JP2892490B2 - Log pointer setting method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus having a log memory and storing predetermined data in the log memory using a storage pointer.
For example, the present invention relates to a log pointer setting method in an automatic ticket issuing device or the like.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an information processing apparatus having a log memory, for example, an automatic ticketing apparatus, has a function of storing predetermined data representing an operation state or a state at the time of a failure when a failure occurs. I have. This function is generally called a log function. This function is used by maintenance personnel who maintain the equipment to obtain information on the operation status (for example, the number of issued tickets, the number of prints, print density, etc.) of the automatic ticketing equipment, and to analyze the details of the failure when a failure occurs. This is an important function in obtaining data (for example, the number of issued tickets, the number of times of printing, and the like in the event of a failure of the automatic ticket issuing device).

By providing such a function in an automatic ticketing device, etc., it is possible to know what kind of trouble occurs in the device, how often, and what data is exchanged on the interface. it can.

Information obtained by such a function (this information is generally referred to as log data) is stored by storage means such as an automatic ticket issuing device.

This storage means generally includes a semiconductor memory (for example, a random access memory with a battery backup function,
Non-volatile storage means such as BBM) and magnetic storage means (for example, a floppy disk) are employed.

The stored contents are read out from the storage means at the time of occurrence of a failure or the like, the data is displayed on a display, or the data is printed out by a printer, and the maintenance staff analyzes the cause of the failure.

However, in an automatic ticket issuing apparatus and the like, storing log data from the start of operation of the apparatus to the occurrence of a failure without interruption is enormous in storage capacity and is not economical.

Therefore, the storage capacity is generally limited for each device depending on the use of the device having the log function and the size of the log data.

Since the storage means stores operation log data during operation of the apparatus and failure log data at the time of occurrence of a failure, for example, a storage area is designated in the storage means of failure log data for each occurrence of a failure, and storage contents are stored. The amount of information needs to be determined. When the information amount of the stored contents is determined, the storage start position and storage pointer (address information for storing data) are added to the failure log data every time a failure occurs, and the failure log data is stored at a desired position in the storage means.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a device for explaining a log function in the automatic ticket issuing device. In the figure, the device is CP
U31, program memory 32, log memory 33, and input / output circuit 3
4, a control circuit 35, a ticket issuing section 37, and a printing section 36.

In this device, a CPU 31 reads a main program from a program memory 32 and supplies control information necessary for issuing a ticket to a control circuit 35 via a bus line 38 and an input / output circuit 34. The control circuit 35 to which the control information is supplied outputs a control signal to the ticket issuing unit 37 and the printing unit 36, and the ticket issuing unit outputs the ticket, and the printing unit 36
Prints desired information on a ticket.

In such a device, the operation log and the log data at the time of occurrence of a failure are stored in the log memory 33. Log memory 33
Usually uses BBM. In this BBM memory, log data is stored in the memory, for example, in a configuration as shown in FIG. This memory mainly includes an operation log area 51, a storage pointer 52, and a failure log area 53. The storage pointer 52 is composed of 2 bytes.
8 bytes of information are stored in the failure log area for each failure.

A method of storing log data when a failure occurs in a conventional apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When a failure occurs, failure log data including the content of the failure is stored in the failure log area 53 of the address indicated by the storage pointer from the storage pointer (step 21). Next, in preparation for the storage of the next failure log data, the pointer value is updated to a storage pointer that differs from the previous time by the information amount of the failure log data (step 22). The next updated pointer value is the maximum pointer value (“01FF”) that can be stored in the failure log area 53
(Step 23). If not, the next failure log data is stored in the updated pointer value. However, if the pointer value is large,
Next, the process proceeds to step 24, in which only the storage pointer is initialized.

In addition, the initialization of the storage pointer and storage area clears the contents of the faults that are conventionally performed in the normal initialization processing at power-on, and loses the meaning of BBM. The BBM clearing process (Step 41 in FIG. 4) is performed by determining the clear valid condition by a dip switch or the like, and at this time, only the storage pointer is initialized (Step 42).

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] Generally, the log function of the apparatus is provided when the apparatus is delivered to the user, and it is determined what information is stored.

However, in rare cases, it may be necessary to change the originally provided log function due to failure analysis such as a failure that has occurred in the user.

The BBM stores information for determining a cycle for maintenance personnel to perform maintenance and information (for example, the number of issued tickets, the number of times of printing, and the like) for determining when to replace consumable parts and the like.

