JPS62254562A - Communication control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To use efficiently one telephone line in common for plural information equipments by providing an exchange circuit section applying line exchange and a communication controller section applying communication control processing to the sole communication controller. CONSTITUTION:When the use of an information signal line 19 is allowed by a main control section 3, a communication control unit (IFU) 24 connects the line 19 and a transceiver 23 to pring an exchange circuit 22 to on-line state and sends a telephone line request to the main control section 3. When the telephone line 1 is idle, the main control section 3 connects directly the line 19 and a transceiver 15. In this case, a loop closing section 8 of a communication controller section 16 forms a DC loop on the line 1 to attain the dialing state. After the formation of the DC loop, the main control section 3 sends a permission using the telephone line to the IFU 24. Thus, the data communication with an external information equipment using a telephone line is attained efficiently.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for communicating from a terminal device connected to a home network system (home bus) to a terminal device connected via an external telephone line. It is something.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an information device such as a personal computer performs data communication with an external information device using a telephone line, a configuration of a communication control device in the system form shown in FIG. 6 has often been used. That is, in the personal computer 30 of FIG. 5, when the display control section 29, auxiliary storage section 28, and input section 27 are collectively controlled by the control section 26, the control section 26 and the communication control section 52 of FIG. performs a predetermined command transmission/reception procedure via the control line 56.
A method has been used in which transmission and reception processing is performed using transmission data 67 and reception data 68 after notifying whether reception is possible or not. When transmitting a selection signal to the telephone line 1 in FIG. 5 and performing data communication using the modem section 7, the control section 26 first attaches a dial number to the communication control section 62 and requests transmission of a selection signal. By transmitting the command, the communication control section 62 instructs the station line control section 2 of FIG. 6 to control selection signal transmission using the signal line 33 of FIG. 5. Furthermore, when the information device of the target external party is connected via a telephone line and a conversation is established with the other party, polarity reversal is detected and the central office line control unit 2 in FIG.
4, the communication control section 52 controls the office line control section 2 using the signal line 33, connects the telephone line 1 to the modem section 7 via the loop closing section 8, and then connects the telephone line 1 to the modem section 7 using the modem section 7. A method was used in which the communication control unit 52 starts communication with an external party. A control line 53, transmission data 54, and reception data 55 are used between the modem section 7 and the communication control section 62. Also, at this time, communication data such as commands transmitted and received between the communication control section 62 and the control section 26 are interpreted and processed by the communication control section 62 and the control section 26, respectively. The signal lines 33, 34 and the control lines 53, 56 are both composed of a plurality of signal lines or control lines.

Note that some of the constituent elements described later are common to the embodiments of the present invention, so their explanation will be omitted.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention This conventional method has the disadvantage that the telephone line 1 accommodated in the communication control device 6e is occupied by one personal computer 30. Also,
When a single telephone line is used by a plurality of information devices, there is a drawback that the telephone line must be manually switched before use.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that allows a plurality of information devices to efficiently share one telephone line with a simple hardware configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a switching circuit section for performing line switching and a communication controller section for performing communication control processing in a single communication control device, and the communication control device, A plurality of information devices is provided by providing a control signal line through which the communication controller section and the plurality of information devices commonly transmit and receive control signals, and an information signal line between the communication controller section and the plurality of information devices via a switching circuit. share the telephone line.

According to the above-described configuration, the present invention uses a control signal line to request permission to use a telephone line from any one of a plurality of information devices and to use the communication controller unit, and then uses an information signal line to request permission to use the telephone line from any one of a plurality of information devices. However, the physical connection to the telephone line is efficiently controlled through the communication controller section and the switching circuit section, and data communication with information equipment on an external network is controlled using the telephone line.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a communication control device in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a station line control section of the communication control device in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a communication control sequence in the same embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the format of a control signal transmitted through a control signal line in an embodiment with the configuration shown in FIG. 1 of the present invention. .

The present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the configuration shown in FIG. 2, and the communication control sequence shown in FIG. 3.

