1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data communication system and a data communication method modulating and demodulating binary multibit serial digital transmission data using carrier waves and transmitting and receiving the data between a plurality of transmission terminals and a plurality of reception terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
A time sharing system (TSS) and a digital subscriber line (DSL) are known as conventional systems for data communication with a plurality of transmission terminals being discriminated. For example, JP-A-2000-284800 discloses such a conventional data communication system. JP-A-2003-116186 discloses another conventional data communication system. Furthermore, amplitude shift keying (ASK) and frequency shift keying (FSK) are conventionally known as methods of modulation and demodulation. For example, refer to “Glossary of Technical Terms in Japanese Industrial Standards” 5th edition, compiled and published by Japanese Standards Association, Tokyo on Mar. 30, 2001.
Signal waves transmitted from a transmission terminal are sometimes multireflected on a boundary (such as wall) in a propagation space and a terminal of transmission path, producing a primary reflected wave, secondary reflected wave and so on each of which is shifted by reflective propagation. When modulation and demodulation are carried out by a conventional method of ASK or FSK using a conventional system of TSS or DSL, a regular signal wave is superposed on the primary reflected wave, secondary reflected wave and so on such that it is difficult to discriminate the regular signal wave from the primary reflected wave, secondary reflected wave and so on. As a result, communication failure sometimes occurs. In particular, the communication failure due to the aforesaid multireflection frequently occurs when data communication is carried out through a relatively shorter transmission path such as one in a vehicle.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a data communication system and a data communication method which can prevent communication interference due to multireflection of signal waves so that better data communication can be performed.
The present invention provides a data communication system modulating and demodulating binary multibit serial digital transmission data using a carrier wave and transmitting and receiving the data between a plurality of transmission terminals and a plurality of reception terminals. The system comprises a terminal identification information adding unit provided in each transmission terminal for generating a unit carrier wave including a predetermined plurality of periods of the carrier wave and arranging the unit carrier in arrangement patterns differing at every transmission terminal to generate a unit carrier row signal shorter than one bit of the digital transmission data, a transmission timing determination unit provided in each transmission terminal for detecting a binary inversion timing of the digital transmission data and causing the terminal identification information adding unit to transmit the unit carrier row signal every time the binary is inverted, a reception timing distinguishing unit provided in each reception terminal for generating a reception timing signal in synchronization with reception of the unit carrier row signal and collecting the reception timing signal of the unit carrier row signal of the same type, and a digital data restoring unit provided in each reception terminal for inverting the binary according to the collected reception timing signal of the same type, thereby restoring the digital transmission data.
In the above-described system, each transmission terminal transmits the unit carrier row signal containing identification information thereof in synchronization with inversion of binary of the digital transmission data. In this case, when a plurality of transmission terminals simultaneously carry out data transmission, a plurality of types of unit carrier row signals coexist. On the other hand, the reception terminal generates a reception timing signal every reception timing of the unit carrier row signal, collecting the reception timing signals of the same type of unit carrier row signals. The reception terminal inverts binary according to the same type of reception timing signals collected to restore the digital transmission data. Consequently, the reception terminal can receive the digital transmission data transmitted from a plurality of transmission terminals substantially simultaneously while distinguishing the data for every transmission terminal.
In the above-described arrangement, the digital transmission data is converted to a collection of unit carrier row signals to be transmitted in the communication between the transmission and reception terminals. Each unit carrier row signal is shorter than 1 bit of the digital transmission data. Furthermore, each unit carrier row signal is composed of rowed unit carrier waves. More specifically, the digital transmission data is decomposed into unit carrier waves each of which is highly shorter than 1 bit of transmission data, to be transmitted. Consequently, when the unit carrier waves are multireflected thereby resulting in generation of primary reflected wave, secondary reflected wave and so on, normal unit carrier waves can readily be distinguished from the reflected waves. Accordingly, the above-described arrangement can prevent communication interference due to multireflection of signal waves so that better data communication can be performed.
