JPH02151974A - Information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to optionally execute inquiry such as retrieval from both devices by transmitting a parameter to the other device when the analyzed result of an inquired destination is the other device, and at the time of receiving an inquiry from the other device, executing processing corresponding to the inquiry and transmitting the the processed result. CONSTITUTION:A control program in a device A is constituted of an application program 31 for forming an inquiry parameter, a file server 32 receiving an inquiry from the other device B, executing the inquiry by an inquiry retrieving means 34 and returning the retrieved result to a requesting source, an inquiry receiving means 33 for analyzing the inquiry parameter, an inquiry retrieving means 34 for retrieving retrieval data, and a transmitting/receiving means 35. When an inquiry command to the other device B is supplied, the means 33 inquires the other device B and returns a response for the inquiry to the application program 31. Thus, an optional inquiry such as retireval from one device A (or B) to the other device B (or A) is executed.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) This invention relates to a system in which a plurality of image information storage and retrieval devices for storing, retrieving, or communicating image information are connected via a communication line. related to information processing systems.

(Prior art) In recent years, scanners (
Image information storage and retrieval devices have been put into practical use that read image information using a two-dimensional scanning device), store the read image information on an optical disk, and search and read out any stored image information.

Recently, with the advancement of networking and systemization,
A plurality of image information storage and retrieval devices are connected through a communication line such as a LAN, and register or search while communicating with each other.

However, one of the devices connected via a LAN or the like is a center, and the other is a terminal. The application software of the center and terminal are different. For this reason, although it is possible to make inquiries from the terminal to the center, such as searching for image information, it is not possible to make inquiries from the center to the terminal, such as searching for image information.

When making inquiries such as searching for image information between devices connected via LAN, etc., without distinguishing between the center and the terminal,
There is a demand for something that can arbitrarily make inquiries such as searches from one device to another device.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention provides a method for making inquiries such as information searches between devices connected via a communication line, without distinguishing each device into a center side and a terminal side. There is a demand for something that can perform searches and other inquiries from one device to another, and when making inquiries such as information searches between devices connected via a communication line, each device can be An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing system that can arbitrarily make inquiries such as searches from one device to another device without distinguishing between the side and the terminal side.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) An information processing system of the present invention includes a first device and a second device connected via a communication line,
The above-mentioned first device or second device includes an analysis means for analyzing an inquiry destination using inquiry parameters including an inquiry device address, and an analysis result by this analysis means.
In the case of the own device, a processing means for processing the inquiry; and in the case where the analysis result of the analysis means is another device, a first transmitting means for transmitting the inquiry parameter to the other device;
receiving means for receiving an inquiry from another device; and a receiving means for processing the inquiry by the processing means when the receiving means receives an inquiry from the other device, and transmitting the processing result to the device that made the inquiry. 2 transmission means.

(Operation) According to the present invention, in a device in which a first device and a second device are connected via a communication line, the first device or the second device includes a device address for making an inquiry. Analyzes the inquiry destination using the inquiry parameters, and if the analysis result is the own device, performs processing for the inquiry,
If the above analysis result is for another device, when the inquiry parameter is sent to the other device and the inquiry is received from the other device,
The system processes the inquiry and sends the processing results to the device that made the inquiry.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a LAN system configuration according to the present invention, in which ASB, . . . are communication lines 2 such as LAN, etc.
This is an image information storage and retrieval device that is connected via.

The image information storage and retrieval device A includes a control section 11 that controls the entire system, a keyboard 12, a CRT display device 13,
An optical disk device 14 that handles the optical disk 14a, a magnetic disk device 15 that handles the magnetic disk 15a, and a printer 6.
, and a scanner 17.

The keyboard 12 is used to input a unique search code and various operation commands corresponding to the image information stored on the optical disc 14a. It is something.

The CRT display device 13 is constituted by a cathode ray tube display device, and displays image information read by the scanner 7 or image information read from the optical disk 14a of the optical disk device 14.

The optical disk device 14 sequentially stores image information read by the scanner 7 on an optical disk 14a.

The magnetic disk device 15 stores search data for each piece of image information recorded on the optical disk 14a.

