Relay module and relay terminal base using the same

Abstract

To provide a relay module and a relay terminal base that can reduce a workload of a worker and save space.SOLUTION: A relay terminal base comprises a plurality of relay modules and a select signal generating device. Each of the relay modules comprises a selective signal transmission device. The relay module is connected to a plurality of input signal transmission lines, selects one input signal transmission line according to a select signal output from the select signal generating device and outputs a signal input to the selected input signal transmission line via an output signal transmission line. Also, the relay terminal base comprises an input-output module, and is also capable of outputting a signal input from the plurality of input signal transmission lines as a serial signal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a relay terminal block used in a monitoring system or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in monitoring systems that monitor the status of various on-site devices, signal lines that transmit data such as contact signals from each device are connected to a terminal or measuring instrument (e.g., a data logger) in a central monitoring room, and each device is remotely monitored and analyzed. In this case, relay terminal blocks are sometimes installed between each device and the terminal in the monitoring room to relay the many signal lines used. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-208794 [Patent Document 1] Publication number 7-27671 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the number of devices to be monitored increases, the number of signal lines transmitting various data from each device also increases, and in a large-scale business establishment, for example, the number of connections from each device to the relay terminal block and from the relay terminal block to the terminal in the monitoring room can sometimes reach an enormous number, such as hundreds or even thousands. Also, there are cases in which multiple types of data are transmitted from each device. When the number of signal wire connections increases, the installation area for the relay terminal block increases, and the burden on the worker for the wire connection work and the work of checking the connection status of the signal wires on the input and output sides of the relay terminal block also increases. As a result, problems such as the need to secure a large installation space for the relay terminal block and the increase in time and cost required for the wire connection work arise.

[0005] In view of the above problems, a main object of the present invention is to provide a relay module that can reduce the workload of an operator and achieve space saving for the relay terminal block, and a relay terminal block using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The relay module according to the present invention comprises: A relay module constituting a relay terminal block that relays a plurality of input signals input from an external device and outputs them to an external terminal for monitoring or measurement, A plurality of input signal transmission lines and a selective signal transmission device Select signal transmission line and output signal transmission line a common input / output terminal connected to the select signal transmission line; Equipped with the plurality of input signal transmission lines and the select signal transmission line are connected to the selective signal transmission device; the selective signal transmission device periodically and sequentially selects one of the plurality of input signals and outputs the selected one via the output signal transmission line; The input / output terminals are characterized in that they can be expanded by connecting to other relay modules and sharing the select signal transmission lines.

[0007] In the above configuration, the relay module With multiple LEDs, A digital signal generator; and a distribution device. the distribution device selects one of the plurality of input signals by the selective signal transmission device and simultaneously selects one of the LEDs; The digital signal generator outputs a signal to a selected one of the LEDs. It may be configured as follows.

[0008] The relay terminal block according to the present invention comprises: The relay module includes a plurality of relay modules, A select signal generating device is provided, the select signal generating device outputs a select signal generated by the select signal generating device to the select signal transmission line; The select signal transmission lines of the relay modules are connected to each other.

[0009] In the above configuration, the relay terminal block is Further comprising an input / output module; the input / output module includes a select signal input port, a relay module signal input port, and a relay terminal block communication port; the select signal input port is connected to the select signal transmission line; the relay module signal input port is connected to the output signal transmission lines corresponding to the plurality of relay modules, The input / output module may be configured to output signals input to a plurality of the input signal transmission lines as serial signals from the relay terminal block communication port.

[0010] The relay terminal block according to the present invention comprises: A relay terminal block for relaying a plurality of input signals input from an external device and outputting them to an external terminal for monitoring or measurement, The relay module includes a select signal generator that periodically generates a select signal; The relay module includes: Multiple input signal transmission lines and one output signal transmission line a plurality of select signal transmission lines for transmitting the select signals; periodically and sequentially selecting one input signal designated by the select signal from the plurality of input signals; The selected input signal is output via the output signal transmission line, and the select signal transmission line can be shared by connecting to other relay modules to enable expansion. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the space required for a relay module and a relay terminal block using the same, and to reduce the burden on workers in performing wiring work. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1(a) and (b) are configuration diagrams of a relay module according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(c) is a schematic diagram for explaining the function of a selective signal transmission device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a relay module according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a relay module according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a relay module according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of an integrated relay terminal block according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of an integrated relay terminal block according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of data communication using an integrated relay terminal block according to embodiment 5 of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram of a relay module according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a connection relationship of relay modules according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a relay module group according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar components, and the description thereof may be omitted.

[0014] (Embodiment 1) 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a relay module 1. The relay module 1 is incorporated, for example, on one board or in one housing, and has one basic configuration. The same applies to the other embodiments below.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1(a), a relay module 1 includes an input terminal block 4 on which terminals 3 for connecting external signal lines 2 for transmitting signals from various external devices and the like are arranged. Each external signal line 2 is configured as a pair of an external signal line 2S and a ground line 2G. For example, 32 external signal lines 2 (16 pairs) are connected to the input terminal block 4.

[0016] The connection wiring 5 (input wiring) is connected to the external signal line 2 via the terminal 3 of the input terminal block 4, and accepts (receives) signals (data conveying the status of the equipment, etc.) from various external devices, etc., transmitted by the external signal line 2. The external signal line 2S is connected to an input signal transmission line 5S of the connection wiring 5, and the ground line 2G is connected to an input signal ground line 5G of the connection wiring 5. The connection wiring 5 is electrically connected to the input side (input port) of a selective signal transmission device 6 (e.g., a multiplexer), and signals from various devices transmitted by the external signal line 2 are input as input signals to the input side (input port) of the selective signal transmission device 6 via the connection wiring 5.

[0017] The select signal generator 7 generates a select signal for controlling the selective signal transmission device 6. The select signal generated by the select signal generator 7 is an n-bit (n is an integer equal to or greater than 1) digital signal that changes periodically (in a time-division manner), and is input (in parallel) to a control signal port (control signal input terminal) of the selective signal transmission device 6 via n, for example, four, connection wires 8.

[0018] Furthermore, an output signal line 9 and a ground line 10 are connected to the output side (output port) of the selective signal transmission device 6, and one of the input signals is selected and output via the output signal line 9 and the ground line 10.

