JPH01129538A - Synchronous communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the power saving by constituting the title equipment so that a clock is counted by a period which is synchronized with a timing of a transmitting side, a receiving power source is turned on when its count value coinsides with a value set in advance, and the transmitting side and a receiving side execute communication by determining a time window to each other. CONSTITUTION:The title equipment consists of an antenna 1 and a receiving part 2, a synchronous control part 3, a power source part 4 and a main circuit 5. A decoder 24 of the receiving part 2 analyzes a demodulated signal and executes a detection, etc., of a time adjusting signal for taking a synchronization with a transmitting side, namely, an adjusting pulse. The synchronous control part 3 consists of a time counting means 31 consisting of a clock generating part 31a and a counter 31b for counting periodically its clock by a prescribed number, a time adjusting part 32 for starting synchronously the clock generating part 31a by the adjusting pulse and also clearing the counter 31b, a detecting part 33 for detecting a face that the count value of the counter 31b coincides with a set value, and a power source supply switch 34 controlled to ON by its coincidence detection output, etc. While the count value coincides with the set value, a receiving power source is turned on so that a signal of a transmitting side can be received.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention "Industrial Application Field" The present invention is used for, for example, calling devices such as pagers and pagers, information cards, transceivers, etc., and these receiving devices or transmitting/receiving devices are The present invention relates to a synchronous communication device that enables communication using electric power.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention provides a synchronous communication device used in a receiving device, etc., which uses a timer whose time is synchronized with the transmitting side by the time adjusting means to clock a clock at a period synchronized with the timing of the transmitting side. When the count value matches the preset value, the receiving power is turned on to enable reception of the transmitter's signal, and the transmitter and receiver communicate with each other by determining a time window. This makes it possible to transmit and receive signals with a small duty cycle, thereby saving power.

[Prior art] Conventionally, when a transceiver is always used in a reception ready state (standby), 5ON is used as a means to save power.
Some are known, such as the ICE707 made by Y, which turns on only the minimum necessary front end, and others which turn on the power intermittently.

Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 59-1184-97,
Communication in which only the wireless receiving means is placed on standby, and the wireless outputting means is turned on only based on specific control information received from the transmitting side to output setting information, in order to save power on the storage power source using solar cells. An information card with functions has been proposed.

Furthermore, although pagers and pagers (calling devices) are called less frequently,
Since you do not know when it will be called, it is necessary to keep it on standby at all times, but in order to save power, a method is used in which only the front end is kept on standby.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the receiving devices or transmitting/receiving devices such as transceiver-9 information cards and pagers in the prior art described in section 2, further power saving has become a problem.

Considering portability, it is expected that devices such as pagers and pagers will eventually become small and thin card-shaped, but in this case, batteries and power storage means will also become smaller, which will lead to even greater power savings. becomes the point. However, even when only the front end is on standby, a small battery is severely consumed, and when the power is turned on intermittently, it is not known when transmission will occur, so the duty cannot be set arbitrarily small. For this reason, for example, when a 20 mAh paper lithium battery is used in a card-shaped pager, even if intermittent standby is performed by the duty I/I O, the battery life is only one battery life. This battery power is often used for alarm buzzers, etc., and more efficient standby is desired to enable simple transmission (response).

The present invention was created in order to solve the above problems, and is designed to cope with the miniaturization and thinning of pagers and other calling devices, and to extend the life of the batteries used in them. The purpose of this invention is to provide a synchronous communication device that makes it possible.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The configuration of the synchronous communication device of the present invention for achieving the above object includes: a timekeeping means that generates a clock at predetermined intervals and periodically counts the clock; It has a time adjustment means that receives a time adjustment signal intermittently and adjusts the time of the period, and a detection means that detects a match between the count value of the time measurement means and a preset value, and the detection means of the detection means It is characterized by turning on the receiving power supply for receiving and analyzing the signal from the transmitting side by the output.

[Function] The present invention synchronizes the clock of the timer and the count period of the clock with the transmitting side by the time adjustment means,
While the count value matches the set value, the receiving power is turned on to enable reception of the transmitting side signal. Utilizing this, by providing a time window in which the receiving side and the sending side communicate in synchronization with each other, =4- it is possible to reliably communicate within the predetermined time of that time window,
By setting the count period of the clock to be arbitrary and setting the time window to the minimum time necessary for reception, it is possible to reduce the duty cycle of turning on the power for reception.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment shows a case where the present invention is applied to an information card having a calling function. In this embodiment, an antenna I and a receiving section 2. Synchronous control section 3. Power supply section 4. The main circuit 5 includes a notification buzzer 5I and a memory 521.
It is composed of a display section 53 and the like.

The receiving section 2 includes a front end section 21 and an intermediate frequency amplification circuit 22. Detection circuit 23. It consists of a decoder 24, etc., and transmits the transmitting side signal received by the antenna 1 to the front end section 2.
After high frequency amplification and conversion to an intermediate frequency in step 1, the signal is amplified in an intermediate frequency amplification circuit 22, detected in a detection circuit 23, and outputted to a decoder 24.

The decoder 24 analyzes the demodulated signal, detects a time adjustment signal, that is, an adjustment pulse for synchronizing with the transmitting side, and identifies a call code or business code. Recognition codes for these detections and identifications are manually set in advance or incorporated at the manufacturing stage. Further, when the decoder 24 identifies its own call code, it sounds the notification buzzer 51, and when it identifies the business code, it stores the following information in the memory 52 and displays the information on the display section 53 such as a liquid crystal display.

