JPH09282271A - Communication equipment and control method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication equipment capable of connecting electronic equipments provided with the interfaces of mutually different specifications. SOLUTION: At the time of receiving data from an electronic equipment (B) 180 through a serial interface 150, received data are transferred to a RAM 110, and whether or not an electronic equipment (A) 170 can receive the data is inquired to the electronic equipment (A) 170. When reception is possible, the received data on the RAM 110 are transferred to a parallel interface 140 and transmitted to the electronic equipment (A) 170. By a similar procedure, the data transmitted from the electronic equipment (A) 170 are relayed to the electronic equipment (B) 180.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a communication device for relaying communication between electronic devices having different interface means and a control method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when two electronic devices (for example, a personal computer and a printer) are connected by a communication cable, both electronic devices have to have the same type of interface.

[0003]

Therefore, for example, it has been impossible to connect an electronic device having only a parallel interface and an electronic device having only a serial interface. Even when both electronic devices have a serial interface, for example, one interface is a full-duplex interface and the other interface is a half-duplex interface. Even if the interface method is different or the communication speed is different, these electronic devices cannot be connected.

On the other hand, providing all electronic devices with various interfaces leads to an increase in the size of electronic devices and an increase in cost, which is not practical.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication device that enables connection between electronic devices having interfaces with different specifications.

[0006]

A communication device of the present invention is a communication device for relaying communication between electronic devices having different interface means, and at least two types of interface devices connected to the electronic device; When data is received by any one of at least two types of interface means,
A determination unit that determines whether or not the data related to the reception can be transmitted by another interface unit, and a reception unit when the determination unit determines that the data can be transmitted by the other interface unit. Transmission control means for transmitting data from the other interface means.

In the communication device of the present invention, the determining means determines whether or not the electronic device connected to the other interface means is in a state of being able to receive data, so that the other interface means is judged. It is preferable to determine if the data can be transmitted.

The communication device of the present invention may further comprise a prohibiting means for prohibiting reception by another interface means while data is being received by one of the at least two types of interface means. preferable.

In the communication device of the present invention, it is preferable that the at least two types of interface means include serial interface means.

In the communication device of the present invention, it is preferable that the at least two types of interface means include parallel interface means.

A control method of a communication device of the present invention is a control method of a communication device for relaying communication between electronic devices having different interface means, wherein the communication device is at least two types connected to the electronic device. A determining step of determining whether or not the interface means has the interface means, and when the data is received by one of the at least two types of interface means, the data related to the reception can be transmitted by the other interface means. And a transmission control step of transmitting data related to reception from the other interface means when it is determined by the determination step that the data can be transmitted by the other interface means.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

This embodiment discloses an example of a communication device for connecting electronic devices having different specifications, and for connecting an electronic device having a serial interface and an electronic device having a parallel interface. Interface conversion device.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the interface conversion apparatus of this embodiment. The illustrated interface conversion device 100 is a communication device for relaying an electronic device (B) 180 having a serial interface and an electronic device (A) 170 having a parallel interface via communication cables 171 and 172. Electronic device (A) 170 and electronic device (B) 18
0 is, for example, a personal computer, a workstation, a printer, a facsimile, a modem, a file system, or the like.

The interface conversion device 100 may be used by being mechanically connected to any electronic device, or may be connected only by a communication cable.

The interface conversion apparatus 100 has a parallel interface 140 and a serial interface 15 as interfaces having different specifications.
0. Also, the interface conversion device 100
Is a CPU 130 for controlling data exchange between the electronic device (A) 170 and the electronic device (B) 180, and a CPU 1.
It functions as a ROM 120 that holds a control program 121 that defines the operation of the memory 30, a temporary holding area (buffer) for data received from the electronic device (A) 170 or the electronic device (B) 180, and a work area of the CPU 130. It has a RAM 110. These devices are CP
It is connected by the U bus 160.

The parallel interface 140 and the serial interface 150 are connected to the CPU bus 16
It is preferable to have a function of requesting a reception interrupt to the CPU 130 via 0.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the interface conversion device 100 controlled by the CPU 130 based on a part of the control program 121.
The process shown in this flowchart is activated by a reception interrupt by the parallel interface 140 or the serial interface 150, for example.

In step S201, it is determined whether the reception request source is the serial interface 150 (electronic device (B)). If the reception request source is the serial interface 150, the process proceeds to step S202 and the parallel interface 140 (electronic If the device (A)), the process proceeds to step S206.

In step S202, the electronic device (B) 1
The data transmission is permitted for 80, and the data transmitted according to this is received. Then, step S20
In 3, the received data is transferred to the RAM 110.

