Patent ID: 6169746
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A signal transmission system for transmitting data in a serial manner by mutual communication, comprising: a first signal transmission apparatus having a first connection port; a second signal transmission apparatus having a second connection port; a first full duplex communication path connected to said first connection port for bidirectional simultaneous communication of data as two types of signals; a second full duplex communication path connected to said second connection port for bi-directional simultaneous communication of data as two types of signals; a half duplex communication path capable of non-simultaneous bi-directional communication of data as single types of signals; a first converting unit having first and second input/output ports, said first converting unit (i) being connected at said first input/output port to said first full duplex communication path and at said second input/output port to said half duplex communication path so as to be capable of receiving data from said first full duplex communication path, converting data received from said first full duplex communication path into first signals capable of being transmitted through said half duplex communication path and outputting said first signals to said half duplex communication path through said second input/output port, and (ii) being adapted to alternatively receive second signals from said half duplex communication path, to convert said second signals into two signal type data, and to output said that two signal type data through said first full duplex communication path to said first signal transmission apparatus; a second converting unit having third and fourth input/output ports, said second converting unit (i) being connected at said third input/output port to said second full duplex communication path and at said fourth input/output port to said half duplex communication path so as to be capable of receiving data from said second full duplex communication path, converting data received from said second full duplex communication path into said second signals capable of being transmitted through said half duplex communication path, and outputting said second signals to said half duplex communication path through said fourth input/output port, and (ii) being adapted to alternatively receive said first signals from said half duplex communication path, to convert said first signals into two signal type data, and to output that two signal type data to said second signal transmission apparatus through said second full duplex communication path; and a control unit for controlling communication operations in said system, said control unit defining a first mode of communication and a second mode of communication between said first signal transmission apparatus and said second signal transmission apparatus that operate in a control sequence, said first mode of communication granting priority of transmission alternately to said first signal transmission apparatus and to said second signal transmission apparatus using said half duplex communication path, and said second mode of communication granting priority to only one of said first signal transmission apparatus or said second signal transmission apparatus using said half duplex communication path.