Apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function

The present invention relates to an apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function. The apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function according to the present invention comprises a signal gathering unit which gathers at least one alarm digital alarm signal, an alarm signal address setting unit where the address of the alarm signal gathering unit is setup; and an alarm signal collection controller which outputs the at least one digital alarm signal through serial bus. Therefore, address is allocated to a plurality of digital signals and thus the number of necessary components decreases and the embodiment area decreases, as well.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 10-2007-0133780, filed on Dec. 18, 2007 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to apparatus for digital alarm signal gathering and reconfiguration signal transmission in a communication system which has a function of gathering digital alarm signal which is needed for checking the state inside of the system and allocating reference address to such component as PLD (Programmable Logic Device) which needs a reconfiguration function.

The present invention was supported by the IT R&D program of Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) and Institute for Information Technology Advancement (IITA) [Project reference number: 2007-S-014-01, Title of the Project: Metro-Access Integrated Optical Network Technology].

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, when detecting the occurrence of digital alarm signals, an alarm signal gathering apparatus gathers and transmits the digital alarm signals to an integrated controller through a parallel bus.

In case the digital alarm signals which are to be collected outnumber the digital alarm signals which can be gathered by the alarm signal gathering apparatus, a plurality of alarm signal gathering apparatuses are connected to a single parallel bus.

FIG. 1shows a block-diagram which illustrates the constitution of a general digital alarm signal gathering apparatus.

Referring toFIG. 1, in case digital alarm signal1exists, the digital alarm signal gathering apparatus5gathers and transmits the digital alarm signal to an integrated controller (not shown in the figure) through a parallel bus10.

FIG. 2shows a block-diagram which illustrates the constitution of general digital alarm signal gathering apparatus in case the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals exist.

Referring toFIG. 2, in case the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals15exist, an address decoding gathering apparatus20collects the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals15a,15b, . . .15naccording to its respective address which is allocated to the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals, respectively, and transmits them to an integrated controller (not shown in the figure) through a parallel bus10.

In case the digital alarm signals15which are to be collected outnumber the digital alarm signals which can be gathered by the address decoding gathering apparatus20, a plurality of address decoding gathering apparatuses may be connected to a single parallel bus. However, as compared with a serial bus connection structure where a single bus is serially connected to a plurality of decoding gathering apparatuses20so that single input and single output may be transmitted to the decoding gathering apparatuses, in a parallel bus connection structure where a single bus is parallel connected to a plurality of decoding gathering apparatuses20so that input and output to the decoding gathering apparatuses may be shared, signal integrity of the parallel data transmission line has to be secured in the course of circuit design or printed circuit board design for the sharing of a single bus due to limited electrical drive strength, the number of components wholly needed increases because the components related to the parallel bus buffering are to be added, and thus the necessary area is to be increased. Further, a difficulty follows that gathering software is to be additionally developed for the respective address decoding gathering apparatus20.

Still further, to reconfigure the components such as reconfigurable and internally modifiable PLD (Programmable Logic Device) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) in a unit of the blocks or modules during the operation of the communication system, such inconvenience takes place as entire system is to be put to stop or the corresponding blocks or modules are to be pulled out and reconfigured in another working place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus with a reconfiguration function and a signal gathering function, which has a function of collecting digital alarm signal by use of the serial bus and wherein blocks or modules such as PLD (Programmable Logic Device) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) are reconfigurable during the operation of the system which need reconfiguration.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an exemplary apparatus with the reconfiguration function and signal collection function includes an alarm signal gathering unit which gathers at least one digital alarm signal, a alarm signal address setting unit where the address of the alarm signal gathering unit is set up; and an alarm signal collection controller which outputs the collected at least one digital alarm signal through a serial bus.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an exemplary apparatus with the reconfiguration function and signal collection function includes a reconfiguration address setting unit where at least one address of reconfigurable component is set up, and a reconfiguration controller which outputs a reconfiguration processing result of the reconfigurable component through the serial bus.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an exemplary apparatus with the reconfiguration function and signal collection function is an apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function which gathers and transmits at least one digital alarm signal, including a least one alarm signal collection unit which collects at least one digital alarm signal, at least one reconfiguration unit which is connected with the alarm signal collection unit by a serial bus, including at least one reconfigurable component, and an integrated controller which is connected with the alarm signal collection unit and the reconfiguration unit by the serial bus, and outputs at least one address of the alarm signal collection unit and the reconfiguration unit through the serial bus, so that the at least one digital alarm signal of the alarm signal collection unit is inputted thereto whose address is identical with the outputted address, or transmits the reconfiguration data from the reconfiguration unit to the at least one reconfigurable components so that a reconfiguration processing result is inputted thereto.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an exemplary controlling method of the apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function which gathers and transmits at least one digital alarm signal is controlling method of the apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function which gathers and transmits at least one digital alarm signal comprising a step where at least one address of the alarms signal collection unit and the reconfiguration unit is inputted through serial bus, a step where the inputted address is compared with the address of the alarm signal collection unit, and a step where at least one digital alarm signal of the alarm signal collection unit, whose address is identical with the inputted address after the comparison, is outputted through the serial bus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3shows a block-diagram which illustrates the constitution of an apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function using a serial bus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 3, the apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function using serial bus according to the present invention includes the 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units100a,100b, . . . , and100n, the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units105a,105b, . . . , and105n, and an integrated controller113.

