected via a connection connector including a connection cable, and the controller is integrated and used in a state of being attached to the wireless communication device main body, and the controller Can be used in a state where it is used while being detached from the main body of the wireless communication device and separated.
In this case, the controller could only be used away from the wireless communication device main body within the range up to the maximum length of the connection cable.

  As an improvement measure, the controller and the wireless communication device main body can be configured to communicate with each other by providing short-range wireless communication means using some kind of weak radio waves, low-power radio, or infrared (Patent Document 1). (See “Data Transmitter and Receiver”).

JP-A-11-220765

However, in the configuration in which mutual communication is performed by such short-range wireless communication means, there is a problem that the distance in which mutual communication is possible is limited to a short distance, and even in an integrated usage form, the short-range wireless communication means performs mutual communication. Therefore, there is a problem that the communication speed of mutual communication is limited to a low speed and the amount of information that can be transmitted is also limited compared to direct connection via a connection connector.
Therefore, the present invention has been made for the purpose of appropriately performing mutual communication between the controller and the wireless communication device main body by selecting an appropriate communication means in accordance with the situation where the wireless communication device is installed.

Radio communications apparatus of the present invention, together with a controller provided with an operation unit of the wireless communication device main body and the wireless communication apparatus main body is detachably attached, and the wireless communication device main body via the intercommunication means the In a wireless communication device configured to communicate with a controller , the mutual communication unit is a first communication unit capable of directly communicating between the wireless communication device body and the controller via a connector. the a third a communication vehicle which can communicate with each other via a network the second communication means may communicate each other, and with the wireless communication device main body and the controller through wireless communication a wireless communication device main body and the said controller, The wireless communication device body and the controller determine whether or not mutual communication is possible via the first communication means, and if it is determined that the communication is possible, the first communication unit If it is determined that the wireless communication device main body and the controller are capable of mutual communication via the second communication means, it is possible. If it is determined via the second communication means is controlled so as to communicate with each other, when it is judged not to be possible, further comprising a communication control unit that controls to communicate with each other the third communication means and It is characterized by having.

In the wireless communication device of the present invention , the second communication means is configured such that the wireless communication device main body and the controller can communicate with each other by short-range wireless communication means.
Furthermore, in the wireless communication device of the present invention , the third communication means is configured to be able to communicate with each other by connecting the wireless communication device main body and the controller to a LAN via IP.
Further, the wireless communication apparatus of the present invention, the controller is provided with a rechargeable battery for supplying operating power of the controller, mutually communicable with the wireless communication device main body and the controller via the first communication means In this case, charging means for charging the secondary battery by receiving power from the wireless communication device main body is provided.
Furthermore, in the wireless communication device of the present invention , the controller includes a display unit, and the display unit is configured to change display information according to the selected communication unit.

According to the wireless communication device of the present invention,
A wireless communication device main body and a controller having an operation unit of the wireless communication device main body are configured to be detachable, and the wireless communication device main body and the controller communicate with each other via mutual communication means. In the wireless communication device configured as described above, the mutual communication means is
First communication means capable of directly communicating the wireless communication device main body and the controller via a connection connector, second communication means capable of mutual communication between the wireless communication device main body and the controller via wireless communication, or the wireless communication Among the three communication means of the third communication means capable of mutual communication between the communication device main body and the controller via a network, at least any two communication means are provided,
Since there is provided a communication control means for selecting any one of the at least two communication means and causing the wireless communication device main body and the controller to communicate with each other.
Depending on the installation status of the wireless communication device, it becomes possible to select any one of the communication means and perform appropriate mutual communication.

