JP2009043078A - Simulation program and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simulator program and a recording medium by which the operations of a controller for controlling an engine and a control panel are confirmed without using a real device. <P>SOLUTION: The subject is solved by making a computer including a storage device and an operation processor for checking operation of the controller for controlling the engine and operation panel function as: a controller simulator means 21 for building up the controller; a control panel simulator means 22 for building up the control panel; and an engine simulator means 20 for virtually building up an engine, receiving a request from the controller simulator means 21, and responding to the controller simulator means 21 in accordance with the request. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a simulator program and a recording medium, and more particularly to a simulator program for confirming the operation of a controller that controls an engine and an operation panel, and a computer-readable recording medium on which the simulator program is recorded.

For example, development of software of a device constructed by software and hardware such as a multifunction peripheral (MFP) is generally subdivided in units of objects. In the development of such software, it is necessary to check the operation of the object using a real machine such as a prototype (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-216310 A

  For example, in a multi-function device, when performing operation confirmation of a controller that controls hardware such as an engine and an operation panel, it is necessary to confirm operation of an object included in the controller using an actual device. Therefore, many software developments had to be prepared for the development of software in multifunction devices.

  In the development of software in a multifunction machine, it is possible to reduce the number of actual machines that are prepared by sharing the actual machine that performs object operation confirmation. However, software development may be performed in different places or different companies (third parties) by subdividing in object units. In such a case, since it is difficult to share the actual machine for checking the operation of the object, there is a problem that the efficient operation check of the object cannot be performed unless a large number of actual machines are prepared. As described above, in the field of software development, a lot of expenses were required to prepare many actual machines. Therefore, in the field of software development, it was hoped that the operation of the object could be confirmed without using an actual machine.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a simulator program and a recording medium for confirming the operation of a controller that controls an engine and an operation panel without using an actual machine.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a computer including a storage device and an arithmetic processing unit for confirming operation of a controller that controls an engine and an operation panel, a controller simulator means for constructing the controller, and the operation panel An operation panel simulator means to be constructed, and a simulator program for virtually constructing the engine, receiving a request from the controller simulator means, and causing the controller simulator means to function as an engine simulator means for responding to the request It is characterized by being.

  In addition, what applied the component, expression, or arbitrary combination of the component of this invention to a method, an apparatus, a system, a computer program, a recording medium, a data structure, etc. is also effective as an aspect of this invention.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a simulator program and a recording medium for confirming the operation of a controller that controls an engine and an operation panel without using an actual machine.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described based on the following embodiments with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an example of a controller that controls an engine and an operation panel is described as being mounted on a multifunction peripheral. However, the controller may be mounted on another device.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an example of a multifunction machine equipped with a controller for controlling an engine and an operation panel. 1 is configured to include an engine 10, a controller 11, and an operation panel 12. The engine 10 and the controller 11 communicate via the PCI bus 13. Further, the controller 11 and the operation panel 12 communicate via the serial port 14.

  In the present invention, it is possible to confirm the operation of an object included in the controller 11 without using an actual machine by virtually constructing a simulation environment of the multifunction machine as shown in FIG. 1 with software.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an example of an integrated controller simulator (simulator) that virtually constructs a simulation environment of a multifunction machine with software. The integrated controller simulator shown in FIG. 2 has an engine simulator 20, a controller simulator 21, and an operation panel simulator 22.

  The engine simulator 20 and the controller simulator 21 communicate via the socket 23. The controller simulator 21 and the operation panel simulator 22 also communicate via the socket 23. The socket 23 is a virtual interface through which each simulator communicates.

  Each simulator does not need to be mounted on the same personal computer (PC), and may exist on a communicable network as shown in FIG. 3, for example. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of another example of an integrated controller simulator that virtually constructs a simulation environment of a multifunction machine by software.

