JP2788599B2 - Computer device and computer device identification method when a plurality of computer devices are connected - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer device having a built-in computer, and a method for identifying a computer device when a plurality of such computer devices are connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when one function is performed by using a computer device having a built-in computer, a communication group is formed by connecting communication units of the respective computer devices with a communication cable or the like. In this communication group, a master machine for managing the entire group is set, and the other computer devices are set as slave machines in accordance with the instructions of the master machine. Further, different identification numbers are assigned to the computer devices set in the slave machines, respectively, so that each slave machine can be individually identified.

As a specific example of this, for example, an arcade game machine is known. When playing a game with a plurality of game machines, a specific identification number is set for a master machine that comprehensively manages game development, and other game machines are set to slave machines and have different identification numbers. . Each game machine is configured such that the data is given an identification number of a destination, so that the data is received by a target game machine.

In order to set the identification number, a computer system such as a game machine has conventionally used a setting method in which a switch capable of setting a number or a ROM or the like in which a number is stored is provided.

[0005]

However, the configuration of the computer device is complicated in the setting method including the switches and the ROM as described above. In addition, when the switch is mounted, it is required to set an identification number in each computer device when using the switch, and at this time, there is a possibility that the setter may mistakenly set the identification number. There is a possibility that it will hinder subsequent communication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a computer device in which an identification number for each computer device can be reliably and easily set, and which is realized with a simple configuration. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for identifying each computer device when a plurality of such computer devices are connected.

[0007]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In a computer device in which a plurality of devices are communicably connected and can perform data processing and the like by mutually exchanging data after startup when each power supply unit is turned on, a master determination signal indicating a master machine is transmitted to another computer device. Determination means for confirming whether or not a signal has been transmitted from the computer; timing means for measuring a predetermined time from the start time; and a master determination signal only when a master determination signal from the other computer device is not confirmed within the predetermined time. Is transmitted to the other computer device at a predetermined cycle shorter than the predetermined time, and the master machine determination means for determining the self machine as the master machine, and a master determination signal from the other computer device is confirmed within the predetermined time. In this case, the self-machine is determined as the slave machine, and the time value of the time-measuring means at this point is latched. It is obtained by a configuration and a slave machine determining means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the computer device of the first aspect, a response request signal transmitting means for transmitting a signal requesting transmission of the latched time value to the slave machine, and a response from the master machine And a return means for returning the clock value latched in response to the request signal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the computer apparatus according to the second aspect, further comprising a dividing means for dividing the predetermined time into a plurality of sections, wherein the response request signal transmitting means responds to each time value in each section. Making a request,
In addition, the configuration is provided with an identification number allocating means for sequentially allocating identification numbers to the switching machines that have responded to the response request.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the computer device according to the third aspect, when a plurality of responses are received in one section, the section is provided with a section dividing means for further dividing the section. is there.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the computer device of the fourth aspect, the division is performed up to a minimum unit of the predetermined time.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the computer apparatus according to the third to fifth aspects, master stop determination means for detecting that reception of a master confirmation signal is not confirmed at least in the predetermined time, and stopping the master machine. Selection means for selecting one of all slave machines based on the identification number when confirmed, and master upgrade means for upgrading the self machine to a master machine when the self machine is selected by the selection means This is a configuration including:

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer apparatus in which a plurality of units are communicably connected, and each other performs data communication and performs data processing or the like after the respective power units are turned on. Within a predetermined time from the point in time, it is checked whether or not a master determination signal indicating that it is a master machine is transmitted from another computer device, and only when a master determination signal from another computer device is not confirmed, the master determination signal is output. Is transmitted to another computer device, the own device is determined as a master machine, and when a master determination signal from the other computer device is confirmed, the own device is determined as a slave machine.

