JP2002312274A - Program downloading method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a program downloading method capable of preventing the lowering of service when a channel and a device is failed by improving the transmission efficiency of the channel. SOLUTION: A high order device 3 is provided with a TS separating/ synchronizing circuit 31 for transmitting each time slot received by channels 103, 104 and a data circuit 102 to each low order device 4, and a flash memory 32 for storing the program data extracted from the data circuit 102 in the TS separating/synchronizing circuit 31 without an anxiety that the data is eliminated by ON/OFF of a power source. The low order device 4 is provided with a TS separating/synchronizing circuit 41 for extracting the program data downloaded through the high order device 3 from the specified TS number in the control 104, and a flash memory 42 for storing the program data extracted by the TS separating/synchronizing circuit 41.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a program download method, and more particularly to a method of downloading program data from a higher-level device to a lower-level device in a wireless communication system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a wireless communication system for performing time-division multiplexing communication, program data is downloaded to a plurality of lower devices having a rewritable volatile memory from a download device connected to a higher device via a data line. In such a case, a method of downloading program data without stopping service operation by using an empty time slot of a communication path has been adopted.

In the above system, there is provided a monitoring device for receiving alarm information of each lower device and transmitting control information to each lower device, the higher device has a circuit for synthesizing a time slot coming from each line, and the lower device has A circuit for separating an arbitrary time slot is provided, and a higher-level device searches for a free time slot and notifies each lower-level device, thereby enabling the use of a free time slot.

In this case, a device number unique to the device is added to the alarm information of each lower device to notify the monitoring device, and the monitoring device sends an empty time slot to the time slot separation circuit only to the lower device for which the device number has been notified. By setting the number, the download is performed individually.

[0005] In addition to the volatile memory provided in the above-described lower-level device, a basic memory for controlling only rewriting of a communication path and program data is provided, so that communication is not cut off when rewriting the volatile memory. , Making it possible to download.

[0006]

In the above-mentioned conventional radio communication system, if there is no free time slot in the communication path at the time of downloading, the higher-level device must discard the data and request the data again from the download device. In particular, if there is a fault in the downlink communication path, an alarm is sent from the lower device, so despite the download instruction from the monitoring device, an empty time slot cannot be found, and data is repeatedly discarded. Each time, the download device and the host device frequently exchange program data. Therefore, there is a problem that the efficiency of the data line is reduced and the load on each device is increased.

[0007] When a failure occurs during downloading, it is necessary to retransmit the program data. However, if a retransmission request is sent to the download device, it takes much time. During that time, the lower-level device operates with the minimum service of communication and download with the higher-level device, causing a service degradation.

[0008] Further, when a failure occurs in the data line, downloading cannot be performed during that time, resulting in further deterioration of service. Therefore, in the above case, there is a problem that a long-term service degradation occurs in the lower-level device.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a program download method which can solve the above problems, improve the transmission efficiency of a communication path, and prevent a service degradation state in the event of a failure in a communication path or device. To provide.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A program download method according to the present invention is a method for downloading a program in a wireless communication system for performing time-division multiplexing communication. Storing program data in a flash memory of the host device when downloading program data from a connected download device;
The higher-level device monitors a time slot of a communication path between the lower-level device and the plurality of lower-level devices. And downloading to the computer.

That is, according to the program download method of the present invention, a monitoring device that receives an alarm from each lower device and transmits control information to each lower device, and is connected to the higher device by a data line and manages program data. In a system including a download device, a time slot synthesizing circuit for adding program data to an empty time slot and transmitting it to a target device, and a flash memory for storing program data extracted from the time slot synthesizing circuit, , A time slot separation circuit for separating and extracting a specific time slot from a received time slot group, a flash memory for storing downloaded data, and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) operated by a program stored in the flash memory ) And It has to place equipment.

According to the program download method of the present invention, when downloading program data from a download device to a plurality of lower devices in a wireless communication system using time division multiplexing, a communication path between the upper device and the lower device is provided. In addition to using available time slots, the program data from the download device is temporarily stored in the flash memory of the higher-level device, thereby increasing the efficiency of use of the communication path. It is possible to prevent a decrease from occurring.

That is, in a radio communication system using time division multiplexing, by using idle time slots and storing download data in a higher-level device at the same time, the transmission efficiency of the communication channel is improved, and the It is possible to prevent a service degradation state at the time of failure.

