JPH0431948A - Input/output controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the interfaces of different control functions by means of a single connector which secures the connection between a host device and each input/output device by selecting automatically either one of grant means through a selection means based on the received control type designation state. CONSTITUTION:An I/O side tag signal line 18 is opened when a control method selection switch 24 is opened (OFF) in a control system A selected by an I/O device 15. A buffer circuit 6 is inactivated by the signal connected to a host side tag signal line 11, and the electrical connection is canceled between a control signal group 4 and a host control signal 10. Instead a buffer circuit 5 is activated, and a control signal group 3 led to the signal 10 and connected to the device 15 via a host side connector 13 and an interface cable 14. Under such conditions, the group 3 and a control signal line 23 communicate with each other. In such a constitution, the misconnection is prevented between a host device and the device 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an input/output control device that connects a host and an input/output device to control bidirectional information transfer.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in this type of device, multiple types of input/output devices (
At present, it is not common practice to connect devices (10 devices) via the same physical connector provided on the host.

Therefore, in order to connect multiple types of input/output devices (I/○ devices) A and B to the host, it is necessary to control the terminals of the connector for each input/output device (I10 device) A and B. Signals were assigned to avoid duplication of functions, and it appeared that the Jonin output devices (I10!) A and B were connected to the same physical connector to enable signal processing in a pseudo manner.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional method, it is not possible to assign redundant control signals having completely different functions to each terminal of the connector. There was a problem.

(1) Since one physical connector is divided into multiple types of I10 devices, there are many restrictions on the number of signals that can be secured.

(2) In order to increase the number of signals, it is necessary to use a connector with more terminals.

(3) When the host device is equipped with a connector having the same physical shape, a display indicating the connection relationship with the I10 device is required.

This invention was made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide an input/output control device that can realize interfaces with different control functions using a single connector that connects a host and each input/output device. shall be.

[Means for Solving the Problems 1] The input/output control device according to the present invention includes a plurality of providing means for providing a connector with at least two or more types of control line functions for the input/output device, and a control line function requested from the input/output device to the host. specifying means for specifying at least two or more control types;
It is provided with a transmission means for transmitting the control type designation state by the designation means to the host through a connector connection, and a selection means for automatically selecting each granting means based on the control type designation state transmitted by the transmission means. It is.

[Operation] In the present invention, when at least two or more types of control required from the input/output device to the host are specified by the specifying means, the transmitting means connects the control type specification state by the specifying means to the host via a connector. Based on the transmitted control type designation state, the selection means automatically selects one of the respective granting means, and automatically changes the control type between the input/output device and the host to enable signal transfer processing.

[Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an input/output control device showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a host device, control signal groups 3. Control signal group 4 to connector 13
a buffer circuit 5 for providing a control signal 10 connected to the
It is equipped with 6. Buffer circuits 5 and 6 correspond to providing means according to the present invention, and provide different control line functions to the same control signal 1Q. Reference numeral 7 denotes an inverter circuit, to which a tag signal line 11 on the host side constituting a transmission means is connected. 8.9 is a high impedance control terminal, and depending on the H/L state of the tag signal line 11, one of the buffer circuits 5 and 6 is enabled.

12 is the host side grounding wire, 13 is the host side connection connector, 14 is the interface cable, 15 is the input/output device (■10 devices), 16 is the input/output device side connection connector (■
10 side connection connector), 17 is I10 side control signal, 18
is the I10 side tag signal line, 19 is the I10 side ground line, 20 is the buffer circuit, 21 is the high impedance control terminal,
22 is an I10 selection selection line, 23 is a control signal line, 24 is a control method selection switch constituting an instruction means, and 25 is a pull-up circuit.

In the input/output control device configured as described above, at least two or more types of control required from the input/output device 15 to the host (host device 1) are specified by the specifying means (control method selection switch 24 in this embodiment). Then, the transmission means (consisting of tag signal lines 11.18, etc.) transmits the control type designation state by the control method selection switch 24 to the host device 1 by connecting the connection connector 13.16. The selection means (in this embodiment, high impedance control terminals 8 and 9)
．． (consisting of an inverter circuit 7, etc.) each applying means (
Either one of the buffer circuits 5 and 6) is automatically selected, and the control type between the input/output device 15 and the host device 1 is automatically changed to enable signal transfer processing.

Below, information processing device or host device 1 and ■/○ device 1
The control type changing process in the case where the control type is configured as shown in FIG.

Regarding the connection between the host device 1 and the I10 device 15, the interface cable 14 is connected via the host side connection connector 13 and the I10 side connection connector 16 provided respectively.
connected by.

