JP2004318457A - Computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a computer system which efficiently performs communication with an external device. <P>SOLUTION: A computer system is improved which performs communication with an external device according to an application program. This system is designed in object oriented system, and commands and functions to an external device are defined as methods. The system is provided with a storage unit which stores a class which defines device information on the external device as an attribute, and a processing means which builds an instance based on the class of the storage unit when connecting communication to the external device according to the application program. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a computer system that communicates with an external device according to an application program, and more particularly, to a computer system that efficiently communicates with an external device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent computer systems, a personal computer (personal computer) and an external device (e.g., a measuring device) are connected by a network, and communication is performed by a communication method such as Ethernet (registered trademark) or GP-IB (General Purpose Interface Bus). The measurement device is controlled (for example, Patent Document 1). Then, in order to cause the measuring device to perform a desired operation, the user creates an application program (user program) and executes the created user program on a personal computer.
[0003]
At this time, various procedures are required to cause the personal computer and the measuring device to communicate with each other by a predetermined communication method and to cause the measuring device to perform a desired operation. However, in order to create a user program including all of these procedures, it is necessary to understand advanced programming techniques, detailed specifications of measuring instruments and communication methods, which is very difficult for the user.
[0004]
Therefore, the manufacturer of the measuring device provides a dedicated application program interface (API) for each measuring device that summarizes a communication procedure and an operation procedure for the measuring device. The API is summarized as a function that defines a necessary procedure for each command (for example, start of measurement, setting of measurement conditions, etc.) and function (for example, connection of communication, disconnection of communication, etc.) to the measuring device. Of course, there are a few functions that are common to different measuring instruments.
[0005]
Then, the user can cause the measuring device to perform a desired operation only by designating appropriate parameters and calling a function included in the API, and can easily create a user program. The API operates on an operating system (OS) of a personal computer.
[0006]
Next, a configuration example of such a conventional computer system will be described.
The measuring devices M1 and M2 are external devices. The user program 1 is a program created by a user. The communication processing unit 2 is a so-called API, has a function that defines a necessary procedure for each command and function, and communicates with the measuring devices M1 and M2 according to the user program 1. The table 3 is a storage unit and stores device information of the measuring devices M1 and M2 obtained by the communication processing unit 2 communicating with the measuring devices M1 and M2.
[0007]
The device information is, for example, a measurement range or a measurement cycle that can be set by the measurement devices M1 and M2. Further, when the measurement device is a module measurement device in which a plurality of modules are inserted in one housing, each module is (For pressure measurement or temperature measurement, etc.), which module is installed in which slot, and the like. Further, these pieces of device information are commonly required by each function, and thus are also referred to as shared information. The communication processing means 2 and the table 3 are provided in a personal computer.
[0008]
The operation of such a device will be described.
User program 1
(A) Initialization (communication connection)
(B) Command execution (transmission, reception)
(C) Termination processing (disconnection of communication)
And the function of the communication processing means 2 is called. The execution of the command (b) is often performed a plurality of times.
[0009]
Then, the communication processing unit 2 performs processing for each function called by the user program 1 to control the measuring devices M1 and M2. For example, in (a) initialization, a communication connection with the measuring devices M1 and M2 is established, and device information is acquired from the measuring devices M1 and M2, and the device information 31 of the measuring device M1 and the measuring device The device information 32 of M2 is stored. The device information 31 and 32 are managed by the communication processing means 2 by adding an index value.
[0010]
Further, in the execution of the command (b), the communication with the measuring devices M1 and M2 is performed with reference to the device information 31 and 32 of the table 3, and the commands of the user program 1 are executed by the measuring devices M1 and M2. For example, if the command is a command for starting the temperature measurement by the measuring device M1 of the module measuring device, the communication processing unit 2 refers to the device information 31 and determines which module should start the measurement. To start the measurement.
[0011]
Then, in (c) end processing (communication disconnection), the connection with the measuring devices M1 and M2 is disconnected, and the device information 31 and 32 of the disconnected measuring devices M1 and M2 are deleted.
