JPH1169578A - Panel material - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To provide a panel material capable of simplifying communication path construction. A panel material having a plurality of communication cables (4a to 4d) and a switch means (51) to which the plurality of communication cables (4a to 4d) are connected to allow conduction between arbitrary communication cables is connected to the switch means (51) and controlled. Switch means 51 based on the connection state control information received from the device.
Switch control means 81 for switching the connection state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a panel material laid in a flat area such as a floor, a wall, a ceiling, etc., and particularly to a polygonal panel material body connected to communication means outside the panel material body. The present invention relates to a panel material incorporating a plurality of possible communication cables.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-279367 discloses a panel member with a built-in communication cable commonly called "free access". By laying a plurality of panel members with built-in communication cables in a plane area, a plane having a communication path such as a floor surface, a wall surface, or a ceiling surface can be formed.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional panel member with a built-in communication cable. The panel material main body 2 of the communication cable built-in type panel material 1 is formed in a square shape, and connectors 3 are provided on four sides.

The communication cable 4 is provided inside the panel material main body 2, and one end is connected to the connector 3 and the other end is connected to the switch mechanism 5.
The switch mechanism 5 is a switch for switching a connection relationship between the other ends of the communication cables 4, and is a panel material main body 2.
It is provided inside and near the center of the panel material main body 2.

The switch mechanism 5 includes a switch mechanism 5
A control device (not shown) for controlling the switch mechanism 5 can be connected via an operation port 6 provided in the vicinity, and a switch operation is controlled by an operation from the control device.

This conventional communication cable built-in panel material 1
Is laid, first, a plurality of panel materials 1 with built-in communication cables are arranged so that each side of the panel material body 2 is almost in contact with each other.
Then, the connectors 3 on each side of the panel material main body 2 which are almost in contact with each other are connected by the external connector cable 71.

Therefore, by controlling the switching operation of the switch mechanism 5 of the plurality of laid-in panel members 1 with built-in communication cables, a communication path can be freely constructed. This makes it possible to eliminate the work of peeling off the panel material and constructing a communication path in the construction and reconstruction of a local network used in a limited area such as an office, etc. The laying work can be simplified.

[0008]

As described above, in the conventional panel member with a built-in communication cable, the operation of peeling off the panel member and establishing a communication path can be eliminated. However, the conventional control device for controlling the switch mechanism of the panel member with a built-in communication cable can control only one switch mechanism, and controls the switch mechanisms of the panel member with a built-in communication cable to control the communication path. In the case of constructing, a control device must be manually connected to each switch mechanism to perform an operation.

Also, when grasping the state of the communication path constructed by the plurality of panel members with built-in communication cables, it is necessary to manually confirm it. Therefore, as the number of laid panel members with built-in communication cables increases, the time and labor required to construct a communication path and to grasp the state of the communication path by using these panel members with built-in communication cables increase.

[0010] Furthermore, after the floor surface is formed by the conventional communication cable built-in panel material and a communication path is constructed,
If a hard-to-move object such as a desk is installed on this floor,
It is very difficult to change the connection state of the set switch mechanism located under the installation object again. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a panel material that can simplify a communication path construction work in network construction.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a plurality of communication cables and a switch means for connecting the plurality of communication cables and conducting between any communication cables are provided. A panel material having switch control means connected to the switch means and switching the connection state of the switch means based on the connection state control information received from the control device.

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, each of the laid panel members is provided with a switch control means, and the switch control means of each of the panel materials transmits the connection state control information received from the control device. Since the connection state of the switch means is controlled based on this, the construction of the communication path can be centrally managed by the control device.

[0013] Thus, even if the panel material is hidden under the installation object, the connection relation of the plurality of communication cables of each panel material can be controlled collectively by the control device. Therefore, once the laying of the panel material is performed and the control device can control the panel material, the panel material is peeled off and the cable is laid, or the panel material is moved to construct a communication path. Can be eliminated, and a communication path can be easily constructed only by the operation of the control device.

Further, since the construction of the communication path can be centrally managed by the control device, the time and labor required for grasping the state of the communication path can be reduced. Next, according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the panel material according to the first aspect, the switch control means has unique identification information and determines whether or not the connection state control information received from the control device is self-applied. This is a panel material that has a judgment means for judging the connection state, and switches the connection state of the switch means in accordance with the connection state control information when it is judged that the connection means is self-applied.