  In the integrated controller simulator of FIG. 3, the engine simulator 20 mounted on the PC 30, the controller simulator 21 mounted on the PC 31, and the operation panel simulator 22 mounted on the PC 32 are connected via a network 33 so as to communicate with each other. When each simulator exists on a communicable network, a simulation environment of the actual machine can be virtually constructed by software without using the actual machine.

  The program for realizing the integrated controller simulator is provided by, for example, distribution of a recording medium or downloading from a network. The recording medium on which the program is recorded is a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, etc., which records information optically, electrically, or magnetically, such as a ROM, flash memory, etc. Various types of recording media such as a semiconductor memory for recording can be used.

  FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an example of a multifunction peripheral. 4 has hardware resources such as a monochrome line printer (B & W LP) 101, a color line printer (Color LP) 102, a scanner 103, a facsimile 104, a hard disk 105, a network interface 106, and an operation panel 210. The software group 110 includes a platform 120 and an application 130.

  The platform 120 interprets a processing request from an application and generates a hardware resource acquisition request, and manages one or a plurality of hardware resources and arbitrates the acquisition request from the control service. Resource manager) 123 and a general-purpose OS 121.

  The control service is formed of a plurality of service modules, and includes an SCS (system control service) 122, an ECS (engine control service) 124, an MCS (memory control service) 125, an FCS (fax control service) 127, and an NCS (network Control service) 128. The platform 120 has an API (Application Program Interface) that allows a processing request to be received from the application 130 using a predefined function.

  The general-purpose OS 121 is a general-purpose OS such as UNIX (registered trademark), and executes the software of the platform 120 and the application 130 in parallel as processes.

  The process of the SRM 123 performs system control and resource management together with the SCS 122. The process of the SRM 123 includes an engine such as a monochrome line printer 101, a color line printer 102, and a scanner 103, a memory, an HDD file, a host I / O (centronics I / F, network I / F, IEEE 1394 I / F, RS232C I / F Etc.) and perform execution control in accordance with requests from higher layers using hardware resources.

  Specifically, the SRM 123 determines whether the requested hardware resource is available (whether it is not used by another request), and if it is available, the requested hardware resource can be used. Tell the upper layer to the effect. In addition, the SRM 123 performs use scheduling of hardware resources in response to a request from an upper layer, and directly executes request contents (for example, paper conveyance and image forming operation, memory allocation, file generation, etc. by a printer engine). .

  The process of the SCS 122 performs application 130 management, operation panel 210 control, system screen display, LED display, resource management, interrupt application control, and the like. Further, the process of the SCS 122 acquires a key operation from the operation panel 210 as a key event and transmits it to each application 130.

  The process of the ECS 124 controls an engine of hardware resources including the monochrome line printer 101, the color line printer 102, the scanner 103, and the like. The MCS 125 process acquires and releases image memory, uses the hard disk (HD) 105, compresses and decompresses image data, and the like.

  The FCS 127 process is an API for performing facsimile transmission / reception using PSTN / ISDN network from each application layer of the controller, registration / quotation of various facsimile data managed by BKM (backup SRAM), facsimile reading, facsimile reception printing, and the like. I will provide a.

  The NCS 128 is a process for providing a service that can be commonly used for the applications 130 that require network I / O. The NCS 128 distributes the data received from the network side according to each protocol to each application 130, and from the application 130 side. Mediates when the received data is sent to the network side.

  The application 130 includes a printer application 111 that is a printer application having page description language (PDL), PCL, and postscript (PS), a copy application 112 that is a copy application, and a fax application that is a facsimile application. 113, a scanner application 114 that is an application for a scanner, and a net file application 115 that is an application for a network file.

  The printer application 111, the copy application 112, the fax application 113, and the scanner application 114 include an OCS library 126 therein. That is, the program of each application is an executable file linked (coupled) with the OCS library 126. Here, the OCS library 126 registers various functions for controlling the operation panel 210 serving as information transmission means between the operator (user) and the main body control, and the drawing in which each application is registered in the OCS library 126. By executing the function, drawing information such as windows, buttons, other characters, and graphics is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel 210.

