Abstract:
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.

Description:
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&amp;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. 1  shows a block-diagram which illustrates the constitution of a general digital alarm signal gathering apparatus. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , in case digital alarm signal  1  exists, the digital alarm signal gathering apparatus  5  gathers and transmits the digital alarm signal to an integrated controller (not shown in the figure) through a parallel bus  10 . 
       FIG. 2  shows 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 to  FIG. 2 , in case the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals  15  exist, an address decoding gathering apparatus  20  collects the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals  15   a ,  15   b , . . .  15   n  according 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 bus  10 . 
     In case the digital alarm signals  15  which are to be collected outnumber the digital alarm signals which can be gathered by the address decoding gathering apparatus  20 , 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 apparatuses  20  so 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 apparatuses  20  so 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 apparatus  20 . 
     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. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, which are given by illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a block-diagram which illustrates the constitution of general digital alarm signal gathering apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  shows a block-diagram which illustrates the constitution of general digital alarm signal gathering apparatus in case the 1 st to the nth digital alarm signals exist; 
         FIG. 3  shows a block-diagram which illustrates the constitution the apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function using serial bus according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a block-diagram which illustrates a unit of the constitution of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the signal from the serial bus according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows a flow-chart which illustrates controlling method of the alarm signal collecting unit of the apparatus with reconfiguration function and signal gathering function using serial bus according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  shows 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. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 3  shows 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 to  FIG. 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 units  100   a ,  100   b , . . . , and  100   n , the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units  105   a ,  105   b , . . . , and  105   n , and an integrated controller  113 . 
     The integrated controller  113  is connected with the 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units  100   a ,  100   b , . . . , and  100   n , the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units  105   a ,  105   b , . . . , and  105   n  through serial bus  110  which sends and receives data, thus being able to communicate with the 1st to the nth alarm signal gathering units  100   a ,  100   b , . . . , and  100   n , the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units  105   a ,  105   b , . . . , and  105   n.    
     The 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units  100   a ,  100   b , . . . , and  100   n , the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units  105   a ,  105   b , . . . , and  105   n  have their respective addresses, and are connected with serial bus  110  such that bus clock and word of command signal are shared, wherein the serial output data from the 1st alarm signal collecting unit  100  is connected to the serial output input signal of the 1st reconfiguration unit  105 , and thus the connection of the serial bus can be simply extended. 
     The remaining 2nd to the nth alarm signal collecting units  100   b , . . . , and  100   n , the 2nd to the nth reconfiguration units  105   b , . . . , and  105   n  are 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. 4  shows a block-diagram which illustrates the constitution of A in  FIG. 3 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals  115   a ,  115   b , . . . , and  115   n  of the first alarm signal collecting unit  100   a  is gathered in an alarm signal gathering unit  120  of the first alarm signal collecting unit  100   a.    
     An alarm signal collection controller  125  compares the addresses of the 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units  100   a ,  100   b , . . . , and  100   n  or reconfiguration units  105   a ,  105   b , . . . , and  105   n  which are inputted through the serial bus  110  from the integrate controller  113  with the addresses of the first alarm signal collecting unit  100   a  inputted in alarm signal address setting unit  130 , then in case it is decided that they are identical with each other, the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals  115   a ,  115   b , . . . , and  115   n  gathered by the alarm signal gathering unit  120  are transmitted to the integrated controller  113  through the serial bus  110 . 
     In case the addresses inputted through the serial bus  110  and the addresses of the first alarm signal collecting unit  110   a  are not decided to be identical with each other, the addresses inputted through the serial bus  110  are outputted, then the outputted addresses are inputted to the first reconfiguration unit  105   a , where they are compared with the addresses which are inputted therein. 
     The integrated controller  113  informs alarm signal collecting unit  100   a  or reconfiguration unit  105   a  through the serial bus  110  of the addresses of the reconfiguration unit where the reconfigurable components exist which need reconfiguration. 
     A reconfiguration controller  140  of the first reconfiguration unit  105   a  compares the addresses of the reconfiguration address setting unit  150  where the addresses of the first reconfiguration unit  105   a  are inputted with the addresses inputted through the serial bus  110 , then in case it is decided that they are identical with each other, the 1st to the nth reconfigurable components  135   a ,  135   b , . . . , and  135   n  are connected with the serial bus  110 . 
     The reconfigurable components are reconfigured in a manner that the reconfiguration data transmitted from the integrated controller  113  are transmitted to the 1st to the nth reconfigurable components  135   a ,  135   b , . . . , and  135   n  in the first reconfiguration unit  105   a.    