[0014]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
In the wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of lower devices 4 (only the lower device 4 is shown in FIG. 1)
And a higher-level device 3 that communicates with a plurality of lower-level devices via communication paths 103 and 104, and a monitoring device 1 that monitors the alarms of the respective lower-level devices 4 through the higher-level device 3 and the control line 101.
And a download device 2 connected to the host device 3 by a data line 102 for passing general data and performing download processing and management of program data. Here, the communication paths 103 and 104 and the data line 1
02 is configured by a time division multiplex system.

The higher-level device 3 receives each time slot (hereinafter referred to as T) received on the communication paths 103 and 104 and the data line 102.
S) for transmitting to each lower-level device 4
A synthesizing circuit 31 and a flash memory 32 for storing program data extracted from the data line 102 in the TS separating / combining circuit 31 are provided.

The lower-level device 4 extracts a program data downloaded through the higher-level device 3 from a TS number on the designated communication path 104.
1, a flash memory 42 for storing the program data extracted by the TS separation / synthesis circuit 41, and a CPU 43 for providing a service based on the contents of the flash memory 42. Note that the flash memories 32 and 42 are not erased by turning on / off the power supply,
It can be rewritten by a control signal.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data format of each line in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows a data format used in the communication channel 103, and FIG.
2B shows a data format used on the communication path 104, and FIG. 2C shows a data format used on the data line 102.

In FIG. 2A, alarm information 200, data 211, and free information 221 are assigned to a plurality of TSs. In FIG. 2B, control information 231, data 211, and free information 221 are allocated to a plurality of TSs. In FIG. 2C, a plurality of TSs
, Control information 232, data 213, and empty information 222 are allocated.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a monitoring process by the monitoring device 1 of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a downloading process by the download device 2 of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are flowcharts showing a transmission process, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are flowcharts showing a recovery process by the lower-level device 4 in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a sequence chart showing a normal operation according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a sequence chart showing an operation when an alarm occurs according to one embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the lower device 4 notifies the monitoring device 1 of alarm information 200 such as program version mismatch via the communication path 103, the higher device 3 and the control line 101 (steps S41 and S42 in FIG. 6).

The monitoring device 1 collects the alarm information 200 from the lower device 4 (step S1 in FIG. 3), detects an alarm and determines that downloading is necessary (step S2 in FIG. 3). Is instructed to execute the download process (step S3 in FIG. 3).

When the host device 3 receives an instruction to execute a download process from the monitoring device 1 (step S21 in FIG. 5),
Check the line usage status of the data line 102,
S222 is detected (step S22 in FIG. 5), and TS separation /
The number of the empty TS 222 is set in the synthesizing circuit 31, and after the setting, the number of the empty TS 222 is added to the control information 232 and transmitted to the data line 102 (step S2 in FIG. 5).
3). When receiving the control information 232 (step S11 in FIG. 4), the download device 2 puts the program data on the empty TS 222 and sends it out to the data line 102 (steps S12 and S13 in FIG. 4).

The host device 3 sets a data line 10 containing program data by setting the TS separation / synthesis circuit 31.
2 and the program data is stored in the flash memory 32 (step S24 in FIG. 5).
S25).

Next, the high-level equipment 3 checks the line use state of the communication path 104 and, when it confirms an empty TS 221,
The number of the empty TS 221 is set in the S separating / synthesizing circuit 31 and is notified to the monitoring device 1. The monitoring device 1 is a lower-level device 4
Issues control information for The host device 3 is a control line 101
Is transmitted on the control information TS231,
The lower device 4 is instructed to set the number of the TS 221 (see FIG. 5).
Steps S26 and S27).

The lower-level device 4 receives the control information TS231.
, The number of the TS 221 and the start of the download are read (steps S43 and S44 in FIG. 6), and the setting completion is returned to the monitoring device 1. Upon receiving the download setting completion from the lower device 4, the monitoring device 1 instructs the higher device 3 to start downloading. The higher-level device 3 reads the data from the flash memory 32 and sends it to the lower-level device 4 via the empty TS 221 (step S28 in FIG. 5).

The lower device 4 receives the received TS group [FIG. 2 (b)
Reference], the TS of the number previously set by the TS separation / synthesis circuit 41 is extracted (steps S45 and S46 in FIG. 6), and the program data is written to the flash memory 42 (step S49 in FIG. 7). When the lower-level device 4 receives all the program data (step S50 in FIG. 7), the alarm information 2
At 00, the end of reception is notified to the monitoring apparatus 1 (step S51 in FIG. 7).

