JP2000293272A - Unit and method for power supply control over common equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a unit and method for power supply control over common equipment which prevent the common equipment from being left forgetfully powered ON to save the electric power without providing a complicated circuit, performing complicated control, or altering a computer connected to a network. SOLUTION: A network adapter 1 is equipped with an ICMP part 13 which communicates packets using ICMP to multiple computers, a connection information memory 15 which stores the IP addresses and answer days of multiple computers and the answer state of packets, a detecting circuit 16 which detects whether or not all the computers are powered OFF according to the answer state of the packets stored in the connection information memory 15, and a power supply control part 18 which powers OFF the common device 20 when the detecting circuit 16 detects all the computers being powered OFF.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power supply control device for a shared device, and more particularly to a power supply control device for a shared device suitable for preventing a power supply of a shared device shared by a plurality of computers from being forgotten to be turned off.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plurality of computers and a shared device (for example, a shared printer, a shared hard disk device,
In a business office or the like where a shared MO device is connected via a network, to reduce the number of shared devices installed and to use the shared device efficiently, multiple computers share the network via the network. It is common to adopt a form in which devices are shared.

[0003] As a conventional example relating to the power control of the above-mentioned shared device, for example, a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-298832 has been proposed. This publication aims to automatically turn on / off a server device installed in a place away from a workstation, and detects that a station has joined a LAN,
There has been disclosed an automatic power-on / off method characterized by automatically turning on a main power supply circuit, detecting that there are no stations on the LAN, and automatically turning off the main power supply circuit. I have.

Further, as another conventional example relating to the power control of the above-mentioned shared device, for example, a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-5649 has been proposed. The publication aims to determine a power-off point by monitoring a time interval at which a shared device is accessed, and to determine a time from when one of the workstations accesses the shared device to the next access. Equipped with a time interval measuring means for measuring the interval,
There is disclosed an automatic power-off method wherein a plurality of workstations detect that the shared device has not been used for a predetermined period of time and turn off the power of the shared device.

Further, as another conventional example relating to the power control of the above-mentioned shared device, a technique described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-102909 has been proposed. The publication is intended to automatically turn on and off the power of a shared resource control device installed at a location remote from a workstation, and a monitoring means for monitoring the power status of a plurality of workstations. And a control unit for controlling power-on / off of the shared resource control device in accordance with the monitoring result of the monitoring unit.

[0006]

However, the above-described prior art has the following problems.

[0007] When the work related to each computer is completed, each user can turn off the power of the computer. However, since a shared device such as a shared printer is shared with another computer, power off the shared device after confirming whether or not the shared printer is used, or disconnect all computers connected to the network. It is necessary to turn off the power after stopping.

Further, since a large number of computers are connected to the network, and the shared device and each computer may be located at remote locations, it is necessary to check whether all the computers are in a stopped state. It was not easy to confirm, adding to the effort of the system administrator. Further, there is a possibility that the power of the shared device may be forgotten to be turned off, and there is a problem that power is wasted.

Further, in the conventional example described in the above publication,
Control is performed to cut off the main power supply circuit when there is no workstation on the LAN or to turn off the power of the shared device when a plurality of workstations have not used the shared device for a predetermined period. However, it does not detect that the work by all the devices (computers) using the target shared device has been completed and automatically control the power of the shared device based on the detection result.

Therefore, as described above, from the viewpoint of reducing the labor of the system administrator and the power consumption of the shared device,
There has been a demand for control for automatically turning off the power of the shared device based on the power-off of all the computers that use the shared device.

An object of the present invention is to prevent a user from forgetting to turn off or turn off a power supply of a shared device without providing a complicated circuit or performing complicated control and without changing a computer connected to a network. An object of the present invention is to provide a common device power control device and a common device power control method that can save power.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a shared device power control device for controlling the power of a shared device shared by a plurality of information processing devices via a network. Means, detection means for detecting whether or not the power of all of the information processing apparatuses using the shared device is turned off based on communication by the communication means, and detection of all of the information processing apparatuses by the detection means. Power supply control means for turning off the power of the shared device when a power-off is detected.

[0013] Further, the shared device power supply control device of the present invention comprises:
Referring to FIG. 2, a shared device power control device (FIG. 2) that controls the power of a shared device (20 in FIG. 2) shared by a plurality of information processing devices (21 in FIG. 2) via a network. In (1), the communication means (13 in FIG. 2) for communicating with each of the information processing apparatuses, and the power of all the information processing apparatuses using the shared device is cut off based on the communication by the communication means. Detecting means (16 in FIG. 2) for detecting whether or not the power supply of all of the information processing apparatuses is turned off by the detecting means (16 in FIG. 2). 18).

