JP2010183356A - Field communication device, and field communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a field communication device that is applicable to a plurality of applications and attain the connection to a plurality of servers having different protocols from each other without giving any burden to clients. <P>SOLUTION: When a reception section 11 receives an input request of data from a client 10, a server specification section 13 accepts the input request and accesses the corresponding information in the corresponding information storage section 12 and specifies the corresponding server. Communication protocol conversion sections 15A-15C convert protocols corresponding to those of the corresponding servers 2A-2C. Communication sections 16A-16C corresponding to the servers 2A-2C as input request destination of data perform necessary communications with the servers, and acquire the requested data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a field communication apparatus and a field communication method that are connected to a field control system that uses a plurality of servers that correspond to a plurality of applications and have different communication protocols.

  In an application having a server client configuration, the client is configured to perform information or information processing specialized for the server, and the client is connected to a single server. In this case, the client communicates with the server according to the communication protocol corresponding to the server application.

JP 2005-50127 A

  However, in the field control field, it is possible to input (read) data or output (write) data to multiple servers with various functions and communication protocols at the same time. There is a demand for monitoring.

  In order to be able to connect to a plurality of servers having different communication protocols, it is necessary to implement communication protocols for those server applications on the client. Further, when connecting to a plurality of servers at the same time, it is necessary to manage the association between data and servers and select a communication destination server.

  However, it is difficult to implement support for a plurality of communication protocols and support for various communication processes including processing at the time of communication abnormality or line disconnection for each client, which is a heavy burden on client application development.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a field communication apparatus that can connect to a plurality of servers corresponding to a plurality of applications and having different communication protocols without burdening a client.

The field communication device of the present invention is a client device for data input / output in a field communication device connected to a field control system configured using a plurality of servers corresponding to a plurality of applications and having different communication protocols. Receiving the I / O request by the receiving means by accessing the correspondence information in the correspondence information storing means, the correspondence information storing means for storing correspondence information between the data and the server, and the correspondence information storage means A server specifying means for specifying a server corresponding to the data, a communication means for calling the server specified by the server specifying means to execute input / output of the data, and a communication protocol corresponding to the server at the time of communication by the communication means Communication protocol conversion means for performing conversion And wherein the door.
According to this field communication device, the server corresponding to the data for which the input / output request has been received is specified, and when the input / output of the data is executed, the communication protocol conversion corresponding to the server is executed. It is possible to connect to a plurality of servers corresponding to a plurality of applications and having different communication protocols.

  An abnormality detection unit that detects the presence or absence of a communication abnormality with each of the servers may be provided, and the abnormality detection unit may reflect the detection result of the communication abnormality in the operation of the communication unit.

  You may provide the correspondence information acquisition means which acquires the said correspondence information stored in the said correspondence information storage means from the outside via communication.

The field communication method of the present invention is a field communication method for executing communication in a field control system configured using a plurality of servers corresponding to a plurality of applications and having different communication protocols. A step of accepting a request, a step of identifying a server corresponding to the data for which an input / output request has been accepted in the step of accepting the request by accessing correspondence information between the data and the server, and a step of identifying the server Calling the server identified by the step and executing input / output of the data; and executing communication protocol conversion corresponding to the server during communication by the step of executing input / output of the data It is characterized by.
According to this field communication method, the server corresponding to the data for which the input / output request has been received is identified, and when the input / output of the data is executed, the communication protocol conversion corresponding to the server is executed, so that the burden on the client is reduced. It is possible to connect to a plurality of servers corresponding to a plurality of applications and having different communication protocols.

  According to the field communication device of the present invention, the server corresponding to the data for which the input / output request has been received is specified, and when executing the input / output of the data, the communication protocol conversion corresponding to the server is executed. It is possible to connect to a plurality of servers corresponding to a plurality of applications and having different communication protocols.