Upon receiving the notification of the end of reception (step S6 in FIG. 3), the monitoring device 1 notifies the lower-level device 4 of a program switching instruction using the control information 231 (step S7 in FIG. 3).
When receiving the program switching instruction (step S52 in FIG. 7), the lower order device 4 resets and restarts after transferring the program data to the flash memory 42 (step S52 in FIG. 7).
53). As a result, the program data is
(See FIG. 8).

On the other hand, when there is no free TS in the communication path 104 at the time of downloading, the upper level device 3 monitors the line status and waits for a free TS 221 to be formed in the communication path 104. When an empty TS 221 is created, the host device 3
2 and reads the program data, places it on the empty TS 221 and downloads it to the lower-level device 4. by this,
Even if there is no empty TS 221, the data line 102
, The download can be performed without requesting the program data from the download device 2.

Similarly, even when a failure occurs in the communication path 104, the host device 3 can download immediately after recovery. Also, the flash memory 32 of the host device 3
If the data is written in the data line 102, it becomes possible to download the program data to the lower-level device 4 without waiting for the recovery even if a failure occurs in the data line 102 while waiting for an empty TS.

The flash memory 32 does not lose the program data even if the system stops due to a power failure during downloading, and does not use the data line 102 and the download device 2 even when downloading again. It is possible to download quickly.

That is, when a received data error occurs (step S47 in FIG. 7), the lower order device 4 transmits alarm information to the upper order device 3 (step S48 in FIG. 7). When the higher-level device 3 receives the alarm information from the lower-level device 4 (FIG. 5)
In step S29), if there is a failure in the control line 102 and the monitoring device 1 (step S30 in FIG. 5), the process returns to step S26 to search for an empty TS, and downloads the program data to the lower-level device 4 by the processing operation described above. I do.

If there is no failure in the control line 102 and the monitoring device 1 (step S30 in FIG. 5), the host device 3 notifies the monitoring device 1 of the alarm detection (step S3 in FIG. 5).
1). When the monitoring device 1 is notified of the alarm detection from the host device 3 (Step S4 in FIG. 3), the monitoring device 1 instructs the host device 3 to execute the download retransmission (Step S5 in FIG. 3). When the monitoring apparatus 1 instructs the execution of download retransmission (step S32 in FIG. 5), the host apparatus 3 returns to step S26 to search for an empty TS, and downloads the program data to the lower apparatus 4 by the above-described processing operation. [See FIG. 9].

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a wireless communication system according to another embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10, a wireless communication system according to another embodiment of the present invention is provided with a subtraction circuit 51 for calculating program data and a result flash memory 52 for storing the result of the subtraction in the higher order device 5, and the lower order device 6 receives the result. An addition circuit 62 for calculating program data and a comparison circuit 61 for comparing the calculation result sent from the host device 5 with the calculation result of the addition circuit 62
The configuration is the same as that of the wireless communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 except that the following is provided. The same components are denoted by the same reference numerals. The operation of the same component is the same as that of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 11 to 13 are flow charts showing the data transmission processing by the host device 5 of FIG.
FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the recovery processing by the lower-level device 6 in FIG.

FIG. 16 is a sequence chart showing a normal operation according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 17 is a sequence chart showing an operation when an alarm occurs according to another embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the wireless communication system according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

When the host device 5 receives an instruction to execute the download process from the monitoring device 1 (step S61 in FIG. 11),
An initial value is set in the subtraction circuit 51, the line use state of the data line 102 is checked, an empty TS 222 is detected (step S62 in FIG. 11), and the number of the empty TS 222 is set in the TS separation / combination circuit 31, and the setting is performed. After that, empty TS22
2 is added to the control information 232 and the data line 102
(Step S63 in FIG. 11).

When the host device 5 receives the program data from the download device 2 (step S64 in FIG. 11), it subtracts one byte from the initial value through the subtraction circuit 51 by one byte (step S65 in FIG. 11). Data line 102 containing program data by setting
The upper TS 222 is taken out and the program data is stored in the flash memory 32 (step S6 in FIG. 11).
6).