[Operation] The power supply control device for a shared device according to the present invention, when all the information processing devices using the shared device shared via a network are powered off,
It controls so that the power of the shared device is automatically turned off. For this reason, forgetting to turn off the power of the shared device can be reliably prevented, and there is an effect of power saving. Also, ICMP
Is used. For this reason, there is no need to provide a complicated circuit or perform complicated control, and it is not necessary to change the information processing device connected to the network. It can be realized at low cost.

[0015]

[Embodiment] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(1) Description of Configuration FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a network adapter with an automatic power off function according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a network adapter 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention connects a shared device (for example, a shared printer) 20 to a LAN.
(Local Area Network) 19,
An adapter that can be shared by a plurality of computers on the LAN 19. The adapter is a LAN interface unit 11, a shared interface unit 12, and an ICMP (Internet Control M
(Essage Protocol) unit 13, a timer 14, a connection information memory 15, a detection circuit 16, a control circuit 17, and a power supply control unit 18.

The above configuration will be described in detail. The LAN interface unit 11 controls an interface with the LAN 19. The shared interface unit 12 controls an interface with the shared device 20. The ICMP unit 13 is a protocol for notifying a transmission source (network adapter 1) of a failure when a transmission packet does not correctly reach a transmission destination computer, and confirms that an echo request is made by performing an echo request as a tool. Response test command PIN
It supports G (Packet InterNetwork Groper). The timer 14 has a clock function and performs counting for transmitting a packet at regular intervals.

Here, since ICMP is a protocol operating on IP, it conforms to the IP format.
The format of the P header is unchanged, and the ICMP type, code,
The checksum is executed according to a protocol of 32 bits, followed by ICMP data.
The types “00” (: echo response) and “03” (: destination unreachable) are mainly used because they are convenient for checking the power state of the destination. PING, which is a tool of the ICMP, can confirm connection with a destination by using an echo request message and an echo response message in an ICMP message. .

The connection information memory 15 stores the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the connected computer, the response date, and the response status of the packet. Detection circuit 16
Detects whether or not the power of all the computers has been turned off based on the information on the response status of the packet stored in the connection information memory 15. The control circuit 17 includes the ICMP unit 1
3. Control the connection information memory 15 and the detection circuit 16. The power control unit 18 controls the power of the sharing device 20 based on a signal from the detection circuit 16.

The sharing device 20 is a device shared by a plurality of computers, such as a printer, and is connected to the sharing interface unit 12 of the network adapter 1 via a signal cable 31 and to a network via a power cable 32. The power supply control unit 18 of the adapter 1 is connected.

As described above, the network adapter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention directs the information stored in the connection information memory 15, that is, the IP addresses of all the computers that may use the shared device 20. And ICMP
A test packet is automatically transmitted through the unit 13, a response from the computer is detected by the detection circuit 16, and a control circuit 17
When it is determined that the tasks related to all the computers have been stopped, the power control unit 18 that has received the detection result
The feature is that the power of the shared device 20 is automatically cut off by controlling the power of the shared device 20.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a network system in which the sharing device 20 is shared by a plurality of computers by the network adapter with an automatic power off function according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, a computer 21 (NO. 1) is a TCP / IP (Transmissio
n Control Protocol / Internet Protocol)
19 is a general computer that communicates with
MP is supported as standard. Computer 21 (NO.1) supporting TCP / IP is ICM
A response test command PING is supported as a means for exchanging test packets with a partner device using P.

PING sends ICMP to the designated partner device.
Is a command for transmitting a packet (ICMP packet) specified in (1) and receiving a response to perform a communication test with the partner device, and is also effective as means for detecting that the partner device is stopped.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of the connection information memory 15 of the network adapter with an automatic power off function according to the embodiment of the present invention. The connection information memory 15 is a rewritable nonvolatile memory, and stores an IP address for identifying each computer, a response date, and response information for each item number. If there is a response from the computer in the response information field as information indicating the presence or absence of a response, the ICMP unit 13 sets “1”. If there is no response from the computer and a timeout is returned, the ICMP unit 13, "0" is set.

Also, "0" is entered in the IP address field, response date field, and response information field of the unused item number, and the same applies to the item number field of the IP address that has not responded for a certain period of time. Is input as "0", and is regarded as unused. The response date field is
The data is updated only when there is a response, and is used to know how long the last response has been by comparing it with the current date of timer 14.

When a new computer is connected to the sharing device 20 via the LAN 19, it is assumed that the new computer is used from the lowest unused item number. If a function is provided for storing the IP address of the computer in the connection information memory 15 when the control circuit 17 is accessed from a computer having an IP address not stored in the connection information memory 15, a new function is provided. It can easily cope with the addition of computers.