The components are shown below.◇ In Fig. 1, 19, 20 and 21 are information signal lines of a balanced pair cable used for transmitting digital information data and/or telephone calls on the telephone line 1, and 18 is the information signal line. 19, 20. 21 and the telephone line 1 or the communication control unit 6. The information signal line 19, 20. 21 and the control signal line 18 are each terminated by a line terminator 32 or 31, respectively. 14 and 22 are the information signal lines 19,
20 or 21 and the transceiver 23''! or 15; 15 and 23 are the information signal line 1;
o4, 6 and 25 are transceivers with balanced drivers and receivers for the control signal line 18; 24 performs medium access and transmission control processing using C8MA/CD etc. for the transceiver 26, performs predetermined transmission control processing for the transceiver 23, and performs start-stop synchronization transmission control for the control unit 26. Control unit (IFU)
). 3o includes a display control section 29 such as a CRT, an auxiliary storage section 28 such as a hard disk, an input section 27 for inputting instructions such as commands, and the display control section 2.
9. A personal computer o 10 , 11 , 12 and 13 which is composed of a control unit 26 having a communication function that collectively controls the auxiliary storage unit 28 and the input unit 27 and transmits and receives information data to and from the IEU 24 is the exchange control between the information signal line 19, 20 or 21 and the telephone line 1, or the communication controller unit 16 and the telephone line 1.
9 is a switching circuit that performs switching control with the switching circuit 1.
4 and switching circuits 10, 11, 12 and 13. Reference numeral 8 denotes a loop closing unit that forms a DC loop with respect to the telephone line 1, and 7 is used by the communication control unit 6 to transmit information data to the telephone line 1 via the switching circuit unit 9 and the office line control unit 2. A modem section 6 having a modulation/demodulation function controls transmission errors between the telephone line 1 and the other party's information equipment physically connected via the modem section 7, and controls the setting and release of a communication logical connection. 3o is a communication control section that lightens the communication control load on the side; 16 is a communication controller section composed of a transceiver 5, a modem section 7, a loop closing section 8, and a communication control section 6; 2 is an incoming call detection circuit 35 that detects an incoming call signal indicating an incoming call from a telephone line and detects a call collision; and 2 that detects a response from the other party.
polarity reversal detection circuit 36 and relays 40 and 41
The loop closing section 38 connects the DC loop to the telephone line 1.
The station line control unit is composed of a tone detection circuit 37 that detects various signal tones transmitted from the exchange after being formed on the exchange, and a PB signal transmission circuit 39 that sends a selection signal to the exchange. Reference numeral 33 is a signal line used to control the station line control unit 2 from the main control unit 3 and is composed of a control line 43, a detection switching 44, a PB signal generation control line 49, and a control line 60. Reference numeral 50 is used to open and close relays 40, 41, detection switching 44 is used to detect collisions between incoming and outgoing calls, and PB signal generation control line 49 is used to control transmission of selection signals. 34 is used to notify the main control unit 3 from the office line control unit 2, and includes an incoming call detection 4e that notifies the detection of an incoming signal from the telephone line, and an incoming/outgoing call collision detection 46 that notifies the detection of an incoming signal before starting the outgoing operation. This is a signal line consisting of a polarity reversal detection 47 that detects and notifies the polarity reversal of the telephone line after the DC loop is closed, and a tone detection 48 that notifies the tone detection from the exchange after the DC loop is closed.

3 stores the address information of the communication control unit to which all the information devices of the home network system connected to the control signal line 18 and the attributes of the information devices are connected, and further connects the control signal line via the transceiver 4 a read-only memory (ROM) that stores a control signal processing procedure program for interpreting and processing commands of various reception control signals received from the computer; a random access memory (RAM) that is used during the execution of the program and can be written to and read from the computer; It is provided with means for receiving a control signal including a command such as line selection control from the control signal line 18 via the transceiver 4, and then interpreting and processing the command of the received control signal, and controlling the switching circuit section 9 according to the interpretation result. Connection and disconnection control using the control line 61, control using the signal lines 33 and 34 of the station line control section 2, and connection to the control signal line 18 via the transceiver 4. The main control section is composed of a CPU section and transmits control signals such as commands to a specific information device. 17 is composed of a switching circuit section 9, a communication controller section 16, an office line control section 2, a transceiver 4, a main control section, and a control signal line 18 from the telephone line 1 and transceiver 4 as an external network, and is positioned as the main device of the home bus. This is a communication control device.

Next, processing operations using the above configuration will be described. While the system shown in FIG. 1 is operating, when a command to start communication is given by operating the input section 27 shown in FIG. Activates communication control procedure processing to perform the following.

FIG. 3 shows a communication control sequence of communication control procedure processing until the personal computer 3o is connected to the telephone line 1 and external information equipment via the home bus and starts communication. The explanation will be given below using FIG. 3. When the communication start is activated in the control section 26 of the personal computer 3o, the control section 26 sends the transmission request command shown in FIG. 3 to the IFU 24 using the control line 52. This transmission request (2) is a command assembled by the control section 26, includes dial information, and is sent to the main control section 3. IFU2
4 assembles the transmission request (2) from the control section 26 into a transmission packet, and then transmits it to the main control section 3 via the transceiver 26 to the control signal line 18 according to a transmission control method such as the C8MA/CD method.

