JP2005295403A - Apparatus and system for automatically setting node information - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus and a system for automatically setting node information in which conventional manual work can be reduced as little as possible to shorten a working time, and furthermore, work errors can be reduced. <P>SOLUTION: Node identification information held in each of a plurality of nodes and transmission relation information indicating a transmission relation of transmission data transmitted between the plurality of nodes are stored and if a new node is added, node identification information of the added node is compared with the stored transmission relation information. A node for which the added node becomes a destination to transmit the transmission data is discriminated from the plurality of nodes, and the added node is set as the destination to transmit the transmission data to transmission data unit information held by the discriminated node. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  In the present invention, new addition / replacement / deletion of a node in a system in which a plurality of nodes are connected on a LAN, and new addition / recipient change / deletion of a transmission data unit in the node when there is no change in the node itself. The present invention relates to a node information automatic setting device and a node information automatic setting system.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a method for managing a system having a plurality of nodes connected to a network such as a LAN, the following settings are required when adding or replacing a node in the system.

  First, (1) the system assigns a unique logical address to a newly added or exchanged node. For the replaced node, the same value is assigned to the logical address before the replacement. (2) Change the transmission identification (logical address and number or channel number identifying the transmission data unit) of the transmission data unit whose transmission destination is changed due to new addition or replacement. The node for changing the transmission identification is performed not only for a newly added or exchanged node, but also for other nodes that are newly added / changed in units of transmission data and changed the other party by adding / changing the node.

On the other hand, when deleting a node in the system, the above-described setting (2) is necessary. That is, the transmission identification (logical address and number or channel number identifying the transmission data unit) of the transmission data unit whose transmission destination is changed due to the deletion is changed. The node that changes the transmission identification also performs the other node whose transmission is stopped in units of transmission data by deleting the node (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-143843.

  However, regarding (1) described above, for example, in the case of Ethernet, the logical address corresponds to an IP address. Conventionally, this IP address allocation can be considered as follows. When setting with hardware such as switches, when setting through HMI, when assigning a free IP address automatically through the management node, etc.

  When setting with hardware such as switches, there is an advantage that the setting can be easily confirmed visually, but since the number of digits of the IP address is large, it is necessary to determine all the digits with switches for general use. Increase the price of hardware, increase work time, and increase misconfigurations. There is also an example in which only the host ID is set by a switch, but conversely, versatility is lost. Also, setting through the HMI lowers the hardware price, but increases the working time and makes it difficult to check the logical address setting of the node.

  Further, in the prior art, since a logical address of a node is indefinite because a free IP address is allocated, it is necessary to determine the logical address by another means in order to perform communication. In the Internet, this is a technology that uses a URL, but this technology is not practical in a control system that aims at high speed, simplicity, and low cost.

  Regarding (2) described above, conventionally, an HMI is used for each node and each transmission data unit manually, and this is a method used for a control system in which transmission is performed in transmission data units. However, since the method (1) is not automated by the control system, the operation (2) cannot be automated.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above circumstances, and its object is to provide node information capable of minimizing conventional manual work, shortening work time, and reducing work mistakes. An object is to provide an automatic setting device and a node information automatic setting system.

  The present invention solves this problem, and the present invention includes node identification information that can be identified on a network and transmission data unit information that is information of a transmission data unit transmitted on the network. A node information automatic setting system in which a plurality of nodes to be held and a node information automatic setting device in which one or more of the plurality of nodes are set as management nodes are connected on the network, the node information The automatic setting device includes storage means for storing node identification information held by each of the plurality of nodes and transmission relation information indicating a transmission relation of transmission data transmitted between the plurality of nodes, and the node information When a new node is added to the automatic setting system, the node identification information of the added node is stored in the storage means. Compared with transmission-related information, among the plurality of nodes, a determination unit that determines a node to which the added node is a transmission data transmission destination and a node determined by the determination unit hold Setting means for setting the added node as a transmission destination of transmission data for the transmission data unit information.

  Therefore, the present invention stores node identification information held by each of a plurality of nodes and transmission relation information indicating a transmission relation of transmission data transmitted between the plurality of nodes, and a new node is added. The node identification information of the added node is compared with the stored transmission relation information, and the node to which the added node is the transmission data transmission destination is determined from among the plurality of nodes. The added node is set as the transmission destination of the transmission data in the transmission data unit information held by the node. For this reason, manual work can be reduced as much as possible, work time can be shortened, and work errors can be reduced.