It is a front external view of the state which integrated the radio | wireless communication apparatus concerning Example 1 of this invention. FIG. 3 is a front external view of the controller and the wireless communication device main body in a state in which the controller of the wireless communication device is separated and interconnected by second communication means. It is a front external view of the controller itself of the state which isolate | separated the controller of the said radio | wireless communication apparatus, and was mutually connected by the 3rd communication means. It is a block diagram of the said radio | wireless communication apparatus (connected by the 1st communication means). It is a block diagram of the said radio | wireless communication apparatus (connection by a 2nd communication means). It is a block diagram of the said radio | wireless communication apparatus (connected by the 3rd communication means). It is a flowchart explaining the selection procedure of the three types of communication means in the said radio | wireless communication apparatus.

Embodiments of a wireless communication device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
In FIG.
Reference numeral 1 denotes the wireless communication device, which includes a wireless communication device main body 2 and a controller 3. The controller 3 is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the wireless communication device main body 2, and is configured not to be inadvertently separated by a lock mechanism (not shown) in an integrated mounting state.

In FIG.
The front surface of the wireless communication device main body 2 is configured such that a mounting portion 21 for mounting the controller 3 is depressed. A recess 211 is further formed in a part of the mounting portion 21, and the main body side connector 22 is disposed in the recess 211.
An internal terminal of the main body side connector 22 is electrically connected to a main body side intercommunication unit 23 (described later) provided inside the wireless communication device main body 2.

  The outer shape of the controller 3 has a size and a shape that can be attached to the attachment portion 21, and a controller side connection connector having a structure that can be electrically connected to the main body side connection connector 22 on the back surface of the controller 3. 31, and an internal terminal of the controller side connection connector 31 is electrically connected to a controller side intercommunication unit 32 (described later) provided in the controller 3.

1 and 2,
On both sides of the front surface of the wireless communication device main body 2, a main body side operation unit 24 such as a main dial that can be rotated and an operation button that can be pressed is disposed.
A controller-side operation unit 33 such as a sub-dial that can be rotated and an operation button that can be pressed is disposed on the side of the front surface of the controller 3.

A high-definition display panel 34 having a touch panel function is disposed in the center of the front surface of the controller 3, and in addition to the operating frequency and set setting information in the wireless communication device body 2, the wireless All or part of display information including status information such as waveform display, frequency spectrum distribution display, signal intensity display, etc. of signals being processed in the communication device main body 2 is transferred from the wireless communication device main body 2 to the controller 3. To be displayed on the display panel 34.
Further, operation icons as necessary are displayed on the display panel 34, and operation information assigned to the operation icons is input by touching the displayed operation icons, and the controller 3 outputs the operation information. It is configured to be sent to the wireless communication device main body 2.
In this way, the main body side mutual communication unit 23 and the controller side mutual communication unit 32 are configured to perform bidirectional communication.

  FIG. 3 shows a front external view of the single controller 3 in a state of being completely separated from the wireless communication device main body 2. Since the arrangement of the front surface of the controller 3 is as described above, the explanation will be given. Omitted.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the wireless communication device 1 according to the first embodiment.
In FIG.
Inside the housing of the wireless communication device main body 2, the main body side mutual communication unit 23, the main body side control unit 25, the main body side power supply unit 26, and the wireless communication unit 27 are provided.
The controller 3 includes a controller-side mutual communication unit 32, a controller-side control unit 35, a secondary battery 36 such as a lithium ion battery, and a charging unit 37.

The main body side mutual communication unit 23
A main body side direct communication circuit 231 constituting a part of the first communication means;
A main body side short-range wireless communication circuit 232 constituting a part of the second communication means;
A main body LAN adapter 233 constituting a part of the third communication means;
And a main body side communication control circuit 234 constituting a part of the communication control means.

The controller side intercommunication unit 32 includes:
A controller-side direct communication circuit 321 constituting a part of the first communication means;
A controller-side short-range wireless communication circuit 322 constituting a part of the second communication means;
A controller-side LAN adapter 323 constituting a part of the third communication means;
And a controller-side communication control circuit 324 that constitutes a part of the communication control means.

