JP6371153B2 - Electronic device, electronic system, and method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device, an electronic system, and a method. In particular, the present invention relates to an electronic device, an electronic system, and a method capable of exclusively using an RS232C interface serial console and a VGA (Video Graphic Array) interface terminal device with one serial port.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an interface device that can automatically select and use a serial interface or a parallel interface using a D-sub (D-subminiature) 25-pin common connector.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a switch device that can control a non-Bluetooth computer and a Bluetooth master device using a non-Bluetooth console.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a communication cable that connects devices having different pin arrangement specifications. The communication cable includes a converter unit that can be changed in connection.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-282058 JP 2012-234517 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-143877

  An electronic device such as a computer may use either an RS232C standard compliant serial console (hereinafter referred to as a serial console) or a VGA standard compliant terminal device (hereinafter referred to as a VGA terminal device) as the console device. Which one to use is determined by the user according to the usage status of the electronic device.

  Therefore, it is necessary for the electronic device to have two ports, a serial console connection port and a VGA terminal device connection port, in advance, for example, for high-density mounting of a rack-mounted electronic device. Hinder.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device, an electronic system, and a method for achieving the above-described problems.

  The device of Patent Document 1 uses a serial interface or a parallel interface by switching. This device cannot solve the problem of the present invention that the serial console and the VGA terminal device have a common connection port.

  The device of Patent Document 2 controls a Bluetooth device and a non-Bluetooth device with a common console device. This device also cannot solve the problem of common connection ports for the serial console and the VGA terminal device.

  An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a serial port, an RS driving unit that drives an RS232C interface terminal device, a VGA driving unit that drives a VGA interface terminal device, the RS driving unit, and the VGA driving unit. Selecting means for selecting means for driving the terminal device connected to the serial port.

  A method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a serial port, an RS driving unit that drives an RS232C interface terminal device, and a VGA driving unit that drives a VGA interface terminal device, wherein the RS driving unit and the VGA A means for driving the terminal connected to the serial port is selected from the driving means.

  The electronic device according to the present invention can be used by exclusively selecting a serial console and a VGA terminal device with one serial port. Therefore, the electronic device of the present invention requires only one port to be mounted for the console device. As a result, for example, high-density mounting of a rack-mounted electronic device is possible.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an electronic system 90 when the present invention is applied to an electronic device 10. FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of the electronic apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment, for example, the computer 10. FIG. 3 is a circuit configuration diagram of the electronic system 60 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 shows an operation flowchart of the control unit 33. FIG. 5 shows a circuit configuration of the electronic apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment, for example, the computer 10. FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of the electronic device 10 according to the third embodiment.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an electronic system 90 when the present invention is applied to an electronic apparatus 10 (for example, a computer 10). In the electronic system 90 of FIG. 1A, the computer 10 is connected to the serial console 12 with a serial cable 14. In this case, the computer 10 operates in the serial console mode, and the RS drive unit 23 included in the computer 10 inputs and outputs RS232C signals via the serial port 11.

  Note that, like the electronic device 10 and the computer 10 described above, the names of the superordinate concepts of the same elements and the names of the specific examples thereof are referred to by the same reference numerals.

  Here, the RS drive unit 23 is a part having a function of inputting / outputting data based on the RS232C standard for the serial console 12. The RS drive unit 23 is, for example, an RS232C driver IC 23 (Integrated Circuit).

  Here, the serial cable 14 is a cable normally used for connection of a console conforming to the RS232C standard, for example, an RJ45 connector and a 9-pin D-sub connector.

  On the other hand, in the electronic system 90 of FIG. 1B, the computer 10 is connected to the VGA terminal device 13 by the serial cable 14, the conversion board 16, and the VGA cable 15 in order. In this case, the computer 10 operates in the VGA mode, and the VGA drive unit 21 included in the computer 10 inputs and outputs VGA signals via the serial port 11.

  Here, the VGA drive unit 21 is a part having a function of inputting / outputting data based on the VGA standard for the VGA terminal device 13. The VGA driving unit 21 is, for example, a video chip 21.

  Here, the VGA cable 15 is a cable having, for example, a 15-pin D-sub connector, which is normally used for connection of a console compliant with the VGA standard.

  Thus, when the present invention is applied, the computer 10 can connect the serial console 12 and the VGA terminal device 13 via the serial port 11.

