JP2004038830A - Remote monitoring control system, operation method therefor, and its program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote monitoring control system capable of minimizing problems of reliability, a lifetime, and a usage environment in an automated control site. <P>SOLUTION: This remote monitoring control system is constructed of a remote monitoring control device and an external memory device. The remote monitoring control device consists of a computing machine system having a network, a transmission means transmitting/receiving information to/from the network, a read-only non-volatile memory storing software for initial starting time, a freely readable/writable volatile memory used in an ordinary time, and a central computing device controlling them. The external memory device is provided with a transmission means transmitting/receiving information to/from the remote monitoring device via the network and a non-volatile memory means storing program data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a remote monitoring control system configured by a computer system for exchanging information via a network, an operation method of the remote monitoring control system, and a program thereof.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a remote monitoring and control device configured by a computer system installed in a control center or the like must automatically start up even when power is momentarily interrupted, and a relatively short-lived fan or hard disk such as a hard disk. Items that require maintenance at short intervals are not suitable for use. For this reason, the storage of the program of the remote monitoring control device and the memory required for the operation of the program are constituted by semiconductor ROM and RAM which do not require maintenance.
[0003]
Hereinafter, two conventional remote monitoring and control devices will be described with reference to hardware configuration diagrams shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively. The illustrated example is applicable to both the master station device and the slave station device.
[0004]
In FIG. 6, reference numeral 10 denotes a remote monitoring and control device substantially constituted by a computer system, which includes a central processing unit (hereinafter, referred to as an arithmetic processing unit) 11 and a non-volatile memory ( A ROM (hereinafter abbreviated as ROM) 12, a readable / writable memory (hereinafter abbreviated as RAM) 13 for storing the operation of the program and various information, and a peripheral device 14 required for the functions of other devices.
[0005]
In the configuration of FIG. 6, a series of operations from the start of the remote monitoring control device 10 to the functional operation will be described.
When the power of the remote monitoring control device, that is, the computer system 10 is turned on and the arithmetic processing unit 11 is in an operating state, the arithmetic processing unit 11 reads out the program stored in the ROM 12, and reads the program stored in the ROM 12, Initialization processing is performed between the arithmetic processing unit 11 and the RAM 13. After the initialization processing is normally completed, the arithmetic processing unit 11 reads out a program for executing a predetermined function as the remote monitoring control device 10 from the ROM 12 and executes the predetermined function using the RAM 13 and the peripheral device 14. Let it run.
[0006]
Further, another conventional example will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 10 'denotes a remote monitoring and control apparatus substantially constituted by a computer system. The hardware configuration of the remote monitoring and controlling apparatus is substantially the same as that of FIG. An external memory 15 for storing is connected to a bus. The bus-connected external memory 15 is generally constituted by a mechanical disk (hereinafter abbreviated as a disk) for reading and writing with magnetism or light.
[0007]
Next, a description will be given of a process from the start-up of the remote monitoring control device in this configuration to the operation of the device function.
When the remote monitoring control device is started, the arithmetic processing unit 11 operates a program for initializing hardware stored in the ROM 12, and then executes various programs stored in the disk 15 by a program called boot. A program for processing the above function is read out to the RAM 13, and a predetermined function as an apparatus is executed using the program stored in the RAM 13.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional device shown in FIG. 6 described above, the size of the storage area of the ROM 12 for storing the program is limited by the space on the board and the price of the ROM 12, so that the amount of information processed by the ROM 12 and the function to be processed are limited. There is a limit. In particular, it is almost impossible to store information for a so-called graphic screen, such as a system diagram of equipment and devices to be monitored and controlled by a graphic display in recent years, and a status display of device symbols on the system diagram. .