Therefore, according to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the same operation and effect as the invention of claim 1, the switch control means of each laid panel material is connected to at least one control information bus, By receiving the connection state control information applied to itself from the control device via the control information bus, there is no need to connect the switch control means of all panel materials and the control device.

Therefore, since it is not necessary to connect the switch control means and the control device of each panel material, the work of laying the panel material can be simplified, and the cost can be further reduced.

Further, when one control information bus for transmitting the connection state control information is constructed, the panel material laid out cannot be controlled from the middle due to a failure at one place of the control information bus. By constructing a plurality of control information buses, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the panel material may become uncontrollable in the middle, thereby improving the reliability.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) In the present embodiment, a switch means is built in a polygonal panel material main body, and one end of the switch is built in each side of the panel material main body. A plurality of communication cables which are connectable to the communication means and the other end of which is connected to the switch means are built-in. The connection state of the switch means is further connected to the switch means and based on the connection state control information received from the control device. A panel member provided with switch control means for switching will be described.

FIG. 1 is a structural view showing an example of a panel member with a built-in communication cable according to the present embodiment, and the same portions as those in FIG. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

Each of the communication cables 4a to 4d of the panel member 11 with a built-in communication cable according to the present embodiment is composed of an arbitrary k signal cables. Each of the communication cables 4 a to 4 d is built in the panel material main body 2. One ends of the communication cables 4a to 4d are connected to the connectors 31a to 31d, respectively, and the other ends are connected to the switch mechanism 51.

The switch control section 81 is built in the panel material main body 2 and is provided near the switch mechanism 51. The switch mechanism 5 via the internal connection cable 101
1 is connected.

The switch control section 81 mainly has a communication function of connection state control information and a switching control function of the switch mechanism 51. That is, the switch control unit 81
Receives the connection state control information from the external control device 91 via the external connection cable 102, and determines the connection relationship between the other ends of the communication cables 4a to 4d by the switch mechanism 51 according to the received connection state control information. Thus, a communication path is constructed and reconstructed when a plurality of communication cable built-in panel materials 11 are laid in a plane area.

The switch control section 81 also detects the connection relationship of the switch mechanism 51 and detects a failure or the like occurring in the switch mechanism 51, and transmits the detection result to the control device 91 as communication path information.

The control device 91 includes a plurality of switch control units 8.
1 and can centrally control each connected switch control unit 81. Further, this control device 91
Based on the communication path information received from the switch control unit 81, it has a function of displaying the state of the communication path, and provides the operator with visual information regarding the state of the constructed communication path.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a case where a floor is formed by the panel member 11 with a built-in communication cable according to the present embodiment. Panel material 11 with built-in communication cable
Is an arbitrary n sheets in the x direction and an arbitrary m sheets in the y direction.
m sheets are laid, but here, for example, 3
In this case, a total of nine sheets are laid, three in the y direction. In the communication cable built-in panel members 11a to 11i shown in FIG.
Components other than 1i are omitted.

Each of the communication cable built-in panel members 11a to 11
1i are laid so that the respective sides of the panel material main body 2 are in contact with each other, and the connectors 3 on the respective sides of the panel material main body 2 that are in contact with each other.
1a to 31d are connected by an external connector cable 71.

The control unit 91 includes switch control units 81a to 81i of the panel members 11a to 11i with built-in communication cables.
And external communication cables 102a-102i, and each communication cable built-in panel material 11a-1
A communication path is constructed by controlling the connection relation of the switch mechanism 51 of 1i.

Here, the control unit 91 and the switch control unit 81 of each of the panel members 11a to 11i with built-in communication cables are used.
Since 9a to 81i are connected, when 9 communication cable built-in cables 11a to 11i are laid, 9 external connection cables 102a to 102i are required, and nxm communication cables are installed. When the mold panel material 11 is laid, n × m external connection cables 102 are required.

Hereinafter, the communication path is changed from 11a to 11d to 11g.
The control operation for the case of building → 11h → 11i will be described in detail. First, the switch control unit 81 of each communication cable built-in type panel material 11a to 11i is transmitted from the control device 91.
The connection state control information is transmitted and decoded to a to 81i, and the connection relations of the switch mechanisms 51 are controlled by the switch control units 81a to 81i according to the decoded connection state control information.

