JP3529395B2 - Data server, data transmission device, terminal device and system - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data server for holding data and a terminal device for sharing the data when a large number of information processing devices (terminal devices) are connected to a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, workstations and local area networks (LAN: Local Area Network, hereinafter L)
It is called AN. ) Has spread, it has been realized that multiple machines on the network share data and use it. For example, NFS (Network File System) is widely used. Generally, NFS is composed of a machine that serves as a server that provides shared data and a plurality of machines that serve as clients that use shared data.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the structure of a conventional data sharing apparatus in NFS. A plurality of client machines (only one is shown in the figure) and one server are connected to the network. The client machine includes an access request unit 1001 and a storage medium identification unit 10
02, a server reception unit 1003, and the server is composed of a client reception unit 1004.

In the client machine, the access request unit 1001 accepts a request to the server from an operator of the client machine. Storage medium identification unit 1
002 is activated by the access request unit 1001 and identifies whether the data requested by the operator is for the server or for another storage medium.

The server response unit 1003 sends a request to the server and receives a response from the server.
In the server, the client reception unit 1004 responds to the request from the client. Actually, in addition to this, various components are required to realize the function of writing data, the function of erasing data, etc.
Since it is not the main subject of the present invention, it is omitted.

The operation of the conventional data server and terminal device configured as described above will be described. (1) The operator performs an operation for requesting data from the server. (2) In response to the operation, the access requesting unit 1001 activates the storage medium identifying unit 1002. (3) The storage medium identification unit 1002 recognizes that the data request is to the server, and the server response unit 100
Start 3. The server response unit issues a request to the server and waits for a response from the server. (4) Upon receiving the request, the server activates the client reception unit 1004 to respond to the request. (5) When the response is returned from the server, the client receives the response from the server and can further perform desired processing on the obtained data.

Next, the operation when a plurality of clients are connected will be described. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process in which a client machine accesses a file. Here, it is assumed that a plurality of client machines are connected. (6) A plurality of clients activate the access request unit 1001 at one time and issue access requests (S110).
1). (7) Each access request unit 1001 activates the storage medium identification unit 1002. Storage medium identification unit 1002
Identifies which server corresponds to the access request (S1102) and activates the server reception unit 1003 (S1103). As a result, the server response unit 1003 notifies the server of the data request. (8) The server attempts to process each client (S1104), but processes the access requests issued by a plurality of clients one at a time in order and responds to the clients. Become.

However, when a plurality of requests are overlapped with the server, the response time is delayed, and the larger the number of clients, the more clients may be kept waiting forever. Therefore, in the conventional technology, by limiting the number of clients to connect,
Every client had to wait some time before getting the data. This limitation on the number of clients depends on the processing capacity of the server, the communication capacity of the network, and the like. In the prior art, the limitation on the number of clients was relaxed by providing a slave server or the like.

[0009]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional technique, there is a problem that the number of clients is limited. In addition, when access requests are issued from a large number of clients exceeding the limit, there is a problem that the server cannot substantially provide an appropriate service. This is a problem that originally existed even when the limit was not exceeded. That is, even if the limit is not exceeded, there is a problem that the server processes each of the access requests issued by a large number of clients at one time, and the response time to the client depends on the processing capability of the server. From the perspective of the clients, there is a problem in that due to variations in the response times depending on the clients, unfairness may occur among the clients. In addition, in the relationship between a single client and server, the time until the data is received varies each time even though the same request is made to the server, so the quality of service varies. There is a problem that occurs.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to remove the restriction on the number of clients and to provide a data server and a terminal device capable of acquiring data even when a large number of clients exist. .

[0011]

In order to solve the above problems, a data server of the present invention is a data server that provides data to another terminal via a network, and the data to be provided is An identifier adding means for adding an identifier for identifying the data to the data, and a sending means for sending the data to which the identifier is added to the network spontaneously and repeatedly in sequence.

Further, the terminal device of the present invention is a terminal device for acquiring the data instructed to be acquired from the data provided from the data server via the network, and regarding the data received via the network, Based on the identifier added to identify the data, the determination means for determining whether the data is the instructed data, and the data acquisition for acquiring the data when the determination means determines that the data is the instructed data And means.

