KR20080083484A - Apparatus and method of sharing communication port with distinct communication protocol - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for using communication ports having different communication standards in a single device and an apparatus using the same are provided to reduce the volume of a device by selectively using different communication modes through a single communication connector. An apparatus for using communication ports having different communication standards in a single device comprises the first driver(10), the second driver(20), a communication connector(30), a selection switch(40), and buffers(50-55). The first driver and the second driver provide respectively different communication modes. The communication connector is connected with 4 common signal lines associated with data transmission and reception in a Y-connection method among the signal lines of the first and second drivers. The selection switch selects either the first driver or the second driver. The buffers activate signal lines so that data transmission and reception can be made through the communication connector according to the communication mode of a selected driver.

Description

Method and device for sharing communication port having different communication standard {APPARATUS AND METHOD OF SHARING COMMUNICATION PORT WITH DISTINCT COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL}

1 is a block diagram of a communication port sharing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a table of pin specifications of the communication port shown in FIG.

3 is an exemplary diagram for selecting a communication method using the selection switch shown in FIG.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a communication port sharing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

10: first driving unit 20: second driving unit

30: communication connector 40: selection switch

50 to 55: buffer 60: communication control unit

The present invention relates to a communication method control, in particular, a communication port sharing method having a different communication standard to share a communication port having a different communication standard with only one communication connector, and to select / use a communication method according to any one communication port And to the apparatus.

In general, there are two ways to exchange information with the outside: parallel communication and serial communication. Among them, RS-232, RS-422, etc. can be mentioned in the serial communication system.

In order to perform communication using the serial communication method, the RS-232 needs to be provided with the minimum number of lines such as TXD, RXD, and GND. 4Pin should be provided as Further, the RS-232 and RS-422 have different pin arrangement configurations.

Therefore, in order to use the RS-232 communication method and the RS-422 communication method, each driver and a communication port for performing this are independently provided.

If a different communication method is provided in one device, the user may select and use a desired communication method. In this case, however, as described above, corresponding communication ports must be provided, thereby increasing the overall volume of the device.

Most devices provide only one communication method. In this case, however, communication is performed only by the communication method, and there is a hassle that other communication methods cannot be used.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for sharing a communication port having different communication standards for sharing different communication standards with one connector.

It is another object of the present invention to select and use a communication method in one device.

Communication port sharing method having a different communication standard according to the characteristics of the present invention for achieving the above object, selecting a driver for using any one communication method in a predetermined communication port sharing device, the driver Activating a buffer by applying an enable signal to a buffer connected to the buffer; and performing data transmission / reception with a communication connector through the buffer by a communication method by the selected driver.

The signal line of each of the drivers is Y-connected and connected to the communication connector.

And, only one communication connector can transmit and receive data in different communication methods.

In addition, the communication port sharing apparatus having a different communication standard according to another feature of the present invention, for transmitting and receiving data among the signal lines of the first driver and the second driver, the first driver and the second driver providing different communication schemes; A communication connector connected in a state in which signal lines are shared and connected to one another, a selection switch for selecting the first driver or a second driver, and a first driver or a second driver selected in accordance with the selection switch operation to perform the corresponding communication method. It includes a buffer to activate the signal line to enable data transmission and reception through the communication connector.

The communication control unit for controlling the communication method when transmitting and receiving data through the communication connector by any one of the selected driver further comprises.

The signal line for data transmission and reception is connected by a Y-wire.

The buffer is connected to match the data transfer direction. When one driver is selected according to the selection switch operation, the enable signal is applied only to the buffer connected to the signal line of the driver.

The buffer is a 3-STATE buffer.

The selection switch is a three-pole two-state slide switch, and when the selection switch is positioned in any one state, an enable signal is applied to a corresponding buffer connected to the first driver or the second driver.

According to the present invention having the above configuration, communication standards having different pin configurations can be shared from one device to one communication connector, and one communication method can be easily selected and used from two or more communication methods. Will be.

