JP2012141931A - Maintenance device, maintenance method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a workload of version upgrade of software in an apparatus connected to a communication network.SOLUTION: Extraction means 14 extracts an apparatus which needs version upgrade of software from among apparatuses connected through a facility management network 2. Backup means 15 saves device data stored in a nonvolatile memory of the extracted apparatus. Version upgrade means 16 performs the version upgrade of software stored in the nonvolatile memory of the apparatus whose device data is saved. The version upgrade means 16 rewrites the saved device data in the nonvolatile memory of the apparatus whose version upgrade of software is completed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a maintenance device, a maintenance method, and a program for facility equipment connected to a communication network.

  In recent years, development of a building management system network that manages and controls facility equipment such as air conditioning equipment installed in a building or the like using a predetermined monitoring device has been advanced. In a conventional building management system network, a predetermined monitoring device (central monitoring device) connected to an upper network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network) is connected by a lower network through a gateway device. It manages (monitors) and controls multiple equipment.

  BACnet (Building Automation and Control Networks), one of the representative protocols of the upper network, was defined in 2003 as the international standard ISO 16484-5. As a result, an increasing number of vendors provide devices compatible with BACnet defined as an international standard.

  The gateway device is inserted between the upper network to which the central monitoring device is connected and the lower network to which the equipment is connected. The gateway device converts data (packets) transmitted from the central monitoring device into data that can be processed by the facility device, and converts data transmitted from the facility device into data that can be processed by the central monitoring device. That is, the gateway device performs mutual conversion between a protocol on the upper network side processed by the central monitoring device and a protocol on the lower network side processed by the equipment.

  As one of such gateway devices, for example, a gateway device capable of connecting a lower-level network and a higher-level network provided by a plurality of different vendors that provide equipment is provided (for example, Patent Documents). 1). As a result, each of the plurality of vendors can easily construct a subordinate network with a unique specification.

  In addition, buildings where BACnet is adopted are often large-scale buildings. This is because the BACnet standard is suitable for managing large-scale building properties. In a large-scale building property, since the number of facility devices managed by the gateway device is very large, many gateway devices are often connected to the facility management network.

  In the building equipment system network, many messages including instructions for controlling equipment and notifications of changes in the status of equipment are transmitted. The number of messages varies depending on the size of the building property. In other words, the larger the size of a building property, the greater the number of messages, and the burden on the message analysis work by the maintainer increases.

  If a communication sequence diagram is created for the collected messages, it becomes easier to grasp the transmission status of the messages. However, in order to track how the state of the equipment changes due to the message, an analysis work by a maintenance person is required.

  Specifically, in the analysis work, the maintenance person collects the telegrams collected using the conventional communication protocol analyzer, and analyzes and grasps the status change of the equipment for each telegram. It is necessary to repeat the work of analyzing the message and grasping the change in the state of the equipment as many times as the number of collected messages. Accordingly, the longer the message collection period and the larger the size of the building to be collected, the greater the number of messages and the workload on the maintenance personnel.

  In addition, software programs (hereinafter abbreviated as “software”) of all devices connected to the upper level network including the gateway device are stored in a nonvolatile storage means such as a flash memory. When the software is upgraded, the software stored in the nonvolatile storage means is rewritten.

  However, when entering the actual operation phase, the nonvolatile storage means holds a large amount of device data such as data indicating the status of the equipment connected to the lower network and billing data. In order to avoid erasing these device data, when upgrading the software, the device data is temporarily saved outside and written back to the non-volatile storage means after the upgrade is completed.

  There has been proposed a version upgrade method capable of automatically saving device data, upgrading software, and writing back device data when the software is upgraded (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2006-129283 A JP 2002-333324 A

  In order to efficiently upgrade the software of the equipment connected to the building management system network, first, it is necessary to find a device that requires the software upgrade from a large number of devices. However, even if the method disclosed in Patent Document 2 is used, it is assumed that there is only one device to be upgraded, so that a device that needs to be upgraded is extracted from a large number of devices. That is not taken into account.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides, for example, a maintenance device, a maintenance method, and a program that can efficiently upgrade the software of equipment connected to a building management network. Objective.