The mutual communication means described in the claims corresponds to the main body side mutual communication unit 23 and the controller side mutual communication unit 32,
The communication control means described in the claims corresponds to the main body side communication control circuit 234 and the controller side communication control circuit 324,
The first communication means described in the claims corresponds to the main body side direct communication circuit 231, the main body side connection connector 22, the controller side connection connector 31, and the controller side direct communication circuit 321. And
The second communication means described in the claims corresponds to the main body side near field wireless communication circuit 232 and the controller side near field wireless communication circuit 322,
The third communication means described in the claims corresponds to the main body side LAN adapter 233 and the controller side LAN adapter 323.

In FIG. 4, the wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3 are directly connected using the main body side connection connector 22 and the controller side connection connector 31, and are integrated (connected by the first communication means). 1 is a block diagram of the state.
5 and 6 are block diagrams showing a state in which the second communication unit and the third communication unit are connected to each other.
FIG. 5 shows a state in which the wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3 are connected with weak radio waves using the main body-side short-range wireless communication circuit 232 and the controller-side short-range wireless communication circuit 322 (second communication means). FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a state of being connected with (1).
FIG. 6 shows a state in which the wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3 are connected via a network using the main body side LAN adapter 233 and the controller side LAN adapter 323 (a state in which the wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3 are connected by a third communication means ) Is a block diagram.

Next, mutual communication between the wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3 in three connection states will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, as shown in FIG. 1, in a state where the wireless communication device body 2 and the controller 3 are integrated, as shown in FIG. 4, the wireless communication device body 2 and the controller 3 are The main body side connector 22 and the controller side connector 31 are directly connected.
In this state, when the controller side operation unit 33 is operated, the operation information is transmitted to the wireless communication device main body via the controller side direct communication circuit 321 and the controller side connection connector 31 of the controller side mutual communication unit 32. The operation information sent from the controller 3 is input via the main body side connection connector 22 and the main body side direct communication circuit 231, and the main body side mutual communication is performed. Input from the unit 23 to the main body side control unit 25, and the main body side control unit 25 controls each unit based on the input operation information.

Note that operation information input by operating the main body side operation unit 24 is also input to the main body side control unit 25 and processed in the same manner.
Further, since the high-speed communication is possible through the main body side connector 22 and the controller side connector 31 in a directly connected state, a large amount of information can be displayed on the display panel 34 in real time. The controller-side control unit 35 increases the display capability of the display panel 34, and displays status information and the like having a high change frequency such as signal waveform display, frequency spectrum distribution display, and signal intensity display. The item is controlled to be displayed while being updated with high definition and high speed. In this state, the display panel 34 displays that the first communication means is selected.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, in the state where the wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3 are directly connected via the main body side connection connector 22 and the controller side connection connector 31, the wireless communication device Electric power from the main body side power supply unit 26 of the machine main body 2 is supplied to the controller 3 side via the main body side connection connector 22 and the controller side connection connector 31, and the controller 3 supplies the supplied electric power. The secondary battery 36 is supplied to the secondary battery 36 via the charging unit 37 to charge the secondary battery 36.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, when the controller 3 is separated from the wireless communication device main body 2 and the distance between the controller 3 and the wireless communication device main body 2 is a short distance, FIG. As shown, the wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3 are controlled to communicate with each other by weak radio waves via the main body-side short-range wireless communication circuit 232 and the controller-side short-range wireless communication circuit 322. ing.
In this state, when the controller-side operation unit 33 is operated, the operation information is sent to the wireless communication device main body 2 on the weak radio wave from the controller-side short-range wireless communication circuit 322 of the controller-side mutual communication unit 32. In the wireless communication device main body 2, the transmitted weak radio wave is received and demodulated by the main body side short-range wireless communication circuit 232, and is input from the main body side mutual communication unit 23 to the main body side control unit 25. The main body control unit 25 controls each unit based on the input operation information. In this state, the display panel 34 displays that the second communication means is selected.

