GB2295040A

GB2295040A - Closing method of data processing and data processor

Info

Publication number: GB2295040A
Application number: GB9524106A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hiroki Iwamoto; Kenichi Abe; Tomiya Nakano
Original assignee: NTT Data Communications Systems Corp
Current assignee: NTT Data Corp
Priority date: 1994-03-25
Filing date: 1995-02-27
Publication date: 1996-05-15
Also published as: DE19580492T1; GB9524106D0; WO1995026526A1; JPH07261888A; CN1125989A; KR960702639A

Abstract

When a power-off interrupt (si) is generated by switching off a power supply button (31), an end interrupt device driver (50) sends to end interrupt (ei) to a supervisor processing portion (41). Receiving this end interrupt (ei), the supervisor processing portion (41) causes the software in a processing portion (20) to terminate the current processing. Upon the completion of all the processes, the supervisor processing unit (41) gives a power cutoff instruction (ii) to a power-off unit (32). The power OFF unit (32) practically stops the supply of power in response to this power cutoff instruction (ii). In this way, the danger of file destruction due to an unintentional operation of the power supply button can be avoided, and a fault tolerance function can be easily accomplished. <IMAGE>

Description

Description CLOSING METHOD OF DATA PROCESSING AND DATA PROCESSOR Technical Field The present invention relates to a data processor. and particularly, to a technique for avoiding destruction of a file being accessed so as to safely close the data processor even when an operator switches off a power supply button in error while the software on the data processor executes accessing the file.

Background Art In general, the data processor of this kind includes a file storing data to be processed, a business processing portion which executes a given business process based on the data to be processed while accessing the file through the software, and a power supply button allowing a power feed or a power feed stop from a power supply portion to a system including the business processing portion.

In such a data processor, various business-related data processings are performed based on the operator's manipulation. In this case, it is possible that the operator switches off the power supply button through mistake in operation. On this occasion, if the software in the business processing portion is accessing a tile, an even may occur that the file being accessed is destroyed, or the data to be processed which are stored in the file are lost, or the like. In order to avoid occurrence of such an event, the data processor normally has an RAS function and achieves a fault tolerance function.

Here, the RAS function is, as is well known, a general term for functions of achieving purposes of reliability, availability and serviceability. and forms the general concept as RASIS by further adding integrity and security. On the other hand, the fault tolerance represents a system characteristic that, even if faults exist in part or all of abundance of elements (hardware and software) forming the data processor. the system does not fall. Here, the cause of failure or error is called fault. If a user feels that the data processor does not offer a service the user expects, it is said that failure occurs in the data processor. When a part of the elements of the data processor are put in a state which is not normal, it is said that error occurs.

On the other hand, there are many kinds of data processors, such as, a large-sized generalized machine, a work station, a personal computer, a word processor and the like. The data processor may also be used as a terminal forming a data communication network system, such as ISDN (integrated services digital network), LAN (local area network) or the like. In order to deal with the foregoing erroneous manipulation of the power supply button by the operator or the like, the large-sized generalized machine is incorporated with a mechanism called UPS (uninterruptive power supply).The UPS is also called a non-discontinuous power supply and represents a device which automatically holds voltage/frequency of the power supply stable where fluctuation of the voltage/frequency thereof is large, and continues feeding the power for a given time period during service interruption for preventing data of the data processor (large-sized generalized machine) from volatilizing.

However, the UPS is still expensive. Accordingly, in view of cost, the UPS is not suitable for a medium-sized machine, such as the work station, a small-sized machine, such as the personal computer, the terminal or the like. Thus, it is required that such a data processor can easily achieve the fault tolerance function.

In view of the foregoing background. it is an object of the present invention to provide a data processor which can easily achieve the fault tolerance function.

More speciiically, it is an object to provide a closing method of data processing which can avoid the danger of file destruction due to an erroneous manipulation of a power supply button by an operator.

and a data processor which achieves such a processing closing method.

Disclosure of Invention File destruction is caused by an erroneous operation of a power supply button since a power feed to a data processor is immediately stopped upon receipt of a power feed stop instruction, such as a switching-off operation of the power supply button. Accordingly, in the present invention, attention is given to "interrupt function" in the data processor so that the switching-off operation by the power supply button is not handled as a trigger for the power feed stop, but as an opportunity for generating an interrupt.

Specifically, a closing method of data processing of the present invention is a closing method for closing data processing of a device after a lapse of a given time from a power feed stop instruction by power supply control means. the device including a business processing portion which executes a given business process based on data to be processed while accessing a file, by software, which stores the data to be processed, and the power supply control means for controlling a power feed or a power feed stop from a power supply portion to the business processing portion. and is characterized by including the steps of generating the power feed stop instruction as a power feed stop interrupt, notifying the business processing portion of this power feed stop interrupt to cause termination of processing currently executed by the software, and instructing the power control means to actually stop the power feed upon receipt of a notification of processing termination of the software which accesses the file.