  In order to achieve the above object, a maintenance device according to the present invention is a maintenance device for a plurality of equipment connected to a communication network. In this maintenance apparatus, the extracting unit extracts equipment that requires software upgrade from a plurality of equipment. The device data saving means saves the device data stored in the extracted nonvolatile storage means of the equipment. The upgrade means upgrades the software stored in the non-volatile storage means of the equipment that has saved the device data. The device data write-back means writes back the device data saved in the non-volatile storage means of the equipment that has been upgraded with the software.

  According to the present invention, out of a plurality of equipment connected to the communication network, equipment that requires software upgrade is automatically extracted, and the equipment data of the extracted equipment is saved, The device data is automatically written back after the upgrade and software upgrade. As a result, the software of the equipment can be upgraded efficiently.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the whole building installation system network where the maintenance apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention is used. It is a block diagram which shows the schematic structure of the maintenance apparatus of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the maintenance apparatus of FIG. It is a sequence diagram which shows the process sequence of the extraction routine of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a processing sequence of a data saving routine of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a processing sequence of the version upgrade routine of FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing a processing sequence of a data write back routine of FIG. 3.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 illustrates a case where the maintenance apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is applied to a certain building equipment system network 100.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the building equipment system network 100 is constructed by an equipment management network 2 and a plurality of equipment equipment networks 3. A building management system 4, equipment 5, and a plurality of gateway devices 6 are connected to the building equipment system network 100.

  The maintenance device 1 is connected to the facility management network 2. The maintenance device 1 has a CPU and a memory (both not shown), and the function of the maintenance device 1 is realized by the CPU executing a program stored in the memory. The maintenance device 1 collects messages transmitted through the facility management network 2 and sends out messages via the facility management network 2. Details of the maintenance device 1 will be described later.

  The equipment management network 2 is an upper network of the building equipment system network 100. As the equipment management network 2, for example, BACnet or the like is adopted.

  The equipment network 3 is a lower network of the building equipment system network 100. As the equipment device network 3, for example, LONWORKS (registered trademark) is adopted.

  The building management system 4 is a central monitoring device connected to the facility management network 2. The building management system 4 is also a computer, and its function is realized by the CPU executing a program. The building management system 4 comprehensively manages the building equipment system network 100.

  The equipment 5 is connected to the equipment network 3. The equipment 5 includes, for example, air conditioners and lighting equipment. The equipment 5 includes a CPU, a memory, a nonvolatile memory (all not shown), and the like. The nonvolatile memory stores software programs and device data (such as data indicating the state of the equipment 5 and billing data). Software stored in the nonvolatile memory is read into the memory and executed by the CPU. Thereby, the equipment 5 operates.

  The gateway device 6 is connected to the boundary between the facility management network 2 and the facility device network 3 as a network conversion device. The gateway device 6 is also a computer, and its function is realized by the CPU executing the program.

  The building management system 4 and the gateway device 6 are connected via the facility management network 2, and the gateway device 6 and the plurality of facility devices 5 are connected via the facility device network 3.

  FIG. 2 shows a detailed configuration of the maintenance device 1. The maintenance device 1 includes a message transmission unit 10, a message collection unit 11, a message analysis generation unit 12, a device data storage unit 13, an extraction unit 14, a backup unit 15, a version upgrade unit 16, and a display unit 17. With.

  The message sending means 10 sends the generated message to the equipment management network 2.

  The message collection unit 11 receives and collects messages transmitted through the facility management network 2. The collected electronic messages include information on the transmission source and the transmission destination in addition to specific contents.

  The message analysis generation unit 12 analyzes the messages collected by the message collection unit 11. In addition, the message analysis generation unit 12 generates a message to be sent to the equipment management network 2 by the message sending unit 10 in accordance with commands from the extraction unit 14, the backup unit 15 and the version upgrade unit 16.

  The device data storage means 13 stores device data stored in the nonvolatile memory of the equipment 5 that performs software upgrade.

  The extraction unit 14 extracts the equipment 5 that needs to be upgraded from the equipment 5 connected to the building management system network 100. More specifically, the extraction unit 14 collects information (for example, software version information of the equipment 5) for determining whether or not the software version needs to be upgraded in the message analysis generation unit 12. The message is generated, and the message is sent to the message sending means 10.

