KR20040106856A - A complex optical swiching hub which can be connected with optical fiber line and UTP cable. - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A complex fluorescent hub connected to both optical cable and UPT cable is provided to prevent waste of time, effort and cost for exchanging a communication hub and installing a patch, thereby flexibly coping with a rapidly changing communication environment. CONSTITUTION: A connecting part(10) for uplink has a port to be connected to a UTP(Unshielded Twisted Pair) cable connection terminal or optical cable connection terminal. A connecting part(20) for optical cable connection has a plurality of ports to be connected to the optical cable connection terminal. A connecting part(30) for UTP cable connection has a plurality of ports to be connected to the UTP cable connection terminal. A central control unit(40) is connected with the connecting part(10) for uplink, the connecting part(20) for optical cable connection, and the connecting part(30) for UTP cable connection for distributing and switching communication signals. A plurality of optical patch blocks correspond to optical cables of Gigabit communication network.

Description

A complex optical switching hub which can be connected with optical fiber line and UTP cable. }

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hybrid optical switching hub that can be connected together with an UPT cable and an optical cable in a switching hub that can be installed and used in a generation terminal box such as an apartment, a general home, or a SOHO office.

As the demand for high traffic data and high communication speed increases, the spread of optical communication networks is increasing. Especially in the future, the so-called FTTH (Fiber-To-The-Home) era is expected to come soon when optical cable network is directly connected to apartments or small SOHO offices. Recently, the Ministry of Information and Communication will soon announce the standard apartment standard by the high-speed information and communication building certification system in order to promote the distribution of the optical cable network to each household as soon as possible.

However, since most homes and offices are connected to the UTP cable line and the high-speed Internet network, most switching hubs use a general UTP cable connection hub. Therefore, in the future, when the optical cable network is connected to the home, an optical switching hub capable of directly connecting to the optical cable port is required, which must be additionally provided. However, separately purchasing a UTP cable connecting hub and an optical cable connecting hub is not only economically wasteful, but also requires considerable time, effort, and cost in installation work. In other words, in large-scale customers such as apartments, it is common to install and install a high-speed Internet connection hub together with a communication terminal box of each household during new construction. Replacing it with a hub is not only easy, but wasteful.

Therefore, considering the current communication environment in which the UTP cable network is the majority and the future communication environment that will be rapidly replaced by the fiber cable network, a hybrid optical switching hub capable of simultaneously connecting to the UTP cable and the optical cable is It is necessary. However, until now, such hybrid optical switching hubs are rarely released or simply provided with a parallel connector for a UTP cable connector and an optical cable connector. In addition, if the current technical level is 100 megabits of equipment for home use, Gigabit or more network equipment is expected to be spread to homes or Soho in the future. Demand for gigabit fiber patch blocks is expected. Therefore, there is a problem that it can be installed and used in a generation terminal box and does not have a structure and a function that can be usefully applied to a rapidly changing communication environment.

In order to overcome the above problems, the present invention prevents waste of time, effort, and cost that may occur due to the replacement of a communication hub and construction of a patch installation in a rapidly changing communication environment, and is used together in both a UTP cable network and an optical cable network. It is an object of the present invention to provide a hybrid optical switching hub that can be connected to the same.

In addition, it not only has a simple connection between UTP cable and optical cable, but also has the structure and function to use the connection ports as efficiently and efficiently as possible in any case. Its feature is that it additionally has a means to prepare in advance even if it is provided.

Detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which numerals designating corresponding parts in the drawings are the same.

1 shows a block diagram of a composite optical switching hub as a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

** Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawings **

10: Connection for uplink

20: connection for optical cable

30: connection for UTP cable

40: central control unit

50: power supply

60: selector switch

70: display unit

80: ROM

90: module for management

100: light patch part

In order to achieve the above object, the hybrid optical switching hub of the present invention has the following various structures and functions.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a hybrid optical switching hub according to the present invention. The hybrid optical switching hub of the present invention is an uplink connection part 10, an optical cable connection part 20, a UTP cable connection part 30, a central control part 40, a power supply part 50, a switching switch 60, a display part 70, a ROM 80, and the like. In addition, the management module 90 may be added as an optional feature, and apart from the basic functions of the optical switching hub of the present invention, the optical patch unit 100 is additionally provided.

