TWI480737B - Device expanding system and device expanding method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Device expansion system and method for expanding the same

The present invention relates to a device expansion system and a method for expanding the same, and more particularly to a device expansion system and a device expansion method thereof for automatically setting a busbar address of an expansion device.

With the development of technology, various control systems have been widely used in various applications, such as control systems for monitoring the environment or control systems for storing or reading data. There may be a single control device and a number of expansion devices within the control system, which may be the same or different devices used to increase the functionality or range of applications of the control device. In general, the control device and the expansion device are connected via a busbar. Each expansion device must have its own address, and different expansion devices on the same bus bar cannot have the same address. Otherwise, the control device cannot recognize different expansion devices on the same bus bar.

In the prior art, the control device may connect different expansion devices via different bus bars. However, it is necessary to construct a large number of bus bars, which will increase the cost and complexity of the circuit layout, and the control device may be limited by its hardware specifications and cannot support too many bus bars. Therefore, in the prior art, a jumper setting method is also used to adjust the address of the expansion device, so that the expansion devices of different addresses can be connected to the same bus bar. However, it is necessary for the user to adjust the jumper by himself, which is inconvenient for the user. At the same time, it is also possible to set the same jumper or not know the setting status of the current expansion device, so that the expansion device cannot operate normally. Therefore, convenience is still insufficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention is to provide a device expansion system having the effect of automatically setting the busbar address of the expansion device.

Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a method of apparatus expansion for a device expansion system.

To achieve the above objective, the device expansion system of the embodiment of the present invention includes a main control device, a bus bar and a first expansion device. The busbar is electrically connected to the main control device. The first expansion device includes a first processing module and a first counter. When the first expansion device is electrically connected to the main control device via the busbar, the main control device assigns the first count value to the first processing module of the expansion device to be set as the first busbar address of the first expansion device. . The first counter is electrically connected to the first processing module; wherein when the first expansion device is connected to the second expansion device via the bus bar, the first counter calculates the first count value to generate a second count value, the first The expansion device transmits the second count value to the second expansion device.

The device expansion method of the embodiment of the present invention is used for the first expansion device to be disposed in the device expansion system, comprising the steps of: electrically connecting to the main control device via the bus bar; receiving the first count value specified by the main control device to be set to a first bus address; electrically connecting the second expansion device via the bus; calculating a first count value by the first counter to generate a second count value; and transmitting the second count value to the second expansion device to set The second busbar address of the second expansion device.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more <

Please refer to FIG. 1 for the architecture diagram of the device expansion system of the present invention having a single expansion device.

The device expansion system 1 of the present invention can be a computer system or a monitoring system, or other system that can be used to install a plurality of expansion devices. The invention does not particularly limit the use of the device expansion system 1. In the present embodiment, the device expansion system 1 includes a main control device 10, a first expansion device 21, and a bus bar 61. The main control device 10 is constructed by a hardware, a hard body bonding software or a hardware bonding firmware, but the invention is not limited thereto. The main control device 10 is connected to the first expansion device 21 via the bus bar 61, so that commands such as commands or data can be transmitted between the main control device 10 and the first expansion device 21 to further control the first expansion. Device 21. The bus bar 61 can be a bus bar that conforms to the Inter-Integrated Circuit (I ² C) specification, but the invention is not limited thereto. Since the function of the bus bar 61 has been widely used by those skilled in the art, it will not be described herein.

The first expansion device 21 can be used as a device for detecting, monitoring, storing, or reading the same or different purposes, but the present invention is not limited to the items listed above. The first expansion device 21 includes a first processing module 31, a first counter 41, and a first lighting module 51. The first processing module 31 is constructed by a hardware, a hardware bonding software or a hardware bonding firmware, but the invention is not limited thereto. The first processing module 31 is configured to process the functions of the first expansion device 21. At the same time, when the main control device 10 is connected to the first processing module 31, the main control device 10 specifies a first count value N1 as the bus bar address of the first expansion device 21. Therefore, the first processing module 31 is set as the bus address of the first expansion device 21 according to the received first count value N1. The first counter 41 is electrically connected to the main control device 10 for calculating the first count value N1 received from the main control device 10 to generate a new second count value N2. When a new second expansion device 22 (shown in FIG. 3) is connected, the first counter 41 transmits the new second count value N2 to the next second expansion device 22. The first lighting module 51 is also electrically connected to the main control device 10 for displaying the received first count value N1.

