JPH04340153A - Method for controlling channel switching and multi-connection adaptor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the automatic switching of channels and to improve work efficiency and reliability by monitoring plural call request signals at a fixed period. CONSTITUTION:In respect to channel switching control in a multi-connection adaptor 2 capable of connecting plural communication adaptors(ADs) for portable compact terminal equipments and acting as a repeating communication equipment at time of executing communication between the ADs and a master machine, call request signals ER from respective ADs are monitored at the fixed period in the connected state of plural ADs to the adaptor 2 and a channel from the AD from which the ER is received at first is selected by switching to execute communication with the switched channel. Namely an ER signal monitoring circuit 11 in the adaptor 2 monitors ERs from the ADs at the fixed period, and at the time of detecting an ER, switches a selector 12 so that a master side DV/RV 7 corresponds any one of adaptors #1 DV/RV to xsiN DV/RV formed correspondingly to respective ADs at the rate of 1 to 1 and executes communication with the AD generating the ER signal. After completing the communication, the circuit 11 monitors ER signals again and executes similar operation.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a channel switching control method and a multi-connection adapter, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a channel switching control method and a multi-connection adapter. The present invention relates to a channel switching control method for a multi-connection adapter that serves as a relay communication device when communicating between a master device and a base device, and a multi-connection adapter that performs channel switching using the method.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a connection form of a conventional multi-connection adapter, and FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional multi-connection adapter.

In the figure, 1 is a base unit, 2 is a multi-connection adapter, 3 is an HHT (handheld terminal) optical adapter (#1 to #8), 4 is a connector on the base unit side, 5-1 to 5-
8 is the connector on the optical adapter side, 6-1 to 6-8 are the DV/RV (driver/receiver) for connector #1 to DV/RV for connector #8, and 7 is the DV/RV (driver/receiver) on the main device side.
8 is a channel switching unit, and 9 is a switching switch.

[0004] Conventionally, a handheld terminal (hereinafter simply abbreviated as HHT) has been known as a small portable terminal device. FIG. 6 shows a connection form of such a multi-connection adapter for HHT.

[0005] The multi-connection adapter 2 is an RC23
In addition to connecting to the base unit 1 via a 2C (interface) cable, the HHT optical adapter (communication adapter) 3
A plurality of devices can be connected, and the device functions as a relay communication device.

That is, the multi-connection adapter 2 connects H to one channel of the RS232C interface of the main unit 1.
Up to eight HT optical adapters (#1 to #8) can be connected.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic configuration of the multi-connection adapter 2. As shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the multi-connection adapter 2 includes a connector 4 on the base unit side, connectors 5-1 to 5-8 on the optical adapter side, and a DV/RV (driver/receiver) 6-1 to optical adapter for optical adapter #1. DV/RV for adapter #8
6-8, Main unit side DV/RV (driver/receiver) 7,
A channel switching section 8 and the like are provided.

The connector 4 on the base unit side is for connecting the RC232C cable which is the interface on the base unit 1 side, and the connectors 5-1 to 5-8 on the optical adapter side are for connecting H
It connects the interface cables of the HT optical adapters 3-1 to 3-8.

The base unit side DV/RV 7 performs communication transmission/reception processing with the base unit 1, and is connected to the optical adapter #1.
DV/RV6-1 for optical adapter #8 for DV/RV6-
8 performs transmission and reception processing when communicating with the optical adapters 3 (#1 to #8) of the HHT, respectively.

[0010] The channel switching section 8 uses a switch 9 to switch the HHT optical adapter 3 to communicate with the base unit 1.
This is to switch channels (#1 to #8). This switch 9 is a switch that can be operated from the outside of the multi-connection adapter 2, and is switched manually.

[0011] Base unit 1 and HHT optical adapters 3-1 to 3
-8, when communicating with the channel switching unit 8.
Manually operate the switch 9 to switch the channel corresponding to the corresponding HHT optical adapter.

[0012] The H connected by this channel switching
Communication is performed between the HT optical adapter 3 and the base unit 1 via the multi-connection adapter 2.

[0013]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional devices as described above have the following problems. (1) When switching channels in the channel switching section 8 manually, an erroneous operation may occur and the channel may be connected incorrectly. In such a case, the base unit and HHT
When communicating with the optical adapter, a communication error occurs and communication is not possible.

(2) Channel switching is performed manually, resulting in poor work efficiency and low reliability.

An object of the present invention is to solve these conventional problems, enable automatic channel switching, and improve work efficiency and reliability.

[0016]

[Means for Solving the Problems] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention, and in the figure, the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 6 and 7 indicate the same parts. Further, 10 is a channel switching control circuit, 11 is an ER signal monitoring circuit, 12 is a selector, and 6A-1 is an adapter #1.
DV/RV (driver/receiver) for adapter #N, 6A-N indicates DV/RV for adapter #N, and AD indicates a communication adapter.