Further, a PING is finally performed for each computer.
By storing the date of response to
7 is compared with the current date or time indicated by the timer 14, and if there is no response for a fixed period or for a certain period of time, it is considered that the shared device 20 is no longer used in the computer or that the computer has been disconnected from the LAN connection. If the information is deleted from the information memory 15, it is possible to prevent the capacity of the connection information memory 15 from being insufficient due to the storage of an unused address, thereby preventing information of a new computer from being stored. When disconnecting from the LAN connection, there is no need to delete the data from the connection information memory 15.

(2) Description of Operation Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

The control circuit 17 of the network adapter 1
Is connected to the LAN 19 at fixed time intervals measured by the timer 14.
Connected to the computer 21 (NO. 1).
ING to send ICMP packets automatically
An instruction is issued to the CMP unit 13. The IP address of the computer 1 required for PING transmission is stored in the connection information memory 15. The ICMP unit 13 sends out an ICMP packet to the LAN 19 via the LAN interface unit 11 and sends the ICMP packet to the computer 2 connected to the LAN 19.
1 (NO.1) ... waits for a response. The computer 21 (NO. 1) to which the PING has been transmitted automatically returns a response by ICMP when it is operating.

The ICMP unit 13 of the network adapter 1
Receives the response of the PING from the computer 1 and, in accordance with the instruction of the control circuit 17, sets the item number of the IP address of the computer 1 which transmitted the PING to the response date and whether the response was sent back from the computer or by timeout. The response information shown is stored in the connection information memory 15.

FIG. 4 shows a shared device 20 for a plurality of computers.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a network configuration for sharing the same.
In the present embodiment, for example, in FIG.
Computers 21 (NO.1) to 24
(NO. 4) is connected, but the number of computers connected to the LAN 19 is not limited to the above number, and there is no problem even if a plurality of computers and shared devices are connected to the LAN 19.

As shown in FIG. 4, the computer 21 (NO.
When the sharing device 20 is shared by the devices 1) to 24 (NO. 4), the ICMP unit 13 of the network adapter 1 uses the computers 21 (NO. 1) to 24 (NO. 4).
An ICMP packet is transmitted to all of 4), and a response from each computer is waited. After the control circuit 17 confirms whether or not there is a response from all of the computers 21 (NO. 1) to 24 (NO. 4), the detection circuit 16 returns to all of the computers 21 (NO. 1) stored in the connection information memory 15.
According to the response information fields of (NO. 1) to 24 (NO. 4), all the computers 21 (NO.
1) to detect whether the power supply of the computer 24 (NO. 4) has been cut off.

The detection circuit 16 includes all the computers 21
If no response is returned from (NO.1) to computer 24 (NO. 4) and a timeout is returned, OR of the response information fields of all the computers 21 (NO. 1) to 24 (NO. 4) is performed. 0 "is detected. The power control unit 18 turns off the power of the shared device 20 via the power cable 32 if the power of all the computers is turned off according to the detection result from the detection circuit 16. Further, the control circuit 17 suppresses the output from the detection circuit 16 and causes the detection circuit 16 to output “0” only when the ICMP packet is transmitted at least once after the power is turned on to the shared device 20 and the presence or absence of the response is confirmed. .

Thus, when the power of the shared device 20 is turned on for the first time, or when the power of the shared device 20 is turned on after the detection circuit 16 detects "0" and is automatically turned off, the detection is performed. It is possible to prevent the circuit 16 from outputting “0” and the power control unit 18 from turning off the power of the shared device 20.

First, when the sharing device 20 is connected to the LAN 19, the computer is not
If there is no other party to send the P packet, or
Within a certain time after the power of the shared device 20 is turned on, the shared device 20
If the power of the computer sharing is not turned on, the power of the sharing device 20 is turned off.

FIG. 5 shows all the computers 21 (NO. 1) to 24 (NO. 1) sharing the shared device.
4) is powered on, and in response to the ICMP packet from the network adapter 1, a response packet is returned from all the computers 21 (NO. 1) to 24 (NO. 4) connected to the LAN 19. Is shown.

In this case, the computer 21 (NO. 1) in the connection information memory 15 of the network adapter 1
Since "1" is set in the response information field of the computer 24 (NO. 4) and the detection circuit 16 detects "1", the power of the shared device 20 is not turned off.

FIG. 6 shows that the computers 21 (NO. 1) to 23 (NO. 3) sharing the shared device are turned on, but the computer 24 (NO. 4) is turned off and the network is turned off. ICMP from adapter 1
This shows a case where a response packet is not returned only from the computer 24 (NO. 4) in response to the packet.

