JP2006155161A - Automatic determination processing for external connecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a function capable of switching, if one device is not normally operated, the device to an alternate external connecting device by automating the selection of a plurality of external connecting devices, and to eliminate device selection such that a user is unable to make a decision by using an optimum external connecting device at first. <P>SOLUTION: The prevent invention comprises a means for managing external equipment and a plurality of external connecting devices corresponding thereto, a means for selecting an optimum external connecting device based on data, and a means for performing input and output processing according to the selected external connecting device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is an information processing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a PC) that can automatically select an optimal device for input / output with an external device from a plurality of connected externally connected devices. ).

  Conventionally, when using an external device, a device to be used is selected from a plurality of externally connected devices.

  As a result, when a plurality of externally connected devices are simultaneously connected to an external device, the externally connected device selected by the user is used for data input / output regardless of the performance of the device.

For example, Patent Document 1 can be cited as a conventional example.
JP 09-190400 A

  Assume that a printer is used as an external device.

  When wireless communication and USB can be used as an external connection device, when a user selects a wireless communication device, printing is performed only using that device. If wireless communication failed midway due to noise or other factors, the user had to re-execute printing using USB.

  In addition, even if the data output by USB is faster than the wireless communication, there is a problem that the expected performance cannot be exhibited because the designation by the user is given priority.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a function of switching to an alternative external connection device when one device does not operate normally by automating the selection of a plurality of external connection devices. It is intended to make it possible to eliminate the device selection that the user is confused about by being used first.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides means for managing an external device and a plurality of external connection devices corresponding to the external device, means for selecting an optimal external connection device based on the data, and the selected external connection Means for performing input / output processing according to the device.

(Function)
In the present invention, first, a system program (external device manager) for monitoring an external connection device is started. The external device manager is active from power ON to power OFF and prepares for a request from an application program.

  When the external device manager receives an inquiry about an external device from the application program, the external device manager searches for an externally connected device that can be used from the external device information database managed by the external device manager, and sorts the results in order of performance and answers the application program.

  The application program opens the external device and performs input / output processing according to the order returned from the external device manager. If a problem occurs during the input / output process, re-execute using the next external device.

  That is, even if the user does not consider which external connection device to use, if the user designates an external device and executes input / output, the optimum external connection device is automatically selected.

  Even when an error occurs, the process is automatically switched to another alternative external connection device and the process is resumed, so that the user's trouble is reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

Example 1
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a CPU which manages almost all of the information processing apparatus. Reference numeral 12 denotes a main memory which is read / written by the CPU 11 as necessary. An external storage device 13 is a hard disk drive in many cases, and is read from and written to by the CPU 11. Reference numeral 14 denotes an external connection device group, which is an access port to various physical devices such as Centronics, USB, and wireless. 15 is an external device. In many cases, it has about 1 to 4 external connection means, and these are used to input and output information processing devices.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an external device information database managed by the external device manager.

  The external device information 21 is a data structure that is first accessed by the external device manager. Here, extlist_ptr is a pointer to the detailed device information 22 that indicates the total number of external devices 15 registered in the information processing apparatus, the total number of external devices 21-1, and detailed information for each external device. 21-2 exists.

  The detailed device information 22 holds detailed information for each registered external device. These are linked by the next22-1 pointer, and the number thereof is equal to the total number of external devices 21-1. The next22-1 of the detailed device information linked last is set to NULL.

  Type 22-2 represents the type of external device. This is an integer value and is used to determine the type of external device.

  The external device name 22-3 is a character string of a unique name of the external device. In many cases, it is the model name of the product, which is also used to determine the type of external device.

  The device number 22-4 represents the number of externally connected devices mounted on the external device. If this external device supports Centronics, USB, and wireless, this value is 3.

  devlist_ptr22-5 is a pointer to external device information 23 which is detailed information for each externally connected device mounted on the external device.

  The external device information 23 holds detailed information for each external device. These are linked by the pointer next23-1 and the number is equal to the device number 22-4. The next23-1 of the external device information linked last indicates NULL.

  The device name 23-2 is an open device character string for accessing this external device. This character string is system-dependent and varies depending on the OS installed. However, the string must be usable by the standard function open (). For example on a UNIX (registered trademark) system, the string here is something like "/ dev / usb / lp0".

  Performance 23-3 holds the data transfer capability of this device as an integer value. This value is bps (bit / sec).

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing device open information returned from the external device manager to the application program.

In the device open information 31, device names for opening the requested external device are sorted and stored based on the performance 23-3. The maximum number of elements is 10. (Since external devices with 10 or more connection methods are generally not considered)
The device name 31-1 is a device file name for accessing an external device. The application program can use this character string to access with the standard function open ().

  The device open information 31 holds only the device file name corresponding to the usable external device. Unused unused areas are filled with zeros.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for initializing the external device information database.

  This process is executed as early as possible after the power is turned on. In many cases, it is during OS or system initialization. The external device information database stores the contents at that time in the HD 13 before the power is turned off. This is referenced when rebooted.

  Based on the above, each process S41-S44 is demonstrated.

  S41 is executed first after the system is turned on. Here, it is checked whether or not the content of the previous external device information database is saved in HD13. If saved, proceed to S44. If not saved, it is considered that the external device is not registered at all, and the process proceeds to S42.

  In S42 and S43, each element of the external device information 21 is initialized. At this stage, since no external device is registered, each element is 0.

  In S44, since the previous external device information database was found, it is loaded from HD13.

  As a result, the external device information 21, the detailed device information 22, and the external device information 23 are reconstructed.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the detailed device information registration process.

  This process is executed when an external device is registered in the system. This is often done at the same time as device driver installation.

The program that calls this registration process is information necessary to build an external device information database.
Type 22-2
External device name 22-3
Number of devices 22-4
Device name 23-2
Performance 23-3
These five pieces of information are provided when this registration process is performed.

  Based on the above, each processing S51 to S57 will be described.

  In S51, a memory for the detailed device information 22 corresponding to the newly registered external device is secured. Hereinafter, in each process, data is set for this area.

  In S52, the elements of type 22-2, external device name 22-3, and number of devices 22-4 are set in the area secured in S51.

  In S53, external device information initialization processing, which is processing for constructing external device information that can be used by this external device, is executed. Details of this processing will be described later. As a result of this processing, a list of external device information 23 is created, and a pointer to the top information is returned.

  In S54, the pointer to the external device information 23 returned in S53 is set in devlist_ptr22-5. In S55, a pointer to the next detailed device information is displayed, and 0 is set to next22-1.

  In S56, the detailed device information 22 completed up to S55 is connected to the end of the detailed device information list.

  In S57, the value of the total number of external devices 21-1 in the external device information 21 is increased by one and updated.

  If it is the first external device registered, the memory address secured in S51 is set in extlist_ptr21-2.

  With the above processing, a new external device is registered in the external device information database.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the external device information initialization process.

  Below, each process S61-S66 is described.

  In S61, an end determination process for this processing loop is performed. Since the external device information 23 is created by the number of devices 22-4, the remaining number of devices is determined here. If 0, all external device information 23 has been created and the process ends.

  In S62, the area of the external device information 23 is acquired from the memory 12, and the address is stored in the work variable ptr.

  In S63, next23-1 forming the external device information list is initialized with 0.

  In S64, the device name 23-2 and the elements of the performance 23-3 are initialized.

  In the processing of S63 and S64, the corresponding element of the external device information 23 is initialized.

  In S65, processing is performed to link the new external device information secured in S62 and initialized in S63 and S64 to the external device information list.

  However, if it is the creation of the first device information, the process proceeds to step S66 without doing anything.

  If it is not the first device information, the address stored in the work variable ptr is set in next23-1 of the previous external device information. The new external device information is now connected to the list.

  In S66, the counter for exiting this processing loop is decremented. Thereafter, the process jumps to S61.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing external device candidate response processing.

  This process is used for an application program to call before opening an external device and acquire a device name for opening.

  Information passed at the time of calling from the application program is a type 22-2 and an external device name 22-3.

  Each process, S71 to S74 will be described below.

  In S71, the corresponding detailed device information 22 is searched from the detailed device information list using the type and external device name passed from the application program.

  If not found, the process is terminated and an error is returned to the application program.

  In S72, a corresponding external device information list is extracted based on devlist_ptr22-5, which is a member of the detailed device information 22 found in S71.

  In S73, device open information 31 is created using the external device information list extracted in S72. This is a table of character strings. Each character string has a fixed size of 512 bytes.

  The element of this device open information is the same as the device name 23-2, and the application program can access an external device by using this character string with the open () function.

  This character string table is sorted in the order of performance 23-3.

  In S74, the device open information created up to S73 is returned to the application program.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an alternative device switching process.

  This process is executed by an application program.

  Hereinafter, the processes S81 to S86 will be described.

  In S81, the application program calls the above-mentioned external device candidate response process (FIG. 7) and inquires the external device manager about the means for opening the external device.

  If this is successful, the device open information 31 is returned, and thereafter, input / output to an external device is attempted using this.

  In S82, the first device name of the device open information 31 returned in S81 is selected.

  S83 determines whether the input / output processing has ended in error.

  The device open information 31 returned in S81 is used to access the external device, but if input / output does not end normally even if all devices are used, this determination process determines that the error has ended. .

  In S84, the selected device name 31-1 is used to open the external device and input / output data.

  In S85, the result of data input / output in S84 is determined.

  If the input / output is completed normally, it can be determined that the external device has been operated correctly, and the process is terminated.

  If an error has occurred, the process proceeds to S86 in order to use the next device described in the device open information 31.

  In S86, the next device described in the device open information 31 is selected, and the process jumps to S83.

  In this way, even if an error occurs in one device, the alternative device can be used automatically, so that the user's hands are less troublesome.

  In addition, since a device is automatically selected from those having excellent data transfer performance, a transfer method with better performance can be preferentially used even if the user is not familiar with the device performance.

Other Embodiments In the first embodiment, the information processing apparatus and the external device are directly connected. In the network environment, the client side makes a connection to the server to which the external device is connected. Even if an I / O request comes in, it can be handled.

  In that case, do as follows.

  (1) The device server program that has received the input / output request from the client side executes the alternative device switching process shown in FIG. The device server program sends the input / output result back to the client side.

  As described above, according to the present invention, even when an error occurs, the process is automatically switched to another alternative external connection device and the process is resumed, so that the user's hands are less troublesome.

  Even if the user does not consider which external connection device to use, if an input / output is executed by designating an external device, the optimum external connection device is automatically selected.

It is a block diagram which shows the information processing apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a figure showing the structure of the external device information database. It is a figure showing the structure of device open information. It is a flowchart showing an external device information database initialization process. It is a flowchart showing the detailed apparatus information registration process. It is a flowchart showing an external device information initialization process. It is a flowchart showing an external device candidate reply process. It is a flowchart showing an alternative device switching process.

Claims (1)

An information processing device equipped with a standard PC or some external connection devices (wireless, USB, IEEE1394, Centronics, LAN, etc.). Use these external connection devices to connect external devices such as printers. In an information processing device characterized by being controlled and used,
Means for managing an external device and a plurality of externally connected devices connected thereto;
Means for selecting an optimum device from a plurality of externally connected devices based on the managed data;
Means for performing input / output processing according to the selected external connection device;
An information processing apparatus comprising:

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