The reception terminals may be responsive to digital transmission data from a plurality of transmission terminals. Alternatively, the reception terminals may be responsive to the digital transmission data from only predetermined transmission terminals out of a plurality of transmission terminals, while the digital transmission data from the other transmission terminals may be ignored or discarded.
Research made by the inventor reveals that when the unit carrier wave is propagated to a transmission path in a vehicle, the reflected wave can be attenuated to such a level that the reflected wave can be distinguished from the normal unit carrier wave when an interval between the unit carrier waves is 20 ns. In contrast, better data communication can be performed in the vehicle when each unit carrier wave has a length which is less than 20 ns and an interval between the unit carrier waves is not less than 20 ns.
In a preferred embodiment, the transmission terminals and the reception terminals are mounted in a vehicle. Furthermore, a transmission side opposed conductive member is disposed in the transmission terminals so as to be opposed to a vehicle ground. A reception side opposed conductive member is disposed in the reception terminals so as to be opposed to the vehicle ground. The transmission terminal applies voltage between the transmission side opposed conductive member and the vehicle ground and changes the voltage according to information to be transmitted, thereby changing an electric field produced over a whole surface of the vehicle ground. This arrangement changes the potential difference between the reception side opposed conductive member and the vehicle ground. Each reception terminal can obtain information from the electric field based on the change in the potential difference. Thus, the above-described invention uses the vehicle ground as a transmission path but not electric waves in order to carry out data communication between the transmission terminal and the reception terminal both of which are located at two positions spaced away from each other in the vehicle ground respectively. Consequently, radio disturbance can be suppressed, and power consumption can be reduced. Furthermore, since radio waves need not be radiated into the air, data communication can be realized by use of lower frequencies than in the conventional arrangements.
Furthermore, in another preferred embodiment, the unit carrier row signals may be transmitted and received between the transmission terminals and reception terminals by a TSS in order that interference may reliably be prevented between the unit carrier row signals.
Additionally, in further another preferred embodiment, the unit carrier waves may be propagated to a power supply line in a vehicle so that the unit carrier waves are transmitted and received. Consequently, space can be saved in this case as compared with the case where a communication line is separately provided. In this case, one of output electrodes of a direct current power supply circuit provided in the vehicle is connected to a vehicle ground, and the other of the output electrodes of the DC power supply circuit is connected to the power supply line. Consequently, space saving can further be achieved as compared with the case where paired positive and negative output electrodes of a DC power supply circuit are connected to paired positive and negative power supply lines respectively.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear upon review of the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
The vehicle 10 is provided with a direct current (DC) power supply circuit 17 having positive and negative output electrodes. The negative output electrode of the DC power supply circuit 17 is connected to the vehicle ground GND. The positive output electrode of the DC power supply circuit 17 is connected to a power supply line 23. The DC power supply circuit 17 further has a pair of input electrodes to which positive and negative electrodes of a battery 16 are connected. The negative electrode of the battery 16 is also connected to the vehicle ground GND. The DC power supply circuit 17 transforms output of the battery 16 to a predetermined voltage, delivering the voltage between the power supply line 23 and the vehicle ground GND.
Drive circuits 30A, 31A and 32A are connected in parallel with one another between the power supply line 23 and the vehicle ground GND. The drive circuits 30A, 31A and 32A are provided for actuating a wiper motor 30, headlights 31, a door lock 32 and the like, respectively. The wiper motor 30, headlights 31, the door lock 32 and the like are driven when an operation switch provided in a main controller 27 is operated or when the main controller 27 delivers control signals to the respective drive circuits 30A, 31A, 32A according to results of detection by a raindrop sensor 34, a luminous intensity sensor 35, a vehicle speed sensor 36, etc. Transmission terminals 51 are provided in signal processing circuits 34A, 35A and 36A of the sensors 34, 35 and 36 in order that the signals may be transmitted or received, respectively. Reception circuits 60 are provided in the drive circuits 30A, 31A and 32A respectively. A transmission and reception terminal 70 is provided in the main controller 27. The transmission terminals 51, the reception terminals 60 and the transmission and reception terminal 70 constitute a data communication system 50 in the invention.