The integrated controller113is connected with the 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units100a,100b, . . . , and100n, the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units105a,105b, . . . , and105nthrough serial bus110which sends and receives data, thus being able to communicate with the 1st to the nth alarm signal gathering units100a,100b, . . . , and100n, the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units105a,105b, . . . , and105n.

The 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units100a,100b, . . . , and100n, the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units105a,105b, . . . , and105nhave their respective addresses, and are connected with serial bus110such that bus clock and word of command signal are shared, wherein the serial output data from the 1st alarm signal collecting unit100is connected to the serial output input signal of the 1st reconfiguration unit105, and thus the connection of the serial bus can be simply extended.

The remaining 2nd to the nth alarm signal collecting units100b, . . . , and100n, the 2nd to the nth reconfiguration units105b, . . . , and105nare also extendedly connected in a manner that the serial bus date input signal and the serial bus data output between the adjacent blocks are cascaded.

FIG. 4shows a block-diagram which illustrates the constitution of A inFIG. 3.

Referring toFIG. 4, the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals115a,115b, . . . , and115nof the first alarm signal collecting unit100ais gathered in an alarm signal gathering unit120of the first alarm signal collecting unit100a.

An alarm signal collection controller125compares the addresses of the 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units100a,100b, . . . , and100nor reconfiguration units105a,105b, . . . , and105nwhich are inputted through the serial bus110from the integrate controller113with the addresses of the first alarm signal collecting unit100ainputted in alarm signal address setting unit130, then in case it is decided that they are identical with each other, the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals115a,115b, . . . , and115ngathered by the alarm signal gathering unit120are transmitted to the integrated controller113through the serial bus110.

In case the addresses inputted through the serial bus110and the addresses of the first alarm signal collecting unit110aare not decided to be identical with each other, the addresses inputted through the serial bus110are outputted, then the outputted addresses are inputted to the first reconfiguration unit105a, where they are compared with the addresses which are inputted therein.

The integrated controller113informs alarm signal collecting unit100aor reconfiguration unit105athrough the serial bus110of the addresses of the reconfiguration unit where the reconfigurable components exist which need reconfiguration.

A reconfiguration controller140of the first reconfiguration unit105acompares the addresses of the reconfiguration address setting unit150where the addresses of the first reconfiguration unit105aare inputted with the addresses inputted through the serial bus110, then in case it is decided that they are identical with each other, the 1st to the nth reconfigurable components135a,135b, . . . , and135nare connected with the serial bus110.

The reconfigurable components are reconfigured in a manner that the reconfiguration data transmitted from the integrated controller113are transmitted to the 1st to the nth reconfigurable components135a,135b, . . . , and135nin the first reconfiguration unit105a.

After the 1st to the nth reconfigurable components135a,135b, . . . , and135nare connected in series as shown in the figure, the 1st to the nth reconfigurable components135a,135b, . . . , and135nare reconfigured, then the reconfiguration results are transmitted to the integrated controller113through the serial bus110.

In case the addresses inputted through the serial bus110and the addresses of the first reconfiguration unit105aare not decided to be identical with each other, the addresses inputted through the serial bus110are outputted, then the outputted addresses are inputted to the second alarm signal collecting unit100b, where they are compared with the addresses which are inputted therein.

FIG. 5illustrates the signal from the serial bus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 5, the serial bus signal includes serial bus clock signal160, serial bus data signal165, and serial bus output data signal175.

The serial bus clock signal160is used as basic operation clock of serial bus110, that is to say, where the clock signal changes from 0 to 1, the serial bus input data signal170from the integrated controller113are inputted to the first alarm signal collecting unit100a.

The serial bus input data signal170includes at least one of the addresses out of the 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units100a,100b, . . . , and100nand the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units105a,105b, . . . , and105n.

