JP2737767B2 - Communication line test method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a test method for a communication line, and more particularly, to a test method for a communication protocol in a communication system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of communication protocol has been tested by a test method in which a general-purpose simulator, protocol analyzer, or the like is installed externally to perform a test, or a method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H1-21-2.
A test method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 38241 is known.
The test method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-238241 discloses a closed test system provided by preparing a special test mode only when a plurality of channels operate under the same protocol. It can be unnecessary.

[0003]

However, in the conventional communication line test system, since lines having different protocols exist independently, during inspection, maintenance and repair,
Since a general-purpose simulator and protocol analyzer corresponding to all protocols must be prepared for the facing test, there is a problem that a great deal of cost is required for inspection, maintenance and repair.

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to configure a test system closed to a single device and to eliminate the need for a general-purpose simulator or protocol analyzer as an inspection or maintenance / repair facility, thereby reducing costs. An object of the present invention is to provide a communication line test method.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a communication line test system capable of improving maintainability.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a communication line test system for performing a test via a communication device for communication between a plurality of communication lines. Data information (header, error check information,
It is characterized in that it is provided with a means capable of shifting from a communication according to a normal protocol to a test mode in which addition of a transparency maintaining process and the inspection are not performed by an external instruction.

Further, according to the present invention, a line control unit is specified for each communication protocol by an instruction to shift to a test mode from outside.
The addition and check data information is shifted to the test mode is not performed, to perform the communication remain normal logical data format protocol <br/> Le handling is not possible at the time of operation of the line control unit, the line is The test is performed at the input / output of the device and the result is displayed to the outside.

Further, the present invention provides processing means for performing overall control and data processing, processing procedure storing means for storing the processing procedure of the processing means, communication data and communication data used in normal communication processing and testing. a data storage means for storing the normal data temporarily or permanently corresponding to the condition and testing of test execution and usually an external input means for inputting an instruction of operation start or the like from the outside, the operation during the test secondary communication device and an external display means for displaying the internal state such as test results of time outside, out the addition and examination of the data information which is unique for each communication protocol in accordance with an instruction from the outside and communicating performs processing means in different communication protocols First to n-th line control means capable of shifting to a non-test mode, and control data, control program and communication by interconnecting the respective means. Characterized by having a data transmission and reception means allowing transmit and receive over data or the like to each other.

[0009]

According to the communication line test method of the present invention, each line control unit is set to a test mode in which a header defined as a communication protocol, error check information, transparency maintaining processing and the like are not added and a test is not performed. on <br/> during normal operation, the protocol handling so that perform communication with the logical data format that can not perform a test of the line input and output, to display the results, it has also been built test data. For this reason,
Inspections or maintenance personnel connect the circuit under test to any other lines and provide test equipment and tools in addition to externally issuing test instructions when conducting inspections at the factory or failure investigations at the shipping destination. do not need.

[0010]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an example of a communication device embodying the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the communication device 100 has a plurality of communication lines, and each communication line performs communication using a communication protocol having the same physical conditions but different logical conditions such as a data format. The communication device 100 includes a central processing unit 2, a memory unit 3, a data storage unit 4, an external input unit 5, an external display unit 6, first to n-th line control units 11 to 1n, 7 are provided.

The central processing unit 2 controls the entire communication device 100 and performs data processing and the like. The memory unit 3
Stores a control program of the central processing unit 2. The data storage unit 4 temporarily or permanently stores communication data used during normal communication processing and testing and normal data corresponding to the communication data. The external input unit 5
Is for externally inputting an instruction such as a test execution and a normal operation start to the communication apparatus 100. The external display unit 6 externally displays the state of the communication device 100 during operation, during a test, and the like, and the internal state of the communication device 100 such as a display of a test result at the time of a test.

The first to n-th line controllers 11 to 1n
Communicates with the outside using different communication protocols, and shifts to a test mode in which the addition of headers, error check information, transparency maintaining processing, etc. specified by the communication protocol and no inspection are performed according to an instruction from the central processing unit 2. It is possible. The bus 7 includes the central processing unit 2,
The memory unit 3, the data storage unit 4, the external input unit 5, the external display unit 6, and the first to n-th line control units 11 to 1n are connected to each other, and control data, a control program, and communication data Etc. can be mutually transmitted and received.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

Here, as an example, the first line control unit 11
And the operation of the n-th line control unit 1n during the test will be described. The line sides of the first line control unit 11 and the n-th line control unit 1n are connected to a test device, and the first line control unit 11 and the
n test communication data and communication
The normal data corresponding to the communication data is used for the data storage unit 4.
Shall be assumed. Test communication data here
And normal data corresponding to communication data
Expected for transmission data and transmission data corresponding to
This is a combination with the received data.
It is a basic example of transmission / reception data.

[0016] FIG. 2 shows an example of transmitting and receiving data logic format to be transmitted and received during each normal operation by the line control unit 1n of the n first line control unit 11. Since these transmission / reception data logical formats have different communication protocols, the same transmission data is specific to the communication protocol.
Header length added and inspected by the communication protocol,
Data information such as header contents and error check information is different
Runode, ratio of input and output cross in this state is connected to the test apparatus and a line control unit 1n of the n first line control unit 11
It is not possible to compare the test.