[0012]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2000-121398 (paragraph numbers 0003 to 0009, FIGS. 8 to 9)
[0013]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the communication processing unit 2 communicates with the measuring devices M1 and M2 according to the user program 1. The communication processing unit 2 is designed on the assumption that the user program 1 is sequentially processed. , 32 are managed by the communication processing means 2 instead of the OS of the personal computer.
[0014]
However, in recent years, in order to make the measuring devices M1 and M2 measure efficiently, the user program 1 is often created in consideration of multi-thread processing. Further, the user program 1 itself is often described in an object-oriented programming language (for example, C ++ language) so as to maintain independence and to be easily reused. For this reason, the following problem has occurred.
[0015]
Since the communication processing unit 2 manages the table 3, even if the user program 1 performs multi-thread processing, a conflict occurs when the communication processing unit 2 refers to both the device information 31 and 32 in the table 3. . In order to avoid this conflict, the reference to the table 3 is locked. Therefore, the communication processing means 2 performs the sequential processing, despite the user program 1 performing the multi-thread processing.
[0016]
Further, since the communication processing means 2 manages the table 3, even if an object-oriented user program 1 defines a class for each of the measuring devices M1 and M2 and constructs an instance, the device information M1 and M2 remain Not independent. For this reason, the communication processing unit 2 is restricted. For example, even if there is room for constructing an instance in the storage unit of the personal computer, the number of connectable measuring devices M1 and M2 (the number of constructable instances) is limited to an index value that the communication processing means 2 can manage in the table 3. Will be done.
[0017]
In other words, even if the user program 1 can efficiently communicate with the measuring devices M1 and M2, it is actually limited by the communication processing unit 2.
[0018]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to realize a computer system that efficiently communicates with an external device.
[0019]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 is
In a computer system that communicates with an external device according to an application program,
A storage unit that is designed in an object-oriented manner, defines a command or a function to the external device as a method, and stores a class in which device information of the external device is defined as an attribute.
Processing means for constructing an instance based on a class of the storage unit when communication is connected to the external device according to the application program.
[0020]
The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1,
The processing means acquires device information from the external device when constructing an instance.
[0021]
The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2,
Interface means defining a function called by the application program and calling a method of the instance constructed by the processing means is provided.
[0022]
The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Provide a communication means that defines a procedure for performing communication connection, communication disconnection, data transmission, and data reception with the external device for each communication method,
The processing means communicates with the external device via the communication means.
[0023]
The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The external device is a measuring device.
[0024]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same components as those in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. In FIG. 1, an interface unit 4 is provided instead of the communication processing unit 2 and the table 3. When viewed from the user program 1, the interface unit 4 is a function provided for each command or function of the measuring devices M1 and M2, like the communication processing unit 2, and is called by the user program 1.
[0025]
The storage unit 5 is designed in an object-oriented manner, defines commands and functions to the measuring devices M1 and M2 as methods, and stores classes C1 to C3 in which device information of the measuring devices M1 and M2 is defined as attributes. The classes C1 to C3 are provided by manufacturers of the measuring devices M1 and M2. A class is a template for creating an object, and an object is a set of data (attributes) and procedures (methods) for operating the data (attributes).
[0026]
The processing unit 6 constructs an instance based on the classes C1 to C3 of the storage unit 5 according to an instruction from the interface unit 4, and performs communication and control to the measuring devices M1 and M2 based on the defined method.
[0027]
The communication unit 7 determines a necessary procedure for each communication method, and actually performs communication connection with the measuring devices M1 and M2, disconnection of communication, transmission of data, and reception of data in accordance with an instruction from the processing unit 6. . Note that the interface unit 4, the storage unit 5, the processing unit 6, and the communication unit 7 are provided in a personal computer.
[0028]
Here, FIG. 2 shows an example of the classes C1 to C3 of the storage unit 5. Subclasses C1 and C2 are defined for each of the measuring devices M1 and M2, and commands and functions that do not depend on the types of the measuring devices M1 and M2 are defined as a root class C3. Note that the root class C3 is defined so that the user can execute the same method on the object of the class C3 regardless of the model.
