JP2787173B2 - Terminal network controller - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network controller for a terminal, and more particularly to a network controller for a terminal equipped with a thionyl chloride lithium battery as a main power supply.

[0002]

BACKGROUND ART FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a data communication system showing the background of the present invention.

In the data communication system shown in FIG. 3, the center device includes a host computer 1 and a center-side network control device 2. The center-side network control device 2 is connected to the host computer 1 via a connection line 11 and to the center-side exchange 3 via a telephone line 12. On the other hand, the terminal device side has a terminal network control device (T
NCU) 6, meter sensors and the like 7 and 8, and home telephone 9. The terminal network control device 6 is connected to the terminal-side exchange 4 via a telephone line 14. Also,
Meters and sensors 7 and 8, and home telephone 9
Are connected to the terminal network control device 6 via the connection line 15. Central exchange 3 and terminal exchange 4
Are connected to each other via an interoffice trunk line 13.

Using the telephone line network of the communication system described above, it is possible to read measured values of a gas meter, a water meter, a power meter and the like installed in the house without ringing the bell of the telephone in the house of the telephone user. . This is a type of data communication system in a no-ringing communication service, and is provided as a telemeter system. In the no-ringing communication method, the center-side network control device 2 calls the no-ringing trunk 5 according to a command from the host computer 1 and holds it. Next, after the no-ringing trunk 5 reverses the polarity of the telephone line 14, the no-ringing call signal is given to the terminal network control device 6. When detecting the no-ringing call signal, the terminal network control device 6 performs control so that communication is performed with, for example, a meter sensor 7 or 8 without ringing the bell of the home telephone 9.

On the other hand, at the time of automatic terminal transmission from the terminal device side, when the terminal network control device 6 detects that a predetermined time has come, the terminal network control device 6 automatically transmits to the center side network control device 2. Is called. In this case, the meter reading information of 7 or 8 such as a meter / sensor is transmitted to the host computer 1 via the terminal network control device 6, the telephone line 14, the interoffice trunk line 13 and the telephone line 12, and the center side network control device 2. Is done. Host computer 1
Performs data processing such as calculation of a water charge based on the received information and printout of the calculation result based on a predetermined program processing. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the terminal network control device 6 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, a terminal network control device 6 includes a local line unit 601, including a polarity inversion detection circuit and a relay circuit for controlling connection between a telephone line 14 and a connection line 15 to which a telephone 9 is connected. It includes a transmitting unit 602 for transmitting a signal to the telephone line 14, a receiving unit 603 for receiving a signal from the telephone line 14, and a control circuit 604 for centrally monitoring and controlling the device 6 itself. Further, the device 6 includes a receiving unit 603, a transmitting unit 602, and a control circuit 60.
Receiving power supply unit 6 for connecting a thionyl chloride-based lithium battery 609 to supply driving power to each of
05, the transmission unit power supply unit 606 and the control unit power supply unit 607,
It includes an interface 608 for connecting the control circuit 604 with 7 and 8 such as meter sensors.

[0007] When the local line unit 601 detects the inversion of the polarity via the telephone line 14, it provides a polarity inversion detection signal HT to the control circuit 604.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the control circuit 604 shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the control circuit 604 has a function similar to a simple microcomputer,
A timer counter 701 that operates in response to an oscillation frequency supplied from an oscillation circuit 706, a CPU (central processing unit) 702 whose operation speed is controlled in response to a clock signal supplied from the counter 701, a terminal network control device Data memory 7 for holding rewritable data to be held in 6 and temporary data generated inside
03, a program memory 704 for storing an instruction executed by the CPU 702 as a program,
I / O for connecting U702 to external devices
(Input / output) interface 705 is included.

[0009] The timer counter 701 always performs a time counting operation, and outputs a timer interrupt signal WT every time a predetermined period of time is counted.
Give to PU702. Also, I / O interface 7
05 operates to supply the CPU 702 with the polarity inversion detection signal HT provided from the local line unit 601 described above.
The CPU 702 performs an interrupt process described later in response to the input of the timer interrupt signal WT or the polarity inversion detection signal HT.

The terminal network controller 6 has two operation modes, a standby (standby) mode and a communication mode for performing a communication operation.

