GB2259588A - Testing data terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Data terminal equipment comprises a computer 7 and an integral modem through which signals are outputted and inputted on a communications link 8. The modem is responsive to an input test signal on the link 8 from a management system 9 serving to trigger the terminal to test itself and issue a corresponding test result signal which is outputted on the link to the management system. This enables each data terminal in a network to be tested automatically or by central skilled personnel. <IMAGE>

Description

DATA TERMINAL EQUIPMENT This invention relates to data terminal equipment.

Computer terminals are often linked by data communication devices, such as modems, and communication links, such as telephone lines, to other terminals. A collection of interlinked terminals is called a network and in order to maintain the network a management system is employed on the network central or host computer terminal.

Problems can occur with such networks where, for instance, the terminals develop a fault. Faults may occur due to incompatible software being used or may be due to the computer terminal or communication device being incorrectly configured.

Whilst it is possible where the modem is external to the terminal, to determine some of these faults by a visual inspection of the indicator lights on the modem, there is a growing trend for the incorporation of the modem into the computer by the provision of a modem card which is plugged into the computer bus. The status of such a modem cannot be easily determined, hence it may be unclear if a fault has developed within the modem or within the computer.

According to the invention there is provided data terminal equipment comprising a computer and an integral data communications device through which signals are outputted and inputted on a communications link, the data communications device being responsive to an input test signal on the communications link from a management system and serving to trigger the computer to test itself and issue a corresponding test result signal which is outputted on the communication link to the management system.

By outputting the test result onto the communications link, the skilled person can directly view the results of the test via his terminal and suggest appropriate remedial action.

The management system could itself automatically suggest remedial actions to be carried out. A network of such equipment could also be automatically checked at intervals as a precautionary measure.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a modem card in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a network of terminals incorporating modem cards as shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a flow chart of a test sequence.

As shown in Figure 1, a modem card 1 comprises a generally planar printed circuit board 2 provided with a network of conductive tracks which interconnect electronic components (which lie within the broken outline) to form a modem 3. The conductive tracks are also arranged to form lands 4 on a plug like extension of the board 2. This plug like extension is designed for insertion into an edge connector 5 on a main computer board 6 of a computer terminal 7. The edge connector 5 connects the lands 4, and hence the modem 3, to an internal bus of the terminal 7. By means of this bus, the modem 3 is powered and data flows to and from it to the rest of the computer and by means of input and output ports to the rest of the network. Land 4a connects to an interrupt line of the computer terminal bus.

Computer terminal 7 is one of a plurality of computer terminals, six others of which are shown in Figure 2, connected by means of the internal modem cards 1 via telephone lines 8 and rackmount modems 10 to a central computer 9. The central computer 9 is a main frame host computer which does not have an internal modem but communicates via the associated rackmount modems 10. The network so formed is a wide area network (WAN).

In this case the WAN is concerned with automobile parts stock control, each computer terminal being located in a parts department of a car dealership and the central computer 9 being located at the manufacturers headquarters. Also located at the manufacturers headquarters is a network management terminal 11.

The computer terminal 7 runs a stock control programme which monitors the stock level of parts at that particular dealership, details of each parts transaction being entered into the terminal 7 via a keyboard (not shown). When the stock level of a particular part reaches a user predefined level the terminal 7 orders additional supplies by transmitting, via the modem 3, the telephone lines 8 and the rackmount modem 10, a request to the central computer 9. In a similar manner a part not normally stocked by a dealership can be ordered by the user entering a manual request into the terminal 7. The central computer 9 then issues an instruction for the part to be delivered on the next shipment.

Installed in the computer terminal 7 is a software routine called a Terminate and Stay Resident routine, TSR, the purpose of which will be later described.

It will be appreciated that the typical users of such computer terminals will not be particularly skilled or knowledgeable about the workings of such terminals. A situation can therefore arise where a fault occurs which the user cannot rectify. The user will then telephone the manufacturer's headquarters and seek the assistance of a more skilled operative. The sequence of events is shown in Figure 3.

In response to the request for assistance, the skilled operative working at the network management terminal 11 will dial the telephone number of the modem 3 of the affected terminal and invoke a test of the modem 3 and telephone line.

If the modem 3 or line fails this test the skilled operative can suggest remedies. If no fault is found a data message is sent to the modem 3 requesting a "health check" of the terminal 7 to be made. The modem 3 responds by generating an interrupt on the interrupt line via the land 4a.

The current operations of the terminal 7 are then halted and the TSR routine initiated.

The TSR routine then performs a number of tests on the computer hardware, memory and disk drives. It also determines the identity of the software and status of that software, that is to say whether or not the software has been corrupted and whether or not the correct software is running. The result of these tests is then passed via the modem 3 and telephone line 8 to the network management terminal 11. The skilled operative will then be able to assess the problem and suggest remedial action to be taken by the user.

If no fault is found the user may be asked to restart (reboot) the terminal or asked further questions about his actions to determine if the error is a user error.

Claims (3)

1 Data terminal equipment comprising a computer and an integral data communications device through which signals are outputted and inputted on a communications link, the data communications device being responsive to an input test signal on the communications link from a management system and serving to trigger the computer to test itself and issue a corresponding test result signal which is outputted on the communication link to the management system.

2. A computer network including a plurality of data terminal equipment as claimed in claim 1, and a management system connected by a communications link or links to each terminal including means for triggering each terminal to test itself and issue a corresponding test signal which is outputted on the communications link to the management system.

3. Data terminal equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

t. A computer network substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.