  Further, the extraction unit 14 inputs information for determining whether or not software upgrade is included in the response message collected by the message collection unit 11 and analyzed by the message analysis generation unit 12. Based on the input information, the extraction unit 14 determines whether it is necessary to upgrade the software of each facility device 5. By this determination, the equipment 5 that requires software upgrade is extracted.

  The backup means 15 as the apparatus data saving means stores the apparatus data stored in the nonvolatile memory of the equipment 5 extracted by the extracting means 14 (determined that software upgrade is necessary). The means 13 is saved.

  The version upgrade means 16 upgrades the software stored in the nonvolatile memory of the equipment 5 in which the device data is saved. Further, the version upgrade means 16 also functions as a device data write back means for writing back the saved device data to the nonvolatile memory of the equipment that has been upgraded.

  The display unit 17 displays information output from the extraction unit 14, the backup unit 15, and the version upgrade unit 16.

  Next, the operation of the maintenance device 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 3 shows a flowchart showing the operation of the maintenance device 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the extraction means 14 first performs an extraction routine for extracting the equipment 5 that needs to be upgraded from the plurality of equipment 5 connected to the equipment network 3 (step S1). .

  FIG. 4 shows a processing sequence in the extraction routine. As shown in FIG. 4, first, the extraction unit 14 instructs the message analysis generation unit 12 to generate a version information inquiry message (step S11). In response to this instruction, the message analysis generation unit 12 generates an inquiry message for version information (step S12). The message analysis generation unit 12 outputs the inquiry message to the message transmission unit 10 (step S13). The message sending means 10 sends the inquiry message to the equipment management network 2 by broadcast transmission (step S14).

  The inquiry message transmitted through the facility management network 2 reaches the gateway device 6, where it is converted into the format of the facility device network 3 (step S15) and sent to each facility device 5 (step S16). Each equipment 5 that has received the inquiry message sends a response message including version information to the equipment network 3 as a response (step S21).

  The gateway device 6 converts this response message into the format of the equipment management network 2 (step 22), and sends the converted response message to the equipment management network 2 (step S23).

  The message collection unit 11 receives this response message and outputs it to the message analysis generation unit 12 (step S24). The message analysis generation unit 12 analyzes that the response message is a response message to the inquiry message of the version information (step S25), and outputs the analysis result (version information) to the extraction unit 14 (step S26).

  Based on the analysis result, the extraction unit 14 determines whether or not version upgrade is necessary for each facility device 5 (step S27). More specifically, the extraction unit 14 performs the above determination based on information about the equipment 5 that needs to be upgraded, such as a vendor name, model name, and software version. Further, the extraction unit 14 secures a storage area on the device data storage unit 13 for saving the device data of the equipment 5 that is determined to require upgrade (step S28).

  That is, the extraction routine is executed in this way. Note that the extraction unit 14 may list the extracted information about the equipment 5 and output it to the display unit 17. In this case, the display unit 17 displays a list of the extracted equipment 5. If this display is seen, the maintenance engineer who performs maintenance can confirm the equipment 5 which requires software upgrade.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the maintenance device 1 determines whether there is a facility device 5 that needs to be upgraded (step S <b> 2). When there is an equipment 5 that needs to be upgraded (step S2; Yes), the maintenance device 1 performs a data saving routine (step S3).

  FIG. 5 shows a processing sequence in the data saving routine. As shown in FIG. 5, the backup unit 15 first outputs a command to create a data save request message to the message analysis generation unit 12 (step S31). In response to this, the message analysis generation unit 12 generates a message of a data saving instruction (step S32). This message is output to the message sending means 10 (step S33), and is sent from the message sending means 10 to the equipment management network 2 (step S34).

  The data save instruction message is converted into the format of the equipment network 3 by the gateway device 6 (step S35), and transmitted to the equipment 5 to be upgraded by the software (step S36). The equipment 5 that has received the data save instruction message transmits the device data to the equipment network 3 (step S41). The gateway device 6 converts this message into the format of the equipment management network 2 (step S42) and sends it to the equipment management network 2 (step S43).