  According to the present invention, manual work can be reduced as much as possible, work time can be shortened, and work errors can be reduced.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a node information automatic setting system to which a node information automatic setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

  The node information automatic setting system of the present invention is configured such that a management node 20 as a node information automatic setting device and a plurality of general nodes (general nodes 1 to n) are connected to a network such as a LAN 10.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the exchange data exchanged on the LAN 10 to which the management node 20 and a plurality of general nodes are connected is, as shown in FIG. 2, a counterpart node information storage area 11 for storing information on a destination node, An identification number storage area 12 for storing information indicating the transmission data itself and a transfer parameter storage area 13 for storing various parameters of the transmission data itself are provided.

  Further, among the plurality of general nodes, for example, the general node 1 includes a storage unit 31 and a control unit 32 as shown in FIG. The storage means 31 includes a node identification name storage area 31a for storing a unique node identification name assigned to each general node, a physical address storage area 31b for storing physical address information of the general node 1, and the general node 1 A logical address storage area 31c for storing the logical address information. The control unit 32 includes a communication function unit 32a that exchanges data with the outside, a node identification name setting unit 32b that sets the identification name of each node, a data write processing unit 32c that writes data to each storage area of the storage unit 31, An attribute transmission processing unit 32d that transmits various attribute information, an activation processing unit 32e that activates the general node 1, and an interim reception processing unit 32f that performs interim data reception.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the management node 20 includes a storage unit 21 and a control unit 22. The storage means 21 stores a node information storage area 21a for storing identification information of the management node 20 itself, a physical address storage area 21b for storing physical address information of the management node 20, and logical address information of the management node 20. A logical address storage area 21c for storing is provided. The control means 22 writes address information such as a communication function unit 22a that exchanges data with the outside, a data transmission setting unit 22b that sets a transmission data transmission destination such as transmission data, and a transmission destination such as transmission data. An address write processing unit 22c, an attribute search processing unit 22d that searches for various attribute information such as transmission data, an attribute reception processing unit 22e that receives various attribute information, and an interim reception processing unit 22f that receives data intermittently. .

  Further, the node information storage area 21a of the management node 20 includes a database. In this database, node information corresponding to each of a plurality of general nodes is stored. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, data corresponding to a plurality of general nodes is stored as node information 1, node information 2,. Each node information storage area includes a node identification name storage area 41, a physical address storage area 42, and a logical address storage area 43 like the node information 1.

  Note that the above-described node identification name may be a character string representing the function of the node, or a switch may be provided in the node, a different value may be set for each node, and the value may be used as the node identification. It is also possible to combine the two to combine a node model number and a unique number for each set of model numbers. Further, the contents of the logical address storage area 31c of the storage means 31 of the general node 1 are not set when the node is manufactured, but are set by the management node 20 when added or exchanged to the system. The node identifier is set when a node is added, before the additional procedure begins. The logical address is assigned to be unique in the system before going to write the logical address to the general node. The physical address is obtained later.

  Further, the logical address of the management node 20 is determined before the management node 20 starts communication, and is stored in the logical address storage area 21 c of the storage unit 21. The physical address is determined when the management node 20 is manufactured and stored in the physical address storage area 21b of the storage unit 21.

  Also, one or more nodes having setting information of other nodes among the plurality of nodes are set in the system as setting information holding nodes.

  Next, a procedure for adding a new general node to the system and establishing communication will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, there are three possible causes for starting the above procedure.

First, the procedure starts when the activation processing unit 32e of one general node 1 among the plurality of general nodes connected to the LAN 10 is activated, for example. Thereafter, the procedure is periodically performed until communication is established.

  Second, the general node 1 is provided with external input means such as a keyboard, and the procedure is started by an input operation from the external input means.

  The third starts when the management node 20 is operated. In this case, for example, the attribute inquiry is performed by broadcast communication.

  Next, the general node 1 transmits its attribute information to the management node 20 via the communication function unit 32a by the attribute transmission processing unit 32d of the general node 1 due to the above-described factors. The attribute information is the node identification name stored in the node identification name storage area 31a and the physical address information stored in the physical address storage area 31b. The management node 20 receives the attribute information of the general node 1 by the attribute reception processing unit 22e via the communication function unit 22a. The attribute search processing unit 22d of the management node 20 searches for information that matches the attribute information received from node information (here, node 1 and node 2) for each general node set in advance. When the matching attribute information is found, the address writing processing unit 22c of the management node 20 stores the logical address of the general node corresponding to the found attribute information in the predetermined storage area of the general node 1, for example, the general node. Write and store.