  The electronic device 10 such as the computer 10 is required to be downsized and mounted with high density, and as a result, it is required to reduce the number of unused input / output ports. For this reason, for example, the designer is forced to cope with deleting one of the input / output port for the serial console 12 and the input / output port for the VGA terminal device 13 in accordance with the usage state of the electronic device 10. . Alternatively, the designer or the like has taken a measure of deleting other input / output ports instead of providing both input / output ports.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem because it enables the serial console 12 and the VGA terminal device 13 to be connected via the same serial port 11 of the electronic device 10.

  FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of the electronic device 10 of the present embodiment, for example, the computer 10. The computer 10 includes an RS232C driver IC 23, a video chip 21, a selection unit 24, and a serial port 11. Although not shown, the computer 10 further includes a processor, a memory, a disk device, and the like. The RS232C driver IC 23 and the video chip 21 receive instructions from the processor and input / output data to / from the serial console 12 and the VGA terminal device 13.

  A serial console 12 is connected to the serial port 11 as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the VGA terminal device 13 is connected to the serial port 11 as shown in FIG.

  The selection unit 24 selects one of the RS232C driver IC 23 and the video chip 21 according to whether an Enable signal is input from the outside via the serial port 11 and connects the selected serial port 11 to the serial port 11. The selection unit 24 includes an isolated chip 22 that connects and disconnects the video chip 21 to and from the serial port 11.

  When the RS232C DSR (Data Set Ready) signal is asserted via the serial port 11 while the electronic system 90 is in the state shown in FIG. 1A, the selection unit 24 outputs an Enable signal to the RS232C driver IC 23 and operates. Put it in a state. At the same time, the selection unit 24 outputs a Disable signal to the isolate chip 22 to separate the video chip 21 from the serial port 11. As a result, the RS232C driver IC 23 can drive the serial console 12.

  On the other hand, when the electronic system 90 is in the state shown in FIG. 1B, the RS232C DSR signal is deasserted via the serial port 11 as described later. Strictly speaking, this means that the output of the signal line from which the RS232C DSR signal is output is a predetermined voltage. For the sake of simplicity, such phrases are used hereinafter.

  In this case, the selection unit 24 outputs a Disable signal to the RS232C driver IC 23 and stops the output. At the same time, the selection unit 24 outputs an Enable signal to the isolate chip 22 to connect the video chip 21 to the serial port 11. As a result, the video chip 21 can drive the VGA terminal device 13.

  FIG. 3 is a circuit configuration diagram of the electronic system 90 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3A shows a circuit configuration of the electronic apparatus 10, for example, the computer 10. Similar to that shown in FIG. 2, the computer 10 includes an RS232C driver IC 23, a video chip 21, a selection unit 24, and a serial port 11. However, in this drawing, the selection unit 24 includes an isolated chip 22, an FET 32 (Field Effect Transistor), and a control unit 33. The control unit 33 is realized by, for example, a CPLD 33 (Complex Programmable Logic Device).

  In this figure, the RS232C driver IC 23, the video chip 21, the serial port 11, and the isolated chip 22 are the same as those described in FIG.

  FIG. 3B shows the configuration of the conversion substrate 16. The conversion board 16 converts the interface of the signal line from the serial interface RJ45 or 9-pin D-sub to the 15-pin D-sub.

  The conversion board 16 includes a 15-pin D-sub analog VGA connector 34 for connection to the VGA terminal device 13. Furthermore, the conversion board 16 also includes an RJ45 connection interface 35 for connecting to the serial port 11 of the RJ45 of the computer 10.

  The RJ45 connection interface 35 is an RS232C DSR signal in addition to the analog VGA connector 34 HS (Horizontal synchronization), VS (Vertical synchronization), R (Red video), G (Green video), and B (Blue video) signal lines. It also has a line. The DSR signal line is pull-down connected to the ground.

  The computer 10 includes an RJ45 connector 11 as the serial port 11. The signal line from the RJ45 connector 11 is connected to the RS232C driver IC 23 and the isolated chip 22.

  The RS232C driver IC 23 is connected to the CPLD 33. The isolated chip 22 is also connected to the video chip 21.

  RS232C serial signal and VGA signal connection combinations include, for example, CTS (Clear to send) and HS, Rx (Receive Data) and VS, DTR (Data Terminal Ready) and R, RTS (Request To Send) and G, Tx (Transmit Data) and B. However, the combination is not limited to this.

  As an exclusive selection circuit between the serial console 12 and the VGA terminal device 13, an RS232C DSR signal line is connected to the CPLD 33 via the FET 32. From the CPLD 33, an Enable / Disable signal line extends to each of the RS232C driver IC 23 and the isolate chip 22. The CPLD 33 controls activation / deactivation of the RS232C driver IC 23 and the isolated chip 22 using the Enable / Disable signal line based on the DRS signal received from the serial port 11.

