communication control device

Abstract

To provide a communication control device capable of suppressing obstruction of an establishment of a radio communication.SOLUTION: A communication control device 100 performs a radio communication that receives and transmits the same frequency at a time division. The communication control device comprises: a transmission path 31 and a reception path 32; a communication circuit 50 that becomes a transmission and reception path when performing the radio communication; and a transmission and reception switching switch 40 that electrically connects the transmission path and the communication circuit at the transmission, and electrically connects the reception path and the communication path at the reception. In addition, the communication control device 100 comprises a microcomputer 10 and a transceiver 20 that perform a transmission disconnection instruction indicating a disconnection of an electric connection of the transmission path and the communication circuit as a switching instruction to the transmission and reception switching switch when a transmission processing is terminated, and perform a reception disconnection instruction indicating a disconnection of an electric connection of the reception path and the communication circuit as a switching instruction when a reception processing is terminated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a switch module including an antenna element, a plurality of filters, an impedance load circuit, and an antenna switch that connects these together. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2017 / 73509 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There is a communication system that performs wireless communication between a master node and multiple slave nodes in accordance with the timing-synchronized TDD protocol. In this communication system, the communication control device of each node performs communication processing according to a predetermined communication schedule. As a result, each slave node performs wireless communication with the master node within its own event range. TDD is an abbreviation for Time Division Duplex.

[0005] However, the communication control device of each slave node may communicate wirelessly with the master node beyond its own event range, which may cause a problem that wireless communication beyond the event range may interfere with the establishment of wireless communication according to the communication schedule.

[0006] One disclosed object is to provide a communication control device that can suppress the disruption of establishment of wireless communication. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The communication control device disclosed herein comprises: A communication control device that performs wireless communication with a communication target device by transmitting and receiving the same frequency in a time-division manner, a transmission path (31); a receiving path (32); a communication circuit (50) that serves as a transmission / reception path when performing wireless communication; a transmission / reception switching unit (40) that electrically connects the transmission path and the communication circuit during transmission and electrically connects the reception path and the communication circuit during reception; It is equipped with a microcomputer and a transceiver, a control unit (10, 20) electrically connected to the transmission path, the reception path, and the transmission / reception switching unit, and performing at least one of a transmission process and a reception process as communication processing related to wireless communication including a switching instruction to the transmission / reception switching unit at a pre-scheduled timing; When performing transmission processing, the control unit issues a transmission switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit as a switching instruction, and when the transmission processing is completed, issues a transmission disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit as a switching instruction, and when performing reception processing, issues a reception switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit as a switching instruction, and when the reception processing is completed, issues a reception disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit as a switching instruction. Only when both the microcomputer and the transceiver determine that it is time to perform transmission processing, is a transmission switch instruction issued. When only one of the microcomputer and the transceiver determines that it is time to perform transmission processing, is a transmission disconnection instruction issued to the communication target device. It is characterized by:

[0008] In this way, when the transmission process for wireless transmission is completed, the communication control device disconnects the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit. Therefore, the communication control device can prevent the communication target device from transmitting wirelessly to another communication control device when the communication target device is communicating wirelessly with another communication control device. Therefore, the communication control device can prevent the communication target device from interfering with the establishment of wireless communication with another communication control device.

[0009] Furthermore, when the reception process related to wireless transmission is completed, the communication control device disconnects the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit. Therefore, since the communication control device cannot receive wirelessly after the reception process is completed, wireless transmission in response to wireless reception can be prevented. Therefore, the communication control device can prevent the communication target device from interfering with the establishment of wireless communication with other communication control devices. The communication control device disclosed herein also includes: A communication control device that performs wireless communication with a communication target device by transmitting and receiving the same frequency in a time-division manner, a transmission path (31); a receiving path (32); a communication circuit (50) that serves as a transmission / reception path when performing wireless communication; a transmission / reception switching unit (40) that electrically connects the transmission path and the communication circuit during transmission and electrically connects the reception path and the communication circuit during reception; a control unit (10, 20) electrically connected to the transmission path, the reception path, and the transmission / reception switching unit, and performing at least one of a transmission process and a reception process as communication processing related to wireless communication including a switching instruction to the transmission / reception switching unit at a pre-scheduled timing; When performing transmission processing, the control unit issues a transmission switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit, and when the transmission processing is completed, issues a transmission disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit.When performing reception processing, the control unit issues a reception switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit, and when the reception processing is completed, issues a reception disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit.When the transmission switching instruction is issued, the control unit notifies the communication target device that the transmission switching instruction has been issued. . The communication control device disclosed herein also includes: A communication control device that performs wireless communication with a communication target device by transmitting and receiving the same frequency in a time-division manner, a transmission path (31); a receiving path (32); a communication circuit (50) that serves as a transmission / reception path when performing wireless communication; a transmission / reception switching unit (40) that electrically connects the transmission path and the communication circuit during transmission and electrically connects the reception path and the communication circuit during reception; a control unit (10, 20) electrically connected to the transmission path, the reception path, and the transmission / reception switching unit, and performing at least one of a transmission process and a reception process as communication processing related to wireless communication including a switching instruction to the transmission / reception switching unit at a pre-scheduled timing; When performing transmission processing, the control unit issues a transmission switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit, and when the transmission processing is completed, issues a transmission disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit; when performing reception processing, the control unit issues a reception switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit, and when the reception processing is completed, issues a reception disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit; the transmission / reception switching unit is electrically connectable to the transmission path and the communication circuit and further includes a termination circuit (45) grounded to ground; The termination circuit includes a circuit for attenuating the power of the communication frequency band. . The communication control device disclosed herein also includes: A communication control device that performs wireless communication with a communication target device by transmitting and receiving the same frequency in a time-division manner, a transmission path (31); a receiving path (32); a communication circuit (50) that serves as a transmission / reception path when performing wireless communication; a transmission / reception switching unit (40) that electrically connects the transmission path and the communication circuit during transmission and electrically connects the reception path and the communication circuit during reception; a control unit (10, 20) electrically connected to the transmission path, the reception path, and the transmission / reception switching unit, and performing at least one of a transmission process and a reception process as communication processing related to wireless communication including a switching instruction to the transmission / reception switching unit at a pre-scheduled timing; When performing transmission processing, the control unit issues a transmission switch instruction to electrically connect the transmission path and the communication circuit, and when the transmission processing is completed, it issues a transmission disconnection instruction to disconnect the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit.When performing reception processing, the control unit issues a reception switch instruction to electrically connect the reception path and the communication circuit, and when the reception processing is completed, it issues a reception disconnection instruction to disconnect the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit.

[0010] The various aspects disclosed in this specification employ different technical means to achieve their respective objectives. The reference numerals in parentheses in the claims and in this section are intended to exemplify correspondences with the following embodiments and are not intended to limit the technical scope. The objectives, features, and advantages disclosed in this specification will become more apparent by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a communication control device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a schematic configuration of a communication control device. [Figure 3] 1 is a circuit diagram showing a schematic configuration of a termination circuit. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a modified example of the communication control device. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of a microcomputer in the master node. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of a transceiver in the master node. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of a microcomputer in a slave node. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing a receiving operation of a transceiver in a slave node. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing a transmission operation of a transceiver in a slave node. [Figure 10] 10 is a time chart showing the processing operations of a master node and a slave node. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of a transceiver in the master node. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing a receiving operation of a transceiver in a slave node. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing a transmission operation of a transceiver in a slave node. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, several embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, parts corresponding to matters described in the preceding embodiment may be assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted. In each embodiment, when only a part of the configuration is described, the other parts of the configuration may be applied by referring to the other embodiment described previously.