For example, a panel member 11 with a built-in communication cable
As for d, a communication path connecting the panel member 11a with a built-in communication cable on the upstream side of the communication path and the panel member with a built-in communication cable 11g on the downstream side of the communication path is constructed. In the switch mechanism 51 of the mold panel material 11d, the communication cable 4a on the communication cable built-in type panel material 11a side and the communication cable built-in type panel material 11g are controlled by the switch control unit 81d.
Side communication cable 4c.

Such a control operation is performed by the other panel members 11a, 11g, 1
1h and 11i, the communication path 11a
→ 11d → 11g → 11h → 11i is constructed.

On the other hand, panel members 11b, 11c, 11e and 11f with built-in communication cables which are not related to the construction of the communication path.
The switch control units 81b, 81c, 81e, and 81f receive connection state control information indicating that connection of the communication cables 4a to 4d is not to be performed. Controlled,
As a result, an unnecessary communication path is not established.

Here, it has been described that each of the communication cables 4a to 4d is composed of an arbitrary k signal cables, but in the following, for simplicity of description,
A case where each of the communication cables 4a to 4d is constituted by one signal cable, that is, a case where k is 1 will be described.

Assuming that the communication cables 4a to 4d are composed of one signal cable, the communication paths that can be constructed in the switch mechanism 51 of the panel members 11a to 11i with built-in communication cables are as shown in Table 1. There are nine ways as shown.

Here, it is assumed that the switch mechanism 51 can connect any two of the communication cables 4a to 4d, but cannot connect any three of them. Therefore, when the communication cables 4a to 4d are configured by one signal cable, up to two paths are constructed. Also, routes other than the combinations shown in Table 1 must be prohibited.

[0036]

[Table 1]

Therefore, the communication cables 4a to 4d are k
In the case where the communication cables 4a to 4d are constituted by two signal cables, a maximum of 2k paths and 9k paths can be combined, and how the communication cables 4a to 4d are connected is managed by the control device 91. Is done.

As described above, the panel members 11a to 11i with built-in communication cables according to the present embodiment are laid in a plane area, and the switch control units 81a to 81i built in the panel members with built-in communication cables 11a to 11i. And the control device 91 via the external connection cables 102a to 102i, the control of the switch mechanism 51 can be centrally managed by the control device 91.

That is, when the communication cable built-in panel members 11a to 11i according to the present embodiment are laid,
Even if the panel members 11a to 11i with built-in communication cables are hidden under the installation, the connection relation of the communication cables 4a to 4d can be controlled by the control device 91 collectively.

Therefore, once the laying of the communication cable built-in type panel materials 11a to 11i is performed and the control device 91 is in a controllable state, the panel material is peeled off and the cable is laid and the communication route is established. Work such as moving panel materials to build
The communication path can be easily constructed only by the operation of the control device 91.

By providing a display function in the control device 91, the operator can visually recognize the construction state of the communication path constructed by the laid communication cable built-in panel members 11a to 11i. Can be.

Further, the control device 91 monitors the state of the panel members 11a to 11i with built-in communication cables,
The occurrence of a failure can be detected, and the communication path can be reconstructed when the failure occurs.

In this embodiment, the control device 91 and the panel members 11a to 11i with built-in communication cables are used.
Although the description has been given of a case where the control device 91 is separated, the present invention is not limited to this. The control device 91 may be built in any of the communication cable built-in panel materials 11a to 11i to be laid.

In this embodiment, the case where the floor is formed is described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to the case where a plane such as a wall surface or a ceiling surface is formed.

Furthermore, the panel material main body 2 of the communication cable built-in type panel materials 11a to 11i according to the present embodiment has been described as an example of a square shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Even with other polygons such as a polygon and a rectangle, the same effect can be obtained by the same operation.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the case of constructing the communication paths 11a → 11d → 11g → 11h → 11i has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various communication paths are constructed. Is possible.

(Second Embodiment) The panel member with a built-in communication cable according to the present embodiment is capable of transmitting and receiving connection state control information between the laid panel members with a built-in communication cable. The switch control means of the mold panel material has an address number which is unique identification information, and controls the switch mechanism in accordance with the self-applied connection state control information having its own address number.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a panel member with a built-in communication cable according to the present embodiment. The description of the same parts as in FIG. 1 is omitted, and only different parts are described in detail here. I do.

The control information communication cable 103 is a cable for transmitting and receiving connection state control information between the laid communication cable built-in panel members 12. The control information communication cable 103 is built in the panel material main body 2.

The control information communication cable 103
Are connected to the connectors 32a to 32d provided on each side of the panel material main body 2, and further, connection state control information can be transmitted and received between the connectors 32a to 32d inside the panel material main body 2. It is connected to become.

