JPH0744579B2 - Home bus interface unit - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial application> The present invention relates to an interface unit, and more specifically, from a center controller through a common transmission bus line, lighting equipment in a house, an air conditioner, an AV system.
The present invention relates to an interface unit that can be installed in both a center controller and a terminal device in a home bus system that centrally controls and centrally monitors a home device such as a device and a terminal device including various sensors for crime prevention and disaster prevention.

<Prior Art> In the above home bus system, an interface unit incorporated for interfacing between the transmission bus line and the center controller or the transmission bus line and the terminal equipment is usually a control signal or a monitoring signal. A transmission control processor that assembles packets into packets and sends them out to the transmission bus line, or receives packets addressed to itself from the transmission bus line and decodes and processes the signals, and terminal equipment or a center according to the signal passing conditions. It has an input / output unit for connecting to a controller. Among them, since the signal system of the transmission control processor is standardized by the protocol, the standardization can be easily achieved. Therefore, it is often the case that a one-chip microcomputer is used as the transmission control processor to make the parts common.

However, since the input / output unit is connected to various terminal devices or the center controller, it is necessary to configure the circuit according to the signal passing condition of the terminal device or the center controller. Therefore, there has been proposed one in which a gate array unit is incorporated in a transmission control processor so that an input / output circuit can be freely logically designed (Japanese Utility Model Application No. 61-1).
60354 specification). According to this, since it is possible to deal with a complicated signal passing condition, it is possible to provide an interface unit having extremely high versatility.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> Mass production of such interface units has progressed,
Until built in various communication terminals, the circuit must be configured according to the signal passing conditions for various terminals as in the conventional case.

By the way, in the crime prevention / disaster prevention and control home bus system of home electric appliances, the input / output conditions of the terminal device or the center controller actually used are binary signal by pulse, binary signal by level, or pulse of 2-8 bits. In most cases, the code signal is passed.

<Object of Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a general-purpose interface unit that can be inexpensively and easily configured by combining a predetermined peripheral device with a one-chip microcomputer and can be used for various terminal devices and center controllers in a home bus system. .

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention provides a transmission control for controlling transmission of home bus control information in a home bus interface unit connected to various home terminal devices or a center controller that constitute a home bus system. Processor (12), connection terminal (17) for terminal equipment or center controller, and an input / output section provided between the connection terminal (17) and the input / output port of the transmission control processor (12). (13) and mode setting means (14) for setting the signal passing condition of the input / output unit (13).

<Operation> In the present invention, the input / output condition with the terminal device or the center controller can be set by the interface unit.

<Examples> Hereinafter, detailed description will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the interface unit. The interface unit (1) is
A transmission control processor (1) including a transmission / reception circuit (11) for exchanging signals with the transmission bus line (B) and a one-chip microcomputer connected to the transmission / reception circuit (11).
2) and a terminal device (3) or a center controller (2) (in the figure, an example of connecting to the terminal device (3) is shown), a connection terminal (17) for connection, and a transmission control processor ( An input / output unit (13) provided between the terminal (17) and the connection terminal (17) for exchanging various signals with the terminal device (3) or the center controller (2);
A mode setting switch (14) for setting the above-mentioned signal passing condition of 3), a self address setting switch (15) for setting the self address of the interface unit (1),
It is mainly composed of a destination address setting switch (16) for setting the destination of information.

The input / output unit (13) has an input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) and a keep relay circuit (19) so as to be compatible with various signal passing conditions of the terminal device (3) or the center controller (2). ing. The input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) exchanges a pulse code signal of a predetermined number of bits with the terminal device (3), the center controller (2) or the keep relay circuit (19). In this embodiment, the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) having an 8-bit capacity is used.
The keep relay circuit (19) receives the pulse code signal from the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18), and receives the terminal device (3).
Alternatively, a binary signal depending on the level is exchanged with the center controller (2).

Note that depending on the signal passing condition, direct signal exchange may be possible between the transmission control processor (12) and the terminal device (3) or the center controller (2). It is also possible to set the input / output unit (13) to the passing state.

In the case of the above interface unit (1), the transmission / reception circuit of the interface unit (1) receives a control signal or a monitoring signal from the center controller (2) or terminal equipment (3) that has entered through the transmission bus line (B). (11) receives and takes in the transmission control processor (12). The transmission control processor (12) reads its own address set in the self address setting switch (15), checks whether the address contained in the signal is addressed to itself, and if Decipher the contents,
A predetermined control code is sent to the input / output unit (13). The input / output unit (13) passes the control code as it is, or converts it into an output signal in a form according to the setting condition of the mode setting circuit (14), and outputs it to the terminal device (3) or the center controller (2). Thus, the output signal can be sent out under an appropriate signal passing condition.