For the detailed operation mode of the first counter 41 and the first lighting module 51, please refer to FIG. 2, which is a structural diagram of a counter provided by the expansion device in one embodiment of the present invention.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first counter 41 may be a sub-module including a subtractor 411 and a reverse (NOT) logic gate 412, but the invention is not limited thereto, and the first counter 41 is also The upper module can be formed by the adder and the reverse logic gate 412. The number of reverse logic gates 412 may be based on the number of bits of the first count value N1. It should be noted that the count value is preferably expressed by the binary value, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first counting value N1 of 3 bits is input by the main control device 10, and the second counting value N2 of 3 bits is generated as an example, wherein the first counting value N1 is used. The values may be count values A0, A1, and A2, respectively, and the second count value N2 may have count values S0, S1, and S2, respectively. First, the master device 10 specifies that the count values A0, A1, and A2 are 000. When the count values A0, A1, and A2 are 000, they are first passed through the reverse logic gate 412 to become 111. After passing through the subtractor 411, it is reduced to 110. The final output is then passed through the reverse logic gate 412, resulting in a count value S0, S1, S2 of 001. In this way, the first counter 41 can obtain new count values S0, S1, S2.

At the same time, the count values A0, A1, and A2 are also transmitted to the first light emitting module 51. In an embodiment of the present invention, the first light emitting module 51 includes three sets of light emitting diodes L1, L2, and L3 to represent the count values A0, A1, and A2 of the three bits, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to the need. It is a light-emitting diode. When the count values A0, A1, and A2 are 000, the light-emitting diodes L1, L2, and L3 may all be in an extinguished state. Similarly, when the count values A0, A1, and A2 are 001, the light-emitting diodes L1 and L2 can be turned off, and the light-emitting diode L3 can be turned on. In this way, the user can clearly know the busbar address of the first expansion device 21 by using 8 different bright and dark combinations of the LEDs L1, L2, and L3.

Next, please refer to FIG. 3, which is a structural diagram of a device expansion system of the present invention having a plurality of expansion devices.

As can be seen from the above architecture, the device expansion system 1 can simultaneously provide a plurality of expansion devices. When the main control device 10 is electrically connected to the first expansion device 21, the first counting value N1 is designated to the first processing module 31 of the first expansion device 21, and is set as the first bus address of the first expansion device 21. . At the same time, the first lighting module 51 displays the first count value N1. The first count value N1 is then passed through the first counter 41 to be calculated as the second count value N2 by the subtractor 411 and the reverse logic gate 412.

When the first expansion device 21 is electrically connected to the second expansion device 22, the second count value N2 is transmitted to the second processing module 32 of the second expansion device 22 as the second bus arrangement of the second expansion device 22. site. Similarly, the second lighting module 52 displays the second counting value N2, and the second counting value N2 is further passed through the second counter 42 to be calculated as the third counting value N3 for transmission to the newly connected third expansion device. twenty three. The functions of the third processing module 33, the third counter 43, and the third lighting module 53 of the third expansion device 23 are the same as those of the processing modules, counters, and lighting modules described above. Therefore, when the third expansion device 23 is connected in series with the new expansion device, the same procedure is executed. In this way, when the device expansion system 1 is connected in series with the new expansion device, the new expansion device can automatically obtain its bus address. The busbar addresses of each expansion device are different, so that the main control device 10 can control different expansion devices via a single bus bar 61. It should be noted that the number of bits of the count value is matched with the number of expansion devices that the main control device 10 can connect. That is, when the count value is 3 bits, the main control device 10 can connect 8 sets of expansion devices.

Finally, please refer to FIG. 4, which is a flow chart of the steps of the method for expanding the device of the present invention. It should be noted that, in the following, the device expansion system 1 having the first expansion device 21 is taken as an example, that is, the method for expanding the device of the present invention is illustrated by using FIG. 3, but the method for expanding the device of the present invention is not It is limited to use in the device expansion system 1.

First, step 401 is performed: electrically connected to the main control device via the bus bar.

First, the first expansion device 21 is first electrically connected to the main control device 10 via the bus bar 61.

Next, proceed to step 402: receiving a first count value specified by the master device to be set as a first bus address.

Next, the main control device 10 first specifies the first count value N1 for transmission to the first processing module 31 of the first expansion device 21 to be set as the first bus address of the first expansion device 21. This first count value N1 is also transmitted to the first counter 41.

Then proceed to step 403: display the first count value.

Since the first counter 41 is electrically connected to the first lighting module 51, the first lighting module 51 of the first expansion device 21 displays the first count value N1 to inform the user of the first expansion device 21 What is the address of a bus?

