JP2006134039A - Database synchronization system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent processing time from being extended due to a low-speed I/F when a device management box having a high-speed network I/F is attached to a device having only the low-speed I/F and request is outputted from a server on a network to a database in the device. <P>SOLUTION: Since the device and the device control box are provided with respectively independent databases, requests except a request for changing data, from the server on the network to the database of the device can be processed by the database of the device management box without requiring to access the database of the device by using an existing IF, so that request processing time from the server can be shortened and the response waiting time of the server can be shortened. When a different database is detected, the database is updated in each block to shorten the update processing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a database synchronization system related to a network system that manages an existing device having an existing I / F such as a serial I / F but not having a network I / F via a network.

In order to perform network management of an existing device, an option for performing network management (device management box) is attached to the device using the existing I / F, and the device management box sends a request from the server to the existing I / F. Remote management was realized by using it, sending it to the device, and receiving the result.
JP 2004-62892 A

However, in the above conventional example, (1) since the speed of the existing I / F is generally slow, it takes a very long time for the device management box to refer to a large amount of data from the device.
There was a problem.

In order to eliminate (1), if the device and the device management box have independent databases,
(2) There is a discrepancy between the database of the device and the database of the device management due to the communication error of the existing I / F.
(3) In order to eliminate the discrepancy, the device management box must extract a large amount of data from the device using the existing I / F with a low speed, and the processing time is long.
The problem occurs.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points. A device management BOX having a high-speed network I / F is attached to a device having only a low-speed I / F, and a device database is obtained from a server on the network. An object of the present invention is to provide a database synchronization system that prevents an increase in processing time due to a low-speed I / F when there is a request.

  (1) The device and the device management box each have a database independently.

(2) The database configuration is managed by dividing it into nbyte blocks.
Total data N (bytes) = n (bytes) × total number of blocks b (pieces).

  (3) When the power is turned on, the device management box downloads all data from the device and copies it to the database of the device management box.

  (4) The device management box that has received the data registration / deletion request from the server collates with the database held by the device management box, and determines a provisional result. If the data already exists at the time of registration request, “registered error (temporary)” is assumed, and if the data does not exist, “registration completed (temporary)”. If there is data at the time of registration deletion, the data is deleted from the database and “deletion complete (temporary)”, and if it does not exist, “unregistered error (temporary)”.

  (5) The device management box makes a data registration / deletion request to the device using the existing I / F.

  (6) The device that has received the data registration / deletion request using the existing I / F collates with the database held by the device and performs the following processing. If the data already exists at the time of the registration request, “registered error” is registered, and if it does not exist, the data is registered in the database and “registration is completed”. If there is data at the time of registration deletion, the data is deleted from the database and “deletion completed”, and if it does not exist, “unregistered error” is set. Thereafter, the result is returned (response) to the device management box.

  (7) The device management box that has received the response from the device determines that the database matches if the provisional result and the response result from the device match. If the provisional result and the response result from the device do not match, the database determines that there is a mismatch.

  (8) If a match is detected in (7), the device management box database is updated as requested by the server.

  (9) If a mismatch is detected in (7), the corresponding data block is picked up from the device and copied to the data block of the device management box. The reply to the server determines the result based on the database held by the device and notifies it.

  (10) In the device management box, when processing using data registered in the database is performed, the device management box uses the existing I / F to acquire data from the device, and does not acquire the data from the device management box. Process based on.

  The following actions are selected by the above means.

  (1) By having a database independently for each device and device management box, processing time can be reduced by making all requests other than data changes in the device management box database without using the existing I / F. I can do it.

  (2) When a database discrepancy is detected, the database is updated in units of blocks, so that the update process can be shortened.

  More specifically, in order to solve the above problem, in the present invention, the database synchronization system is configured as follows (1).

  (1) The device and the device management box are connected by an existing I / F such as a serial I / F, the device management box has a network I / F, and the device management box and the server computer that manages the device are connected to the network. In the system in which the device and the device management box have independent databases, the device management box requested to register / delete data from the server makes a registration / deletion request to the device according to the request, and the device management box The database synchronization system is characterized in that the information held by the device matches the database held by the device management box.