After calculating the data of a fixed number of bytes (N-byte calculation) (step S67 in FIG. 11), the host device 5 stores the calculation result in the result flash memory 52 as an intermediate progress (step S68 in FIG. 11). Until the received program data ends (step S69 in FIG. 11), the host device 5 repeats the above-described processing operations, saves the calculation results in the result flash memory 52, and stores the final calculation results in the result flash memory 52. (Fig. 11
Step S70).

Next, the high-level equipment 5 checks the line use state of the communication path 104, and when it confirms an empty TS221,
The number of the empty TS 221 is set in the S separating / synthesizing circuit 31 and is notified to the monitoring device 1. The monitoring device 1 is a lower-level device 4
Issues control information for The host device 3 is a control line 101
Is transmitted on the control information TS231,
The lower device 4 is instructed to set the number of the TS 221 (see FIG. 1).
Two steps S71, S72).

When transmitting the download data to the lower-level device 6, the higher-level device 5 reads out the final calculation result from the subtraction circuit 51 from the result flash memory 52, places it on the control TS 231 and transmits it to the lower-level device 6 (FIG. 12 steps S73).

The lower-level device 6 receives the control information TS231.
, The number of the TS 221 and the start of the download are read (steps S93 and S94 in FIG. 14), and the setting completion is returned to the monitoring device 1. Upon receiving the download setting completion from the lower device 4, the monitoring device 1 instructs the higher device 3 to start downloading. The higher-level device 5 reads the data from the flash memory 32 and sends it to the lower-level device 6 via the empty TS 221 (step S74 in FIG. 12).

The lower order device 6 sets the sent final calculation result in the adder circuit 62 (steps S95 and S9 in FIG. 14).
6). The lower order device 6 extracts the program data sent from the upper order device 5 by the TS separation / combination circuit 41 (steps S97 and S98 in FIG. 14), writes the program data into the flash memory 42 (step S99 in FIG. 15), and adds The data is passed through the circuit 62 and added to the previously set final calculation result one byte at a time.

When the upper device 5 transmits a certain fixed number of bytes to the lower device 6 (step S67 in FIG. 11), it reads the halfway calculation result from the result flash memory 52 and transmits it to the lower device 6 via the control TS 231. . The lower-level device 6 extracts the transmitted calculation result from the control TS 231 and sets it in the comparison circuit 61 (steps S100 and S100 in FIG. 15).
101), the comparison result sent by the comparison circuit 61 is compared with the addition calculation result so far.

When the comparison result is different (step S102 in FIG. 15), the lower-level device 6 notifies the higher-level device 5 of the stop information in the alarm information TS200 (step S103 in FIG. 15). The host device 5 takes out the stop information and transfers it to the monitoring device 1 as alarm information. The monitoring device 1 notifies each device that the download is to be performed from the beginning to the lower device 6 that has stopped downloading. Upon receiving the notification, the upper-level device 5 resumes downloading to the suspended lower-level device 6. At this time, considering that a problem has occurred in the control line 101 connecting the higher-level device 5 and the monitoring device 1, the higher-level device 5 does not receive an instruction for re-downloading within a predetermined time after transmitting an alarm to the monitoring device 1. In this case, the download is restarted for the lower-level device 6 that has been stopped by itself (step S in FIG. 13).
78-S87).

If there is a comparison result (step S102 in FIG. 15), the lower-level device 6 does not transmit control information to the monitoring device 1, and the higher-level device 5 continues downloading if there is no instruction from the monitoring device 1. I do. Similarly, the host device 5
When a certain number of bytes are transmitted to the lower order device 6, the calculation result is transmitted to the lower order device 6 in the same manner as described above.

The lower-level device 6 compares the calculation result with the transmitted result, and if it is different, the process is continued.
The lower-level device 6 repeats this processing operation until the end of the download data.
Step S103), the download ends normally,
When a program switching instruction is received from the monitoring device 1 (see FIG.
5 Step S105), after transferring the program data to the flash memory 42, reset and restart (FIG. 15)
Step S106) (see FIGS. 16 and 17).

As a result, even if there is a failure in the communication path 104 or the like and the download is interrupted, the download can be performed quickly and easily again, and the system can be largely stopped even if the data line 102 has a failure. It is possible to download without any need.