  Next, the operation of the circuit of FIG. 3 will be described.

  In the electronic system 90 of FIG. 1A, the RJ45 connector 11 is connected to the serial console 12 via the serial cable 14. Here, when the RS232C DSR signal input to the RJ45 connector 11 indicates the ready state, the ready is transmitted to the RS232C driver IC 23. At the same time, the gate of the FET 32 is turned on, and the RS232C Enable signal is asserted to the CPLD 33 (Low voltage is applied).

  FIG. 4 shows an operation flowchart of the control unit 33 (CPLD 33). When detecting that the connected RS232C Enable signal is asserted (asserted in S1), the CPLD 33 outputs a Disable signal to the isolated chip 22 (S2). Thereby, the isolated chip 22 separates the signal of the video chip 21 from the RJ45 connector 11.

  Next, the CPLD 33 outputs an Enable signal to the RS232C driver IC 23 (S3), and starts to output a serial signal created from a processor or the like separated inside to the RS232C driver IC 23 (S4). As a result, the computer 10 drives the serial console 12 via the RJ45 connector 11.

  On the other hand, in the electronic system 90 of FIG. 1A, when the conversion board 16 is connected to the RJ45 connector 11, the DSR signal is pulled down to the ground in the conversion board 16 and always becomes a low voltage. Therefore, the RS232C Enable signal is deasserted in CPLD 33 (a high voltage is applied).

  In the flowchart of FIG. 4, when it is detected that the connected RS232C Enable signal has been deasserted (Desert in S1), the CPLD 33 separates the serial signal from the RS232C driver IC 23 (S5). That is, the CPLD 33 stops outputting the serial signal to the RS232C driver IC 23.

  Next, the CPLD 33 outputs a Disable signal to the RS232C driver IC 23 (S6). As a result, the RS232C driver IC 23 stops the serial communication.

  Finally, the CPLD 33 outputs an Enable signal to the isolate chip 22 (S7). Thereby, the isolated chip 22 connects the signal line of the video chip 21 to the RJ45 connector 11, and the computer 10 drives the VGA terminal device 13 via the RJ45 connector 11.

  The electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment can exclusively use the serial console 12 and the VGA terminal device 13 with one serial port 11. Therefore, the electronic device 10 needs only one port to be mounted for the console device. As a result, for example, high-density mounting of a rack-mounted electronic device is possible.

  Furthermore, the electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment can automatically use the serial console 12 and the VGA terminal device 13 separately. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user of the electronic device 10 to manually specify the type of the console device.

  The reason is that the selection unit 24 selects the type of the console device based on the input of the DSR signal, and selects the drive unit of the console device from the RS232C driver IC 23 and the video chip 21.

<Modification of First Embodiment>
The serial port 11 may be a 9-pin D-sub connector instead of the RJ45 connector.

  Further, the control unit 33 may not be realized by the CPLD 33. The control unit 33 may be realized using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or a logic circuit IC. The selection unit 24 may be mounted so as to directly input the DSR signal to the RS232C driver IC 23 or the isolated chip 22.

  The electronic device 10 may be an electronic device other than the computer 10, for example, a storage device, a communication device, or a machine device, a ship, or a traffic signal control device.

  The conversion substrate 16 may be omitted. A cable connecting the electronic device 10 and the VGA terminal device 13 may perform conversion from an RJ45 or 9-pin D-sub connector to a 15-pin D-sub VGA connector. In this case, the DSR signal line is connected to a ground pin, for example.

<Second Embodiment>
FIG. 5 shows a circuit configuration of the electronic device 10 of the present embodiment, for example, the computer 10. The electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a switch 58 connected to the control unit 33. The switch 58 receives a High voltage on one side and a Low voltage on the other side, and can select one and output it to the control unit 33.

  The electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment does not require the circuit (FIG. 3) including the FET 32 provided from the DSR signal line of the serial port 11 to the control unit 33 provided in the electronic device 10 according to the first embodiment.

  In the first embodiment, when a VGA terminal is connected (FIG. 1B), the RS232C DSR signal line is pulled down to the ground, and the terminal control is switched by automatic detection of the control unit 33.