The terminal device further includes a timer for detecting the lapse of a predetermined time after being instructed to acquire data,
When the data acquisition means does not acquire the data of the identifier corresponding to the identifier corresponding to the data to be acquired at the time of detecting the timer, the information communication means may be provided to notify the operator or the process to that effect. .

The terminal device further includes an existing data recognizing means for extracting and holding an identifier from all data provided from the server via the network, and when the data to be acquired is instructed, an identifier corresponding to the data exists. It may be provided with an information transmitting means for judging whether or not the data is held in the data recognizing means and, if the data does not exist, notifying the operator or the process to that effect.

Further, the terminal device further takes out an identifier from all the data provided from the server via the network and holds it, and responds to it based on the existing data recognition means and the identifier held by the existing data recognition means. The presence data display means for displaying the information showing the data may be provided.

[0016]

With the above configuration, the data server of the present invention is
The identifier adding means sequentially adds an identifier for specifying the data to all the data stored in the server.
The sending means, regardless of the data request from the terminal device,
The data to which the identifier is added is voluntarily and sequentially transmitted to the network.

Further, in the terminal device of the present invention, the discriminating means fetches data on the network and discriminates whether or not the instructed data is based on the identifier added to the data. When the discriminating means discriminates from the instructed data,
The request data instruction means acquires the data. Further, when the timer detects the lapse of a predetermined time, the information transmission means notifies the operator or the process that the instructed data has not been acquired.

The existing data recognition means holds an identifier of data flowing on the network. Based on this, when the data to be acquired is instructed, the information transmitting means judges the existence of the data, and when the data does not exist, notifies the operator or the process to that effect. The presence data display means displays information indicating the data based on the content held by the presence data recognition means.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the data server and terminal device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configurations of a data server and a terminal device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A data server and terminal devices (client machines such as workstations and personal computers) are connected on the network. The server includes a data providing unit 110, and the data providing unit 110 includes a header adding unit 101. On the other hand, the client machine has a data acquisition management unit 100, and the data acquisition unit includes a data identifier storage unit 102, a request data setting unit 103, a request data identification acquisition unit 104, and an acquired data reconstruction unit 10.
5, all data acquisition determination means 106, request data activation means 107.

In the server, the data providing unit 110 is
Data is always sent to the network regardless of the request from the client. Header adding means 101
Is included in the data providing unit 110 and adds a header to the data transmitted by the unit. In the client, the data identifier storage unit 102 stores a copy of the data identifier included in the header of the data provided from the server via the network. This identifier is used to identify the data. The content is preset by an operator or a system administrator.

The request data setting means 103 receives request data from an operator or a process, refers to the data identifier storage means 102, and sets an identifier corresponding to the request data in the request data identification acquisition means 104. The request data identification acquisition unit 104 determines whether or not the identifier set by the request data setting unit 103 and the identifier of the header of the data provided from the server via the network (hereinafter referred to as provided data) match. It is determined, and if the data matches, the data is acquired, and if the data does not match, the data is discarded.

The acquired data reconstructing means 105 removes the header and the like from the acquired data of the request data identification acquiring means 104 and reconstructs it. The all data acquisition determining means 106 determines whether or not all the data has been acquired from the header removed by the acquired data reconstructing means 105, and if so, gives a stop signal to the request data identification acquiring means 104.

The request data activation means 107 activates the request data acquired according to the instruction from the all data acquisition determination means 106. Operations of the data server and the terminal device according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process of fetching data provided from the data providing unit by the data server and the terminal device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Here, it is assumed that the data providing unit 110 of the server and the data acquisition management unit 100 of the client machine are connected via a network. Further, the number of data acquisition management units does not matter.

(1) First, in the server, the data providing unit 110 sends out data to be provided to the client of the server one after another at predetermined time intervals (regardless of the request from the client). Go. At that time, the header adding unit 101 adds a header having at least two identifiers, an identifier for identifying the provided data and an identifier for knowing which part of the provided data the data is, to the transmitted data. FIG. 9 shows the data providing unit 1
10 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of data to which an identifier is added by the header adding unit 101 of 10 and which is transmitted by the data providing unit 110.