Note that in the state of being interconnected by short-range wireless communication means such as weak radio waves, the controller-side control unit is configured to perform communication at a lower speed than in the direct connection state via the main body-side connector 22 and the controller-side connector 31. 35 may be controlled so that the amount of information displayed on the display panel 34 is reduced. In order to reduce the amount of information displayed, for example, display items may be reduced, or display accuracy may be reduced.
In order to reduce the number of display items, for example, display items with a low change frequency such as operating frequency and setting information are selected and displayed, and changes such as waveform display, frequency spectrum distribution display, signal intensity display, etc. Display information related to display items having a high frequency is information per unit time sent from the wireless communication device main body 2 to the controller 3 by controlling not to send the display information from the wireless communication device main body 2 to the controller 3. Reduce the amount.
In order to reduce the display accuracy, for example, the frequency of rewriting the display content is lowered, and even for display items with a high change frequency such as frequency spectrum distribution display and signal intensity display, the rewrite frequency is reduced. The amount of information per unit time transmitted from the wireless communication device main body 2 to the controller 3 is reduced by thinning out and displaying with reduced temporal display accuracy.

In order to reduce the display accuracy, for example, a unit sent from the wireless communication device main body 2 to the controller 3 is displayed by changing the number of display items displayed on the display panel 34 to be small. Reduce the amount of information per hour.
In the bidirectional communication between the wireless communication device body 2 and the controller 3, the information sent from the controller 3 to the wireless communication device body 2 is mainly operation information with a small amount of information. However, the operation information sent from the controller 3 to the wireless communication device main body 2 may be reduced by reducing the number of operation items that can be input from the controller 3.

  Thus, when the amount of information displayed on the display panel 34 is appropriately changed according to the level of communication speed in the mutual communication between the wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3, for example, sufficient reliability is obtained. A reference table that can determine the amount of information displayed on the display panel 34 according to the maximum communication speed that can be secured may be created in advance, and the display may be switched to display according to the communication speed. In this case, for example, both or one of the main body side communication control circuit 234 and the controller side communication control circuit 324 may be provided with a function of measuring the communication speed.

In the above state, since the controller 3 is separated from the wireless communication device main body 2, the controller 3 can be operated in a state of being separated from the wireless communication device main body 2. However, it can only be operated at a distance of about the same room due to the limitations of the weak radio waves used.
The main-body-side short-range wireless communication circuit 232 and the controller-side short-range wireless communication circuit 322 use short-range wireless communication techniques such as weak radio waves, low-power wireless (such as Bluetooth (registered trademark)), or specific low-power wireless. The wireless communication circuit used is provided. When there is no directivity restriction, it is possible to use an infrared communication technique.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, in the state where the controller 3 is separated from the wireless communication device body 2 and separated from the wireless communication device body 2 at a distance where mutual communication by weak radio waves is impossible, as shown in FIG. The wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3 are connected to each other via the main body side LAN adapter 233 and the controller side LAN adapter 323, and are connected to each other in an IP connection state via the LAN. It is controlled to communicate. The controller side LAN adapter 323 is conveniently a wireless LAN adapter.
In this state, when the controller side operation unit 33 is operated, the operation information is transmitted to the wireless communication device main body 2 installed at a long distance via the LAN, so that a weak radio wave arrives. It is possible to operate the wireless communication device main body 2 at a distance that cannot be achieved.
In this state, the display panel 34 displays that the third communication means is selected.

Note that in the state of being interconnected via a LAN, mutual communication is possible at a communication speed based on the LAN standard and the communication environment. Therefore, the controller-side control unit 35 is displayed on the display panel 34. The amount of information to be stored is controlled so as to fall within an appropriate amount of information according to the actual communication speed on the LAN through which it passes.
Also in this case, as described above, the amount of information per unit time in mutual communication is controlled by controlling the amount of information displayed on the display panel 34 according to the maximum communication speed at which sufficient reliability can be obtained. Reduce.
As described above, the amount of information displayed on the display panel 34 is changed according to the state in which one of the first communication unit, the second communication unit, or the third communication unit is selected. Corresponds to “the display means changes the display information according to the selected communication means” described in the claims.