In the present embodiment, while data is being received from one of the electronic devices, transmission of data from the other electronic device is prohibited. This is to prevent the handshake between electronic devices from becoming complicated due to the delay in data transfer due to the interposition of the interface conversion device 100.

In step S204, it is inquired via the parallel interface 140 whether the received data can be transmitted to the electronic device (A) 170, that is, whether the electronic device (A) 170 is in a receivable state. If the transmission is possible, the process proceeds to step S205.

In step S205, the electronic device (A) 1 is transferred by transferring the received data (data transferred to the RAM 110) to the parallel interface 140.
Then, the series of processing is ended. As a result, the data supplied from the electronic device (B) 180 as parallel data is supplied to the electronic device (A) 170 as serial data.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S201 that the reception request source is the parallel interface 140, in step S206 the electronic device (A)
The transmission is permitted to 170, and the data transmitted according to this is received. Then, in step S207, the received data is transferred to the RAM 110.

In step S207, the serial interface 150 inquires whether the received data can be transmitted to the electronic device (B) 180, that is, whether the electronic device (B) 180 is in the receivable state. If the data can be transmitted together, the process proceeds to step S209.

In step S209, the electronic device (B) 1 is transferred by transferring the received data (data transferred to the RAM 110) to the serial interface 150.
Then, the process is terminated. As a result, the data supplied from the electronic device (A) 170 as parallel data is supplied to the electronic device (B) 180 as serial data.

The above description relates to an interface conversion device having two types of interfaces, a serial interface 150 and a parallel interface 140, but the present invention is also applicable to an interface conversion device having two or more types of interfaces. It is possible. In this case, interfaces having the same specifications may be mixed in two or more types of interfaces.

Further, although the above description is for connecting the interface conversion device and the electronic equipment by a communication cable, the present invention is also applied to the case where these are connected by a wireless communication means.

Even when the present invention is applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices (eg, host computer, interface device, reader, printer, etc.), a device composed of one device (eg, copying machine, (For example, a facsimile machine).

Further, an object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiment to a system or apparatus,
Computer (or CP) of the system or device
It is needless to say that it is also achieved by (U or MPU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the function of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

A storage medium for supplying the program code is, for example, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD.
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

Further, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by executing the program code read by the computer, but also the OS (operating system) running on the computer based on the instructions of the program code. It is needless to say that this also includes a case where the above) performs a part or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in the memory provided in the function expansion board inserted into the computer or the function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instruction of the program code, It goes without saying that a case where the CPU or the like included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs some or all of the actual processing and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is also included.

[0035]

According to the present invention, it becomes possible to connect electronic devices having interfaces with different specifications.

[0036]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an interface conversion device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation example of an interface conversion device controlled by a CPU based on a control program.

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A communication device for relaying communication between electronic devices having different interface means, wherein at least two kinds of interface means connected to the electronic device and one of the at least two kinds of interface means are provided. When the interface means receives the data, the determining means determines whether or not the data related to the reception can be transmitted by the other interface means, and the determining means can transmit the data by the other interface means. And a transmission control unit that causes the other interface unit to transmit the data related to the reception when it is determined that the communication device is a communication device. 2. The determination means can transmit data to the other interface means by checking whether or not an electronic device connected to the other interface means is in a state capable of receiving the data. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not it is. 3. A prohibition unit for prohibiting reception by another interface unit while data is being received by one of the at least two types of interface units is further provided. The communication device according to claim 1 or claim 2. 4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two types of interface units include serial interface units. 5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two types of interface means include parallel interface means. 6. A method of controlling a communication device for relaying communication between electronic devices having mutually different interface means, wherein the communication device has at least two types of interface means connected to the electronic device, When data is received by any one of the two types of interface means, a determination step of determining whether or not the data related to the reception can be transmitted by another interface means; A method of controlling a communication device, comprising: a transmission control step of transmitting data for reception from the other interface means when it is determined that the data can be transmitted by the interface means. 7. The determining step can transmit data to the other interface unit by checking whether or not an electronic device connected to the other interface unit is in a state capable of receiving the data. The control method of the communication device according to claim 6, wherein it is determined whether or not it is. 8. The method further comprises a prohibition step of prohibiting reception by another interface means while data is being received by one of the at least two kinds of interface means. The communication device control method according to claim 6 or claim 7. 9. The method for controlling a communication device according to claim 6, wherein the at least two types of interface means include serial interface means. 10. The method for controlling a communication device according to claim 6, wherein the at least two types of interface means include parallel interface means.