Referring to
The CPU 52 adds control information and the like to serial digital transmission data D1 with a plurality of bits composed of binary of “1” and “0” as shown in
The inversion detector 53 of the transmission terminal 51 as shown in
The inversion timing signal D2 as shown in
A low-pass filter 54F as shown in
The amplitude modulator 56 acquires the identification pulse train D3 having passed through the low-pass filter 54F, amplitude-modulating the identification pulse train D3 using a carrier wave delivered by an oscillation circuit 56A and having a predetermined frequency (520 to 680 MHz, for example). As a result, the carrier wave is divided into a plurality of unit carrier waves D7 each of which has a pulse width of 6 ns corresponding to the width of detection pulse D5 as shown in
The data communication system 50 of the embodiment is designed to transmit the unit carrier row signals D8 from a plurality of transmission terminals 51 by the time sharing system (TSS) in synchronization with the terminals 51, 60 and 70. More specifically, as shown in
In the transmission terminal 51 of the embodiment, the digital transmission data D1 having 1-bit length of about 100 us delivered by the CPU 52 is rendered a group of unit carrier row signals D8. The group has a data length of 200 ns. Since the output timing of each unit carrier row signal D8 is an integral multiple of 100 μs, the time occupancy of each unit carrier row signal D8 relative to the whole data length of the digital transmission data D1 can be reduced to 1/500. As a result, when for example, 50 pairs of transmission and reception terminals communicate simultaneously without use of the TSS, the unit carrier row signal D8 of one terminal identification code is detected (Carrier Detection, CD) while the power supply line 23 is being monitored. Subsequently, the unit carrier row signal D8 of self terminal identification code is declared so that interference of transmission data by a plurality of transmission terminals 51 can be avoided.
In the reception terminal 60, the unit carrier row signal D8 propagating to the power supply line 23 is matched by a transformer (not shown) of a receiving circuit 61. A frequency band of the unit carrier row signal D8 is limited by a band-pass filter 61F and the signal D8 is amplified by an amplifier 62, thereafter being loaded into the amplitude demodulator 63. The amplitude demodulator 63 detects a phase of the unit carrier wave D7 at a frequency of amplitude modulation (520 to 680 MHz) contained in the loaded unit carrier row signal D8. The amplitude demodulator 63 amplitude-demodulates the unit carrier row signal D8 based on the detected phase, generating the identification pulse train D3.
The amplitude demodulator 63 amplitude-demodulates the loaded unit carrier row signal D8 as a normal unit carrier wave D7 when an amplitude level and data length are at or above respective predetermined reference values. Otherwise, the loaded unit carrier row signal D8 is discarded as reflected waves or noise. The unit carrier wave D7 may be synchronized between predetermined one of the transmission terminals 51 and predetermined one of the reception terminals 60. In this case, the phase of the unit carrier wave D7 normally synchronized may be compared with the phase of the actually detected unit carrier wave D7. Data may be discarded when the phases vary from predetermined reference values to a large degree.
The identification code decoder 64 decodes an identification code contained in the identification pulse train D3. Suppose now the case where the reception terminal 60 is set to process only signals delivered from predetermined one of the transmission terminals 51. In this case, when the identification code decoder 64 of the reception terminal 60 confirms that the identification code is information directed to own reception terminal 60 and that a time interval is normal (the time interval is 14.2857 μs when the ID data D4 of the aforesaid identification code is 70 kbps, for example.) When these conditions are met, the received data is supplied to the code discriminator 65. When the conditions are not met, the data is discarded. On the other hand, when the reception terminal 60 is set so as to process signals delivered from a plurality of transmission terminals 51, the identification code decoder 64 of such reception terminal 60 supplies all the received data of a plurality of types of identification codes to the code discriminators 65.
