Value document handling apparatus having a data communication system and method for distributing sensor data in a value document handling apparatus

Abstract

Methods involve distributing a data stream in a value-document processing apparatus from at least one sensor to at least one processing unit as well as a system for distributing sensor data. The value-document processing apparatus has a distributing device and at least one processing unit. The distributing device comprises at least two data interfaces. A sensor data packet is created and comprises the sensor data and a target address. The target address describes a physical memory address of the at least one processing unit. The sensor data packet is sent to one of the data interfaces of the distributing device. The distributing device receives the sensor data packet at a further data interface. The sensor data packet is relayed by the distributing device to the at least one processing unit.

1 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The system comprising a data communication network for distributing a data stream, at least one sensor for capturing sensor data of at least one sensor, at least a coupling unit for generation formatted sensor data from the sensor data, and at least a processing unit for processing the formatted sensor data, as well as at least one control device which has data interfaces,
 wherein the control device is designed for relaying, while employing a stipulated protocol, data incoming via one of the data interfaces to at least one other of the data interfaces, and   wherein one of the data interfaces of the control device is connected to the coupling unit and another of the data interfaces to the processing unit,   wherein the at least one coupling unit is designed to send formatted sensor data of the at least one sensor to the control device while employing the stipulated protocols employed by the control device of, and   wherein the control device is further designed for sending received formatted sensor data and/or data to the at least one processing unit.   
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the control device is part of the data communication network and is designed for distributing the formatted sensor data. 
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein a data connection is designed between the at least one coupling unit and/or the at least one processing unit and the control device as a point-to-point connection. 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the control device is designed as a PCI Express switch unit or PCIe switch. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein an addressing range is assigned to one, preferably each, data interface of the control device, to at least one coupling unit and/or to the at least one processing unit of the control device. 
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one processing unit comprises a processor and preferably a memory. 
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein a sensor comprises a transfer unit,
 wherein the transfer unit is designed for converting and/or pre-processing the sensor data and/or the transfer unit of the sensor is designed as an interface to the coupling unit and via the transfer unit the sensor data and/or, where applicable, pre-processed sensor data of the sensor are transferred to the coupling unit and in data communication network.   
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein at least a coupling unit and/or, where applicable, a transfer unit which has an FPGA which is devised to the reformatting or conversion of the sensor data. 
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one coupling unit is designed for converting and/or pre-processing the sensor data and/or, where applicable, pre-processed sensor data, and/or the coupling unit is designed as an interface, in particular sensor interface, for the data communication network and via the coupling unit the sensor data and/or the, where applicable, pre-processed sensor data of the sensor are transferred to the control device in the data communication network. 
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the system comprises a configuration apparatus which is suitable for configuring the control device, the coupling unit, the processing unit and/or the optionally present transfer unit. 
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein the configuration apparatus assigns an address and/or addressing range to the at least one coupling unit, the at least one processing unit and/or the optionally present at least one transfer unit, and/or specifies a target address, a target addressing range and/or a target memory area to the at least one coupling unit and/or the at least one processing unit for a data stream to be sent, in particular for sending the formatted sensor data. 
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one connection has multiple lanes between coupling unit and control unit and/or control device and processing unit. 
     
     
         35 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the sensor, the optionally present transfer unit, the control device, the coupling unit and/or the processing unit have, for their configuring, an interface to a second data communication network. 
     
     
         36 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the control device is designed for copying a data stream from at least one data interface to at least two other data interfaces. 
     
     
         37 . A method for distributing sensor data, comprising the steps
 a. Capturing sensor data by a sensor;   b. Sending the sensor data to a coupling unit;   c. Formatting the sensor data by the coupling unit in a format processable by the control device;   d. Outputting the sensor data in the form of formatted sensor data and sending the formatted sensor data by the coupling unit to a control device via a data communication network, wherein a protocol employed by the control device is used;   e. Sending or relaying the received sensor data to at least one processing unit by the control device; and   f. Processing the formatted sensor data by the processing unit.