[0019] The relay module 1 includes an input / output terminal block 12 on which a plurality of terminals 11 are arranged, and an output signal line 9 and a ground line 10 are connected to the terminals 11 . Moreover, the connection wiring 8 for transmitting the select signal is electrically connected to the terminal 11 of the input / output terminal block 12. The select signal is input to the selective signal transmission device 6 via the input / output terminal block 12 as described above. Furthermore, an output signal line 13 is connected to the input / output terminal block 12, which in turn is connected to a terminal or measuring instrument in a monitoring room, enabling remote monitoring of the status of each device and data analysis, etc. The output signal line 13 includes a select signal transmission line 137 that outputs a select signal, an output signal transmission line 139 (connected to the output signal line 9), and a ground line 130 (connected to the ground line 10). Each of the connection wires 8 is connected to a select signal transmission line 137. The select signal transmission line 137 is connected to the selective signal transmission device 6 via the input / output terminal block 12.

[0020] 1(b) shows an example of the wiring configuration of the input terminal block 4. The ground lines 2G of each external signal line 2 are connected to each other, and further connected to one input signal ground line 5G of the connection wiring 5, which is connected to the selective signal transmission device 6. The external signal line 2S of each external signal line 2 is connected to the selective signal transmission device 6 via the input signal transmission line 5S.

[0021] FIG. 1( c ) is a schematic diagram for explaining the function of the selective signal transmission device 6 . The selective signal transmission device 6 is controlled by a plurality of select signals generated by a select signal generator 7. The select signals change periodically and are input to the selective signal transmission device 6 via n, for example, four, connection wires 8. Each connection wire 8 transmits a signal of "1" or "0", and two or more select signals are transmitted via the n connection wires 8. n A digital signal consisting of a combination of “1” or “0” is sent to the selective signal transmission device 6 .

[0022] In the example shown in FIG. 1(c), four connection wires 8 are used to connect 16 types (2 n =24 The select signal generator 7 generates a combination signal (select signal) of "1" or "0" from the binary number 0 to 2, for example, in a cyclic manner. n The values ​​up to are output cyclically in sequence at intervals of a predetermined period (for example, 1 ms to 10 ms) as an n-bit parallel signal. It should be noted that n is not limited to 4.

[0023] One select signal is assigned to each input signal transmission line 5S connected to the selective signal transmission device 6, and only the input signal transmission line 5S selected (specified) by the select signal is electrically connected to the output signal line 9 and transmits the input signal from that input signal transmission line 5S. If the combination of signals transmitted by the four connection wirings 8 is expressed as (A, B, C, D), for example, when (A, B, C, D) are (0, 0, 0, 0), the input signal line s01 of the input signal transmission lines 5S is electrically connected to the output signal line 9, and when (A, B, C, D) are (0, 0, 0, 1), the input signal line s02 is electrically connected to the output signal line 9, and each input signal is transmitted to the output signal line 9. The same applies below.

[0024] The selective signal transmission device 6 can easily realize the relay module 1 at low cost by using a commercially available multiplexer. Moreover, the multiplexer is operable with an input voltage ranging from a predetermined negative voltage to a predetermined positive voltage, and can output a selected input signal within the operating voltage range. If the input signal exceeds the operating range of the multiplexer, an operational amplifier or the like may be added appropriately on the input side (for example, between the input terminal block 4 and the selective signal transmission device 6) to change the fluctuation range of the input signal.

[0025] A signal output from the relay module 1 is output to an external device (such as a monitoring device or a measuring instrument) via an output signal line 13. The output signal line 13 is made up of a total of n+2 transmission lines: n (e.g., four) select signal transmission lines 137, one output signal transmission line 139 from the selective signal transmission device 6, and a ground line 130. By the selective signal transmission device 6, the number of output signal transmission lines 139 is set to 2 with respect to the number of input signal transmission lines 5S. n For example, if the number of external signal lines 2 is 32 (16 pairs) and n=4, the number of wiring on the output side is reduced to 6 (=4+2). As a result, it is possible to save space in the relay module 1 and reduce the workload of the worker. In addition, since the number (and mass) of wires is reduced, the relay module 1 can be made lighter. Furthermore, the external device can use the select signal to identify the corresponding input signal line, i.e., the device that sends a signal to the input signal line, and can monitor or measure each device by combining the identified device with the output signal.

[0026] (Embodiment 2) When the signal from each device is an analog signal, it is possible to convert it into a digital signal within the relay module 1 and output it.

[0027] FIG. 2( a ) shows a configuration example in which an ADC 14 is connected to the output signal line 9 of the selective signal transmission device 6 . When an analog signal is input from the external signal line 2, the output of the selective signal transmission device 6 is connected to the ADC 14, and the analog signal, which is the output signal output from the output signal line 9, is converted into a digital signal by the ADC 14. The output of the ADC 14 is connected to the output signal transmission line 139. It is possible to provide multiple ADCs separately for the external signal line 2 (input signal transmission line 5S) and input their outputs to the selective signal transmission device 6, but as shown in Figure 2(a), a single ADC 14 can convert the signal input from the external signal line 2 into a digital signal and output it, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs of the relay module.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2(b), an operational amplifier 30 may be provided for each external signal line 2 as a voltage follower, and its output may be input to the selective signal transmission device 6. When the external signal line 2 (input signal transmission line 5S) transmits a weak signal such as a sensor signal, the input impedance to the selective signal transmission device 6 can be increased to prevent the analog signal from changing. In addition, the voltage of the input signal may be appropriately corrected by the operational amplifier 30 as necessary so that the output signal output from the output signal line 9 (output signal of the selective signal transmission device 6) falls within the operating range of the ADC 14. The output signal from the output signal transmission line 139 may be corrected by software on the monitoring device or measuring instrument side according to the amount of correction.

[0029] Also, a switch element 31, for example a MOSFET, and a load 33, for example a resistance element of 250 [Ω], may be provided between the input signal transmission line 5S and the ground line 10 in series. The switch element 31 can be electrically controlled by a selection signal line 32 to select an on (closed) state or an off (open) state. When the switch element 31 is off, the electrical signal from the external signal line 2 (input signal transmission line 5S) is directly input to the operational amplifier 30. When the switch element 31 is on, the load 33 converts the current change of the electrical signal on the input signal transmission line 5S into a voltage change and inputs it to the operational amplifier 30. Therefore, it is possible to switch between current and voltage input according to the electrical signal input from the external signal line 2.

[0030] The voltage of the selection signal line 32 may be supplied from an external device (such as a monitoring device or a measuring instrument), but may also be supplied from a power source installed in the relay module 1. The switch element 31 may be a mechanical switch such as a DIP switch, instead of an electrical switch such as a MOSFET. The switch element 31 may be manually operated in accordance with the specifications of the electrical signal from the input signal line 2. The operational amplifier 30 and the current / voltage switching (the configuration of the switch element 31 and the load 33) are also applicable to the first embodiment.

[0031] 2(c), the output of the ADC 14 may be input to a processor 34, for example, a microcomputer. The voltage converted by the ADC 14 may be converted into a digital value by the processor 34. The voltage value converted into a digital value by the processor 34 is output as a serial signal to an output signal transmission line 139. The converted digital value may be output as a parallel signal for each bit.