The uplink connection part 10 is a part for connecting to a high-speed communication network or the like by an uplink, and has a structure capable of connecting and connecting both a UTP cable or an optical cable. That is, the UTP connector 11, the Ethernet transformer 12 for connecting to the UTP cable, and the optical connector 14, the optical transceiver 15, etc. for connecting to the optical cable are provided together, so that the means for uplinking is UTP. It can be used whether it is via a cable or an optical cable.

The uplink connection part 10 is connected to the central control unit 40 through the changeover switch 60, and the changeover switch 60 can select and switch either the UTP side or the optical side. The changeover switch 60 is configured in the form of a dip switch on the appearance of the hybrid optical switching hub, and is preferably provided so that the user can manually select and switch. That is, when connecting to a UTP cable as an uplink means, the switching switch 60 is placed on the UTP side, and the external communication network is centered via the UTP connector 11, the Ethernet transformer 12, and the switching switch 60. Is connected to the control unit 40. In addition, when connecting to an optical cable as an uplink means, the switching switch 60 is placed on the optical side, and the external communication network is connected to the central control unit 40 via the optical connector 14, the optical transceiver 15, and the switching switch 60. )

The UTP connector 11 of the uplink connection part 10 is preferably an RJ-45 terminal commonly used for connecting a UTP cable, and the other side of the uplink UTP cable connected through the UTP connector 11 is It is connected to external gigabit switch and leads to high speed communication network. The Ethernet transformer 12 has a function of stably insulating and connecting the UTP cable line, and is located between the UTP connector 11 and the changeover switch 60.

The optical connector 14 of the uplink connection part 10 is preferably an AC type or SC type optical connector commonly used for connecting optical cables, but is not limited thereto. The other side of the uplink optical cable connected through the optical connector 14 is connected to an external gigabit optical switch and the like, leading to a high speed communication network. The optical transceiver 15 has a function of converting an optical signal into an electrical signal and an electrical signal into an optical signal, and is located and connected between the optical connector 14 and the switching switch 60.

The optical cable connecting portion 20 has a structure and a function of connecting an optical cable port with a downlink in an apartment house or SOHO office such as an apartment. At least two optical ports for the downlink of the optical cable connecting portion 20 may be provided, but only one may be provided in some cases. The optical connectors 21 and 22 and the optical transceivers 23 and 24 of the connection part 20 for an optical cable can use the same kind as the optical connector 14 and the optical transceiver 15 of the uplink connection part 10. And the same structure, but for downlink, there is a slight difference in functionality. The optical cables connected to the optical connectors 21 and 22 of the optical cable connecting portion 20 are connected to other communication equipment in the home or SOHO office, various information processing related equipment, home appliances or optical port terminals in each room, and the like. . The optical connectors 21 and 22 are connected to the central control unit 40 via the optical transceivers 23 and 24, and unlike the case of the uplink connecting unit 10, the switching switch 60 is not passed through.

The connection portion 30 for the UTP cable has a structure and a function of connecting the UTP cable port to the downlink in the home or SOHO office. It is preferable to provide at least two UTP ports for the downlink of the connection portion 30 for the UTP cable, but in some cases, only one may be provided. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, but shown as having six, but not necessarily limited to this may be provided with more or less than that number may be provided. The UTP connectors 31 and 32 and the Ethernet transformers 33 and 34 of the connection part 30 for the UTP cable may use the same type as the UTP connector 11 and the Ethernet transformer 12 of the uplink connection part 10. And the same structure, but for downlink, there is a slight difference in function UTP cables connected to the UTP connectors 31 and 32 of the connection part 30 for the UTP cable are other communication equipment in the home or SOHO office. Or connected to various information processing-related devices, home appliances, or terminals for the UTP port of each room, etc. The UTP connectors 31 and 32 are connected to the central control unit 40 via the Ethernet transformers 33 and 34 and for uplink. Unlike the case of the connection portion 10, the switching switch 60 does not go through.

In the embodiment shown in the figure, one port for uplink, eight ports for downlink, and nine input / output ports in total are illustrated. UTP cable port or optical cable port is optionally used for uplink, so one port is shared. However, the present invention is not limited to having nine input / output ports in total, and may include more ports or fewer ports.