[0013] In this embodiment, as an example, a communication control device 100 is provided in each communication node in a wireless communication system having at least three communication nodes. Also, in this embodiment, as an example, a wireless communication system that can be mounted on a vehicle is employed. The vehicle is an electrically powered vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. Also, the communication control device 100 may be provided in a communication node of a wireless communication system in an on-board environment different from that of the vehicle.

[0014] <Wireless communication system> As shown in FIG. 1, the wireless communication system includes an aggregation node 1 and a plurality of sensor nodes 2 as communication nodes.

[0015] The wireless communication system is configured to enable wireless communication between the aggregation node 1 and each sensor node 2. As an example, the wireless communication system employs an example in which short-range wireless communication is performed between the aggregation node 1 and each sensor node 2. For short-range wireless communication, frequency bands such as the 2.4 GHz band and the 5 GHz band are used.

[0016] Furthermore, the aggregation node 1 may be required to be able to collect various types of information periodically and over a long period of time. In this case, it is desirable for the wireless communication system to adopt a communication standard such as BLE or ZigBee (registered trademark), which excels in power saving performance. BLE is an abbreviation for Bluetooth Low Energy. Bluetooth is a registered trademark.

[0017] In the drawings, the aggregation node 1 is written as 1NOD, and the sensor nodes 2 are written as 2NOD and 3NOD. In this embodiment, as an example, a wireless communication system including one aggregation node 1 and two sensor nodes 2 is adopted. In this case, in FIG. 10 and the like, the first sensor node 2 is written as 2NOD, and the second sensor node 2 is written as 2NOD. The present disclosure is sufficient as long as it includes one aggregation node 1 and at least two sensor nodes 2. Therefore, the present disclosure may also include three or more sensor nodes 2.

[0018] The aggregation node 1 is also referred to as a master node. The sensor node 2 is also referred to as a slave node. When the communication control device 100 provided in the sensor node 2 is the main device, the aggregation node 1 or the communication control device 100 of the aggregation node 1 corresponds to the communication target device. On the other hand, when the communication control device 100 provided in the aggregation node 1 is the main device, the sensor node 2 or the communication control device 100 provided in the sensor node 2 corresponds to the communication target device.

[0019] <Aggregation node, sensor node> Here, the aggregation node 1 and the sensor node 2 will be described using Fig. 1. The aggregation node 1 and each sensor node 2 are equipped with multiple function blocks. Each function block is a function that is executed by the operation of circuit elements of the communication control device 100, which will be described later.

[0020] The aggregation node 1 and each sensor node 2 send and receive data. The data includes control data, data indicating sensor detection results, and data requests for data transmission. Each sensor node 2 sends a connection request to the aggregation node 1. The aggregation node 1 sends a connection response to the connection request to each sensor node 2. The aggregation node 1 and each sensor node 2 send and receive packets containing data. This allows the aggregation node 1 and each sensor node 2 to exchange data via wireless communication.

[0021] The aggregation node 1 includes functional blocks such as an access control unit 1a, a timer control unit 1b, and a wireless communication unit 1c. The aggregation node 1 may further include an IG control unit. In the drawings, the access control unit is indicated as an ACU, the timer control unit as a TCU, and the wireless communication unit as a WCU.

[0022] The access control unit 1a manages the sensor node 2. In managing the sensor node 2, the access control unit 1a sends a connection response and manages information from the sensor node 2. The access control unit 1a accepts a connection request from the sensor node 2 by sending a connection response. The access control unit 1a outputs the connection response and the anchor point. The access control unit 1a also acquires the connection request and the connection disconnection notification.

[0023] Furthermore, the access control unit 1a may receive an IGON signal and an IGOFF signal from the IG control unit. The IGON signal is a signal indicating that the ignition switch is on. The IGOFF signal is a signal indicating that the ignition switch is off. The IGON signal and the IGOFF signal can be collectively referred to as an IG signal.

[0024] The timer control unit 1b performs transmission cycle control, timeout control, and time slot control. For transmission cycle control, the timer control unit 1b sets the transmission cycle of data to be transmitted to the sensor node 2 and connection responses. For timeout control, the timer control unit 1b manages the reception timeout of data received from the sensor node 2. The timer control unit 2b sets anchor points AP, 1AP, and 2AP to perform time slot control.

[0025] Furthermore, the timer control unit 1b sets an anchor point as part of the time slot control. The timer control unit 1b outputs a transmission / reception instruction, a connection disconnection notification, and a scan instruction. The timer control unit 1b then acquires the anchor point and the reception notification, similar to the timer control unit 2b.

[0026] The wireless communication unit 1c performs transmission processing and reception processing. As transmission processing, the wireless communication unit 1c transmits a connection response and data. As reception processing, the wireless communication unit 1c receives a connection request and data. As reception processing, the wireless communication unit 1c receives data by performing scanning processing. In other words, the wireless communication unit 1c opens a scan window and receives data. The wireless communication unit 1c scans (confirms) a connection request from the sensor node 2. The wireless communication unit 1c determines the sensor node 2 to connect to from the connection request obtained by scanning. The wireless communication unit 1c outputs a connection request and a reception notification. Furthermore, the wireless communication unit 2c acquires a connection response and a transmission / reception instruction.

[0027] The sensor node 2 includes functional blocks such as an access control unit 2a, a timer control unit 2b, and a wireless communication unit 2c. The sensor node 2 may further include a sensing unit. Multiple sensor nodes 2 include similar functional blocks.

[0028] The sensor node 2 is connected to a sensor. The sensor node 2 may also include a sensor. A sensor detects a physical quantity. The sensor node 2 transmits data indicating the detection result of the sensor to the aggregation node 1.

[0029] The access control unit 2a manages the connection nodes. As part of its management of the connection nodes, the access control unit 2a transmits connection requests and manages information from the aggregation node 1. The access control unit 2a outputs connection requests and anchor points. The access control unit 2a also receives connection responses and connection disconnection notifications.

[0030] The connection request is a request from the sensor node 2 to perform wireless communication with the aggregation node 1. The sensor node 2 sends a connection request to the aggregation node 1. In other words, the sensor node 2 sends a connection request in order to send and receive data to and from the aggregation node 1.

[0031] The timer control unit 2b performs transmission cycle control, timeout control, and time slot control. For transmission cycle control, the timer control unit 2b sets the transmission cycle of data to be transmitted to the aggregation node 1 and connection requests. For timeout control, the timer control unit 2b manages the reception timeout of data received from the aggregation node 1. The timer control unit 2b holds anchor points for time slot control. The anchor points are the beginning of the time slots assigned to each sensor node 2. The time slots correspond to the guard time (GT) in Figure 9 and other figures. The timer control unit 2b outputs transmission / reception instructions and connection disconnection notifications. The timer control unit 2b also acquires anchor points and reception notifications.