In the standby mode, the terminal network controller 6
Is supplied via the control unit power supply 607 so that the required minimum current is supplied to the control circuit 604.
09 is supplied with power. At this time, a current is supplied from the battery 609 to guarantee the timing operation of the timer counter 701. In such a standby mode, the discharge current of the lithium thionyl chloride-based battery 9 is extremely low, so that a large chloride film grows on the anode of the battery 9 and the internal resistance of the battery 9 increases. Battery capacity is low. This state is called a battery inactive state.
In the standby mode of the terminal network control device 6, as the period becomes longer, the battery 9 falls into the battery inactive state. Therefore, when the terminal network control device 6 shifts from the standby mode to the communication mode to start supplying a large amount of current, the battery terminal voltage is increased due to the internal resistance of the battery 9 that has increased during the standby mode immediately before. , The battery voltage level for operating the device 6 normally cannot be obtained, and the device 6 runs away.

In order to prevent runaway caused by an increase in internal resistance caused by the growth of the chloride film, the terminal net control device 6 is grown on the anode of the thionyl chloride lithium battery 9 as necessary. The discharge current of the battery 9 is increased so as to activate the chloride film (reduce the internal resistance). When the terminal network control device 6 activates the battery 9, the CPU 702 attempts to shift from the standby mode to an operation mode that enables a communication operation, so that the data memory 703, the program memory 704, and the I / O O interface 705 and CPU 7
02 and the peripheral circuits were energized at once. At this time, since current is supplied from the battery 9 to each circuit including the control circuit 604, the normal battery 9
Even in the case of (the battery 9 which is not in the inactive state), the battery voltage is reduced to some extent.

FIG. 6 is a battery voltage diagram when the CPU 702 shifts from the standby mode to the operation mode using the battery 9 in the active state, which shows the background of the present invention. As described above, even in the normal (active) battery 9,
When the CPU 702 shifts from the standby mode to the operation mode, a large amount of discharge is performed from the battery 9 at a stretch, so that the battery voltage decreases to some extent as shown in FIG. However, this decrease level is caused by the CPU shown in FIG.
702 does not exceed the operating voltage EV.
702 can be normally shifted to the operation state. Then, the subsequent operation of the CPU 702 is also guaranteed.

[0014]

When the battery 609 is in a sufficiently inactive state, the terminal network control device 6 immediately shifts the CPU 702 from the standby mode to the operation mode in an attempt to activate the battery 609. Is the battery 60
9 is more active than when it is in the active state, becomes even lower than the operating voltage EV of the CPU 702, and the CPU 702 malfunctions or runs away,
3 and 704 are destroyed. When the data stored in the memory is destroyed by the runaway of the CPU 702, the device 6
After that, there is a problem in that the operation after that malfunctions and the operation of the system itself shown in FIG. 3 is not guaranteed.

FIG. 7 is a battery voltage diagram when the CPU 702 shifts from the standby mode to the operation mode using the inactive battery 609 showing the background of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, the battery voltage of the battery 609 is apparently at a normal level before the CPU 702 starts activation (transition to the operation mode). By doing so, it can be seen that the battery voltage drops sharply and becomes lower than the operating voltage EV of the CPU 702. This is an instantaneous phenomenon, but at this point, the above-described malfunction or runaway of the CPU 702 occurs, and the subsequent communication operation cannot be guaranteed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal network control device equipped with a thionyl chloride lithium battery as a main power supply, when the battery terminal is activated to reduce the internal resistance raised by the chloride film grown inside the battery. An object of the present invention is to provide a terminal network control device for preventing the device from running out due to a voltage drop.

[0018]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A terminal network control device according to the present invention is a device using a thionyl chloride-based lithium battery for connecting a communication line and growing a chloride film therein with a low level discharge. In a period in which communication operation via the communication line is not performed, the battery has a standby operation mode in which the battery is discharged at a low level, and the discharge level of the battery is changed every predetermined period in the standby operation mode. And a activating means for further discharging the battery until the chloride film is activated after the discharge level is increased by the periodic discharge level increasing means. Is done.

Further, the above-mentioned terminal network control device is capable of gradually increasing the discharge level of the battery from a low level in response to shifting from the standby operation mode to the communication mode via the communication line. It may further comprise a level increasing means and a communication means for further discharging the battery by a communication operation according to the communication mode after the end of the discharge level increase by the mode transition discharge level increasing means.

[0020]

In the network control device for a terminal according to the present invention, the periodic discharge level increasing means gradually increases the discharge level of the battery, and further activates the discharging means to further discharge the battery and grows inside the battery. Since the chloride film is activated, the discharge current from the battery is raised at a stretch, so that a significant decrease in the battery voltage is prevented, and the battery voltage ensures the normal operation of the device. It will not go below the voltage level.