The central control unit 40 is connected to all other parts of the hybrid optical switching hub and is responsible for controlling them centrally. That is, the connection portion 20 for the optical cable, the connection portion 30 for the UTP cable, the power supply unit 50, the switching switch 60, the display unit 70, the ROM (ROM; 80), the management module 90 is directly connected to In addition, it is also connected to the connecting portion 10 for uplink through the changeover switch (60). Basically, it is responsible for distributing and switching communication signals by connecting ports for uplink and ports for downlink, and in addition, it transmits power supplied through power supply unit 50 to each part and other additional functions. Also controls.

The central control unit 40 preferably includes a 9-port LAN switch controller for 10/100 megabit LAN, a RAM memory for a MAC address, and a physical layer function for 8 ports. . However, the specific capacity is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a 16-port or higher or lower capacity may be used instead of a 9-port LAN switch controller. In addition, the central control unit 40 may be built-in Ethernet PHY chips, the optical port or UTP port and the LAN switch controller of the central control unit 40 by connecting the Ethernet signal to the data format of the LAN switch controller It converts or vice versa. Pie chips for Ethernet may not be built in the central control unit 40, but may be configured separately from the outside. In particular, when the central control unit 40 includes the 9-port LAN switch controller, the pi chip for Ethernet may be connected to an uplink port. The chip is preferably located outside the central control unit 40, that is, between the switching switch 60 and the central control unit 40.

The power supply unit 90 is connected to the central control unit 40, and receives input power from the outside to convert and supply power required for driving the central control unit 40 and each part. The power supply unit 60 may be supplied with AC 220V phase power from the outside, or may be supplied with communication power such as DC -48V, but is not limited thereto. Or it may be powered from a commonly used DC power adapter (Adapter) or may be integrated with it.

The display unit 70 is connected to the central control unit 40 and is attached to the outer case of the hybrid optical switching hub to display the connection and connection status of each uplink port and downlink port. The display unit 70 is preferably composed of LEDs corresponding to each connection terminal. That is, when UTP terminal or optical terminal is connected to each UTP connector (11, 31, 32) or optical connector (14, 21, 22) for uplink or downlink, the corresponding LED is turned on. If the corresponding terminal is disconnected or disconnected, the LED may be turned off. However, the configuration of the display unit 70 is not limited to the LED alone, and may be displayed by other display means, and may further include functions to display other states of the complex optical switching hub such as power on / off. It may be.

The ROM 80 is connected to the central control unit and is responsible for initializing the functions of each part when initially setting the hybrid optical switching hub. The ROM 80 may be integrated with the central control unit.

Management module 90 is an optional feature of the hybrid optical switching hub, is connected to the central control unit 40, and provides a function that can be utilized in conjunction with other external devices. If the configuration of the management module 90 to be described by way of example, it is preferable to include a CPU 91, a memory 92, a console port (92) for connection, the console port (Console) port ( 92) may be connected to an external device via the RS-232C terminal. The management module 90 is utilized as an agent for a simple network management protocol (SNMP), a management information base (MIB), or the like, for example. Equipment and the like. Accordingly, the management module 90 may provide a function of managing, remotely monitoring or controlling a plurality of hybrid optical switching hubs.

Although the optical patch unit 100 is not directly related to the inherent functions of the hybrid optical switching hub of the present invention described above, it is useful to cope with future communication environments that may change rapidly and reduce overall costs. It is additionally provided in terms of providing a means. In other words, when the ultra-high speed optical communication network provided to homes or SOHO offices reaches more than 100 megabits and reaches gigabits, there is a problem in that there is no proper means to cope with the new communication environment. Therefore, if an optical patch block is additionally attached to an apartment or SOHO office where an optical cable is constructed so that the hybrid optical switching hub can cope with an optical cable of a gigabit network, it may be very useful in the future. .

Therefore, the optical patch unit 100 preferably attaches two or more optical patch blocks 101 and 102 that can correspond to the gigabit optical communication network to an appropriate space of the hybrid optical switching hub. However, the number of optical patch blocks is not necessarily limited to two, but may be one or three or more. It is preferable that the optical patch blocks 101 and 102 determine positions to be attached in consideration of the optical cable terminals to be connected thereto and the radius of curvature of the optical cables.