  In the above state, since the controller 3 is separated from the wireless communication device main body 2 and connected via the LAN, the controller 3 is fully charged and separated from the wireless communication device main body 2 within the LAN service area. Can be operated with. In addition, the LAN can be connected to a network line such as the Internet, and the wireless communication device main body 2 installed at a long distance can be remotely operated.

Next, a procedure for selecting three types of communication means will be described.
In the wireless communication device 1, as described above, the wireless communication device main body 2 can be operated by the controller 3 using any of three communication means. At that time, the user can select and determine which of the three communication means to use by manual operation, but the control is performed so that the optimum communication means is automatically selected as follows. It is also possible.
As shown in the flowchart of FIG.
First, in step S1, mutual communication by the first communication means is tried.
In step S2, it is checked whether or not mutual communication by the first communication means can be performed with sufficient reliability. If mutual communication is possible with sufficient reliability, the process proceeds to step S3 and proceeds to step S3. The communication by one communication means is continued, and when the controller 3 is separated from the wireless communication device main body 2 and the first communication means is not functioning or the like, communication is not possible, so the process proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, mutual communication by the second communication means is tried. In step S5, it is checked whether or not the mutual communication by the second communication means can be performed with sufficient reliability. If it is obtained, the process proceeds to step S6 to continue the communication by the second communication means, and the distance between the controller 3 and the wireless communication device main body 2 is too far, and the second communication means has sufficient reliability. If is not obtained, the process proceeds to step S7.
In step S7, mutual communication by the third communication means is tried. In step S8, it is checked whether or not the mutual communication by the third communication means can be performed with sufficient reliability. If it is obtained, the process proceeds to step S9 to continue the communication by the third communication means, and if sufficient reliability is not obtained, the process proceeds to step S10.
The checks in steps S5 and S8 employ various criteria such as criteria for determining whether the electric field strength of the radio wave is sufficient and criteria for determining whether the error rate is sufficiently low. be able to.
In step S10, since it is not possible to communicate with sufficient reliability using any communication means, an error display such as a communication error is displayed and the process is stopped.

  In the above flowchart, the reliability is checked in the order of the first communication means, the second communication means, and the third communication means. However, the reliability is not limited to the above order. For example, the first communication means The order of the means, the third communication means, and the second communication means, and the order of the second communication means, the third communication means, and the first communication means may be checked.

Thus, according to the wireless communication device 1, when direct connection by the first communication means is possible, the first communication means that obtains a high communication speed is selected and mutually communicated. If communication is not possible, the second or third communication means can be selected and communicated as the second best communication means, so depending on the installation status of the wireless communication device body 2 and the controller 3 Thus, communication can be performed by selecting appropriate communication means.
The communication means with higher reliability is tried by trying mutual communication by both the second communication means and the third communication means and comparing the reliability (error occurrence rate, etc.) in each mutual communication. May be selected to communicate with each other.

In the case where the wireless communication device 1 does not include the third communication unit but includes the first communication unit and the second communication unit, first, mutual communication by the first communication unit is attempted. If mutual communication is possible with sufficient reliability by the first communication means, mutual communication by the first communication means is continued, and if sufficient reliability is not obtained with the first communication means, the second communication means is performed. If mutual communication is attempted by the communication means and mutual communication is possible with sufficient reliability by the second communication means, mutual communication by the second communication means is continued, and sufficient reliability is obtained by the second communication means. If not, an error display such as a communication error is displayed.
If the second communication means is not provided, and the first communication means and the third communication means are provided, first, mutual communication by the first communication means is attempted, and the first communication means If mutual communication is possible with sufficient reliability, mutual communication by the first communication means is continued. If sufficient reliability is not obtained by the first communication means, mutual communication by the third communication means is tried. If the third communication means can communicate with each other with sufficient reliability, the third communication means continues the mutual communication. If the third communication means does not provide sufficient reliability, a communication error occurs. Error display.