[0014]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, each of the power supply units is turned on, and within a predetermined time from the start time by the time measuring means,
If the determination means does not confirm a master determination signal from another computer device, the master machine determination means sends a master determination signal at a predetermined cycle shorter than a predetermined time and determines its own machine as a master machine. In the apparatus, the master determination signal is confirmed by the determination means, and the slave machine determination means determines the own machine as the slave machine and latches the time value at this time. Therefore, only the computer device that is started first is determined as the master machine, and the clock value is latched in the computer device determined as the slave machine.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the master machine becomes the master machine, the response request signal transmitting means requests the slave machine to transmit the latched clock value, and in the slave machine, the reply means transmits the latched time value. By returning the time value, the time value of each slave machine is sent to the master machine.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in response to a response request in each section by the sectioning means, the identification number assigning section sequentially assigns an identification number to the computer device which has responded.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, when there are a plurality of responses to the response request, the division dividing means divides the division at the time of the response request.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the division by the division dividing means is limited by the minimum unit of the clock value.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when the master determination signal from the existing master machine is interrupted,
The means for selecting each slave machine selects one computer device from all the slave machines based on the registered identification number, and as a result, when the own machine is selected, the master elevating means selects the self-machine. Machine is upgraded to a new master machine.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, when a master confirmation signal from another computer is not confirmed within a predetermined time from the start time, a master confirmation signal is output to make the self machine a master machine. The computer device that has confirmed and confirmed the master determination signal transmitted from the other computer device determines itself as a slave machine.

[0021]

FIG. 7 shows a schematic configuration when a computer device according to the present invention is used as a game device 1 for business use. The game apparatus 1 can play one game with a plurality of game machines 2. Each game machine 2 includes various operation members 21 that are manually operated by a player, a game control unit 22 that progresses the game, a game screen. Monitor 23,
And a power supply section 24 for supplying power to the above-described sections.

Further, the game machine 2 is provided with a communication unit 3 for communicating with another game machine 2.
Is connected to a communication cable 4 so that communication between the communication units 3 can be performed. The communication section 3 mediates the transmission and reception of data between the game machine 2 and the communication cable 4. When the game machine 2 is powered on, the power is supplied from the power supply section 24. To start.

FIG. 8 shows a block configuration of a communication system in the game apparatus 1. Each communication unit 3 is connected to a bus by a communication cable 4 to form one communication group.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the communication section 3 and its peripherals. The communication unit 3 includes a microcomputer, a storage unit, and the like (not shown). The communication unit 3 includes an identification number assignment program 31, a communication program 32, and the like.

When the game machine 2 is started, the identification number assignment program 31 first determines whether the game machine 2 is a master machine or a slave machine, and when the game machine 2 is determined to be a master machine, Is to assign an identification number to each of the other game machines 2 (slave machines), and to register each identification number of its own machine and another slave machine while communicating with the master machine when it is determined to be a slave machine. . In addition, the communication program 32 causes the game data to be transmitted to the target game machine 2 by attaching the identification number of the destination to the game data based on the signal from the game control unit 22.

Since the identification number assigning program 31 is created by a relatively simple program, it is started almost at the same time as the power is turned on to the game machine 2, but the communication program 32 has a certain rise time. Or the communication program 32 is started at least after the initial start of the identification number assignment program 31 at least.

The above-mentioned identification number assignment program 31 corresponds to FIG.
As shown in the figure, the determining means 31a, the time measuring means 31b, the master machine determining means 31c, the slave machine determining means 31
d, identification number assigning means 31e, identification number registering means 31
f, and a master machine resetting means 31g.

The determining means 31a determines whether or not a master determination signal indicating that the own machine is the master machine is transmitted from another game machine on the communication cable 4.

The clocking means 31b gives a timing for determining whether or not the own machine is the master machine.
1, the initial setting value Tmax is set in synchronization with the start of the unit 1, and as the time elapses thereafter, the unit time Tmax
d is reduced. This timing is determined by the judgment means 3
1a is stopped when a master confirmation signal from another game machine 2 is received. If the master determination signal is not received, the process is performed until the time value T becomes zero. Note that the initial setting value Tmax is set to a value slightly larger than the rise time of any of the communication programs 32.

The master machine deciding means 31c sends out a master deciding signal when the counted value T becomes 0, sets 1 as an identification number Nm to its own machine, and decides its own machine as a master machine. is there. Once the master machine is determined by the master machine determining means 31c, the game machine 2 outputs a master determination signal during a period shorter than the initial setting time Tmax, for example, two minutes of the time Tmax while being set in the master machine. The output is continuously performed in one cycle.

The slave machine deciding means 31d decides its own machine as a slave machine when the master decision signal from another game machine is confirmed by the judging means 31a, latches the time value T at that time, and The value T is set as the slave clock value Ts of the game machine 2.