In addition, the control information communication cable 103
Are connected to the switch control unit 82. The control information communication cable 103 is a panel material 12 with a built-in communication cable.
Is laid, it is connected to the control information communication cable 103 of another adjacent communication cable built-in panel member 12 via the connectors 32a to 32d and the control information connector cable 72.

When transmitting the connection state control information to the plurality of laid-in communication cable-type panel members 12, the control device 92 uses the address number of the switch control unit 82 of the destination communication cable-integrated panel member 12 as the transmission destination. Are transmitted with the connection state control information to be transmitted.

Since the switch control section 82 has an address number which is unique identification information, the switch control section 82 receives the connection state control information with the address number assigned to itself.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a case where the floor surface is formed by the communication cable built-in panel 12 according to the present embodiment, and is shown under the same conditions as FIG.

In FIG. 4, as an example, the control information communication cable 103 has 12a → 12d → 12g → 12h → 1
2e → 12b → 12c → 12f → 12i connected, 1
This figure shows a case where a control information bus 201 is constructed.

The control device 92 transmits the connection state control information with the address number to the control information bus 201. Each of the switch control units 82a to 82i receives connection state control information with an address number that matches the address number assigned to itself, and controls the switch mechanism 51 according to the received connection state control information.

As described above, in the panel members 12a to 12i with built-in communication cables according to the present embodiment, since the control information communication cable 103 for transmitting and receiving the connection state control information is built in the panel material main body 2, It is not necessary to connect all the switch control units 51 of the laid communication cable built-in panel materials 12a to 12i to the control device 92.

That is, in the first embodiment,
When the number of laid communication cable built-in type panel materials 12 is n × m, n × m external connection cables 102 are required. In the present embodiment, however, only one external connection cable 102 is sufficient. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment described above, since it is not necessary to connect the switch control means and the control device of each panel material, the work of laying the communication cable built-in panel materials 12a to 12i is not required. It can be simplified and cost can be further reduced.

In the present embodiment, the control information communication cable 103 is connected to 12a → 12d → 12g → 12
Although the case where h → 12e → 12b → 12c → 12f → 12i has been described as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and various communication paths can be constructed.

In this embodiment, the control device 92 and the control information bus 201 are connected to the external connection cable 1.
02, but is not limited to this. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the control device 92 and an optional switch control unit 82 are connected by an external connection cable 102, and the optional switch Via the control unit 82,
The connection state control information may be transmitted to the control information bus 201.

(Third Embodiment) In the present embodiment, the control information communication cable 1 in which the communication cable built-in panel material 12 according to the second embodiment is laid and connected.
A case in which a plurality of control information buses are constructed by the H.03 will be described.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of a case where a plurality of control information buses are constructed by the connected control information communication cables 103, and the same parts as those shown in FIG. The description is omitted by attaching the reference numerals, and only different portions will be described in detail here.
FIG. 7 is shown under the same conditions as FIG.

In this embodiment, three control information buses 202 are provided by the control information communication cables 103 of the laid communication cable built-in panel members 12a to 12i.
２０４204 will be described as an example.

The method for laying the panel members 12a to 12i with built-in communication cables according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the panel members 11a to 11a with built-in communication cables according to the first and second embodiments.
1i, 12a to 12i.

The control information bus 202 is constructed by connecting the control information communication cables 103 of the communication cable built-in panel members 12a, 12d, and 12g, and the control information bus 203 is formed of the communication cable built-in panel material 12b. , 12
The control information bus 204 is constructed by connecting the control information communication cables 103 of the panel materials 12c, 12f, and 12i. And the control information buses 202 to 204 are connected to the external connection cable 10 respectively.
It is connected to the control device 92 via 2a to 102c.

The control device 92 can be connected to a maximum of n × m external connection cables 102, similarly to the control device 91 described in the first embodiment. In addition, the control device 92 transmits connection state control information to which an address number is assigned.

Further, the control device 92 controls the connection state of the control information buses 202 to 204,
2a to 82i are stored, and when the construction of the communication path is instructed, each communication cable built-in panel material 1
The external connection cables 102a to 102c and the control information bus 2 are provided to the switch control units 82a to 82i of the control information 2a to 12i.
The connection state control information is transmitted via the communication terminals 02-204.

