Data communications system

Claim 2

A data communications system in which a communications interface circuit is provided with and receives a signal from another apparatus comprising: a high impedance input circuit, whose impedance is predetermined, receiving an input signal from said another apparatus with its specified input impedance; and a power supply circuit which obtains said input signal from an input terminal of said high impedance input circuit and draws electric power from said input signal to supply power to said data communications system, whereby said input signal is also used as a drive power source to said data communications system.

Claim 3

A data communications system according to claim 1, wherein said high impedance input circuit comprising: a clamp circuit, whose impedance is predetermined, puts a clamp on said input signal; and a level conversion inverter, which converts said signal obtained from said clamp circuit into a signal with a predetermined level and produces an output of the converted signal.

Claim 4

A data communications system according to claim 2, wherein said clamp circuit comprises: a resistor which restricts the power of said input signal; and a clamp diode which performs a clamp on said receiving signal output from said resistor, whose power is restricted with said resistor, and supplies the clamped signal to said level conversion inverter.

Claim 5

A data communications system according to claim 1, wherein said power supply circuit comprises: a rectifier which commutates the input signal obtained from the input terminal of said high impedance input circuit; and a DC-DC converter which converts an output voltage produced by said rectifier into a DC voltage with another value.

Claim 6

A data communications system according to claim 4, wherein said rectifier is a full-wave rectifier which executes a full-wave-rectification of the receiving signal obtained from the input terminal of said high impedance input circuit.

Claim 7

A data communications system according to claim 4, wherein said DC-DC converter is a self-exciting converter comprising a self-exciting oscillator which operates a self-exciting oscillation with a frequency determined by a circuit constant and a load of said DC-DC converter circuit; a transformer which transforms an output oscillation produced by said self-exciting oscillator; and a rectification output block which commutates the output from said transformer and then feeds the commutated current out.

Claim 8

A data communications system according to claim 6, wherein said self-exciting oscillator comprises a differential circuit which confines input current transmitted to said transformer within a specified range of current value.

Claim 9

A data communications system according to claim 7, wherein said differential circuit contains a differential amplifier.

Claim 10

A data communications system according to claim 6, wherein said rectification output block produces two output voltages, that is, a positive output voltage and a negative output voltage.

Claim 11

A data communications system according to claim 7, wherein said rectifier output block produces two output voltages, that is, a positive output voltage and a negative output voltage.

Claim 12

A data communications system according to claim 8, wherein said rectifier output block produces two output voltages, that is, a positive output voltage and a negative output voltage.

Claim 13

A data communications system in which a communications interface circuit is equipped with and receives a signal from another apparatus via a plurality of signal receiving lines, comprising: a plurality of high impedance input circuits, whose impedance is predetermined, receiving an input signal through said signal receiving line with their predetermined input impedance; and a plurality of power supply circuits which obtain said input signals from input terminals of said plurality of high impedance input circuits and draw electric power from said input signals; an electric power output block which combines every output produced by said power supply circuits and supplies the combined electric power to said data communications system, whereby said input signals are also used as a drive power source to be supplied to said data communications system.

Claim 14

A data communications system in which a communications interface circuit is equipped with and receives a signal from another apparatus via a plurality of signal receiving lines, comprising: a plurality of high impedance input circuits, whose impedance is predetermined, receiving an input signal through said signal receiving line with their predetermined input impedance; and a plurality of power supply circuits which obtain said input signals from input terminals of said plurality of high impedance input circuits and draw electric power from said input signals; an electric power output block which combines every output produced by said power supply circuits and supplies the combined electric power to said data communications system, whereby said input signals are also used as a drive power source to be supplied to said data communications system.

Claim 15

A data communications system according to claim 12, wherein said electric power output block comprises a node connecting output terminals of all said electric power supply circuits.

Claim 16

A data communications system according to claim 12, wherein said communications interface circuit represents a RS 232C interface circuit.

Claim 17

A data communications system according to claim 13, wherein said communications interface circuit is said RS 232C interface circuit.

Claim 18

A data communications system according to claim 12, wherein said high impedance input circuits further comprise: clamp circuits, whose impedance is predetermined, for clamping said input signals; and level conversion inverters which convert the signals obtained from said clamp circuits to a predetermined level and produce outputs of these converted signals.

Claim 19

A data communications system according to claim 12, wherein said power supply circuits including: rectifiers which commutate the input signals obtained from the input terminals of said plurality of high impedance input circuits; DC-DC converters which convert output voltages from said rectifiers into a DC voltage with another value.

Claim 20

A data communications system in which the RS 232C interface circuit is provided with and receives signals from another apparatus via a signal receiving line incorporating a plurality of lines comprising: a plurality of high impedance input circuits, whose impedance are predetermined, receiving input signals through said signal receiving lines with their predetermined input impedance; and a plurality of power supply circuits, which obtain said input signals from said input terminals of said plurality of high impedance input circuits and draw electric power from said input signals to supply power to said data communications system, whereby said input signals are also used as a drive power source to be supplied to said data communications system, wherein said high impedance input circuits comprise: (1) clamp circuits incorporating resistors which restrict the power of said input signals and the power of said clamp circuits putting a clamp on signals sent from said resistors and producing output of them; (2) level conversion inverters which convert signals obtained from said clamp circuits to a predetermined level and produce the output of the converted signals; and also said power supply circuits comprise; (1) rectifiers which produce said full-wave-rectification of the signals obtained from said input terminals of said plurality of high impedance input circuits; and (2) DC-DC converters, that is, self-exciting converters comprising: self-exciting oscillators which perform a self-excitation with a predetermined frequency determined by a circuit constant and a load; transformers which transform oscillation output produced by said self-exciting oscillators; rectification output blocks which produce output by rectifying the output from said transformers.

Claim 21

A data communications system in which the RS 232C interface circuit is provided with and receives signals from another apparatus via a signal receiving line incorporating a plurality of lines comprising: a plurality of high impedance input circuits, whose impedance are predetermined, receiving input signals through said signal receiving lines with their predetermined input impedance; and a plurality of power supply circuits, which obtain said input signals from said input terminals of said plurality of high impedance input circuits and draw electric power from said input signals to supply power to said data communications system, whereby said input signals are also used as a drive power source to be supplied to said data communications system, wherein said high impedance input circuits comprise: (1) clamp circuits incorporating resistors which restrict the power of said input signals and the power of said clamp circuits putting a clamp on signals sent from said resistors and producing output of them; (2) level conversion inverters which convert signals obtained from said clamp circuits to a predetermined level and produce the output of the converted signals; and also said power supply circuits comprise; (1) rectifiers which produce said full-wave-rectification of the signals obtained from said input terminals of said plurality of high impedance input circuits; and (2) DC-DC converters, that is, self-exciting converters comprising: self-exciting oscillators which perform a self-excitation with a predetermined frequency determined by a circuit constant and a load; transformers which transform oscillation output produced by said self-exciting oscillators; rectification output blocks which produce output by rectifying the output from said transformers.

Claim 22

A data communications system according to claim 18, wherein said self-exciting oscillators include differential circuits which confine currents transmitted to said transformers within a specified range of current value.

Claim 23

A data communications system according to claim 19, wherein said differential circuits include differential amplifiers.