Also, even when shifting from the standby operation mode to the communication mode, the discharge level increasing means at the time of the mode shift gradually increases the discharge level of the battery, so that the communication mode is maintained while the operating voltage level of the device is maintained. Can be normally shifted to the communication operation according to.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

The configuration of the terminal network control apparatus according to the present embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG. In addition, the configuration of the control circuit mounted on the terminal network control device according to the present embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG. Further, the configuration of the communication system including the terminal network control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is the same as that shown in FIG.

FIG. 1 is a battery voltage diagram when the battery is activated in the standby mode according to the embodiment of the present invention and when the mode is shifted from the standby mode to the communication mode.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of energization in the case of battery activation in the standby mode and transition from the standby mode to the communication mode according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The energization procedure shown in FIG.
04 is stored in advance in the program memory 704 as a program, and the CPU 702 sequentially reads out and executes the program stored in the memory 704,
The control circuit 604 controls the execution of the energization procedure while controlling each processing block in the terminal network control device 6.

Next, an energization procedure for activating the battery 609 or transitioning from the standby mode to the communication mode will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 in accordance with the processing flow of FIG.

First, it is assumed that the terminal network controller 6 is in the standby mode. In the standby mode, the CPU 702 of the control circuit 604 is supplied with a very low level current from the battery 609 via the control unit power supply unit 607 so that the timer counter 701 performs the time counting operation. Along with this ultra-low level discharge, a chloride film gradually grows at the anode of the battery 609. In the standby mode, at a predetermined time at midnight, or when the timer counter 701 counts for a predetermined time period (after a lapse of time when it is determined that activation is necessary), the timer counter 701 gives a timer interrupt signal WT to the CPU 702. Further, when the local line unit 601 detects the inversion of the polarity due to the incoming signal from the telephone line 14, it sends a polarity inversion detection signal HT to the CPU 702.

The CPU 702 executes the timer interrupt signal W
In response to the input of T or the polarity reversal detection signal HT, the standby mode is canceled and the operation mode is shifted to the operation mode. The mode shifts to the small current consumption mode (step 1). This corresponds to the operation at the low speed mode transition time T1 in FIG. At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, since the CPU 702 shifts from the standby mode to the low-speed operation mode and the current consumption increases, the voltage E of the battery 609 sharply decreases. The process waits until the voltage drop recovers and a steady state is reached (step 2). Next, the CPU 702 shifts to a high-speed operation mode in which current consumption further increases (step 3). This corresponds to the high-speed mode transition time T2 in FIG. At time T2,
Since the mode has been changed from the low-speed operation mode to the high-speed operation mode, the battery voltage E of the battery 609 sharply drops, so that the system waits until the voltage drop recovers and returns to the steady state (step 4).

Next, the CPU 702 establishes a power supply path from the battery 609 to the receiving unit 603 via the receiving unit power supply unit 605 via the I / O interface 705.
This corresponds to the receiving unit power ON time T3 in FIG. At this time, power is further supplied from the battery 609 to the receiving unit 603, and further current consumption is performed.
As shown, the battery voltage E drops sharply. It waits until the battery voltage recovers and reaches a steady state (step 6). Further, the CPU 702 establishes a power supply path from the battery 609 to the transmission unit 602 via the transmission power supply unit 606 via the I / O interface 705 (step 7). This corresponds to the transmission unit power ON time T4 in FIG. 1, and the battery voltage E sharply decreases as shown in the figure. Then, the process waits until the battery voltage E recovers to a steady state (step 8).

As described above, the operation mode of the CPU 702 is shifted from the low-speed operation mode to the high-speed operation mode with respect to the processing speed, the power of the receiving unit 603 is turned on in the next stage, and the transmission unit 602 is turned on in the next stage. When the power is turned on, the discharge current in the battery 609 is gradually increased, so that a load is not applied to the battery 609, that is, a transition from the standby mode to the operation mode is performed without causing a sharp and large voltage drop. can do.

After that, if the current standby mode release is in response to the input of the timer interrupt signal WT, the terminal network control device 6 performs an activation process of the battery 609, and the terminal network control device 6 inputs the polarity inversion detection signal HT. If so, the communication processing is performed (step 9).

In the activation process, in order to further promote the discharge of the battery 609 and further activate the chloride film grown on its anode, the CPU 702 uses the supply current from the battery 609 to a circuit in the local line section 601, for example, A pulse signal is repeatedly applied to the relay a predetermined number of times to sufficiently activate the chloride film. Thus, the chloride film grown inside the battery 609 is activated, and the internal resistance is restored to a normal value.