  FIG. 5 is a hardware configuration diagram of the multifunction machine. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the multifunction peripheral 100 includes a controller 200 in which a CPU 202, SDRAM 203, flash memory 204, HD 205, and SRAM 208 are connected to an ASIC 201, an operation panel 210, a fax control unit (FCU) 220, a USB I / F 230, and the like. , IEEE 1394 I / F 240 and engine 250.

  The operation panel 210 is directly connected to the ASIC 201. The FCU 220, USB I / F 230, IEEE 1394 I / F 240, and engine 250 are connected to the ASIC 201 via a PCI bus. The flash memory 204 stores the applications and the control services that make up the platform 120 and the programs of the SRM 123.

  The operation panel 210 is for the user to give an instruction for selecting a function to the multifunction peripheral 100. The operation panel 210 includes a display unit such as a touch panel. Functions such as a selection instruction for each function, magnification specification, sorting, and stapling from the printer application 111, the copy application 112, the fax application 113, and the scanner application 114 are provided on the display unit. Selection instruction buttons such as selection instruction, OK, and cancel, windows, and other drawing data such as characters and graphics are displayed via the OCS library 126.

  In addition, when the user presses (touches) a key such as a button displayed on the display unit (touch panel or the like) of the operation panel 210, the key operation pressed by the user is notified as a key event in the SCS 122.

(Operation panel simulator)
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the operation panel simulator. The operation panel simulator 310 in FIG. 6 is executed as a process by the general-purpose OS 316. The operation panel simulator 310 includes a PC screen drawing / mouse processing unit 312 and an iron compatible processing unit 314.

  The PC screen drawing / mouse processing unit 312 draws an image on a display device such as a display of a mounted PC, receives an input signal from an input device such as a mouse, and notifies the SCS 304 of the controller simulator 21 as a key event. Or The iron compatible processing unit 314 performs an iron compatible process that is a real-time OS specification for embedded systems.

  In FIG. 6, an application 300, an SCS 304, a key / panel simulator 306, and a kernel 308 are executed as processes in a virtual PC environment. The application 300 includes an OCS library 302. By executing a drawing function registered in the OCS library 302, the application 300 causes the PC screen drawing / mouse processing unit 312 to draw an image on a display device such as a PC display on which the operation panel simulator 310 is mounted.

  The PC screen drawing / mouse processing unit 312 of the operation panel simulator 310 accepts an operation (movement of the cursor, click, etc.) to an input device such as a mouse of the PC on which the operation panel simulator 310 is mounted, and a key event based on the operation. Is notified to the key / panel simulator 306 of the controller simulator 20.

  The key / panel simulator 306 displays a key event based on an operation on an input device such as a mouse of a PC on which the operation panel simulator 310 is mounted, a touch key such as a button displayed on the display unit of the operation panel 210, or the operation panel 210. The SCS 304 can be notified by substituting the key event for pressing the hard key provided in.

(Controller simulator)
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a controller simulator. In the controller simulator shown in FIG. 7, the SRM 330 is connected to the engine simulator 338 via a Rapi command provided by the engine I / F driver 334 of the general-purpose OS 121. The engine simulator 338 communicates with the engine control application 340 via the socket 23.

  The controller simulator is connected to the key / panel simulator 306 by the SRM 330 via a Rapi command provided by the panel I / F driver 336 of the general-purpose OS 121. The key / panel emulator 306 communicates with the operation panel simulator 310 via the socket 23.

  In FIG. 7, the engine simulator 338, the key / panel simulator 306, the engine control application 340, and the operation panel simulator 310 are simulated portions. In FIG. 7, the application 300, the ECS 320, the MCS 322, the FCS 324, the OCS 326, the SCS 328, the SRM 330, and the general-purpose OS 332 constitute a controller simulator. This controller simulator is equivalent to a real machine.

  A developer (designer) of each module constituting the controller simulator replaces an object developed by the module with a corresponding module among the modules constituting the controller simulator, so that the simulation environment of the MFP 100 as shown in FIG. As a result, the operation of the object included in the controller 11 can be confirmed without using an actual machine.