The identification number assigning means 31e includes the response request signal transmitting means, the classifying means, and the identification number allocating means. When the identification number Nm = 1 is set in the own machine and the master machine is determined as the master machine, the other means is provided. Is assigned an identification number Nm of 2 or less to each slave machine.

On the other hand, the identification number registering means 31f includes the reply means, and when the slave machine is determined, the slave time count value Ts of its own machine in response to a request from the master machine.
Is transmitted, and the identification number Nm assigned by the master machine is registered in the own machine.

The master machine resetting means 31g includes the master stop judging means, the selecting means, and the master updating means. If a master confirmation signal is not received for a predetermined time or more, the identification number of the own machine is the most among slave machines. It is determined whether or not it is smaller, and if it is the smallest, the own machine is set as the master machine.

Next, a control operation relating to the identification number assignment of the game apparatus 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS. The flowchart shown in FIG. 2 shows a control operation when the identification number assignment program 31 determines whether the own machine is a master machine or a slave machine, and the flowcharts shown in FIGS. The control operation of the identification number assigning means 31e is shown.

In the game apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 7, when the power is sequentially turned on and each communication unit 3 is started (step S1), the clock value T of the clock unit 31b is set to the initial set value Tmax ( Step S2) After the communication program 32 has started, it is determined whether or not there is a master confirmation signal from another game machine 2 on the cable 4 (Step S2).
3) If this master determination signal is not received, it is determined whether or not the clock value T is 0 (step S4).

If the time value T is not 0, the unit time Td is subtracted from the initial set value Tmax, the value is set as a new time value T (step S5), and the process returns to step S3.

If a certain game machine 2 is activated the earliest in the communication group, a master determination signal from another game machine 2 is not received, so that it is determined in a step S4 that the time value has reached zero. . As a result, the communication unit 3 provided in the game machine 2 outputs a master determination signal (step S6), sets 1 as the identification number Nm, and determines the own machine as the master machine.

On the other hand, in the game machine 2 started after the master machine, the other game machines 2
From the master machine, the process proceeds to step S7 to determine the self machine as the slave machine, and sets the time value T at that time as the slave time value Ts. To identification number Nm
Is used as a temporary identification number until is assigned.

If it is determined in step S6 that the machine is the master machine, the communication unit 3 of the game machine 2 starts the operation of the identification number assigning means 31e. This control operation will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

In the flowchart shown in the figure, the number M connectable on the communication cable 4 and the identification number Nm = 2 are set in step S11, and then the range 0 to Tmax to which the slave clock value Ts belongs is M. (Step S12), the section number D specifying the search section is set to 1, and the first search section is specified (step S13).

A response request signal is transmitted in the designated search section (step S15), and a response signal (including the slave value Ts) is returned from the slave machine having the corresponding slave clock value Ts in response to the response request. Is done. When the presence of this response signal is confirmed (YES in step S17), it is determined whether or not the response signal is from one device (step S19), and this signal is from one device. If there is, the identification number Nm = 2 is added to the provisional identification number (Ts) of the game machine 2 that has responded and transmitted (step S21). In this way, the new identification number Nm is assigned to the responding game machine 2, and the identification number Nm of the newly activated slave machine is transmitted to the slave machine in which the identification number Nm is already set, and this is transmitted. It is registered (step S22).
At this time, it is determined whether or not the identification number Nm is equal to the connectable number M (step S23). If the determination is NO, 1 is added to the identification number Nm and the next identification number (Nm ) Is set (step S24).

On the other hand, if the response signal is from two or more devices in step S19, the process of assigning the identification number Nm is performed in step S35 and thereafter. It should be noted that the number of response signals is determined to be 2 or more if data is destroyed by being returned at the same time.

Subsequently, the added identification number (N
It is determined whether m) is smaller than or equal to the connectable number M (step S25). As a result, when it is determined that the assignment of the identification number Nm is not completed, it is determined that the answer is YES. It is determined whether D is smaller than the connectable number M (step S27). As a result of this determination, when the determination is YES and the existence of the remaining search section is confirmed, the process proceeds to step S29.

On the other hand, if NO is determined in the step S17, the next search section is designated by adding 1 to the section number D (step S29), and the added section number D corresponds to the connectable number M It is determined whether or not it is smaller (step S31). As a result, if YES is determined, there is an unsearched section, and the process returns to step S15.