  In communication up to this procedure, communication is performed using a physical address or broadcast, but thereafter, communication is performed using a logical address.

  In the predetermined storage area of the management node 20 in which the logical address is written, the logical address is transmitted to the general node 1 by the data transmission setting unit 22b via the communication function unit 22a. At this time, the physical address of the management node 20 itself stored in the physical address storage area 21b of the management node 20 and the logical address of the management node 20 itself stored in the logical address storage area 21c of the management node 20 are added. Then send. The general node 1 receives the logical address via the communication function unit 32a by the intermittent reception processing unit 32f. In addition, the received logical address is written and stored in the logical address storage area 31c of the general node 1 by the data write processing unit 32c.

  Next, when there is a general node on the LAN 10 where the node identification name cannot be set, the setting is performed according to the procedure shown in FIG.

  First, a setting node 50 that can arbitrarily set a node identification name is prepared. The physical address or logical address of the setting node 50 is assumed to be known from the management node 20. When this setting node 50 is prepared, the procedure for setting a general node (for example, the general node 49) for which a node identification name cannot be set is as follows.

  First, the factors for starting the procedure are the same as described above. Due to this factor, the attribute transmission processing unit 32d of the general node 49 transmits the physical address stored in the physical address storage area 31b of the general node 49 to the setting node 50 via the communication function unit 32a. The intermediate reception processing unit 52f that has received the physical address stores the node identification name of the general node 49 in a predetermined storage area.

  Next, the management node 20 inquires about the node identification name of the general node 49 added to the setting node 50 by accessing the setting node 50. The subsequent steps are the same as those in FIG.

  By this procedure, it is possible to automate the addition of general nodes for which node identification names cannot be set. In particular, since it is not necessary to set node information when replacing a general node, it is only necessary to set the node identification name of the general node, and the node setting process can be performed efficiently.

  Next, a method for adding a destination in units of transmission data between nodes will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a node information automatic setting system to which the node information automatic setting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. A management node Z as a management node and a general node A, a general node B, and a general node C as a plurality of general nodes are connected on the LAN 10. The names of these nodes may be node identification names, or correspond one-to-one with node identification names that are unique in the system. In this embodiment, the management node Z, the general node A, the general node B, and the general node C are used for convenience. In addition, when the transmission destination of transmission data from a certain node is set to have a non-existing node (transmission destination node) as the receiving side (for example, the node connected on the LAN 10 is the management node Z, In the case of the node A and the general node C, when the general node B is set as the transmission destination of the transmission data), the transmission destination node is set even if the transmission destination node (general node B) does not exist. Keep it. This is because even if this setting is made, there is no influence.

  For example, a case where a new general node B is added while the management node Z, the general node A, and the general node C (the general node B is not connected) is connected on the LAN 10 will be described. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a transmission relation table (transmission relation information) stored in a predetermined area of its storage means by the management node Z. In this transmission relation table, transmission data transmission sources, transmission destinations, and identification numbers of transmission data units are associated. For example, in FIG. 9, if the transmission source of the transmission data with the identification number (1) is A-1, IX1 of the general node A is the transmission source, and if the transmission destination is Z-1, It is transmitted to the management node Z as IX1. For example, when the transmission source of the transmission data with the identification number (2) is A-2, IX2 of the general node A is the transmission source, and when the transmission destination is Z-2, it is managed as IX2 of the management node Z. Indicates to be transmitted to node Z.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the management node Z stores the above-described transmission relation table and further a transmission data unit table (transmission data unit information). The transmission data unit table is scheduled to be transmitted to another node among the number of transmission data held by the management node Z (four transmission data IX (index) 1 to IX4 in FIG. 10) and these IX1 to IX4. As for a destination, destination information is associated with an identification number assigned to each of IX1 to IX4. For example, in FIG. 10, IX1 with the identification number (1) indicates transmission data received by the management node Z because there is no destination information, and IX4 with the identification number (5) is set as C as the destination. Therefore, it is transmitted to the general node C.

  Each general node stores a transmission data unit table in a predetermined area of the storage means of each general node. For example, the transmission data unit table stored in the general node A shown in FIG. 10 indicates that IX1 with the identification number (1) is transmission data transmitted to the management node Z because the destination is Z. Further, the transmission data unit table stored in the general node C indicates that IX1 with the identification number (5) is transmission data to be received because there is no destination.