  According to the present invention, by having the database independently in the device and the device management box, requests other than data change from the server on the network to the device database can be made using the existing I / F. Since it is not necessary to access the database and the device management box database can be used, the request processing time from the server can be shortened, and the server response waiting time can be shortened. In addition, when a database discrepancy is detected, the database is updated in units of blocks, so that the update process can be shortened.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

  As described in detail below, the present invention is a system for connecting a database of devices to a network using an existing I / F and managing existing devices via the network. In this embodiment, user information is described as the contents of a database. However, the present invention is not limited to user information, and can be applied to data other than user information, such as device functions, features, billing information, and usage status. Even apply.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which the device management system of this embodiment can operate.

  In FIG. 1, 101 is a server computer, 102 is a copier, 103 is a printer, and 104 and 105 are device management boxes. The copier 102 and the device management BOX 104, and the printer 103 and the device management BOX 105 are connected by serial I / Fs 106 and 107, respectively. The server computer 101 and device management boxes 104 and 105 are connected to the LAN 100.

  The server computer 101 remotely manages the copier 102 and the printer 103 via device management boxes 104 and 105, respectively. When a user registration / deletion request is made to the copier 102, a request is transmitted to the device management box 104. And waits for a response from the device management BOX 104. When making a user registration / deletion request to the printer 103, the request is transmitted to the device management BOX 105, and a response is waited from the device management BOX 105. Similarly, when a user confirmation request is made to the copier 102 and the printer 103, the request is transmitted to the device management boxes 104 and 105, respectively, and a response is awaited. Thereafter, the server computer 101 that has received the responses from the device management boxes 104 and 105 performs reception processing according to the responses, and completes user registration / deletion / confirmation processing.

  When the device management BOXes 104 and 105 receive a user registration / deletion request from the server computer 101, the device management BOX 104 transmits a user registration / deletion request to the copier 102, and the device management BOX 105 transmits to the printer 103, respectively. Wait for the response. Thereafter, when receiving the respective responses from the copier 102 and the printer 103, the device management boxes 104 and 105 perform reception processing according to the respective responses, send the response to the server computer 101, and the user from the server computer 101 Complete the processing for the registration / deletion request. When a user confirmation request is received from the server computer 101, processing is performed according to the request, a response is sent to the server computer 101, and processing for the user confirmation request is completed.

  When the copy machine 102 and the printer 103 receive user registration / deletion requests from the device management BOXes 104 and 105, respectively, perform processing according to the requests, send responses to the device management BOXes 104 and 105, and send device responses to the device management BOXes 104 and 105, respectively. The process for the user registration / deletion request from is completed.

  The server computer 101, the copier 102, and the device management BOX 104 are installed on the second floor, and the printer 103 and the device management BOX 105 are installed on the first floor. Furthermore, the LAN 100 that connects these devices to each other is connected to the Internet 130 via the firewall 120, and is also connected to other networks 140 via the Internet 130.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a general personal computer. The internal configuration of the server computer 101 in FIG. 1 is as described above.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 200 denotes database management server software (hereinafter referred to as network database management software that combines device database management software installed on a printer or copier and proxy database management software installed on a device management BOX). Is a PC that operates, and is equivalent to 101 in FIG.

  The PC 200 includes a CPU 201 that executes database management server software stored in a ROM 202 or a hard disk (HD) 211 or supplied from a floppy disk drive (FD) 212, and is connected to the system bus 204. Overall control of the equipment.

  A RAM 203 functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 201. A keyboard controller (KBC) 205 controls an instruction input from a keyboard (KB) 209 or a pointing device (not shown).

  Reference numeral 206 denotes a CRT controller (CRTC), which controls display on a CRT display (CRT) 210. A disk controller (DKC) 207 is used to access a hard disk (HD) 211 and a floppy (registered trademark) disk controller (FD) 212 that store a boot program, various applications, editing files, user files, a network management program, and the like. Control.