However, if the BBM is initialized at the same time due to a change in the log function, or if the value of the storage pointer is out of the range of the failure log area, or if the value is within the range, the BBM is reset to 1
In some cases, it could not be the top address for storing failure information due to multiple failures.

That is, in FIG. 6A, when the value of the storage pointer is “0000”, the address “00” of the operation log area 51
Since this is not an area for storing fault log data, the storage pointer value is inappropriate. If stored as it is, the data in the operation log area will be destroyed.

In FIG. 6B, when the value of the storage pointer is “01FF”, the address “01
FF ”, it is in the area where the failure log data is stored. However, since this address is the last address of the failure log area, the information amount of one time is stored in this address.
Bytes cannot be stored. Therefore, it is understood that this pointer value is also inappropriate. If stored as it is, it will be stored in an unused area.

To avoid such problems, maintenance personnel print out the current log data or display it on the display to save memory before replacing the program, and manage the log data up to now separately. It was time-consuming and inefficient.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide a log pointer setting method that can automatically set an appropriate storage pointer.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has improved a log pointer setting method.

That is, in an information processing apparatus having a log memory for storing predetermined data indicating an operation state of the apparatus, and having a function of storing the predetermined data in the log memory using a storage pointer, when storing in the log memory First determining means for determining whether the value of the storage pointer is a value representing the inside of a predetermined storage area of the log memory;
If it is determined by the determining means that the value of the storage pointer represents the inside of the predetermined storage area, the value of the storage pointer further indicates a value representing the head position of the storage area + an address position which is an integral multiple of the predetermined information amount. A second determining means for determining whether or not a predetermined data is stored at the address position in the log memory indicated by the value of the storage pointer if the condition is satisfied by the second determining means; If the condition is not satisfied in the first judging means or the second judging means, the value of the storage pointer and the value of the storage area are initialized, and then predetermined data is stored in the position represented by the initialized value of the storage pointer. It is characterized by the following.

According to the present invention, when failure log data is stored in a log memory using a storage pointer when a failure occurs, the first
It is determined whether the value of the storage pointer is a value representing the inside of a predetermined area in the log memory. If the first determination means determines that the value of the storage pointer indicates the inside of the predetermined storage area, the second determination means further sets the value of the storage pointer to the start position of the storage area + the predetermined information amount. It is determined whether or not the value indicates an integer multiple address position. If the condition is satisfied by the second determining means, predetermined data is stored in the address position in the log memory indicated by the value of the storage pointer as it is, and the first determining means or the second determining means satisfies the condition. Otherwise, after initializing the value of the storage pointer and the value of the storage area, predetermined failure log data is stored in the position represented by the initialized value of the storage pointer.

In this way, an appropriate storage pointer value is automatically set, and fault log data can be stored at a predetermined storage location in the log memory.

[Embodiment] Next, a preferred embodiment of a log pointer setting method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same members are given the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 illustrates an operation flowchart of a log pointer setting method according to the embodiment. The hardware configuration of the automatic ticket issuing apparatus using the log pointer setting method according to this embodiment can be realized by the configuration shown in FIG. However, according to the present invention, the first
The program for realizing the log pointer setting method shown in the figure has been changed from the conventional one, and the changed program is stored in the program memory 32 shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, when a failure occurs in the apparatus, the storage pointer value for storing the failure log data is changed to the failure log area (for example, from address "0100") to the failure pointer as shown in FIG.
It is determined whether it is within the range of “01FF”) (step 71 which is the first determination means). Here, if it is determined that the storage pointer value at the time of occurrence of the failure is outside the storage range (addresses “0100” to “01FF”), the process proceeds from step 74 to step 75. For example, if the failure log data is stored while the storage pointer value is out of the storage range, the log data in the operation log area may be destroyed, or the data in the program area may be destroyed and the program processing may run out of control. The following settings are made to prevent this.

In step 74, the storage pointer is initialized. Next, the routine proceeds to step 75, where the storage area is initialized. FIG. 7 shows an example in which the storage pointer and the storage area are initialized. Here, the storage pointer value is set to “0100”. This “0100” designates the address “0100” as the first address. Next, all storage areas are "00"
Is set to After the initialization of the storage pointer and the storage area, the process proceeds to step 73, where the conventional failure log data storage processing is performed. That is, the operation of the operation flowchart shown in FIG. 2 is performed to store the failure log data.