(Engine simulator)
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an engine simulator. The engine simulator 338 of FIG. 8 is executed as a process in the environment of the virtual PC 342. The engine control application 340 manages a scenario for controlling the behavior (Rapi) of the engine 10 as a behavior file 346. The engine control application 340 manages a setting file 344 in which the state of the engine 10 is set.

  The setting file 344 and the behavior file 346 managed by the engine control application 340 are transferred to the HDD 348 of the virtual PC 342 by socket communication. A setting file 344, a behavior file 346, and an image file 347 are recorded in the HDD 348 of the virtual PC 342. The image file 347 records an image to be drawn on a display device such as a display.

  The engine simulator 338 virtually constructs the engine 10 using the setting file 344, the behavior file 346, and the image file 347 recorded in the HDD 348 of the virtual PC 342. For example, the engine simulator 338 can easily generate a behavior indicating an abnormality such as a jam of the multifunction peripheral 100 by using the setting file 344, the behavior file 346, and the image file 347 recorded in the HDD 348 of the virtual PC 342. .

  That is, the engine simulator 338 receives a command (request) from the controller simulator, and uses a setting file 344, a behavior file 346, and an image file 347 recorded in the HDD 348 of the virtual PC 342, and thereby a response (response) according to the command. It can be performed.

(sequence)
FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram showing a processing procedure when starting up the general controller simulator. In step S1, the engine control application 340 is activated. In step S2, operation panel simulator 310 is activated.

  In steps S3 to S5, each module constituting the controller simulator is activated by an instruction from the console (screen) 354 in the environment of the virtual PC. In the sequence diagram of FIG. 9, the copy application 356, the OCS 326, and the engine simulator 338 are shown among the modules.

  In step S6, the setting file 344 and the behavior file 346 managed by the engine control application 340 are transferred to the engine simulator 338 by socket communication. Proceeding to steps S7 to S9, the engine simulator 338, OCS 326, and copy application 356 perform initial processing.

  In step S10, the copy application 356 instructs the OCS 326 to draw an image. In step S11, the OCS 326 instructs the operation panel simulator 310 to draw information. In step S12, the operation panel simulator 310 draws an image including a message such as “Can be copied” on a display device such as a display of a mounted PC.

  FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of items included in the behavior file of the engine simulator. FIG. 10 shows items “Kind”, “Command”, “Payload”, “SortNumber”, “HexPayload”, and “Result”.

  The item “Kind” represents the type of transmission or reception. The item “Command” represents a command name. The item “Payload” represents a character string that is the content (data) of the command. The item “SortNumber” represents a sort number. The item “HexPayload” represents a binary that is the content (data) of the command. The item “Result” represents the result.

  FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a behavior file of the engine simulator. The behavior file of FIG. 11 is an example including the items of FIG. As described above, the engine control application 340 can manage the scenario for controlling the behavior (Rapi) of the engine 10 as the behavior file 346.

  FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram showing a processing procedure during printing of the general controller simulator. The transmission thread 350, the response distribution processing unit 351, the message event reception unit 352, the scenario response processing unit 353, and the reception thread 354 illustrated in FIG. The response distribution processing unit 351 operates as a command analysis thread.

  In step S 21, the engine I / F driver 334 of the general-purpose OS 121 transmits a print command to the reception thread 354 of the engine simulator 338. In step S22, the reception thread 354 notifies the message event reception unit 352 that the print command has been received as a message reception.

  In step S23, the message event reception unit 352 inquires of the response distribution processing unit 351 about the response destination of the received print command. In step S24, the response distribution processing unit 351 determines a response destination and a command to respond from the information recorded in the setting file 344 (for example, the state of the engine 10) and the information recorded in the behavior file 346.

  In step S25, the response distribution processing unit 351 returns a response destination and a responding command to the message event receiving unit 352. In step S26, the message event receiving unit 352 specifies a response destination and a command to respond, and sends a response request to the scenario response processing unit 353 for the received print command.