As described above, while the control operation from step S15 to step S31 is repeatedly performed, if NO is determined in step S27 or step S31 and it is confirmed that the search of all search sections is completed, step S27 is performed again. The control operation from S13 is started. The above control operation is repeated during the game, so that the game machine 2 powered on after the master machine is turned on.
Is assigned an identification number Nm each time it is determined to be a slave machine.

Then, if it is determined as YES in step S23 and it is confirmed that the assignment of the identification number Nm has been completed, the control operation shown in this flowchart ends.
On the other hand, when the identification number Nm exceeds the connectable number M due to an unexpected situation or the like, NO is determined in the above-described step S25, an error is output in step S33, and the power supply is urged again, and the like. The control operation ends.

If the determination in step S19 is NO, step S35 in the flowchart shown in FIG.
Then, the search section is further divided into half, and if it is confirmed that the time width of the divided search section is greater than the unit time Td (YES in step S37), the divided section is divided. Is specified (step S3).
9) In steps S41, S43, and S45, a response is requested to the game machines 2 in the specified section, and
The presence or absence and the number of the response signals are determined.

As a result, if it is determined NO in step S43 and it is confirmed that there is no response signal, it is determined in step S53 whether or not the search within the section number D has been completed. Is confirmed (NO in step S53), the search is shifted to the unsearched range in the search section (step S54), and the process returns to step S41.

If it is determined YES in step S45 and it is confirmed that the response signal in the divided designated section is from one, the identification number Nm is assigned to the responding game machine 2. Is assigned (step S4).
7) The newly assigned identification number Nm is transmitted to the game machine 2 already serving as the slave machine and registered (step S48). Then, 1 is added to the identification number Nm to set the next identification number (Nm) (step S49).

Further, if NO is determined in step S45 and a plurality of response signals are confirmed, step S35
Then, the search section is re-divided. in this way,
If there are a plurality of response signals for the response request in the designated section, the processing from step S35 to step S45 is repeatedly performed until it is confirmed in step S45 that this signal has come from one device. It is.

If NO is determined in step S37 by repeating this subdivision, it is impossible to separate the plurality of slave clock values Ts individually even if further subdivision is performed. The flow shifts to step S33 to output an error, and the control operation in this flowchart ends.

By the way, when the slave machine is determined in step S7 of the flowchart shown in FIG.
The identification number registration means 31 provided in the game machine 2
f starts the control operation. This control operation will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. A response request signal is received from the game machine 2 that has become the master machine (step S61), and the slave time count Ts of the game machine 2 is received.
If it belongs to the section specified by the response request signal, the clock value Ts is sent to the master machine and returned (step S63), and then, when the identification number Nm is received from the master machine (YES in step S65). The identification number Nm is registered in the own device in place of the slave clock value Ts (step S67).

Thereafter, when the identification number Nm of the newly activated slave machine is received (YE in step S69).
S), and the identification number Nm is registered (step S7).
1) It is determined whether the largest identification number Nm registered in the own device is smaller than the connectable number M (step S).
73) If the determination is YES, the process returns to step S69.

On the other hand, if NO is determined in the step S73, the control operation is terminated because no larger identification number Nm is set. In this way, each time a new game machine 2 is started, the identification numbers of the game machines 2 are sequentially registered, so that communication between the slave machines can be performed accurately according to the start situation of the game machine 2. is there.

In the game machine 2 after the identification number Nm has been assigned by the master machine, the master machine resetting means 31g starts functioning, and thereafter performs a control operation together with the identification number registering means 31f. Will be. The control operation of the master machine resetting means 31g will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the identification number Nm is registered in the own device, this flowchart starts. First, the timer is reset to an initial value, and then the time measurement is started (step S81).

It is determined whether or not a master determination signal is received while performing the timing (step S83), and YES
Is determined and reception of the master confirmation signal is confirmed,
Returning to step S81, the timer is reset to the initial value again. If NO is determined in step S83, it is determined whether the timer value t of the timer is greater than the comparison reference time Ta (step S85), and NO is determined. Then, the process returns to step S83. Note that the comparison reference time Ta is set to the initial setting time Tmax or a time length about several times as long as the initial setting time Tmax.

