Communication protocol converter system and monitor device

• US 6,601,115 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Yoshikazu, Yonezawa, Shiro, Ohuchi, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NIKETA I
• Application Number:
  US09/598,513
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 710/5, 710/11, 710/60, 370/464, 370/466
• US Class Current: 710/11
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication protocol converter system, which can handle a plurality of communication protocols. Communication protocol set information for an electronic control device 101 set by a personal computer 106 is sent to a variable protocol converter means 108a in an interface device 107. The variable protocol converter means 108a changes a communication protocol control program based on the communication protocol set information.

Claims

1. A communication protocol converter system, comprising:

an interface device, and external devices including an electronic control device and a control and arithmetic portion;

the electronic control device having a microcomputer including a control program;

the control and arithmetic portion having a microcomputer operating an externally created control program by using an operation parameter from said electronic control device;

the interface device being connected between the external devices, communicating with each of the external devices according to a respective communications protocol; and

a variable protocol converter means, included in the interface device, for communicating data between the external devices by performing a protocol conversion between the respective communications protocols of the external devices;

wherein the variable protocol converter means is adapted to implement a different communications protocol, in place of one of the respective communications protocols, for communication with one of the external devices;

whereby, when one of the external devices is changed to a different device, the interface device performs the protocol conversion and communicates with the different device according to the different communications protocol.

2. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 1, wherein said variable protocol converter means stores a plurality of communication protocols, and said different communications protocol is one of said plurality of communication protocols.

3. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 1, wherein:

said variable protocol converter means implements said different communication protocol based on communication protocol set information of one of the external devices; and

the set information is externally provided to said control and arithmetic portion, and then is provided from the control and arithmetic portion to the interface device.

4. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 1, wherein:

one of the external devices internally stores communication protocol set information, indicative of a communications protocol;

the communication protocol set information is provided to the variable protocol converter means; and

the variable protocol converter means implements the different communication protocol based on the communication protocol set information.

5. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 1, further comprising an external computing portion, connected to said control and arithmetic portion, wherein

one of the external devices internally stores communication protocol set information, indicative of a communications protocol;

the communication protocol set information of the external device is inputted to the external computing portion;

the external computing portion makes a comparison between the communication protocol set information of the external device and a communication protocol set in said variable communication protocol converter means; and

when the comparison indicates a difference, the external computing portion performs a notification operation.

6. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 3, further comprising an external computing portion, and wherein:

the external computing portion directly writes a control program into said electronic control device;

the external computing portion determines a communication protocol used in the electronic control device in a process for converting a source program to a program executable by the electronic control device; and

the external computing portion specifies, to the variable protocol converter means, the communication protocol set information of said electronic control device, through said control and arithmetic portion.

11. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 1, wherein:

said interface device is equipped with input/output circuits on the side of said electronic control device and on the side of said control and arithmetic portion, respectively;

said variable protocol converter means is equipped with a communication terminal; and

said variable protocol converter means switches a voltage level in said input/output circuit by switching an input/output voltage level of said communication terminal, based on a communication protocol set to said variable protocol converter means.

13. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 1, wherein:

said interface device is equipped with input/output circuits on the side of said electronic control device and on the side of control and arithmetic portion, respectively, and a communication circuit voltage switching circuit for switching a communication voltage level thereof;

said variable protocol converter means switches said communication circuit voltage switching circuit based on a communication protocol set to said variable protocol converter means; and

said variable protocol converter means switches a voltage supplied to said input/output circuit, by the switching of the communication circuit voltage switching circuit, to switch a voltage level of said input/output circuit.

7. A communication protocol converter system, comprising:

an interface device, and external devices including an electronic control device and a control and arithmetic portion;

the electronic control device having a microcomputer including a control program;

the control and arithmetic portion having a microcomputer operating an externally created control program by using an operation parameter from said electronic control device;

the interface device, being connected between the external devices, communicating with each of the external devices according to a respective, rewritably stored communications protocol;

a variable protocol converter means included in the interface device, communicating data between the external devices by performing a protocol conversion between the respective communications protocols of the external devices; and

a communication protocol rewriting means for rewriting a communication program of said variable protocol converter means to implement a different communications protocol in place of one of the rewritably stored communications protocols;

whereby, when one of the external devices is changed to a different device, the interface device performs the protocol conversion and communicates with the different device according to the different communications protocol.

8. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 7, wherein the interface device further comprises:

a ROM, of said communication protocol rewriting means, for storing a communication protocol; and

a microcomputer for writing data stored in the ROM to the variable protocol converter means.

9. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 7, wherein said communication protocol rewriting means includes an external computing portion for writing a communication protocol into said variable protocol converter means, through said control and arithmetic portion.

10. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 7, wherein said communication protocol rewriting means includes a writing device, connected to the outside of said interface device, for writing a communication protocol into said variable protocol converter means.

12. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 7, wherein:

said interface device is equipped with input/output circuits on the side of said electronic control device and on the side of said control and arithmetic portion, respectively;

said variable protocol converter means is equipped with a communication terminal; and

said variable protocol converter means switches a voltage level in said input/output circuit by switching an input/output voltage level of said communication terminal, based on a communication protocol set to said variable protocol converter means.

14. A communication protocol converter system according to claim 7, wherein:

said interface device is equipped with input/output circuits on the side of said electronic control device and on the side of control and arithmetic portion, respectively, and a communication circuit voltage switching circuit for switching a communication voltage level thereof;

said variable protocol converter means switches said communication circuit voltage switching circuit based on a communication protocol set to said variable protocol converter means; and

said variable protocol converter means switches a voltage supplied to said input/output circuit, by the switching of the communication circuit voltage switching circuit, to switch a voltage level of said input/output circuit.

15. A monitor device for arbitrary connection to any one of a plurality of electronic control devices, each of the electronic control devices having a respective microcomputer and respective control program, the monitor device comprising:

a built-in microcomputer, RAM storing a control program of the built-in microcomputer, and an interface device;

the interface device being coupled between the microcomputer of the monitor and a given one of the electronic control devices;

the interface device communicating with the given electronic control device according to a respective communications protocol of the electronic control device; and

the interface device comprising a variable protocol converter means for communicating data between the given electronic control device and the microcomputer of the monitor by performing a protocol conversion for the communications protocols of the given electronic control device and the monitor;

wherein the variable protocol converter means is adapted to implement a different communications protocol, in place of the communications protocol of the given electronic control device, for communication with one of the other ones of the plurality of electronic control devices.

16. A monitor device for arbitrary connection to any one of a plurality of electronic control devices, each of the electronic control devices having a respective microcomputer and respective control program, the monitor device comprising:

a built-in microcomputer, RAM storing a control program of the built-in microcomputer, and an interface device;

the interface device being coupled between the microcomputer of the monitor and a given one of the electronic control devices;

the interface device communicating with the given electronic control device according to a respective, rewritably stored communications protocol of the electronic control device;

the interface device comprising a variable protocol converter means for communicating data between the given electronic control device and the microcomputer of the monitor by performing a protocol conversion for the communications protocols of the given electronic control device and the monitor; and

the interface device comprising a communication protocol rewriting means for rewriting a communication program of said variable protocol converter means to implement a different communications protocol in place of one of the rewritably stored communications protocol;

whereby, when the given one of the electronic control devices is changed to a different one of the plurality of electronic control devices, the interface device communicates with the different electronic control device and performs the protocol conversion according to the different communications protocol.