  In step S27, the scenario response processing unit 353 designates a response destination and a command to respond, and makes a command transmission request to the transmission thread 350. In step S 28, the transmission thread 350 specifies a response destination as a transmission destination, and transmits a response command to the engine I / F driver 334 of the general-purpose OS 121.

  As described above, the engine simulator 338 can respond to the controller simulator 21 based on the scenario for controlling the behavior (Rapi) of the engine 10 managed as the behavior file 346.

  The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

It is a block diagram of an example of the multifunctional machine equipped with the controller which controls an engine and an operation panel. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an example of an integrated controller simulator (simulator) that virtually builds a simulation environment of a multifunction machine with software. FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of another example of an integrated controller simulator that virtually constructs a simulation environment of a multifunction machine by software. 1 is a configuration diagram of an example of a multifunction machine. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a multifunction machine. It is explanatory drawing of an example of an operation panel simulator. It is explanatory drawing of an example of a controller simulator. It is explanatory drawing of an example of an engine simulator. It is a sequence diagram showing the process at the time of starting of an integrated controller simulator. It is explanatory drawing showing an example of the item of the behavior file. It is explanatory drawing showing an example of the content of the behavior file. It is a sequence diagram showing the process at the time of printing in the engine simulator of an integrated controller simulator.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Engine 11 Controller 12 Operation panel 13 PCI bus 14 Serial port 20,338 Engine simulator 21 Controller simulator 22, 310 Operation panel simulator 23 Socket 30-32 PC
33 Network 100 MFP 300 Application 302 OCS Library 304 SCS (System Control Service)
306 Key / panel simulator 308 Kernel 310 Operation panel simulator 312 PC screen drawing / mouse processing unit 314 Itron compatible processing unit 316, 332 General-purpose OS
318 Ethernet (registered trademark)
330 SRM (System Resource Manager)
334 Engine I / F driver 336 Panel I / F driver 340 Engine control application 344 Setting file 346 Behavior file 347 Image file 350 Transmission thread 351 Response distribution processing unit 352 Message event reception unit 353 Scenario response processing unit 354 Reception thread 354 Console 356 Copy The app

Claims (9)

A computer including a storage device and an arithmetic processing unit for confirming the operation of a controller that controls the engine and the operation panel,
Controller simulator means for constructing the controller;
Operation panel simulator means for constructing the operation panel;
A simulator program for virtually constructing the engine, receiving a request from the controller simulator means, and causing the controller simulator means to respond as an engine simulator means in response to the request.   The engine simulator means includes a behavior recording means in which a response according to a request from the controller simulator means is recorded, accepts a request from the controller simulator means, and sends a response according to the request from the behavior recording means. 2. The simulator program according to claim 1, wherein the simulator program is read out and responds to the controller simulator means in response to the request.   The engine simulator means further includes setting recording means in which the engine state is set, reads the engine state from the setting recording means, and reads a response according to the request from the behavior recording means. 3. The simulator program according to claim 2, wherein the simulator program is executed in accordance with a response corresponding to the request and a state of the engine read from the setting recording means. The engine simulator means, receiving means for receiving a request from the controller simulator means;
Request analysis means for analyzing the request and making a response request based on the analysis result;
4. The simulator program according to claim 3, further comprising a transmission unit that transmits a response to the controller simulator unit based on the response request.   The said controller simulator means has an interface means with the said operation panel simulator means and an engine simulator means, It can communicate using the said interface means, The one of Claim 1 thru | or 4 characterized by the above-mentioned. Simulator program.   6. The simulator program according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the operation panel simulator means and the engine simulator means is mounted on another computer.   The simulator program according to claim 1, wherein the controller simulator means includes a plurality of objects for controlling the engine and an operation panel.   8. The simulator program according to claim 1, wherein the engine is hardware that performs processing related to image formation.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the simulator program according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is recorded.

Images