  According to the field communication method of the present invention, the server corresponding to the data for which the input / output request has been received is identified, and when the input / output of the data is executed, the communication protocol conversion corresponding to the server is executed. It is possible to connect to a plurality of servers corresponding to a plurality of applications and having different communication protocols.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the field communication apparatus of one Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the structure of a communication management part. The block diagram which shows the structural example which enabled acquisition of correspondence information by communication.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a field communication device according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the field communication apparatus of this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the field communication device 1 of the present embodiment includes a receiving unit 11 that receives a request from a client 10 for data input / output, and a correspondence information storage unit 12 that stores correspondence information between data and a server. And by specifying the server corresponding to the data for which the input / output request has been received by the receiving unit 11 by accessing the corresponding information in the corresponding information storage unit 12 and the server specifying unit 13 Communication protocol converters 15A to 15C that perform communication protocol conversion corresponding to the server when the server distributes and integrates the server and receives information from the server and the servers 2A to 2C, respectively. When communicating with the servers 2A to 2C, the communication unit 1 that calls and communicates with the servers 2A to 2C, respectively. Comprising a A～16C, and a communication management unit 17A~17C for managing each of the communication in the communication unit 16A - 16C.

  Examples of the data include data such as measured values and set values (instantaneous data values) by each field device.

  Next, the operation of the field communication device 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

  When the receiving unit 11 receives a data input request from the client 10, the server specifying unit 13 receives the input request, accesses the corresponding information in the corresponding information storage unit 12, and specifies the corresponding server. The input request includes designation of an identification name of data to be input. The correspondence information includes information necessary for communication with the connection destination server, in addition to the association between the data identification name and the server.

  Next, the server distribution / integration unit 14 performs distribution to the communication protocol conversion units 15A to 15C corresponding to the servers 2A to 2C specified by the server specification unit 13 for each data identification name.

  The communication protocol conversion units 15A to 15C perform protocol conversion according to the communication protocols of the corresponding servers 2A to 2C. Protocol conversion processing includes processing such as format conversion of data identification names, division of the number of data, conversion of data format and type, and the like.

  The communication units 16A to 16C corresponding to the servers 2A to 2C serving as data input request destinations call the server, perform necessary communication with the server, and acquire the requested data.

  The acquired data is returned to the client 10 via the communication protocol conversion units 15A to 15C, the server distribution / integration unit 14, the server identification unit 13, and the reception unit 11. At this time, the protocol conversion in the direction opposite to the input request is executed in the communication protocol converters 15A to 15C.

  On the other hand, when the receiving unit 11 receives a data output request from the client 10, the server specifying unit 13 receives the output request, accesses the corresponding information in the corresponding information storage unit 12, and specifies the corresponding server. The output request includes designation of an identification name of data to be output and a data value.

  Next, the server distribution / integration unit 14 performs distribution to the communication protocol conversion units 15A to 15C corresponding to the servers 2A to 2C specified by the server specification unit 13 for each data identification name.

  The communication protocol conversion units 15A to 15C perform protocol conversion according to the protocols of the corresponding servers 2A to 2C. Protocol conversion processing includes processing such as format conversion of data identification names, division of the number of data, conversion of data format and type, and the like.

  The communication units 16A to 16C corresponding to the servers 2A to 2C that are data input request destinations call the server, perform necessary communication with the server, and output the data to the server.

  The communication managers 17A to 17C monitor and manage the communication state with the corresponding servers 2A to 2C. Various processes are performed according to changes in the communication state.

  For example, when the connection with the corresponding servers 2A to 2C is disconnected, the communication management units 17A to 17C do not perform communication by the communication units 6A to 6C and process them as errors. In this case, the communication units 6 </ b> A to 6 </ b> C pass incidental information indicating an abnormality to the server distribution / integration unit 14 without performing actual communication. Further, when the connection is restored, the communication managers 17A to 17C prepare for initialization processing at the time of connection restoration and communication resumption.

  With this communication management function, error handling when communication with the target server is interrupted, monitoring of communication path recovery, initialization of communication path recovery, preparation for communication, etc. The process is executed by the field communication device 1. Therefore, the client 10 does not need to support various processes for communication with the corresponding servers 2A to 2C. Further, the client 10 can know the communication state or the state of the communication path as data supplementary information.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the communication management unit 17A. The communication management unit 17B and the communication management unit 17C are configured similarly.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the communication management unit 17A includes a registration information management unit 71 that collects and manages registration information related to the server 2A, a communication path recovery processing unit 72 that executes registration processing when the communication path is recovered, and a communication path. A communication path monitoring unit 73 for monitoring the registration information, and a registration information storage unit 74 for storing registration information related to the server 2A.

  When the registration information management unit 71 registers information necessary for communication with the server 2 </ b> A in the server 2 </ b> A, the registration information management unit 71 acquires the registration information from the communication unit 16 </ b> A and stores it in the registration information storage unit 74.

  The communication path monitoring unit 73 periodically tries communication with the server 2A and monitors the communication path. When an abnormality is detected, the communication path monitoring unit 73 notifies the communication unit 16A of the occurrence of the abnormality, and the communication unit 16A processes subsequent calls as communication errors and does not perform communication with the actual server 2A.

  When communication path recovery is detected by periodic monitoring, the communication path monitoring unit 73 notifies the communication path recovery processing unit 72 of the recovery, and the communication path recovery processing unit 72 stores the registration information stored in the registration information storage unit 74. The necessary registration process is performed again. After completion of the recovery process, the communication path monitoring unit 73 notifies the communication unit 16A of normal return, and the communication unit 16A resumes communication with the server 2A.

  As described above, according to the field communication device of the present embodiment, protocol conversion is performed according to a communication protocol and various processes necessary for communication are performed. It can be connectable. Further, since the client does not need to support a plurality of communication protocols and connection processes, or support various processes related to communication, the development efficiency of the client can be greatly improved.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example in which the correspondence information can be acquired by communication. In FIG. 3, the same components as those in FIG. In addition, elements corresponding to communication with the server 2B and the server 2C are not shown.

  In the field communication device 1A shown in FIG. 3, the construction of the correspondence information database can be automated. However, the precondition for this function is that the identification name of the data held by the server to be communicated is disclosed by some method.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the field communication device 1 </ b> A uses the identification information collection unit 18 for acquiring identification information by communication, and the identification information acquired by the identification information collection unit 18 as correspondence information in the correspondence information storage unit 12. And an identification information setting unit 19 to be reflected.

  The identification information collection unit 18 collects information (data identification information) necessary for identifying data from the server 2A. Although the acquisition method of the identification information depends on the server 2A, it is not necessarily acquired directly from the server 2A, and may be collected via a file or the like.

  The identification information setting unit 19 writes the identification name of the data designated by the client 10 in the correspondence information in the correspondence information storage unit 12 based on the information acquired by the identification information collection unit 18 from the server 2A.

  As described above, the function of the identification information collection unit 18 and the identification information setting unit 19 automates the construction of the correspondence information database in the field communication device 1A shown in FIG.

  The scope of application of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The present invention can be widely applied to a field communication apparatus and a field communication method connected to a field control system configured by using a plurality of servers having different communication protocols corresponding to a plurality of applications.

11 Reception part (reception means)
12 Corresponding information storage unit (corresponding information storing means)
13 Server identification part (server identification means)
15 Communication protocol converter (communication protocol converter)
16 Communication part (communication means)
17A Communication management unit (abnormality detection means)
18 Identification information collection unit (corresponding information acquisition means)
19 Identification information setting unit (corresponding information acquisition means)

Claims (4)

In a field communication device connected to a field control system that uses a plurality of servers that correspond to a plurality of applications and have different communication protocols,
An accepting means for accepting a client request for data input and output;
Correspondence information storage means for storing correspondence information between the data and the server;
Server specifying means for specifying a server corresponding to the data for which an input / output request has been received by the receiving means by accessing the correspondence information in the correspondence information storing means;
Communication means for calling the server specified by the server specifying means and executing input / output of the data;
Communication protocol conversion means for executing communication protocol conversion corresponding to the server at the time of communication by the communication means;
A field communication apparatus comprising: Provided with abnormality detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of communication abnormality with each of the above servers,
The field communication device according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality detection unit reflects the detection result of the communication abnormality in the operation of the communication unit. The field communication device according to claim 1, further comprising correspondence information acquisition means for acquiring the correspondence information stored in the correspondence information storage means from outside via communication. In a field communication method for executing communication in a field control system configured by using a plurality of servers corresponding to a plurality of applications and having different communication protocols,
Receiving a client request for data input and output;
Identifying the server corresponding to the data that received the input / output request by the step of receiving the request by accessing the correspondence information between the data and the server;
Calling the server identified by the step of identifying the server and executing input / output of the data;
Executing communication protocol conversion corresponding to the server in communication by the step of executing input / output of the data;
A field communication method comprising:

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