The synchronization control unit 3 includes a clock generation unit 31a and a counter 31b that periodically counts the clock a predetermined number of times, and a time adjustment unit that starts the clock generation unit 31a in synchronization with an adjustment pulse and clears the counter 31b. section 32 and counter 31b
The detection unit 33 includes a detection unit 33 that detects whether the count value matches a set value, and a power supply switch 34 that is turned on based on the coincidence detection output. The setting value of the detection unit 33 may be set manually or may be incorporated at the manufacturing stage. The power supply switch 34 is interposed between the power supply section 4 and the reception section 2. Although power is not shown in the drawings, the main circuit 5 may be supplied with power for a required period of time based on the code identification result of the decoder 24 by timer control or the like. The synchronization control unit 3 is configured to save power by using 0MO3 or the like, and is constantly supplied with power from the power supply unit 4. Is the power supply switch 34 turned on during the pull-in operation for receiving adjustment pulses from the time setting unit 32? This is controlled.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system using the information card of FIG. 1. The transmitter 6 on the transmitting side has a keypad 1612 display section 62 . Equipped with a whip antenna 63 and a flash transmission circuit, for example, 0 to 1000 or 1000
It is possible to set a directory by call number or name up to about 0, and among them, the keyboard 6I
After coding the information identified from the above, it is transmitted in a time window with a timing uniquely set for each call number, etc., based on the adjustment pulse. The information card 7 is formed to have a thickness of, for example, about 1 to 3 mm, and the above-mentioned antenna l, receiving section 2. Synchronous control section 3. Power supply section 4. A main circuit 5 and the like is housed therein, and receives an adjustment pulse through a pull-in operation, synchronizes a receivable time window for transmitting signal analysis with a transmitter 6, and receives a call number and the like.

The operation of the embodiment with the above configuration will be described. FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the embodiment.

Each time window is set to a constant time width based on the adjustment pulse ADJ. For example, if the period of the adjustment pulse ADJ is set to 10 seconds, it is divided into 1000 equal parts and 10 m
If 5 is taken as one time window and 10 call numbers are assigned to it, calls up to 9999 will be possible.

The adjustment pulse ADJ is assigned to call number 0 in the time window of call numbers 1 to 9.

In each information card 7, the power supply switch 34 is controlled to be turned on even in the time window in which the adjustment pulse ADJ is sent out by the time adjustment section 32, and the adjustment pulse ADJ is received, and the time is constantly adjusted. When ADJ loses sight of the adjustment pulse in the initial stage or in the above, the time adjustment section 32 performs a pull-in operation. The pull-in operation is completed by continuously turning on the power supply switch 34 until the adjustment pulse ADJ is received, and after receiving it, the time is adjusted manually and the normal operation is resumed. The above time adjustment can be done by generating a clock using a crystal oscillator with an accuracy of about 1o-8.
It is sufficient to perform the pull-in operation once every 1,000 seconds, and in that case, a timer or the like may be used to start the pull-in operation at a frequency of about once every 1,000 seconds.

For communication in one time window, the detection unit 33 detects the count value of the counter 31b when the time window (20 to 29) to which each information card 7 is assigned its own calling number (for example, 28) has arrived. Detected from the receiving section 2
Supply power to the device and put it into reception mode. In one time window, following the start signal SIG, one of the assigned ringing signals is transmitted, followed by any display information. The information card 7 has its own calling signal (2
8), the main circuit 5 is operated to store the following information in the memory 52, and the display section 53
display etc.

As shown in ``2'' above, the sending side and the receiving side can have a time window that is synchronized with each other, and it is only necessary to enable reception during that time, so in principle, the period of the time window can be set arbitrarily. Furthermore, the time width of the time window can also be minimized. Therefore, it is possible to minimize the transmission and reception duty, and power can be reduced in proportion. Of course, the synchronization control section 3 must be constantly supplied with power, but since it can be configured with a logic circuit such as 0MO3, the power consumption can be extremely small. For example, even when a paper lithium battery is used in the power supply section, a lifespan of 3 to 5 years can be obtained.

Note that sorting the information cards into groups of IO pieces as in the above embodiment is efficient when the number of calls or the frequency of calls is large, such as with a pager.
If the system is for up to 00 people, it can be configured with one time window in which only the D (recognition) code is sent following the adjustment pulse part. In this case, the counter and detection means of the timekeeping means are simple and inexpensive.

It is also possible to divide the period of the adjustment pulse into two and provide each with the same time window, using the first half for calling and the second half for business communications.

In business communication, it may be possible to receive information from the information card side according to command content or purpose according to the required time window, which can improve efficiency. In that case, an input key is provided to manually set the time window. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide the latter half with a function of transmitting from the information card side. In this case, it is preferable to avoid multiplexing and allocate one transmission/reception channel to one time window so as not to complicate both the transmission and reception sides.

It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other receiving devices and transmitting/receiving devices such as transceivers, and can also be applied to communication from an information card to another information card within a certain range. As described above, the present invention can be applied in various ways and can take various embodiments in accordance with its gist.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the following explanation, the synchronous communication device of the present invention can save power, and is useful for calling devices such as pagers and pagers, and transceivers. It becomes possible to make it smaller and thinner and turn it into a card.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a communication system using this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the embodiment. 2... Receiving section, 4... Power supply section, 31... Time measuring means, 32... Time setting section, 33... Detecting section (detecting means), 34... Power supply switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A clock means that generates a clock at a predetermined interval and periodically counts the clock; a time adjustment means that intermittently receives a time adjustment signal from a transmitting side and performs time adjustment of the period; It has a detection means for detecting a match between the count value of the timekeeping means and a preset value, and the receiving power is turned on for receiving and analyzing the signal from the transmitting side based on the detection output of the detection means. synchronous communication device.