[0032] 2(a), (b), and (c), it is necessary to select an ADC 14 having a conversion speed faster than the period of the select signal of the selective signal transmission device 6, or to set the period of the select signal longer than the conversion time (sampling time) of the ADC 14. For example, if the time interval (period) between each select signal is set to 1 ms to 10 ms, it can be made longer than the conversion time of a typical ADC available on the market, but the above period is not limited to this.

[0033] (Embodiment 3) 1(b), the input terminal block 4 has a configuration in which the ground lines 2G of the external signal line 2 are shorted to form a single common ground line, but shorting the ground lines 2G connected to different devices may cause signal interference or noise. Also, the potentials of the ground lines 2G may differ. In this embodiment, the external signal lines 2 connected to different devices are electrically separated, and input signals can be input to the selective signal transmission device 6 without interfering with each other.

[0034] 3(a), the external signal lines 2 connected to the terminals 3 of the input terminal block 4 are each input to a photocoupler 16. Specifically, as described above, each external signal line 2 is made up of a combination of an external signal line 2S and a ground line 2G, and the input signal transmission line 5S and the input signal ground line 5G connected to each of them are connected to the input terminals of the photocoupler 16.

[0035] Each photocoupler 16 outputs a signal in response (proportional) to the voltage of the input signal on each external signal line 2 . An output signal line 17 of each photocoupler 16 is input to the selective signal transmission device 6 , and ground lines 18 of each photocoupler 16 are short-circuited with each other and input to the selective signal transmission device 6 . The output signal line 17 transmits an input signal to the selective signal transmission device 6, and in that sense constitutes a part of the input signal transmission line 5S.

[0036] The ground lines 2G (and external signal lines 2S) of the external signal lines 2 are electrically isolated from each other and do not interfere with each other.

[0037] 3(b), an LED indicator 19 may be disposed between the photocoupler 16 and the selective signal transmission device 6, and the LED may be turned on when a signal is detected to be output to the output signal line 17. This makes it possible to visually check the state of the input signal of each external signal line 2. By disposing an LED between each output signal line 17 and the ground line 18, the LED can be made to emit light when an electrical signal is input to the output signal line 17. Also, for example, a comparator may be connected in parallel to each output signal line 17, and when the output signal line 17 becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined voltage (reference voltage), power may be supplied to the LED to light up the LED. Furthermore, when a voltage equal to or higher than the reference voltage is detected, a latch circuit or the like may be used to hold the voltage for a predetermined period of time and power may be supplied to the LED. Furthermore, by sequentially inputting signals having a reference voltage or higher as test signals to each external signal line 2, the connection state of each input signal line 2 can be visually checked, thereby reducing the workload of the wiring worker. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which only one of the photocoupler 16 and the LED indicator 19 is provided, and this may be combined with the configuration shown in the second embodiment.

[0038] As one embodiment, FIG. 4(a) shows an LED control device 35 using full-color LEDs as the LED indicators 19 provided at the output side of a processor 34. The output of ADC 14 is input to a calculation processing device 34 (digital signal generating device), which (uniquely) converts the voltage of the output signal of ADC 14 into a digital value as described above, and outputs the digital signal to a distribution device 38 (demultiplexer) via an output line 37. This can be realized by using a microcomputer or the like as the calculation processing device 34, for example, by utilizing the principle of a known digital voltmeter.

[0039] Furthermore, the arithmetic processing device 34 generates an RGB signal, which is an LED control signal consisting of a combination of "1 (H)" and "0 (L)", according to the input output voltage of the ADC 14. For example, in order to change from red to white as the output voltage of the ADC 14 increases, the pulse width of the H state of the RGB signal is controlled so that each color signal is generated as a digital signal so that the duty ratio of the pulse is proportional to the emission intensity of each LED of R (red), G (green), and B (blue), and the digital signal is input to the LED control device 35 via the RGB signal line 36. A correspondence table between voltage values ​​and colors (combinations of RGB intensity) is stored in advance in a storage device built into the arithmetic processing device 34, and a digital signal that sets each intensity of RGB according to the correspondence table can be generated. In addition, the output signal pulse ("1(H)") is set to a voltage higher than the threshold voltage of the LED in order to make the LED emit light.

[0040] A select signal is input to the distribution device 38 (demultiplexer) via a select signal line 39. The distribution device 38 distributes the output signal of the arithmetic processing device 34 according to the select signal, and outputs it to the LED control device 35 via an output line 40. The distribution device 38 receives n, for example, two signals consisting of four "1" and "0" signals via a select signal line 39. n Street, for example 2 4=16 possible combinations of select signals are input. A number of output signal lines 40 (distribution signal lines) equal to the number of combinations of select signals are connected to the LED control device 35. One output signal line 40 is selected for one combination of select signals, and an output signal from the arithmetic processing device 34 is output from the selected output signal line 40 to the LED control device 35.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4(b), the LED control device 35 has the same number of signal transmission lines 2S (2 n In total, 10 full-color LEDs 41 (number of full-color LEDs 41) are installed. The full-color LEDs 41 are configured as a set of three LEDs of the colors R, G, and B to enable light emission in a desired color. Each full-color LED 41 is connected to the R, G, and B signal lines 36 via a switch element 42 (LED opening / closing (switch) element), for example, a MOSFET. One switch element 42 is provided for each of the three signals R, G, and B. Thus, three switch elements 42 make up one set. n The set of switch elements 42 each has two n The output signal lines 40 are connected to the corresponding pair of switch elements 42. Therefore, the same signal is input to one pair of switch elements 42.

[0042] An output signal from the arithmetic processing unit 34 is input to one set of switch elements 42 via one output signal line 40 selected by the select signal, and only one set of switch elements 42 is turned on. Three signals R, G, and B are input to the R, G, and B LEDs of the full-color LED 41 via the RGB signal line 36 via the one set of switch elements 42 that has been selected and turned on. When the voltages of the R, G, and B signals become higher than the threshold voltage of the corresponding LED (become "1"), each LED emits light, and the full-color LED 41 emits light of the desired color. That is, an LED control signal (RGB signal) is output from the arithmetic processing device to the full-color LED 41 selected by the distribution device according to the select signal, and the full-color LED 41 emits light in a color according to the output voltage of the ADC . By arranging full-color LEDs 41 corresponding to each input signal line 2S, for example as in FIG. 3(b), the voltage input to each input signal line 2S can be visually confirmed by the color of the light emitted by the LED. Instead of the full-color LED 41, a single (monochrome) LED may be used, and the voltage input to each input signal line 2S may be visually confirmed based on the light emission intensity of the LED.