However, if it is determined in step 71 that the storage pointer value at the time of occurrence of the failure is within the range of the failure log area, the process proceeds to step 72, which is the second determination means, where the storage pointer value is (Head position + (information amount
Confirm that the value is an integer multiple of n).

For example, if n = 0, it is determined whether or not it matches the head position (for example, address “0100”). If it is the n-th time, the value of (head position + information amount / one time × n) is one. It is determined whether or not they are in compliance. For example, if (information amount / time) is 8 bytes, the storage start address is “01” in FIG.
00, the second failure log data is stored in the address "01
08 ”is stored. In this way, the address "01F
Up to “F”, n = 32 pieces of failure log data are stored.

As for this, assuming that the program that was running so far was storing failure log data,
The storage pointer value should indicate the position of (head position + an integer multiple of (information amount / one time)), but if the storage pointer value indicates a position shifted, It is determined that the pointer value has not been correctly initialized and has been set. When the storage pointer value is (start position + (information amount / 1
If the integer times n) is not satisfied, the process proceeds from step 74 to step 75, where the storage pointer is initialized, and then the storage area is set. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the step 73, where the conventional failure log data storage processing is performed.

If the storage pointer value satisfies the relationship of (head position + (integer multiple of information amount / time) n) in step 72, there is no problem in storing the fault log data. Proceeding to step 73, conventional failure log data storage processing is performed.

For example, in the case shown in FIG. 6A, the storage pointer value is “0000”, which indicates the operation log area. Is determined.

In FIG. 6 (B), the storage pointer value is “01”.
FF ", it is determined in step 71 that the value is within the range of the storage pointer, and the flow advances to next step 72. In step 72, when the amount of information / time is 8 bytes, since this “01FF” does not correspond to an integral multiple of 8 bytes / time,
It is determined that the conditions are not satisfied, and step 74 → step 75
Then, after initializing the storage pointer and the storage area, in step 73, the failure log data is stored.

Thus, according to this embodiment, even if the setting of the storage pointer for storing the log data is changed due to the change of the program related to the change of the log function, the storage pointer value automatically falls within the appropriate range. Is determined, and if not, it can be stored in an appropriate storage location. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform the BBM clear processing when changing the program, etc., so that the log data before the program change is separately managed as before, and the data in the memory where the operation log data is stored There is no fear of destroying.

In this embodiment, the log pointer setting method has been described by taking an automatic ticket issuing apparatus as an example. However, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this apparatus and can be applied to other information processing apparatuses having a log function.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects are exhibited.

Even if the log memory is not cleared, the storage pointer can be set appropriately, so that the user can change the log function without affecting the operation log data in operation. Since log data can be performed, it is not necessary to separately manage log data when replacing a program, and highly reliable log data can be obtained.

Therefore, maintenance of the apparatus can be facilitated and the reliability of the operation of the apparatus can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an operation flowchart of a preferred embodiment of a log pointer setting method according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a conventional failure log data storage flowchart, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the log pointer setting method of FIGS. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for initializing a storage pointer in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a memory map of a failure log data storage area, and FIG. 6 (A) is a diagram when the storage pointer is out of range. FIG. 6B is a diagram for explaining an example, FIG. 6B is a diagram for explaining an example in which information cannot be stored once, and FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an initialized state of a storage pointer and a storage area in FIG. FIG. In the figure, 31: CPU, 32: Program memory, 33: Log memory, 34: Input / output circuit, 35: Control circuit, 36:
Ticketing section, 37 ... Printing section, 38 ... Bus line.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-58-50052 (JP, A) JP-A-2-176946 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G06F 11/30-11/34

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus comprising: a log memory for storing predetermined data indicating an operation state of an apparatus; and a function of storing the predetermined data in the log memory using a storage pointer. First storing means for determining whether or not the value of the storage pointer is a value representing the inside of a predetermined storage area of the log memory; and determining whether or not the value of the storage pointer is a predetermined storage value in the first determining means. When it is determined that the value indicates the inside of the area, there is further provided a second determining means for determining whether or not the value of the storage pointer is a value representing an address position of an integer multiple of the head position of the storage area + a predetermined information amount. If the condition is satisfied by the second judging means, predetermined data is stored in the address position in the log memory indicated by the value of the storage pointer as it is, and the first judging means or the second judging means A log pointer setting method for initializing the value of the storage pointer and the value of the storage area if the condition is not satisfied in the column, and then storing predetermined data at the position represented by the initialized value of the storage pointer; .