If the first communication means is not provided, and the second communication means and the third communication means are provided, first, mutual communication by the second communication means is attempted, and the second communication means If mutual communication is possible with sufficient reliability, mutual communication by the second communication means is continued. If sufficient reliability is not obtained by the second communication means, mutual communication by the third communication means is tried. If the third communication means can communicate with each other with sufficient reliability, the third communication means continues the mutual communication. If the third communication means does not provide sufficient reliability, a communication error occurs. Error display.
In this case, the trial order is not limited to the above order, and the third communication means may be tried first. In addition, the mutual communication by both the second communication means and the third communication means is tried, and the reliability (error occurrence rate, etc.) in each mutual communication is compared. The communication means may be selected to communicate with each other.

Further, the controller 3 and the secondary battery 36 is provided with the its charging unit 37, when said wireless communication device main body 2 and the controller 3 are connected directly via the first communication means the possible to charge the wireless communication device main body 2 to the secondary battery 36 supplied with electric power becomes possible, the second communication means or the said controller 3 is separated from the wireless communication device main body 2 Sufficient power can be stored in the secondary battery 36 in order to communicate with each other using the third communication means.

1 wireless communication device

2 wireless communication device main body 22 main body side connector, first communication means 23 main body side mutual communication section, mutual communication means 231 main body side direct communication circuit, first communication means 232 main body side short-range wireless communication circuit, second communication means 233 main body LAN adapter, third communication means 234 Main body side communication control circuit, communication control means

3 Controller 31 Controller side connector, 1st communication means 32 Controller side mutual communication part, mutual communication means 321 Controller side direct communication circuit, 1st communication means 322 Controller side near field communication circuit, 2nd communication means 323 Controller side LAN adapter Third communication means 324 Controller side communication control circuit, communication control means

36 Secondary Battery 37 Charging Unit, Charging Unit 34 Display Panel, Display Unit

Claims (5)

With a controller provided with an operation unit of the wireless communication device main body and the wireless communication apparatus main body is configured to be detachable, mutually communicated between the wireless communication device main body via the mutual communication unit and the controller In a wireless communication device configured to perform
The mutual communication means includes first communication means capable of directly communicating the wireless communication device body and the controller via a connection connector, and second communication capable of mutual communication between the wireless communication device body and the controller by wireless communication. means, and a third a communication vehicle which can mutually communicate with the said wireless communication device controller body via a network,
The wireless communication device main body and the controller determine whether or not mutual communication is possible via the first communication means, and when it is determined that the communication is possible, control is performed such that the first communication means performs mutual communication. If it is determined that it is not possible, it is determined whether the wireless communication device main body and the controller can communicate with each other via the second communication means. wireless communication, characterized by further comprising a communication control unit that controls to communicate with each other and the third communication means when controlled to communicate with each other via a communication means, is judged not to be possible Machine. The second communication means, said wireless communication device main body and the controller and is 1 Symbol placement of radio communication apparatus according to claim, characterized in that it is configured so as to communicate with each other by short-distance wireless communication means. The third communication means, the wireless communication apparatus main body with claim 1 or 2 radio communication apparatus according possible, characterized in that is configured to be able to communicate with each other by IP connection between the controller LAN. Wherein the controller is provided with a rechargeable battery for supplying operating power of the controller, if possible mutual communication with the wireless communication device main body and the controller via the first communication means, said wireless communication device main body supplied with electric power from a wireless communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a charging means for charging said rechargeable battery. Wherein the controller comprises a display unit, a radio according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the display unit is characterized in that it is configured to change the display information in accordance with the communication means selected Communication machine.

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