[0043] (Embodiment 4) In any of the above embodiments, a plurality of relay modules 1 can be connected together as a single unit. Fig. 5 shows an example of a relay unit (relay terminal block) 100 in which a plurality of relay modules 1 are connected and integrated. In this case, the relay unit 100 is configured with each relay module 1 as a subunit. Note that Fig. 5 shows the embodiment shown in Fig. 2(b) as an example of the relay module 1, but other embodiments can also be used. 5 shows a conceptual diagram of a relay unit 100 in which a plurality of relay modules 1a, 1b, ... 1m are installed on a single board 15 (or a housing). Each relay module 1 can employ any of the above-mentioned embodiments. It should be noted that the notation "1a, 1b, . . . 1m" indicates that the number of relay modules 1 is not limited to three.

[0044] External signal lines 2a, 2b, ...2m are connected to the relay modules 1a, 1b, ...1m, respectively, and output signal lines 9a, 9b, ...9m and ground lines 10a, 10b, ...10m from the selective signal transmission devices 6a, 6b, ...6m are connected to input / output terminal blocks 12a, 12b, ...12m, respectively. The ground lines 10a, 10b, . . . 10m are connected to each other.

[0045] Select signal transmission lines 137a, 137b, . . . 137m extending from the select signal generator 7 are connected to the input / output terminal blocks 12a, 12b, . . . 12m and are also connected to each other. By connecting (commonizing) the terminals to which the select signal transmission lines 137a, 137b, .... 137m of the input / output terminal blocks 12a, 12b, .... 12m are connected with wiring, it becomes possible to easily connect multiple relay modules 1a, 1b, .... 1m. That is, the input / output terminal block 12 makes it easy to expand the relay module 1.

[0046] The wiring for outputting the signal from the relay unit 100 to a receiving device (for example, a monitoring device, a measuring instrument, etc.) is a set of a select signal transmission line 137a, one ground line 130m, and output signal transmission lines 139a, 139b, . . . 139m. Selective signal transmission devices 6a, 6b, ...6m controlled by a common select signal electrically connect one selected from the plurality of external signal lines 2a, 2b, ...2m to output signal transmission lines 139a, 139b, ...139m, respectively, so that a signal output from one external signal line selected from the external signal lines 2a, 2b, ...2m is output from the output signal transmission lines 139a, 139b, ...139m.

[0047] If the number of select signal transmission lines 137a is n and the number of relay modules 1a, 1b, . . . 1m is k, the number of transmission lines output from the relay unit 100 is n+1+k. When n=4 and there are 32 external signal lines 2 (16 pairs), a relay unit 100 containing k=10 relay modules 1 has 4+1+10 output transmission lines for 32×10 external signal lines 2, which can be reduced to approximately 1 / 20. Therefore, the number of connections on the output side can be significantly reduced. As a result, the workload can be reduced and the work time can be shortened. Furthermore, the wiring space on the output side can be saved, and the relay unit 100 can be made smaller and lighter.

[0048] In addition, the above embodiments can be adopted as appropriate according to the type, characteristics, etc. of the equipment to be connected and the characteristics (e.g., the amplitude width of the signal) of the electrical signal input from the external signal line 2, and it is also possible to combine relay modules 1a, 1b, .... 1m adopting different embodiments into a single relay unit 100. For example, a relay module 1 may be provided for each location where equipment is installed, so that relay module 1a receives signals from equipment installed in area A, and relay module 1b receives signals from equipment installed in area B. Furthermore, a relay module 1 may be provided for each type of equipment (or type of signal), so that relay module 1a receives signals from equipment A, and relay module 1b receives signals from equipment B.

[0049] The input / output terminal block 12 is connected together with a select signal transmission line 137 for inputting a select signal and an output signal transmission line 139 (and ground line 130) for outputting a signal from the selective signal transmission device 6. However, since the select signal transmission line 137 is connected between the respective relay modules 1a, 1b, ... 1m, a terminal block for the select signal transmission line 137 may be provided separately from the input / output terminal block 12 at a position suitable for the layout in which the relay modules 1a, 1b, ... 1m are arranged (for example, above and below each relay module 1 in the drawing) for easy connection.

[0050] (Embodiment 5) 6, the relay unit (relay terminal block) 100 may further include an input / output module 20 to output a serial signal. That is, in this embodiment, the relay unit of embodiment 4 and the input / output module are combined to form one relay unit (relay terminal block). In the expandable embodiment 4, the signal lines output from the relay unit 100 are a plurality of select signal lines 137, a ground line 130, and output signal transmission lines 139a, 139b,..., 139m, and in particular the number of output signal transmission lines 139 varies depending on the number of relay modules 1 to be expanded. In addition, since the select signal line 137 and the ground line 130 are common, the indicators for distinguishing the relay modules 1a, 1b, . . . 1m are omitted.

[0051] A monitoring device or measuring instrument that processes (e.g., monitors or analyzes) the output signal from the relay unit 100 requires hardware input ports to receive these multiple output lines. Depending on the number of relay modules 1 to be expanded, the number of input ports also needs to be changed. The input / output module 20 allows signals of a plurality of select signal lines 137 and output signal transmission lines 139a, 139b, . . . , 139m to be output from one relay unit output line (relay terminal block output line) 21. The ground line 130 is connected to a ground line 22.

[0052] The input / output module 20 associates the select signal input from the select signal line 137 with the signals input from the output signal transmission lines 139a, 139b,..., 139m of each relay module 1a, 1b,..., 1m, and further associates the combination of the select signal and the relay modules 1a, 1b,..., 1m with the signals input from each output signal transmission line 139a, 139b,..., 139m (hereinafter sometimes referred to as data signals). The select signal is 137, which is n-bit information (data) as shown above. Therefore, the select signal can be, for example, from 0 to 2. n Therefore, the signal input from the input signal line 2 can be uniquely determined by a combination of the identification number of the select signal and the identification number (e.g., integer number from 1 to k of the relay module 1) that identifies the output signal transmission lines 139a, 139b, ..., 139m, i.e., the relay modules 1a, 1b, ..., 1m.

[0053] The input / output module 20 has a select signal input port 23 to which a select signal transmission line 137 is connected, and a relay module signal input port 24 to which output signal transmission lines 139a, 139b, ... 139m of the relay modules 1a, 1b, ... 1m are connected. A select signal is inputted from a select signal input port 23, and signals from each of the relay modules 1a, 1b, . . . 1m are inputted from a relay module signal input port 24. Furthermore, the input / output module 20 is equipped with an arithmetic processing unit 25, and each time a select signal is input (or changed), each data signal (or the contents of the data signal, i.e., data) input from the output signal transmission lines 139a, 139b,...,139m and the value (or combination) of the select signal are temporarily stored in a memory device of the arithmetic processing unit 25, and the combination of the select signal identification number, relay module identification number and data signal is sequentially output from the relay terminal block output line 21 as a digital signal.

[0054] The ADC 14 may be provided in the relay module signal input port 24 of the input / output module 20, for example, instead of in the relay module 1.

[0055] The signal input from the input signal line 2 can be output as a serial signal via the relay terminal block output line 21 by identifying each input signal line 2 (or each device) and using the relay terminal block communication port (relay terminal block input / output port) 26. Since the output serial signal includes a select signal identification number and a relay module identification number, a device that receives and analyzes the serial signal (a monitoring device or measuring instrument) can use software to identify each input signal line 2 (or each device) and perform monitoring and analysis. For example, monitoring and analysis can be easily performed using a commercially available personal computer, etc., and even if the number of input signal lines 2 increases and the number of relay modules 1 increases, it is possible to easily and flexibly respond by making minor changes to the software, etc.

[0056] The relay terminal block communication port 26 may also include a relay terminal block input line 27 . The relay terminal block input line 27 may be configured to receive a request signal from a device (monitoring device or measuring instrument) that receives a signal transmitted from the relay unit 100, and to output a signal corresponding to the select signal identification number and relay module identification number specified by the request signal. In this case, in response to a request signal input from the relay terminal block input line 27, the calculation processing unit 25 may read the corresponding select signal identification number and relay module identification number data from the data stored in the memory device, and output it from the relay terminal block communication port 26 via the relay terminal block output line 21.

[0057] 6, an external terminal 28 for monitoring or measurement is connected to a relay terminal block communication port 26, a relay terminal block input line 27, a relay terminal block output line 21, and a ground line 22. In the external terminal 28, combinations of select signal identification numbers and relay module identification numbers, and names or types of each device at the site corresponding to each input signal line 2 are registered in a storage device built into or attached to the external terminal 28 as a database in table format, for example. The data of each device can be read in order by specifying the table number (number assigned to each device) of the registered database.

[0058] An example of one usage method is shown in Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 7, the external terminal 28 reads from the storage device the select signal identification number and relay module identification number corresponding to the i-th table number of the registered database, and transmits them to the relay unit 100 via the relay terminal block input line 27. The relay unit 100 reads out data corresponding to the combination of the received select signal identification number and relay module identification number from the storage device of the relay unit 100. The storage device may be built in each of the relay modules 1a, 1b, ... 1m, but a storage device common to each of the relay modules 1a, 1b, ... 1m may be built in the relay unit 100, for example, in the input / output module 20.

[0059] Thereafter, the relay unit 100 transmits the read data to the external terminal 28. The external terminal 28 receives the data, associates it with the combination of the select signal identification number and the relay module identification number, and takes appropriate measures such as storing, displaying, analyzing, etc. Thereafter, the table number i is incremented by 1. The table number i is incremented from 1 until it becomes equal to the total number of input signals (input data) input from the input signal line 2, and when the total number is reached, i is reset to 1. By periodically changing the table number i, the status of each device can be monitored or measured at any time. Instead of periodically changing the table number, a necessary table number may be directly specified from the external terminal 28 and a data transmission request may be transmitted to the relay unit 100. Furthermore, when the relay unit 100 transmits data in response to a request from the external terminal 27, it is possible to transmit only the corresponding data without transmitting the combination of the select signal identification number and the relay module identification number. Note that FIG. 7 is just an example of a communication method, and the present invention is not limited to this.

[0060] In all the embodiments, the selective signal transmission device 6, the select signal generating device 7, the ADC 14, the photocoupler 16, the LED indicator 19, the input / output module 20, the arithmetic processing device 34, etc. are supplied with power from a power source (not shown). The power source may be built into the relay module 1, the relay unit 100, or the input / output module 20, or may be installed externally.

[0061] (Embodiment 6) In the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 6, each of the relay modules 1a, 1b, .... 1m can be housed in a relay unit 100, and the number of relay modules can be easily expanded by connecting to the relay unit 100 via each input / output terminal block 12.

[0062] According to the sixth embodiment, it is possible to further improve the expandability by connecting a plurality of relay modules 1. Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given with reference to Figs. 8(a) and (b).

[0063] 8(a), an analog signal or digital signal is input from an input signal line 2 connected to an input terminal block 4, and is further input to a control device 51 via a connection wiring 5 (input signal transmission line 5S). In the control device 51, a select signal generator 6 outputs one input signal sequentially selected by a select signal generator 7 to a calculation processing unit 61 via an ADC 14. When the input signal is a digital signal, the ADC 14 can be omitted and the input signal can be input directly to the arithmetic processing unit 61 . The components of the relay module 1, such as the arithmetic processing unit 61, the select signal generator 6, the select signal generator 7, the ADC 14, etc., are housed in a single housing 59, making them easy to carry and store.

[0064] When the input signal is an analog signal, the voltage value of the input signal can be quantified and output as a digital value by the ADC 14. As a result, the relay module 1 measures the voltage of the input signal. In addition, by quantifying the potential difference across a resistor with a known resistance value as a digital value using the ADC 14, the relay module 1 can measure the current value of the input signal.

[0065] As described above, the output of the select signal generator 7 is, for example, 0 to 2. n It is possible to identify the identification number of the input signal (input signal line) represented by a binary number up to . In the configuration shown in FIG. 6, the identification number can be identified from the output of the select signal generator 7 via the select signal input port 23. On the other hand, in the configuration in FIG. 8(a), the arithmetic processing unit 61 can identify the identification number of the input signal from the output of the select signal generator 7. For example, the arithmetic processing unit 61 may incorporate the function of the select signal input port 23. Conversely, the arithmetic processing unit 61 may also control the select signal generator 7 so as to output an input signal corresponding to the identification number.

[0066] The arithmetic processing unit 61 has an input / output unit (I / O unit), and a connector 52 that enables electrical connection between the arithmetic processing unit 61 and the external terminal 28 is fixed to the housing 59. The arithmetic processing unit 61 is connected to the connector 52 by a connection wiring 50. The input / output unit can associate an identification number with each digitized input signal and output the signals to an external device such as the external terminal 28 via a signal line included in the connection wiring 50 and a signal line of an electric cable 53 connected to the connector 52. For example, the identification number of the input signal may be added to the header of each input signal and output to the outside via the electric cable 53 in sequence. The arithmetic processing unit 61 may have a storage device. It may temporarily store the digital values ​​of the input signals, associate each input signal with an identification number, and sequentially output the input signals to the outside via the electric cable 53. In this way, the relay module 1 has the function of serially outputting signals input in parallel from the input signal line 2 via the input signal transmission line 5S.

[0067] Furthermore, when the input signal input from the input signal line 2 is a digital signal, the arithmetic processing unit 61 of the control device 51 may convert the input signal input in parallel via the input terminal block 4 and the connection wiring 5 (input signal transmission line 5S) into a serial signal (see FIG. 8(b)) without using the select signal generator 6 and the select signal generator 7. In this case, for example, the arithmetic processing unit 61 may be provided with a shift register, and the input signal may be serially converted by the shift register. In either configuration shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), the relay module 1 outputs multiple input signals input in parallel from the input signal transmission line 5S in serial to an external device (external terminal 28) via the connection wiring 50 and the connector 52.

[0068] The electric cable 53 and the connection wiring 50 have a power supply line in addition to a signal line, and power can be supplied from the external terminal 28 to the relay module 1 via the electric cable 53 and the connection wiring 50. When power is supplied to the arithmetic processing unit 61, the arithmetic processing unit 61 supplies power to the selective signal transmission device 6, the select signal generating device 7, the ADC 14, and other electric devices (such as LEDs) in the relay unit 100. In this manner, data communication and power supply can be performed by the electric cable 53 that connects the external terminal 28 and the relay module 1.

[0069] Furthermore, two connectors (connector 54 and connector 55) are fixed to the housing 59. Connectors 54 and 55 may be, for example, male / female connectors that can be fitted together. In this case, adjacent relay modules 1a, 1b, .... 1m can be easily mechanically and electrically connected by directly fitting and connecting connectors 54 and 55 together. The structures of the connectors 54 and 55 are not limited to those described above. For example, the connectors 54 and 55 may be connected to each other via an intermediate part.

[0070] The arithmetic processing unit 61 electrically connects the relay modules 1a, 1b, ..., 1m to one another via the interconnection cables 56, 57 (connected to the connectors 54, 55). For example, as shown in Fig. 9(a), the interconnection cable 56b of the relay module 1b is connected to the interconnection cable 57a of the relay module 1a connected to the left side of the figure, and the interconnection cable 57b of the relay module 1b is connected to the interconnection cable 56c of the relay module 1c connected to the right side of the figure.

[0071] Power can be supplied and received between adjacent relay modules 1a and 1b by power lines included in the interconnection cables 56 and 57. For example, the relay module 1b, to which power is supplied via the connector 52b by the electric cable 53, supplies power to the relay module 1a and the relay module 1c via the interconnection cables 56b and 57b, respectively, and the relay module 1a and the relay module 1c can receive power via the interconnection cables 57a and 56c, respectively. Similarly, power can be supplied and received from the relay module 1c to the relay module 1d via the interconnection cables 57c and 56d. In this way, power can be supplied in sequence between the relay modules 1.

[0072] Furthermore, signals can be input and output between adjacent relay modules 1a and 1b via signal lines included in the interconnection cables 56 and 57. Each of the relay modules 1a, 1b, ... 1m is assigned a unique device number (ID number) so that they can communicate with each other via the signal lines.

[0073] A relay module 1 (e.g., relay module 1b) having an electric cable 53 connected to the connector 52 is designated as a master (parent device). For example, by using the method described below, the relay module 1 detects that the electric cable 53 is connected to the connector 52 (hereinafter, referred to as an external connection), recognizes that it is the master, and as a result, automatically designates the relay module 1b as the master.

[0074] The electric cable 53 includes a signal line (hereinafter referred to as a designation line) for designating the master, and this designation line is connected to, for example, the ground line of the electric cable 53. The arithmetic processing unit 61 of the control device 51 of the relay module 1 to which the electric cable 53 is connected judges whether the input / output terminal of the arithmetic processing unit 61 connected to this designation line is connected to ground (short) or not (open). If this input / output terminal is connected to ground, the control device 51 (arithmetic processing unit 61) recognizes it as the master, and if not, the control device 51 (arithmetic processing unit 61) recognizes it as a slave (child device). Furthermore, the arithmetic processing unit 61 may recognize whether it is a master or a slave depending on whether a voltage is applied to the power line of the electric cable 53 or not. For the sake of simplicity, hereinafter, the relay module designated as the master will be referred to as the master relay module, and the other relay modules designated as the slaves will be referred to as the slave relay modules.

[0075] The master relay module 1b uses the arithmetic processing unit 61b to output the recognition result that the relay module 1b is the master to the other adjacent slave relay modules 1a and 1c via the interconnection cables 56b and 57b (see FIG. 9(a)). In order to transmit the recognition result that the relay module 1b is the master to the other slave relay modules 1a, 1c, the device number (ID number) assigned to the master relay module 1b may be transmitted, but the master relay module 1b may also transmit the recognition result to the slave relay modules 1a, 1c by providing a specific signal line (direction indication line) in the interconnection cables 56b, 57b and setting the direction indication line to, for example, L (low level) or H (high level).

[0076] For example, when transmitting a serial signal from the slave relay modules 1a and 1c to the master relay module 1b, the slave relay modules 1a and 1c need to recognize the location of the master relay module 1b. Therefore, the position (or direction) of the master relay module 1b is transmitted to the slave relay modules 1a and 1c using the interconnection cables 56 and 57 as follows.

[0077] 9(a), the slave relay module 1a (directly) inputs the recognition result of the master relay module 1b from the interconnection cable 56b of the master relay module 1b connected to the connector 55a side (rightward in the figure) via the interconnection cable 57a. For example, the slave relay module 1a detects, using the control device 51 (arithmetic processing unit 61), via the interconnection cable 57a, that the direction indicator line of the interconnection cable 56b is L. Therefore, the slave relay module 1a recognizes that the master relay module 1b exists on the connector 55a side. Then, the slave relay module 1a outputs the recognition result of the master relay module 1b to the interconnection cable 56a connected to the other connector 54a. For example, the direction indicator of the interconnection cable 56a is set to L.

[0078] Similarly, the slave relay module 1c receives (directly) the recognition result of the master relay module 1b from the master relay module 1b connected to the connector 54c side (the interconnection cable 56c side) via the interconnection cable 56c. For example, the slave relay module 1c detects via the interconnection cable 56c that the direction indicator line of the interconnection cable 57b connected to the connector 55b is L. Therefore, the slave relay module 1c recognizes that the master relay module 1b exists on the connector 54c side. Then, the slave relay module 1c sets the direction indicator of the interconnection cable 57c connected to the other connector 55c to L.

[0079] Since the slave relay module 1d is not directly connected to the master relay module 1b, it cannot directly input the recognition result of the master relay module 1b. The slave relay module 1d can (indirectly) input the recognition result of the master relay module 1b from the slave relay module 1c connected to the connector 54d side (interconnection cable 56d side) via the interconnection cable 56d. In other words, the slave relay module 1d recognizes that a master exists on the connector 54d side. Then, the slave relay module 1d sets the direction indicator line of the interconnection cable 57d connected to the other connector 55d to L.

[0080] In this way, the slave relay modules 1a, 1c, and 1d can recognize in which direction (either the connector 54 side or the connector 55 side) the master relay module 1b is located, not only when they are directly connected to the master relay module 1b, but also when they are indirectly connected to the master relay module via a slave relay module. For convenience, for each slave relay module, the direction toward the master relay module is called the upstream direction, and the direction away from the master relay module is called the downstream direction.

[0081] FIG. 9A shows an example of four relay modules 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d, but the same applies to the case where any number of relay modules 1 are connected. In this way, when the electrical cable 53 is connected to any of the relay modules 1a, 1b, .... 1m, the relay module 1k to which the electrical cable 53 is connected is recognized as the master, and the other slave relay modules 1a, 1b, .... 1m can automatically and sequentially recognize in which direction the master relay module 1k is connected. These operations can be executed by the arithmetic processing unit 61 in the relay module 1, and as the arithmetic processing unit 61, for example, a microcomputer or a combination of a microcomputer and a storage device, etc. can be used.

[0082] In addition, when the connection order of each relay module 1a, 1b, ..., 1m to which an apparatus number (ID number) is assigned is determined in advance, each slave relay module 1a, 1b, ..., 1m may recognize the position of the master relay module 1k by inputting the apparatus number (ID number) of the master relay module 1k via the connectors 54, 55. However, as described above, by grasping the direction of the master relay module 1k by the direction indicator line via the connectors 54, 55, it is not necessary for an operator to connect the relay modules 1a, 1b, ..., 1m in the predetermined order, and the workload of the operator on site can be reduced.

[0083] As described above, each relay module can detect whether or not there is an external connection to connector 52 and automatically recognize whether it is a master or a slave, and a relay module that recognizes itself as a slave can automatically recognize the direction in which the master relay module is located. Therefore, the worker only needs to connect the electric cable 53 to the connector 52 to complete the designation of the relay module as master or slave.

[0084] It is also possible to provide a dip switch or the like in the calculation processing unit 61 so that an operator can manually selectively set (designate) whether the relay module is a master or a slave, and the relay module can selectively recognize whether it is a master or a slave depending on the state of the dip switch. By using the above configuration, the burden of the setting work on the operator can be further reduced.

[0085] The slave relay module 1i that is recognized as a slave outputs the signal input in parallel from the input signal line 2i (via the input signal transmission line 5S) as a serial signal in the direction (upstream) to which the master relay module 1k is connected via the interconnection cable 56i (connector 54i) or the interconnection cable 57i (connector 55i). At this time, the slave relay module 1i adds a device number (ID number) uniquely assigned to each relay module to the header of the serial signal and outputs it to the upstream side via the interconnection cable 56i or the interconnection cable 57i. Therefore, the serial signal output from each slave relay module 1i includes at least the device number of the slave relay module 1i, each input signal input from the input signal line 2i, and an identification number corresponding to each input signal.

[0086] Furthermore, when the slave relay module 1i receives a serial signal generated by another slave relay module 1j (slave relay module 1j on the downstream side) via the interconnection cables 56i and 57i, the slave relay module 1i outputs the serial signal generated by the slave relay module 1j and the serial signal generated by the other slave relay module 1i to the upstream side. For example, after outputting the serial signal generated by the slave relay module 1i, the serial signal generated by the downstream slave relay module 1j is output. In this way, the serial signals generated by the slave relay modules 1i, etc. are concatenated in order from the upstream side to the downstream side, and can be sequentially transmitted to the upstream side as a new serial signal. Furthermore, each slave relay module may add the reception time of the input signal to the serial signal and transmit it to the upstream side. The order in which the serial signals are transmitted is not limited to the above, but can be changed as appropriate.

[0087] In this manner, the master relay module 1k inputs serial signals from all the connected slave relay modules 1a, 1b, . . . 1m via the interconnection cables 56k and 57k. The master relay module 1k sequentially outputs the serial signal generated by itself (including the device number of the master relay module 1k, each input signal input from the input signal line 2k, and an identification number corresponding to each input signal) and each serial signal generated by the slave relay modules 1a, 1b, ..., 1m to an external device such as the external terminal 28 via the signal line of the electric cable 53k connected to the connector 52k. That is, the master relay module 1k outputs a parallel signal composed of a plurality of input signals input from the input signal line 2k via the input signal transmission line 5S and the serial signals input from the slave relay modules 1a, 1b, ..., 1m to the outside via the connector 52 as a serial signal. At this time, for example, the arithmetic processing unit 61k may temporarily store the serial signals of the relay modules in a storage device, read the serial signals from the storage device in order, and output them to an external device such as the external terminal .

[0088] Therefore, the external terminal 28 can identify and receive each of the input signals input to the relay modules 1a, 1b, .... 1m and their input signal lines 2a, 2b, .... 2m among the input signals input to all the relay modules 1.

[0089] As described above, the interconnection cables 56, 57 relay the input and output of signals between adjacent relay modules. Therefore, the interconnection cables 56, 57 may be divided into an input cable and an output cable, and the connectors 54, 55 may be divided into an input connector and an output connector corresponding to the input and output cables.

[0090] 9(b) and (c) are views of the relay module 1 viewed from the input terminal block 4 side, with FIG. 9(b) showing an example in which multiple relay modules 1 are connected in the left-right direction (X direction) in the figure, and FIG. 9(c) showing an example in which multiple relay modules are connected in the up-down direction (Y direction) in the figure. A plurality of relay modules 1 can be linearly connected to each other by the opposing connectors 54 and connectors 55. The connection direction can be appropriately adjusted by the arrangement of the connectors 54 and connectors 55 installed in the housing 59, as shown in Figs. 9(b) and (c). Furthermore, the number of relay modules 1 to be connected can be set appropriately to, for example, four, eight, etc., but the maximum number that can be connected can be determined according to the processing capacity of the arithmetic processing unit 61.

[0091] 10 , a plurality of connected relay modules 1 can be housed in a housing 60 to form an expandable relay unit 100. A plurality of relay modules 1 connected to each other by connectors 54, 55 configure a relay module group 58. A plurality of relay module groups 58 can be housed in the housing 60. Each electric cable 53 is connected to an external device (external terminal 28) located outside the housing 60.

