JP2001265624A - Remote maintenance method and system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote maintenance method and its system capable of eliminating the occurrence of down time that a satellite control function is interrupted, restoring a CPU of a controller of an unmanned-operation earth station 10 at a remote location on the day when it becomes abnormal and efficiently upgrading the version of software in use on the day. SOLUTION: Since the earth station is formed into station redundant configuration (10a and 10b) to monitor opposite stations mutually, the earth station which detects fault occurrence takes over the satellite control function of the opposite station. Thus, the down time of the satellite control function is eliminated. At the time of the CPU abnormality of the controllers 1a and 1b, since the reset command of the CPU is transmitted to the opposite station, the restoration is performed on the same day. Also in the case of upgrading the version of the software of the controller, since work from the remote location is made possible, labor and required time are reduced even in the case that the plural unmanned earth stations at the remote location are objects.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a remote maintenance method and system, and more particularly, to a remote maintenance method and system for an earth station that controls an artificial satellite.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 shows a configuration device of an earth station 10 for controlling a conventional artificial satellite. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a control device for monitoring and controlling the entire earth station 10, 2 denotes an antenna device, 3 denotes a switching device which is connected to the antenna device 2 and switches a redundant configuration device 4 or 5 described later, and 4 and 5 denote A frequency converter having a redundant configuration, one of which is an online system and the other is an offline system, 8 is a decomposer (hybrid decomposer H) connected to the frequency converters 4 and 5 having a redundant configuration, 6, Reference numeral 7 denotes a device that constitutes an earth station connected to the decomposer 8 and below. For example, 6 denotes a demodulator, and 7 denotes a recording device.

Next, the operation will be described. As shown by a dotted line in FIG. 2, the control device 1 includes an antenna device 2, a switching device 3, a frequency conversion device 4, 5 in a redundant configuration, a decomposer 8, and a device 6, which constitute the earth station 10. ,
7 for satellite control and satellite control. In the redundant frequency converters 4 or 5, for example, when a failure occurs in the online frequency converter 4, the control device 1 that recognizes the failure performs route switching control to the offline frequency converter 5. As a result, the redundancy switching control in the earth station 10 is performed, and the satellite control operation of the earth station 10 can be continued.

[0004]

However, since the conventional earth station 10 has a redundant configuration in the earth station 10 as described above, if an abnormality occurs in the control device 1, the situation is changed in another earth station. Is difficult to determine, and there is a problem that a downtime occurs in which the satellite control function of the earth station 10 in which the abnormality has occurred is interrupted. If there is no way to recover from a remote location when the CPU of the control device of the unmanned earth station 10 in a remote location has an error, there is no way to recover from the remote location, so it is necessary to dispatch personnel to this earth station 10 for recovery. There is a problem that it takes a long time to recover.
Further, when upgrading the software used in the control device 1 of the unmanned operation earth station 10 in a remote place, the upgrade operation must be performed in the earth station 10 without fail. Upgrading the software used in the traffic control device 1 of this type has a problem that it requires a great deal of manpower and time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and eliminates the occurrence of downtime in which the satellite control function is interrupted. The present invention is to provide a remote maintenance method and system capable of enabling the same day recovery when an error occurs, and of efficiently upgrading the version of software used on the same day.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A remote maintenance method according to the present invention is a remote maintenance method for maintaining a plurality of communication stations connected via a network, wherein a first communication station is connected to a second communication station. A management information transmitting step of transmitting management information of the first communication station; and a state of the first communication station based on the state of the management information of the first communication station transmitted to the second communication station. And a reset for transmitting a predetermined reset command to the first communication station when it is determined by the determination step that the state of the first communication station is not a normal state. An instruction transmission step; and a maintenance step of maintaining operation of the first communication station in response to the predetermined reset instruction.

Here, in the remote maintenance method according to the present invention, the determining step is performed when the management information of the first communication station is not transmitted to the second communication station. The reset command transmitting step includes transmitting a remote reset command to the first communication station when the determination step determines that the state of the first communication station is not a normal state. In the maintenance step, when the remote reset command is transmitted, maintenance can be performed by executing the operation plan of the first communication station instead.