[0017] Therefore, firstly, in connection with the first line control unit 11 and a line control unit 1n of the n to the test device, in order to perform a line test of the line control unit 1n of the n, the external input unit 5 Then, a request to shift to a test mode in which a header defined as a communication protocol, error check information, transparency maintaining processing, and the like and a test are not performed is input to the first line control unit 11.

A request to add a header, error check information, transparency preservation processing, and the like specified as an input communication protocol and to shift to a test mode in which no inspection is performed is notified to the central processing unit 2 via the bus 7. In accordance with the program stored in the memory unit 3, the central processing unit 2 sends a header, error check information, and transparency holding defined as a communication protocol to the first line control unit 11 via the bus 7. A request to shift to a test mode in which processing and the like are added and no inspection is performed is issued. Upon receiving the test mode shift request, the first line controller 11 shifts to a test mode in which the addition of a header, error check information, transparency maintaining processing, and the like specified as a communication protocol and no inspection are performed.

FIG. 3 shows an outline of data transmission / reception to / from the line control unit 11 to the line 1n in the test mode in which a header defined as a communication protocol, error check information, transparency maintaining processing and the like are not added and a test is not performed. is there. Taking the first line control unit 11 as an example, the test communication data prepared in the data storage unit 4 is taken into the first line control unit 11 via the bus 7 and sent out to the line as it is. The data received from the line is directly stored in the data storage unit 4 via the bus 7 from the first line control unit 11.

Therefore, in the data storage unit 4, a logical data format normally transmitted and received by the n-th line control unit 1n as test communication data for the n-th line control unit 1n is prepared as it is from the header unit. From the first line control unit 11 to the n-th line control unit 1n which cannot transmit / receive data
Can transmit normal data to the n-th line control unit 1n.

Conversely, the data transmitted from the n-th line controller 1n to the first line controller 11 also checks the logical data format based on the protocol normally performed by the first line controller 11. Since it is not performed, it is possible to receive received data in a logical data format that is not normally accepted as an error without detecting an error.

When the transmission of all the prepared test communication data is completed and the reception of all the data to be received is completed, the central processing unit 2 stores the communication data obtained by the test and the data storage unit. The data is compared with the normal data prepared in step 4, and if there is a difference, an error is displayed. If everything is normal, a normal display is displayed on the external display unit 6, and the test is terminated.

Conversely, the n-th line control unit 1n sends the first
When testing the line control unit 11 of the first line control unit 11, it is also possible to test the first line control unit 11 from the n-th line control unit 1n by performing the reverse of the above.

Similarly, the communication line test method of the present invention enables mutual testing regardless of which pair is selected from the first line control unit 11 to the n-th line control unit 1n.

[0025]

According to the present invention, examination, general purpose simulator as equipment needed for maintenance and repair, the protocol analyzer unnecessarily such Luca et al., Inspection, reducing the cost of maintenance and repair and improve productivity Can be achieved. Further, according to the present invention, since maintenance equipment and special operations are not required for a failure at a shipping destination, maintainability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a communication device embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a logical data format transmitted and received during normal operation on each line of the communication device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the communication line test system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 first line control unit 1n n-th line control unit 2 central processing unit 3 memory unit 4 data storage unit 5 external input unit 6 external display unit 7 bus 100 communication device

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] In a communication line test method for performing a test via a communication device for communication between a plurality of communication lines, data information (header, error, etc.) defined as a communication protocol and unique to each communication protocol. Check information, transparency maintaining processing, etc.) and a mode that can switch from normal protocol communication to a test mode in which inspection is not performed by an external instruction. At the time, when communication is performed with the respective unique protocols, and when a test mode shift instruction is received from the outside, the mode is shifted to a test mode in which the addition and inspection of the data information unique to each communication protocol are not performed, and Communication means for storing test communication data and normal data corresponding to the communication data. Line test method. 2. A communication line test system for performing a test via a communication device for communication between a plurality of communication lines, wherein a line control unit is uniquely specified for each communication protocol in response to an external shift instruction to a test mode. The test mode is shifted to a test mode in which addition and inspection of the data information are not performed, and communication is performed in a logical data format that cannot be handled in a protocol during a normal operation of the line control unit, and a test is performed in line input / output. And a communication line test method for displaying the result to the outside. 3. A communication line test method for performing a test via a communication device for communication between a plurality of communication lines, a processing unit for performing overall control and data processing, and the like.
Processing procedure storage means for storing the processing procedure of the processing means, data storage means for temporarily or permanently storing communication data used during normal communication processing and testing, and normal data corresponding to the communication data; External input means for externally inputting instructions such as start of normal operation and the like; external display means for externally displaying the state of the communication device during operation and the like and the internal state such as test results during the test; The first to n-th line control means capable of performing communication with the outside and transferring to a test mode in which data information unique to each communication protocol is not added and inspection is not performed according to an instruction from the processing means; Having a data transmission / reception means connected to each other to enable transmission / reception of control data, control program, communication data and the like to / from each other; Line test method.