The code discriminator 65 collects identification pulse train D3 for every same identification code, generating a pulse train group composed of the same type of identification pulse trains D3 aligned. The timing signal generator 66 generates a reception timing signal D9 (see
The digital transmission data D1 thus restored is loaded into the CPU 68 together with the terminal identification code decoded by the identification code decoder 64. As a result, the CPU 68 of the reception terminal 60 can obtain control information together with the terminal identification information as to which transmission terminal 51 or transmission and reception terminal 70 the digital transmission data D1 came from and carry out processing for response to the information.
The transmission and reception terminal 70 comprises a transmission processing circuit 51X having the same structure as the above-described transmission terminal 51 and a reception processing circuit 60X having the same structure as the above-described reception terminal 60 as shown in
The following will describe the operation and advantages of the data communication system 50 of the embodiment. Upon drive of the vehicle 10, the vehicle speed sensor 36 constantly detects a running speed of the vehicle. The results of detection are indicated by a speedometer (not shown) of the vehicle. Furthermore, when the headlights 31 are set so as to be automatically turned on, the luminous intensity sensor 35 detects ambient darkness, turning on the headlights 31 automatically. In these cases, the results of detection by the vehicle speed sensor 36 and the luminous intensity sensor 35 are to be transmitted by the signal processing circuits 36A and 35A respectively.
More specifically, the CPU 52 of the transmission terminal 51 related to the vehicle speed sensor 36 delivers digital transmission data D1 containing information about vehicle speed. The unit carrier row signal D8 containing an identification code of the transmission terminal 51 is delivered by the transmission terminal 51 to the power supply line 23 in synchronization with inversion of binary composing the digital transmission data D1. Furthermore, the CPU 52 of the transmission terminal 51 related to the luminous intensity sensor 35 delivers digital transmission data D1 containing information about luminance. The unit carrier row signal D8 containing an identification code of the transmission terminal 51 is delivered by the transmission terminal 51 to the power supply line 23 in synchronization with inversion of binary composing the digital transmission data D1. Other transmission terminals 51 including the transmission and reception terminal 70 functioning as transmission terminal 51 also constantly deliver the unit carrier row signals D8 containing necessary information.
The reception terminals 60 (including the transmission and reception terminal 70 functioning as the reception terminal 60) constantly load with signals transmitted to the power supply line 23. When a plurality of transmission terminals 51 simultaneously carry out signal transmission, a plurality of types of unit carrier row signals D8a, D8b, D8c, . . . coexist as shown in
The transmission and reception terminal 70 of the main controller 27 functioning as the reception terminal 60 receives the digital transmission data D1 from the luminous intensity sensor 35 and the digital transmission data D1 from the vehicle speed sensor 36 simultaneously, for example. The main controller 27 controls a speedometer (not shown) so that the vehicle speed is displayed and delivers a command to turn on the headlights 31. Digital transmission data D1 containing information about turn-on command is then converted to the unit carrier row signal D8, which is transmitted. The reception terminal 60 provided in a drive circuit 31A for the headlights 31 receives the transmitted unit carrier row signal D8. A switch (not shown) of the drive circuit 31A is turned on so that the headlights 31 are lighted.
According to the data communication system 50 of the embodiment, data communication can be carried out simultaneously between a plurality of transmission terminals 51 and the reception terminal 60. The digital transmission data D1 is composed of a group of unit carrier row signals D8 on the transmission path (power supply line 23) between each transmission terminal 51 and the reception terminal 60. Each unit carrier row signal D8 is shorter than 1 bit of the digital transmission data D1. Furthermore, each unit carrier row signal D8 is composed of rowed unit carrier waves D7 each of which is shorter than the row signal D8. More specifically, the digital transmission data D1 is decomposed into unit carrier waves D7 each of which is highly shorter than 1 bit of transmission data and which are to be transmitted. Consequently, when the unit carrier waves D7 are multireflected thereby resulting in generation of primary reflected wave, secondary reflected wave and so on, normal unit carrier waves D7 can readily be distinguished from the reflected waves. As also can be confirmed in another embodiment described below, each unit carrier wave D7 has a width which is less than or equal to 20 ns and an interval between the unit carrier waves D7 is not less than 20 ns. As a result, the reflected wave can be distinguished from the normal unit carrier wave D7. Accordingly, the above-described system 50 can prevent communication interference due to multireflection of signal waves so that better data communication can be performed.