[0017] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is constructed as follows. (1) Channel switching within the multi-connection adapter 2 that can connect multiple communication adapters AD of small portable terminal devices and serves as a relay communication device when communicating between the communication adapters AD and the base device. In the control method, with a plurality of communication adapters AD connected to the multi-connection adapter 2, a call request signal (ER) from each communication adapter AD is monitored at a constant cycle, and the call request signal (
Communication was started by switching the channel from the communication adapter AD, which is faster in receiving ER).

(2) A plurality of communication adapters AD of a portable small terminal device can be connected, and the communication adapter AD
An ER signal monitoring circuit 11 that monitors call request signals (ER) from each communication adapter AD at regular intervals is included in the multi-connection adapter 2, which serves as a relay communication device when communicating between the AD and the base unit. and a selector 12 that is selectively controlled by the output signal of the ER signal monitoring circuit 11 and switches the channel of each communication adapter AD. Selection control of the selector 12 is performed so that communication can be performed from the communication adapter that receives (ER) early.

[0019]

[Operation] The operation of the present invention based on the above configuration will be explained with reference to FIG. In the multi-connection adapter 2, communication with the base unit is handled by the base unit side DV/RV7 in a one-to-one relationship, and communication with the communication adapter AD is handled by the adapter # provided corresponding to each communication adapter. DV/RV6A- for 1
1 to DV/RV6A-N for adapter #N.

[0020] In this case, since a plurality of communication adapters AD are connected, it is necessary to perform channel switching in order for the communication adapter AD to communicate with the base unit in a one-to-one relationship.

In order to automatically perform this channel switching, a channel switching control circuit 10 comprising an ER signal monitoring circuit 11 and a selector 12 is provided.

The ER signal monitoring circuit 11 monitors the call request signal (ER) from the communication adapter AD at regular intervals, and when the call request signal (ER) is received (detected), the switch control of the selector 12 is performed. I do.

[0023] Thereby, the channel is switched so that communication can be performed with the communication adapter AD that received the call request signal earlier. After channel switching, communication is performed, and after the end of the communication, the call request signal (ER) is monitored again, and channel switching is performed in the same manner as above.

[0024] In this way, it becomes possible to automatically switch channels and perform communication while sequentially switching communication adapters. In addition, since channel switching is automatically performed by detecting a call request signal (ER), erroneous operations and erroneous connections unlike those in the prior art do not occur.

[0025]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. (Description of the first embodiment) Figs. 2 to 5 are diagrams showing the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the connection form of the multi-connection adapter, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the connection form of the multi-connection adapter. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram, FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a channel switching control circuit, and FIG. 5 is a timing chart.

In the figure, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 indicate the same parts. Also, 2A is HHT (handheld terminal), 3B
13 is an interface cable, 14 is a P-P copy mode control circuit, 15 is a clock pulse generation section, 16 is a counter, and 17 is an ER signal monitoring control section.

The connection form of the multi-connection adapter in this embodiment is as shown in FIG. 2, for example. In this example, base unit 1 and multi-connection adapter 2 are connected using an RS232C cable (
interface).

[0028] The multi-connection adapter 2 also has a maximum of 8
In order to connect up to HHT3A optical adapters (communication adapters) 3, No. 1~No. Eight connectors are provided. In this case, an optical adapter 3 separate from the HHT3A may be connected, or an HH with a built-in optical adapter may be connected.
T3B may also be connected. These are all connected by an interface cable 13.

[0029] The connector of the "base unit" in the figure is a connector for connecting the RC232C cable on the base unit 1 side.
DCE" is a connector for adding another multi-connection adapter.

For example, the multi-connection adapter 2 shown in FIG.
It is structured as follows. This multi-connection adapter 2 includes a connector 4 on the base unit side and a connector 5 on the optical adapter side.
1 to 5-8, DV/RV for optical adapter #1 (driver/
Receiver) 6-1 to DV/RV6-8 for optical adapter #8
, main unit side DV/RV (driver/receiver) 7, channel switching control circuit 10, P-P (point to
Point) A copy mode control circuit 14 and the like are provided.

The P-P copy mode control circuit 14 transfers all data held in a predetermined device (for example, one of a plurality of HHTs) to another device (for example, another HHT).
This is a circuit that controls the transfer to (P-P copy).

The channel switching control circuit 10 has the structure shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
A selector 12 etc. are provided.

The ER signal monitoring control unit 17 receives an ER (data terminal ready) signal (DCE) from the HHT optical adapter.
The selector 12 is controlled while monitoring this ER signal.

The counter 16 is connected to the clock pulse generator 1
The clock pulses sent from the counter 16 are input and the clock pulses are counted, and the operation of the counter 16 is controlled by the ER signal monitoring control section 17.

The selector 12 is connected to the ER signal monitoring control section 17.
Each channel for the HHT optical adapter is switched using control signals from the HHT optical adapter. This selector 1
By switching the two channels, communication is performed with any one HHT optical adapter.