At this time, a control signal in the format shown in FIG. 4 is transmitted to the control signal line 18. 61.62 in Figure 4 is
Priority and source address to control contention in case of collision in C8MA/CD, etc. of control signals, 63
is a control signal transmission source address, 64 is a control code indicating the command definition classification, etc., 66 is a binary counter indicating the data byte length of 66, 66 is a command or data definition field, and 67 is error control of the control signal. This is an error control code used to perform this. That is, if
The U 24 interprets the call request ■ shown in FIG. 3, which is accompanied by the dial number of the destination party as a modifier, received from the control unit 26, and then transmits the telephone line 1 to the main control unit 3 according to the procedure shown below. Performs packet transmission/reception processing procedures to establish connection and communication connection with the other party.

(1) After receiving the transmission request (■), the IFU 24 first transmits an information signal line request (■) packet from the transceiver 25 to the main control unit 3 via the control signal line 18.

At this time, in the transmission packet of the control signal line 18, the information signal line request (2) is written in the CMDe4 part of the signal format shown in FIG. The following commands are included in part 4 of CMDe.

Furthermore, each IFU 24 and the main control section 3 are provided with means for returning a reception response indicating packet delivery confirmation between the IFU 24 and the main control section 3.

(2) When the main control unit 3 receives the information signal line request ■, it searches for an unused free information signal line among the information signal lines 19゜20.21 managed by the main control unit 3, and if there is a free After assembling the information signal line use permission ■ to the IFU 24 as a packet with an idle information signal line identifier added, the packet is returned from the main control unit 3. The following description will be made assuming that the free information signal line 19 is specified.◇In addition, if all the information signal lines 19, 20, and 21 are in use, the IFU 24 will respond as a result of the busy notification means provided in the main control unit 3. can be known. The IFU 24, which is permitted to use the information signal line 19, directly controls the exchange circuit 22 and connects the information signal line 19 and the transceiver 23.

(3) After the IFU 24 turns on the switching circuit 22, the IFU 24 transmits a telephone line request ■ to the main control unit 3 as a packet. After checking the usage status of the telephone line 1, the main control unit 3 checks if the telephone line 1 is free.

The 13 cross points of the switching circuit 9 are turned on, and the switching circuit 14 is also turned on to directly connect the information signal line 19 and the transceiver 15. A transmission path from the transceiver 16 of the communication controller section 16 to the communication control section 6 is established. On the other hand, a transmission path is set and established from the communication control section 6 to the telephone line 1 via the communication section 7, the loop closing section 8, the switching circuit section 9 13, and the office line control section 2. At this time, the loop closing section 8 of the communication controller section 16 forms a DC loop with respect to the telephone line 1, and becomes ready to make a call. After forming this DC loop, the main controller 3
sends telephone line use permission ■ to the IFU 24 after assembling a packet.

(4) IFU 24 is authorized to use the above telephone line■
is received from the main control unit 3, a dial ■ packet is assembled using the dial number identifying the calling party, which is a modifier of the call request ■, and sent to the main control unit 3, and a dial call is made to the telephone line 1. request processing. When the main control unit 3 receives the dial ■, the signal line 3 in FIG.
3 and a signal line 34 to control the central office line control section 2 and perform a transmission operation. That is, while the relay 40 shown in FIG. 2 is controlled by a control line 43 and connected to the incoming call detection circuit 35, it controls the signal line of the switch 44 for detecting the presence or absence of an incoming call immediately before making a call, and inputs the signal for departure/arrival collision detection 45. After checking whether or not the call operation to the telephone line can be executed, if possible, the relay 40 is switched and the following call operation is performed, and if it is not possible, the call is stopped. The main control unit 3 connects the relay 41 from the pair wire 42 side to the loop closing unit 38 side using the control line 5o shown in FIG.
is used to control the PB signal generation circuit 39, and the dial number digit designated by the modifier part of the dial (2) is sent from the PB signal transmission circuit 39 to the telephone line 1 as a selection signal (2) to the central office exchange of the telephone network. After sending the selection signal, the relay 41 connects the control line 60
The connection is returned to the pair wire 42 side under the control of the main control unit 3.

(6) After all selection signals have been sent to the telephone line 1, the main control unit 3 monitors the polarity reversal detection signal 47 output from the polarity reversal detection circuit 36 shown in FIG. 2, and determines whether the called party has responded or not. Look at the timing.

When the main control unit 3 detects the other party's response by reversing the electrical polarity of the telephone line 1, it transmits a packet of the other party's response notification (3) to the IFU 24 via the assembly control signal line 18.