Here, in the remote maintenance method of the present invention, prior to the management information transmitting step, the first communication is performed by the second communication station.
Storing the software of the first communication station corresponding to the software transmitted to the communication station of the first communication station; transmitting the software from the second communication station to the first communication station; Further comprising a step of replacing the software with the stored software of the first communication station and placing the software in an operating state, wherein the management information transmitted by the management information transmitting step includes:
This indicates that the replacement of the transmitted software in the replacement step is completed, and the determination step is a state in which the management information of the first communication station is not transmitted to the second communication station within a predetermined time. When it is determined that the replacement of the transmitted software in the first communication station is not in a completed state, the reset command transmitting step includes the step of transmitting the software transmitted in the first communication station by the determining step. When it is determined that the replacement is not completed, a remote reset command is transmitted to the first communication station, and the maintenance step includes the step of storing the remote reset command stored in the storing step when the remote reset command is transmitted. The maintenance can be performed by putting the software of one communication station back into operation.

Here, in the remote maintenance method of the present invention, the software transmitted in the software transmitting step may be updated software of the software of the first communication station stored in the storing step. is there.

Here, in the remote maintenance method according to the present invention, the communication station can be an earth station used for satellite communication.

A remote maintenance system according to the present invention is a remote maintenance system for maintaining a plurality of communication stations connected via a network, wherein the plurality of communication stations mutually exchange management information of their own station with another communication station. The communication station is provided with a management information transmitting means for transmitting to the communication station, the communication station determines that the other communication station is not in a normal state when the management information of the other communication station is not transmitted to itself. Means, a reset command transmitting means for transmitting a remote reset command to the other communication station when the state of the other communication station is determined to be not a normal state by the determining means, When the remote reset command is transmitted, a maintenance means for executing the operation plan of the other communication station in place of the remote reset command is provided.

Here, in the remote maintenance system of the present invention, the communication station further includes software transmission means for transmitting software from the own station to another communication station, and the determination means is transmitted by the software transmission means. If the management information indicating the completion of the replacement of the software is not transmitted from another communication station within a predetermined time, it is determined that the replacement of the software in the other communication station is not completed, and the reset command transmitting means is transmitted. Transmitting a remote reset command to the other communication station when the determination unit determines that the replacement of the software in the other communication station is not completed, and the other communication station transmits Storing means for storing software corresponding to the software, and storing the transmitted software before storing the software. A replacement means for placing in the operating state by replacing the software, if the remote reset command has been transmitted by said reset command transmitting means, in which can be placed again operating state stored the software by the storage unit.

Here, in the remote maintenance system according to the present invention, the software transmitted by the software transmission means can be updated software of the software stored by the storage means.

Here, in the remote maintenance system according to the present invention, the communication station can be an earth station used for satellite communication.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 shows a configuration device of an earth station for controlling an artificial satellite according to Embodiment 1 or 2 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10a denotes an earth station (A station), 1a denotes a control device for monitoring and controlling the entire A station 10a, 2a denotes an antenna device of the A station 10a, 3a is connected to an antenna device 2a, and a redundant configuration described later. Device 4a or 5a
Switching devices, 4a and 5a, are redundant frequency converters of the A station 10a, one of which is an online system and the other is an offline system, and 8a is connected to the redundant frequency converters 4a and 5a. The decomposer (hybrid decomposer H), 6a and 7a are devices constituting the A station 10a connected to the decomposer 8a and below, for example, 6a is a demodulator and 7a is a recording device. Similarly, reference numeral 10b denotes an earth station (station B), 1b denotes a control device for monitoring and controlling the entire station B 10b, 2b denotes an antenna device of the station B 10b, 3b is connected to an antenna device 2b, and has a redundant configuration described later. Switching device for switching device 4b or 5b, 4b, 5b
Is a redundant frequency converter of the B station 10b, one of which is online and the other is offline, and 8b is a decomposer (hybrid decomposer) connected to the redundant frequency converters 4b and 5b. H), 6b, 7
b is a device constituting the B station 10b connected to the decomposer 8b and below, for example, 6b is a demodulator and 7b is a recording device. Reference numeral 12 denotes a network, 9a and 9b denote A stations 1 respectively.
0a, a node connecting the B station 10b to the network 12.

Next, the operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 1a of the station A and the control device 1b of the station B are respectively composed of components 2a to 8a, 2b to 8 in the own station.
The monitoring control of b is performed. Here, among the redundant frequency converters 4a, 5a, 4b and 5b, the online devices are frequency converters 4a and 4b, and the offline devices are frequency converters 5a and 5b.
When the controller 1a or 1b detects an abnormality of the frequency converter 4a or 4b, which is an online device, among the redundant components in the local station, the controller 1a or 1b switches the switching devices 3a and 3b, respectively.
Frequency converter 4a or 4b of online system
Switching control for switching from the frequency converter 5a to the offline type frequency converter 5a or 5b.