Furthermore, in the foregoing embodiment, the detection pulse D5 of 6 ns, which can be regarded as an impulse signal, is further amplitude-modulated. It can be considered that the detection pulse D5 would be delivered to the power supply line 23 as a single-shot impulse signal. However, since frequency components contained in the single-shot impulse signal of 6 ns range from DC to 150 MHz, multireflection due to discontinuity of the chassis 11 unavoidably results in frequency dip. Furthermore, in a relatively lower frequency range between DC to 150 MHz, propagation loss is hard to reduce, and reflected waves return forcefully thereby being added to normal transmission waves. On the other hand, in the embodiment, the 6-ns detection pulse D5, which can be regarded as an impulse signal, is amplitude-modulated, for example, in a range from 520 to 680 MHz. Accordingly, attenuation of reflected waves can be promoted at an early time. Consequently, frequency dip due to multireflection can be reduced. With this effect, the vehicle ground GND can be used as the transmission path. Furthermore, when the power supply line 23 and the vehicle ground GND are used as a transmission path as in the embodiment, space saving can be achieved as compared with the case where a communication line is separately provided. Additionally, the result of an experiment can confirm that data communication can desirably be carried out in the frequency range from 520 to 680 MHz in the case of general vehicles.
Jamming impulse is contained in metal wires including the power supply line 23 and control line of the vehicle body 10 and the vehicle housing body 14. The jamming impulse results from repeated on-off operation of an electric motor, ignition system, solenoid, relay or the like through each of which large current flows. The jamming impulse is mostly a ringing impulse with a width ranging from 0.5 to several us and has a long repetition frequency ranging from several tens to several hundreds μs (or merely one impulse). However, the jamming impulse superimposed on the power supply line 23 of the vehicle 10 is distributed in a broad frequency range. This means that a frequency filtering function cannot avoid communication error no matter what frequency band is employed in a transmission system using communication through the vehicle body. It has conventionally been considered that data should be transmitted at a frequency rate lower than a lowest frequency contained in the jamming impulse for the purpose of avoidance of transmission error. However, this results in a bottleneck that the data transmission speed needs to be equal to or below 1 kbps.
According to the above-described data communication system 50 of the embodiment, a plurality of unit carrier waves D7 are arranged in the predetermined arrangement pattern to serve as the unit carrier row signal D8. Consequently, the waveform of the unit carrier row signal D8 can readily be distinguished from waveforms of jamming impulse, whereupon the transmission error can be rendered minimum. Furthermore, generation of the unit carrier row signal D8 is desynchronized with respect to occurrence of jamming impulse. Accordingly, when phases of the unit carrier row signals D8 are synchronized and phases of carrier frequencies in the modulation of the unit carrier waves D7 are synchronized, the unit carrier row signal D8 can readily be distinguished from the jamming impulse.
Additionally, an adverse effect of the jamming impulse can further be reduced when data transmission is established between the transmission terminals 51 and the reception terminal 60 while the master and the slave handshake by bidirectional protocol.
Identical or similar parts are labeled by the same reference symbols in the second embodiment as those in the first embodiment. The description of these parts will be eliminated and only the difference of the second embodiment from the first embodiment will be described.
Referring to
Referring further to
The high-impedance filter 80 includes a voltage follower circuit 81 provided at the input side as shown in
Additionally, a transmission and reception terminal 70R is structured so as to have a transmission circuit corresponding to the transmission terminal 51R and a reception circuit corresponding to the reception terminal 60R.