  A network interface card (NIC) 208 bi-directionally exchanges data with a network printer, a network management BOX, another network device, or another PC via the LAN 220.

  In this embodiment, the LAN 220 is the same as the LAN 100 in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, reference numeral 300 denotes an example of the internal configuration of a printer or copier that runs device database management software and executes printing, and is equivalent to 102 and 103 in FIG. The device 300 includes a CPU 301 that executes device database management software stored in a ROM 302 or a hard disk (HD) 311 or supplied from a floppy (registered trademark) disk drive (FD) 312, and is connected to a system bus 304. Overall control of each device. A RAM 303 functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 301. A user interface controller (UIC) 305 controls display on the user interface (UI) 309 and instruction input from the 309. A function controller (FUNCC) 306 implements / controls a function (FUNC) 310 that is a unique function of each device. In the case of a monochrome printer, a monochrome print engine controller and monochrome print engine, in the case of a color printer, a color print engine controller and color print engine, and in the case of a copier, the device 300 has a function controller (FUNCC) 306 and a function (FUNC) for each function. ) 310 respectively.

  A disk controller (DKC) 307 controls access to a hard disk (HD) 311 and a floppy (registered trademark) disk controller (FD) 312 that store various applications, data files, a network management program, and the like. A serial I / F module (SIM) 308 bi-directionally exchanges data with other devices or other PCs via the serial I / F.

  4, 400 is an example of the internal configuration of the device management BOX in which the proxy database management software operates, and is equivalent to 104 and 105 in FIG.

  400 includes a CPU 401 that executes proxy database management software stored in a ROM 402 or a hard disk (HD) 411 or supplied from a floppy (registered trademark) disk drive (FD) 412, and is connected to a system bus 404. Overall control of the equipment. Reference numeral 403 denotes a RAM which functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 401. A keyboard controller (KBC) 405 controls an instruction input from a keyboard (KB) 409 or a pointing device (not shown).

  A display controller (DPC) 406 controls display on the display (DP) 410. A disk controller (DKC) 407 is used to access a hard disk (HD) 411 and a floppy (registered trademark) disk controller (FD) 412 that store a boot program, various applications, editing files, user files, a network management program, and the like. Control. Reference numeral 408 denotes a network interface card (NIC), which exchanges data bidirectionally with other network devices or other PCs via the LAN 420. Reference numeral 409 denotes a serial I / F module (SIM) that exchanges data bidirectionally with another device or another PC via the serial I / F.

  FIG. 5 is a model diagram of this embodiment. A server PC 510 and a device management BOX 530 are connected to the LAN 500. The device 520 and the device management BOX 530 are connected by a serial I / F 540. The user PC 510 is equivalent to 101 in FIG. The device 520 is equivalent to 102 and 103 in FIG. The device management BOX 530 is equivalent to 104 and 105 in FIG. LAN 500 is equivalent to LAN 100 in FIG. The serial I / F 540 is equivalent to 106 and 107 in FIG.

  The manager 511 of the server PC 510 transmits a user registration / deletion request to the proxy agent 531 of the device management BOX 530, and the proxy agent 531 that has received the request performs user registration / deletion to the agent 521 of the device 520. Send a request. Upon receiving the user registration / deletion request, the agent 521 performs a user registration / deletion operation on the database 522, and returns a result of the operation on the database 522 as a response to the proxy agent 531 of the device management BOX 530. The proxy agent 531 that has received the response of the agent 521 performs user registration / deletion on the proxy database 532 or copying from the database 522 according to the result of the operation on the database 522, and performs an operation on the database 522 held by the device 520. The result is returned to the manager 511 as a response.

  The manager 511 of the server PC 510 transmits a user confirmation request to the proxy agent 531 of the device management BOX 530, and the proxy agent 531 that has received the request searches the proxy database 532 and holds the result in the device 520. A response to the search for the database 522 is returned to the manager 511.

  Note that the database 522 and the proxy database 532 use known database mechanisms, and details thereof are outside the scope of the present invention.

  FIG. 6 describes the operation of the manager 511 of the server PC 510. In step 601, initialization processing is performed, and in step 602, an external request is waited. If there is an external request, the process branches to step 610, step 620, and step 630 according to the type of the request. If the request received in step 602 is an end request, the process proceeds to step 610 to perform an end process, and the manager process 600 ends. If the request received in step 602 is a user registration request, a user deletion request, or a user confirmation request, the process proceeds to step 620 to perform user registration / deletion / confirmation request processing. Thereafter, the process returns to step 602 to wait for a request from the outside again. If the request received at step 602 is a request other than an end request, a user registration request, a user deletion request, or a user confirmation request, the process proceeds to step 630, performs processing corresponding to the request, and then returns to step 602. Then, it waits for an external request again.

  FIG. 7 describes details of step 620 of FIG. In step 701, the type of request is determined. If it is a registration request, the process proceeds to step 710, a user registration request is sent to the proxy agent, and the process proceeds to step 740. If the request determined in step 701 is a delete request, the process proceeds to step 720, a user delete request is sent to the proxy agent, and the process proceeds to step 740. If it is recognized as a confirmation request in step 701, the process proceeds to step 730, a user confirmation request is sent to the proxy agent, and the process proceeds to step 740. In step 740, the process waits for a response from the proxy agent. If a response is received, the process proceeds to step 741. In step 741, it is determined whether the process corresponding to the request is executed by the proxy agent and completed normally. If it is determined that the process has been completed normally, the process proceeds to step 760, where the user registration / deletion / confirmation request processing 700 is terminated. If not completed normally, the process proceeds to step 750, an error process is performed, and then the process proceeds to step 760, where the user registration / deletion / confirmation request process 700 is terminated.

  FIG. 8 describes the operation of the agent 521 of the device 520. First, in step 801, initialization processing is performed, and in step 802, a request from the device management BOX is waited for. If a request from the device management BOX is received and the type of the request is a user confirmation request, the process proceeds to step 820 to perform user confirmation processing, returns to step 802, and waits for a request from the device management BOX again. If the request received in step 802 is a user registration request, the process proceeds to step 830 to perform user registration processing, and then returns to step 802 to wait for a request from the device management BOX again. If the request received in step 802 is a user deletion request, the process proceeds to step 840 to perform the user deletion process, and then returns to step 802 to wait for a request from the device management BOX again. If the request received in step 802 is a block data acquisition request, the process proceeds to step 860 to perform block data acquisition processing, and then returns to step 802 to wait for a request from the device management BOX again. If the request received at step 802 is an end request, the end process is performed at step 810 and then the process proceeds to step 870 where the agent process 800 is ended. If the request received in step 802 is a request other than the above request, the process proceeds to step 850 to perform processing corresponding to the request, and then returns to step 802 to wait for a request from the device management BOX again.

  FIG. 9 describes details of step 830 of FIG. In step 901, the user requested to be registered from the proxy agent is searched for in the database, and then the process is distributed in step 902 based on the result. If the requested user is not registered in the database, the process proceeds to step 910, and if registered, the process proceeds to step 920. In step 910, it is determined whether the database is empty and additional registration is possible. If possible, the process proceeds to step 930, and if not possible, the process proceeds to step 940. In step 930, the user is registered in the database. In step 931, the proxy agent that transmitted the user registration request is responded as registration completion, and then the process proceeds to step 950 where the user registration process 900 is terminated.

  If it is determined in step 910 that additional registration is not possible in the database, the process proceeds to step 940, the excess registration number is returned to the proxy agent that transmitted the user registration request, and then the process proceeds to step 950 where the user registration process 900 is performed. finish. If the user who is requested to register in the database in step 902 is already registered, the process proceeds to step 920, where the registration is returned to the proxy agent that transmitted the registration request, and the user registration processing 900 is executed in step 950. finish.

  FIG. 10 describes details of step 840 of FIG. In step 1001, the database is searched for a user requested to be deleted by the proxy agent. According to the result, the process branches in step 1002. If the user requested to be deleted by the proxy agent is already registered in the database, the process proceeds to step 1010 to delete the user requested to be deleted from the database, and in step 1011 a response to the completion of deletion is sent to the proxy agent. In step 1030, the user deletion processing 1000 is terminated. If the user requested to be deleted by the proxy agent is not registered in the database, step 1002 branches the process to step 1020, sends an unregistered response to the proxy agent, and ends the user deletion process 1000 at step 1030. To do.

  FIG. 11 describes details of step 820 of FIG. In step 1101, the database is searched for a user whose confirmation is requested by the proxy agent. According to the result, the process branches in step 1102. If the user requested to be confirmed by the proxy agent is already registered in the database, the process proceeds to step 1110, a confirmation OK response is sent to the proxy agent, and the user confirmation process 1100 is terminated in step 1130. If the user requested to be confirmed by the proxy agent is not registered in the database, step 1102 branches the process to step 1120, returns a confirmation NG response to the proxy agent, and ends the user confirmation process 1100 at step 1130. To do.

  FIG. 12 describes details of step 850 of FIG. In step 1201, the requested block data is obtained from the database. Thereafter, a block data acquisition response carrying the block data acquired in step 1202 is transmitted to the proxy agent, and the block data acquisition process 1200 is ended in step 1210.

  FIG. 13 shows the operation of the proxy agent 531 of the device management BOX 530. In step 1301, initialization processing is performed, and in step 1302, a request from the manager is awaited. If a user registration request has been received, the process proceeds to step 1310, user registration processing is performed, and the process proceeds to step 1350. If a user deletion request is received in step 1302, the process proceeds to step 1320 to perform user deletion processing, and the process proceeds to step 1350. If a user confirmation request is received in step 1302, the process proceeds to step 1330, user confirmation processing is performed, and the process proceeds to step 1350. If other requests other than user registration, user deletion, and user confirmation requests are received in step 1302, the process proceeds to step 1340, processing for other requests is performed, and the process proceeds to step 1350. In step 1350, if there is a termination request from the outside, the process proceeds to step 1351 to perform termination processing, and in step 1360, the proxy agent processing 1300 is terminated. If it is determined in step 1350 that there is no termination request, the process again proceeds to step 1302 to enter a process of waiting for a request from the manager.

  FIG. 14 describes details of step 1301 in FIG. 13 and is processing for matching the information in the proxy database with the database of the device at the time of initialization. First, the proxy database is initialized at step 1401, and then it is determined at step 1402 whether the setting of the proxy database is completed. When the setting is completed, the process proceeds to step 1420 and the proxy agent initialization process 1400 is ended. If it is determined in step 1402 that the proxy database has not been set, the process advances to step 1410 to acquire information to be set from the device database. Thereafter, in step 1411, the acquired setting information is set in the proxy database, and the process returns to step 1402 again.

  FIG. 15 describes details of step 1310 of FIG. In step 1501, the proxy database is searched for the user whose registration is requested. In step 1502, the process is branched according to the result of step 1501. If the user requested for registration cannot be found in the proxy database, the process proceeds to step 1510. In step 1510, it is determined whether or not there is a free area for additional registration in the database. If additional registration is possible, the process proceeds to step 1530, performs registration processing, and proceeds to step 1550. If additional registration is not possible, the process proceeds to step 1540, the registration number excess processing is performed, and the process proceeds to step 1550. If it is determined in step 1502 that the user who has requested registration has already been registered in the proxy database, the process proceeds to step 1520, where duplicate registration processing is performed, and the process proceeds to step 1550. When the processing proceeds to step 1550, the proxy agent user registration processing 1500 is terminated.

  FIG. 16 describes details of step 1320 of FIG. In step 1601, it is searched whether or not the user requested to be deleted is registered in the proxy database. If it is determined in step 1602 that the user requested to be deleted is registered, the process proceeds to step 1610 to perform a deletion process, and then proceeds to step 1630. If the user requested to be deleted is not registered in the proxy database, the process proceeds from step 1602 to step 1620 to perform unregistered deletion processing, and then proceeds to step 1630. In step 1630, the proxy agent user deletion processing 1600 is terminated.

  FIG. 17 describes details of step 1330 of FIG. First, in step 1701, it is searched whether the user who has requested the user confirmation is registered in the proxy database. In step 1702, the process is branched based on the result of step 1701. If the user corresponding to the user confirmation request is registered in the proxy database, the process proceeds to step 1710, a confirmation OK is returned to the manager that has transmitted the user confirmation request, and the process proceeds to step 1730. If the user corresponding to the user confirmation request is not registered in the proxy database, the process proceeds to step 1720 in step 1702, a confirmation NG is returned to the manager that transmitted the request, and the process proceeds to step 1730. In step 1730, the proxy agent user confirmation request processing 1700 is terminated.

  FIG. 18 describes details of step 1530 of FIG. First, in step 1801, a user registration request is sent to the agent. Thereafter, a response from the agent is waited in step 1802, and if it is received, processing is distributed according to the type of response. If the response from the agent is a registration completion response, the process proceeds to step 1810, and the user whose registration is requested by the manager is registered in the proxy database. Thereafter, in step 1811, a registration completion response is returned to the manager, and the process proceeds to step 1840. If the response received in step 1802 is a registered response, a response indicating that the response has been registered is sent to the manager, and the process proceeds to step 1821 to perform database mismatch resolution processing for the registered response. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Step 1840. If the response received in step 1802 is an over-registration response, the process proceeds to step 1830 to respond to the manager that the over-registration number. Thereafter, in step 1831, a database mismatch resolution process of the registration number excess response is performed, and the process proceeds to step 1840. In step 1840, the proxy agent registration process 1800 is terminated.

  FIG. 19 describes details of step 1540 of FIG. In step 1901, a user registration request is sent to the agent, and in step 1902, a response from the agent to the request is awaited. If the registration completion response is received, the process proceeds to step 1910, where the registration completion is responded to the manager. In step 1911, the database registration resolution process for the registration completion response during duplicate registration is performed, and the process proceeds to step 1940. If a registered response is received in step 1902, the process proceeds to step 1920, a registered response is returned to the manager, and the process proceeds to step 1940. When the registration number drop response is received in step 1902, the process proceeds to step 1930 to respond to the manager that the number of registrations has been exceeded, and in step 1931, database mismatch resolution processing for the registration number excess response is performed. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Step 1940. In step 1940, the proxy agent duplication registration process 1900 is terminated.

  FIG. 20 describes details of step 1520 of FIG. In step 2001, a user registration request is sent to the agent, and in step 2002, a response to the request is awaited. If the response is a registration completion response, the process proceeds to step 2010, a registration completion response is returned to the manager, and in step 2011, a registration mismatch response database mismatch resolution process is performed when the number of registrations is exceeded. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Step 2040. If a registered response is received in step 2002, the process proceeds to step 2020, the registered response is returned to the manager, and the process proceeds to step 2040. If a registration number excess response is received in step 2002, the process proceeds to step 2030, a response is sent to the manager indicating that the registration number exceeds, and the process proceeds to step 2040. In step 2040, the proxy agent registration count excess processing 2000 is terminated.

  FIG. 21 describes details of step 1610 of FIG. In step 2101, a user deletion request is sent to the agent, and in step 2102, a response to the request is awaited. If a deletion completion response is received, the process proceeds to step 2110, where the user is deleted from the proxy database, and in step 2111, a deletion completion response is sent to the manager. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 2130. If an unregistered response is received at step 2102, the process proceeds to step 2120, an unregistered response is returned to the manager, and an unregistered response database mismatch resolution process is performed at step 2121, and the process proceeds to step 2130. In step 2130, the proxy agent deletion processing 2100 is terminated.