Reference numeral 901 denotes data in which a header consisting of an identifier A and an identifier B is added to the data. An identifier A 902 indicates that this data can be sent from the data providing unit and acquired by the data acquisition management unit 100. Reference numeral 903 denotes an identifier B, which indicates the order of the provided data when the transmitted data is fragmented.

(2) Next, in the client machine, the data identifier storage means 102 stores a copy of the data identifier added by the header addition means 101. This identifier must be preset in the data identifier storage means 102 by the operator or system administrator (S201 in FIG. 2). (3) The operator sets the request data to the request data setting means 1
When the request data setting means 103 is instructed, the request data setting means 103 refers to the data identifier storage means 102 and sets the identifier corresponding to the request data in the request data identification acquisition means 104 (S202).

(4) When the request data identifier is set by the request data setting means 103, the request data identification acquisition means 104 fetches the provided data from the server in order to see the header (S203). Further, it is determined whether or not the identifier of the header added to it and the identifier of the request data match (S204), and if they match, the data is acquired (S206). If they do not match, this data is discarded (S205). At this time, the request data identification acquisition means determines that the identifier A90 shown in FIG.
2 and identifier B903.

(5) The data acquired by the request data identification acquisition means 104 is the acquired data reconstruction means 105.
Removes the header from the retrieved data,
It is reconfigured based on the identifier B903 (S207). (6) Further, the all-data acquisition determination means 106 determines whether all the data has been acquired, and when all the data has been acquired, sends a stop signal to the request data identification acquisition means 104 to activate the requested data. Send a signal.

(7) The request data activation means 107 activates the application acquired as the request data according to the instruction from the all data acquisition determination means. As described above, in the data server and the terminal device of this embodiment, the data providing unit 110 has the data acquisition management unit 100.
Data is always transmitted at a predetermined time interval without being aware of. On the other hand, the data acquisition management unit 100 is aware of the data provided by the data providing unit 110 only in the header portion, and therefore, even if there are many data acquisition management units, the data can be acquired. Therefore, the data providing unit 110 does not run out of processing, and the data acquisition management unit 100 can always acquire data.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram of the data server and terminal device shown in FIG. In the figure, the same numbers are given to the means that perform the same operations as those of the above-described embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted. Reference numeral 304 denotes request data identification acquisition means, which determines whether or not the identifier set by the request data setting means 103 and the identifier of the header of the provided data match. If they match, the data is acquired and matched. If not, the data will not be acquired. Further, it is determined whether or not the requested data exists depending on whether or not the requested data can be identified and acquired at a predetermined time, and if it is determined that the requested data does not exist, the data acquisition information transmission means 308 Instruct.

Reference numeral 308 is a data acquisition information transmission means,
Notify the operator or process of his computer that the data cannot be acquired. The operations of the data server and the terminal device of this embodiment configured as described above will be described below. However, only parts different from the above-described embodiment will be described. (13) After setting the request data by the request data setting unit 103, the request data identification acquisition unit 304 determines whether or not the header identifier of the provided data and the identifier of the request data match. To store.
If it is determined that the requested data has not been acquired within the predetermined time, the data acquisition information transmission means 308 is instructed to notify that the data cannot be acquired. The data acquisition information transmission means 308 transmits to the operator or process of its own computer that the data cannot be acquired according to the instruction from the requested data identification acquisition means 304.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process of fetching data provided from the data providing unit by the data server and the terminal device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is determined whether or not the data is acquired within a predetermined time in place of the request data identification / acquisition means 104 of the above embodiment, and if the data is not acquired, it is confirmed that the data does not exist in the operator or process of the own computer. The request data identification acquisition means 304 is used by using the request data identification acquisition means 304 which gives an instruction to the data acquisition information transmission means.
By adding the data acquisition information transmission means 308 that informs the operator or process of the own computer that there is no data according to the instruction from the user, it is possible to know the presence or absence of the data more quickly than in the above embodiment, and the requested data. Can be started.

Further, regarding the third embodiment of the present invention,
This will be described with reference to the configuration diagram of the data server and the terminal device shown in FIG. In the figure, the same numbers are given to the means that perform the same operations as those of the above-described embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted. Reference numeral 508 is an existing data recognition means, which identifies data constantly sent from the server.

