Control information communication method and system through a common signal transmission line

A method for transmitting information among a plurality of stations each having a unique station address, connected to a common transmission line, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting, from one station, information over said common transmission line, said information including a first code portion selected from a plurality of predetermined codes for identifying the contents of said information and a second data portion used in combination with said first code portion for control of an equipment;
• at each station
• storing one or more code data each indicating an identification of information required for control of an equipment connected to each station and being different from said unique station address;
• buffering said information on said transmission line to compare the first code portion of the information with said one or more code data stored in each station;
• copying said buffered information in a memory of the station when the first code portion of the information is the same as at least one of said code data stored in the station;
• and
• passing the buffered information including the first code portion and the second data portion onto the next station, irrespective of the result of the comparison of the first code portion with the stored code data.

A method of communicating information through a common transmission line to which a plurality of stations are connected, the method comprising the steps of:

• producing at one station a control data signal including a first code portion representative of an identification of the content of the control data signal and a second data portion used in combination with said first code portion for control of an equipment connected to another station;
• sending said control data signal from said one station to said common transmission line;
• storing at each of the other stations one or more code data each being representative of an identification of the content of the control data signal necessary for control of the equipment connected to each station;
• buffering at each of said other stations said control data signal on the common transmission line;
• comparing the first code portion of said buffered control data signal with each of said stored code data to determine whether any one of said stored code data is concurrent with said first code portion;
• and
• producing at the other stations an instruction signal only when the concurrence is determined by said comparison, for effective control of said equipment.

A method for communicating control information among a plurality of stations each having a unique station address and connected to a loop transmission line, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting from one station, information including a first code portion, a second data portion and a third address portion, said first code portion indicating an identification of the content of said second data portion, said second data portion being used for control of an equipment connected to the station and said third address portion indicating an identification uniquely assigned to the station from which the information is to be transmitted;
• at each of the other stations
• storing one or more code data each being indicative of an identification of the content of the information necessary for control of the equipment connected to the station and being different from the unique station address;
• buffering the information sent over the loop transmission line to compare the first code portion of the information with said code data stored at each station;
• copying in a memory of the station the first code portion and the second data portion of the buffered information for control of the equipment connected to the station, when the first code portion of the buffered information is detected to be the same as one of the stored code data;
• passing the buffered information including said first code portion, second data portion and third address portion onto the next station in the loop, irrespective of the result of said comparison of the first code portion with the stored code data;
• and
• at said one station which transmits the information, receiving the information on the loop transmission line to delete it when the third address portion of the information is the same as the unique address of said station.

A method of communicating control information via a common signal transmission line to which a plurality of stations are coupled, each of said stations having a unique station address, the method comprising

• producing in one of said stations a control data signal containing no portion identifying the unique station address of any of the other stations, but including at least one content code signal portion representative of one of a plurality of different control operations;
• sending said control data signal from said one station via said common transmission line to all other stations connected to said line;
• storing in each of said stations a plurality of content codes representative of selected control operations assigned to the various stations;
• receiving at each of said other stations said control data signal sent from said one station via said common transmission line;
• comparing in said other stations the content code signal portion of said received control data signal with each of said plurality of stored content codes to determine whether correspondence exists between said content code signal portion and a stored content code;
• and
• processing said received control data signal only in those other stations in which correspondence is detected between said content code signal portion and a content code stored in that station.

A method of communicating control information via a common signal transmission line to which a plurality of stations are coupled, each of said stations having a unique station address, the method comprising

• producing in one of said stations a control data signal containing no portion identifying the unique station address of any of the other stations, but including at least one content code signal portion representative of one of a plurality of different control operations;
• sending said control data signal from said one station via said common transmission line to all other stations connected to said line;
• storing in each of said stations at least one of a plurality of content codes representative of various control operations assigned in a selected manner to said stations, at least two of said stations having stored therein the same content code;
• receiving at each of said other stations said control data signal sent from said one station via said common transmission line;
• comparing in said other stations the content code signal portion of said received control data signal with the stored content codes to determine whether correspondence exists therebetween;
• and
• processing said received control data signal only in those other stations in which correspondence is detected between said content code signal portion and a content code stored in that station.