Hereinafter, a method and apparatus for sharing a communication port having different communication standards according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a communication port sharing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a table of pin specifications of the communication port shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 1. An example attempt to select a communication scheme using the selected selector switch is shown.

First, referring to FIG. 1, a first driver 10 and a second driver 20 having different communication methods are provided. In the present embodiment, the first driver 10 is an RS-232 driver for RS-232 communication, and the second driver 20 will be described as an RS-422 driver for RS-422 communication. In addition, in describing the present embodiment, only the signal lines provided for transmitting and receiving actual data will be described, and description of other signal lines will be omitted.

As is well known, nine signal lines (refer to FIG. 2) are used for the signal line for RS-232 communication, and four signal lines are used for the signal line for RS-422 communication.

In addition, one communication connector (30; 9pin D-Sub Connector) can be used to connect four signal lines related to communication among the nine signal lines and four signal lines (hereinafter referred to as “Y-connection”). Is provided.

That is, referring to Figure 2 RS-232 communication in pin specifications No. 2 (RXD), No. 3 (TXD), No. 4 (DTR), No. 6 (DSR) associated with the data communication, RS-422 communication diagram No. 2 (RXD +), No. 3 (TXD +), No. 4 (TXD-) and No. 6 (RXD-) are related to data communication. Accordingly, the communication connector 30 also uses port terminals 2, 3, 4, and 6 corresponding to the 2, 3, 4, and 6 terminals. In other words, four signal lines of the RS-232 communication and four signal lines of the RS-442 communication are Y-connected to the port terminals 2, 3, 4, and 6 of the communication connector 30. Part) is connected.

Here, the connector specification for the RS-232 driver 10 is defined as shown in Figure 2 by the Electronic Industries Association, but the connector specification for the RS-422 driver 20. Was not prescribed. Therefore, the connector specification for the RS-422 driver 20 can be changed. That is, even if the Y-wired Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 6 are changed / connected to the signal lines of Nos. 2, 3, 7, and 8 according to the 'input / output classification' shown in FIG. The present invention can be established.

According to such a configuration, as mentioned in the prior art, if the RS-232 communication and the RS-422 communication are to be used, two connectors should be provided, respectively, because the above four signal lines are connected by the Y connection. Only one communication connector 30 is needed.

Next, a selection switch 40 for selecting the RS-232 driver 10 or the RS-422 driver 20 connected to the communication connector 30 in a Y-connected manner is provided. The selection switch 40 is shown in FIG. The selection switch 40 may be implemented in various forms, but in the present invention, a three-pole two-state slide switch is used. When the selection switch 40 is slid in one direction, an RS-232 enable signal or an RS-422 enable signal is generated so that the RS-232 driver 10 or the RS-422 driver 20 is selected. It has a configuration in which power is supplied.

In the same connection state as the transmission / reception transmission direction of data, when the generated enable signal is applied, buffers 50 to 55 are provided to activate corresponding signal lines for transmission and reception. The buffers 50 to 55 are activated by the enable signal generated by the selection switch 40. The buffer 50 to 55 employs a 3-STATE buffer (ie, 74LS125).

In addition, a diode is provided between the RS-232 driver 10 and the communication connector 30 and between the RS-422 driver 20 and the communication connector 30 in a direction in which data is transmitted and received.

Communication control unit for controlling any one of the RS-232 driver 10 or RS-422 driver 20 selected by the operation of the selection switch 40 to communicate with the communication connector 30 ( 60). The communication control unit 60 should also be provided with four communication terminals (RXD, TXD, DTR, DSR) corresponding to the second, third, fourth, and sixth. In particular, signal lines (ie, 2 and 3) connected to two communication terminals of the communication terminals and corresponding signal lines of the RS-232 driver 10 and the RS-422 driver 20 (ie, Nos. 2 and 3 are connected by the Y connection (B) method, respectively. Signal lines (ie, 4 and 6) of the communication controller 60 are connected to corresponding signal lines (ie, 4 and 6) of the signal lines of the RS-232 driver 10, respectively.