  In the above state, when a new general node B is added, the setting is performed according to the following procedure. In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which information about the general node B is set in the transmission relation table stored in the management node Z. Of course, information about the general node B may be added to the transmission relation table after or before the addition of the general node B.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the management node Z searches the transmission relation table stored in the management node Z for information on the newly added general node B. At this time, if the node name set in the transmission relationship table is different from the actual node identification name, it is converted to the node identification name described in the transmission relationship table (or changed to the node identification name and the old node Overwrite name information). Then, the management node Z finds an item to be set in the transmission data unit table of the general node B set in the transmission relation table, and sets it in the transmission data unit table of the general node B.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 11, as the information of the general node B set in the transmission relation table of the management node Z, “B-1 that is the transmission data of the identification number (3) is transmitted to Z-3. ”,“ Send B-3 which is transmission data of identification number (2) to Z-2 ”,“ Send C-2 which is transmission data of identification number (4) to B-4 ”, and“ Z-4, which is the transmission data of the identification number (5), is transmitted to B-2 ". Among these pieces of information, the destination of IX1 in the transmission data unit table of the general node B is set as Z and the identification number is set as (3) by the information “transmit B-1 to Z-3”. Further, the destination of IX3 in the transmission data unit table of the general node B is set to Z and the identification number is set to (2) based on the information “transmit B-3 to Z-2”. Furthermore, the destination of IX2 of the transmission data unit table of the general node C is set to B and the identification number is set to (4) based on the information “transmit C-2 to B-4”. Then, based on the information “transmit Z-4 to B-2”, the destination of IX4 in the transmission data unit table of the management node Z is set as B, and the identification number is set as (5).

  As described above, the destination corresponding to the transmission data transmitted from the general node B is set for the general node B, and the transmission data destined for the general node B is set to a node other than the general node B ( Settings are made for the management node Z, the general node A, and the general node C), respectively.

  Further, in FIG. 10, before the general node B is added, the destinations of the transmission data of the identification number (5) in the transmission relation table of the transmission relation table of the management node Z are B-2 and C-1. Although there is a state before the general node B is added, the destination of the transmission data in IX4 on the transmission data unit table is set as the general node C. Thereafter, when the general node B is added, the destination of the transmission data in the transmission data unit table IX4 of the management node Z shown in FIG. (Broadcast transmission). The plurality of destinations in this case are the general node B and the general node C according to the transmission relation table of the management node Z.

  FIG. 12 schematically shows the transmission / reception relationship between the nodes in the above transmission data unit. The general node A holds the transmission data of IX1 and IX2 set in the transmission data unit table of the general node A, and each transmission data is Z-1, Z according to the transmission relation table of the management node Z. -2. The general node B holds the transmission data of IX1, IX2, IX3, and IX4 set in the transmission data unit table of the general node B. Among the transmission data, IX1 and IX3 are the management node Z According to the transmission relation table, the data is transmitted to Z-3 and Z-2, IX2 is received from the management node Z, and IX4 is received from the general node C. The general node C holds the transmission data of IX1 and IX2 set in the transmission data unit table of the general node C. Among the transmission data, IX1 is managed according to the transmission relation table of the management node Z. Received from the node Z, IX2 is transmitted to the general node B as described above. The management node Z holds the transmission data of IX1, IX2, IX3, and IX4 set in the transmission data unit table of the management node Z. Among the transmission data, IX1 and IX2 are the management node Z According to the transmission relation table, it is received from the general node A, and IX3 is received from the general node B. Further, IX4 is transmitted as a broadcast to two locations of the general node B and the general node C according to the transmission relationship table of the management node Z (the IX4 destination in the transmission data unit table has a * indicating the broadcast). Is set).

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, when a management node Z, a general node A, a general node B, and a general node C are set on the LAN 10, a certain node, for example, the general node B is deleted (the state of FIG. 10). ), The procedure reverse to the procedure for adding the general node B described above is performed. That is, after deleting the general node B, the transmission data unit table of each node (management node Z, general node A, general node C) is deleted at the location where the general node B is the destination.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of manual operations as much as possible, shorten the operation time, and reduce operation errors.