[0009]
On the other hand, in the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 7, since the disk 15 is connected to the bus, there is no problem in the size of the program and the area for operating the program, and it is easy to operate the display of the graphic screen and other functions. Can be. However, since the disk 15 for storing programs and serving as an auxiliary memory of the RAM 13 is generally of a mechanical type, the reliability, the life, and the use environment are lower than those of an apparatus composed of only semiconductors as shown in FIG. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to install such a control sheet in an unmanned control book or the like.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the related art, and has a reliability, a life, and a remote monitoring control system capable of minimizing a problem of a use environment, an operation method of the remote monitoring control system, and The purpose is to provide the program.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention of a remote monitoring control system according to claim 1 is a remote monitoring control system configured to connect a remote monitoring control device configured by a computer system to a network to exchange information, Transmission means for exchanging information with the network, a read-only non-volatile memory storing software at the time of initial startup, a read-write free volatile memory used in normal times, and a central processing unit controlling these A remote monitoring control device including a device and an external memory device including a transmission control unit that exchanges information with the remote monitoring control device via the network and a nonvolatile memory unit that stores program data. It is characterized by comprising.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, an initialization program area and a boot program area are provided in a read-only nonvolatile memory provided in the remote monitoring and control device, and are used in normal times. A function program data area, a work area, and a storage area are provided in a volatile memory that can be freely read and written, and a function program data area, a work area, and a storage area corresponding to the remote monitoring control device are provided in a nonvolatile memory of the external memory device. It is characterized by having been provided.
[0013]
According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, part of the program data necessary for the remote monitoring control device is stored in an external memory device separately provided via a network, and the rest is remotely monitored. Since the data is stored in a non-volatile memory such as a ROM, a RAM, and a hard disk in the control device, the non-volatile memory in the remote monitoring control device can be made compact and highly reliable.
[0014]
In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the remote monitoring control system according to the first or second aspect, wherein a power supply backup is provided to the remote monitoring control device so as to make a part or all of the readable and writable volatile memory non-volatile. Means are provided.
[0015]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the program data in the area A13-1 on the volatile memory which is freely readable and writable is prevented from being volatilized by the power supply backup means at the time of restarting for failure or maintenance. Without performing a read operation to the external memory device, it is possible to immediately start up by the functional program data stored in the volatile memory area where the read / write is free.
[0016]
Further, the invention of a remote monitoring control system according to a fourth aspect is characterized in that, in the first, second or third aspect, the external memory device connected to the network is shared by a plurality of the remote monitoring and control devices.
[0017]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a set of external memory devices can be shared by a plurality of remote monitoring control devices, so that a more economical system can be constructed.
[0018]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for operating a remote monitoring control system, comprising: a transmission unit for exchanging information with a network; a read-only nonvolatile memory storing software at an initial startup; A remote monitoring and control device including a read / write free volatile memory used at the time and a central processing unit for controlling the volatile memory, a transmission control means and a program for transmitting and receiving information to and from the remote monitoring and control device via the network. An external memory device having a non-volatile memory means for storing data, which is stored in a read-only non-volatile memory provided in the remote monitoring control device when the remote monitoring control device is initialized. Program data for operating the remote monitoring control device stored in the external memory device by a boot program After storing in the volatile memory of the read out self-device, and wherein the operating the self-device functions by the read program.
[0019]
According to the present invention, a part of the program data necessary for the remote monitoring control device is stored in an external memory device separately provided via a network, and the rest is stored in the remote monitoring control device. The program can be stored in a non-volatile memory such as a ROM, a RAM, a hard disk or the like, and at the time of startup, program data can be read from an external memory device to operate a functional program.
[0020]
Further, the invention of a method for operating a remote monitoring control system according to claim 6 comprises a transmission means for exchanging information with a network, a read-only nonvolatile memory storing software at the time of initial startup, and A read / write volatile memory used at the time, a central processing unit for controlling the volatile memory, a remote monitoring control device including a power supply backup unit for making a part or all of the read / write volatile memory non-volatile, An external memory device having a transmission control means for exchanging information with the remote monitoring control device via a network, and a non-volatile memory means for storing program data, when the remote monitoring control device is initialized An external memory device on a network by a boot program in which the read-only nonvolatile memory is stored. The stored program for operating the remote monitoring control device is read out via the transmission control means and stored in a non-volatile readable and writable memory of the remote monitoring control device. The function of the remote monitoring control device is operated by a program that is present.