If the master determination signal is not confirmed in step S83, the timer counts up the timer, and in step S85, the determination is YES, and it is confirmed that the clock t has become larger than the comparison reference time Ta. Then, it is determined that the master machine is in the stopped state, and the process shifts to step S87.

In this step S87, the identification number Nm of the own machine is compared with other slave machines, and as a result, it is confirmed that the identification number Nm of the own machine is the smallest (Y
(Evaluated as ES), the identification number Nm is set to 1, the own machine is determined as the master machine (step S89), and this control operation is ended. If the determination in step S87 is NO, the process moves to step S81 and returns to the control operation for confirming the reception of the master confirmation signal again.

In the game machine newly set as the master machine, the identification number assigning means 3
1e will function, and the control operation will be performed based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

By the way, in the above embodiment, the clock means 31
Although the case where a new identification number Nm is assigned to the slave clock value Ts by b is shown, the slave clock value Ts may be used as it is as the identification number. In this case, the identification number allocation program 31 has a simple configuration. be able to.

When the game apparatus 1 is composed of a large number of game machines 2, the shorter the unit time Td is,
Although the probability that the slave timekeeping value Ts becomes the same decreases,
In this case, since the number of digits of the slave clock value Ts becomes large, data processing becomes complicated, which is not preferable. Therefore, it is preferable that the length of the unit time Td is appropriately determined based on the number M of game machines in the communication group, the initial setting value Tmax, and the like.

In the above embodiment, the case where the response request signal from the master machine is transmitted only once at a time has been described. For this purpose, a response request signal may be transmitted several times.

Further, in the above embodiment, the designated division is set to one half.
, The degree of division is は.
However, the present invention is not limited to this. However, if the communication unit 3 of the game machine according to the present invention is of a control method of processing digitally, setting the above division to half only requires shifting the digital value represented by a binary number by one digit, The above division can be performed very easily, which is convenient.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the allocation is continued until the identification number Nm exceeds the number of game machines M, that is, the allocation is continued until the allocation of the identification number Nm to all slave machines is completed. Alternatively, the allocation operation may be automatically terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed since the master machine was started. In this case, the allocation operation is completed in a predetermined time even if a game machine or the like that is not activated due to a failure or for some reason occurs.
It is possible to provide a game device that can flexibly respond to changes in the game.

In the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which, in the search section in which the response signals from a plurality of devices have been confirmed, the search is continuously performed in the specified section when the slave timekeeping value Ts is first separated. In searching for the slave timekeeping value Ts, the designated section may be temporarily expanded to the entire unsearched range and the search may be restarted. Further, as another embodiment, after the first separation of the slave value Ts described above, a response request is made in a specified section that has been divided and reduced, and if the response signal is not confirmed as a result, the specified section is finally divided. The response request may be made after being enlarged to the size immediately before. In this way, if the designated section is expanded after the separation of the first slave value Ts, the search time in the unsearched range can be reduced.

Although the case where the communication cables 4 of the above embodiment are connected in series and configured as a single cable is shown, this communication cable 4 may be formed in a loop shape. The communication cable described above can also be applied to the game device 1 according to the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the case where the identification numbers Nm are sequentially assigned to the game machines 2 started later is described. However, the game machines 2 are periodically stopped in response to the request from each slave machine for a response. The slave slave confirming means for searching for the slave machine of the above, erase number sending means for causing each slave machine to erase the identification number Nm of the stopped slave machine, and erasing means for erasing the identification number Nm according to a command of the erase number sending means It may be. By doing so, even if some of the slave machines are stopped, the identification number Nm of the stopped game machine is automatically deleted, so that communication between the slave machines can be performed normally and the degree of freedom can be improved. Large game machine.

When a missing number occurs in the identification number, the game machine is provided with a re-allocation means for sequentially re-assigning a new identification number based on the size of the current identification number when the game machine becomes the master machine. Is also good. When the game machine 2 is configured in this manner, occurrence of a missing number in the identification number is prevented.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the identification number of the game machine is determined or the game progress is performed by communication has been described. However, in addition to the game machine, personal computers, cash teller machines, vending machines, vending machines The present invention can also be applied to a case where a plurality of machines or automatic ticket gates are connected by a communication cable, and the computer device according to the present invention and the identification method when a plurality of machines are connected.