In the case of communication processing, the control circuit 604
Each circuit of the local line unit 601 shifts to a communicable state via, and 7 and 8 such as meters and sensors are connected to the telephone line 14 or the telephone 15 is connected. Upon completion of this connection, transmission of meter reading information from meters and sensors 7 and 8 to host computer 1 or a telephone call using telephone 9 is performed. Therefore, even in this call processing, the line 60
Since the current is consumed so as to promote the discharge of 9, the chloride film grown on the anode of the battery 609 is also effectively activated, and its internal resistance is sufficiently restored to the normal value. Therefore, also in the communication processing, the activation processing is performed in parallel with the communication operation.

When the operation in step 9 as described above is completed, the battery 609 can be shifted to the activated state, so that the receiving unit power supply unit 605 and the transmitting unit power supply unit 606 are prepared in order to shift to the standby mode again. Is set to the OFF state, and the CPU 702 returns to the standby mode. Thus, the supply current from the battery 609 is supplied to the device 6 such that it is performed only for the time counting operation of the timer counter 701.
Standby mode is established.

As described above, the terminal network control device 6 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Release standby mode even if is inactive → CP
By shifting stepwise from the low-speed operation mode of U 702 to the high-speed operation mode of CPU 702 → turning on the power of the receiving unit → turning on the power of the transmitting unit, the battery 609 is gradually activated, and the activation process or the communication process is started. Like that. Therefore, regardless of whether the battery 609 is in the active state or the inactive state, when shifting from the standby state to the operation mode of the activation processing or the communication processing, the battery voltage E becomes the operating voltage EV of the CPU 702 as shown in FIG. , And the malfunction and runaway of the CPU 702 are prevented.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, before the process of activating the chloride film grown inside the battery performed by the activating means every predetermined period in the standby operation mode, the periodic discharge level is reduced. Since the increasing means gradually increases the discharge level of the battery from the low level in the standby operation mode, even if the battery is in an inactive state, its battery voltage may fall below the operating voltage level of the device. And the malfunction and runaway caused by the battery activation operation of the apparatus itself are prevented.

When the terminal network control device according to the present invention further includes a mode transition discharge level increasing means and a communication means, the mode switching is performed in response to the transition from the standby operation mode to the communication mode. The time discharge level increasing means operates to gradually increase the discharge level of the battery from the low level in the standby operation mode prior to the communication operation by the communication means, so that the battery can be in either the active state or the inactive state. Even so, with the transition of the device from the standby operation mode to the communication operation, the battery voltage becomes lower than the operation voltage level of the device, thereby preventing the device from malfunctioning and running away. effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a battery voltage diagram when a battery is activated in a standby mode and when a transition is made from a standby mode to a communication mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of energization in a case of battery activation in a standby mode and a transition from a standby mode to a communication mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a data communication system showing the background of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a terminal network control device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a control circuit shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a battery voltage diagram in a case where a CPU shifts from a standby state to an operating state using an active battery, which shows the background of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a battery voltage diagram in a case where a CPU shifts from a standby state to an operating state using an inactive battery, which shows the background of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Terminal network controller 604 Control circuit 609 Battery 701 Timer counter 702 CPU WT Timer interrupt signal HT Polarity reversal detection signal T1 Low-speed mode transition time T2 High-speed mode transition time T3 Receiver power-on time T4 Transmitter power-on time E Battery Voltage EV CPU operating voltage In each drawing, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-60-202670 (JP, A) JP-A-59-154768 (JP, A) JP-A-5-122868 (JP, A) JP-A-3-302 55998 (JP, A) JP-A-63-274256 (JP, A) JP-A-58-133132 (JP, A) JP-A-64-77432 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-72732 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04M 11/00-11/10 H04M 19/08 H02J 7/00 302

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A network controller for a terminal connected to a communication line and powered by a thionyl chloride-based lithium battery for growing a chloride film therein with a low-level discharge, comprising: The non-operating period has a standby operation mode for causing the battery to perform the low-level discharge. For each predetermined period in the standby operation mode, the discharge level of the battery is gradually reduced from the low level. A terminal having a periodic discharge level increasing means for increasing the discharge level, and an activating means for further discharging the battery after the end of the discharge level increase by the periodic discharge level increasing means until the chloride film is activated. Network controller. 2. A mode-changing discharge level increasing means for gradually increasing the discharge level of the battery from the low level in response to shifting from the standby operation mode to a communication mode via the communication line; 2. The terminal network control device according to claim 1, further comprising: communication means for further discharging the battery by a communication operation in accordance with the communication mode after the end of the discharge level increase by the discharge level increase means at the time of mode transition. 3.