JPH0974421A - Connector and bus control system using the connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a bus type network system in which noise or the like on an information signal transmission line due to types of signals is not affected. SOLUTION: The connector 1 receives a control signal from control signal transmission lines D1, D2 from a reception section 3 and outputs a command signal, and a control section 4 receives this command signal from the reception section 3 to control a relay exchange 2. A terminal equipment 5 is connected to a set information signal transmission line and a set direction among information signal transmission lines L1-L6 via a relay exchange 2 set based on the control signal.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connection device for connecting a twisted pair cable or the like of a home bus system and a bus control system using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows the configuration of a bus type network system such as a conventional home bus system. Control signal transmission lines D1 and D2 of twisted pair cables and information signal transmission lines L1 to L6 of twisted pair cables are connected to the connection devices 11 and 11a. Connection device 11
A video signal transmitting terminal 12 is connected to the video signal transmitting terminal 12, and the video signal transmitting terminal 12 frequency-modulates the video signal input from the camera 13 in a predetermined frequency band, and transmits the information signal transmission lines L1 to L.
It is transmitted as an image signal to any one of 6 pairs. The video signal receiving terminal 14 is connected to the connection device 11a, and the video signal receiving terminal 14 receives and demodulates the video signal and outputs the video signal to the monitor 15.

Next, a case where a video signal is transmitted to the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2 using the above system will be described. The video signal transmitting terminal 12 outputs, to the video signal receiving terminal 14, a control signal indicating that the video signal is to be transmitted to the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2, to the control signal transmission lines D1 and D2. The video signal receiving terminal 14 receives the control signal, receives the video signal sent to the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2, demodulates the received video signal, and outputs the video signal to the monitor 15. The video signal receiving terminal 14
Are connected via the connection device 11a at any place on the information signal transmission path, and a plurality of units can be connected.

Conventionally, in the above network system, the terminal portions of the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2 are opened, or the information signal transmission line is formed by a terminating resistor having an impedance equal to the characteristic impedance of the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2. L1 and L2 are terminated. (Not shown. For the method of terminating the information signal transmission line, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 5-191416 "Automatic Termination Resistor Connection Device".
See )

[0005]

In such a conventional network system using a twisted pair cable, if the end portion of the information signal transmission line is in an open state, reflection occurs at the end portion and the transmitted image is transmitted. There is a problem that a good demodulated image cannot be obtained due to signal attenuation or the like.

On the other hand, reflection can be prevented by connecting a terminating resistor having an impedance equal to the characteristic impedance of the information signal transmission line to the terminating portion. However, another low frequency band signal that is not a video signal,
For example, when an audio signal is transmitted, the impedance of the information signal transmission line is lowered, which may cause inconvenience such as hum noise.

The present invention is to solve the above problems. By switching the connection of any information signal transmission line in accordance with the type of signal and the purpose of service, a home that is not affected by noise or the like on the information signal transmission line. An object of the present invention is to provide a connecting device connected to a twisted pair cable or the like of a bus system and a bus control system using the connecting device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a connecting device according to claim 1 of the present invention is connected with a plurality of information signal transmission lines for transmitting information signals, and the information signal transmission is performed. A connection switching unit that can switch the connection between the paths in a predetermined manner, a control signal transmission path that transmits a control signal, and a receiving unit that receives the control signal from the control signal transmission path and outputs an instruction signal, And a control unit for controlling the connection switching means in response to the instruction signal.

The connection device according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the means constituting the connection device according to the first aspect, the connection switching means is a relay exchanger.

A bus control system according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises an address assigning means for assigning the same address to a connection device and a terminal connected to this connection device in a predetermined order.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in addition to the means constituting the bus control system according to the third aspect, the bus control system uses a control signal via a control signal transmission line to a connection device. It is characterized in that it is provided with means for instructing the connection direction of the information signal transmission line by the self address and the partner address.

A bus control system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in addition to the means constituting the bus control system according to the third aspect, a terminal having a built-in connection device is provided.

[0013]

1 is a diagram showing a main part of a bus type network system to which a connection device is applied according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The connection device 1 includes a relay exchanger 2, a receiving unit 3 that receives a control signal from the control signal transmission paths D1 and D2 and outputs an instruction signal, and a relay exchanger 2 that receives an instruction signal from the receiving unit 3. Control unit 4 to control
It is composed of The connection device 1 has a control signal transmission line D.
1, D2, the information signal transmission lines L1 to L6, and the connection connector parts c1 to c8 are connected to the terminal 5. The information signal transmission lines L1 to L6 are L1 and L2, L3 and L4, L5.
And L6 form a pair of transmission lines, respectively. Inside the connection device 1, the information signal transmission lines L1 to L6 are connected to the connection connector portions c3 to c8 via the relay exchanger 2.

FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of the relay exchanger 2. The relay exchanger 2 includes information signal transmission lines L1 and L2.
Connection relays 21, 22, 23 and connection connector parts c3, c4 corresponding to, connection relays 24, 25, 26 and connection connector parts c5, c6 corresponding to information signal transmission lines L3, L4, and information signal transmission line L5. , Connection relays 27, 28, 29 corresponding to L6 and connection connector portion c7,
c8 and. Normally, the connection relays 21, 22,
24, 25, 27, 28 are turned on and the connection relay 23,
By turning off 26 and 29, the information signal transmission lines L1 and L
2, L3, L4, L5 and L6 are connected in both A and B directions, and the connection connector parts c3 to c8 are in an open state.

Next, the operation of the connection device 1 will be described. When it is desired to connect the terminal 5 in the A direction of the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2, the control signal of “A direction connection” is sent to the connection device 1 through the control signal transmission lines D1 and D2. Connection device 1
When the receiving unit 3 receives the control signal, the receiving unit 3 outputs an instruction signal to the control unit 4, and the control unit 4 receives the instruction signal to control the relay exchanger 2 to turn on the connection relays 21 and 23, The connection relay 22 is turned off. Further, when it is desired to connect the terminal 5 in both directions A and B of the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2, a control signal of "A / B bidirectional connection" is sent to the connection device 1 through the control signal transmission lines D1 and D2. When the connection device 1 receives the control signal at the reception unit 3, the control unit 4 controls the relay exchanger 2 to turn on the connection relays 21, 22, and 23.

With the above-described structure of the present invention, only the information signal transmission line through which the information such as the video signal is transmitted is connected, and the unnecessary information signal transmission line can be disconnected. For example, if the modulated video signal is sent to the information signal transmission line and multiple terminals are connected, connect the relay exchanger so that each terminal is connected in parallel, and at the final terminal, The relay exchanger on the side of the information signal transmission line to which is not connected is turned off. Further, when the terminals are connected one-on-one and the audio signal is transmitted together with the video signal, by turning off the relay switch on the information signal transmission path side where both terminals are not connected,
Prevents the effects of noise on the information signal transmission path, and provides good images,
Enables audio signal transmission.

As described above, since the terminal side can connect by designating the connection direction of the information signal transmission line, there is no reflection or noise at the terminal end of the information signal transmission line in the direction not connected. Good transmission is possible.
In particular, it is effective as a countermeasure against hum noise when transmitting video and audio signals.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a bus type network system to which a bus control system according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied. Terminals 51 to 55 are connected via a home bus controller (hereinafter referred to as HBC) 6 that performs overall management such as permission of use of information signal transmission paths of the present network system, and connection devices 101 to 105. The address of the connected device and the corresponding terminal is
The addresses are the same, and the addresses are set in the order of connection from the HBC 6. The terminal 51 and the connecting device 101 are set to the address “1”, the terminal 52 and the connecting device 102 are set to the address “2”, the terminal 53 and the connecting device 103 are set to the address “3”, and the terminal 54 and the connecting device are set. 104
Is set to the address “4”, and the terminal 55 and the connection device 10
5 is set to the address "5".

FIG. 4 shows the format of the control signal in this embodiment. PR is a priority code, SA is a self address (source address), DA is a partner address (destination address), CC is a control code, BC is a message length code, DATA is data (indicates control contents, etc.), FCC
Is a check code, DMY is a dummy code, and A / N is A
It is a return signal from the partner terminal indicating whether or not the control signal has been normally received by the CK / NAK code.

Next, the operation when the video / audio signal is transmitted from the terminal 52 to the terminal 54 using the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2 will be described. First, the terminal 52 communicates with the HBC 6 via the control signal transmission lines D1 and D2 to obtain permission to use the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2. Next, the terminal 54 is instructed to perform communication via the control signal transmission lines D1 and D2 and transmit information via the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2. When the terminal 52 instructs the terminal 54 to communicate via the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2, the control signal format is SA “2” and DA “4”. The terminal 54 receives this control signal, decodes the content, and enters a communication state via the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2. At this time, the connection devices 102 and 104 monitor this control signal, and know that they connect the terminal 52 and the terminal 54, and the connection device 102 (address "2") determines that the connection direction of the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2 is in the B direction. The terminal 52 is connected to disconnect the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2 in the A direction. The connection device 104 (address “4”) is connected to the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2.
Of the information signal transmission line L1,
Separate the B direction of L2.

As described above, the addresses of the connection device and the corresponding terminal are set to the same address, and the addresses are set in the connection order from the HBC 6. Therefore, the connection device responds by monitoring SA and DA of the control signals. The direction of the information signal transmission line connected to the terminal to be connected can be known, and the relay connection can be automatically performed.