When the download is interrupted, the lower-level device 6 reads out the calculation result received so far from the comparison circuit 61 and adds it to the alarm information TS 200 to add it to the higher-level device 5.
(Step S107 in FIG. 15). Upon receiving the data (step S78 in FIG. 13), the host device 5 searches how far data has been sent from the result flash memory 52 (step S83 in FIG. 13).

Based on the search result, the higher-level device 5 searches the flash memory 32 storing the program data to find out how far the data has been transmitted, and transmits the minimum retransmission data to the lower-level device 6 by re-downloading (step S8 in FIG. 13).
4). As described above, by ending the download with the minimum retransmission data, the load on each device can be reduced, and the download can be performed with a minimum system stoppage.

As described above, by storing the program data in the flash memory 32 of the higher-level devices 3 and 5, even if a failure occurs in another device or line, the download can be performed without being affected by the failure. it can. Further, even in the case of a failure during downloading, the calculation of the program data is performed by the higher-level device 5 and the lower-level device 6, and by matching them, the data can be retransmitted even in the middle. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to enhance the system failure.

Even when there are no empty time slots, the download can be performed without using the data line 102 many times and exchanging control signals between the devices many times without increasing the load on each device. Since it can be performed, the efficiency of the system can be improved. Therefore, according to the present invention, the transmission efficiency of the communication path can be increased,
In addition, it is possible to prevent a service degradation state when a communication path or a device fails.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a wireless communication system for performing time-division multiplexing communication, a program is transmitted from a download device connected to a plurality of lower devices equipped with a flash memory via a data line with a higher device. When downloading data, the program data is stored in the flash memory of the higher-level device, the higher-level device monitors the time slots of the communication path with a plurality of lower-level devices, and uses the available time slots to store the program data in the flash memory of the higher-level device. By downloading the program data stored in the communication device to a plurality of lower-level devices, there is an effect that the transmission efficiency of the communication path can be increased and a service degradation state can be prevented when a failure occurs in the communication path or the device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A is a diagram illustrating a data format used in a communication channel 103 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a data format in a communication channel 104 in FIG.
FIG. 2C is a diagram showing a data format used on the data line 102 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a monitoring process performed by the monitoring device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a download process performed by the download device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission process performed by the host device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a restoration process by a lower-level device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a recovery process by a lower-level device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a sequence chart showing a normal operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sequence chart showing an operation when an alarm occurs according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a wireless communication system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission process performed by the higher-level device in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission process performed by the host device in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission process performed by the higher-level device in FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a recovery process performed by the lower-level device in FIG. 10;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a restoration process by the lower-level device in FIG. 10;

FIG. 16 is a sequence chart showing normal operation according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a sequence chart showing an operation when an alarm occurs according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Monitoring device 2 Download device 3,5 Upper device 4,6 Lower device 31,41 Time slot separation / synthesis circuit 32,42 Flash memory 43 CPU 51 Subtraction circuit 52 Result flash memory 61 Comparison circuit 62 Addition circuit 101 Control line 102 Data line 103, 104 Communication path

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A program download method for a wireless communication system for performing time-division multiplex communication, wherein program data is downloaded from a download device connected to a higher-level device via a data line to a plurality of lower-level devices having a flash memory. Storing program data in a flash memory of the higher-level device; monitoring the time slot of a communication path between the higher-level device and the plurality of lower-level devices; Downloading the program data stored in the flash memory to the plurality of lower-level devices. 2. A monitoring device provided in the wireless communication system receives alarm information of each device and sends control information to each device, and a time slot coming from each line is combined by a combining circuit of the host device. Separating the program data on the data line and storing it in the flash memory of the higher-level device, and separating the time slot of the communication path into an arbitrary time slot by a separation circuit of the lower-level device. The program download method according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. A step of subtracting a transmission amount of the program data by a subtraction circuit of the higher-level device when storing the program data in a flash memory of the higher-level device; Adding the transmission amount of the lower device by the adding circuit of the lower device, and comparing the calculation result of the subtraction circuit and the calculation result of the adding circuit sent from the higher device by the comparing circuit of the lower device, 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of retransmitting the program data according to a result of the comparison. 4. A step of storing a calculation result of the subtraction circuit in a result flash memory of the higher-level device, and the result flash memory based on a transmission amount of the program data sent from the lower-level device when a failure occurs. 4. The program download method according to claim 3, further comprising: searching a data transmission amount from a memory; and retransmitting the program data according to the search result.