JP2002251286A - Remote modification system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remotely perform the total replacement of the program of a processor at a remote location, to shorten transfer time and to facilitate the restoration work of modification. SOLUTION: After the entire set of the programs required for operating the processor is remotely transferred to the unused auxiliary storage device area of the processor, the processor is stopped and the processor is restarted from the transferred program. Further, in the case of modifying a plurality of the processors, the time is shortened by multi-address transmitting the same program part. Also, in the case of restoring the processor to an original state due to a modification failure or the like, the processor is stopped and the processor is restarted from the original program.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote repair system and method, and more particularly to a remote repair system and method for repairing a software program of a processing device installed in a remote place via a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example is disclosed in JP-A-2000-14845.
There are five. In this conventional example, the latest version of software or data is downloaded to station equipment, and the software and data of each station equipment are automatically updated. Another conventional remote repair method is disclosed in JP-A-7-175.
As described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 662, an apparatus for distributing a repaired software program and a repaired processing apparatus are connected to each other by communication means, and repair is performed in the following procedure. (1) Obtain the status before the repair, such as the version of the software program before the repair installed on the repaired processing device, and (2)
The difference between the acquired pre-repair software program and the refurbished software program is extracted. (3) The extracted difference is transmitted from the distribution device to the refurbished processing device. Replace with the pre-repair software program currently used in the processor.

[0003]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention
No. 455 downloads the latest version of software or data and erases previous versions of software or data. However, a request to use the latest one and the old one separately is not available because the old one is deleted. In addition, since it is automatically switched to the latest one, it is not possible to freely switch from the conventional one to the latest one for the convenience of the user. Furthermore, there are a plurality of processing devices in which software is installed,
There is no description on the viewpoint of distributing the modified software to them at the same time.

In the remote repair method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-175662, there is a need to always grasp the state of the processing apparatus before the repair before transmitting the repair software program.
Furthermore, some software programs, such as programs that are always used, are difficult to replace by remote repair. In addition, if there are multiple units to be refurbished to be refurbished, the above grasping work is repeated for the refurbished units,
It is necessary to separately prepare software program differences suitable for each processing device, and to transmit those differences individually. When the repair fails and the original state is restored, it is necessary to extract the difference of the replaced software program, and the returning operation itself is not easy. Therefore, if the repair is successful, a completely wasteful preparation work is required, such as preparing a return work program in advance that assumes that the repair will fail.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote refurbishment system and method that allows selective use of a suite of software before and after refurbishment. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a remote repair system and method which does not require mutual checking of a set of software before and after the repair.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a plurality of processing devices in which a software program is installed, a distribution device connected to the processing device by communication means, and transmitting a modified software program of the processing device at the time of remote modification. Equipment and
A storage device group connected to the processing device and having two or more areas for storing a set of software required for the operation of the processing device; and a set of two software sets distributed from the distribution device. One of the above software storage areas
Means for storing data in two free storage areas.

Further, the present invention provides a plurality of processing devices in which a software program is installed, a distribution device connected to the processing device via communication means, and transmitting a modified software program of the processing device at the time of remote modification, A storage device group connected to the device and having two or more areas for storing a set of software necessary for the operation of the processing device, and one of the two or more software storage regions
Switching means for selecting one of them, the software set distributed from the distribution apparatus is stored in the free storage area selected by the switching means at the time of distribution, and the switching means is selected by the processing means when the software set is read by the processing apparatus. Disclosed is a remote repair method characterized by reading a set of software for a storage area into a processing device.

[0008]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described below. Here, a case will be described as an example in which a distributed processing device for managing the operation of a train is modified, but the modification can be similarly performed with other devices.