When communicating, when the ER signal monitoring control unit 17 detects an ER signal, it issues a counter hold signal to the counter 16. This signal causes counter 1 to
6 stops counting and holds the count value.

The ER signal monitoring control unit 17 inputs the held count value, and based on that value, the ER
The optical adapter that issued the signal is identified, and a control signal is created to switch and control the selector so as to connect to that optical adapter.

After the selector is switched, communication is performed, but when the communication ends, the ER signal disappears. Along with this, the counter hold signal sent to the counter 16 also disappears, so the counter 16 continues counting again.

By repeating such operations, communication is performed by connecting with the optical adapters that have sequentially issued the ER signal. Note that while communicating with one optical adapter, the other optical adapters are in a standby state.

The channel switching control method of this embodiment will be explained below with reference to the timing chart of FIG.

There are the following two signals used in this channel switching control. One of them is the above-mentioned ER signal (data terminal ready signal), and the other one is the DR signal (data set ready signal).

The ER signal is a call request signal to the DCE, and the DR signal is a signal notifying that the automatic call has been completed and the DCE has entered the data mode. Note that the DCE is the multi-connection adapter 2 in this example.

When communicating with the base unit 1 and the HHT optical adapter, there is always a one-to-one relationship between the base unit 1 and the channel switching control circuit 10. Therefore, communication processing between the channel switching control circuit 10 and the HHT optical adapter becomes important.

Therefore, as described above, the ER signal monitoring control section 17 in the channel switching control circuit 10 monitors the ER signal from each optical adapter at a constant cycle.
Communicate with the optical adapter that received the ER signal first,
After the communication ends, the next ER signal is monitored again.

The clock pulses output from the clock pulse generator 15 are counted by the counter 16, and based on this count value, the ER signal monitoring controller 17 controls each HHT.
The ER signal is monitored while scanning the optical adapter.

Now, as shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that the optical adapter currently being scanned is, for example, #2. At this time, when the ER signal of optical adapter #2 is detected (processing in ■), the ER signal monitoring control unit 17 immediately sends a counter hold signal to the counter 16, puts the counter 16 in a hold state (stops counting), and scans. (processing in ■).

After that, upon detecting the ER signal, the channel switching control section 10 sends the optical adapter #
2, a DR signal is sent (processing of ■). This D
When optical adapter #2 receives the R signal, it then performs communication.

[0048] At the end of communication, E from optical adapter #2
The R signal turns off (returns to high level). This moves on to the next process, but in this example, nothing is done for 1S (1 second) as a period for post-processing.

Thereafter, the count hold signal is automatically released, and the counter 16 starts counting clock pulses again.

Furthermore, when the ER signal from the optical adapter #2 is turned off, the DR signal for the optical adapter #2 is also turned off (processing (■)).

After that, it is assumed that scanning of optical adapter #3 is started (processing of ■), and at this time, an ER signal of optical adapter #3 is detected (processing of ■).

Upon detection of this ER signal, the scan is stopped again (processing of ■), and the DR signal for optical adapter #3 is turned on (processing of ■). Then optical adapter #3
communicate with.

[0053] In the same manner, the ER signal is detected while sequentially scanning the optical adapters, and communication is performed.

[0054]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention has the following effects. (1) By monitoring the ER signal at regular intervals,
Channel switching can be performed automatically. (2) There are no more erroneous operations or connections than in the past, and there are no communication errors. (3) Since there is no need to manually switch channels, work efficiency and reliability are improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a connection form of a multi-connection adapter in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a multi-connection adapter.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a channel switching control circuit.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a connection form of a multi-connection adapter in a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional multi-connection adapter.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Multi connection adapter 7 Main unit side DV/RV (driver/receiver) 10
Channel switching control circuit 11 ER signal monitoring circuit 12 Selector 6-1 DV/RV for adapter #1 6-N DV/RV for adapter #N AD Communication adapter

Claims (2)

[Claims] [Claim 1] Communication adapter for a small portable terminal device (
AD) can be connected to multiple units, and the communication adapter (
In a channel switching control method in a multi-connection adapter (2) that serves as a relay communication device when communicating between an AD) and a parent device, the multi-connection adapter (2) is configured to include a plurality of communication adapters (AD). ) is connected, the call request signal (ER) from each communication adapter (AD) is monitored at a fixed cycle, and the communication adapter (AD) that receives the call request signal (ER) first A channel switching control method characterized by switching channels to perform communication. [Claim 2] Communication adapter for a small portable terminal device (
AD) can be connected to multiple units, and the communication adapter (
Each communication adapter (
The ER signal monitoring circuit (11) monitors the call request signal (ER) from the AD) at a constant cycle, and the output signal of the ER signal monitoring circuit (11) selectively controls each communication adapter (AD). Selector (12) for switching channels
A channel switching control circuit (10) consisting of
In the ER signal monitoring circuit (11), the call request signal (ER)
so that communication can be performed from the communication adapter that received the message earlier.
A multi-connection adapter characterized by controlling selection of a selector (12).