  The message collection unit 11 receives this message and outputs it to the message analysis generation unit 12 (step S44). The message analysis generation means 12 analyzes the message and extracts device data (step S45). The extracted device data is output to the backup unit 15 (step S46). The backup unit 15 stores the device data in a storage area secured on the device data storage unit 13 (step S47).

  In the data saving routine, steps S41 to S47 are repeatedly executed, and all device data of the equipment 5 is stored in the device data storage means 13. The last device data message includes data saving completion information, and the backup unit 15 recognizes that saving of all device data has been completed with this information.

  Note that the backup unit 15 may obtain information on the saving progress of the device data of each facility device 5 based on the analysis result of the response message, and display the information on the display unit 17.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the maintenance apparatus 1 executes a version upgrade routine (step S4). FIG. 6 shows a processing sequence in the version upgrade routine. As shown in FIG. 6, first, the upgrade means 16 outputs a command for generating a message of upgrade data to the message analysis generation means 12 (step S51). In response to this, the message analysis generation unit 12 generates a message of upgrade data (step S52). The message analysis generation unit 12 outputs the generated version upgrade data message to the message transmission unit 10 (step S53). The message sending means 10 sends the upgrade data message to the equipment management network 2 (step S54).

  The gateway device 6 converts this message into the format of the equipment network 3 (step S55) and sends it to the equipment network 3 (step S56). The equipment 5 receives this upgrade message, upgrades it (step S57), and sends a reception completion notification message to the equipment network 3 (step S61).

  The gateway device 6 converts the message of the reception completion notice into the equipment management network 2 format (step S62) and sends it to the equipment management network 2 (step S63).

  The message collection unit 11 receives this message and outputs it to the message analysis generation unit 12 (step S64). The message analysis generation unit 12 analyzes the reception completion notification (response message) (step S65) and outputs the analysis result to the version upgrade unit 16 (step S66).

  In the version upgrade routine, the processing from step S51 to step S66 is repeated as necessary, and the version of software operating on the equipment 5 is upgraded. Note that the version upgrade unit 16 may output information on the progress status of the software upgrade to the display unit 17 based on the content of the reception completion notification. In this case, the display unit 17 displays information (including completion of software version upgrade) regarding the progress of software version upgrade.

  The backup unit 15 inquires the equipment device 5 again about the software version after completing the software version upgrade, and refers to the version information included in the response message so that the software version upgrade is accurate. You may make it confirm that it is performed to.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the maintenance device 1 performs a data write-back routine (step S5). FIG. 7 shows the processing sequence of the data write-back routine. As shown in FIG. 7, the upgrade means 16 reads the device data of the equipment 5 that has been upgraded from the device data storage means 13 (step S71).

  Further, the version upgrade means 16 outputs the read device data to the message analysis generation means 12 (step S72). The message analysis generation unit 12 generates a device data message (step S73). The message analysis generation unit 12 outputs the generated message to the message transmission unit 10 (step S74). The message sending means 10 outputs a device data message to the equipment management network 2 (step S75).

  The gateway device 6 converts the device data message into the format of the equipment network 3 (step S76), and outputs it to the equipment network 3 (step S77). The equipment 5 that is the destination of the message analyzes the message of the received device data and stores the device data (step S78).

  The equipment 5 that stores the device data sends a reception completion notification message to the equipment network 3 (step S81). The gateway device 6 converts this message into the format of the equipment management network 2 (step S82) and sends it to the equipment management network 2 (step S83).

  The message collection unit 11 receives this message and outputs it to the message analysis generation unit 12 (step S84). The message analysis generation unit 12 analyzes the response message of the reception completion notification (step S85), and outputs the analysis result to the version upgrade unit 16 (step S86).

  In the data write-back routine, such processing is repeated, and the device data of the equipment 5 is restored.

  Returning to FIG. 3, after completion of the data write-back routine, the maintenance device 1 returns to step S2. Thereafter, steps S2 → S3 → S4 → S5 are repeated until there is no facility device 5 that needs to be upgraded (step S2; Yes).

  When the upgrade is completed for all the equipment 5 that needs to be upgraded (step S2; No), the maintenance device 1 ends this operation.