[0029]
The operation of such an apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the user program 1, and FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram.
The user program 1 is similar to the device shown in FIG.
(A) Initialization (communication connection) (S11)
(B) Command execution (transmission, reception) (S12)
(C) End processing (disconnection of communication) (S13)
And the function of the interface means 4 is called. That is, from the user side, the same description as the conventional user program 1 may be used by the interface means 4. The execution of the command (b) is often performed a plurality of times.
[0030]
Then, when the (a) initialization function for the measuring devices M1 and M2 is called from the user program 1 (SQ1), the interface unit 4 sends the classes C1 and C2 corresponding to the measuring devices M1 and M2 to the processing unit 6. Based on the instruction, construction of an object entity (instance) is instructed (SQ2). Thus, the processing unit 6 constructs the instances 61 and 62 of the classes C1 and C2 from the storage unit 5 and causes the communication unit 7 to perform communication connection in a desired communication method. The communication method is specified in advance by the user (SQ3). Of course, the device information of the measuring devices M1 and M2 is acquired at the time of communication connection, and each of the instances 61 and 62 manages the device information of the measuring devices M1 and M2. The instances 61 and 62 are constructed in a storage unit (not shown) of the personal computer and managed by the OS.
[0031]
Then, when the function of (b) command execution to the measuring devices M1 and M2 is called from the user program 1 (SQ4), the interface means 4 calls the methods of the instances 61 and 62 corresponding to the read functions (SQ4). SQ5). Thus, the processing unit 6 causes the communication unit 7 to transmit a command according to the method of the instances 61 and 62. At this time, the method of the instance 61 refers to the device information of the measuring device M1, and the method of the instance 62 refers to the device information of the measuring device M2 (SQ6). Then, the communication unit 7 communicates with the measuring devices M1 and M2, and outputs data received from the responses of the measuring devices M1 and M2 to the processing unit 6 (SQ7).
[0032]
When the interface means 4 calls the (c) termination processing function for the measuring devices M1 and M2 from the user program 1 (SQ8), the processing means 6 causes the classes C1 and C2 corresponding to the measuring devices M1 and M2 to disappear. Instruct (SQ9). Thereby, the processing means 6 causes the instances 61 and 62 to disappear, and causes the communication means 7 to disconnect the communication (SQ10).
[0033]
Here, FIG. 5 shows an example of the user program 1 for communicating with the measuring device 1, and the operation will be specifically described. First, the processing unit 6 constructs an instance 61 based on the class C1 of the storage unit 5 by an initialization function (openM1) for initializing the measuring device M1. (Address) is a network address assigned to the measuring device M1. Then, the instance 61 is constructed, and after the communication with the measuring device M1 is connected, the reference pointer to the instance 61 is returned as the identifier (id).
[0034]
Then, the method of the instance 61 indicated by the received identifier (id) is called by the command execution function (runCommandM1) or the termination processing function (closeM1). Then, this method causes the communication means 7 to perform transmission and reception. The parameter (parameter) is a value specified for each command, and the name of the command execution function (runCommandM1) is also a temporary name, and is prepared for each command.
[0035]
After the processing unit 6 causes the communication unit 7 to disconnect the communication by the function (closeM1) of the termination process, the instance 61 is deleted.
[0036]
As described above, when the processing unit 6 establishes communication connection with the measuring devices M1 and M2, based on the classes C1 and C2 provided for the measuring devices M1 and M2, the instance 61 Since 62 is constructed, the device information of the measuring devices M1 and M2 is independent for each of the instances 61 and 62. Thereby, it is possible to efficiently communicate with the measuring devices M1 and M2.
[0037]
That is, since the device information of the measuring devices M1 and M2 is independent for each of the instances 61 and 62, even if the user program 1 of the multi-thread processing is used, the instances 61 and 62 may conflict when referring to the device information. Never wake up. Accordingly, communication can be performed by multi-thread processing, and communication with an external device can be performed efficiently. In addition, since the user can create the program without considering the competition or the like, the creation of the user program becomes efficient.