A process of activating any one communication port and performing data transmission / reception using a corresponding communication method using the communication port sharing apparatus configured as described above will be described.

Once the communication port sharing apparatus is provided to the predetermined device, the selection switch 40 may be located at the RS-232 driver 10 or the RS-422 driver 20 side.

This is the case where the selection switch 40 is on the RS-232 driver 10 side.

In this case, a separate enable signal is not generated and the buffers 50, 51, 52, and 53 connected to the RS-232 driver 10 remain activated (S70). That is, an enable signal is generated in the buffers 50, 51, 52, and 53.

Therefore, the communication controller 60 performs data transmission and reception with a unit (not shown) connected to the communication connector 30 in an RS-232 communication method according to the RS-232 driver 10 (S72).

However, when the unit (not shown) connected to the communication connector 30 provides the RS-422 communication method without providing the RS-232 communication method, the currently set-up RS-232 communication mode is RS-422. Switch to the communication mode (S74).

This is done by sliding operation of the selector switch 40. Once the selection switch 40 is on the RS-232 driver 10 side and moved to the RS-422 driver 20 side (S76), an RS-422 enable signal is generated as shown in FIG. 3 (S78). .

The RS-422 enable signal is applied to the buffers 54 and 55 connected to the RS-422 driver 20, and thus the buffers 54 and 55 are activated to transmit and receive data (S80). . That is, when the buffers 54 and 55 are activated, an environment for transmitting and receiving data is created.

Accordingly, the communication controller 60 performs data transmission with a unit (not shown) connected to the communication connector 30 in an RS-422 communication method according to the driving of the RS-422 driver 20.

As described above, the present invention described in the above embodiments can share different communication standards as one communication connector, and there is an advantage in that any one communication method can be easily used only by selecting switch operation.

The scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and many other modifications based on the present invention will be possible to those skilled in the art within the above technical scope.

As described above, according to the method and apparatus for sharing a communication port having different communication standards of the present invention, different communication methods can be shared by a single communication connector, and any desired communication method can be achieved only by a switch operation. There is an effect that can be easily selected and used.

In addition, the volume of the device can be reduced by sharing different communication methods with one communication connector.

Claims (10)

A first driver and a second driver that provide different communication methods, A communication connector connected and connected in a state in which signal lines for transmitting / receiving data among the signal lines of the first driver and the second driver are shared as one; A selection switch for selecting the first driver or the second driver, and Communication port sharing device having a different communication standard configured to include a buffer for activating the signal line to enable data transmission and reception through the communication connector in the corresponding communication method by the first driver or the second driver selected in accordance with the selection switch operation . The method of claim 1, Communication port sharing apparatus having a different communication standard configured to further include a communication control unit for controlling the communication method when transmitting and receiving data through the communication connector by any one of the selected driver. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The communication line sharing device having a different communication standard, characterized in that the signal line for transmitting and receiving data is connected by a Y-wire. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The buffer is connected to match the data transmission direction, And an enable signal is applied only to a buffer connected to a signal line of the driver when one driver is selected according to the selection switch operation. The method of claim 4, wherein Communication buffer sharing device having a different communication standard, characterized in that the buffer is a 3-STATE buffer (3-STATE Buffer). The method according to claim 1 or 2, The selection switch is a three-pole two-state slide switch, And the enable switch is applied to a corresponding buffer connected to the first driver or the second driver when the selection switch is positioned in any one state. Selecting a driver for using any one communication method in the communication port sharing device of claim 1, Enabling an buffer by applying an enable signal to a buffer connected to the driver, and And transmitting / receiving data with a communication connector through the buffer by a communication method by the selected driver. The method of claim 7, wherein And a signal line of each of the drivers is Y-connected and connected to the communication connector. The method according to claim 7 or 8, Communication port sharing method having a different communication standard, characterized in that for transmitting and receiving data in different communication methods using only one communication connector. The method of claim 9, An enable signal is generated so that a corresponding driver is driven each time the communication method is selected.

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