(6) When the IFU 24 receives the packet of the other party's response notification ■, the IFU 24 connects the telephone line 1 and the information signal line 19 with the called party.
It is interpreted that a communication transmission path using a physical medium has been established. Next, the IFU 24 sends a communication controller activation packet to the communication controller unit 16 via the control signal line 18 in order to establish a connection based on the electrical physical conditions and logical conditions based on the communication protocol necessary for mutual communication. .

(7) The communication control unit 61 starts the communication controller ■
When receiving the message, the modem unit 7 is then controlled to negotiate between the called side and the calling side of the modem used to transmit and receive modulation and demodulation signals using the physically established communication transmission path. A modem connection sequence (2) is executed, which is a procedure using electrical signals that includes synchronization adjustment necessary for modulation and demodulation mutually determined in advance. Electrical signals used in this modem connection sequence are transmitted via the loop closing section 8, switching circuit section 9, and telephone line 1.

(8) When the modem connection sequence is established between the modems of the called side and the calling side, the communication control unit 6 next establishes a logical communication connection between the called side and the calling side. A predetermined communication connection establishment sequence (2) is executed to perform negotiation for the purpose of communication. That is, connections are established between logically hierarchical communication processing layers such as transmission control methods, error control methods, and data transmission formats.

This logical inter-layer communication connection establishment sequence (2) is transmitted and received from the communication control section 6 via the modem section 7 over the telephone line 1. When the negotiation between the called side and the calling side between each layer of the communication connection is completed and the logical communication connection is established, the communication control unit 6 confirms that the process for the communication controller activation request (3) is completed. Assembles a connection establishment OK packet to notify the IFU 24 and sends it to the IFU via the control signal line 18.
Send to 24.

(9) I F U 24 is OK to establish connection
When receiving this, data communication permission 0 is sent to the personal computer 3C1) to inform the control unit 26 that all the preparations necessary for controlling communication between the called side and the calling side using the telephone line 1 have been completed. is transmitted using the control line 52. That is, the IFU 24 transmits the data communication permission 0 as a response to the transmission request (2).

(10) The control unit 26 of the personal computer 3o:
Upon receiving the data communication permission @ from the IFU 24,
It is determined that data communication with the other party's information device using the telephone line 1 is possible, and data transmission/reception operations are started. That is, data communication 0 between the control unit 26 and IFU 24 is performed using the control line 5'2, and then data communication [phase] between the IFU 24 and the communication control unit 6 is performed using the transceiver 23, the conversion circuit 22, and This is done via the information signal line 19, switching circuit 14, and transceiver 16. Furthermore, the communication control section 6 performs data communication 0 with the other party's information equipment via the modem 7, the loop closing section 8, the switching circuit section 9, the central office line control section 2, and the telephone line 1.

That is, data transmitted and received by the personal computer 30 is transmitted and received in accordance with a predetermined communication format by passing through the data communication [phase], the data communication [phase], and the data communication 0 paths step by step. It is possible to send and receive information to and from the other party's information device.

As described above, by providing the communication controller unit in the communication control device, it is possible to efficiently perform data communication with an external information device using a communication line. Effects of the Invention The present invention has the following effects. Ru.

(1) When multiple information devices connected like a bus to control signal lines and information signal lines perform data communication with external information devices via subscriber telephone lines, multiple communication controller units and central office line control units are installed. Information devices can be shared as resources.

(2) If the communication protocol with the outside of the information equipment connected in the form of a bus is different or changed, this can be easily handled by replacing only the communication controller unit.

(3) The cost of the system configuration can be reduced by sharing the communication controller section.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a communication control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the station line control section of the same device, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a communication sequence using the same device, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the format of a control signal in the same device, and FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional communication control device. 1... Telephone line, 2... Office line control section,
3... Main control section, 9... Conversion circuit, 1
7... Communication control device, 18... Control signal line, 19-21... Information signal line. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person 2 years ago---Priority δA---Retirement address DA---First transfer address A number address CW---Eleventh limit code BC--- ) <7) CMD---Command Haya k vcc-11 control code Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] A device comprising at least one information signal line for transmitting information signals, etc. and a control signal line for transmitting control signals as an internal transmission line, and at least one subscriber telephone line as an external transmission line, and accommodating the subscriber telephone line. The only one provided,
The device includes means for controlling the telephone network, such as transmitting and transmitting a selection signal to the subscriber telephone line and detecting the arrival of a ringing signal, and means for transmitting and receiving control signals using the control signal line; Means for performing line switching between a line and the information signal line using a control signal transmitted using the control signal line, and means for performing communication control processing with an external communication device using the switched subscriber telephone line. A communication control device comprising: