JP2630227B2 - Terminal software automatic update system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to automatic updating of terminal software of an online system, and more particularly to a system for simultaneously updating software of multiple terminals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, terminal software update processing is performed by:
Workers bring or mail the storage medium of the software to the place where the terminal is installed, and maintenance personnel or end users perform installation at each place at a predetermined time according to a certain procedure. However, in this case, if the terminal installation locations are scattered throughout the country or there are many installation locations, it is necessary to update the software for all of the terminals at the same time, so a large number of personnel with certain skills in a short period of time are required. And it was difficult to secure personnel. In addition, since the operation is mostly performed manually, there are many troubles due to an operation error of a worker, and the work efficiency is poor.

[0003] Therefore, as shown in JP-A-3-98141 and JP-A-3-74746, information of terminal software is centrally managed by a host computer, so that the host computer can execute the information from the host computer at an arbitrary timing upon request from the terminal. Automatic distribution of software to a terminal has been performed online by a method of receiving the terminal software or, conversely, a method of simultaneously distributing the terminal software from a host computer to the terminal.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional method, terminal software is centrally managed by a host computer, and forcibly distributed from an operation terminal of the host computer to a terminal of a remote end user, whereby each end is controlled. Although the terminal software of the user can be updated simultaneously and collectively, when performing the update process, the operator must intervene in the system and input an operation instruction from the terminal at the time of the update process. Workers must always be aware of the renewal schedule.

[0005] Therefore, in a system in which simultaneous update processing must be performed frequently or a system in which update processing must be performed at an accurate time, a worker cannot make a mistake in a predetermined update time or cannot work due to some circumstances. If the update time becomes inaccurate, the work may be hindered.

In view of these problems, in the present invention, the terminal software to be updated and the information necessary for the update are stored in the terminal in advance, so that the update is automatically performed on all the terminals at a specified date and time at the same time. The purpose is to be performed.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems A terminal software automatic simultaneous update system according to the present invention is a terminal software automatic simultaneous update system for updating current software of a plurality of terminal devices by new software transmitted from a host computer via a communication line. An update system, wherein each of the plurality of terminal devices stores an update information table storing update information including a name of the current software and an execution date and time of the update process; a name of the current software; A software information table storing management information including a temporary name used for the new software before processing and the name of the procedure of the update processing; and a temporary name used for the new software as the current software. In the software information table. Update procedure creation means for creating the update procedure by the name of the update procedure stored in the update procedure information file for storing the update procedure created by the update procedure creation means; and an update procedure information file stored in the update information table. Update procedure activation means that is activated at the execution date and time of the update processing and performs the update processing in accordance with the procedure of the update processing stored in the update procedure information file.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention.
A plurality of terminal devices 3 are connected to a host computer 1 via a communication line 2.

The terminal device 3, which is a feature of the present invention, includes an update information table 34 storing update information, a software information table 35 storing software management information, and a new information storing new software to be updated. The software file 36, the current software file 37 storing the current software, the update procedure information file 38 storing the update procedure, the update information table 34, the software information table 35, and the new software file 36 The update information registration / confirmation means 31 for registering update information, software information, and new software to be updated, confirming the update information, and starting the creation of the update procedure via the communication line 2, and starting the creation of the update procedure By the software information table 5 See, to create the update procedure,
An update procedure creation unit 32 stored in the update procedure information file 38; and a system date and time management unit that checks the system date and time and the update execution date and time of the update information table at regular time intervals and, when they match, activates the update process. 39
And update procedure activation means 33 for performing update execution processing by activation from the system date and time management means 39, confirming operation of new software, and deleting unnecessary data.

FIG. 2 is a table configuration diagram of the update information table 34, which includes a current software name 34-1 and an update execution date and time 34-2 for updating the software.

FIG. 3 is a table configuration diagram of the software information table 35. The software information table 35 is used as a formal name 35-1 of the software to be updated and a temporary name before replacing the current software with the new software. Temporary name 35-2 and current software storage location 35-3 when replacing with current software
And a new software storage location 35-4 for storing the new software until it is replaced with the current software as a new software, and an update procedure name 3 for performing the update process
5-5 and an update procedure storage location 35-6 in which corresponding update procedure information is stored.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a file structure of the update procedure information file 38. The update procedure information file 38 stores a current software name 38-1 to be updated and update procedure information 38-2 of the corresponding software.

The operation until a plurality of terminal software are simultaneously updated at the designated date and time will be described with reference to FIGS.

Referring to FIG. 1, first, a host computer 1 and a plurality of terminal devices 3 installed at remote locations are connected to each other through a communication line 2 by using a time period when the communication line 2 is idle. The update information of the terminal software to be updated and the software itself are transferred in advance and registered in the update information table 34, the software information table 35, and the new software file 36 by using the update information registration confirmation unit 31.

The flow of processing for registering update information of terminal software and creating an update procedure will be described with reference to FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 4, the host computer 1 stores, via the communication line 2, the current software name 34-1 which is the name of the software to be updated in the update information table 34 as update information. And the update execution date and time 34-2 for updating it. 1, 3,
Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 4, the host computer 1 stores the same formal name 35- in the software information table 35 via the communication line 2 as the name of the software to be updated.
1. Temporary name 35-2 used to save new software until new software is replaced with current software, current software storage location 35 storing new software after replacing it with current software
-3, a new software storage location 3 for storing until new software is replaced with current software
5-4, the update procedure name 35-5, and the update procedure storage location 35-6 are transferred. The host computer 1 stores the new software to be updated in a new software file 36.
Is transferred to and stored in the new software storage location 35-4 (step 41).