     After the 1st to the nth reconfigurable components  135   a ,  135   b , . . . , and  135   n  are connected in series as shown in the figure, the 1st to the nth reconfigurable components  135   a ,  135   b , . . . , and  135   n  are reconfigured, then the reconfiguration results are transmitted to the integrated controller  113  through the serial bus  110 . 
     In case the addresses inputted through the serial bus  110  and the addresses of the first reconfiguration unit  105   a  are not decided to be identical with each other, the addresses inputted through the serial bus  110  are outputted, then the outputted addresses are inputted to the second alarm signal collecting unit  100   b , where they are compared with the addresses which are inputted therein. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the signal from the serial bus according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the serial bus signal includes serial bus clock signal  160 , serial bus data signal  165 , and serial bus output data signal  175 . 
     The serial bus clock signal  160  is used as basic operation clock of serial bus  110 , that is to say, where the clock signal changes from 0 to 1, the serial bus input data signal  170  from the integrated controller  113  are inputted to the first alarm signal collecting unit  100   a.    
     The serial bus input data signal  170  includes at least one of the addresses out of the 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units  100   a ,  100   b , . . . , and  100   n  and the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units  105   a ,  105   b , . . . , and  105   n.    
     Where the clock signal changes from 1 to 0, the data processing result from the 1st to the nth alarm signal collecting units  100   a ,  100   b , . . . , and  100   n  or the 1st to the nth reconfiguration units  105   a ,  105   b , . . . , and  105   n  whose address is identical with the input data is outputted to the integrated controller  113 . 
     Further, the command or data which are received as the serial bus input data signal  165  are processed at the serial bus command execution time  180  which 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 unit  100   a  is cascaded to the serial output input signal of the 1st reconfiguration unit  105   a , and thus it can be understood that the connection of the first serial bus can be simply extended. The 2nd reconfiguration unit  105   b  which is connected with the 2nd alarm signal collecting unit  100   b  and the 3rd alarm signal gathering unit  100   c  which is also connected in series with the 2nd alarm signal collecting unit  100   b  are 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. 6  shows 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 controller  113  inputs the address of the alarm signal gathering unit or reconfiguration unit to the 1 st alarm signal collection unit  100   a  where the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals  115   a ,  115   b , . . . , and  115   n  are gathered through serial bus  100  (S 200 ). 
     When the address of the alarm signal gathering unit or reconfiguration unit is inputted to the 1st alarm signal collection unit  100   a  through the serial bus  110 , the alarm signal gathering controller  125  compares the address inputted through the serial bus  110  and the address of the first alarm signal collection unit  100   a  (S 202 ). 
     In case the inputted address turns out to be identical with the address of the first alarm signal gathering unit  100   a  after the comparison performed by the alarm signal collection controller  125 , the 1st to the nth digital alarm signals  115   a ,  115   b , . . . , and  115   n  which are gathered in the alarms signal gathering unit  120  of the first alarm signal collection unit  100   a  are transmitted to the integrated controller  113  through serial bus  110  (S 204 ). 
     In case they are not decided to be identical with each other after the comparison performed by the alarm signal collection controller  125 , the first alarm signal collection unit  100   a  does 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 units  105   a ,  105   b , . . . , and  105   n  which is positioned next to the first alarm signal collection unit  100   a  and the 2nd to the nth alarm signal collection units  100   b , . . . , and  100   n  (S 206 ). 
       FIG. 7  shows 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 to  FIG. 7 , in the integrated controller  113 , in case the address of the first alarm signal collection unit  100   a  is not identical with the address of the alarm signal collection unit which is inputted to the first alarm signal collection unit  100   a  through the serial bus  100  or the reconfiguration unit, the outputted address which is bypassed form the fist alarm signal collection unit  100   a  is inputted to the first reconfiguration unit  105   a  (S 300 ). 
     When the digital alarm signal address or reconfigurable component address is inputted to the first reconfiguration unit  105   a  through the serial bus  110 , the reconfiguration controller  140  compares the inputted address with the address of the first reconfiguration unit  105   a  (S 302 ). 
     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 unit  105   a  after the comparison of the address in the reconfiguration controller  140 , the 1st to the nth reconfiguration components  135   a ,  135   b , . . . , and  135   n  of the first reconfiguration unit  105   a  are connected with the serial bus  110 , then the 1st to the nth reconfiguration components  135   a ,  135   b , . . . , and  135   n  undergoes reconfiguration data processing, and then the result of the processing is transmitted to the integrated controller  113  through the serial bus  110  (S 304 ). 
     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 unit  140 , the first reconfiguration unit  105   a  does 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 units  100   b , . . . , and  100   n  which is positioned next to the first reconfiguration unit  105   a  and the 2nd to the nth reconfiguration units  105   b , . . . , and  105   n  (S 306 ). 
     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.