[0032] The wireless communication unit 2c performs transmission processing and reception processing. As transmission processing, the wireless communication unit 2c transmits a connection request and data. As reception processing, the wireless communication unit 2c receives a connection response and data. The wireless communication unit 2c outputs a connection response and a reception notification. The wireless communication unit 2c also acquires a connection request and a transmission / reception instruction. Note that the connection request can also be considered as a request to notify the aggregation node 1 of the existence of the sensor node 2. In other words, the wireless communication unit 2c transmits an advertisement. The sensing unit acquires data indicating the detection results of the sensor. The sensing unit outputs data indicating the acquired detection results of the sensor.

[0033] <Circuit configuration: aggregation node, sensor node> 2 and 3, the communication control device 100 provided in the aggregation node 1 and the sensor node 2 will be described. The communication control device 100 is common to the aggregation node 1 and the sensor node 2.

[0034] The communication control device 100 performs wireless communication by transmitting and receiving signals at the same frequency in a time-division manner. In other words, the communication control device 100 performs wireless communication in accordance with a timing-synchronized TDD protocol. The communication control device 100 includes a microcomputer 10, a transceiver 20, a transmission path 31, a reception path 32, a transmission / reception switch 40, a communication circuit 50, and the like.

[0035] The microcomputer 10 includes a processing unit 11, a memory unit 12, a communication interface 13, etc. The processing unit 11 is an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU. The memory unit 12 includes a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, etc. DRAM, SRAM, etc. can be used as the volatile memory. DRAM is an abbreviation for Dynamic RAM. SRAM is an abbreviation for Static RAM. Mask ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, etc. can be used as the non-volatile memory. ROM is an abbreviation for Read Only Memory. PROM is an abbreviation for Programmable ROM. EPROM is an abbreviation for Erasable ROM. EEPROM is an abbreviation for Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM.

[0036] The processing unit 11 constructs multiple functional blocks by executing various programs stored in the storage unit 12 while utilizing the temporary storage function of the storage unit 12. The processing unit 11 also outputs control signals to the transceiver 20 via the communication interface 13.

[0037] The access control units 1a and 2a and the timer control units 1b and 2b are functional blocks that are executed by the operation of the processing unit 11, the memory unit 12, and the communication interface 13. The microcomputer 10 also has the function of controlling the transceiver 20. In the drawings, the microcomputer is referred to as MCU, the processing unit as CPU, the memory unit as MED, and the communication interface as CIO.

[0038] The transceiver 20 includes an information signal conversion unit 21, a communication circuit control unit 22, a modem 23, a transmission terminal 24, a reception terminal 25, and a control terminal 26. The transceiver 20 is electrically connected to a transmission path 31 via the transmission terminal 24. The transceiver 20 is connected to a reception path 32 via the reception terminal 25. The transceiver 20 is connected to a transmission / reception switch 40 via the control terminal 26. Note that, hereinafter, electrical connection will also be simply referred to as connection.

[0039] The information signal conversion unit 21 is a circuit that converts data transmitted from the microcomputer 10 and converts data received wirelessly via the reception path 32 into a form that can be processed by the microcomputer 10 .

[0040] The communication circuit control unit 22 is a circuit that issues switching instructions to the transmission / reception selector switch 40. The communication circuit control unit 22 issues switching instructions indicating a transmission state, a reception state, a transmission termination state, and a reception termination state. The communication circuit control unit 22 issues switching instructions by transmitting switching signals to the transmission / reception selector switch 40. Therefore, the communication circuit control unit 22 transmits switching signals for issuing the above-mentioned switching instructions. The communication circuit control unit 22 also controls the operation of the transmission-side amplifier 31b and the reception-side amplifier 32b. The transmission-side amplifier 31b amplifies signals to be transmitted wirelessly under the control of the communication circuit control unit 22. The reception-side amplifier 32b amplifies signals received wirelessly under the control of the communication circuit control unit 22.

[0041] Note that a switching instruction indicating a transmission termination state corresponds to a transmission disconnection instruction. A switching instruction indicating a reception termination state corresponds to a reception disconnection instruction. A switching instruction indicating a transmission state corresponds to a transmission switching instruction. A switching instruction indicating a reception state corresponds to a reception switching instruction.

[0042] Modem 23 is a circuit that modulates data to be wirelessly transmitted via transmission path 31 and antenna 54, and demodulates data received wirelessly via antenna 54 and reception path 32. Wireless communication unit 1c and wireless communication unit 2c are functional blocks that are executed by the operation of information signal conversion unit 21, communication circuit control unit 22, and modem 23. In the drawings, the transceiver is referred to as PHY, the information signal conversion unit as CON, the communication circuit control unit as CCU, and the modem as MOD.

[0043] The microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 perform communication processing related to wireless communication, including issuing a switching command to the transmission / reception switch 40, at a pre-scheduled timing. The microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 perform at least one of transmission processing and reception processing as communication processing. In this embodiment, the microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 perform both transmission processing and reception processing. In this manner, the microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 correspond to a control unit. It can be said that the microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 are composed of software (SW) and hardware (HW).

[0044] The transmission path 31 includes a communication line 31a connected to the transmission terminal 24, a communication line 31c connected to the transmission terminal 41, and a transmission amplifier 31b connected to the communication line 31a and the communication line 31c. The input terminal of the transmission amplifier 31b is connected to the communication line 31a, and the output terminal is connected to the communication line 31c.

[0045] The receiving path 32 includes a communication line 32a connected to the receiving terminal 25, a communication line 32c connected to the receiving terminal 42, and a receiving amplifier 32b connected to the communication lines 32a and 32c. The receiving amplifier 32b has an input terminal connected to the communication line 32c and an output terminal connected to the communication line 32a. In the drawings, the transmitting amplifier is described as 1AMP and the receiving amplifier is described as 2AMP.

[0046] The transmit / receive switch 40 includes a transmit terminal 41, a receive terminal 42, a transmit / receive terminal 43, a termination terminal 44, a termination circuit 45, a control terminal 46, a movable contact 47, and the like.

[0047] The transmitting terminal 41 is connected to the transceiver 20 via the transmitting path 31. The receiving terminal 42 is connected to the transceiver 20 via the receiving path 32. The transmitting / receiving terminal 43 is electrically connected to the communication circuit 50.

[0048] The termination terminal 44 is connected to a termination circuit 45. One end of the termination circuit 45 is connected to the termination terminal 44, and the other end is connected to ground. The termination circuit 45 will be described later. The termination circuit 45 can also be considered a circuit that can be terminated. The ground can be, for example, the ground of a circuit board on which the microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 are configured.

[0049] The control terminal 46 is connected to the transceiver 20. The movable contact 47 operates in response to a switching instruction from the transceiver 20. The movable contact 47 is configured to be able to electrically connect the transmitting terminal 41 and the transmitting / receiving terminal 43, the receiving terminal 42 and the transmitting / receiving terminal 43, the transmitting terminal 41 and the terminating terminal 44, and the transmitting / receiving terminal 43 and the terminating terminal 44, by operating.

[0050] When a switching signal indicating a transmission state is input to the control terminal 46, the movable contact 47 connects the transmission side terminal 41 to the transmission / reception terminal 43. When a switching signal indicating a reception state is input to the control terminal 46, the movable contact 47 connects the reception side terminal 42 to the transmission / reception terminal 43.

[0051] Furthermore, when a switching signal indicating the transmission termination state is input to the control terminal 46, the movable contact 47 connects the transmission terminal 41 and the termination terminal 44. This electrically disconnects the transmission terminal 41 from the transmission / reception terminal 43. In other words, the transmission terminal 41 and the transmission / reception terminal 43 are electrically disconnected by hardware.