As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 1a of the station A 10a and the control device 1b of the station B 10b are connected by a network 12, and status information of the own station is mutually exchanged via the network 12. Management information) are transmitted at predetermined intervals (management information transmission step). Here, the status information of the own station is, for example, the state of each component device in the own station. The B station 10b is a backup station of the A station 10a. When the B station 10b detects that the status information transmitted from the A station 10a at a predetermined cycle is not transmitted for a certain period of time, the B station 10b recognizes that an abnormality has occurred in the control device 1a of the A station 10a (judgment step), A station 10
The satellite control operation plan a is operated in place of the station A 10a (maintenance step). From the B station 10b to the A station 10a via the network 12, for example, a CPU in the control device 1a
A CPU reset command for resetting (not shown) can be transmitted (reset command transmission step), and reset can be performed to restore the control device 1a. When the status information is transmitted again from the control device 1a of the A station 10a, the control device 1b of the B station 10b can recognize the restoration of the A station 10a.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the earth stations can be mutually monitored by the earth stations in a station redundancy configuration (10a, 10b). Can take over the satellite control function. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate downtime of the satellite control function. When the CPUs of the control devices 1a and 1b are abnormal, a reset command of the CPU can be transmitted to the partner station, so that the same-day recovery can be performed.

Embodiment 2 In the first embodiment of the present invention, when the status information is not transmitted from the control device 1a of the station A 10a to the control device 1b of the station B 10b, the control device 1b of the station B 10b is triggered. Transmitted a CPU reset command to the control device 1a of the station A 10a to execute the reset. In the second embodiment, the version upgrade of the software used in the control devices 1a and 1b can be similarly performed from a remote place. Therefore, even an unmanned earth station or a remote earth station can provide the same effect that can be handled on the same day.

Hereinafter, a method for upgrading the version of, for example, application software (hereinafter, simply referred to as “software”) used in the control device 1b from the remote control device 1a will be described with reference to FIG. The version of the software used in the control device 1a can be upgraded from the remote control device 1b. First, from the control device 1a of the station A 10a to B
A notification of the software version upgrade is sent to the control device 1b of the station 10b. Upon receiving the software version upgrade notification, the control device 1b of the station B 10b makes a backup of the software (storage step),
The software is forcibly terminated and the control device 1 of the station A 10a
Return a version upgrade completion notification to a.

When the control device 1a of the station A 10a receives the completion notice of the upgrade preparation from the control device 1b of the station B 10b, it sends the upgraded version of the software to the control device 1b of the station B 10b (software transmission step).

The control device 1b of the station B 10b installs an upgraded version of the software and restarts the software (replacement step). If it is a normal operation, thereafter, the control device 1b of the station B 10b transmits from the station A 10
The status information is transmitted to the control device 1a of a (a management information transmission step), and the control device 1a of the station A 10a
It can be determined that the control device 1b of No. 0b has successfully upgraded the version (determination step).

If the status control device 1a of the station A 10a does not return the status information from the control device 1b of the station B 10b for a predetermined time after sending the upgraded version of the software, it determines that the version upgrade has failed. , B
A CPU reset command (remote reset command) is transmitted to the control device 1b of the station 10b (reset command transmitting step).

B station 1 receiving the CPU reset command
The control device 1b of 0b resets the CPU and starts the old version of the software.

In the second embodiment, application software is exemplified as software to be upgraded. However, the software to be upgraded may be system software. Further, the transmitted software may not be an upgraded version of the original software, but may be different from the original software. Earth station 10a
Etc. may be communication stations for terrestrial communication other than satellite communication.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, even if the software version of the control device is upgraded, it is possible to work from a remote location. Even in the case of the above, the manpower and the required time can be reduced.