Conversely, when a monitor signal or control signal for monitoring is sent from the terminal device (3) or the center controller (2), the signal is input to the transmission control processor (12) through the input / output unit (13). The transmission control processor (12) adds the address of the terminal device (3) or the center controller (2) that is the transmission partner, which is set in the partner address setting switch (16), and assembles it into a packet together with the monitor information. From the transceiver circuit (11) through the transmission bus line (B).

2 to 5 show application examples of the interface unit (1) to various terminal devices (3).
Since it is applied to the terminal device (3), the address set by the partner address setting switch (16) is the address of the center controller (2).

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the air conditioner (3a) is connected. The air conditioner (3a) has a control terminal called the HA terminal (31)
And the monitor terminal (32), the input / output unit (13) is placed in a passing state and the power supply is turned on and off directly between the input / output port of the transmission control processor (12) and monitored. Pass the pulse signal. That is, a single pulse for controlling the power ON / OFF is sent from the transmission control processor (12) to the air conditioner (3a), and the power is turned on from the air conditioner (3a).
At the time of / OFF operation, the single pulse is transmitted to the processor for transmission control (1
2) sent to. (101) is a hand switch, which is used to perform ON / OFF control on the air conditioner (3a) side at the time of test and inspection without the center controller. Circuits not used (input / output buffer / latch circuit (1
8), keep relay circuit (19), etc.) are omitted in the figure.

FIG. 3 shows the interface unit (1) connected to the lighting device (3b). In this embodiment, the keep relay circuit (19) is used to supply / cut off a constant voltage to the lighting device (3b). That is, power ON / O
The pulse that controls the FF is the input / output buffer / latch circuit (1
It is sent from 8) to the keep relay circuit (19), and the keep relay circuit (19) opens and closes the contacts for ON / OFF control of the lighting device (3b). Conversely, a pulse is sent from the keep relay circuit (19) to the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) when the power is turned ON / OFF, and the transmission control processor (1
2) is sent to the center controller (2) through the transmission / reception circuit (11).

FIG. 4 (a) shows an interface unit (1) connected to a lighting device (3b) and capable of adjusting light quantity in addition to ON / OFF control. In this embodiment, the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) sends an ON / O signal to the drive circuit (41).
A pulse code signal having a predetermined number of bits for FF control and light amount adjustment is supplied. The drive circuit (41) receives the pulse code signal and supplies a level output at a stage corresponding to the code to the lighting device (3b). On the contrary, ON / OFF from the drive circuit (41)
Is sent to the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) and input to the transmission control processor (12).

In each of the above embodiments, the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) is compatible with one terminal device, but it may be compatible with a plurality of terminal devices. For example, if the number of bits of the hand-over signal of one terminal device is 1 bit, it is possible to connect 8 terminal devices if it is 2 bits, 4 units if it is 2 bits, and 2 units if it is 4 bits. Generally, one input / output buffer / latch circuit composed of 2n bits is connected to a 2n-bit terminal device (3), and one is connected to a 2n / 2-bit terminal device (3). / N bit (N ≦
When connected to 2n) terminal equipment (3), depending on N units, input / output buffer / latch circuit, and the number of bits of the terminal equipment,
The number of connectable terminal devices will change.

The terminal device or the center controller is not limited to the lighting device (3b) as shown in FIG. 4 (a), and for example, ON / OFF control, monitoring, operation mode setting,
An air conditioner (3a) having an additional function such as wind power adjustment may be connected (see FIG. 4 (b)). In this case, by transmitting / receiving a pulse code signal of a predetermined number of bits to / from the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18), not only power ON / OFF but also control by the additional function can be performed. Furthermore, by providing a connection terminal (3c) for connecting to a sensor (not shown) for monitoring temperature, gas, etc. (see FIG. 4 (c)), a predetermined number of bits indicating the monitoring result from the sensor is provided. The pulse code signal of can be acquired.

Fig. 5 shows that eight 8-bit input / output buffers are used.
An interface unit in which a terminal device is connected to each is shown. Between the output side of the transmission control processor (12) and the input side of the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18), according to the address signal sent from the center controller (2) when controlling the terminal equipment (3). Then, an input / output selector circuit (102) for selecting a desired input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) is inserted. Input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) to transmission control processor (12)
Since a monitor signal is input to the device at any time, no input / output selector circuit is provided. With the above configuration, the transmission control processor (12) that has received the control signal including the address signal sent from the center controller (2) outputs a predetermined control code to the input / output selector circuit (10).
2), and the input / output selector circuit (102) selects the corresponding input / output buffer / latch circuit (18),
Send out the above control code. On the contrary, when the monitor signal is input to one input / output buffer / latch circuit (18), the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) is input as described above.
From the transmission control processor (12) to the center controller (2) through the transmission bus line (B). In this way, an 8-bit pulse code signal can be transferred to and from the terminal device (3) such as the air conditioner (3a), the lighting device (3b), and the connection terminal (3c).
Bits can be controlled and monitored.