[0092] The worker simply connects a plurality of relay modules 1 with the connectors 54 and 55, and connects the electric cable 53 to the connector 52 of one of the relay modules. As a result, one master relay module 1 and other slave relay modules are automatically designated for each relay module group 58, and each slave relay module 1 recognizes the direction (relative position) of the master relay module 1. Then, a relay unit 100 can be configured that outputs all input signals input in parallel to each relay module group 58 in serial to the external terminal 28 via one master relay module 1. Therefore, the workload of the worker can be significantly reduced.

[0093] Note that one external terminal 28 may be connected to each relay module group 58, or a plurality of relay module groups 58 may be connected to one external terminal 28 as shown in FIG.

[0094] 10 (58a, 58b, 58c) all have four relay modules 1 connected, but may have a different number of relay modules 1 connected. For example, the relay module group 58a may have four relay modules 1 connected, the relay module group 58b may have eight relay modules 1 connected, and the relay module group 58c may have two relay modules 1 connected.

[0095] In addition, for the sake of visibility, the drawings may omit ground lines as appropriate and show multiple signal lines as a single signal line. [Industrial Applicability]

[0096] According to the present invention, by adopting it in a relay module such as a central monitoring module that centrally monitors and measures the status of each device on-site, it is possible to reduce the burden of wiring the relay module, shorten the work time, and save space required for the relay module, thereby having great industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1 Relay module 2 Input signal line 2S signal transmission line 2G Ground line 3 Terminal 4 Input terminal block 5 Connection Wiring 5S input signal transmission line 5G input signal ground line 6. Selective signal transmission device 7. Select signal generator 8 Connection Wiring 9 Output signal line 10 Ground wire 11 Terminal 12 Input / output terminal block 13 Output signal line 130 Ground Line 137 Select signal transmission line 139 Output signal transmission line 14 ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) 15 Board (Housing) 16 Photocoupler 17 Output signal line 18 Ground Line 19 LED indicators 20 Input / Output Modules 21 Junction terminal block output line 22 Ground Line 23 Select signal input port 24 Relay module signal input port 25 Processing section 26 Junction terminal block communication port 27 Junction terminal block input line 28 External Terminal 30 Operational Amplifiers 31 Switching element 32 Selection signal line 33 Load (resistance) 34 Processing unit (digital signal generator) 35 LED control device 36 RGB signal line 37 Output line 38 Distribution device (demultiplexer) 39 Select signal line 40 Output signal line (distribution signal line) 41 Full color LED 42 Switch element (LED opening and closing element) 50 Connection Wiring 51 Control device 52 Connector 53 Electrical Cable 54 Connector 55 Connector 56 Interconnect Cable 57 Interconnect Cable 58 Relay Module Group 59 Case 60 Case 61 Processing unit 100 Junction unit (junction terminal block)

Claims

1. A relay module constituting a relay terminal block that relays a plurality of input signals input from an external device and outputs them to an external terminal for monitoring or measurement, The relay module is assigned a relay module identification number, A plurality of input signal transmission lines and a selective signal transmission device Select signal transmission line and output signal transmission line a common input / output terminal connected to the select signal transmission line; Equipped with the plurality of input signal transmission lines and the select signal transmission line are connected to the selective signal transmission device; the selective signal transmission device is output-controlled by a select signal supplied at a predetermined interval from the select signal transmission line, and periodically and cyclically selects one of the plurality of input signals in sequence, and outputs the selected signal to the external terminal as a serial signal for a relay module specified by the relay module identification number; The input / output terminal is connected to another relay module to share the select signal transmission line; The relay module is characterized in that the other relay modules are expandable by being output-controlled by the common select signal.

2. the plurality of input signals are analog signals; Further, an analog-to-digital converter is provided on the output signal transmission line, 2. The relay module according to claim 1, wherein a selected one of said plurality of input signals is quantified as a digital value using said analog-to-digital converter.

3. A plurality of LEDs; A digital signal generator; and a distribution device. the distribution device selects one of the plurality of input signals by the selective signal transmission device and simultaneously selects one of the LEDs; 3. The relay module according to claim 1, wherein the digital signal generator outputs a signal to a selected one of the LEDs.

4. A plurality of the relay modules according to claim 1 or 2 are provided, A select signal generating device is provided, the select signal generating device outputs a select signal generated by the select signal generating device to the select signal transmission line; a relay terminal block, the select signal transmission lines of the relay modules being connected to each other;

5. Further comprising an input / output module; the input / output module includes a select signal input port, a relay module signal input port, and a relay terminal block communication port; the select signal input port is connected to the select signal transmission line; the relay module signal input port is connected to the output signal transmission lines corresponding to the plurality of relay modules, 5. The relay terminal block according to claim 4, wherein said input / output module outputs signals input to said plurality of input signal transmission lines as serial signals from said relay terminal block communication port.

6. A relay terminal block for relaying a plurality of input signals input from an external device and outputting them to an external terminal for monitoring or measurement, The relay module includes a select signal generator that periodically generates a select signal; The relay module is assigned a relay module identification number, A plurality of input signal transmission lines and one output signal transmission line a plurality of select signal transmission lines for transmitting the select signals; periodically and sequentially selecting one input signal designated by the select signal from the plurality of input signals; The selected input signal is output as a serial signal to the relay module specified by the relay module identification number via the output signal transmission line, and the relay module is connected to another relay module to share the select signal transmission line, thereby enabling expansion. The relay terminal block is characterized by the above.

7. the plurality of input signals are analog signals; The relay module further includes an analog-to-digital converter provided on the output signal transmission line, 7. The relay terminal block according to claim 6, wherein the selected input signal is quantified as a digital value using the analog-to-digital converter, and is made into a serial signal to which an identification number specified by the select signal is added.

8. A relay terminal block including a relay module that relays a plurality of input signals input from an external device and outputs the signals to an external terminal for monitoring or measurement, The relay module is assigned a relay module identification number, A plurality of input signal transmission lines and a selective signal transmission device Select signal transmission line and output signal transmission line a common input / output terminal connected to the select signal transmission line; Input / Output Modules and Equipped with the plurality of input signal transmission lines and the select signal transmission line are connected to the selective signal transmission device; the selective signal transmission device is output-controlled by a select signal supplied at a predetermined interval from the select signal transmission line, and periodically and cyclically selects one of the plurality of input signals in sequence, and outputs the selected one of the input signals to the external terminal as a serial signal for a relay module identified by the relay module identification number; The input / output terminal is connected to another relay module to share the select signal transmission line; The other relay modules are expandable by being output-controlled by the common select signal, the input / output module includes a select signal input port, a relay module signal input port, and a relay terminal block communication port; the select signal input port is connected to the select signal transmission line; The relay module signal input port is connected to the output signal transmission lines corresponding to each of the plurality of relay modules, and is output from the relay terminal block communication port.

Images