[0052] Furthermore, when a switching signal indicating the receiving termination state is input to the control terminal 46, the movable contact 47 connects the transmitting / receiving terminal 43 and the termination terminal 44. This electrically disconnects the receiving terminal 42 from the transmitting / receiving terminal 43. In other words, the receiving terminal 42 and the transmitting / receiving terminal 43 are electrically disconnected by hardware. Therefore, it can be said that the termination circuit 45 can be electrically connected to the transmission path 31 and the communication circuit 50.

[0053] The state in which the transmitting terminal 41 and the transmitting / receiving terminal 43 are connected can be said to be a transmitting state. The state in which the receiving terminal 42 and the transmitting / receiving terminal 43 are connected can be said to be a receiving state. The state in which the transmitting terminal 41 and the terminating terminal 44 are connected can be said to be a transmitting termination state. The state in which the transmitting / receiving terminal 43 and the terminating terminal 44 are connected can be said to be a receiving termination state. Note that the transmitting / receiving switch 40 cannot be in at least the transmitting termination state and the receiving termination state simultaneously.

[0054] For example, the transmit / receive switch 40 connects the transmission path 31 to the communication circuit 50 during transmission, and connects the reception path 32 to the communication circuit 50 during reception. That is, during transmission, the transmit / receive switch 40 operates the movable contact 47 in response to a switching instruction from the transceiver 20 to connect the transmission path 31 to the communication circuit 50. Also, during reception, the transmit / receive switch 40 operates the movable contact 47 in response to a switching instruction from the transceiver 20 to connect the reception path 32 to the communication circuit 50. The switching instruction may be output from the microcomputer 10.

[0055] Furthermore, when a switching instruction indicating a transmission termination state is given, the transmit / receive changeover switch 40 disconnects the transmission path 31 from the communication circuit 50 and connects the transmission path 31 to the termination circuit 45. When a switching instruction indicating a reception termination state is given, the transmit / receive changeover switch 40 disconnects the reception path 32 from the communication circuit 50 and connects the communication circuit 50 to the termination circuit 45.

[0056] In this way, when the communication control device 100 connects the transmission path 31 to the termination circuit 45, it is possible to suppress deterioration of radio wave conditions accompanying wireless transmission. Furthermore, when the communication circuit 50 and the termination circuit 45 are connected, the communication control device 100 can reduce the amount of noise accompanying wireless reception compared to when the communication circuit 50 is not connected to the termination circuit 45. The transmission / reception changeover switch 40 corresponds to the transmission / reception switching unit. In the drawings, the termination circuit is referred to as TMC.

[0057] The communication circuit 50 includes a matching circuit 51, a filter 52, a matching circuit 53, and an antenna 54. The communication circuit 50 is a circuit that serves as a transmission / reception path when performing wireless communication. In the drawing, the matching circuit is indicated as MCC and the filter is indicated as FIL.

[0058] Furthermore, this embodiment may employ a transmit / receive switch 40 having a termination circuit 45 for multiple terminals. In other words, the transmit / receive switch 40 may have multiple termination terminals 44 and multiple termination circuits 45 connected to each of the termination terminals 44.

[0059] <Termination circuit> Here, the termination circuit 45 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. As shown in Figure 3, a resistive element can be used as the termination circuit 45. In this case, one end of the resistive element serving as the termination circuit 45 is connected to the termination terminal 44, and the other end is connected to ground. The termination circuit 45 can also be referred to as a transmission disconnection element or a reception disconnection element.

[0060] It is preferable that the termination circuit 45 has impedance matching with the communication circuit 50 and the transmission path 31. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 4, it is preferable that the termination circuit 45 includes an attenuation circuit that attenuates power in the communication frequency band. For example, in the case of BLE, which will be explained later, it is preferable that the attenuation circuit is capable of dissipating power in the range of 2.40 GHz to 2.48 GHz, i.e., capable of attenuating power.

[0061] In FIG. 4, an LC filter that attenuates power in a specific band is used as an example of the attenuation circuit. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The attenuation circuit may also be a coil that attenuates power in a low-frequency band or a capacitor that attenuates power in a high-frequency band. Furthermore, the attenuation circuit may also be a filter that attenuates power in various communication frequency bands. This allows the communication control device 100 to suppress energy from flowing into the circuit board. In other words, the communication control device 100 can suppress noise within the circuit board.

[0062] Note that the present disclosure does not necessarily include the termination circuit 45. That is, the termination terminal 44 may be directly grounded. In this case, a physical object exists on the surface of the circuit board to which the termination terminal 44 is connected, inside the circuit board, or inside a component mounted on the circuit board. This object itself becomes an RLC component at high frequencies. Therefore, when expressed as an equivalent circuit, this object has the effect of attenuating energy and can be considered as part of an attenuation circuit. In other words, the attenuation circuit can be implemented using circuit components other than the above-described filters or elements such as coils and capacitors.

[0063] Furthermore, the communication control device 100 can be effective in suppressing interference with wireless communication, as will be explained later, even if it does not include the termination circuit 45. Furthermore, the present disclosure may include a circuit that attenuates power in the communication frequency band between the termination circuit 45 and ground.

[0064] <Processing operation> Here, the processing operations of the aggregation node 1 and the two sensor nodes 2 will be explained using Figures 5 to 10. The processing operations are those of the communication control device 100 provided in each of the nodes 1 to 3. The two sensor nodes 2 perform similar processing operations. Below, one sensor node 2 will also be referred to as 2NOD, and the other sensor node 2 as 3NOD. Below, the aggregation node 1 will also be referred to as 1NOD, and the sensor node 2 will also be referred to as 2NOD or 3NOD. When there is no particular need to distinguish between the sensor node 2, it will be referred to as 2NOD.

[0065] 10, each sensor node 2 performs wireless communication with the aggregation node 1 within its own event range (2NOD-EVE, 3NOD-EVE). 2NOD-EVE is the event range of 2NOD. 3NOD-EVE is the event range of 3NOD.

[0066] In FIG. 10, INT represents the time per transmission cycle. GT represents the time slot time set for each slave. TIFS represents the time for switching between transmission and reception. FS represents the initial transmission, and RS represents a retransmission. S represents the state in which the transmission mode has been determined or the transmission state. R represents the state in which the reception mode has been determined or the reception state. 1T represents the transmission end state, and 2T represents the reception end state. Furthermore, in FIG. 10, SW represents the processing of the microcontroller 10 and the transceiver 20, and HW represents the operation (state) of the transmission / reception changeover switch 40. HW also represents the state of the communication circuit 50, i.e., whether it is in transmission mode or reception mode.

[0067] First, the processing operation of the communication control device 100 of 1NOD, which is the master node, will be described using Figures 5 and 6. In Figures 5 and 6, unless otherwise specified, the microcomputer 10, transceiver 20, and transmission / reception switch 40 are mounted on 1NOD.

[0068] The communication control device 100 of the aggregation node 1 starts the flowchart of Fig. 5 at pre-scheduled timing. More specifically, the microcomputer 10 of the aggregation node 1 starts the flowchart of Fig. 5 at pre-scheduled timings t1, t3, and t5. The example of Fig. 10 shows an example in which the microcomputer 10 performs retransmission at timings t2 and t4. That is, in a 2NOD-EVE, for example, the microcomputer 10 performs an initial transmission at timing t1 and a retransmission at timing t2. In Figs. 5 and 6, unless otherwise noted, the microcomputer 10, transceiver 20, and transmit / receive switch 40 are mounted on the same 1NOD.

