Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Network-to-computer interfacing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-19
2002-10-15
Maung, Zarni (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Network-to-computer interfacing
C375S219000, C374S029000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06466989
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application Ser. No. 87120424, filed Dec. 9, 1998, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a network connection device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic network connection device capable of correctly wiring the device to a network cable.
2. Description of Related Art
As computer technologies continue to advance, many computers in one general location are often linked together to form a local area network. At present, Ethernet is the most common networking configuration. Several types of drop wires are used for connecting to various terminals in an Ethernet. Two of the most common types of wires include the coaxial cable and the twisted pair wires. Due to some advantages of twisted pair wires over coaxial cables, more twisted pairs are now used for connecting to an Ethernet. For example, the 10M/100M Base T has two pairs of twisted wires inside the cable. In other words, there are altogether four wires inside a cable. The device discussed in this invention is an automatic network connection device mostly used for the connection of terminals to the twisted pairs in an Ethernet.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional method of linking up network connection devices by a twisted pair cable. As shown in
FIG. 1
, one of the two networking devices
110
and
120
can be a client's computer terminal while the other one can be a hub in the network or simply other devices connected to the network. The network cable
130
has at least four strands of wires, internally. The four wires inside the network cable
130
are connected to the four signaling terminals of each networking device, respectively.
Specifically, the four wires inside the cable
130
are connected to a positive receiving terminal RX+, a negative receiving terminal RX−, a positive transmission terminal TX+ and a negative transmission terminal TX−, respectively. In fact, the positive receiving terminal RX+ and the negative receiving terming RX− together form a differential receiver circuit. Similarly, the positive transmission terminal TX+ and the negative transmission terminal TX− together form a differential transmitter circuit. Hence, each terminal of the networking devices
110
and
120
must be correctly wired together through network cable
130
.
For example, the positive transmission terminal TX+ of the networking device
110
must be wired to the positive receiving terminal RX+ of the networking device
120
and the negative transmission terminal TX− of the networking device
110
must be wired to the negative receiving terminal RX− of the networking device
120
. Similarly, the positive transmission terminal TX+ of the networking device
120
must be wired to the positive receiving terminal RX+ of the networking device
110
and the negative transmission terminal TX− of the networking device
120
must be wired to the negative receiving terminal RX− of the networking device
110
.
Therefore, in constructing a network system, wire-matching a time-consuming process. Four wires have to be connected per user terminal and each of the wires must be carefully labeled. Normally, the job has to be done by network technicians because each of the four wires within a network cable must be connected to the correct terminal in each network connection device. If any pair of the wires is accidentally mixed up, a related part of the network may malfunction and hence may require lengthy trouble-shooting.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need to design an automatic wiring device for simplifying network cable connection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a network connection device for automatic wiring. The network connection device can pick up the correct wire inside a network cable and connect to appropriate terminals of the device without human intervention. Hence, labor can be saved and human errors can be greatly reduced.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a network connection device for automatic wiring. The network connection device includes an interface circuit, a switching array and a controlling circuit.
The controlling circuit is coupled to the interface circuit and the switching array responsible for overseeing the entire network connection.
The switching array has a first group of connecting terminals and a second group of connecting terminals. Each group of terminals has four terminal points. Connection between the terminal points in the first group and the terminal points in the second group is achieved by internal circuitry. The actual connection is made by the signals delivered from the controlling circuit. The first group of terminals is connected to a network cable. The network cable houses four wires so that each terminal points in the first group is connected to one of the four wires inside a network cable.
The interface circuit has a positive receiving terminal, a negative receiving terminal, a positive transmitting terminal and a negative transmitting terminal. Each of these terminals is connected to a terminal point of the second terminal group of the switching array. The controlling circuit is able to receive or transmit data through the interface circuit.
The method of operating the aforementioned network connection device for connecting to a network cable is as follows. First, as soon as the network connection device is physically connected to the wires inside a network cable, a signal is emitted from the controlling circuit to the switching array requesting that the positive receiving terminal and the negative receiver terminal of the interface circuit be connected to a pair of signal-carrying wires inside the cable. Next, the controlling circuit picks up the signals from the positive receiving terminal and the negative receiving terminal to determine if the polarity of the two wires are correctly made. If proper polarity is made, nothing changes.
However, if the polarity of the wiring connection is incorrect, the controlling circuit signals the switching array to swap their connection. Thereafter, the controlling circuit sends a signal to the switching array so that the positive transmitting terminal and the negative transmitting terminal are connected to a pair of unattached wires inside the network cable. Subsequently, a packet is send from the controlling circuit to the network cable through the positive transmitting terminal and the negative transmitting terminal. The controlling circuit then waits for an acknowledgement packet from the network cable through the positive receiving terminal and the negative receiving terminal. On receiving the acknowledgement packet regarding the polarity connection to the network cable, a proper controlling signal can be sent to the switching array. If the original connection is judged to be in error, wiring connections from the positive transmitting terminal and negative transmitting terminal to the wires inside the network cable can be swapped.
According to one preferred embodiment of this invention, the device further includes a media-independent interface (MII) circuit. The MII circuit resides within the controlling circuit and acts as a communicative link between the controlling circuit and the interface circuit. When the positive receiving terminal and the negative receiving terminal are correctly wired to the network cable, the MII circuit emits four bits of ‘1’ in sequence to the controlling circuit. Alternatively, when the positive receiving terminal and the negative receiving terminal are incorrectly wired to the network cable, the MII circuit emits four bits of ‘0’ in sequence to the controlling circuit.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general descrip
J.C. Patents
Lin Wen-Tai
Maung Zarni
Topic Semiconductor Corp.
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