First, a network configuration diagram of the train operation management system is shown in FIG. Reference numeral 11 denotes a central terminal, which is located at a central command center. 12 to 14 are station processing devices arranged at each station. Normally, by transmitting and receiving data between the station processing devices 12 and 14 and between the central terminal 11 and the station processing devices 12 to 14 via the 15 local area networks, the monitoring of the train operation status and the train operation are disrupted. The timetable can be changed at the central command center. At the time of remote renovation, a distribution device 16 (located at a central command center) is connected to the local area network 15 in order to transmit a renewal version of the software program, and distribution is performed to remotely operate the station processing devices 12 to 14 and the distribution device 16. An external terminal 18 (located in a maker factory) is connected to the apparatus 16 via a public line 17.

Next, details of each device will be described. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the station processing devices 12 to 14. FIG.
In the figure, 21 is a station processing device main body, 22 and 23 are auxiliary storage devices connected to the station processing device main body 21, 22 is a hard disk A for storing a set of software, and 23 is a hard disk B for storing a set of software. Reference numeral 24 denotes a switch for designating a hard disk to read a software program when the station processing device is started. The switch 24 may be a soft switch (for example, a function of informing the execution program of a disk (A or B) that is not currently used in the processing device is provided in the processing device, and the switch is switched by software). By switching the switch 24, the hard disk for reading the software program can be switched. In normal operation, a hard disk, for example, A22, from which a software program is read when starting the station processing apparatus is used, and the other hard disk, hard disk B, is not accessed. The software programs to be installed in the station processing devices 12 to 14 are all the station processing devices 1 to be repaired.
The operation common to the stations 2 to 14 is realized by selecting and using the data portion in the software program for each station processing device, thereby realizing the operation unique to each station processing device. Therefore, the software renovation is performed by all station processing units 12 to 1 to be renovated.
4 Performed by broadcast transmission. As a result, if the software program is transmitted only once from the distribution device 16, the transmission of the modified software program to all the station processing devices 12 to 14 is completed, and the transmission time is reduced to one-fourth of the number of station processing devices. Can be.

FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the distribution device 16. 31 is the distribution device main body, 32 is the built-in hard disk,
33 is a hard disk for storing a set of software. The built-in hard disk 32 stores an OS for operating the distribution device main body 31, a program for distributing a modified software program, and the like. The hard disk 33 for storing a set of software includes modification of the station processing devices 12 to 14. Stores a version software program, that is, a set of software to be distributed.

Next, a procedure for remote repair of the system configured as described above will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the remote repair procedure. When the software modification of the station processing devices 12 to 14 becomes necessary, first, in step A-1, the station processing devices 12 to 1 including the modified program are included.
The entire set of software programs required to operate 4 is created at the manufacturer factory.

In step A-2, step A-
The program created in 1 is stored in the external hard disk 33 of the distribution device 16. As a storage method, a set of software is transmitted from the external terminal 18 to the distribution device 16 using a public line (ISDN or the like) and stored, and a set of software is stored in a storage medium such as an external hard disk or a DVD and distributed. A method of reading the data into the device 16, storing a set of software in a laptop computer or the like in the maker factory, bringing it to the central command room, connecting to the distribution device 16 by communication means,
There is a method of storing the software in the hard disk 33 for storing a set of software.

Next, in step A-3, a set of software is transmitted from the distribution device 16 to the station processing devices 12 to 14 by remote operation of the distribution device 16 or direct operation of the distribution device 16 from the external terminal 18 via a public line. Broadcast to the hard disk that has not done so. At this time, the distribution device 16
Specifies that the software program is a modified version software program, and sends a broadcast to the station processing devices 12 to 14 with a serial number. Also, at the time of transmission, the software programs are transmitted with a lower priority and lower transfer speed so as not to hinder normal communication between the station processing devices and between the central terminal 11 and the station processing devices. The station processing devices 12 to 14 perform serial number management and error detection of the received modified software program, manage unreceivable or erroneous software programs, and place a software program at a predetermined location when the received program is normal. Save the program. When receiving the unreceivable or erroneous software program, the station processing device returns the unreceivable or erroneous signal and the serial number of the software program to the distribution device 16.

In step A-4, the software programs that need to be retransmitted in step A-3 are individually retransmitted to distribute the modified software programs to the station processing devices 12 to 14 without fail. Note that, also here, the distribution device 16 performs transmission by lowering the priority and the transfer speed so as not to hinder communication between normal processing devices.

In step A-5, each station processing device is remotely operated in order from the external terminal 18 via the distribution device 16 to rewrite the first read portion of the hard disk at the time of restart, and the software is transmitted. Set to boot from the hard disk on the side.

In step A-6, the station processing units 12 to 14 are restarted during the intermission period when the train is not running, thereby starting up the station processing unit as a remotely modified software. If, after executing step A-6, there is a defect in the repair software and the user wants to return to the original software program, the hard disk to be used is set to be the hard disk on which the software before the repair is stored, and again. By restarting the station processing equipment,
It is possible to easily return to the state before the renovation.

According to the above-mentioned method, the processing devices installed in dozens of stations far apart from each other can be simultaneously transmitted without dispatching people to the site during a few hours at night when the train does not run at all. Software renovation can be performed.

[0019]

[Effects of the Invention] The complete set of modified software is transferred to the processing unit
By making the software program used by the processing device after the restart of the processing device the modified software program, it is possible to remotely execute the software only by restarting the device without investigating the state of the pre-repair software in the processing device. There is an effect that can be renovated. In addition, the remote repair has the effect that a constantly used program that is difficult to repair can be repaired in the same procedure as other programs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of devices involved in remote repair of a station processing device in a network configuration of a train operation management system.

FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the station processing device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the distribution device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure of remote repair in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Central terminal 12, 13, 14 Station processing apparatus 15 Local area network 16 Distribution apparatus 17 Public line 18 External terminal 21 Station processing apparatus main body 22 Hard disk A for software complete storage 23 Hard disk B for software complete storage 24 Used hard disk changeover switch 31 Distribution Main unit 32 Built-in hard disk 33 Hard disk for storing software

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Tomita 5-2-1, Omikacho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Within the Information Control Systems Division, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Naoki Miwa Omika, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture 5-2-1, Machi-cho, Ltd. Information Control Systems Division, Hitachi, Ltd. F-term (reference) 5B076 BB06 EA18

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of processing devices in which a software program is installed, a distribution device connected to the processing device by a communication unit, and transmitting a modified software program of the processing device at the time of remote modification, and a connection to the processing device. A storage device group in which two or more areas for storing a set of software necessary for the operation of the processing device are secured; and a set of software distributed from the distribution device for storing the two or more software. Means for storing the data in one of the free storage areas. 2. A plurality of processing devices in which a software program is installed, a distribution device connected to the processing device by communication means, and transmitting a modified software program of the processing device at the time of remote modification, and a connection to the processing device. A storage device group in which two or more areas for storing a set of software necessary for the operation of the processing device are secured, and a switch for selecting one of the two or more software storage regions. Means for storing the set of software distributed from the distribution device in the free storage area selected by the switching means at the time of distribution, and the storage area selected by the switching means at the time of reading the set of software by the processing device. A remote repair method characterized by loading a set of software into a processing device. 3. When modifying a plurality of processing devices, if the same software program part exists in a modified software program of each processing device to be transmitted, the part is transmitted from the distribution device. 3. The remote repair method according to claim 2, wherein broadcast transmission is performed. 4. The processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing apparatus has a switching function of switching means for determining which area of the storage device group reads the software program when the processing apparatus is started. Remote renovation method. 5. The remote repair method according to claim 2, wherein the distribution of the software program is performed even when all devices are operating online. 6. The remote repair method according to claim 2, wherein, when distributing the software program during online operation, the transfer rate can be adjusted according to the line usage. 7. A remote repair method for switching a switching unit to return to an original state when returning to a software program before repair such as when a defect of a repair software program is found after repair of the processing device. .