When the registration of the update information is completed, the update information registration confirmation means 31 activates the update procedure creation means 32 and
An update procedure is created based on the software information table 35, and an update procedure information file 38 is generated (step 42). At this time, it is assumed that the contents of the software information table 35 have been carried over to the update procedure information file 38.

As described above, when the update information is registered in each terminal in advance, the process up to the creation of the update procedure is performed.

Next, a flow until the actual updating process is performed will be described with reference to FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, the system date and time management means 39 is constantly updated via the update information registration confirmation means 31 at regular intervals (this can be freely set by the system using a timer function). The contents of the information table 34 are checked (step 51).

If there is no current software whose date and time managed by the system matches the update execution date and time 34-2 of the update information table 34, the system date and time management means 3
9 ends without performing any processing, and waits for the next check to be performed by the system date and time management means 39.

If there is current software whose date and time managed by the system matches the update execution date and time 34-2 of the update information table 34, the system date and time management means 39
Activates the update procedure activation means 33 (step 53).
The one that matches the current software name 34-1
Current software name 38 of update procedure information file 38
Search from -1. If a match is found, the update procedure activation means 33 executes an update process based on the update procedure information 38-2 (step 54).

The procedure for replacing the current software with the new software in the update process will be described with reference to FIG.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the update procedure starting means 33 first refers to the update procedure information file 38 and changes the current software name of the corresponding current software from the official name 35-1 to a dummy name. (Step 61). Next, the update procedure starting means 33 reads the new software stored under the temporary name 35-2 in the new software storage location 35-4 of the new software file 36 and changes the new software into the formal name 35-1, which is the name of the current software. It is changed and stored in the current software storage location 35-3 of the current software file 37 (step 62). This is to prevent a software failure from occurring due to the presence of software having the same name in the same terminal device 3.

After replacing the current software with the new software, the update procedure starting means 33 starts the new software and confirms that the new software operates normally (step 63).

If the operation is not normal, the update procedure starting means 33 abnormally ends the update processing (step 6).
4, 65).

When the normal operation is confirmed, the update procedure starting means 33 deletes unnecessary data in the update information table 34, the software information table 35, the update procedure information file 38, and the new software file 36 ( Step 66).

If the capacity of the software storage medium has a margin, the update procedure starting means 33 does not delete the unnecessary data but saves it as generation management information in order to perform generation management in case of a failure. It is also possible.

[0030]

As described above, by storing in advance the terminal software to be updated and the information necessary for the update on the terminal side, all of the terminal software can be updated at the specified date and time without the intervention of a worker. Updates are now performed automatically at the terminal, eliminating the need for workers to be constantly aware of the update schedule, preventing installation errors due to manual intervention, and greatly improving the efficiency of maintenance work. There is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a table configuration diagram of an update information table.

FIG. 3 is a table configuration diagram of a software information table.

FIG. 4 is a processing flowchart of registering update information of terminal software and creating an update procedure.

FIG. 5 is a processing flow chart of execution of update of terminal software.

FIG. 6 is a processing flow chart of switching between current software and new software at the time of execution of update processing.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a file configuration of an update procedure information file.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Communication line 3 Terminal device 31 Update information registration confirmation means 32 Update procedure creation means 33 Update procedure starting means 34 Update information table 34-1 Current software name 34-2 Update execution date and time 35 Software information table 35-1 Official name 35-2 Temporary name 35-3 Current software storage location 35-4 New software storage location 35-5 Update procedure name 35-6 Update procedure storage location 36 New software file 37 Current software file 38 Update procedure information file 38-1 Current software Name 38-2 Update procedure information 39 System date and time management means 41, 42, 51 to 54, 61 to 66 Step

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A terminal software automatic simultaneous update system for updating current software of a plurality of terminal devices by new software transmitted from a host computer via a communication line, wherein each of the plurality of terminal devices includes: An update information table storing update information including the name of the current software and the execution date and time of the update process, a name of the current software, and a tentative name used for the new software before the update process, A software information table storing management information including a name of the update processing procedure, and the update processing procedure of changing the temporary name used for the new software to the name of the current software. Update procedure creation procedure that is created using the name of the update procedure stored in the table An update procedure information file for storing the procedure of the update process created by the update procedure creating means; and an update process information file that is started at the execution date and time of the update process stored in the update information table and stored in the update procedure information file. And an update procedure starting means for performing the update processing in accordance with the update processing procedure. 2. The update procedure starting means further checks the operation of the new software after the execution of the update processing, and when it is confirmed that the new software operates normally, the update information table and the software 2. The terminal software automatic simultaneous update system according to claim 1, wherein unnecessary data in the information table and the update procedure information file and the new software unnecessary by the update are deleted. 3. 3. The update procedure starting means further checks the operation of the new software after the execution of the update processing, and if it is confirmed that the new software operates normally, the update information table and the software 2. The terminal software according to claim 1, wherein unnecessary data in the information table and the update procedure information file and the new software unnecessary by the update are used for generation management of the terminal software without being deleted. Automatic simultaneous update system.