Where the clock signal changes from 1 to 0, the data processing result from the 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units100a,100b, . . . , and100nor the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units105a,105b, . . . , and105nwhose address is identical with the input data is outputted to the integrated controller113.

Further, the command or data which are received as the serial bus input data signal165are processed at the serial bus command execution time180which lags behind by 1 clock.

Meanwhile, in the serial bus connection, serial bus clock and word of command signal are shared, wherein the serial output data signal from the 1st alarm signal collecting unit100ais cascaded to the serial output input signal of the 1st reconfiguration unit105a, and thus it can be understood that the connection of the first serial bus can be simply extended. The 2nd reconfiguration unit105bwhich is connected with the 2nd alarm signal collecting unit100band the 3rd alarm signal gathering unit100cwhich is also connected in series with the 2nd alarm signal collecting unit100bare desirably extendedly connected in a manner that the serial bus data input signal and the serial bus data output between the adjacent blocks are cascaded, and the serial bus clock and the word of command signal are shared.

FIG. 6shows a flow-chart which illustrates controlling method of the alarm signal collection unit of the apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function using serial bus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Integrated controller113inputs the address of the alarm signal gathering unit or reconfiguration unit to the 1 st alarm signal collection unit100awhere the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals115a,115b, . . . , and115nare gathered through serial bus100(S200).

When the address of the alarm signal gathering unit or reconfiguration unit is inputted to the 1st alarm signal collection unit100athrough the serial bus110, the alarm signal gathering controller125compares the address inputted through the serial bus110and the address of the first alarm signal collection unit100a(S202).

In case the inputted address turns out to be identical with the address of the first alarm signal gathering unit100aafter the comparison performed by the alarm signal collection controller125, the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals115a,115b, . . . , and115nwhich are gathered in the alarms signal gathering unit120of the first alarm signal collection unit100aare transmitted to the integrated controller113through serial bus110(S204).

In case they are not decided to be identical with each other after the comparison performed by the alarm signal collection controller125, the first alarm signal collection unit100adoes not operate, the inputted address is outputted and a bypass is set such that the outputted address is inputted to the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units105a,105b, . . . , and105nwhich is positioned next to the first alarm signal collection unit100aand the 2nd to the nth alarm signal collection units100b, . . . , and100n(S206).

FIG. 7shows a flow-chart which illustrates controlling method of the reconfiguration unit of the apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function using serial bus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 7, in the integrated controller113, in case the address of the first alarm signal collection unit100ais not identical with the address of the alarm signal collection unit which is inputted to the first alarm signal collection unit100athrough the serial bus100or the reconfiguration unit, the outputted address which is bypassed form the fist alarm signal collection unit100ais inputted to the first reconfiguration unit105a(S300).

When the digital alarm signal address or reconfigurable component address is inputted to the first reconfiguration unit105athrough the serial bus110, the reconfiguration controller140compares the inputted address with the address of the first reconfiguration unit105a(S302).

In case the inputted the alarm signal collection unit address or the reconfiguration unit address turns out to be identical with the address of the first reconfiguration unit105aafter the comparison of the address in the reconfiguration controller140, the 1st to the nth reconfiguration components135a,135b, . . . , and135nof the first reconfiguration unit105aare connected with the serial bus110, then the 1st to the nth reconfiguration components135a,135b, . . . , and135nundergoes reconfiguration data processing, and then the result of the processing is transmitted to the integrated controller113through the serial bus110(S304).

In case it is decided that the address of the first reconfiguration unit is not identical with the inputted alarm signal collection unit address or the reconfiguration unit address after the comparison performed by the reconfiguration unit140, the first reconfiguration unit105adoes not operate, the inputted address is outputted and a bypass is setup such that the outputted address is inputted to the 2nd to the nth alarm signal collection units100b, . . . , and100nwhich is positioned next to the first reconfiguration unit105aand the 2nd to the nth reconfiguration units105b, . . . , and105n(S306).

Therefore, in the apparatus with the reconfiguration function and signal gathering function in accordance with the present invention, address is allocated to the digital alarm signal collection blocks which for the checking-out of the state inside of the system and the reconfiguration unit of the reconfigurable components is connected by a single serial bus, and thus such desirably effect is gained as the number of the necessary components is decreased and the embodiment area is decreased.

Further, although the desirable embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and described in detail so far, the present invention is not limited to the described features, and is subject to various modifications by the ordinary-skilled person of the art within the scope of the present invention claimed by the attaché claims, and it should not be understood that these modifications is separated form the technical idea or prospect of the present invention.