[0069] In step S11, the microcomputer 10 determines that a data request should be transmitted to NOD 2 at a pre-scheduled transmission timing such as t1, and proceeds to step S12. The microcomputer 10 determines that a data request should be transmitted to NOD 2 at timings t1 and t5, and that a data request should be transmitted to NOD 3 at timing t3. In other words, the microcomputer 10 determines that it is time to perform wireless transmission to NOD 2 at transmission timing such as t1. Furthermore, the microcomputer 10 determines that it is time to perform transmission processing at transmission timing such as t1.

[0070] In step S12, the microcomputer 10 transmits a control signal and a data request to the transceiver 20. The control signal here is a control signal that instructs the transceiver 20 to perform wireless transmission. The data request is a signal that requests the 2NOD to transmit data.

[0071] In step S20, the transceiver 20 of the aggregation node 1 operates. The operation of the transceiver 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. When the transceiver 20 receives a control signal from the microcomputer 10, it starts the flow chart of Fig. 6.

[0072] When the transceiver 20 receives a control signal instructing wireless transmission, it determines to transition to transmission mode (step S21). In other words, when the transceiver 20 receives the control signal, it determines that it is time to perform wireless transmission to the 2NOD. Furthermore, when the transceiver 20 receives the control signal, it determines that it is time to perform transmission processing.

[0073] Then, in step S22, the transceiver 20 determines whether both the microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 have determined that it is time to transmit. That is, the transceiver 20 determines whether both itself and the microcomputer 10 have determined that it is time to perform wireless transmission. If the transceiver 20 determines that it is time to perform wireless transmission, it proceeds to step S23; if it determines that it is not time to perform wireless transmission, it returns to FIG. 5. Note that, for example, in the case of a retransmission, the transceiver 20 determines that it is time to perform a retransmission, i.e., that it is time to perform wireless transmission, without information about the retransmission being transmitted to the microcomputer 10. In such a case, the microcomputer 10 does not determine that it is time to transmit, and only the transceiver 20 determines that it is time to perform a retransmission.

[0074] In step S23, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating the transmission state to the transmission / reception switch 40. That is, when performing transmission processing, the transceiver 20 issues a transmission switching instruction to electrically connect the transmission path 31 and the communication circuit 30. As a result, the transmission / reception switch 40 enters the transmission state as shown at timing t11.

[0075] In addition, in this embodiment, as an example, a transmission switch instruction is issued only when it is determined that it is transmission timing for both the microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 to perform transmission processing. This allows the communication control device 100 to accurately determine the start point of its own next event. In other words, the communication control device 100 can issue a transmission switch instruction with more accurate transmission timing than if it were issued when only the transceiver 20 determined that it was transmission timing.

[0076] In step S24, the transceiver 20 transmits a data request to 2NOD. Between timings t11 and t12, the transceiver 20 wirelessly transmits the data request via the transmission / reception switch 40, which is in the transmitting state, and the communication circuit 50. In the case of 2NOD-EVE, the transceiver 20 transmits the data request to 2NOD. In the case of 3NOD-EVE, the transceiver 20 transmits the data request to 3NOD. As will be explained later, 2NOD and 3NOD will receive the data request in step S55.

[0077] When the transceiver 20 completes the transmission of the data request in step S25, it executes step S26. In step S26, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating a transmission termination state to the transmission / reception switch 40. As a result, the transmission / reception switch 40 enters the transmission termination state as shown at timing t12.

[0078] The transceiver 20 may issue a command to switch to the transmission termination state for a certain period of time after the end of the transmission process. This period of time can be the time until the next reception starts, a TIFS period, or the like. This allows the communication control device 100 to perform wireless reception at the next timing.

[0079] However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. When the transmission process ends, the transceiver 20 may simply issue a transmission disconnection instruction to electrically disconnect the transmission path 31 and the communication circuit 30. In this case, the transmission / reception selector switch 40 is in a state in which the transmission terminal 41 and the transmission / reception terminal 43 are electrically disconnected and the transmission terminal 41 and the termination terminal 44 are not connected. In other words, the present disclosure can also be adopted in cases in which the transmission path 31 and the communication circuit 30 are simply electrically disconnected. In this case, the transceiver 20 may issue a transmission disconnection instruction to electrically disconnect the transmission path 31 and the communication circuit 30 for a certain period of time after the transmission process ends.

[0080] If the transceiver 20 determines in step S27 that it should transition to the reception mode, the process proceeds to step S28. In other words, if the transceiver 20 determines that it is time to perform reception processing, the process proceeds to step S28.

[0081] In step S28, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating the reception state to the transmission / reception switch 40. That is, when performing reception processing, the transceiver 20 issues a reception switching instruction to electrically connect the reception path 32 and the communication circuit 30. As a result, the transmission / reception switch 40 enters the reception state as shown at timing t15.

[0082] The transceiver 20 transitions to reception mode in step S29. Then, the transceiver 20 receives data in step S30. That is, the transceiver 20 wirelessly transmits data between timings t15 and t16 via the transmission / reception switch 40, which is in the reception state, and the communication circuit 50. In the case of 2NOD-EVE, the transceiver 20 receives data transmitted from 2NOD. In the case of 3NOD-EVE, the transceiver 20 receives data transmitted from 3NOD. As will be explained later, 2NOD and 3NOD transmit data in step S63.

[0083] In step S31, the transceiver 20 determines whether or not there is an error in the received data. If the transceiver 20 determines that there is an error, it proceeds to step S33, and if it does not determine that there is an error, it proceeds to step S32. Note that the method for determining whether or not there is an error in the received data is not particularly limited.

[0084] In step S32, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating the reception termination state to the transmission / reception switch 40. As a result, the transmission / reception switch 40 enters the reception termination state as shown at timing t16 onwards.

[0085] The transceiver 20 may issue a command to switch to the receiving termination state for a certain period of time after the end of the receiving process. This period of time can be the period from the end of the receiving process until the start of transmission of the next event, or until the next anchor point of the transceiver 20 itself.

[0086] For example, if the transceiver 20 is in the receiving termination state at time t16, it starts transmitting the next event at time t3. Therefore, the transceiver 20 issues a command to switch to the receiving termination state only between time t16 and time t3. In other words, the transceiver 20 stops issuing a command to switch to the receiving termination state at time t3. Therefore, the transceiver 20 can perform transmission processing from time t3 onwards.

[0087] Furthermore, even if the transceiver 20 starts retransmission processing at timing t2 in 2NOD-EVE, the transmit / receive switch 40 is in the receive termination state as shown at timing t17, so the transceiver 20 cannot perform wireless transmission via the transmit / receive switch 40 and communication circuit 50 as shown by the two-dot chain line at timing t18.

[0088] Therefore, the communication control device 100 of NOD 1 can reliably prevent the communication control device 100 of NOD 2 from performing reception processing and transmission processing in conjunction with its own retransmission processing. In other words, the communication control device 100 of NOD 1 can prevent NOD 2 from performing wireless transmission indicated by the two-dot chain line at timing t19 in NOD 3 beyond 2NOD-EVE. Therefore, the communication control device 100 of NOD 1 can reliably prevent interference between wireless transmission from NOD 2 to NOD 1 and wireless transmission from NOD 1 to NOD 3 in 3NOD-EVE, as indicated by the triangular mark (△ mark) in Fig. 10.