As described above, in the method of laying the panel members 12a to 12i with built-in communication cables according to the present embodiment, a plurality of control information buses 202 to 204 are constructed. The external connection cable 102 is not required as much as the case where the communication cable built-in panel members 11a to 11i are laid. That is, when n × m communication cable built-in panel members 12 are laid, the control device 92 and the control information bus may be connected by, for example, n or m external connection cables 102.

As in the method for laying the panel members 12a to 12i with built-in communication cables according to the second embodiment,
When one control information bus 201 is constructed by the control information communication cable 103, the control information bus 2
01 makes it impossible to control the panel members 12a to 12i with built-in communication cables from the middle, but the panel members 12a to 12i with built-in communication cables according to the present embodiment.
When a plurality of control information buses 202 to 204 are constructed by the control information communication cable 103 as in the method of laying i, the panel members 12a to 12
It is possible to reduce the possibility that i becomes uncontrollable in the middle and improve reliability.

In the present embodiment, three control information buses 202 to 204 are constructed in the x direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various control information buses may be constructed. it can.

[0071]

As described above, in the panel member of the present invention, the switch control means switches the connection state of the switch means based on the connection state control information received from the control device.

Therefore, a communication path can be constructed by transmitting connection state control information from the control device to the switch control means of a plurality of laid panel materials, and control of the switch means is centrally managed by the control device. Therefore, when the panel material is laid, even if the communication cable built-in type panel material is hidden under the installed object, the connection relation of the communication cables can be controlled collectively by the control device.

Thus, once the panel material is laid and put into a state in which it can be controlled by the control device, the panel material can be peeled off and a cable can be laid, and the panel material can be laid to establish a communication path. Work such as moving the communication device can be eliminated, and a communication path can be easily constructed only by the operation of the control device.

Further, since the construction of the communication path can be centrally managed by the control device, the time and labor required for grasping the state of the communication path can be reduced. In addition, by providing a display function to the control device,
The construction state of the communication path constructed by the laid communication cable built-in panel material can be visually recognized.

In addition, the control device monitors the state of the panel member with the built-in communication cable, so that it is possible to detect the occurrence of a failure, and to reconstruct the communication path when the failure occurs.

In the panel material according to another aspect of the present invention, when it is determined that the connection state control information received from the control device is the connection state control information for self-application, the switch is operated in accordance with the connection state control information for self-application. The control means switches the connection state of the switch means.

When this panel material is laid and the switch control means of each laid panel material is connected to at least one control information bus, all the panel materials are provided in addition to the same operation and effect as the above invention. It is not necessary to connect the switch control means and the control device, and the switch control means of each panel member receives the connection state control information applied to itself through at least one control information bus, and thereby the communication path is controlled. Can be built.

Therefore, the work of laying the panel member with built-in communication cable can be simplified, and the cost can be further reduced. Further, when one control information bus is constructed, the panel material with a built-in communication cable becomes uncontrollable from the middle due to one failure, but when a plurality of control information buses are constructed, It is possible to reduce the possibility that the panel member with the built-in communication cable becomes uncontrollable from the middle, thereby improving the reliability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a panel member with a built-in communication cable according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a case where a floor surface is formed by a communication cable built-in panel material according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a panel member with a built-in communication cable according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a case where a floor surface is formed by a communication cable built-in panel material according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing a modification of the communication cable built-in panel material according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a modified example in the case where a floor surface is formed by a communication cable built-in panel material according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a case where a floor surface is configured by a panel member with a built-in communication cable according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional panel member with a built-in communication cable.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 11, 12: Panel material with built-in communication cable 2: Panel material body 3, 31a to 31d, 32a to 32d: Connector 4, 4a to 4d: Communication cable 5, 51: Switch mechanism 6: Operation port 71: External connector Cable 72: Control information connector cable 81, 81a to 81i, 82, 82a to 82i: Switch control unit 91, 92: Control device 101: Internal connection cable 102, 102a to 102i: External connection cable 103: Control information communication cable 201 ~ 204 ... Control information bus

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A panel material having a plurality of communication cables and switch means for connecting the plurality of communication cables to each other and connecting the communication cables, wherein a connection state connected to the switch means and received from a control device. A panel material comprising switch control means for switching a connection state of the switch means based on control information. 2. The panel material according to claim 1, wherein the switch control means has unique identification information, and determines whether or not connection state control information received from the control device is self-applied. A panel material, comprising a judging means, wherein, when judging that the switch is self-applied, the connection state of the switch means is switched according to the connection state control information.