Signal conversion system and signal conversion method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10057384-B2
Application number	US-201314759685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2013
Priority date	Jan 11, 2013
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A signal conversion system comprises measuring units, a switcher, a converter, and a host. The converter mutually converts signals transmitted in compliance with a first protocol for communicating with a pre-specified party and signals transmitted in compliance with a second protocol different from the first protocol. The host specifies a given measuring unit among the measuring units communicating in compliance with the first protocol. Then, the switcher switches the transmission channel of signals transmitted in compliance with the first protocol to the transmission channel connecting the measuring unit specified by the host and the converter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A signal conversion system, comprising:
a converter configured to
convert signals transmitted in compliance with a first protocol to signals transmitted in compliance with a second protocol different from the first protocol, the first protocol providing for communicating without specifying another party in a communication including mutually transmitting or receiving signals that do not contain information specifying a device of the another party in the communication, and
convert signals transmitted in compliance with the second protocol to signals transmitted in compliance with the first protocol;

a specifier configured to specify a second communication terminal among multiple second communication terminals transmitting or receiving signals in compliance with the first protocol to communicate with a first communication terminal via the converter; and
a switcher configured to switch a first transmission channel on which signals are transmitted between any of the multiple second communication terminals and the converter to a second transmission channel connecting the second communication terminal specified by the specifier and the converter, wherein
the switcher is connectable to the converter via a third transmission channel, connectable to the specifier via a fourth transmission channel, and configured to send, via the fourth transmission channel, signals containing information for identifying the second communication terminal having sent signals in compliance with the first protocol, to the specifier in compliance with the second protocol.

2. The signal conversion system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first communication terminal comprises the specifier.

3. The signal conversion system according to claim 2 , wherein
the switcher comprises ports for connecting to each of the multiple second communication terminals, and is configured to connect a port, among the ports, for connecting to the second communication terminal specified through communication with the first communication terminal and the converter to switch the first transmission channel.

4. The signal conversion system according to claim 3 , wherein
the first communication terminal is configured to send signals containing specification information for specifying the second communication terminal and communication information for communicating with the second communication terminal specified by the specification information to the switcher and converter in compliance with the second protocol, and
the converter is configured to delete the specification information from signals sent from the first communication terminal to create signals transmitted in compliance with the first protocol.

5. The signal conversion system according to claim 3 , wherein
the switcher is configured to create a table associating port numbers for identifying the ports and terminal numbers for identifying the second communication terminals connected to the ports, and
the first communication terminal is configured to specify one of the second communication terminals using a terminal number among the terminal numbers.

6. A signal conversion method, comprising:
converting, by a converter, signals transmitted in compliance with a first protocol to signals transmitted in compliance with a second protocol different from the first protocol, the first protocol providing for communicating without specifying another party in a communication including mutually transmitting or receiving signals that do not contain information specifying a device of the another party in communication, and converting signals transmitted in compliance with the second protocol to signals transmitted in compliance with the first protocol;
specifying, by a specifier, a second communication terminal among multiple second communication terminals transmitting or receiving signals in compliance with the first protocol to communicate with a first communication terminal via the converter;
switching, by a switcher, a first transmission channel on which signals are transmitted between any of the multiple second communication terminals and the converter to a second transmission channel connecting the second communication terminal specified in the specifying and the converter, and
sending, by the switcher, signals containing information for identifying the second communication terminal having sent signals in compliance with the first protocol to the specifier in compliance with the second protocol, the signals containing the information for identifying the second communication terminal being sent via a fourth transmission channel, a third transmission channel connecting the switcher and the converter and the fourth transmission channel connecting the switcher and the specifier.

7. The signal conversion system according to claim 1 , wherein
the switcher is configured to send, via the fourth transmission channel, without passing through the third transmission channel, the signals containing the information for identifying the second communication terminal having sent the signals in compliance with the first protocol, to the specifier in compliance with the second protocol, and
the third transmission channel is included in the first transmission channel and the second transmission channel.

Assignees

• Endo Satoshi
• Koizumi Yoshiaki
• Ishihara Masahiro
• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Endo Satoshi
• Koizumi Yoshiaki
• Ishihara Masahiro

Classifications

• H04L69/08 Primary

  Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion · CPC title