The present invention also provides a data processor for realizing the foregoing method. This data processor is characterized by having a file storing data to be processed. a business processing portion executing a given business process based on the data to be processed while accessing the ffle by software, a collective processing portion performing a software control including a control of a power feed or a power feed stop relative to the business processing portion, a power supply portion provided with power feed means for the collective processing portion and power-off processing means for stopping the power feed according to an instruction from the collective processing portion. interrupt generating means for generating a power feed stop interrupt upon receipt of a power feed stop instruction, and interrupt detecting means for detecting generation of the power feed stop interrupt, wherein the collective processing portion notifies, upon detection of generation of the power feed stop interrupt by the interrupt detecting means. the business processing portion of the detection so as to terminate processing executed by the software and instructs the power supply portion to stop the power feed upon receipt of a notification of processing termination from the business processing portion.

In the data processor having the foregoing structure, it may be arranged that the collective processing portion is provided with timer means which is activated upon the detection of the power feed stop interrupt, and forcibly instructs the power supply portion to stop the power feed after the timer means is up.

In the present invention, the power feed stop instruction is generated as the power feed stop interrupt and notified to the business processing portion to cause termination of the processing currently executed by the software, and the power control means is first instructed to actually stop the power feed upon receipt of the processing termination notification. By this, since the power feed is stopped when there is no flle access, the safe closing which does not adversely affect the flle and the data to be processed in the ffie is made possible so that the fault tolerance function can be easily realized.

Further, in the data processor of the present invention, the collective processing portion acts as intermediary for realizing the foregoing method. Speciiically, when the power feed stop interrupt generated upon receipt of the power feed stop instruction is detected, the collective processing portion notifies the business processing portion of this fact to terminate the processing executed by the software, and instructs the power supply portion to stop the power feed upon receipt of the processing termination notification from the business processing portion. In the power supply portion, the power off processing means actually stops the power feed in response to this stop instruction.Further, in the structure where the collective processing portion is provided with the timer means, since the instruction for stopping the power supply is forcibly sent to the power supply portion after time is up, the hung-up of the data processor can be avoided.

Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a data processor according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of the data processor shown in Fig. 1 upon finishing activation thereof.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Now, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a structural diagram of a data processor according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein solid lines represent flows of data and broken lines represent flows of control signals.

notification signals and the like. The data processor includes a file 10 storing data to be processed, a business processing portion 20 executing a given business process based on the data to be processed while accessing the flle 10 through the software, and a power supply portion 30 having a power supply button 31 allowing a power feed or a power feed stop for the processor and a power-off processing portion 32 actually executing a power feed stop processing. The business processing portion 20 includes, as the software (application program, hereinafter referred to as AP) for practically executing the business, an AP master processing portion 21, a plurality of AP child processing portions 22a-22c under command of the AP master processing portion 21, and AP grandchild processes 23 under commands of the respective AP child processing portions 22.For convenience, only the AP grandchild processing portion 23 belonging to the second AP child processing portion 22b is shown.

In this embodiment, switching-off of the power supply button 31 is handled as a power feed stop interrupt si. The data processor further includes a collective processing portion 40 and an end interrupt device driver 50. The collective processing portion 40 includes a processing control portion 41, an IPL (initial program loading) 42, and an activation list storage portion 43. The processing control portion 41 is, for example, an operating system (OS) in a narrow sense having a supervisor function.

The end interrupt device driver 50 detects generation of the power feed stop interrupt si due to the switching-off of the power supply button 41 of the power supply portion 40, and notifies the processing control portion 41 of an end interrupt ei upon detecting generation of the power feed stop interrupt si.

The processing control portion 41 manages assignment of roles to system resources (AP master processing portion 21, AP child processing portions 22 and AP grandchild processes 23) and controls the flow of operation in the data processor. The IPL 42 loads the processing control portion 41 stored in a DASD (direct access storage device) library (not shown) into a main storage area upon starting up the processor. The activation list storage portion 43 stores an initial process activation list in which activation drive names, activation manners, waiting times and the like are stored.

Next, an operation upon starting activation will be described in the data processor having the foregoing structure. First, when the operator switches on the power supply button 31, the collective processing portion 40 is activated and the IPL portion 42 is loaded into a real storage area starting from a location zero.

The loaded IPL 42 loads the processing control portion 41 in the DASD library and the initial process activation list in the activation list storage portion 43 into the main storage area and activates the processing control portion 41. The activated processing control portion 41 refers to the initial process activation list to activate the AP master processing portion 21. The activated AP master processing portion 21 activates the plurality of AP child processing portions 22 under its command. Further, each of the activated AP child processing portions 22 activates the AP grandchild process 23 under its command.

By this, the business processing portion 20 can process the data to be processed which are stored in the file 10.

Next, an operation of the data processor of this embodiment upon termination of activation thereof will be described with reference to also the flowchart shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows an operation example, wherein the operator switches off the power supply button 31 and S represents process steps.