[0021]
According to the invention of claim 6, if the program data stored in the nonvolatile memory means is not volatilized and the stored contents are not changed, the function program is immediately started. If the program data is volatilized or changed, the program data can be read from the external memory device to activate the functional program.
[0022]
Further, according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a computer system is connected to a network by means for initializing hardware and a boot program stored in a read-only nonvolatile memory. Means for reading the program data for operating the remote monitoring control device stored in the external memory device and storing it in the volatile memory of the own device, means for operating the own device function by the read program, It is characterized by functioning as
[0023]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a remote monitoring control device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals or related reference numerals throughout the drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.
[0024]
(First Embodiment)
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a memory map, and FIG. 3 is a processing procedure diagram.
[0025]
FIG. 1 shows a remote monitoring control device 10A constituted by a substantial computer system to which a transmission means 16 such as a network interface (abbreviated as NW-IF in the drawing) is added, and a remote monitoring control device 10A separated from the remote monitoring control device 10A. A remote monitoring control system is constructed by connecting the external memory device 20 installed in the remote location and the remote monitoring control device 10A and the external memory device 20 by the transmission means 16 and the network 30. . Although FIG. 1 shows a state in which one remote monitoring control device 10A is installed in the network 30, it is assumed that a plurality (n) of remote monitoring control devices are actually connected.
[0026]
Incidentally, the configuration of the external memory device 20 is such that the nonvolatile memory means 22 such as a hard disk capable of storing a large amount of information, and the nonvolatile memory means 22 between the remote monitoring control device 10A via the network 30. And transmission control means (referred to as control in the figure) 21 for reading and writing stored contents.
[0027]
Next, the operation of the device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 2, A10 is a memory map of the remote monitoring control device 10A side. The ROM 12 has an initialization area A12-1 and a boot program area A12-2, and the RAM 13 has a function program / data area A13-1 and a work area. A13-2 and a storage area A13-3 are provided.
[0028]
On the other hand, A20 is a memory map on the external memory device 20 side. No. 1 ... No. Areas A22-11 to A22-1n for storing functional program data corresponding to n, a work area A22-2, and a storage area A22-3 are formed. The external memory device 20 always keeps the areas A22-11 to A22-1n for storing the function program data in an active state.
[0029]
In the remote monitoring control system configured as described above, when turning on the power to the remote monitoring control device 10A and starting up the arithmetic processing unit 11, the initialization program A12- stored in the ROM 12 in the device 10A in advance. 1 and the boot program A12-2, the arithmetic processing unit 11 operates according to the processing procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.
[0030]
In FIG. 3, when the remote monitoring control device 10A is started up (step S31), the hardware is initialized by the initialization program A12-1 in the ROM 12 (step S32). Then, the boot program A 12-2 is used to execute remote monitoring control from the functional program data stored in the area A 22-11 of the disk 22 of the external memory device 20 connected to the network 30 via the transmission unit 16. The function program data A22-11 relating to the device 10 is read and stored in the area A13-1 of the RAM 13 via the network 30 and the transmission means 16 (step S33).
[0031]
Then, using the information stored in the area A13-1 of the remote monitoring control device 10 from the external memory device 20, the arithmetic processing unit 11 starts the operation of the function of the remote monitoring control device 10A (step S34).
[0032]
By the way, when it is detected that the work area A13-2 and the storage information area A13-3 on the RAM 13 have insufficient free space by the well-known memory free space determination function provided in the arithmetic processing unit 11, Information that is not always needed is transferred to the work area A22-2 or the storage area A22-3 formed on the disk 22 of the external memory device 20 via the transmission means 16 and the network 30, and the work area on the RAM 13 is secured. To do. In addition, only when the remote monitoring and control device 10A is started up and when program data that is not always required is required, the remote monitoring and control device 10A is read from the external memory device 20 to the work area A13-2 of the remote monitoring and control device 10A and operated.