A system for communicating control information through a common signal transmission line with a high transmission efficiency, comprising a common signal transmission line, a plurality of stations coupled to said transmission line and a plurality of equipments each connected with a different one of said stations for communication of control data to one another through said stations and said transmission line, each of said equipments being capable of receiving external input signals from external terminals connected thereto to produce a first control data signal and being capable of supplying instruction signals to at least one of said external terminals or at least another external terminal connected to the equipment upon receipt of the output data of its associated station, in which:

• each of said stations has a unique station address and includes means for producing said first control data signal containing no portion representing the unique station address of any other station and means for processing the output data of its associated station for producing said instruction signals, said first control data signal including a content code signal portion representative of one of a plurality of different control operations and a sub-data signal portion including data associated with the control operation designated by the control code signal portion of said first control data signal, each of said stations further including means for storing at least one content code data representative of a selected control operation for which its associated equipment is responsible, means for receiving a control data signal delivered from one of said stations through said transmission line, means for comparing said stored content code data with the content code signal portion of said received control data signal, gate means coupled with said receiving means and responsive to the output of said comparing means for passing at least said content code signal portion and said sub-data signal portion of said received control data signal as said output of the station to said associated equipment only when said compared content code data and content code signal portion are concurrent with each other, and means responsive to said first control data signal from said producing means for transmitting said first control data signal to said transmission line.

A system for communicating control information through a common transmission line comprising,

• a plurality of stations coupled to said transmission line;
• a plurality of equipments connected with different ones of said stations for communication of the control information with one another through said stations and said transmission lines, each of said equipments being capable of receiving input signals from external terminals connected thereto to produce a control data signal and being capable of supplying instruction signals to at least one of said external terminals upon receipt of the output data of its associated station in which:
• each of said equipments includes means responsive to any one of said external input signals for producing said control data signal including a first code portion representative of an identification of content of said control data signal and a second data portion used in combination with said first code portion for controlling the equipment connected thereto;
• each of said stations includes means for storing one or more code data representative of an identification of content of a control data signal necessary for controlling the equipment connected thereto, means for receiving the control data signal sent over the common transmission line, means for comparing said stored code data with the first code portion of said received control data signal, gate means connected to said receiving means and responsive to the output of the comparing means for passing said first code portion and said second data portion of said received control data signal as said output of the station to said associated equipment only when said stored code data and said first code portion are concurrent with each other, and means for transmitting said control data signal to said transmission line.

In a system for communicating control information via a common signal transmission line with a high transmission efficiency between plural stations connected to said transmission line, each of said stations having a unique station address and comprising:

• means for producing and applying to said common signal transmission line a control data signal containing no portion relating to the unique station address of any other station and including at least one content code signal portion representative of one of a plurality of different control operations to be processed by said stations;
• means for storing a plurality of content codes representative of those selected control operations to be processed by that station;
• means for receiving a control data signal transmitted on said common signal transmission line;
• means connected to said receiving means for comparing the content code signal portion of a received control data signal with each of said content codes in said storing means and for generating a predetermined output when correspondence is detected between said content code signal portion and any one of said stored content codes;
• processor means for processing a received control data signal;
• and
• means responsive to said predetermined output of said comparing means for applying said control data signal in said receiving means to said processor means.

In a system for communicating control information via a common signal transmission line with a high transmission efficiency between plural stations connected to said transmission line, each of said stations having a unique station address and comprising:

• means for producing and applying to said common signal transmission line a control data signal containing no portion relating to the unique station address of any other station and including at least one content code signal portion representative of one of a plurality of different control operations to be processed by said stations and one address portion representing the unique station address of that station;
• means for storing at least one of a plurality of content codes representative of those selected control operations to be processed by that station;
• means for receiving a control data signal transmitted on said common signal transmission line;
• means connected to said receiving means for comparing the content code signal portion of a received control data signal with the content code in said storing means and for generating a predetermined output when correspondence is detected;
• processor means for processing a received control data signal;
• and
• means responsive to said predetermined output of said comparing means for applying said control data signal to said processor means.