Now, when the I10 device 15 selects control method B as the control type, the control signal 23 of the I10 device 15 passes through the bidirectional buffer circuit 20, and the I10 side control signal 1
7 and is output to the I10 side connection connector 16. I1
The 0 side connection connector 16 has I1 as another control line.
The 0 side tag signal line 18 and the I10 side ground line 19 are also connected. Here, when the I10 device 15 requests control method B, the control method selection switch 14 must be closed (O
N). When the control method selection switch 24 is closed, the ■/○ side tag signal line 18 goes to the ground level (LO
W) to the I10 side connection connector 16. The I10 side tag signal line 18 is further connected to the interface cable 14.
It reaches the host side tag signal line 11 of the host device 1 via the host side connection connector 13. Host side tag signal line 11
is input to the high impedance control terminal 9 of the buffer circuit 6 and the inverter circuit 7 through internal wiring.

The signal input to the inverter circuit 7 is subjected to logical negation conversion (
Invert) and is connected to the high impedance control terminal 8 of the buffer circuit 5. Specifically, high
The impedance control terminal 8 has rHIGHJ level,
The rLOWJ level is supplied to the high impedance control terminal 9. The high impedance control terminals 8°9 are terminals that control the activation (active) of the buffer circuits 5 and 6, respectively, and the circuits are activated by the rLOWJ input.
It becomes inactive with rHIGHJ input. According to this logic, the buffer circuit 5 is in an inactive state (high impedance state) because the high impedance control terminal 8 is in the rHIGHJ state, and does not affect the control signal group 3 and the host-side control signal 10. Also, the high impedance control terminal 9 of the buffer circuit 6 is rLOW.
Since it is in the J state, the activated control signal group 4 and the host-side control signal 10 communicate with each other, and known signal transmission is performed. The host side control signal 10 is connected to the host side grounding line 12.
At the same time, it reaches the host side connection connector 13 and is connected via the interface cable 14. In this state, control exchange is performed between the control signal group 4 and the control signal line 23. When the I10 device 15 selects control method A, when the control method selection switch 24 is opened (O
FF), the I10 side tag signal line 18 is in an oven state. However, since the signal from the I10 side tag signal line 18 connected to the host side tag signal line 11 via the interface cable 14 is connected to the pull-up circuit 25, the rHIGHJ state is maintained as the signal level. .

The signal further conveys an rHI GHJ state to high impedance control terminal 9 and a "LOW" state to high impedance control terminal 8. As a result, the buffer circuit 6 is deactivated, the control signal group 4 and the host-side control signal 1° are no longer electrically connected, and the buffer circuit 5 is activated instead, and the control signal group 3 is connected to the host-side control signal 1o. As a result, the host side connection connector 13,
It is connected to the I10 device 15 via an interface cable 14. In this state, control signal group 3 and control signal 4123 are in communication state.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control method switching process procedure in the input/output control device according to the present invention. Note that (1) to (5) indicate each step.

First, the control method to be used is specified by the input/output device 15 using a switch or the like (1). It waits for the control method command to be transmitted (2), and when the control method command is transmitted, it decides on the control method (3) and starts information exchange (4). Next, wait for a control method switching request to be input 5)
If YES, the process returns to step (3); if No, the process ends.

In the above embodiment, the case where two types of control methods A and B are achieved using the same interface cable 14 has been described, but if electrical restrictions on connection permit, the path of the buffer circuit belonging to the host device 1 may be can be increased and two or more types of control methods can be selected and set. Furthermore, the number of host-side control signals 10 and the number of signals connected as host-side tag signal lines 11 are not limited to this embodiment, and may be set as appropriate. Furthermore,
In the above embodiment, the control method selection switch 24 is used as means for selecting the control method, but this need not be a physical switch, and may be implemented as another isometry circuit. Further, in the above embodiment, a high impedance control type buffer circuit was used as the buffer circuit, but the same effect can be achieved by configuring it with circuit elements such as open collector connection and wired OR connection.

In addition, each control signal selected by the control method is connected to the input line,
Either an output line or a bidirectional human output line may be defined.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention includes a plurality of providing means for providing a connector with at least two or more types of control line functions for an input/output device, and at least two or more types of control line functions required from the input/output device to a host. a specifying means for specifying a control type, a transmitting means for transmitting a control type designation state by this designating means to a host through a connector connection, and a transmitting means for assigning each control type based on the control type designation state transmitted by the transmitting means. Since a selection means for automatic selection is provided, I10 devices with completely different control signal systems can be interfaced with the same physical connector. Further, any number of I10 devices can be connected in proportion to the number of provision means provided in the host device. Furthermore, it is possible to unify the shape of the physical connector that connects the host device and the I10 device, and it is possible to prevent erroneous connections between the host device and the I10 device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an input/output control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control method switching process procedure in the input/output control device according to the present invention. . In the figure, 1 is a host device, 5, 6.20 is a buffer circuit,
7 is an inverter circuit, 11.18 is a tag signal line, 13.
16 is a connection connector, and 24 is a control method selection switch. Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an input/output control device that transfers information with an input/output device connected to a host via a predetermined interface cable, at least two
a plurality of assigning means for assigning more than one type of control line function to the connector; a designating means for assigning at least two or more types of control required from the input/output device to the host;
A transmission means for transmitting the control type designation state by the designation means to the host through the connector connection, and a selection means for automatically selecting each granting means based on the control type designation state transmitted by the transmission means. An input/output control device characterized by: