JP3920893B2 - Information processing apparatus, inter-process communication history display method, and program for causing computer to execute the method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus capable of displaying a communication history of inter-process communication for debugging, a method of displaying such an inter-process communication history, and a program for causing a computer to execute the method.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an image forming apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as “multifunction machine”) in which functions of apparatuses such as a printer, a copy machine, a facsimile machine, and a scanner are housed in a single housing is generally known. This multifunction device is provided with a display unit, a printing unit, an imaging unit, and the like in one casing, and is provided with three types of software respectively corresponding to a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile machine. It operates as a copy, scanner or facsimile machine.

  In such a multifunction device, an application program that operates as a process for each functional unit such as a printer, copy, facsimile, scanner, etc. has been developed. Therefore, whether or not each functional unit process is operating normally on the multifunction device. Debugging work to investigate whether or not in process units.

  In such a conventional multi-function peripheral, processes are executed in units of large functions such as copying, printers, scanners, and facsimiles. Therefore, data transmission / reception between processes does not occur so much. It was possible to easily detect the cause of the failure by performing the debugging work. For example, if a failure occurs in the copy operation, whether or not the process of the copy program that realizes the copy function is operating normally can be verified separately from the process that realizes other functions such as a printer program. The cause of the failure was easily grasped.

  When debugging a conventional multifunction device, the data exchanged in the functional unit process and various process information are written out together with time information as a log file, and the log file is connected to the multifunction device via a network. In general, the file is transferred to a PC (Personal Computer) or the like, and the debugging file is analyzed by analyzing the log file on the debugging PC side.

  However, if debugging is performed on the PC connected to the network when debugging the multifunction device, file transfer of the log file becomes complicated and it becomes difficult to check the operation of the multifunction device being debugged. For this reason, it is preferable to perform a debugging operation by displaying a log file on a display unit of an operation panel serving as an operation unit on the MFP side.

  However, the memory mounted on the multifunction peripheral is generally smaller in capacity than the memory mounted on the PC or the like. For this reason, the log file display program cannot be executed on the multifunction device due to insufficient memory resources, or even if it can be executed, the log file can be saved in the operation panel by using up to the limit of memory resources to be used. It cannot be displayed smoothly.

  By the way, in such a conventional multi-function machine, software corresponding to a printer, a copy, a scanner, and a facsimile apparatus is provided separately, so that development of each software requires a lot of time. For this reason, the applicant has hardware resources used in image forming processing such as a display unit, a printing unit, and an imaging unit, and has an application that performs processing specific to each user service such as a printer, copy, or facsimile. When a user service is provided by interposing between these applications and hardware resources, hardware resource management, execution control, and image formation processing that are commonly required by at least two of the applications are provided. Invented an image forming apparatus (multifunction machine) equipped with a platform comprising various control services. According to this multi-function peripheral, it is possible to improve the efficiency of software development by providing a platform for performing management, execution control, and image formation processing of hardware resources commonly required by at least two applications. As a result, the productivity of the entire apparatus can be improved.

In such a new multifunction device, there are not only a plurality of application processes for each function, but also a control service process that provides services commonly required by at least two of the applications. As compared with the conventional multi-function machines, a great number of processes are executed in parallel while performing inter-process communication with each other. In addition, a plurality of threads are activated in each process, and a user service function is realized by performing inter-process communication with other processes while realizing parallel execution at the thread level. Furthermore, in such multifunction devices, the control service process is positioned to provide services that are commonly required by multiple applications, so each control service sends and receives data to and from many application processes. To do. In addition, data transmission / reception occurs not only between application processes but also between processes of control services.

  In this way, the novel multifunction peripheral invented by the applicant provides a user service for image forming processing such as copying, printers, scanners, facsimiles, etc., by cooperating in a complicated manner with many processes and threads. It has a characteristic configuration. Therefore, in such a new multi-function peripheral, it is necessary to generate a log file from inter-process communication data performed in a large number of processes and perform debugging work. However, not all interprocess communication data in the log file is necessarily required for debugging work, and it is sufficient if only necessary information in the log file can be displayed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and when displaying inter-process communication information in an environment where a large number of processes operate, information that can activate only necessary components and reduce memory use resources. It is an object to obtain a processing apparatus, an inter-process communication history display method, and a program for causing a computer to execute the method.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the invention according to claim 1 is an information processing apparatus in which a plurality of programs each operate as a process and perform inter-process communication between the processes. storage means for communication history information is stored that includes one or more communication information regarding the communication made bootable plurality of components independently of each other, communication history for displaying the communication information of the communication history information on the display device enter a display unit, a control information set the type and display form of the communication information, based on the type of the control information input, the communication of one or more components required to display communication information extracted selected from the history display means, and a component activation means for activating selected by said component, said communication history display hand It is the launched the components, on the basis of the type to extract communication information from said communication history information, and displaying in the display mode the extracted communication information to the display device.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication history display unit includes, as the component, a data type and process identification information of the communication information from the communication history information. Header extraction means for extracting information, and the component activation means selects and activates the header extraction means when the control information is set to display only the header information. And

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the communication history display means, as the component, identifies a message or function included in the communication information from the communication history information. A message name or function name converting means for converting the function identification information into a message name or a function name, and the component activation means, when the conversion specification of the message / function identification information is specified in the control information, The message name / function name conversion means is selected and activated.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the communication history display means includes, as the component, process identification information included in the communication information from the communication history information. A process name conversion unit that converts the process name into a process name, and the component activation unit selects and activates the process name conversion unit when process identification information conversion is specified in the control information. To do.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the first, third, or fourth aspect, the communication history display unit includes, as the component, a message or function included in the communication information from the communication history information. Detailed information extracting means for extracting the detailed information, and the component activation means selects and activates the detailed information extraction means when the display information of the message or function detailed information is specified in the control information It is characterized by that.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the communication history display unit includes, as the component, a process generation and disappearance process from the communication history information. A process progress information extracting means for extracting the process progress information, and the component starting means selects and starts the process progress information extracting means when a process generation and disappearance progress display designation is specified in the control information. It is characterized by.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the communication history display means is included in the communication information from the communication history information as the component. Key conversion means for converting key identification information of a key event message into a key name, and the component activation means selects and activates the key conversion means when key name conversion is designated in the control information It is characterized by doing.

The invention according to claim 8 is an information processing apparatus in which a plurality of programs each operate as a process and perform inter-process communication between the processes, and includes a plurality of components that can be activated independently of each other. Communication history display means for displaying the communication information of the communication history information including one or a plurality of pieces of communication information between the communication information together with time information on the display device as communication history display information, and a control in which the type and display mode of the communication information are set A component that inputs information , selects one or a plurality of components necessary for displaying extracted communication information from the communication history display means based on the type of the input control information , and activates the selected component and activation means, wherein the communication history display means by the activated said component, said Extracting communication information from the communication history information on the basis of separately, and displaying the extracted communication information together with time information in the display mode on the display device as the communication history display information.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the communication history display unit extracts, as the component, header information including a data type and process identification information of the communication information from a process. The component activation means selects and activates the header extraction means when the control information is set to display only the header information.

  Further, the invention according to claim 10 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the communication history display means, as the component, identifies a message or function included in the communication information from a process. A message name / function name converting means for converting the information into a message name or a function name, and the component activation means is configured to convert the message name The function name conversion means is selected and activated.

  The invention according to claim 11 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 8 or 10, wherein the communication history display means uses, as the component, process identification information contained in the communication information from a process as a process name. A process name conversion unit for converting, and the component activation unit selects and activates the process name conversion unit when message / function identification information conversion is specified in the control information. .

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the information processing apparatus according to the eighth, tenth, or eleventh aspect, the communication history display means includes, as the component, detailed information on a message or function included in the communication information from a process. Detailed information extraction means for extracting the detailed information extraction means, and the component activation means selects and activates the detailed information extraction means when the display information of the message or function detailed information is specified in the control information. And

  The invention according to claim 13 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the communication history display means extracts the generation and disappearance process of the process from the process as the component. A process progress information extracting unit, wherein the component starting unit selects and starts the process progress information extracting unit when the generation and disappearance process display designation of the process is specified in the control information. To do.

The invention according to claim 14 is the information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the communication history display means includes, as the component, a key event message included in the communication information from a process. Key conversion means for converting the key identification information of
The component activation unit selects and activates the key conversion unit when key name conversion is designated in the control information.

  The invention according to claim 15 is the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the communication history display means further connects the communication information to be displayed on the display device to a network. And transmitted to a management apparatus that manages a plurality of information processing apparatuses.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an interprocess communication history display method for displaying a communication history of interprocess communication performed by an information processing apparatus in which a plurality of programs each operate as a process and perform interprocess communication between the processes. a is, inputs the communication history display step of displaying the communication information of the communication history information including one or more communication information interprocess communication on a display device, a control information set the type and display form of said communication information A component activation step of selecting one or a plurality of components necessary for displaying the communication information to be extracted based on the input type , and activating the selected component, and the communication history display step includes: The communication information is extracted from the communication history information based on the type by the activated component. Extracted communication information and displaying in the display mode on a display device.

  The invention according to claim 17 is the interprocess communication history display method according to claim 16, wherein the component activation step is set to display only the header information in the control information. The header extraction means for extracting header information including the data type of the communication information and process identification information from the communication history information is selected and activated.

  The invention according to claim 18 is the inter-process communication history display method according to claim 16, wherein the component activation step is performed when the control information is designated for conversion of message / function identification information. A message name / function name conversion means for converting message / function identification information for identifying a message or function included in the communication information from the communication history information into a message name or function name is selected and activated.

  The invention according to claim 19 is the inter-process communication history display method according to claim 16 or 18, wherein the component activation step is performed when the conversion specification of process identification information is specified in the control information. A process name conversion means for converting process identification information included in the communication information from the communication history information into a process name is selected and activated.

  The invention according to claim 20 is the inter-process communication history display method according to claim 16, 18 or 19, wherein in the component activation step, display of detailed information of a message or a function is specified in the control information. In this case, a detailed information extracting means for extracting detailed information of a message or function included in the communication information from the communication history information is selected and activated.

  Further, the invention according to claim 21 is the inter-process communication history display method according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein the component activation step specifies the generation and disappearance process display designation in the control information. The process progress information extracting means for extracting the process generation and disappearance progress from the communication history information is selected and activated.

  According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the interprocess communication history display method according to any one of the sixteenth to twenty-first aspects, the component activation step includes a case where key name conversion is designated in the control information. In addition, a key conversion means for converting key identification information of a key event message included in the communication information from the communication history information into a key name in the display device is selected and activated.

The invention according to claim 23, a communication history display step of displaying on the display device communication information of the communication history information including one or more communication information interprocess communication with the time information as the communication history display information, the communication The control information in which the type of information and the display mode are set is input, one or more components necessary for displaying the communication information to be extracted are selected based on the type of the input control information , and the selected component is selected The communication history display step extracts the communication information from the communication history information based on the type by the activated component, and the extracted communication information together with the time information. The communication history display information is displayed on the display device in the display mode .

  According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, in the interprocess communication history display method according to the twenty-third aspect, when the component activation step is set to display only the header information in the control information. The header extracting means for extracting header information including the data type of the communication information and the process identification information from the process of the program is selected and activated.

  The invention according to claim 25 is the inter-process communication history display method according to claim 23, wherein the component activation step is performed when the conversion specification of message / function identification information is specified in the control information. A message name / function name conversion means for converting message / function identification information for identifying a message or function included in the communication information from a program process into a message name or function name is selected and activated.

  According to a twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention, in the inter-process communication history display method according to the twenty-third or twenty-fifth aspect, in the component activation step, when conversion of message / function identification information is specified in the control information The process name conversion means for converting the process identification information included in the communication information from the process of the program into a process name is selected and activated.

  The invention according to claim 27 is the inter-process communication history display method according to claim 23, 25, or 26, wherein the component activation step is configured such that display of detailed information of a message or a function is specified in the control information. In this case, a detailed information extracting means for extracting detailed information of a message or a function included in the communication information from the process of the program is selected and activated.

  Further, the invention according to claim 28 is the inter-process communication history display method according to any one of claims 23 to 27, wherein the component activation step specifies the generation and disappearance process display designation in the control information. The process progress information extracting means for extracting the process generation and disappearance process from the process of the program is selected and activated.

  The invention according to claim 29 is the interprocess communication history display method according to any one of claims 23 to 28, wherein the component activation step is performed when key name conversion is designated in the control information. In addition, the key conversion means for converting the key identification information of the key event message included in the communication information from the process of the program into the key name in the display device is selected and activated.

  The invention according to claim 30 is the inter-process communication history display method according to any one of claims 16 to 29, wherein the communication history display step further includes the communication information to be displayed on the display device. It transmits to the management apparatus which is connected to the network and manages a plurality of information processing apparatuses.

  The invention according to claim 31 is a program that causes a computer to execute the interprocess communication history display method according to any one of claims 16 to 30.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the communication history display means is composed of a plurality of components that can be activated independently of each other, and the control information in which the type and display mode of the communication information is set by the component activation means is input and the input control is entered. based on the type of information, one or more components required to display communication information to be extracted selected from the communication history display means activates the selected component, this component, the activated component, type The communication information is extracted from the communication history information based on the communication information, and the extracted communication information is displayed on the display device in a display mode, so that only the components necessary for displaying the communication information can be activated in cooperation with the control information. Therefore, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the communication history display means includes, as the component, header extraction means for extracting header information including a data type and process identification information of the communication information, and the control information is provided by the component activation means. If only the header information is set to be displayed, the header extraction means is selected and activated, so that only the header of the communication information is displayed when the memory capacity is insufficient. Since this can be done, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging.

  According to the invention of claim 3, message / function name for converting message / function identification information for identifying a message or function included in the communication information into a message name or function name as the component by the communication history display means. A conversion unit, and when the component activation unit specifies conversion of the message / function identification information in the control information, the message name / function name conversion unit is selected and activated, thereby increasing the memory capacity. Accordingly, it is possible to perform debugging work by selecting whether or not to display a message name or a function name. Therefore, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging work.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the communication history display means includes, as the component, process name conversion means for converting process identification information included in the communication information into a process name, and the control information is provided by the component activation means. When the process identification information conversion is specified, the process name conversion means is selected and activated, so that it is possible to select whether to display the process name according to the memory capacity and to perform debugging work. Therefore, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging.

  According to the invention of claim 5, the communication history display means includes, as the component, detailed information extraction means for extracting detailed information of a message or a function included in the communication information, and the control information is added to the control information by the component activation means. Select whether to display the detailed information of the message or function according to the memory capacity by selecting and starting the detailed information extraction means when the display specification of the detailed information of the message or function is specified. Therefore, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the communication history display means includes, as the component, process progress information extraction means for extracting process generation and extinction progress from the communication history information, and the control information is provided by the component activation means. Whether or not to display the process generation and extinction progress according to the memory capacity by selecting and starting the process progress information extracting means when the process generation and extinction progress display designation is specified. Since debugging work can be performed by selecting, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging work.

  According to the invention of claim 7, the communication history display means includes, as the component, key conversion means for converting key identification information of a key event message included in the communication history information into a key name in the display device, When key name conversion is specified in the control information by the component activation unit, the key conversion unit is selected and activated to select whether to display the key name according to the memory capacity. Therefore, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging.

According to the invention of claim 8, the communication history display means is composed of a plurality of components that can be activated independently of each other, and the control information in which the type and display mode of the communication information is set by the component activation means is input, and the inputted control Based on the type of information , one or more components necessary for displaying the communication information to be extracted are selected from the communication history display means, the selected component is started, and the communication history information based on the type is selected by this component. The communication information is extracted from the information, and the extracted communication information is displayed on the display device as the communication history display information together with the time information , so that only the components necessary for displaying the communication information are activated in cooperation with the control information. Therefore, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging. According to the invention of claim 8, since the communication history display means directly extracts and displays the communication information from the process of the program, the communication history can be displayed quickly and the efficiency of debugging work can be improved. Can be planned.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the communication history display means includes, as the component, header extraction means for extracting header information including a data type and process identification information of the communication information from the process of the program, and the component activation means When the control information is set to display only the header information, by selecting and starting the header extraction means, only the header of the communication information is displayed when the memory capacity is not sufficient. Thus, debugging work can be performed, so that resources during debugging work can be reduced.

  According to the invention of claim 10, the communication history display means converts, as the component, message / function identification information for identifying a message or function included in the communication information from the process of the program into a message name or function name. A message name / function name converting means, and selecting and starting the message name / function name converting means when the component starting means specifies conversion of the message / function identification information in the control information. Thus, it is possible to perform debugging work by selecting whether or not to display a message name or function name according to the memory capacity, so that resources during debugging work can be reduced.

  According to the invention of claim 11, the communication history display means includes, as the component, process name conversion means for converting process identification information included in the communication information from a process of the program into a process name, and the component activation Whether or not to display the process name according to the memory capacity by selecting and starting the process name conversion means when conversion of message / function identification information is specified in the control information by the means. Since debugging work can be performed by selecting, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging work.

  According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the communication history display means includes, as the component, detailed information extraction means for extracting detailed information of a message or function included in the communication information from the process of the program, and the component activation means When the display information of the message or function is specified in the control information, the detailed information extraction unit is selected and activated to display the detailed information of the message or function according to the memory capacity. Since it is possible to select whether or not to perform debugging work, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging work.

  According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, the communication history display means includes, as the component, a process progress information extraction means for extracting a process generation and disappearance process from the process of the program, and the component activation means includes the control information Whether or not to display the process generation and extinction progress according to the memory capacity by selecting and starting the process progress information extracting means when the process generation and extinction progress display designation is specified. Since debugging work can be performed by selecting, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging work.

  According to the invention of claim 14, the key conversion means for converting the key identification information of the key event message included in the communication information from the process of the program as the component into the key name in the display device. Whether or not to display the key name according to the memory capacity by selecting and starting the key conversion unit when the component activation unit specifies the key name conversion in the control information. Since the debugging work can be performed by selecting, resources during the debugging work can be reduced.

  According to the invention of claim 15, the communication history display means further transmits the communication information to be displayed on the display device to a management device that is connected to a network and manages a plurality of information processing devices. The communication history can be grasped on the side, and an appropriate response can be taken for each information processing device based on the communication history.

According to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, one or a plurality of components necessary for displaying the communication information to be extracted based on the input type is input by inputting the control information in which the type and display mode of the communication information are set in the component starting step. Control information by extracting the communication information from the communication history information based on the type, and displaying the extracted communication information in a display mode on the display device. Since only the components necessary for displaying communication information can be started in cooperation with, the resources during debugging can be reduced.

  According to the invention of claim 17, in the component activation step, when the control information is set to display only the header information, the data type and process identification of the communication information are determined from the communication history information. By selecting and starting a header extraction means that extracts header information including information, debugging can be performed by displaying only the header of the communication information when the memory capacity is not enough, thus reducing resources during debugging. You can plan.

  According to the invention of claim 18, the component activation step identifies a message or a function included in the communication information from the communication history information when the conversion specification of the message / function identification information is specified in the control information. Select whether to display the message name or function name according to the memory capacity by selecting and starting the message name / function name conversion means for converting the message / function identification information to be converted into the message name or function name. Therefore, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging.

  According to a nineteenth aspect of the invention, in the component activation step, when the conversion specification of process identification information is specified in the control information, the process identification information included in the communication information is converted from the communication history information to a process name. By selecting and starting the process name conversion means for converting to, you can select whether to display the process name according to the memory capacity and perform debugging work, so you can reduce resources during debugging work it can.

  According to a twentieth aspect of the invention, in the component activation step, when the display information of the detailed information of the message or function is specified in the control information, the message or function included in the communication information is determined from the communication history information. By selecting and starting a detailed information extraction means that extracts detailed information, you can select whether to display detailed information on messages or functions according to the memory capacity, so you can perform debugging work, so resources at the time of debugging work Can be reduced.

  According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the component activation step is a process of extracting the generation and disappearance process of the process from the communication history information when the generation of the process and the display of the disappearance process are specified in the control information. By selecting and starting the progress information extraction means, it is possible to select whether to display the process creation and disappearance progress according to the memory capacity, so that debugging work can be performed, so resources during debugging work can be reduced Can do.

  According to the invention of claim 22, in the component activation step, when key name conversion is designated in the control information, key identification information of a key event message included in the communication information is obtained from the communication history information. By selecting and starting the key conversion means to convert to key names in the display device, it is possible to select whether or not to display the key names according to the memory capacity, so that debugging work can be performed, thus reducing resources during debugging work Can be achieved.

According to the invention of claim 23, the control information in which the type of communication information and the display mode are set in the component activation step is input, and one or more necessary for displaying the communication information to be extracted based on the input type of control information A plurality of components are selected, the selected components are activated, communication information is extracted from the communication history information based on the type by this component, and the extracted communication information is displayed as communication history display information together with time information. By displaying in the display mode, it is possible to activate only the components necessary for displaying the communication information in cooperation with the control information, so that it is possible to reduce resources during debugging. According to the invention of claim 23, since the communication information is extracted and displayed directly from the process of the program in the communication history display step, the communication history can be displayed quickly, and the efficiency of debugging work can be improved. Can be planned.

  According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention, when the component activation step is set to display only the header information in the control information, the data type and process identification of the communication information are determined from the process of the program. By selecting and starting a header extraction means that extracts header information including information, debugging can be performed by displaying only the header of the communication information when the memory capacity is not enough, thus reducing resources during debugging. You can plan.

  According to the invention of claim 25, the component activation step identifies a message or a function included in the communication information from a process of the program when conversion of message / function identification information is specified in the control information. Select whether to display the message name or function name according to the memory capacity by selecting and starting the message name / function name conversion means to convert the message / function identification information to be converted into the message name or function name Thus, debugging work can be performed, so that resources during debugging work can be reduced.

  According to a twenty-sixth aspect of the invention, in the component activation step, the process identification information included in the communication information from the process of the program, when conversion of message / function identification information is specified in the control information, By selecting and starting a process name conversion means for converting to a process name, it is possible to select whether or not to display the process name according to the memory capacity and to perform debugging work, thus reducing resources during debugging work be able to.

  According to a twenty-seventh aspect of the invention, in the component activation step, when the display information of the detailed information of the message or the function is specified in the control information, the message or the function included in the communication information from the process of the program By selecting and starting a detailed information extraction means that extracts detailed information, you can select whether to display detailed information on messages or functions according to the memory capacity, so you can perform debugging work, so resources at the time of debugging work Can be reduced.

  According to a twenty-eighth aspect of the present invention, the component activation step is a process of extracting process generation and extinction progress from the process of the program when the control information is designated to display process generation and extinction progress. By selecting and starting the progress information extraction means, it is possible to select whether to display the process creation and disappearance progress according to the memory capacity, so that debugging work can be performed, so resources during debugging work can be reduced Can do.

  According to the invention of claim 29, the component activation step includes the key identification information of the key event message included in the communication information from the process of the program when the key name conversion is designated in the control information. By selecting and starting the key conversion means for converting to the key name in the display device, it is possible to select whether or not to display the key name according to the memory capacity and to perform debugging work. Reduction can be achieved.

  According to the invention of claim 30, in the communication history display step, the communication information to be displayed on the display device is further transmitted to a management device that is connected to a network and manages a plurality of information processing devices. The communication history can be grasped on the device side, and an appropriate response can be taken for each information processing device based on the communication history.

  Since the invention concerning Claim 31 is a program which makes a computer perform the interprocess communication log | history display method described in any one of Claims 16-30, It is described in any one of Claims 16-30 The inter-process communication history display method can be executed by a computer.

  Exemplary embodiments of an information processing apparatus, an interprocess communication history display method, and a program for causing a computer to execute the method will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “multifunction machine”) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a multifunction peripheral 100 includes a monochrome line printer (B & W LP) 101, a color line printer (Color LP) 102, a hard disk (HD) 103, hardware such as a scanner, a facsimile, a memory, and a network interface. The software resource 110 includes a hardware resource 104 and a software group 110 including a platform 120 and an application 130.

  The platform 120 interprets a processing request from the application 130 and generates a hardware resource acquisition request, and a system resource that manages one or a plurality of hardware resources and arbitrates the acquisition request from the control service. A manager (SRM) 123, a general-purpose OS 121, and a communication history generation unit 117 are included.

  The control service is formed of a plurality of service modules, and includes an SCS (system control service) 122, an ECS (engine control service) 124, an MCS (memory control service) 125, an OCS (operation panel control service) 126, and an FCS. (Fax Control Service) 127 and NCS (Network Control Service) 128. The platform 120 has an application program interface (API) that can receive a processing request from the application 130 by a predefined function.

  The general-purpose OS 121 is a general-purpose operating system such as UNIX (registered trademark), and executes the software of the platform 120 and the application 130 in parallel as processes.

  The process of the SRM 123 performs system control and resource management together with the SCS 122. The SRM123 process uses hardware resources such as engines such as the scanner unit and printer unit, memory, HDD files, and host I / O (centro I / F, network I / F, IEEE 1394 I / F, RS232C I / F, etc.). Arbitration is performed according to the request from the upper layer to be used, and execution control is performed.

  Specifically, the SRM 123 determines whether the requested hardware resource is available (whether it is not used by another request), and if it is available, the requested hardware resource is used. Tell the upper layer that it is possible. In addition, the SRM 123 performs use scheduling of hardware resources in response to a request from an upper layer, and directly executes request contents (for example, paper conveyance and image forming operation, memory allocation, file generation, etc. by a printer engine). .

  The process of the SCS 122 performs application management, operation unit control, system screen display, LED display, resource management, interrupt application control, and the like.

  The process of the ECS 124 controls the engine of the hardware resource 104 including a monochrome line printer (B & W LP) 101, a color line printer (Color LP) 102, a scanner, a facsimile, and the like.

  The MCS 125 process acquires and releases an image memory, uses a hard disk device (HDD), compresses and decompresses image data, and the like.

  The FCS 127 process includes facsimile transmission / reception using PSTN / ISDN network from each application layer of the system controller, registration / quotation of various facsimile data managed by BKM (backup SRAM), facsimile reading, facsimile reception printing, and fusion transmission / reception. Provides an API to do.

  The process of the NCS 128 is a process for providing a service that can be commonly used for applications requiring network I / O. Data received from the network side according to each protocol is distributed to each application, or from the application 130 Mediates when sending data to the network side. Specifically, it has server daemons such as ftpd, httpd, lpd, snmpd, telnetd, and smtpd and client functions of the same protocol.

  The OCS 126 controls an operation panel (operation panel) serving as information transmission means between the operator (user) and the main body control. The OCS 126 acquires a key press from the operation panel as a key event, sends a key event function corresponding to the acquired key to the SCS 122, and displays various screens on the operation panel in response to a request from the application 130 or the control service. A drawing function for drawing output, a function for controlling the operation panel, and the like are composed of pre-registered OCS library portions. This OCS library is implemented by being linked to each module of the application 130, the control service, and a display processing unit described later. The OCS 126 may be configured to operate as a process, or the OCS 126 may be configured as an OCS library.

  The application 130 includes a printer application 111 that is a printer application having a page description language (PDL), PCL, and postscript (PS), a copy application 112 that is a copy application, and a fax application 113 that is a facsimile application. , A scanner application 114 that is a scanner application, a net file application 115 that is a network file application, a process inspection application 116 that is a process inspection application, and a component that is executed to display a communication log file on the operation panel And a component activation application 118 that selects and activates. Each of these applications 130 is generated and operated as a process by an initialization unit (not shown) when the MFP 100 is activated.

  Each application 130 and each control service except the component activation application 118 are provided with a logging handler. When this process receives data such as messages and function calls from other processes, this logging handler writes the received data to the shared memory reserved for each process before executing processing according to the received data. Process.

  The communication history generation unit 117 operates as a process in the control service layer, and generates a communication log file recording the received data from the received data written in the shared memory by the application 130 and the control service. Here, the communication log file constitutes communication history information in the present invention.

  As described above, the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment includes a plurality of applications 130 and a plurality of control services, all of which operate as processes. In each of these processes, one or a plurality of threads are generated and parallel execution is performed in units of threads. The control service provides a common service to the application 130. For this reason, a large number of processes perform a parallel operation and a parallel operation of threads to perform a cooperative operation with each other, and copy, printer, scanner, A user service related to image forming processing such as a facsimile is provided.

  Further, in the multifunction device 100, a third party such as a third vendor can develop and install a new application in an application layer above the control service layer.

  In the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment, a plurality of application 130 processes and a plurality of control service processes operate. However, the application 130 and the control service process have a single configuration. Is also possible. In addition, the application 130 does not exist at all, only the control service process, the general-purpose OS 121, and hardware resources are provided, and the application 130 can be installed via the network connected by the NCS 128. You can also. Each application 130 can be added or deleted for each application.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the multifunction peripheral 100 includes a controller board 200 in which a CPU 202, SDRAM 203, SRAM 208, flash memory (flash ROM) 204, flash card interface unit 206 and HD 103 are connected to the ASIC 201, an operation panel 210, A fax control unit (FCU) 220, a USB 230, an IEEE1394 240, and a printer 250 are included. The operation panel 210 is directly connected to the ASIC 201, and the FCU 220, USB 230, IEEE1394 240, and printer 250 are connected to the ASIC 201 via the PCI bus.

  The flash card interface unit 206 is an interface for inserting the flash card 207 and exchanging data with the flash card 207. The flash card interface unit 206 can read a flash card 207 in which a control file in which extraction conditions for information to be extracted from a communication log file are set is recorded. This control file constitutes control information in the present invention, and the flash card 207 and the flash card interface unit 206 constitute a storage means in the present invention.

  The flash ROM 204 stores programs for each control service, each application 130, a communication history generation unit 117, and a component activation application 118 that constitutes a communication history display unit 308, which will be described later.

  For each application 130 and each control service, the SDRAM 203 has a shared memory that is accessed when each of these processes performs transmission / reception of communication information (received data) with the process of the communication history generation unit 117. Is done.

  In the HD 103, a communication log file including reception data (communication information) of the application 130 and the control service is generated by the communication history generation unit 117.

  The operation panel 210 includes an operation unit for inputting key operations such as user key input and button pressing, and a display unit for displaying drawing data such as buttons, windows, and various screens.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a process for executing communication log file generation and communication history display. FIG. 3 shows an example in which the communication log file 305 is generated from the received data by the inter-process communication of each process and displayed on the operation panel 210 for each of the copy application 112 and the MCS 125. The control service, the application 130, the communication history generation unit 117, and the component activation application 118 are read from the flash ROM 204 and executed as a process on the SDRAM 203 by the initialization unit (not shown) when the multifunction peripheral 100 is activated. The

  As shown in FIG. 3, a logging handler 301 is activated in the copy application 112 process and the MCS 125 process. This logging handler 301 analyzes the setting contents of the control file 304, and stores the received data by inter-process communication in the FIFO queue 303 of the shared memory for each process when its own process is targeted.

  The communication history generation unit 117 reads the control file 304 input by the user using the flash card 207 inserted into the flash card interface unit 206, and secures the shared memory 302 in the SDRAM 203 for each target process for acquiring received data. Then, a FIFO (First-In First-Out) queue 303 for storing received data by the process of the control service or the application 130 is generated in each shared memory 302. The FIFO queue 303 can read the received data from each process in the order of storage. As described above, since the shared memory 302 is generated for each process, it is possible to easily determine the process from which the received data is written.

  Further, the communication history generation unit 117 refers to the FIFO queue 303 in each shared memory 302 at regular time intervals to check whether received data is stored. If received data is stored in the FIFO queue 303, the received data is read and a communication log file 305 is generated in the HD 103.

  Next, the control file 304 will be described. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the control file 304 used in the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment. The control file 304 is recorded in the flash card 207 as described above, and is also generated and stored in the system directory of the general-purpose OS 121 of the HD 103 through a network from a remote PC or the like or by a user input operation from the operation panel 210. You may comprise so that it may do.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the control file 304 includes the “acquisition control” block in which the acquisition timing of received data by the communication history generation unit 117 is set, and the communication history displayed on the operation panel 210 by the communication history display unit 308. It consists of a set “display control” block.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the “acquisition control” block in the control file 304 includes a “polling interval” field that specifies the access timing to the shared memory 302 by the communication history generation unit 117, and a target for acquiring received data. A “target process” field for designating a process, a “process creation / annihilation information output interval” field for designating the timing of accessing the shared memory 302 to acquire process creation and destruction information, a process name and a process ID From the “process name / process ID correspondence information output interval” field for specifying the timing of accessing the shared memory 302 to obtain the correspondence information, and the “communication log file maximum size” field for specifying the maximum size of the communication log file 305 Composed. Here, the process ID is identification information unique to each process, and constitutes process identification information in the present invention.

  The “target process” field further includes a target process name (for example, a copy application, MCS, etc. as shown in FIG. 4) and a shared memory 302 reserved for the designated application or control service process. The shared memory key ID to be identified and the size of the shared memory 302 for communication control to be secured are designated.

  The display control block of the control file 304 displays a “message / function” block for specifying the display contents of the message / function and whether or not the process creation and disappearance process is displayed (ON: display, OFF: not display). "Process creation / annihilation" block and "Key operation" block for specifying whether to display the progress of the user's key operation on the operation panel 210 (ON: display, OFF: not display) ing.

  The “message / function” block further displays “header” of the message / function on the operation panel 210 (“0”) or “header” that specifies whether all information of the message / function is displayed (“1”). ”Field and specify whether to convert the message ID into the message name and the function ID into the function name (ON: convert, OFF: do not convert) when displaying the message or function. A “conversion” field, a “process name conversion” field for designating whether or not the process ID is converted into a process name when displaying a message or a function (ON: conversion, OFF: no conversion), message detailed information or Specify whether to display detailed function information (ON: Display, OFF: Do not display) Composed of a "field. Here, the message ID is an identification number unique to each message, and the function ID is an identification number unique to each function. The message ID and the function ID constitute message / function identification information in the present invention.

  The “process creation / disappearance” block specifies whether or not to convert the process ID into a process name (ON: convert, OFF: do not convert) when displaying the progress of process generation and disappearance. It has a “name conversion” field.

  3, the HD 103 includes a communication log file 305 generated by the communication history generation unit 117, a log display file 306 temporarily generated for display on the operation panel 210 by the communication history display unit 308, and various types A data file 307 is stored. The various data files 307 include an API sort data file, a PID / process name correspondence data file, a process creation / annihilation data file, a structure definition data file, a key conversion data file, and a message conversion data file. Details of each data file will be described later.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the data structure of each packet constituting the communication log file 305. 5A is a data structure diagram of an API data packet, FIG. 5B is a data structure diagram of a data packet corresponding to a process ID / process name, and FIG. 5C is data of a process progress data packet. FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, the first field of each packet is an identifier field indicating the type of the packet, and the identifier field of the API data packet is “API”, process ID / process name. The identifier of the corresponding data packet is “INFO”, the identifier field of the process progress data packet indicating the generation of the process is “NEW”, and the identifier field of the process progress data packet indicating the disappearance of the process is “DEL”.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the API data packet has a reception process ID field following the identifier field. In the reception process ID field, the process ID of the process that has received the message or function call is set.

  In the time field, an elapsed time since the start of acquisition of inter-process communication information in the multifunction device 100 is recorded. The elapsed time when each process receives a message or a function call is recorded in the time field of the API data packet.

  The API data packet further has fields of data type, data length, transmission process ID, and unique data. Here, fields of data type, data length, and transmission process ID are header information. A message ID or a function ID is stored in the data type field. The process ID of the message or function source process is stored in the transmission process ID field. Specific message data or function data is stored in the unique data field. The API data packet has a packet configuration in which data from a time field to a unique data field is separated as a single message or function API data by a data delimiter (0xfe) and a plurality of communication data are connected. Since one reception process ID is assigned to the entire packet, the API data packet is composed of API data received by one process. Note that 0xff is a packet delimiter indicating a packet delimiter, and the same applies to FIGS. 5B and 5C. The API data constitutes communication information in the present invention.

  The API data includes a key event message as a message. In the case of a key event message, numerical data corresponding to ON and OFF indicating a key code and a key pressing condition described later is stored in the unique data.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, the process ID / process name correspondence data packet has fields of time, process ID, and process name following the identifier field. In the time field, the elapsed time when the communication history generation unit 117 of the multifunction device 100 acquires each data from the shared memory is recorded. The process ID field stores a process ID, which is process identification information of a process operating on the multifunction peripheral 100, and the process name field stores a process name corresponding to the process ID.

  As shown in FIG. 5C, the process progress data packet has a time field and a process ID field in which a process ID of a created or extinguished process is stored following the identifier field. Also in this time field, the elapsed time when the communication history generation unit 117 of the multifunction peripheral 100 acquires each data from the shared memory is recorded.

  The API sort data file in the various data files 307 is a data file in which API data is sorted in chronological order based on the contents of the time field, and is generated from the communication log file 305 by the API data processing unit 309.

  The PID / process name correspondence data file in the various data files 307 is a data file in which the process ID and the process name are associated with each other, and is generated from the communication log file 305 by the process name conversion unit 312. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the contents of a PID / process name correspondence data file. As shown in FIG. 6, the process name of the application or control service is recorded in a table format corresponding to each process ID.

  The process creation / disappearance data file in the various data files 307 is a data file that records the progress of process creation and disappearance, and is generated from the communication log file 305 by the process progress processing unit 314. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the contents of a process creation / annihilation data file. In FIG. 7, each process ID is classified and recorded as “generation” and “extinction”. A process ID classified as “generation” indicates a process generated by the MFP 100, and a process ID classified as “annihilation” indicates a process disappeared by the MFP 100.

  The message conversion data file in the various data files 307 is an XML file in which a message ID and a message name are associated with a function ID and a function name, and is created in the HD 103 in advance. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a message conversion data file. In FIG. 8, a <server> tag describes a process name that provides a message transmission or a function. Then, as shown in FIG. 8, for each block of the <server> tag, a message ID and a message name and a correspondence between the function ID and the function ID are described by a <message> tag. That is, the message ID or function ID is specified in “type” of the <message> tag, and the message name or function name corresponding to the message ID or function ID specified by “type” is specified in “string”.

  The structure definition data file in the various data files 307 is a file that defines the structure content of the structure of the message and the function. The structure content of each structure includes the unique data of the message or function to which the structure corresponds. It corresponds. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the contents of the structure definition data file.

  In FIG. 9, the setting content of “Name” in the <struct> tag indicates a structure name, and the setting content of “msg” indicates a message name or a function name. In addition, the contents of the structure members are described in one or more <member> tags in the <struct> tag block ("Name" setting is the member name, "Type" is the data type, etc.) is doing.

  The key conversion data file in the various data files 307 is a file for converting the detailed data of the key event into a character string. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the contents of the key conversion data file 116.

  In FIG. 10, the <key_press> tag defines a character string of a key pressing condition. When “Value = 1”, “Description =” ON ”indicates an ON state, and when“ Value = 0 ”,“ Description = ” “OFF” indicates an OFF state.

  The <Key_type> tag associates a key type code with a character string. The key type is a HARD key (a key that exists as hardware in the multifunction device) or a TOUCH key (a key drawn as a touch panel key on the display unit of the operation panel of the multifunction device 100). According to the <Key_type> tag in FIG. 10, when “Value = 1”, “Description =” HARD ”indicates a HARD key, and when“ Value = 0 ”,“ Description = ”TOUCH” indicates a TOUCH key.

  The <Key_button> tag associates the key code of the button with the character string of the key name. Here, the key code is identification information unique to each key, and constitutes key identification information in the present invention. In the example of FIG. 10, the key code 0 is associated with the button with the key name “0” as the button of the HARD key, and the key code 101 is associated with the button with the key name “OK” as the button of the TOUCH key. Yes.

  Next, the communication history display unit 308 will be described. In FIG. 3, the communication history display unit 308 includes an API data processing unit 309, a header extraction unit 310, a message name / function name conversion unit 311, a process name conversion unit 312, a message / function detailed processing unit 313, The process progress processing unit 314, the key name conversion unit 315, and the display processing unit 316 are configured. Here, the communication history display unit 308 is the communication history display unit in the present invention, the header extraction unit 310 is the header extraction unit in the present invention, and the message name / function name conversion unit 311 is the message name / function name conversion unit in the present invention. The process name conversion unit 312 is the process name conversion unit in the present invention, the message function detailed processing unit 313 is the detailed information extraction unit in the present invention, and the process progress processing unit 314 is the process progress information extraction unit in the present invention. The name conversion unit 315 constitutes key conversion means in the present invention.

  Further, the API data processing unit 309, the header extraction unit 310, the message name / function name conversion unit 311, the process name conversion unit 312, the message / function detailed processing unit 313, the process progress processing unit 314, and the key name conversion unit 315 are controlled. It is selected by the component activation application 118 according to the setting contents of the file 304, read from the flash ROM 204, and activated. For this reason, these components are indicated by dotted lines in FIG.

  The component activation application 118 reads the control file 304, checks the setting contents, and checks the API data processing unit 309, the header extraction unit 310, the message name / function name conversion unit 311, the process name conversion unit 312, and the message / function details. A component to be activated is selected from the processing unit 313, the process progress processing unit 314, and the key name conversion unit 315, and the selected component is activated. The component activation application 118 constitutes component activation means in the present invention.

  The API data processing unit 309 sorts API data in the communication log file 305 in time series order to generate an API sort data file on the HD 103. Further, the API data processing unit 309 generates a log display file 306 in the HD 103 and writes a start record.

  The header extraction unit 310 performs processing for extracting header information including a data type, a transmission source process ID, and a data length from the API sort data file and writing the header information in the log display file 306.

  The message name / function name conversion unit 311 refers to the message conversion data file and converts the message ID and function ID included in the API data of the API sort data file into the corresponding message name or function name, and displays the log. Processing to write to the file 306 is performed.

  The process name conversion unit 312 reads all the process ID / process name corresponding data packets constituting the communication log file 305, extracts a process ID / process name pair included in each packet together with the contents of the time field, A PID / process name correspondence data file in the format is generated in the HD 103. Then, the process name conversion unit 312 converts the reception process ID and transmission process ID included in the API data of the API sort data file into corresponding process names with reference to the PID / process name correspondence data file, and logs A process of writing to the display file 306 is performed.

  The message / function detailed processing unit 313 refers to the structure definition file, and displays detailed information associating the specific data included in the API data of the API sort data file with the structure corresponding to the message or the function. Processing to write to the file 306 is performed.

  The process progress processing unit 314 generates a process creation / disappearance data file in which the progress of process creation and disappearance is recorded from the PID / process name correspondence data packet of the communication log file 305 in the HD 103, and the PID / process name correspondence data Processing to write the contents of the file to the log display file 306 is performed.

  The key name conversion unit 315 performs processing for extracting a key event message from the API sort data file, converting the key code included in the key event into a key name by referring to the key conversion data file, and writing the key code in the log display file 306. Do.

  The display processing unit 316 performs processing for displaying the contents of the log display file 306 generated on the HD 103 on the operation panel 210. The display processing unit 316 is linked to the OCS library 317 in which a drawing function for drawing character data and image data is registered with respect to the operation panel 210. For this reason, the display processing unit 316 calls the drawing function to The contents of the log display file 306 are displayed on the operation panel 210. Further, the display processing unit 316 transmits the log display file 306 to the NCS 128, and is connected to a client terminal for debugging such as a PC (Personal Computer) connected to a network such as a LAN and a network such as a public line. To the remote centralized management device. The transmission process is performed by the NCS 128 by file transfer using a protocol such as FTP or electronic mail.

  The components of the communication history generation unit 117, the component activation application 118, and the communication history display unit 308 are generated and executed in the SDRAM 203 when the inter-process communication history display program is executed. This inter-process communication history display program is executable or installable on a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or FD as part or all of a development tool kit such as a software development kit (SDK). Provided in format file. Also, such executable or installable format files may be provided in a manner that can be obtained via a network.

  Next, communication history generation processing for inter-process communication performed by the multifunction peripheral 100 according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described. The communication history generation unit 117 reads the control file 304 at the time of activation, and secures the shared memory 302 on the SDRAM 203 for each process of the control service and application 130 set as the target process.

  On the other hand, the process of each application 130 and each control service refers to the control file 304 at the time of activation, and activates the logging handler 301 when its own process is set as the target process. Then, the logging handler 301 sequentially writes received data such as messages and function calls by inter-process communication into the FIFO queue 303 of the shared memory 302 together with the elapsed time from the start time of communication history acquisition.

  On the other hand, the communication history generation unit 117 accesses the FIFO queue 303 of the shared memory 302 at every polling interval set in the control file 304 and determines whether received data is stored in the FIFO queue 303. If the received data is stored, a communication log file 305 in which the received data is recorded in the API data packet format is generated in the HD 103.

  In addition, the communication history generation unit 117 investigates the currently operating process for each process name / process ID correspondence information output interval set in the control file 304, and determines the process ID and process name of the active process. And the process ID / process name correspondence data packet is written in the communication log file 305 together with the elapsed time from the start of communication history acquisition. Further, the communication history generation unit 117 investigates a process in operation at every process generation / annihilation information output interval set in the control file 304, and records the generation status and extinction status of the process together with the elapsed time. The progress data packet is written in the communication log file 305. In this way, the communication log file 305 having the format shown in FIG. 5 is generated.

  Next, communication history display processing based on the setting contents of the display control block of the control file 304 from the communication log file 305 will be described. In the communication history display process, a component selection and activation process is first performed by the component activation application 118. FIGS. 11 and 12 are flowcharts showing the procedure of component selection and activation processing by the component activation application 118.

  The component activation application 118 first reads the control file 304 (step S1101), and determines display designation of “message / function” (step S1102). If the “message / function” is ON, the API data processing unit 309 is selected (step S1103).

  Next, the designation of the “header” of the control file 304 is determined (step S1104). If “header only” is set in “header”, the header extraction unit 310 is selected (step S1105). On the other hand, if “all” is set in the “header”, the setting content of “message name / function name conversion” in the control file 304 is determined (step S1106). If the “message name / function name conversion” setting is ON, the message name / function name conversion unit 311 is selected (step S1107).

  Next, the setting content of “process name conversion” in the control file 304 is determined (step S1108). If the “process name conversion” setting is ON, the process name conversion unit 312 is selected (step S1109). Next, the setting contents of “message / function details” in the control file 304 are determined (step S1110). If ON is set, the message / function details processing unit 313 is selected (step S1111).

  Next, the setting contents of “process creation / annihilation” in the control file 304 are determined (step S1112). If ON is set, the process progress processing unit 314 is selected (step S1113). The setting content of “process creation / disappearance” is determined (step S1114). If ON is set, the setting content of “process name conversion” in the “process generation / disappearance” block is further determined. If “process name conversion” is ON, the process name conversion unit 312 is further selected (step S1115).

  Next, the setting content of “key operation” in the control file 304 is determined (step S1116). If ON is set, the API data processing unit 309 and the key name conversion unit 315 are selected (step S1117). . Finally, the currently selected component is activated (step S1118), thereby performing communication history display processing.

  FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the setting contents in the display control block of the control file 304 and the components activated by the component activation application 118.

  FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the activation states of components in the communication history display unit 308 when the control file 304 has the setting contents shown in FIG. In the example of the control file 304 in FIG. 4, in the “message / function” block, the header specification is “all”, “message name / function name conversion”, and “process name conversion” are ON, and “message / function detailed information” ”Is set to OFF,“ process creation / annihilation ”is set to OFF, and“ key operation ”is set to ON. Therefore, the component activated by the component activation application 118 in the communication history display unit 308 is an API. The data processing unit 309, the message name / function name conversion unit 310, the process name conversion unit 312, and the key name conversion unit 315 are used.

  When each component selected by the component activation application 118 is activated, processing by each component is executed. That is, the API data processing unit 309 sorts the API data in the communication log file 305 in time series order to generate an API sort data file on the HD 103, and generates a log display file 306 on the HD 103. The header extraction unit 310 extracts header information from the API sort data file and writes it in the log display file 306.

  In the message name / function name conversion unit 311, all message IDs and function IDs in the API data of the API sort data file are converted to message names or function names by referring to the message conversion data file, and log display files Write to 306.

  The process name conversion unit 312 reads all process ID / process name corresponding data packets constituting the communication log file 305, extracts the process ID / process name pair included in each packet together with the contents of the time field, and outputs the PID A process name corresponding data file is generated in the HD 103. Then, all reception process IDs and transmission process IDs in the sorted API data of the API sort data file are converted into corresponding process names with reference to the PID / process name correspondence data file, and the log display file 306 is displayed. Write to.

  In the message / function detailed processing unit 313, referring to the structure definition file, detailed information in which the specific data included in the API data of the API sort data file is associated with the structure corresponding to the message or function is displayed as a log. Write to file 306.

  The process progress processing unit 314 extracts all the correspondences between process IDs and process names from the PID / process name correspondence data packet of the communication log file 305, generates a PID / process name correspondence data file in the HD 103, and the PID / process A process of writing the contents of the name correspondence data file into the log display file 306 is performed.

  The key name conversion unit 315 extracts a key event message from the API sort data file, converts the key code in the key event message into a key name with reference to the key conversion data file, and writes it to the log display file 306.

  The log display file 306 generated in this way is displayed on the operation panel 210 by the display processing unit 316. Further, the display processing unit 316 transmits the log display file 306 to the NCS 128, and is connected to a client terminal for debugging such as a PC (Personal Computer) connected to a network such as a LAN and a network such as a public line. To the remote centralized management device.

  15 to 18 show examples of displaying the communication history on the operation panel 210. FIG. FIG. 15A is a display example in the case of message / function, and conversion of message name / function name and process name is specified, and FIG. 15B shows only the header specified. It is an example of a display when there is. FIG. 16 is a display example of message / function detailed information. FIG. 17 is a display example of key operations. FIG. 18 shows a display example when process name conversion is designated during the process creation / disappearance process.

  As described above, in the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment, the communication history display unit 308 includes the API data processing unit 309, the header extraction unit 310, the message name / function name conversion unit 311, the process name conversion unit 312, and the message / function detailed processing. Section 313, process progress processing section 314, and key name conversion section 315, which can be activated independently of each other, and the setting contents of the control file 304 that defines the extraction conditions from the communication log file 305 by the component activation application 118 Based on the above, the components necessary for displaying the information to be extracted are selected from the above-mentioned parts, and the selected component is activated, and various information is extracted from the communication log file 305 and displayed on the operation panel 210. It is necessary to display the communication history such as communication information in cooperation with the file 304. Only can be activated Nento, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging in the MFP 100 equipped with a memory of small capacity.

(Embodiment 2)
In the MFP 100 according to the first embodiment, the history to be displayed from the communication log file 305 based on the control file 304 after the received data is acquired from each process by the communication history generation unit 117 and the communication log file 305 is generated. However, the MFP 1900 according to the second embodiment extracts the history to be displayed at the stage of obtaining the received data from each process and immediately displays it on the operation panel 210. .

  FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a functional configuration of the MFP 1900 according to the second embodiment. The difference between the multifunction machine 1900 according to the second embodiment and the multifunction machine 100 according to the second embodiment is that the communication history generation unit 117 is not provided, and other functional configurations and hardware configurations are described in the first embodiment. 1 is the same as that of the multifunction peripheral 100.

  FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a process for executing communication history display. As shown in FIG. 20, in the MFP 1900 according to the second embodiment, the communication history display unit 2008 accesses the FIFO queue 303 in the shared memory 302 to acquire the received data of each process. In addition, a communication log file is not generated in the HD 103, and the communication history display unit 2008 extracts and acquires received data from the shared memory, generates a log display file 306, and displays it on the operation panel 210. .

  Here, each shared memory 302 stores the received data in the form of each data packet of FIG. 5 described in the first embodiment. Note that the processing of the logging handler 301, the setting contents of the control file 304, the log display file 306, and the various data files 307 are the same as those of the MFP 100 of the first embodiment.

  The communication history display unit 2008 includes an API data processing unit 2009, a header extraction unit 2010, a message name / function name conversion unit 2011, a process name conversion unit 2012, a message / function detail processing unit 2013, and a process progress processing unit. 2014, a key name conversion unit 2015, and a display processing unit 2016. Here, the API data processing unit 2009, the header extraction unit 2010, the message name / function name conversion unit 2011, the process name conversion unit 2012, the message / function detailed processing unit 2013, the process progress processing unit 2014, and the key name conversion unit 2015 are: Similar to the MFP 100 of the first embodiment, the component activation application 118 selects the component according to the setting contents of the control file 304, and is read from the flash ROM 204 and activated.

  The API data processing unit 2009 accesses the FIFO queue 303 of the shared memory 302 at every time set by the polling interval of the control file 304 and checks whether or not an API data packet is stored. In this case, the API data is sorted in time series to generate an API sort data file on the HD 103. In addition, the API data processing unit 2009 generates a log display file 306 in the HD 103 and writes a start record.

  The header extraction unit 2010 performs processing for extracting header information including a data type, a transmission source process ID, and a data length from the API sort data file and writing the header information in the log display file 306.

  The message name / function name conversion unit 2011 refers to the message conversion data file to convert the message ID and function ID included in the API data of the API sort data file into the corresponding message name or function name, and displays the log. Processing to write to the file 306 is performed.

  The process name conversion unit 2012 accesses the FIFO queue 303 of the shared memory 302 at every time set by the output interval of the PID / process name correspondence information in the control file 304, and determines whether or not the PID / process name correspondence data packet is stored. If it is stored, all stored process ID / process name correspondence data packets are read, and the process ID / process name pair included in each packet is extracted along with the contents of the time field. Then, a table-format PID / process name correspondence data file is generated in the HD 103. Then, the process name conversion unit 2012 converts the reception process ID and transmission process ID included in the API data of the API sort data file into corresponding process names with reference to the PID / process name correspondence data file, and logs A process of writing to the display file 306 is performed.

  The message / function detailed processing unit 2013 refers to the structure definition file, and displays detailed information associating the specific data included in the API data of the API sort data file with the structure corresponding to the message or the function. Processing to write to the file 306 is performed.

  The process progress processing unit 2014 accesses the FIFO queue 303 of the shared memory 302 and checks whether or not a process progress data packet is stored at every time set in the process generation / annihilation information output interval of the control file 304. If it is stored, a process creation / disappearance data file that records the process process creation / disappearance process from the PID / process name correspondence data packet is created in the HD 103, and the PID / process name correspondence data file is created. Is written into the log display file 306.

  The key name conversion unit 2015 extracts the key event message from the API sort data file, converts the key code included in the key event into a key name with reference to the key conversion data file, and writes the key code in the log display file 306. Do. The display processing unit 2016 is the same as that of the multifunction machine 100 of the first embodiment.

  As in the first embodiment, the component activation application 118 reads the control file 304, checks the setting contents, and performs an API data processing unit 2009, a header extraction unit 2010, a message name / function name conversion unit 2011, a process name. A component to be activated is selected from the conversion unit 2012, message / function detail processing unit 2013, process progress processing unit 2014, and key name conversion unit 2015, and the selected component is activated.

  The communication history display unit 2008 is the communication history display unit in the present invention, the header extraction unit 2010 is the header extraction unit in the present invention, and the message name / function name conversion unit 2011 is the message name / function name conversion unit in the present invention. The process name conversion unit 2012 is the process name conversion unit in the present invention, the message function detailed processing unit 2013 is the detailed information extraction unit in the present invention, and the process progress processing unit 2014 is the process progress information extraction unit in the present invention. The conversion unit 2015 constitutes key conversion means in the present invention, and the component activation application 118 constitutes component activation means in the present invention.

  The component selection and activation processing based on the contents of the control file 304 by the component activation application 118 is performed in the same manner as the processing procedure described in FIG. 11 of the first embodiment.

  As described above, in the MFP 1900 according to the second embodiment, the communication history display unit 2008 includes the API data processing unit 2009, the header extraction unit 2010, the message name / function name conversion unit 2011, the process name conversion unit 2012, and the message / function details. A processing unit 2013, a process progress processing unit 2014, and a key name conversion unit 2015 can be started independently of each other, and display information to be extracted based on the setting contents of the control file 304 by the component startup application 118. Necessary components are selected from the above components, and the selected components are activated and the received data is extracted from the process of the control service or application 130 and displayed on the operation panel 210. Therefore, communication is performed in cooperation with the control file 304. Necessary for displaying history Only can be activated component, it is possible to reduce resources during debugging in the MFP 100 equipped with a memory of small capacity.

  In the MFP 1900 according to the second embodiment, the communication history display unit 2008 directly extracts the received data from the control service process or the application process and displays it on the operation panel 210 as a communication history. Display can be performed promptly and debugging work can be made more efficient.

  In the MFPs 100 and 1900 according to the first and second embodiments, the shared memory 302 is used when acquiring received data from a process, but other inter-process communication such as message transmission / reception is used. You may do it.

  In the MFPs 100 and 1900 according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the logging handler 301 is used when acquiring the reception data. However, the configuration is such that the reception data is acquired by another method. May be.

1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a multifunction machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment. It is the block diagram which showed the whole structure of the process which performs communication log file generation and communication history display. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating contents of a control file used in the multifunction machine according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5A is a data structure diagram of an API data packet constituting a communication log file, and FIG. 5B is a data structure diagram of a process ID / process name corresponding data packet constituting a communication log file. FIG. 5C is a data structure diagram of a process progress data packet constituting the communication log file. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the contents of a PID / process name correspondence data file generated by the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment; 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the contents of a process creation / annihilation data file created by the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a message conversion data file used in the multifunction machine according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the contents of a structure definition data file used in the multifunction machine according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the contents of a key conversion data file used in the multifunction machine according to the first embodiment; FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of component selection and activation processing by a component activation application in the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of component selection and activation processing by a component activation application in the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between setting contents in a display control block of a control file and a component activated by a component activation application in the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment. FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a startup state of components of a communication history display unit when the control file has the setting content illustrated in FIG. 4 in the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment. FIG. 15A shows a display example in the case where the content to be displayed is a message / function and the conversion designation of the message name / function name and the process name is made in the multifunction machine according to the first embodiment. FIG. 15B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display example when only the header is designated. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display example of message / function detailed information in the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display example of key operations in the multifunction machine according to the first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a display example when process name conversion is designated in the process creation / disappearance process in the multifunction peripheral according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a multifunction peripheral according to a second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a process for executing a communication history display of a multifunction machine according to a second embodiment;

Explanation of symbols

100, 1900 MFP 101 Monochrome line printer 102 Color line printer 103 Hard disk (HD)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 104 Hardware resource 110 Software group 111 Printer application 112 Copy application 113 Fax application 114 Scanner application 115 Net file application 116 Process inspection application 117 Communication history production | generation part 118 Component start application 120 Platform 121 General-purpose OS
122 SCS
123 SRM
124 ECS
125 MCS
126 OCS
127 FCS
128 NCS
130 Application 200 Controller board 201 ASIC
202 CPU
203 SDRAM (RAM)
204 Flash memory (ROM)
206 Flash card interface unit 207 Flash card 208 SRAM
210 Operation panel 230 USB
240 IEEE 1394
250 Printer 301 Logging Handler 302 Shared Memory 303 FIFO Queue 304 Control File 305 Communication Log File 306 Log Display File 307 Various Data Files 308, 2008 Communication History Display Unit 309, 2009 Data Processing Unit 310, 2010 Header Extraction Unit 311, 2011 Message Name Function name conversion unit 312,2012 Process name conversion unit 313, 2013 Message / function detailed processing unit 314, 2014 Process progress processing unit 315, 2015 Key name conversion unit 316, 2016 Display processing unit 317, 2017 OCS library

Claims (31)

An information processing apparatus in which a plurality of programs operate as processes and perform inter-process communication between the processes.
Storage means for storing communication history information including one or a plurality of communication information related to inter-process communication;
Communication history display means that comprises a plurality of components that can be activated independently of each other, and displays the communication information of the communication history information on a display device;
The control information in which the type and display mode of the communication information is set is input, and one or a plurality of components necessary for displaying the communication information to be extracted are input from the communication history display means based on the input type of the control information. Component starting means for selecting and starting the selected component;
The communication history display means extracts communication information from the communication history information based on the type by the activated component, and displays the extracted communication information on a display device in the display mode. Information processing device. The communication history display means includes, as the component, header extraction means for extracting header information including the data type and process identification information of the communication information from the communication history information,
2. The information processing according to claim 1, wherein the component activation unit selects and activates the header extraction unit when the control information is set to display only the header information. apparatus. The communication history display means, as the component, message name / function name conversion means for converting message / function identification information for identifying a message or function included in the communication information from the communication history information into a message name or function name. With
The component activation unit selects and activates the message name / function name conversion unit when message / function identification information conversion is specified in the control information. Information processing device. The communication history display means includes, as the component, process name conversion means for converting process identification information included in the communication information from the communication history information into a process name,
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the component activation unit selects and activates the process name conversion unit when process identification information conversion is specified in the control information. 5. . The communication history display means includes, as the component, detailed information extraction means for extracting detailed information of messages or functions included in the communication information from the communication history information,
5. The component activation unit selects and activates the detailed information extraction unit when the display information of detailed information of a message or a function is specified in the control information. 6. The information processing apparatus described. The communication history display means includes, as the component, process progress information extraction means for extracting process generation and disappearance progress from the communication history information,
6. The component activation unit selects and activates the process progress information extraction unit when a process generation and disappearance process display designation is specified in the control information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1. The communication history display means includes, as the component, key conversion means for converting key identification information of a key event message included in the communication information from the communication history information into a key name,
The information according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the component activation unit selects and activates the key conversion unit when key name conversion is designated in the control information. Processing equipment. An information processing apparatus in which a plurality of programs operate as processes and perform inter-process communication between the processes.
Communication history display means comprising a plurality of components that can be activated independently of each other, and displaying the communication information of communication history information including one or a plurality of communication information of inter-process communication together with time information on a display device as communication history display information When,
The control information in which the type and display mode of the communication information is set is input, and one or a plurality of components necessary for displaying the communication information to be extracted are input from the communication history display means based on the input type of the control information. Component starting means for selecting and starting the selected component;
The communication history display means extracts communication information from the communication history information based on the type by the activated component, and displays the extracted communication information together with time information on the display device as the communication history display information. An information processing apparatus characterized by displaying in an aspect . The communication history display means includes, as the component, header extraction means for extracting header information including a data type and process identification information of the communication information from a process,
9. The information processing according to claim 8, wherein the component activation unit selects and activates the header extraction unit when the control information is set to display only the header information. apparatus. The communication history display means includes, as the component, a message name / function name conversion means for converting a message / function identification information for identifying a message or function included in the communication information from a process into a message name or a function name,
The said component starting means selects and starts the said message name and function name conversion means, when conversion specification of the message and function identification information is specified to the said control information, The starting of Claim 8 characterized by the above-mentioned. Information processing device. The communication history display means includes, as the component, process name conversion means for converting process identification information included in the communication information from a process into a process name,
The information according to claim 8 or 10, wherein the component activation unit selects and activates the process name conversion unit when a message / function identification information conversion is specified in the control information. Processing equipment. The communication history display means includes, as the component, detailed information extraction means for extracting detailed information of a message or function included in the communication information from a process,
The said component starting means selects and starts the said detailed information extraction means, when the display designation | designated of the detailed information of a message or a function is specified to the said control information, The Claim 10, 10 or 11 characterized by the above-mentioned. The information processing apparatus described. The communication history display means includes, as the component, process progress information extraction means for extracting process generation and extinction progress from a process,
13. The component activation unit selects and activates the process progress information extraction unit when a process generation and disappearance process display designation is specified in the control information. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1. The communication history display means includes, as the component, key conversion means for converting key identification information of a key event message included in the communication information from a process into a key name.
The information according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the component activation unit selects and activates the key conversion unit when key name conversion is designated in the control information. Processing equipment.   15. The communication history display means further transmits the communication information to be displayed on the display device to a management device that is connected to a network and manages a plurality of information processing devices. The information processing apparatus according to one. An inter-process communication history display method for displaying a communication history of inter-process communication performed by an information processing apparatus in which a plurality of programs operate as processes and perform inter-process communication between the processes,
A communication history display step of displaying the communication information of the communication history information including one or more communication information interprocess communication on a display device,
Input the control information that sets the type and display mode of the communication information, select one or more components required to display the extracted communication information based on the input type , and start the selected component A component launching step,
In the communication history display step, the activated component extracts communication information from the communication history information based on the type, and displays the extracted communication information on a display device in the display mode. Interprocess communication history display method.   The component starting step extracts a header information including a data type and process identification information of the communication information from the communication history information when the control information is set to display only the header information 17. The inter-process communication history display method according to claim 16, wherein the extraction means is selected and activated.   In the component activation step, when conversion of message / function identification information is specified in the control information, a message / function identification information for identifying a message or a function included in the communication information from the communication history information is a message name. 17. The inter-process communication history display method according to claim 16, wherein a message name / function name conversion means for converting to a function name is selected and activated.   The component activation step selects process name conversion means for converting the process identification information included in the communication information from the communication history information into a process name when conversion control of process identification information is specified in the control information. The inter-process communication history display method according to claim 16 or 18, characterized in that the inter-process communication history display method is started.   In the component activation step, detailed information extraction means for extracting detailed information of the message or function included in the communication information from the communication history information when the display information of the detailed information of the message or function is specified in the control information. 20. The interprocess communication history display method according to claim 16, 18 or 19, wherein the process is selected and activated.   The component activation step selects and activates a process progress information extracting unit that extracts a process generation and disappearance process from the communication history information when the process information is specified to be displayed in the control information. The inter-process communication history display method according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein:   The component activation step includes a key for converting key identification information of a key event message included in the communication information from the communication history information into a key name in the display device when key name conversion is designated in the control information. The inter-process communication history display method according to any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein the conversion unit is selected and activated. A communication history display step of displaying communication information of communication history information including one or a plurality of communication information of inter-process communication on a display device as communication history display information together with time information;
The control information in which the type and display mode of the communication information is set is input, and one or more components necessary for displaying the communication information to be extracted are selected and selected based on the input type of the control information. A component activation step of activating the component ,
The communication history display step extracts communication information from the communication history information based on the type by the activated component, and displays the extracted communication information together with time information on the display device as the communication history display information. An inter-process communication history display method characterized by displaying in an aspect .   The component starting step extracts a header information including a data type of the communication information and process identification information from the process of the program when the control information is set to display only the header information 24. The inter-process communication history display method according to claim 23, wherein the extraction means is selected and activated.   In the component activation step, when conversion of message / function identification information is specified in the control information, a message / function identification information for identifying a message or function included in the communication information from a process of the program is displayed as a message. 24. The inter-process communication history display method according to claim 23, wherein message name / function name conversion means for converting to a name or function name is selected and activated.   The component activation step is a process name conversion means for converting process identification information included in the communication information from a process of the program into a process name when conversion of message / function identification information is specified in the control information. 26. The inter-process communication history display method according to claim 23 or 25, wherein the process is selected and activated.   The component starting step extracts detailed information of the message or function included in the communication information from the process of the program when the display information of the detailed information of the message or function is specified in the control information. 27. The inter-process communication history display method according to claim 23, 25 or 26, wherein the process is selected and activated.   The component activation step selects and activates a process progress information extracting means for extracting a process generation and extinction process from the process of the program when a display of process generation and extinction process is specified in the control information. The interprocess communication history display method according to any one of claims 23 to 27, wherein:   The component activation step converts key identification information of a key event message included in the communication information from a process of the program into a key name in the display device when key name conversion is designated in the control information. 29. The inter-process communication history display method according to any one of claims 23 to 28, wherein key conversion means is selected and activated.   30. The communication history display step further transmits the communication information to be displayed on the display device to a management device connected to a network and managing a plurality of information processing devices. Interprocess communication history display method.   A program that causes a computer to execute the interprocess communication history display method according to any one of claims 16 to 30.

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