  On the other hand, the electronic device 10 of the present embodiment uses the switch 58 instead of the DSR signal for this switching. That is, the user switches the switch 58 to select one of the RS232C Enable signal and the Disable signal and outputs the selected signal to the control unit 33. As long as the switch 58 can select one of the RS232C Enable signal and the Disable signal and output the selected signal to the control unit 33, the type and structure of the switch 58 are not limited.

  The electronic device 10 may use GPIO (General Purpose Input / Output) of the chip set 57 instead of the switch 58.

  The electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment can exclusively use the serial console 12 and the VGA terminal device 13 with one serial port 11.

  The reason is that the selection unit 24 includes, for example, the control unit 33 categorizes the type of the console device based on the input of the switch 58 and selects the drive unit of the console device from the RS232C driver IC 23 and the video chip 21. Because.

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of the electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment. The electronic device 10 includes a serial port 11, an RS drive unit 23, a VGA drive unit 21, and a selection unit 24.

  The RS drive unit 23 drives the RS232C interface terminal device. The VGA drive unit 21 drives the VGA interface terminal device. The selection unit 24 selects a part for driving the terminal device connected to the serial port 11 from the RS drive unit 23 and the VGA drive unit 21.

  The electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment can exclusively use the serial console 12 and the VGA terminal device 13 with one serial port 11.

  The reason is that the selection unit 24 selects the drive unit of the console device from the RS drive unit 23 and the VGA drive unit 21.

  Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electronic device 10 Computer 11 Serial port 11 RJ45 connector 12 Serial console 13 VGA terminal device 14 Serial cable 15 VGA cable 16 Conversion board 21 VGA drive part 21 Video chip 22 Isolate chip 23 RS drive part 23 RS232C driver IC
24 Selector 32 FET
33 Control unit 33 CPLD
34 Analog VGA connector 35 RJ45 connection interface 57 Chipset 58 Switch 90 Electronic system

Claims (8)

A serial port;
RS driving means for driving the RS232C interface terminal device;
VGA driving means for driving the VGA interface terminal device;
Selecting means for selecting a means for driving the terminal device connected to the serial port from the RS driving means and the VGA driving means ;
The serial port is a connector for connecting an RS232C interface terminal,
An electronic device that connects the signal line of the VGA driving unit to a signal line other than the DSR signal line of the serial port when the selection unit outputs a predetermined value from the DSR signal line of the serial port . The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the connector is one of an RJ45 connector and a 9-pin D-sub connector. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 and 2 ,
The VGA interface terminal device;
Connected between the electronic device and the VGA interface terminal device, and outputs the predetermined value to the DSR signal line of the serial port, and the signal line of the VGA interface terminal device other than the DSR signal line of the serial port An electronic system including conversion means connected to the signal line. The conversion means includes: a) a cable for connecting the 15-pin D-sub connector of the VGA interface terminal device and the serial port, and connecting the GND pin of the D-sub connector to the DSR signal line of the serial port; and B) Connected between the VGA interface cable connected to the 15-pin D-sub connector of the VGA interface terminal device and the serial cable connected to the serial port, and connects the DSR signal line to its own GND. The electronic system according to claim 3 , wherein the electronic system is any one of the conversion substrates. A serial port;
RS driving means for driving the RS232C interface terminal device;
VGA driving means for driving the VGA interface terminal device;
Selecting means for selecting a means for driving the terminal device connected to the serial port from the RS driving means and the VGA driving means ;
A switch,
The serial port is a connector for connecting an RS232C interface terminal,
The selection unit is an electronic device that connects the signal line of the VGA driving unit to the signal line of the serial port when the switch is in a predetermined state . A serial port;
RS driving means for driving the RS232C interface terminal device;
VGA driving means for driving a VGA interface terminal device,
A method of selecting a means for driving a terminal connected to the serial port from the RS driving means and the VGA driving means ,
The serial port is a connector for connecting an RS232C interface terminal,
A method of connecting a signal line of the VGA driving means to a signal line other than the DSR signal line of the serial port when a predetermined value is output from the DSR signal line of the serial port . The method of claim 6 , wherein the connector is one of an RJ45 connector and a 9-pin D-sub connector. A serial port;
RS driving means for driving the RS232C interface terminal device;
VGA driving means for driving a VGA interface terminal device,
A method of selecting a means for driving a terminal connected to the serial port from the RS driving means and the VGA driving means,
The apparatus further comprises a switch,
The serial port is a connector for connecting an RS232C interface terminal,
Wherein when the switch is in a predetermined state, the signal lines of the VGA drive means, how to connect the signal line of the serial port.

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