The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the node information automatic setting system to which the node information automatic setting apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is applied. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the transmission data which concern on one Embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which showed the structure of the general node 1 as one of the general nodes concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which showed the management node as a node information automatic setting apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which showed the node information corresponding to each of the some general node memorize | stored in the database of the management node concerning one Embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which showed the procedure until a new general node is added to the node information automatic setting system concerning one Embodiment of this invention, and communication is established. The schematic diagram which showed the procedure until a new general node is added to the node information automatic setting system concerning one Embodiment of this invention, and communication is established. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the node information automatic setting system to which the node information automatic setting apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is applied. The schematic diagram which showed the transmission relation table which the management management node memorize | stored in the predetermined area | region of its memory | storage means. Before adding a new general node to the node information automatic setting system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a transmission relation table and a transmission data unit table provided in the management node, and a transmission data unit table provided in the general node The schematic diagram shown. The transmission relation table and transmission data unit table with which a management node is provided, and the transmission data unit table with which a general node is provided in the state after adding a new general node to the node information automatic setting system concerning one embodiment of this invention are shown. Schematic diagram. The node information automatic setting system according to one embodiment of the present invention schematically shows a transmission / reception relationship between nodes in a transmission data unit.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... LAN, 20 ... Management node, 21 ... Storage means, 21a ... Node information storage area, 21b ... Physical address storage area, 21c ... Logical address storage area, 22 ... Control means, 22a ... Communication function part, 22b ... Data transmission Setting unit, 22c ... inclusion processing unit, 22d ... attribute search processing unit, 22e ... attribute reception processing unit, 22f ... reception processing unit, 31 ... storage means, 31a ... node identification name storage region, 31b ... physical address storage region, 31c ... logical address storage area, 32 ... control means. 32a ... Communication function unit, 32b ... Node identification name setting unit, 32c ... Insertion processing unit, 32d ... Attribute transmission processing unit, 32e ... Activation processing unit, 32f ... Reception processing unit

Claims (5)

A plurality of nodes each holding node identification information identifiable on the network, transmission data unit information which is information of a transmission data unit transmitted on the network, and one of the plurality of nodes A node information automatic setting system in which a node information automatic setting device set as a management node as described above is connected on the network,
The node information automatic setting device is configured to store node identification information held by each of the plurality of nodes and transmission relation information indicating a transmission relation of transmission data transmitted between the plurality of nodes;
When a new node is added to the node information automatic setting system, the node identification information of the added node is compared with the transmission relation information stored in the storage means, Determining means for determining a node to which the added node is a transmission data transmission destination;
Setting means for setting the added node as a transmission data transmission destination for the transmission data unit information held by the node determined by the determination means;
A node information automatic setting system characterized by comprising: A plurality of nodes each holding node identification information identifiable on the network, transmission data unit information which is information of a transmission data unit transmitted on the network, and one of the plurality of nodes A node information automatic setting system in which a node information automatic setting device set as a management node as described above is connected on the network,
The node information automatic setting device is configured to store node identification information held by each of the plurality of nodes and transmission relation information indicating a transmission relation of transmission data transmitted between the plurality of nodes;
When an arbitrary node is deleted from the node information automatic setting system, the node identification information of the deleted node is compared with the transmission relation information stored in the storage unit, Determining means for determining a node to which the deleted node is a transmission data destination;
Delete means for deleting the deleted node from the transmission data transmission destination for the transmission data unit information held by the node determined by the determination means;
A node information automatic setting system characterized by comprising: One or more of a plurality of nodes that are connected to a network and each hold node identification information that can be identified on the network and transmission data unit information that is transmission data unit information transmitted on the network. A node information automatic setting device set as a management node,
Storage means for storing node identification information held by each of the plurality of nodes, and transmission relation information indicating a transmission relation of transmission data transmitted between the plurality of nodes;
When a new node is added to the network, the node identification information of the added node is compared with the transmission relation information stored in the storage unit, and the added node is added among the plurality of nodes. Determining means for determining the node to which the transmitted node is the transmission data destination;
Setting means for setting the added node as a transmission data transmission destination for the transmission data unit information held by the node determined by the determination means;
A node information automatic setting device characterized by comprising: One or more of a plurality of nodes that are connected to a network and each hold node identification information that can be identified on the network and transmission data unit information that is transmission data unit information transmitted on the network. A node information automatic setting device set as a management node,
Storage means for storing node identification information held by each of the plurality of nodes, and transmission relation information indicating a transmission relation of transmission data transmitted between the plurality of nodes;
When an arbitrary node is deleted among the plurality of nodes, the node identification information of the deleted node is compared with the transmission relation information stored in the storage unit, Determining means for determining a node to which the deleted node is a transmission data destination;
Delete means for deleting the deleted node from the transmission data transmission destination for the transmission data unit information held by the node determined by the determination means;
A node information automatic setting device characterized by comprising: 5. The node information according to claim 3, wherein the transmission relation information is table information indicating a correspondence relation between a transmission source and a transmission destination of transmission data and node identification information of transmission data. Automatic setting device.

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