In this case, the computer 24 (NO. 4) in the connection information memory 15 of the network adapter 1
Is set to "0" in the response information field, and the computer 24 (NO. 4) is regarded as not operating. Response packets from other computers 21 (NO. 1) to 23 (NO. 3) have been received,
Computer 21 (NO. 1) of connection information memory 15-
Since "1" is set in the response information field of the computer 23 (NO. 4), the detection circuit 17 detects "1" and does not turn off the power of the shared device 20.

In FIG. 6, the computer 21 (NO. 1)
Although the response packet is received from the computer 23 (NO. 3), even if the response packet can be received only from any one computer, the detection circuit 17 detects "1" and Do not turn off the power.

FIG. 7 shows all the computers 21 (NO.
1)-When the computer 24 (NO. 4) is turned off and receives an ICMP packet from the network adapter 1,
From all computers connected to LAN 19,
Indicates that no response packet is returned.

In this case, the computer 21 (NO. 1) in the connection information memory 15 of the network adapter 1
Since "0" is set in the response information field of the computer 24 (NO. 4) and the detection circuit 16 detects "0", all the computers 21 (NO. 1) to 24 (NO. 4) Assuming that the device is not operating, the power of the shared device 20 is turned off.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the power of all the computers using the shared device 20 shared via the LAN 19 is turned off, the shared device 20 is automatically turned off. Since the power supply of the common device 20 is cut off, forgetting to turn off the power supply of the shared device 20 can be reliably prevented, and there is an effect of power saving. In addition, since the response test command PING of ICMP is used, there is no need to provide a complicated circuit or perform complicated control, and it is not necessary to change the computer connected to the network.
The prevention of forgetting to turn off the power of the sharing device 20 as described above can be realized at low cost.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the power of all information processing apparatuses using a shared device shared via a network is turned off, the shared device is automatically turned off. Since the power is turned off, forgetting to turn off the power of the shared device can be reliably prevented, and there is an effect of power saving.

The ICMP response test command PIN
Since G is used, there is no need to provide a complicated circuit or perform complicated control, and there is no need to modify the information processing device connected to the network. It is possible to inexpensively prevent forgetting to drop or erase.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a network adapter with an automatic power off function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a network system in which a shared device is shared by a plurality of computers using a network adapter with an automatic power off function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration example of a connection information memory according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a network system in which a plurality of computers share a sharing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a case where all computers sharing the sharing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention are powered on.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a case where a plurality of computers sharing a shared device according to an embodiment of the present invention are powered on / powered off.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a case where all computers sharing the sharing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention are powered off.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 network adapter 11 LAN interface unit 12 shared interface unit 13 ICMP unit 14 timer 15 connection information memory 16 detection circuit 17 control circuit 18 power supply control unit 19 LAN 20 sharing device 21 to 24 computer

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A shared device power control device for controlling the power of a shared device shared by a plurality of information processing devices via a network, comprising: communication means for communicating with each of the information processing devices; and communication by the communication means. Detecting means for detecting whether or not the power of all of the information processing apparatuses using the shared device is turned off, based on the detection of power off of all of the information processing apparatuses by the detecting means; Power supply control means for turning off the power of the shared device. 2. The communication means according to claim 1, further comprising: an ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) between each of the information processing apparatuses.
The shared device power supply control device according to claim 1, wherein the shared device power supply control device performs communication of a packet specified in l) and supports a response test command PING (Packet Internetwork Groper). 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information processing apparatus communicates a packet specified by the ICMP with a communication partner apparatus and supports the response test command PING. A power supply control device for a shared device according to claim 1. 4. Further, identification information of each information processing apparatus,
A response date, a storage unit in which a response status of the packet is stored, the communication unit stores a response result of each of the information processing devices in the storage unit, and the detection unit stores the response result in the storage unit. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: detecting whether or not all of the information processing apparatuses using the shared device are turned off based on a response status of the packet.
4. The power supply control device for a shared device according to any one of claims 3 to 3. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit stores the identification information of the information processing apparatus in the storage unit when the information is accessed from an information processing apparatus that does not store the identification information in the storage unit. 5. The shared device power control device according to item 4. 6. The storage unit according to claim 3, wherein the communication unit stores the date of last response to the response test command PING for each of the information processing devices in the storage unit. Power supply control device for shared equipment. 7. The shared device power control device according to claim 1, wherein the shared device is a printer or a hard disk device. 8. The network includes a LAN (Local Arrangement).
8. The power supply control device for a shared device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply control device is a shared device power control device. 9. A shared device power control method for controlling the power of a shared device shared by a plurality of information processing devices via a network, comprising: a communication step of communicating with each of the information processing devices; A detection step of detecting whether or not the power of all of the information processing apparatuses using the shared device is turned off, based on the detection of the power off of all of the information processing apparatuses in the detection step A power control step of turning off the power of the shared device.