  FIG. 22 describes details of step 1620 of FIG. In step 2201, a user deletion request is sent to the agent, and in step 2202, the agent waits for a response to the request. If a deletion completion response is received, the process proceeds to step 2210 to delete the user who has made a deletion request to the agent from the proxy database, and then proceeds to step 2211. In step 2211, a database mismatch resolution process for the deletion completion response is performed, and the process proceeds to step 2230. If an unregistered response is received from the agent in step 2202, the process proceeds to step 2220, and an unregistered response is returned to the manager. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Step 2230. In step 2230, the proxy agent unregistered deletion process 2200 is terminated.

  FIG. 23 describes details of step 1821 in FIG. In step 2301, the block No. in which the user whose registration is requested by the manager is registered in the agent database. To win. Thereafter, block copy processing is performed in step 2302, and database mismatch resolution processing 2300 of the registered response is terminated in step 2310.

  FIG. 24 describes details of step 1831 in FIG. 18 and 1931 in FIG. In step 2401, in the proxy agent proxy database, block No. Acquire (Np). In step 2402, the block No. acquired in step 2401 is changed. Block copy processing is performed using the value Np. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 2410 to end the database mismatch resolution processing 2400 of the registration number excess response.

  FIG. 25 describes details of step 1911 of FIG. In step 2501, in the proxy agent proxy database, the block number of the block in which the user registered from the manager is registered. Acquire (Np). In step 2502, the block No. acquired in step 2501 is changed. Block copy processing is performed using the value Np. Thereafter, in the agent database, the block number of the block in which the user is registered. (Nr) is acquired, and in step 2504, the values of Np and Nr are compared.

  If Np = Nr, go to Step 2530. If Np ≠ Nr, the process proceeds to step 2510, the user is registered in the proxy database, and the process proceeds to step 2530. In step 2530, the database mismatch processing 2500 for the registration completion response at the time of duplicate registration is terminated.

  FIG. 26 describes details of step 2011 in FIG. In step 2601, the user whose manager has requested registration is registered with the block No. registered in the agent database. Acquire (Nr). In step 2602, the block No. acquired in step 2601. The block copy process is performed using the value Nr. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 2610, and the database mismatch resolution processing 2600 of the registration completion response when the registration number is exceeded is terminated.

  FIG. 27 describes details of step 2211 in FIG. In step 2701, the user whose manager has requested deletion is the block No. registered in the agent database. Acquire (Nr). In step 2702, the block No. acquired in step 2701 is displayed. The block copy process is performed using the value Nr. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 2710 to end the database mismatch resolution processing 2700 of the deletion completion response.

  FIG. 28 describes details of step 2121 in FIG. In step 2801, the user whose manager has requested deletion is the block number registered in the proxy agent proxy database. Acquire (Np). In step 2802, the block No. acquired in step 2801 is checked. Block copy processing is performed using the value Np. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 2810, where the unregistered response database mismatch resolution processing 2800 is terminated.

  FIG. 29 describes details of step 2302 in FIG. 23, step 2402 in FIG. 24, step 2502 in FIG. 25, step 2602 in FIG. 26, step 2702 in FIG. 27, and step 2802 in FIG. At step 2901, block No. The acquisition request for the data of the block specified in is sent to the agent database. In step 2902, a response from the agent database is awaited, and after receiving the response, the process proceeds to step 2910. In step 2910, the block data acquired from the agent is stored in the proxy database with the same block number. To the next block. Thereafter, the flow advances to 2920 to end the block copy process 2900.

  FIG. 30 shows an example of user information registered in the database. The database 3000 is the same as 522 and 532 in FIG. In the example of FIG. 5, information 3001, 3002, 3003 is stored in the database 3000, and user information is stored in 3001. User information is managed for each block. In the example of FIG. 5, the number of blocks is three. Block 3010 is a block number. = 0, block 3011 is block No. = 1, block 3012 is block No. = 2 and the user information 3020 includes a block No. The details of one block 3011 are shown. The column of user information 3020 represents information elements related to the user. Column 3030 is the UserID, column 3031 is the user name, column 3032 is the password, column 3033 is the access right, and column 3034 is the block number. Respectively. A row of user information 3020 represents one user.