FIG. 6 shows the case where the interface unit (1) is connected to the center controller (2). When a control signal for centralized control is sent from the center controller (2), the control signal is input to the transmission control processor (12) through the input / output unit (13) of the interface unit (1). As a result, the transmission control processor (12)
Reads the control information, assembles it into a packet together with its own address and the desired address of the other party, and sends it out from the transmission / reception circuit (11) to the terminal device through the transmission bus line (B).

(103) is an additional address setting switch used to complement the function of the other party address setting switch (16), which is used when there are a plurality of other party terminal devices (3), and the other party address setting switch (16) Combine this additional address with the base address set in
A plurality of address codes are set.

Next, when a monitoring signal is sent from the terminal device through the transmission bus line (B), the transmission / reception circuit (11) receives it and takes it into the transmission control processor (12). The transmission control processor (12) reads the content of the supervisory signal together with the address of the other party and sends a predetermined control code to the input / output unit (13). The input / output unit (13) converts the control code into an output signal in a form according to the setting conditions of the mode setting circuit (14) and sends the output signal to the center controller (2) under appropriate signal passing conditions. be able to.

7 and 8 show application examples of the interface unit (1) to various center controllers (2).

FIG. 7 shows an interface unit (1) having an 8-bit input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) capable of ON / OFF controlling each of eight terminal devices or a center controller. The center controller (2) is equipped with the same number of LED lamps (22) as the eight contacts (21), and the center controller (2) is connected to the contacts (21).
When the open / close signal is output by the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18), it enters the transmission control processor (12) and is sent from the transmission / reception circuit (11) to the transmission bus line (B). Further, when a monitoring signal is input from the transmission bus line (B) to the transmission control processor (12) via the transmission / reception circuit (11), the transmission control processor (12) decodes the monitoring information and inputs / outputs it. The lamp (22) corresponding to the address of the terminal can be blinked through the buffer / latch circuit (18). In this way, ON / OFF control of 8 terminal devices or center controller (3),
Can be monitored.

FIG. 8 shows an interface unit (1) capable of controlling one terminal device by a pulse code signal. Input / output buffer from the center controller (2) /
A pulse code signal for controlling the terminal device is input to the latch circuit (18), and the input / output buffer / latch circuit (18) to the center controller (2)
The monitor signal received from the terminal device (3) is input. Since there is only one terminal device (3), the other party's address can be set only by the other party's address setting switch (16).

As in each of the above embodiments, the interface unit (1) having a common configuration can be applied to the terminal device (3) and the center controller (2).

Using the interface unit described above, a home bus system that centrally controls and centrally monitors terminal equipment such as air conditioners, lighting equipment, various sensors in a house, or the center controller from the center controller through a common transmission bus line By building
ON / OFF of the air conditioner in the house, operation mode setting, control of wind power adjustment, monitoring, control of lighting equipment ON / OFF, control of dimming, monitoring, setting of monitor conditions for various sensors, monitoring of monitor signals be able to.

9 and 10 are diagrams showing an example of the home bus system, and FIG. 8 is a center controller (2) capable of controlling ON / OFF of the eight terminal devices shown in FIG. 6, respectively. 2 shows a home bus system using the interface unit (1). Eight terminal devices such as an air conditioner (3a) and a lighting device (3b) are connected to the transmission bus line (B). With this home bus system, the center controller (2) can perform ON / OFF control and monitoring of eight terminal devices (3a), (3b), ... Next, FIG. 10 shows 1 shown in FIG.
Home bus system using a center controller (2) and an interface unit (1) capable of controlling ON / OFF, lighting control (3b) of a terminal device (3) such as a lighting device (3b) with a drive circuit (41), and monitoring Indicates. With this home bus system, the center controller (2) turns on / off the dimming control for one lighting device (3b).
Can be monitored.

As described above, the home bus system can be easily constructed by using the interface unit (1) having the same configuration.

<Effects of the Invention> According to the present invention, since the input / output conditions with the terminal device or the center controller can be set by the interface unit, a normal terminal device or the center controller can be easily connected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an interface unit, FIGS. 2 to 5 are diagrams showing an example in which the interface unit is applied to a terminal device, and FIGS. 6 to 8 are examples in which the interface unit is applied to a center controller. Figures, 9 and 10 show examples of home bus system construction. (1) …… Home bus interface unit,
(2) …… Center controller, (3) …… Terminal equipment, (12) …… Transmission control processor, (13) …… I / O unit, (17) …… Connecting terminal

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Naohio Ohashi 2-18 Keihan Hon-dori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (56) References: 63-44548 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transmission control processor (12) for controlling transmission of home bus control information in a home bus interface unit connected to various home terminal devices or a center controller constituting a home bus system, and a terminal device. Alternatively, a connection terminal (17) for the center controller, the connection terminal (17) and the transmission control processor (12)
An interface unit for a home bus that includes an input / output section (13) provided between the input / output port and a mode setting means (14) for setting a signal passing condition of the input / output section (13). .