[0071]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the master determination signal from another computer device is not confirmed within a predetermined time from the start time, the self-machine is timed by the time counting means. While the master machine is determined and the master confirmation signal is transmitted, if the master confirmation signal from another computer device is confirmed within the above-mentioned predetermined time, the self machine is determined as the slave machine and the clock value at that time is determined. Is latched, so that the master machine and the slave machine can be easily and automatically determined.

According to the second and third aspects of the present invention, the time value at the time of determining the slave machine is latched and transmitted to the master machine, and the master machine assigns an identification number to the slave machine. Since the identification number is automatically set, the member for setting the identification number and the like are not required, and setting mistakes caused by humans can be prevented, and reliable setting can be performed with a simple configuration.

According to the fourth and fifth aspects of the present invention, there is provided a section dividing means for dividing a designated section when a response is made from a plurality of slave machines. Since the configuration is made such that the time is shorter than the minimum unit time, a plurality of slave machines are separated and separated to the limit based on the magnitude of the clock value, so that the identification number can be set more reliably.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the master stop determination means for confirming the stop of the master machine, the selection means for selecting one of the slave machines according to a predetermined rule, and changing the own machine to the master machine Therefore, even if the master machine is stopped, a new master machine is automatically set from the slave machines and normal communication can be continued.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the communication unit and its periphery.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation when determining whether the machine is a master machine or a slave machine.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control operation when a master machine assigns an identification number to a slave machine.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control operation which is a part of the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 and allocates an identification number Nm by subdivision.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control operation when the slave machine registers an identification number in its own machine.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control operation when updating the slave machine to the master machine.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a use state of a computer device with a communication function according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a communication system of the computer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game device 2 Game machine 3 Communication part 4 Communication cable 21 Operation member 22 Game control part 23 Monitor 24 Power supply part 31 Identification number assignment program 31a Judgment means 31b Clocking means 31c Master machine determination means 31d Slave machine determination means 31e Identification number assignment means 31f Identification number registration means 31g Master machine resetting means 32 Communication program

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G06F 15/16-15/177 JICST file (JOIS)

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] A master determination signal indicating a master machine in a computer device in which a plurality of devices are communicably connected and can perform data processing and the like by exchanging data with each other after startup when each power supply unit is turned on. Determining means for checking whether or not has been transmitted from another computer device;
A clock means for measuring a predetermined time from the start-up time, and another computer which outputs a master determination signal at a predetermined cycle shorter than the predetermined time only when a master determination signal from the other computer device is not confirmed within the predetermined time. A master machine determining means for transmitting to the device and determining the own machine as a master machine, and when the master determining signal from the other computer device is confirmed within the predetermined time, the own machine is determined as a slave machine, A slave machine determining means for latching the time value of the time measuring means at this time. 2. A computer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said slave machine transmits a signal requesting transmission of a latched time value to said slave machine, and a response signal transmitting means for responding to a response request signal from said master machine. A computer device comprising: a reply unit that returns a latched time value. 3. The computer device according to claim 2, further comprising: a dividing unit that divides the predetermined time into a plurality of segments, wherein the response request signal transmitting unit issues a response request for each time value in each segment. And an identification number assigning means for sequentially assigning identification numbers to slave machines responding to the response request. 4. The computer apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a section dividing means for further dividing the section when a plurality of responses are received within one section. 5. The computer device according to claim 4, wherein the division is performed up to a minimum unit of the predetermined time. 6. A computer device according to claim 3, wherein said master stop determination means detects that reception of a master determination signal is not confirmed at least during said predetermined time, and said master stop determination means determines that said master machine has been stopped. Selecting means for selecting one of all slave machines based on the identification number; and master upgrading means for upgrading the own machine to a master machine when the own machine is selected by the selecting means. Computer device characterized by the following. 7. A computer system in which a plurality of units are communicably connected and perform data processing and the like by exchanging data with each other after the start-up when each power supply unit is turned on. Check whether a master confirmation signal indicating that the computer is a master machine has been transmitted from another computer device, and send the master confirmation signal to another computer device only when a master confirmation signal from another computer device is not confirmed. At the same time, it determines its own machine as the master machine and sends
When the master confirmation signal is confirmed, the slave
A method of identifying a computer device when a plurality of computer devices are connected, wherein the computer device is determined to be thin .