Switch input processing module for switching signal transmission lines to transmit different types of signals

• US 6,704,829 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2000
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.), Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hoshi, Toshiyuki, Mizuta, Ken, Shibazaki, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Justin
• Application Number:
  US09/712,384
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 710/1, 710/15, 710/100, 710/104, 710/107, 710/305, 710/314, 710/315, 710/316, 340/2.2, 340/855.3, 340/904, 340/426.31, 330/51, 341/156, 370/463, 370/397, 370/420, 370/535, 375/216, 375/222, 713/300, 713/310, 307/112, 307/113, 323/318, 180/315, 180/320, 701/1.41, 701/465, 200/42.01, 200/51.03, 200/51.05
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21068 Configure input signals either as interrupt or status signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21114 Universal input, AC or DC

Abstract

The switch input processing module has: a control unit; a first external connection terminal to which either an analog signal of an analog signal system or a serial signal of a serial signal system is supplied; an analog signal transmission and serial signal transmission line which is disposed between the first external connection terminal and the control unit; and a second external connection terminal to which a determination signal indicating that either the analog signal system or the serial signal system is connected to the first external connection terminal is supplied. When the control unit determines that the determination signal indicates connection of the serial signal system, the control unit makes the serial signal transmission line conductive. When the control unit determines that the determination signal indicates connection of the analog signal system, the control unit makes the serial signal transmission line nonconductive.

Claims

1. A switch input processing module comprising:

a control unit;

an external connection terminal containing a first external connection terminal and a second external connection terminal;

an analog signal transmission line and a serial signal transmission line each of which is disposed between the first external connection terminal and the control unit;

a determination signal applied to the second external connection terminal indicating that either an analog multiplex or a serial multiplex is connected to the first external connection terminal, said analog multiplex and said serial multiplex each containing a plurality of switches; and

,

wherein when the control unit determines that the determination signal indicates connection of the serial multiplex, the control unit makes the serial signal transmission line conductive, and when the control unit determines that the determination signal indicates connection of the analog multiplex, the control unit makes the serial signal transmission line nonconductive.

2. The switch input processing module according to claim 1, wherein the first external connection terminal and the second external connection terminals are separate external connection terminals.

3. The switch input processing module according to claim 1, wherein the first external connection terminal and the second external connection terminals are the same external connection terminal.

4. The switch input processing module according to claim 1, wherein the determination signal indicative of connection of the analog multiplex has voltage value equal to or lower than a reference voltage value.

5. A switch input processing module comprising:

a control unit;

an analog multiplex having a plurality of manually-operated switches;

a serial multiplex having a plurality of manually-operated switches;

a first external connection terminal;

a second external connection terminal;

an analog signal transmission line which is disposed between the first external connection terminal and the control unit; and

a serial signal transmission line which is branched from the analog signal transmission line, the serial signal transmission line being made conductive or nonconductive under the control of the control unit;

wherein the control unit receives via the second external connection terminal a determination signal indicating that the serial multiplex is connected to the first external connection terminal, and

when the control unit determines that the determination signal indicates connection of the serial multiplex to the first external connection terminal, the control unit makes the serial signal transmission line conductive and receives a serial signal indicating operating state of the plurality of manually-operated switches of the serial multiplex via the serial signal transmission line.

6. The switch input processing module according to claim 5, wherein the first external connection terminal and the second external connection terminal are separate connection terminals.

7. The switch input processing module according to claim 5, wherein the first external connection terminal and the second external connection terminal are the same external connection.

8. The switch input processing module according to claim 5, wherein the determination signal indicative of connection of the serial multiplex is a pulse signal having at least one of a predetermined pulse width and a predetermined number of pulses.