[0089] However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. When the reception process is completed, the transceiver 20 may simply issue a transmission switch instruction to electrically disconnect the reception path 32 and the communication circuit 30. In this case, the transmission / reception selector switch 40 is in a state in which the reception terminal 42 and the transmission / reception terminal 43 are electrically disconnected, and the transmission / reception terminal 43 is not connected to the termination terminal 44. In other words, the present disclosure can also be adopted in cases in which the reception path 32 and the communication circuit 30 are simply electrically disconnected. In this case, the transceiver 20 may issue a transmission disconnection instruction to electrically disconnect the reception path 32 and the communication circuit 30 for a certain period of time after the reception process is completed.

[0090] In step S33, transceiver 20 determines whether or not to retransmit. If transceiver 20 determines to retransmit, it returns to step S21, and if it determines not to retransmit, it returns to step S29.

[0091] Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 5, the processing operation of the microcomputer 10 will now be described.

[0092] The microcomputer 10 receives the data in step S13. The microcomputer 10 acquires the data received by the transceiver 20 in step S30.

[0093] In step S14, the microcomputer 10 determines whether or not there is an error in the received data. If the microcomputer 10 determines that there is an error, the process proceeds to step S16, and if the microcomputer 10 does not determine that there is an error, the process proceeds to step S15. Note that the method for determining whether or not there is an error in the received data is not particularly limited.

[0094] The microcomputer 10 completes the data reception in step S15. That is, the communication control device 100 is now in a state where the microcomputer 10 can handle data.

[0095] The microcomputer 10 determines whether or not to retransmit the data in step S16. If the microcomputer 10 determines to retransmit the data, the process returns to step S11, and if the microcomputer 10 does not determine to retransmit the data, the process proceeds to step S29.

[0096] Next, the processing operation of the communication control device 100 of the slave nodes 2NOD and 3NOD will be described using Figures 7, 8, and 9. The communication control device 100 of the 2NOD and 3NOD starts the flowchart of Figure 7 at a pre-scheduled timing. More specifically, the microcomputer 10 starts the flowchart of Figure 7 at a pre-scheduled timing. Here, the 2NOD is used as the slave node. In Figures 7 to 9, unless otherwise noted, the microcomputer 10, transceiver 20, and transmit / receive switch 40 are mounted on the same 2NOD.

[0097] In step S41, if the microcomputer 10 determines that a data request has been received from the 1NOD at a pre-scheduled reception timing such as t12, the process proceeds to step S42. In step S42, the microcomputer 10 transmits a control signal to the transceiver 20. The control signal in this case is a control signal that instructs the transceiver 20 to perform wireless reception.

[0098] In step S50, the transceiver 20 of the 2NOD performs a receiving operation. The receiving operation of the transceiver 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. When the transceiver 20 receives a control signal from the microcomputer 10, it starts the flow chart of Fig. 8.

[0099] When the transceiver 20 receives a control signal instructing wireless reception, it determines to transition to reception mode (step S51). In other words, when the transceiver 20 receives the control signal, it determines that it is time to perform wireless reception from the 1NOD. Furthermore, when the transceiver 20 receives the control signal, it determines that it is time to perform reception processing.

[0100] Then, in step S52, the transceiver 20 determines whether both the microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 have determined that it is time to receive. That is, the transceiver 20 determines whether both the transceiver 20 and the microcomputer 10 have determined that it is time to perform wireless reception. If the transceiver 20 determines that it is time to perform wireless reception, it proceeds to step S53; if not, it proceeds to step S65.

[0101] In step S53, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating the reception state to the transmission / reception switch 40. That is, when performing reception processing, the transceiver 20 issues a reception switching instruction to electrically connect the reception path 32 and the communication circuit 30. As a result, the transmission / reception switch 40 enters the reception state as shown at timing t12.

[0102] In addition, in this embodiment, as an example, a reception switch instruction is issued only when it is determined that it is the reception timing for both the microcomputer 10 and the transceiver 20 to perform reception processing. This allows the communication control device 100 to accurately grasp the start point of its own reception processing. In other words, the communication control device 100 can issue a reception switch instruction at a more accurate reception processing start point than if it were issued when only the transceiver 20 determined that it was the reception timing.

[0103] The transceiver 20 transitions to the receive mode in step S54. Then, the transceiver 20 receives a data request in step S55. That is, between timings t12 and t13, the transceiver 20 wirelessly receives the data request via the transmit / receive switch 40, which is in the receive state, and the communication circuit 50. This data request was transmitted from the 1NOD in step S24.

[0104] Step S56 is the same as step S31. In step S57, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating the reception termination state to the transmission / reception switch 40. As a result, the transmission / reception switch 40 enters the reception termination state, as shown at timing t13.

[0105] The transceiver 20 may issue a command to switch to the reception termination state for a certain period of time after the end of the reception process. This period of time can be the time until the next transmission starts, a TIFS period, or the like. This allows the communication control device 100 to perform wireless reception at the next timing.

[0106] However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. When the transmission process ends, the transceiver 20 may issue a reception disconnection instruction as a switching instruction that simply instructs the electrical disconnection of the reception path 32 and the communication circuit 30. In this case, the transmission / reception selector switch 40 is in a state in which the reception terminal 42 and the transmission / reception terminal 43 are electrically disconnected, and the transmission / reception terminal 43 is not connected to the termination terminal 44. In other words, the present disclosure can also be adopted in cases in which the reception path 32 and the communication circuit 30 are simply electrically disconnected. In this case, the transceiver 20 may issue a transmission disconnection instruction that instructs the electrical disconnection of the reception path 32 and the communication circuit 30 for only a certain period of time after the reception process ends.

[0107] 7, the processing operation of the microcomputer 10 will be described. The microcomputer 10 receives a data request in step S43. The microcomputer 10 receives the data request from the transceiver 20 in step S55.

[0108] In step S44, the microcomputer 10 performs the same process as in step S14. If the microcomputer 10 determines that an error exists, it proceeds to step S54, and if it does not determine that an error exists, it proceeds to step S45. Step S45 is the same as step S15.

[0109] In step S60, the transceiver 20 of the 2NOD performs a transmission operation. The transmission operation of the transceiver 20 will be described with reference to Figure 9. The transceiver 20 starts the flowchart of Figure 9 when the microcomputer 10 has completed receiving a data request. Alternatively, the transceiver 20 may start the flowchart of Figure 9 when it receives a control signal from the microcomputer 10 instructing wireless transmission.

[0110] When the microcomputer 10 has received the data request, the transceiver 20 determines to transition to the transmission mode (step S61). In other words, when the microcomputer 10 has received the data request, the transceiver 20 determines that it is time to perform wireless transmission to 1NOD. Furthermore, when the microcomputer 10 has received the data request, the transceiver 20 determines that it is time to perform transmission processing.

[0111] In step S62, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating the transmission state to the transmission / reception switch 40. That is, when performing transmission processing, the transceiver 20 issues a transmission switching instruction to electrically connect the transmission path 31 and the communication circuit 30. As a result, the transmission / reception switch 40 enters the transmission state as shown at timing t14.