[0028]

As described above, according to the remote maintenance method and system of the present invention, the earth station which has detected the occurrence of a fault can communicate with the other earth station by monitoring the other station mutually with the earth station in a station redundant configuration. Since the satellite control function of the station can be taken over, it is possible to provide a remote maintenance method and system capable of eliminating occurrence of downtime of the satellite control function. By transmitting a reset command of the CPU to an unattended opponent station at a remote location when the CPU of the control device is abnormal, it is possible to provide a remote maintenance method and system capable of enabling the same day recovery. Furthermore, even when upgrading the software of the control device of an unmanned earth station at a remote location, a remote maintenance method and system capable of efficiently performing the software upgrade on the same day by enabling work from a remote location can be provided. Can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration device of an earth station for controlling an artificial satellite according to Embodiment 1 or 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration device of a conventional earth station 10 for controlling an artificial satellite.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1a, 1b Control device, 2, 2a, 2b Antenna device, 3, 3a, 3b Switching device, 4, 4a, 4
b, 5, 5a, 5b Frequency conversion device, 8, 8a, 8
b decomposer, 6, 6a, 6b, 7, 7a, 7b Earth station component, 9a, 9b node, 10, 10a,
10b Earth station, 12 networks.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A remote maintenance method for maintaining a plurality of communication stations connected via a network, the method comprising transmitting management information of the first communication station from a first communication station to a second communication station. An information transmitting step; a determining step of determining whether a state of the first communication station is a normal state based on a state of the management information of the first communication station transmitted to the second communication station; A reset command transmitting step of transmitting a predetermined reset command to the first communication station when the state of the first communication station is determined to be not a normal state in the determining step; And a maintenance step for maintaining the operation of the first communication station. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step is a state in which the management information of the first communication station is not transmitted to the second communication station.
The first communication station determines that the first communication station is not in the normal state, and the reset command transmitting step includes the step of: when the determination step determines that the state of the first communication station is not the normal state, And transmitting a remote reset command to the first communication station when the remote reset command is transmitted, wherein the maintenance is performed by replacing the operation plan of the first communication station. The described remote maintenance method. 3. A storing step of storing software of the first communication station corresponding to software transmitted from the second communication station to the first communication station prior to the management information transmitting step; A software transmitting step of transmitting the software from a station to a first communication station; and a replacing step of replacing the transmitted software with the stored software of the first communication station and placing the software in an operating state, The management information transmitted by the management information transmitting step indicates that the replacement of the transmitted software in the replacing step has been completed, and the determining step determines whether the second communication station has the first communication station. If the management information is not sent within the predetermined time,
It is determined that the replacement of the transmitted software in the first communication station is not completed, and in the reset command transmitting step, the replacement of the transmitted software in the first communication station is completed by the determining step. Transmitting a remote reset command to the first communication station when it is determined that the remote reset command is not transmitted, the maintenance step includes, if the remote reset command is transmitted, storing the first reset command stored in the storing step;
2. The remote maintenance method according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance is performed by placing the software of the communication station in an operating state again. 4. The remote maintenance method according to claim 3, wherein the software transmitted in the software transmitting step is an updated version of the software of the first communication station stored in the storing step. 5. The remote maintenance method according to claim 1, wherein the communication station is an earth station used for satellite communication. 6. A remote maintenance system for maintaining a plurality of communication stations connected via a network, wherein the plurality of communication stations mutually transmit management information of their own station to another communication station. Determining means for determining that the other communication station is not in a normal state when the management information of the other communication station is not transmitted to the own station; and the determining means. When it is determined that the state of the other communication station is not a normal state, reset command transmitting means for transmitting a remote reset command to the other communication station; and transmitting the remote reset command by the reset command transmitting means. And a maintenance means for executing the operation plan of the other communication station in place of the operation plan. 7. The communication station further includes software transmission means for transmitting software from the own station to another communication station, wherein the determination means performs management indicating completion of replacement of the software transmitted by the software transmission means. If the information is not transmitted from another communication station within a predetermined time, it is determined that the replacement of the software in the other communication station is not completed, and the reset command transmitting unit uses the other If it is determined that the replacement of the software in the communication station is not completed, the remote communication station transmits a remote reset command to the other communication station, and the other communication station stores the software corresponding to the transmitted software. Storage means for replacing the transmitted software with the stored software and placing the software in an operating state Means instead, the case where the remote reset instruction by a reset command transmitting means is sent, the remote maintenance system according to claim 6, wherein the placing again operating state stored the software by the storage unit. 8. The remote maintenance system according to claim 7, wherein the software transmitted by the software transmission unit is updated software of the software stored by the storage unit. 9. The remote maintenance system according to claim 6, wherein said communication station is an earth station used for satellite communication.