Reference numeral 503 is request data setting means for setting request data from an operator or a process, and if there is no request data, the existence data recognizing means 508 informs its own computer that there is no request data. An instruction is given to the data acquisition information transmitting means 509 to be transmitted. Reference numeral 509 denotes a data acquisition information transmission means, and when the request data setting means 503 gives an instruction that the requested data does not exist, it notifies the operator or process of the own computer that the data does not exist.

The operation of the data server and terminal device of this embodiment configured as described above will be described below. However,
Only parts different from the first embodiment will be described. (14) Request data is set by the request data setting means 503, the existing data recognition means 508 is inquired whether or not there is the requested data, and if the requested data exists, the request data identification acquisition means 104 is instructed to acquire the data. If it does not exist, the data acquisition information transmitting means 510 is instructed to notify that the data does not exist. The data acquisition information transmission means 510 notifies the operator or process of its own computer that there is no data.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process of fetching data provided from the data providing unit by the data server and the terminal device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the above embodiment, a presence data recognizing means 508 for referring to the header part of the data flowing on the network and storing the current data is added, and instead of the request data setting means 103, the presence data recognizing means at the time of setting the request data. If the requested data does not exist in the existing data recognizing means 508 with reference to 508, the requested data setting means 503 is used to give an instruction to the data acquisition information transmitting means for notifying the operator or process of the own computer that the data does not exist. By using the data acquisition information transmitting means 509 for transmitting the fact that the data does not exist to the operator or process of the own computer according to the instruction from the request data setting means 503, it can be activated at the time of setting the request data as compared with the above embodiment. By referring to the requested data, the data that does not exist can be created. It lost that request.

Further, regarding the fourth embodiment of the present invention,
This will be described with reference to the configuration diagram of the data server and terminal device shown in FIG. In the figure, the same numbers are given to the means that perform the same operations as those of the above-described embodiment, and the detailed description is omitted. Reference numeral 708 is a presence data recognition means, which identifies data that is constantly flowing. Reference numeral 709 denotes an existing data display means, which displays the currently existing application when the operator or process sets the requested data,
The request from the operator or the process is transmitted to the request data setting means 103.

The operation of the data server and terminal device of this embodiment configured as described above will be described below. However,
Only the portions different from the above embodiment will be described. (15) The existence data display means 709 refers to the existence data recognition means 708, displays the currently existing application, and transmits the request from the operator or the process to the request data setting means 103.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process of fetching data provided from the data providing unit by the data server and the terminal device according to the embodiment of the present invention. An existing data recognition means 708 for referring to the header part of the data flowing on the network and storing the currently flowing data is added to the above embodiment, the existing data is displayed by referring to the existing data recognition means, and an operator or By adding the existing data display means 709 for giving the data requested by the process to the requested data setting means 103, it becomes possible for the operator or the process to know the existing data when setting the requested data, as compared with the above embodiment. did.

[0040]

As described above, according to the data server and the terminal device of the present invention, since the number of clients is not limited, it is possible to acquire data even if there are many clients. It is effective, and its practical effect is particularly great in the next-generation high-speed network.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a data server and a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process of activating request data by a data server and a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a data server and a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process of activating request data by a data server and a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a data server and a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process of activating request data by the data server and the terminal device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a data server and a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process of activating request data by the data server and the terminal device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing an example of data used in the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a conventional NFS.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a process of accessing a server by conventional NFS.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Header addition means 102 data identifier setting means 103 request data setting means 104 Request data acquisition means 105 Acquisition data reconstruction means 106 all data acquisition determination means 107 Request data activation means. 304 request data identification acquisition means 308 Data acquisition information transmission means 503 Request data setting means 508 Existence data identification means 509 Data acquisition information transmission means 708 Existence data identification means 709 presence data display means 901 Data example 902 identifier A 903 identifier B

Continued front page       (56) References JP-A-1-190150 (JP, A)                 JP 62-68383 (JP, A)                 JP-A-60-190086 (JP, A)                 JP-A-60-146586 (JP, A)                 "Douglas Commer, Mura               Translated by Jun Izumi and Hiroyuki Kusumoto, "Second Edition TCP               / IP network construction Vo               l. 1 ”, Kyoritsu Publishing Co., Ltd., 1991               December 5, P. 73 ~ 82 "