[0112] The transceiver 20 transmits data to the 1NOD in step S63. This data is transmitted in response to a data request from the 1NOD. Between timings t14 and t15, the transceiver 20 wirelessly transmits the data via the transmission / reception switch 40, which is in the transmitting state, and the communication circuit 50. The transceiver 20 of the 1NOD receives this data in step S30.

[0113] When the transceiver 20 completes the data transmission in step S64, it proceeds to step S65. In step S65, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating the transmission termination state to the transmission / reception switch 40. As a result, the transmission / reception switch 40 enters the transmission termination state, as shown at timing t15.

[0114] The transceiver 20 may issue a command to switch to the transmission termination state for a certain period of time after the end of the transmission process. The certain period of time may be the period from the end of the reception process until the start of reception of the next event, or until the next anchor point of the transceiver 20.

[0115] For example, if the transceiver 20 is in the transmission termination state at time t15, it starts receiving the next event at time t20. Therefore, the transceiver 20 issues a command to switch to the transmission termination state only between time t15 and time t20. In other words, the transceiver 20 stops issuing a command to switch to the transmission termination state at time t20. Therefore, the transceiver 20 can perform reception processing after time t20.

[0116] Furthermore, the transmit / receive switch 40 is in the transmission termination state from timing t15 to timing t5. Therefore, even if the transceiver 20 attempts to perform wireless transmission, it is unable to do so. Therefore, the communication control device 100 of the 2NOS can reliably prevent the 1NOD from performing a transmission process even if the 1NOD performs a retransmission process. In other words, the communication control device 100 of the slave node can prevent the 2NOD from performing wireless transmission using the 3NOD-EVE and the 3NOD from performing wireless transmission using the 2NOD-EVE.

[0117] Therefore, the communication control device 100 of the 2NOD can reliably prevent interference between wireless transmission from the 2NOD to the 1NOD and wireless transmission from the 1NOD to the 3NOD in the 3NOD-EVE, as shown by the triangular marks (△ marks) in FIG.

[0118] 7, the processing operation of the microcomputer 10 will now be described. The microcomputer 10 completes the transmission of data in step S46.

[0119] <Effects> As described above, a slave node may perform wireless communication beyond its own event range due to a retransmission instruction from the master node, etc. Such wireless communication may occur due to a synchronization error, remaining data (packets) to be transmitted, or control data being transmitted outside of the schedule.

[0120] However, when the transmission process related to wireless transmission is completed, the communication control device 100 disconnects the electrical connection between the transmission path 31 and the communication circuit 50. In other words, when the transmission process related to wireless transmission is completed, the communication control device 100 disables wireless transmission in hardware using the transmission / reception switch 40. Therefore, the communication control device 100 can prevent wireless transmission to the target communication device when the target communication device is communicating wirelessly with another communication control device 100. Therefore, the communication control device 100 can prevent the target communication device from interfering with the establishment of wireless communication with another communication control device 100.

[0121] Furthermore, when the reception process related to wireless transmission is completed, the communication control device 100 disconnects the electrical connection between the reception path 32 and the communication circuit 50. In other words, when the reception process related to wireless transmission is completed, the communication control device 100 disables wireless reception in hardware using the transmission / reception switch 40. Therefore, since the communication control device 100 cannot receive wirelessly after the reception process is completed, wireless transmission in response to wireless reception can be prevented. Therefore, the communication control device 100 can prevent the communication target device from interfering with the establishment of wireless communication with other communication control devices.

[0122] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the combinations shown in the embodiments, and can be implemented using various combinations.

[0123] (Second embodiment) Here, a communication control device 100 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 13. In this embodiment, differences from the above embodiment will be mainly described.

[0124] First, the communication control device 100 of the 1NOD, which is the master node, will be described with reference to FIG. 11. If the determination in step S22 is NO, the transceiver 20 proceeds to step S22a. In step S22a, the transceiver 20 sets a flag for transmission / reception switching information. The transmission / reception switching information is information for controlling the transmission / reception switching switch 40 of the 2NOD or the like. The transmission / reception switching information is set based on information indicating the transmission determination results of the MCU and PHY. Here, the value of the flag is used as an example of transmission / reception switching information. The flag is normally 0. The transceiver 20 sets the flag to 1 when only the PHY determines to transmit. In other words, the transceiver 20 sets the flag to 1 in the case of a retransmission determination in the transceiver 20, where the MCU has not determined to transmit and only the transceiver 20 itself (PHY) has determined to transmit.

[0125] In step S24a, the transceiver 20 transmits a data request and transmission / reception switching information to 2NOD. The transceiver 20 transmits a flag value (0 or 1) as the transmission / reception switching information. This is to instruct 2NOD, etc., from 1NOD to switch the transmission / reception switch 40. By transmitting flag 1 as the transmission / reception switching information, the transceiver 20 instructs 2NOD, etc., to disconnect transmission. Alternatively, by transmitting flag 0 as the transmission / reception switching information, the transceiver 20 does not instruct 2NOD, etc., to disconnect transmission. Alternatively, by transmitting flag 0 as the transmission / reception switching information, the transceiver 20 can be considered to instruct 2NOD, etc., to switch transmission.

[0126] The transceiver 20 receives the data and transmission / reception switching information in step S30a. The transceiver 20 of the node 1 receives the data and transmission / reception switching information transmitted in step S63a from the node 2 etc.

[0127] In step S31a, the transceiver 20 determines whether or not the 2NOD, etc., is connected to the transmission path 31 based on the transmission / reception switching information received in step S30a. If the transceiver 20 determines that the 2NOD, etc., is connected to the transmission path 31, the process proceeds to step S32. If the transceiver 20 determines that the 2NOD, etc., is not connected to the transmission path 31, the process proceeds to step S33. The transceiver 20 in the 1NOD can proceed with processing based on the transmission determination result of the 2NOD, etc. In other words, the 1NOD can grasp and monitor the status of the 2NOD, etc.

[0128] Next, the processing operation of the communication control device 100 of the slave nodes 2NOD and 3NOD will be described using Figures 12 and 13. Here, as in the above embodiment, 2NOD is used as the slave node. First, the receiving operation of the transceiver 20 in 2NOD will be described using Figure 12.

[0129] In step S55a, the transceiver 20 receives the data request and transmission / reception switching information. This data request and transmission / reception switching information were sent from the node 1 in step S24. As will be explained later, the node 2 determines whether to send a switching signal indicating the transmission termination state based on the value of the flag in the transmission / reception switching information.

[0130] Next, the transmission operation of the transceiver 20 in the 2NOD will be described with reference to Figure 13. In step S61a, the transceiver 20 refers to the transmission / reception switch information received in step S55a and determines whether a flag is set. That is, the transceiver 20 determines whether a transmission disconnection instruction has been issued from the 1NOD. If the transceiver 20 determines that the flag is set, it assumes that a transmission disconnection instruction has been issued and proceeds to step S65. On the other hand, if the transceiver 20 does not determine that the flag is set, it assumes that a transmission disconnection instruction has not been issued and proceeds to step S61.

[0131] As described in the above embodiment, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating the transmission termination state in step S65. In this embodiment, if the transceiver 20 determines that the flag is set, the transceiver 20 proceeds to step S65. The flag being set indicates that an erroneous determination has occurred in the 1NOD, such that the MCU has not determined transmission and only the PHY has determined transmission. Therefore, when the flag is set to 1, the transceiver 20 transmits a switching signal indicating the transmission termination state. This prevents the 2NOD from transmitting data even if a retransmission request is made because only the PHY in the 1NOD has determined transmission. Therefore, the communication control device 100 can prevent the interference described in the first embodiment.