When the operator switches off the power supply button 31 normally or by mistake (S 1), the power feed stop interrupt si is produced from the power supply button 31 due to this switching-off operation (S2).

The end interrupt device driver 50 notifies the processing control portion 41 in the collective processing portion 40 of the end interrupt ei upon detecting generation of the power feed stop interrupt si (S3).

In response to the notification of this end interrupt el, the processing control portion 41 refers to the initial process activation list and instructs the AP master processing portion 21 of the business processing portion 20 to terminate the processing (S4).

Receiving the processing terminating instruction, the AP master processing portion 21 instructs the AP child processing portions 22a-22c on execution under its command to terminate the processings. If the AP grandchild processing portion 23 exists, the higher-ranking AP child processing portion 22b instructs the AP grandchild processing portion 23 to terminate the processing. By this, the subsequent access from the business processing portion 20 to the file 10 is prohibited. The AP child processing portions 22a-22c and the AP grandchild processing portions 23 send termination notifications to their higher-ranking processing portions, respectively. The AP master managing portion 21 monitors whether or not the AP child processing portions 22a-22c under its command terminate the processings (S5), and upon receipt of the processing termination notiflcations (Yes at S5), sends back a processing termination to the processing control portion 41.

Upon receipt of the processing termination notification (S6), the processing control portion 41 instructs the power supply portion 30 to cutoff the power (S 7). In response to this power cutoff instruction ii, the power-off functioning portion 32 of the power supply portion 30 actually stops the power feed (S8).

As clear from the foregoing description, a combination of the processing control portion 41 and the power-off functioning portion 32 operates as power feed control means which, upon detection of generation of the power feed stop interrupt si by the end interrupt device driver 50, notifies the software in the business processing portion 20 of the detection so as to cause the software to terminate the current processing on execution and actually stops the power feed upon receipt of the processing termination notification from the software. By this, the data processor can be closed safely.

In this embodiment, although not shown in the drawings, it may be arranged that timer means which is activated upon receipt of the end interrupt ei is provided in the processing control portion 41 and that, when time is up for all the processes, the power supply portion 30 is forcibly instructed to stop the power feed. With this arrangement, the hung-up in the data processor can be avoided.

It is a matter of course that the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiment and various modiflcations and changes are possible within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention.

Industrial Applicability As described above, according to the closing method of data processing of the present invention, the power feed stop instruction, such as the switching-off by the power supply button, is generated as the power feed stop interrupt, and this power feed stop interrupt is notified to the business processing portion to cause termination of the process currently executed by the software. Further, the power control means is instructed to actually stop the power feed upon receipt of the processing termination notification from the software which accesses the file storing the data to be processed. Accordingly, there is an effect that the power feed is stopped after the stop of the data processing becomes possible. By this, the danger of file destruction due to the erroneous operation of the power supply button or the like can be avoided to easily achieve the fault tolerance function.

Further, according to the data processor of the present invention, the interrupt generating means generates the power feed stop interrupt upon receipt of the power feed stop instruction. The collective processing portion notifies the business processing portion of this power feed stop interrupt to terminate the processing currently executed by the software, and instructs the power supply portion to stop the power feed upon receipt of the processing termination notification from the business processing portion. Accordingly, the foregoing closing method of data processing can be easily achieved so that the fault tolerance function can be easily achieved.

Claims

claims

1. A closing method of data processing for closing data processing of a device after a lapse of a given time from a power feed stop instruction by power supply control means, said device including a business processing portion which executes a given business process based on data to be processed while accessing a ffle, by software, which stores the data to be processed, and the power supply control means for controlling a power feed or a power feed stop from a power supply portion to said business processing portion, said closing method characterized by including the steps of generating said power feed stop instruction as a power feed stop interrupt, notifying said business processing portion of this power feed stop interrupt to cause termination of processing currently executed by the software, and instructing said power control means to actually stop the power feed upon receipt of a notification of processing termination of the software which accesses said file.

2. A data processor characterized by having a file storing data to be processed, a business processing portion executing a given business process based on said data to be processed while accessing said file by software, a collective processing portion performing a software control including a control of a power feed or a power feed stop relative to said business processing portion, a power supply portion provided with power feed means for said collective processing portion and power-off processing means for stopping the power feed according to an instruction from said collective processing portion, interrupt generating means for generating a power feed stop interrupt upon receipt of a power feed stop instruction, and interrupt detecting means for detecting generation of said power feed stop interrupt, wherein said collective processing portion notifies, upon detection of generation of said power feed stop interrupt by said interrupt detecting means, said business processing portion of said detection so as to terminate processing executed by the software and instructs said power supply portion to stop the power feed upon receipt of a notification of processing termination from said business processing portion.

3. The data processor as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that said collective processing portion includes timer means which is activated upon the detection of said power feed stop interrupt, said collective processing portion forcibly instructing said power supply portion to stop the power feed after said timer means is up.