[0033]
As described above, in the related art, all the program data necessary for the remote monitoring control device 10A is stored in the non-volatile memory such as the ROM, the RAM, and the hard disk in the own device 10A. In the remote monitoring control device 10A, a part of the program data necessary for the remote monitoring control device 10A is stored in an external memory device 20 separately provided via a network, and the rest is stored in a ROM, a RAM, a hard disk in the remote monitoring control device 10A. Since the non-volatile memory is stored in a non-volatile memory such as, for example, the non-volatile memory in the remote monitoring control device 10A can be a compact and highly reliable device.
[0034]
When the maintenance of the remote monitoring control device 10A is performed, the program data for the remote monitoring control device 10A stored in the external memory device 20 connected to the network 30 is maintained, and the remote monitoring control device 10A is restarted. Alternatively, if the data is forcibly transferred from the external memory device 20 to the remote monitoring control device 10A, maintenance of the remote monitoring control device 10A can be performed.
[0035]
Therefore, for a plurality of (No. 1 to No. n) remote monitoring and control devices 10A connected to the network 30, the external memory device 20 having the large-capacity nonvolatile memory 22 also connected to the network 30 By providing one set, an effective system at lower cost can be constructed. In this case, by making the external memory device 20 redundant, the reliability can be further improved.
[0036]
(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The main difference between the present embodiment and the first embodiment is that, as is clear from FIG. 4, the present embodiment has a hardware configuration of the first embodiment and a power supply for backing up a power supply. A backup means (hereinafter abbreviated as BAT) 17 is added to prevent a part or all of the stored contents of the RAM 13 from being volatilized when the power of the remote monitoring control device 10A is stopped. The other configuration is the same, and the description is omitted.
[0037]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
As shown in the processing procedure of FIG. 5, when the remote monitoring control device 10A described in the first embodiment is started (step S51), the hardware is initialized by the initialization program A12-1 in the ROM 12. Is performed (step S52).
[0038]
Next, it is determined whether the information of the function program data in the area A13-1 of the RAM 13, which is nonvolatile by the BAT 17 of the remote monitoring control device 10A, is normal (step S53). As a result of this determination, if the non-volatile information is not normal (NO; at the time of a cold start with no information on the function program data), the area of the disk 22 of the external memory device 20 is determined in step S54 as in step S33 in FIG. The program data relating to the remote monitoring control device 10A is read from A23, stored as program data in the area A13-1 of the RAM 13, and the function program of the remote monitoring control device 10A starts operating.
[0039]
If the non-volatile information is normal in the determination step S53 described above (YES), it is checked in step S55 whether the external memory device 20 has been changed. Next, it is determined in step S56 whether or not the program data of the remote monitoring control device 10A has been changed due to maintenance or the like. If there is no change, that is, if maintenance is not performed (YES), the function of the remote monitoring control device 10A is immediately performed. The operation of the program starts. However, if the program data is changed after maintenance (NO), the process proceeds to step S54, where the program data A23 of the remote monitoring control device 10A is read from the area A23 of the disk 22 of the external memory device 20, and the RAM 13 is read. After storing as program data in the area A13-1, the function program of the remote monitoring control device 10A starts operation.
[0040]
As described above, in the present embodiment, at the time of restarting for failure or maintenance, the program data in the area A13-1 on the RAM 13 is not volatilized by the BAT 17, that is, a non-volatile condition (YES). In the case of (1), the read operation to the external memory device 20 is not performed, and the operation can be started immediately by the functional program data stored in the area A13-1 of the RAM 13.