[0132] In step S63a, the transceiver 20 transmits data and transmission / reception switching information to the 1NOD. After executing step S62, the transceiver 20 may notify the 1NOD that it has sent a switching signal indicating the transmission state to the transmission / reception switch 40 of the 2NOD. At this time, the transceiver 20 transmits to the 1NOD a packet including data and information indicating that it has sent the switching signal indicating the transmission state. This is for the purpose of the 1NOD understanding and monitoring the status of the 2NOD.

[0133] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments or structures. The present disclosure also encompasses various modifications and modifications within the scope of equivalents. In addition, although various combinations and forms are shown in the present disclosure, other combinations and forms including only one element, more, or less than one element are also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 1...aggregation node, 1a...access control unit, 1b...timer control unit, 1c...wireless communication unit, 2...sensor node, 2a...access control unit, 2b...timer control unit, 2c...wireless communication unit, 10...microcontroller, 11...processing unit, 12...storage unit, 13...communication interface, 20...transceiver, 21...information signal conversion unit, 22...communication circuit control unit, 23...modem, 31...transmission path, 31a...communication line, 31b...transmission side amplifier, 31c...communication line, 32...reception path, 32a...communication line, 32b...reception side amplifier, 32c...communication line, 40...transmission / reception changeover switch, 41...transmission side terminal, 42...reception side terminal, 43...transmission / reception terminal, 44...termination terminal, 45...termination circuit, 46...control terminal, 47...movable contact, 50...communication circuit, 51...matching circuit, 52...filter, 53...matching circuit, 54...antenna, 100...communication control device

Claims

1. A communication control device that performs wireless communication with a communication target device by transmitting and receiving the same frequency in a time-division manner, a transmission path (31); a receiving path (32); a communication circuit (50) that serves as a transmission / reception path when performing the wireless communication; a transmission / reception switching unit (40) that electrically connects the transmission path and the communication circuit during transmission and electrically connects the reception path and the communication circuit during reception; a control unit (10, 20) that includes a microcomputer and a transceiver, is electrically connected to the transmission path, the reception path, and the transmission / reception switching unit, and performs at least one of a transmission process and a reception process as communication processing related to the wireless communication, including a switching instruction to the transmission / reception switching unit at a pre-scheduled timing; When performing the transmission processing, the control unit issues a transmission switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit, and when the transmission processing is completed, the control unit issues a transmission disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit, when performing the reception processing, the control unit issues a reception switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit, and when the reception processing is completed, the control unit issues a reception disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit, the control unit issues the transmission switching instruction only when both the microcomputer and the transceiver determine that it is the transmission timing to perform the transmission processing, and when only one of the microcomputer and the transceiver determines that it is the transmission timing, the control unit issues the transmission disconnection instruction to the communication target device.

2. A communication control device that performs wireless communication with a communication target device by transmitting and receiving the same frequency in a time-division manner, a transmission path (31); a receiving path (32); a communication circuit (50) that serves as a transmission / reception path when performing the wireless communication; a transmission / reception switching unit (40) that electrically connects the transmission path and the communication circuit during transmission and electrically connects the reception path and the communication circuit during reception; a control unit (10, 20) electrically connected to the transmission path, the reception path, and the transmission / reception switching unit, and performing at least one of a transmission process and a reception process as communication processing related to the wireless communication including a switching instruction to the transmission / reception switching unit at a pre-scheduled timing; When the control unit performs the transmission processing, it issues a transmission switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit, and when the transmission processing is completed, it issues a transmission disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit, and when the reception processing is completed, it issues a reception switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit, and when the reception processing is completed, it issues a reception disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit, and when the transmission switching instruction is issued, it notifies the communication target device that the transmission switching instruction has been issued.

3. A communication control device that performs wireless communication with a communication target device by transmitting and receiving the same frequency in a time-division manner, a transmission path (31); a receiving path (32); a communication circuit (50) that serves as a transmission / reception path when performing the wireless communication; a transmission / reception switching unit (40) that electrically connects the transmission path and the communication circuit during transmission and electrically connects the reception path and the communication circuit during reception; a control unit (10, 20) electrically connected to the transmission path, the reception path, and the transmission / reception switching unit, and performing at least one of a transmission process and a reception process as communication processing related to the wireless communication including a switching instruction to the transmission / reception switching unit at a pre-scheduled timing; When performing the transmission process, the control unit issues, as the switching instruction, a transmission switching instruction that instructs to electrically connect the transmission path and the communication circuit, and when the transmission process is completed, issues, as the switching instruction, a transmission disconnection instruction that instructs to disconnect the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit; when performing the reception process, the control unit issues, as the switching instruction, a reception switching instruction that instructs to electrically connect the reception path and the communication circuit, and when the reception process is completed, issues, as the switching instruction, a reception disconnection instruction that instructs to disconnect the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit; the transmission / reception switching unit further includes a termination circuit (45) electrically connectable to the transmission path and the communication circuit and grounded to ground; The communication control device is characterized in that the termination circuit includes a circuit for attenuating power in a communication frequency band.

4. A communication control device that performs wireless communication with a communication target device by transmitting and receiving the same frequency in a time-division manner, a transmission path (31); a receiving path (32); a communication circuit (50) that serves as a transmission / reception path when performing the wireless communication; a transmission / reception switching unit (40) that electrically connects the transmission path and the communication circuit during transmission and electrically connects the reception path and the communication circuit during reception; a control unit (10, 20) electrically connected to the transmission path, the reception path, and the transmission / reception switching unit, and performing at least one of a transmission process and a reception process as communication processing related to the wireless communication including a switching instruction to the transmission / reception switching unit at a pre-scheduled timing; When performing the transmission processing, the control unit issues a transmission switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit as the switching instruction, and when the transmission processing is completed, issues a transmission disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit as the switching instruction, and when performing the reception processing, issues a reception switching instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit as the switching instruction, and when the reception processing is completed, issues a reception disconnection instruction to instruct the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit as the switching instruction.

5. 5. The communication control device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit issues the transmission disconnection instruction only for a certain period of time after the transmission process is completed.

6. 5. The communication control device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit issues the reception disconnection instruction only for a certain period of time after the reception process is completed.

7. 5. The communication control device according to claim 4, wherein the transmission / reception switching unit further comprises a termination circuit (45) that is electrically connectable to the transmission path and the communication circuit and is grounded.

8. 8. The communication control device according to claim 7, wherein when the transmission disconnection instruction is given, the transmission / reception switching unit disconnects the electrical connection between the transmission path and the communication circuit and electrically connects the transmission path and the termination circuit.

9. 8. The communication control device according to claim 7, wherein when the reception disconnection instruction is given, the transmission / reception switching unit disconnects the electrical connection between the reception path and the communication circuit and electrically connects the communication circuit and the termination circuit.

10. 5. The communication control device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit includes a microcomputer and a transceiver, and issues the transmission switching instruction only when both the microcomputer and the transceiver determine that it is the transmission timing to perform the transmission processing.

11. 5. The communication control device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit includes a microcomputer and a transceiver, and issues the reception switching instruction only when both the microcomputer and the transceiver determine that the timing is a reception timing for performing the reception processing.

12. 8. The communication control device according to claim 7, wherein the termination circuit has impedance matching with the communication circuit.

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