[0038]
Further, since the device information of the measuring devices M1 and M2 is independent for each of the instances 61 and 62, there is no restriction by the communication processing unit 2 as in the device shown in FIG. That is, in the object orientation, the area in which the instances 61 and 62 are constructed is managed by the OS, so that the area is limited by the performance of the personal computer.
[0039]
Since the class for each of the measuring devices M1 and M2 is stored in the storage unit 5, when the user creates the user program 1 in an object-oriented manner, the user himself / herself can use the measuring device M1 and M2 as shown in FIG. There is no need to design a class for M2. Thereby, the creation of the user program becomes more efficient.
[0040]
Further, since the processing means 6 operates by constructing an instance based on the classes C1 to C3, the manufacturer can easily debug and maintain the processing means 6. That is, in the case of an object-oriented language, only the changed part and the part related to the change need to be debugged, and there is no need to debug the entire program as in a compiler language such as C language.
[0041]
Further, the interface means 4 provides functions similar to those of the conventional computer system, and calls the methods of the instances 61 and 62 corresponding to the functions read from the user program 1. This eliminates the need for the user to create a new user program 1 and improves the efficiency of creating the user program 1.
[0042]
Further, a procedure for performing communication for each communication method is defined in the communication means 7, and the communication means 7 performs actual communication with the measuring devices M1 and M2. Can be created without considering the characteristics of
[0043]
The present invention is not limited to this, and may be as follows.
In the system shown in FIG. 1, a configuration is shown in which two measuring devices M1 and M2 are connected. However, any number of measuring devices M1 and M2 may be connected, and the processing unit 6 constructs an instance for each measuring device that performs communication. Of course, any number of types of measuring devices may be used, and the storage unit 5 stores a class for each type of measuring device.
[0044]
Although the configuration in which the measuring devices M1 and M2 are connected as an external device has been described, a device that is connected to and controlled by a personal computer via a network, such as an external hard disk or a digital camera, may be used.
[0045]
Although the classes C1 to C3 of the storage unit 5 do not define the communication method, the functions related to the communication method may be defined as methods in the classes C1 to C3 without providing the communication unit 7.
[0046]
The communication means 7 may be designed in an object-oriented manner, a class may be defined for each communication method, and an instance may be constructed based on this class when a communication connection request is issued from the processing means 6.
[0047]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
According to the first to fifth aspects, the processing unit constructs an instance with device information as an attribute based on a class provided for each external device when making a communication connection with the external device. Device information is independent for each instance. Thereby, communication with an external device can be performed efficiently.
[0048]
According to the third aspect, the interface means provides a function similar to that of the conventional computer system, and calls a method of an instance corresponding to the function read from the user program. This eliminates the need for the user to create a new user program, and increases the efficiency of creating the user program.
[0049]
According to the fourth aspect, a procedure for performing communication for each communication method is determined in the communication means, and the communication means performs actual communication with an external device. Can be created without consideration.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing classes C1 to C3 of a storage unit 5;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of a user program 1.
FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the device shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a description example of a user program 1.
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional computer system.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 1 User program 4 Interface means 5 Storage unit 6 Processing means 7 Communication means 61, 62 Instances C1 to C3 Classes M1, M2 Measuring equipment

Claims (5)

In a computer system that communicates with an external device according to an application program,
A storage unit that is designed in an object-oriented manner, defines a command or function to the external device as a method, and stores a class in which device information of the external device is defined as an attribute.
A computer system, comprising: processing means for constructing an instance based on the class of the storage unit when communication is connected to the external device according to the application program. 2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit acquires device information from the external device when constructing the instance. 3. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising an interface unit that defines a function that is called by the application program and calls a method of the instance constructed by the processing unit. Provide a communication means that defines a procedure for connection of communication with the external device, disconnection of communication, transmission of data, reception of data for each communication method,
4. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit communicates with the external device via the communication unit. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a measuring device.

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