Claims (13)

(57) [Claims] 1. A data server for providing data to another terminal through a network, for the data fragments constituting the data to be provided, identifying a first identifier and data fragment for specifying the data You
And a sending means for sending data consisting of data fragments to which the first and second identifiers are added, to the network spontaneously and repeatedly. A data server device characterized by the above. 2. The second identifier is a serial number of data fragments.
The data server device according to claim 1, wherein: The 3. is instructed to acquire data, a terminal device for acquiring the data provided from the data server via a network, with the data fragments are repeatedly sent over the network
To identify the data to which the data fragment belongs.
1 identifier and a second identifier for identifying a data fragment
A discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the data fragment belongs to the instructed data , and a data acquiring means for acquiring the data fragment when the discriminating means judges that the data fragment belongs to the instructed data. , All of the data fragments belonging to the indicated data are retrieved
If the determination means determines whether all the information has been acquired , and if the determination means determines that all
Processing means for processing data consisting of the obtained data fragments
And a terminal device. 4. The terminal device further includes a timer for detecting the passage of a predetermined time after being instructed to acquire data, and all of the data belonging to the acquired data at the time of detection of the timer.
4. The terminal device according to claim 3, further comprising: an information transmitting means for notifying the operator or the process when the data acquisition means has not acquired the data fragment . 5. The existence data recognition means for extracting and retaining the first identifiers of all data provided from the server via the network, and the terminal device corresponding to the data when the data to be acquired is instructed. The information transmission means for determining whether or not the first identifier is stored in the existing data recognition means, and if the data does not exist, informs the operator or the process to that effect. The terminal device according to 3 . 6. The terminal device further includes, based on an existing data recognition unit that extracts and holds the first identifiers of all data provided from the server via the network, and an identifier held by the existing data recognition unit, 4. The terminal device according to claim 3, further comprising presence data display means for displaying information indicating corresponding data. 7. A data transmitting apparatus for providing data to another terminal, for the data fragments constituting the data to be provided, to identify the first identifier and the data fragment for specifying the data
An identifier adding means for adding a second identifier for adding the first identifier and a sending means for voluntarily repeatedly sending data consisting of data fragments to which the first and second identifiers are added. Characteristic data transmission device. 8. The second identifier is a serial number of data fragments.
The data transmission device according to claim 7, characterized in that: 9. A terminal device for acquiring data instructed to be acquired from data provided by a transmission device , wherein the data device repeatedly transmits data fragments.
And identify the data to which the data fragment belongs.
A first identifier and a second identifier for identifying the data fragment
Based on the bets, when determining a determination means for determining whether the data fragments belonging to the designated data, and determining means is data fragments belonging to the instruction data, data acquisition means for acquiring the data fragments And all the data fragments belonging to the specified data will be retrieved.
If the determination means determines whether all the information has been acquired , and if the determination means determines that all
Processing means for processing data consisting of the obtained data fragments
And a terminal device. 10. The terminal device further includes a timer for detecting the passage of a predetermined time after being instructed to acquire data, and all of the data belonging to the acquired data at the time of detection of the timer.
10. The terminal device according to claim 9, further comprising: information transmission means for notifying an operator or a process to that effect when the data acquisition means has not acquired the data fragment . 11. The terminal device further includes an existing data recognition means for extracting and retaining first identifiers of all data provided from the data transmitting device, and a first data corresponding to the data when the data to be acquired is instructed . determines whether 1 identifier is held in the presence data recognition unit, if the data is not present, according to claim 9, characterized in that it includes a communication unit that notifies the operator or process Terminal equipment. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the terminal device further includes a presence data recognizing means for holding taken out first identifier of all data provided from the data transmitting apparatus based on the first identifier exists data recognizing means for holding,
10. The terminal device according to claim 9, further comprising presence data display means for displaying information indicating data corresponding thereto. 13. A data transmitter according to claim 7, and a claim.
A system comprising the terminal device according to Item 9.