Then proceed to step 404: electrically connecting the second expansion device via the bus.

Then, the first expansion device 21 is electrically connected to the second expansion device 22 via the same bus bar 61.

Step 405 is further performed: calculating a first count value by a counter to generate a second count value.

At this time, the first counter 41 of the first expansion device 21 calculates the first count value N1 to generate the second count value N2. The first counter 41 can calculate the second count value N2 by using the subtractor 411 and the reverse logic gate 412 or by using the adder and the reverse logic gate 412.

Finally, step 406 is performed: transmitting the second count value to the second expansion device to be set as the second bus address of the second expansion device.

After the first counter 41 calculates the second count value N2, the second count value N2 is transmitted to the second expansion device 22, and is set as the second bus address of the second expansion device 22.

After repeating the above process, the device expansion system 1 can increase the number of expansion devices. It should be noted that the method of expanding the apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the order of the above steps, and the order of the above steps may be changed as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved.

It can be seen from the above description that the device expansion system 1 of the present invention can connect the main control device 10 to a plurality of expansion devices via a single bus bar 61, and the user does not need to manually adjust the settings of the expansion device, so that the expansion device can be automatically obtained. The new bus address.

To sum up, the present invention, regardless of its purpose, means and efficacy, shows its distinctive features of the prior art. You are requested to review the examination and express the patent as soon as possible. It should be noted that the various embodiments described above are merely illustrative for ease of explanation, and the scope of the invention is intended to be limited by the scope of the claims.

1. . . Device expansion system

10. . . Master control unit

twenty one. . . First expansion device

twenty two. . . Second expansion device

twenty three. . . Third expansion device

31. . . First processing module

32. . . Second processing module

33. . . Third processing module

41. . . First counter

411. . . Subtractor

412. . . Reverse logic gate

42. . . Second counter

43. . . Third counter

51. . . First lighting module

52. . . Second lighting module

53. . . Third lighting module

61. . . Busbar

A0, A1, A2, S0, S1, S2. . . Count value

N1. . . First count value

N2. . . Second count value

N3. . . Third count value

L1, L2, L3. . . Light-emitting diode

1 is an architectural diagram of a device expansion system of the present invention having a single expansion device.

2 is a block diagram of a counter provided by an expansion device in one embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a block diagram of a device expansion system of the present invention having a plurality of expansion devices.

Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the steps of the method of the apparatus of the present invention.

1. . . Device expansion system

10. . . Master control unit

twenty one. . . First expansion device

31. . . First processing module

41. . . First counter

51. . . First lighting module

61. . . Busbar

Claims (10)

A device expansion system includes: a main control device; a bus bar electrically connected to the main control device; and a first expansion device, comprising: a first processing module, when the expansion device passes through the bus bar When the main control device is electrically connected to the main control device, the main control device assigns a first count value to the first processing module of the expansion device to be set as a first bus address of the first expansion device; And the first counter is electrically connected to the first processing module; wherein when the first expansion device is connected to the second expansion device via the bus bar, the first counter calculates the first count value to generate a second count value, the first expansion device transmits the second count value to the second expansion device to be set as a second bus address of the second expansion device. The device expansion system of claim 1, wherein the second expansion device comprises a second counter, wherein the second expansion device is connected to a third expansion device via the busbar The value generates a third count value through the second counter and transmits the third count value to the third expansion device as a third bus address of the third expansion device. The device expansion system of claim 1, wherein the first expansion device further comprises a lighting module electrically connected to the counter for displaying the first count value. The device expansion system of claim 1, wherein the counter comprises an adder and a reverse logic gate. The device expansion system of claim 1, wherein the counter comprises a subtractor and a reverse logic gate. The device expansion system of claim 1, wherein the first count value and the second count value are a binary value. A device expansion method is provided for a first expansion device for being disposed in a device expansion system, the device expansion system comprising a main control device and a bus bar, the method comprising the steps of: electrically connecting to the busbar via the busbar Receiving a first count value specified by the main control device to be set as a first bus address; electrically connecting a second expansion device via the bus bar; calculating the first by a first counter Counting the value to generate a second count value; and transmitting the second count value to the second expansion device to be set as a second bus address of the second expansion device. The device expansion method of claim 7, further comprising the step of displaying the first count value. The device expansion method of claim 7, wherein the calculating the first count value comprises generating the second count value by an adder. The device expansion method of claim 7, wherein the calculating the first count value comprises generating a second count value by a subtractor.