  As described above in detail, according to this embodiment, among the plurality of facility devices 5 connected to the building communication system network 100, the facility device 5 that requires software upgrade is automatically extracted. The device data of the extracted equipment 5 is saved, the software version is updated, and the device data is automatically written back after the software version is completed. As a result, the work load of upgrading the software of the equipment 5 can be significantly reduced.

  Moreover, since the room for human error can be narrowed by automating the software version upgrade, the software version of the equipment 5 can be upgraded accurately and in a short time.

  For example, even if the maintenance staff lacks specialized knowledge and experience regarding the communication protocol, the software version can be updated accurately and in a short time.

  In the above-described embodiment, only the facility device 5 is a target for version upgrade, but the gateway device 6 and the building management system 4 may be included in the target for version upgrade.

  In the above embodiment, the program to be executed is a computer-readable recording such as a flexible disk, a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), and an MO (Magneto-Optical Disk). A system that executes the above-described processing may be configured by storing and distributing the program on a medium and installing the program.

  Further, the program may be stored in a disk device or the like included in a predetermined server device on a communication network such as the Internet, and may be downloaded, for example, superimposed on a carrier wave.

  In addition, when the above functions are realized by sharing an OS (Operating System), or when the functions are realized by cooperation between the OS and an application, only the part other than the OS may be stored in a medium and distributed. You may also download it.

  In addition, this invention is not limited by the said embodiment and drawing. It goes without saying that the embodiments and the drawings can be modified without changing the gist of the present invention.

  The present invention is suitable for maintenance of equipment connected to a large-scale network constituted by a plurality of networks.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Maintenance apparatus 2 Equipment management network 3 Equipment network 4 Building management system 5 Equipment 6 Gateway apparatus 10 Message transmission means 11 Message collection means 12 Message analysis generation means 13 Device data storage means 14 Extraction means 15 Backup means 16 Version upgrade means 17 Display means 100 Building equipment system network

Claims (7)

A maintenance device for a plurality of equipment connected to a communication network,
Extraction means for extracting equipment from which the software version needs to be upgraded from among the plurality of equipment,
Device data saving means for saving device data stored in the nonvolatile storage means of the extracted equipment;
Version upgrade means for upgrading the software stored in the nonvolatile storage means of the equipment in which the device data is saved;
Device data write-back means for writing back the device data saved in the nonvolatile storage means of the equipment that has been upgraded by the software;
A maintenance device comprising: The extraction means includes
Broadcasting a request message for collecting information for determining whether the software version needs to be upgraded to the plurality of equipment via the communication network by broadcasting, and based on the response message To extract the equipment that needs to be upgraded.
The maintenance device according to claim 1. The information for determining whether the software version needs to be updated includes version information of the software stored in the nonvolatile storage means of the plurality of equipment devices.
The maintenance device according to claim 2. And further comprising display means for displaying at least one of information on the equipment extracted by the extracting means, saving of the device data, progress status of writing back, and progress status of software upgrade.
The maintenance apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein Device data storage means for storing the device data;
The extraction means includes
A storage area for storing the device data of the equipment that requires the software upgrade is secured on the device data storage means,
The device data saving means stores the device data stored in the nonvolatile storage means of the equipment in the storage area;
The maintenance apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein A maintenance method for a plurality of equipment connected to a communication network,
From the plurality of equipment, an extraction process for extracting equipment that requires software upgrade,
A device data saving step for saving device data stored in the nonvolatile storage means of the extracted equipment;
An upgrade process for upgrading the software stored in the non-volatile storage means of the facility equipment in which the device data is saved;
A device data write-back step of writing back the device data saved in the nonvolatile storage means of the equipment that has been upgraded by the software;
Including maintenance method. A computer that maintains multiple equipment connected to the communication network
Extraction means for extracting facility equipment that requires software upgrade from the plurality of facility equipment,
Device data saving means for saving device data stored in the nonvolatile storage means of the extracted equipment;
Version upgrade means for upgrading the software stored in the nonvolatile storage means of the facility equipment in which the device data is saved;
Device data write-back means for writing back the device data saved in the non-volatile storage means of the equipment that has been upgraded by the software;
Program to function as.

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