  For example, in the row 8040, the User ID is 87, the user name of the user is ICHIRO, the password is 4WARI, the access right is a general user, and the block No. Represents 1. The user information in FIG. 30 is merely an example, and the number of blocks may be n, for example. Further, other information elements such as a password validity period may be added to the information element of the user information. The operation of the database 3000 uses an existing database and is not mentioned in the present invention.

  FIG. 31 is a diagram showing a memory map of a CD-ROM which is an example of a storage medium. Reference numeral 9999 denotes an area in which directory information is stored, and indicates positions of an area 9998 in which subsequent installation programs are stored and an area 9997 in which programs of network database management software are stored. An area 9998 stores an installation program. Reference numeral 9997 denotes an area where a network database management software program is stored.

  When the database management server software program of the present invention is installed in the personal computer 200, the installation program stored in the area 9998 storing the installation program is first loaded into the system and executed by the CPU 201. Next, the installation program executed by the CPU 201 reads the ticket sales verification software program from the area 9997 where the ticket sales verification software program is stored, and stores it in the hard disk 211.

  Note that the present invention may be applied to a system or an integrated device including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, etc.) or an apparatus including a single device.

  In addition, a storage medium in which a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus stores the program code in the storage medium. It goes without saying that the object of the present invention can also be achieved by reading and executing.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the novel function of the present invention, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, or the like is used. be able to.

  In addition, the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by executing the program code read by the computer, and the OS running on the computer is part of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code. Alternatively, the functions of the above-described embodiment can be realized by performing all of them and performing the processing.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. The CPU or the like provided in the board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized by the processing.

  The present invention can also be applied to a case where the program is distributed to a requester via a communication line such as personal computer communication from a storage medium in which a program code of software realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded. Needless to say.

The figure which shows the structure of the network which can operate | move the database synchronization system of a present Example. Diagram showing the internal configuration of a typical personal computer Diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the device The figure which showed an example of the internal structure of a device management BOX Model diagram of server PC, device, and device management BOX Flow chart showing manager's operation The flowchart showing operation | movement of a manager. Flow chart showing agent operation Flow chart showing agent operation Flow chart showing agent operation Flow chart showing agent operation Flow chart showing agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation Flowchart representing proxy agent operation The figure which shows an example of a structure of user information The figure which shows the memory map in the storage medium of the ticket collation sales software of this invention

Explanation of symbols

100, 220, 420, 500 Network 101, 200, 510 Server PC
102, 103, 300, 520 Device 104, 105, 400, 530 Device management BOX
106, 107, 540 Existing I / F
511 Manager 521 Agent 531 Proxy agent 522 Database 532 Proxy database

Claims (5)

  The device and the device management box are connected by an existing I / F such as a serial I / F, the device management box has a network I / F, the device management box and the server computer that manages the device are connected to the network, and the device In the system where the device management box has its own database, the device management box requested to register / delete data from the server makes a registration / deletion request to the device in accordance with the request, and stores it in the database in the device management box. A database synchronization system characterized in that registration and deletion are performed, and information held by a device matches a database held by a device management box.   2. The database synchronization system according to claim 1, wherein the device management box for which data is required due to a request from the server does not communicate with the device by the existing I / F, but uses a database held by the device management box. A database synchronization system characterized by   The database synchronization system according to claim 1, wherein when a deviation occurs between a database possessed by a device and a database possessed by a device management box, the deviation is detected.   2. The database synchronization system according to claim 1, wherein when the deviation is detected, the device management box database is updated so as to match the database of the device using communication by an existing I / F. Database synchronization system.   5. The database synchronization system according to claim 1, wherein a large amount of database is divided and managed for each block, thereby reducing the amount of database update using communication by the existing I / F of claim 4 and performing in a short time. A database synchronization system characterized by enabling the above.