According to the arrangement of the second embodiment, each transmission terminal 51R applies voltage between the vehicle ground GND and the opposed electrode plate 51T. The applied voltage is based on the amplitude of the unit carrier row signal D8. As the result of the aforesaid voltage application, an electric field is established around the whole vehicle ground GND. The reception terminal 60R can receive the unit carrier row signal D8 based on the change in the electric field. Thus, since data communication is carried out by utilizing the electric field established around the whole vehicle ground GND, data communication can be realized by employment of lower current as compared with the case where electric wave propagated in the space is used, whereupon electric power consumption can be reduced. Furthermore, since the communicable coverage is limited to the inside of the inner peripheral wall of the vehicle ground GND, occurrence of radio disturbance can be prevented without provision of electromagnetic shield. Furthermore, since the vehicle ground GND of the vehicle 10 is utilized as the propagation path, new communication cables need not be provided and the data communication system can be installed readily.
A vehicle housing body 14 of the vehicle 10 is divided into an engine compartment 14A, a passenger compartment 14B and a trunk 14C by a metal wall 14W as shown in
More specifically, as shown in
The paired relay terminals 72 constituting one electric field relay device 73 are disposed in the engine compartment 14A and the passenger compartment 14B respectively. The electric field relay device 73 is inserted through a communication hole 14D formed through the metal wall 14W dividing the engine and passenger compartments 14A and 14B. In the same manner, the paired relay terminals 72 constituting the other electric field relay device 73 are disposed in the passenger compartment 14B and the trunk 14C respectively. The electric field relay device 73 is inserted through a communication hole 14D formed through the metal wall 14W dividing the passenger compartment 14B and the trunk 14C. As a result, data communication can be carried out using the electric field signal between the transmission terminal 51R and the reception terminal 60R, between the transmission terminal 51R and the transmission and reception terminal 70R or between the reception terminal 60R and the transmission and reception terminal 70R between any two of the engine compartment 14A, the passenger compartment 14B and the trunk 14C.
The transmission terminal 51 of the first embodiment was made, and digital serial data “0011110000” with 1-bit length of 20 ns was generated as the ID data D4 in the first embodiment. The detection pulse D5 with the width of 6 ns was generated twice in synchronization with inversion of “0” and “1” of the ID data D4. A pulse train comprising two detection pulses D5 was generated as the identification pulse train D3 of the first embodiment. The pulse train D3 was amplitude-modulated at 550 MHz so that the unit carrier row signal D8 comprising two unit carrier waves D7. The waveform of the unit carrier row signal D8 was measured at an output of the transmission terminal 51.
The aforesaid unit carrier row signal D8 was applied as a voltage signal between a power supply line and a vehicle ground of an actual vehicle (passenger motor car). The waveform of voltage applied between the power supply line and the vehicle ground was measured at a distance.
Since the above-mentioned ID data D4, “0011110000” has the 1-bit length of 20 ns, an interval between the edges is 80 ns and appears as an interval of 80 ns between a pair of unit carrier waves D7 composing the unit carrier row signal D8 as shown in
Furthermore, it is understood that when the time interval is equal to or more than 20 ns, amplitude levels of subsequent reflected waves are sufficiently deteriorated in the unit carrier waves D7 with the frequency of 550 MHz as in the embodiment (that is, about 3 to 4 m in consideration of reciprocation), as obvious from
The present invention should not be limited to the foregoing embodiments. Modified forms as described below are within the technical scope of the invention. Furthermore, the invention can be practiced in modified forms other than those described below without departing from the gist of the invention.
In the first embodiment, each transmission terminal 51 generates the identification pulse train D3, which is then amplitude-modulated so that the unit carrier row signal D8 is generated. However, as shown in
The data communication systems 50, 50R are provided in the vehicle 10 in the first to third embodiments. However, the data communication system of the invention may be provided in a machine, equipment, etc. other than the vehicles.
The foregoing description and drawings are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. Various changes and modifications will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. All such changes and modifications are seen to fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2006-347848 | Dec 2006 | JP | national |