The hybrid optical switching hub of the present invention is installed and used in a household terminal box such as an apartment house or SOHO office, but has a structure and a function that can be connected to a UTP cable and an optical cable. There is.

First, since it is equipped with both UTP cable connection port and optical cable connection port, home and SOHO offices such as FTTH (Fiber-To-The-Home) as well as the current communication environment that UTP cable network occupies the majority. In the future, it will be useful in the future communication environment in which optical cables are widely used. That is, even if the current UTP cable connection network is replaced by the optical cable connection network in the future, since it can be used without a separate switching hub equipment installation work or replacement work, there is a significant advantage in terms of economics because no additional cost, time and effort are required.

In addition, the hybrid optical switching hub of the present invention is not merely provided with a port for the UTP cable and a port for the optical cable in parallel, but also for connecting the UTP cable and the connector for connecting the optical cable to one port for the uplink. Another unique effect is that it has a structure that can be selectively connected and used. In other words, if only a plurality of UTP cable ports and a plurality of optical cable ports are combined, the downlink port is reduced by one depending on whether the uplink port is a UTP cable port or an optical cable port. This is not preferable. However, in the hybrid optical switching hub of the present invention, regardless of whether the uplink port is an UTP cable port or an optical cable port, the downlink ports can be stably and conveniently used because the first port number can be maintained without change. .

In addition, the hybrid optical switching hub of the present invention is equipped with an optical patch block that can cope with the optical cable of the gigabit communication network in the future, so that even if the communication environment is changed at a higher speed and higher capacity in the future, additional expense or cumbersome construction work is required. It also has the advantage of having an effective means of coping that are not needed. In short, since the optical switching hub of the present invention has an optimal structure and function that can be usefully applied to a rapidly changing communication environment, various effects can be obtained.

Although the above has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be variously modified and changed within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below You can. Accordingly, all changes that come within the meaning or range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Claims (7)

A switching hub which can be installed and used in household terminal boxes, such as apartments, apartment houses, and SOHO offices; An uplink connecting portion having a port for connecting and connecting to a UTP cable connecting terminal or an optical cable connecting terminal; An optical cable connecting portion having at least one port for connecting and connecting to an optical cable connecting terminal for down linking; A connection part for a UTP cable having one or more ports that can be connected to and connected to a terminal for connecting a UTP cable for downlink; A central control unit connected to the uplink connection unit, the optical cable connection unit for the downlink, and the UTP cable connection unit for distributing and switching communication signals; A hybrid optical switching hub, comprising an optical patch unit comprising one or more optical patch blocks that can cope with an optical cable of a gigabit unit network. The display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a display unit connected to the central control unit of the hybrid optical switching hub and displaying a connection, connection, etc. of all ports of the uplink connection unit, the optical cable connection unit, and the UTP cable connection unit; A ROM connected to the central controller and initializing all functions of the hybrid optical switching hub; The hybrid optical switching hub further comprises a power supply unit connected to the central control unit and supplying power for driving the complex Guam switching hub. The method of claim 1, wherein the hybrid optical switching hub selects a management module having a CPU, a memory, a console for connection, etc. so as to be connected to and managed by another external device through an RS-232C terminal or the like. Hybrid optical switching hub characterized in that it can be provided as an additional specification. The method of claim 1, wherein the hybrid optical switching hub can be connected to the UTP cable and the optical cable for the uplink, but can be connected and connected to the UTP cable or the optical cable in accordance with the user's choice And a changeover switch connected to the central control unit. The hybrid optical switching hub of claim 1, wherein a portion connecting the optical port of the optical cable connection part or the uplink connection part comprises an optical connector and an optical transceiver. The hybrid optical switching device of claim 1, wherein the portion connecting the UTP cable connection part or the UTP port connection part of the uplink connection part comprises a UTP connector and an Ethernet transformer that can be detached from an RJ-45 terminal. Herb The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central controller includes a 9-port LAN switch controller for 10/100 megabits, a RAM memory for a MAC address, and a physical layer function for 8 ports. Hybrid optical switching hub, characterized in that the built-in or external to the chip for Ethernet connected to the link port.