[0041]
However, when the program data of the remote monitoring control device 10A is changed due to maintenance or the like, the program data is read out again from the external memory device 20 and the program data is stored in the area A13-1 of the RAM 13 as in the initial startup. After that, the functional program of the remote monitoring control device 10A starts operating with the correct program data.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention provides one or more remote monitoring control devices and a mechanical disk having dedicated or shared program data and a storage area or an external memory device having a large-capacity nonvolatile memory. By connecting via a network, the remote monitoring and control device does not need to have a mechanical non-volatile memory that has a limited life and operating environment, and is more reliable than the conventional system, and poses a problem in the installation environment. It is possible to provide a remote monitoring control system, a remote monitoring control system operating method, and a program thereof.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a memory map according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a hardware configuration diagram according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a first hardware configuration diagram of a conventional device.
FIG. 7 is a second hardware configuration diagram of a conventional device.
[Explanation of symbols]
10A: Remote monitoring control device, 11: Central processing unit, 12: Non-volatile memory, 13: Volatile memory that can be read and written, 14: Peripheral device, 15: External memory, 16: Transmission means, 17: Power supply backup means ( BAT), 20: external memory device, 21: control unit, 22: nonvolatile memory, 30: network, A10, A20: memory map.

Claims (7)

In a remote monitoring and control system in which a remote monitoring and control device configured by a computer system is connected to a network to exchange information,
Transmission means for exchanging information with the network, a read-only non-volatile memory storing software at the time of initial startup, a read-write free volatile memory used in normal times, and a central processing unit controlling these A remote monitoring control device comprising a device;
A remote monitoring control system comprising: a transmission control means for transmitting and receiving information to and from the remote monitoring control device via the network; and an external memory device having a non-volatile memory means for storing program data. . An initialization program area and a boot program area are provided in a read-only nonvolatile memory provided in the remote monitoring control device, and a function program data area, a work area, and a storage area are provided in a readable and writable volatile memory that is used in normal times. 2. The remote monitoring control system according to claim 1, wherein a functional program data area, a work area, and a storage area corresponding to the remote monitoring control device are provided in a nonvolatile memory of the external memory device. 3. The remote monitoring and control system according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply backup unit for making the read / write free volatile memory part or all non-volatile to the remote monitoring and control device. 4. The remote monitoring control system according to claim 1, wherein an external memory device connected to the network is shared by the plurality of remote monitoring control devices. Transmission means for exchanging information with the network, read-only non-volatile memory storing software at the time of initial startup, read-write free volatile memory used in normal times, and a central processing unit for controlling these A remote monitoring and control device comprising:
An external memory device having a non-volatile memory means for storing program data and transmission control means for exchanging information with the remote monitoring control device via the network,
When the remote monitoring control device is initialized, the remote monitoring control stored in the external memory device is performed by a boot program stored in a read-only nonvolatile memory provided in the remote monitoring control device. A method for operating a remote monitoring control system, comprising: reading out program data for operating an apparatus, storing the read out program data in a volatile memory of the own apparatus, and operating the own apparatus function by the read program. Transmission means for exchanging information with the network, read-only non-volatile memory storing software at the time of initial startup, read-write free volatile memory used in normal times, and a central processing unit for controlling these And a remote monitoring and control device comprising a power supply backup unit for making part or all of the read / write free volatile memory non-volatile,
An external memory device having a non-volatile memory means for storing program data and transmission control means for exchanging information with the remote monitoring control device via the network,
At the time of initialization of the remote monitoring control device, a program for operating the remote monitoring control device stored in an external memory device on a network is transmitted by a boot program in which the read-only nonvolatile memory is stored. After reading through the control means and storing it in a non-volatile readable and writable memory of the remote monitoring control device, the function of the remote monitoring control device is operated by the stored program while the memory is stored. The operation method of the remote monitoring control system. Computer system,
Means to initialize the hardware,
A boot program stored in a read-only nonvolatile memory reads program data for operating the remote monitoring control device stored in an external memory device connected to the network, and reads the program data. Means for storing in a volatile memory of the
Means for operating the own device function by the read program,
Remote monitoring and control system program to function as

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