With the above configuration, since the same address is assigned to the connecting device and the terminal connected to this connecting device in a predetermined order, which direction is determined by the self address of the control signal via the control signal transmission line and the partner address. Since it is possible to know whether to connect to a terminal, there is no need to give an instruction to set a connection direction for each terminal.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main part of a bus type network system to which a bus control system having a terminal incorporating a relay exchanger according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied. The connection unit 10 is a connection connector unit c1 for connecting the control signal transmission lines D1 and D2 to the terminal 50.
c2, the A direction of the information signal transmission lines L1 to L6, and the terminal 50.
Connection connector parts c3a to c8a for connecting the terminals and connection connector parts c3b to c8b for connecting the terminal 50 with the direction B of the information signal transmission lines L1 to L6. Terminal 50
The relay switch 20 includes a relay exchanger 20, a reception / transmission unit 30 that receives and transmits a control signal, and a control unit 40 that controls the reception / transmission unit 30 and the relay exchanger 20. Then, the connection connector portions c3a to c8a, c3b to
It is connected to the information signal transmission lines L1 to L6 via c8b, and is connected to the control signal transmission lines D1 and D2 via connection connector parts c1 and c2.

FIG. 6 is an internal block diagram of the relay exchanger 20. In the inside of the relay exchanger 20, normally, the connection relays 21a, 22a, 24a, 25a, 27a and 28a are turned off.
N, the connection relays 23a, 26a, 29a are turned off, and the information signal transmission lines L1, L2, L3, L4, L5.
L6 is connected in both A and B directions, and the connection connector portion c30
~ C80 is in an open state.

In the present embodiment, when the terminal 50 is connected in the A direction of the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2, the control unit 4
0 controls the relay exchanger 20, and the connection relays 21a, 2
3a is turned on and the connection relay 22a is turned off.
When the terminal 50 is connected in both directions A and B of the information signal transmission lines L1 and L2, the control unit 40 causes the relay exchanger 20 to operate.
To turn on the connection relays 21a, 22a, and 23a.

As described above, since the relay switch 20 for designating the connection direction of the information signal transmission lines L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, and L6 is built in the terminal 50, the connection section 10 has the connection terminals. Only the stand is good (the receiver of the connection device,
The reception / transmission unit and the control unit of the terminal can also function as the control unit. ), The cost can be reduced as a whole of the bus type network system.

In this embodiment, a relay exchanger is used as the connection switching means, but in other embodiments, an analog switch is used.

[0028]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention.
In the connection device described in (1), the receiving unit receives the control signal from the control signal transmission line and outputs an instruction signal, and the control unit receives the instruction signal and controls the connection switching means to set the information signal transmission line in a predetermined manner. Since the connection is switched to, only the necessary information signal transmission lines are connected, and unnecessary information signal transmission lines are not connected, so the effects of noise on the information signal transmission lines are prevented, and good video and audio signals are transmitted. Enables transmission.

The connection device according to the second aspect of the present invention is a low-priced device because the connection switching means is a relay exchanger.
The connection can be switched reliably.

In the bus control system according to the third aspect of the present invention, the address of the terminal connected to the connecting device is made the same as the address of the connecting device, and the addresses are assigned in a predetermined order. Since the connecting device can receive the control signal at the same time, the instruction to the connecting device becomes unnecessary.

In the bus control system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the connection direction is designated by the self address and the partner address of the control signal via the control signal transmission line, the connection direction for each terminal is set by the control signal. It will be possible.

In the bus control system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the receiving device and the controlling unit of the connecting device can be used as the receiving / transmitting unit and the controlling unit of the terminal by incorporating the connecting device inside the terminal. Therefore, the terminal can be connected to the information signal transmission path only with the connection terminal block, and the cost can be reduced as a whole of the bus type network system.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main part of a bus type network system to which a connection device is applied, which is a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an internal block diagram of the relay exchanger 2 according to the first embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a bus type network system to which a bus control system according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a format of a control signal according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main part of a bus type network system to which a bus control system including a terminal incorporating a relay exchanger according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 6 is a relay exchanger 20 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
It is an internal block diagram of.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a bus type network system such as a conventional home bus system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 connecting device 2 relay exchanger 3 receiving part 4 control part 5 terminal D1, D2 control signal transmission line L1-L6 information signal transmission line c1-c8 connection connector part 21-29 connection relay

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of information signal transmission lines for transmitting information signals are connected to each other, and connection switching means capable of predetermined switching of connection between the information signal transmission lines and a control signal transmission line for transmitting a control signal are connected. A connection device comprising: a receiving unit that receives a control signal from the control signal transmission path and outputs an instruction signal; and a control unit that receives the instruction signal and controls the connection switching unit. 2. The connection device according to claim 1, wherein the connection switching means is a relay exchanger. 3. In a bus type network system, for a connection device and a terminal connected to this connection device,
A bus control system comprising an address assigning means for assigning the same address in a predetermined order. 4. A means for instructing a connection device to a connection direction of an information signal transmission line by a self address and a partner address by a control signal via the control signal transmission line. Bus control system described in. 5. The bus control system according to claim 3, further comprising a terminal having a built-in connection device.