The printer 6 receives image information read by the scanner 7,
Image information read from the optical disk 14a by the optical disk device 14, image information displayed on the CRT display device 13, etc. are printed out.

The scanner 17 is constituted by a two-dimensional scanning device, and obtains an electric signal corresponding to image information on the document by two-dimensionally scanning the document with a laser beam.

Furthermore, the image information storage and retrieval device B includes a control section 21 that controls the entire system, a keyboard 22, a CRT display device 23, an optical disk device 24 that handles an optical disk 24a,
It is composed of a magnetic disk device 25 that handles a magnetic disk 25a, a printer 26, and a scanner 27, and each part has the same structure as the image information storage and retrieval device A described above.

The structure of the control program, ie, software, in each of the control units 11.21 of the devices A and B will be explained with reference to FIG.

The control program in device A includes an application program (APL) 31 that creates query parameters according to the operator's mode designation, and an inquiry search means (ADAM) 34 that receives inquiries from other devices and processes these inquiries.
a file server (F5) 32 and an application program 31 that perform the
Inquiry receiving means (EVE) 3B analyzes the inquiry parameters supplied from the inquiry receiving means (EVE) 3B, and inquiry retrieval means (ADAM) actually searches the corresponding search data from the magnetic disk 15a.
) 34, and a transmitting/receiving means 35 serving as a network resource manager (NRMS) for transmitting and receiving data to and from other devices.

When the inquiry receiving means 33 is supplied with an instruction to make an inquiry to another device, it makes an inquiry to the other device and returns a response to this inquiry to the application program 31.

The inquiry receiving means 33 and inquiry searching means 34 constitute a database management system (DBMS).

The application program 31, file server 32, inquiry search means 33, inquiry search means 34, and transmission/reception means 35 are operated asynchronously and under the control of the multitasking O8.
Can operate independently.

The control program in device B includes an application program (APL) 41, a file server (FS) 42, an inquiry search means 43 that analyzes inquiry parameters supplied from the application program 41, and actually searches for search data from the magnetic disk 25a. It is composed of an inquiry search means 44 and a transmitting/receiving means 45 as a network resource manager (NRMS) that performs transmitting and receiving with other devices.

The inquiry receiving means 43 and inquiry searching means 44 constitute a database management system (DBMS).

The application program 41, the file server 42, the inquiry search means 43, the inquiry search means 44, and the sending/receiving means 45 are operated asynchronously and under the control of the multitasking O8.
Can operate independently.

As shown in FIG. 3, the inquiry parameters supplied from the application program 31 (41) include a request destination node address indicating which node (device) the request is made to, a parameter length indicating the length of the inquiry parameter, and an inquiry command. number, search code to make an inquiry, and how many cases (
200), an inquiry parameter, and a reception buffer address indicating an address for storing the inquiry result.

Therefore, the relationship between the above device A and device B is as shown in FIG.
As shown in a), device A is the parent and child of device B, and device B is the child and parent of device A.

Furthermore, the relationship between the devices may be such that device B is a child of device A and is the parent of device C, as shown in FIG. 4(b).

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, a search in the device A itself will be explained. First, using the keyboard 12, a search mode is set using the device A, and a search code is entered. Then, the application program 31 creates query parameters,
The information is supplied to the inquiry receiving means 33.

In this case, the node address of the query parameter is
The node address of the own device (A) is set. As a result, the inquiry receiving means 33 determines that the node address in the inquiry parameter is the same value as the node address of the own device (A), determines that the search is to be performed on the own device, and transmits the search inquiry to the inquiry searching means 34. Do it against. Inquiry search means 34
searches the magnetic disk 15a for a search code that matches the search code in the inquiry parameter, and stores the search code in the buffer address specified by the inquiry data. The search contents are sent back to the application program 31.

Also, a search in the device B itself will be explained.

First, the search mode using the device B is set using the keyboard 22, and a search code is entered. Then,
Inquiry parameters are created by the application program 4 and supplied to the inquiry receiving means 43. At this time, the node address of the own device (B) is set as the node address of the inquiry parameter. As a result, the inquiry receiving means 33 determines that the node address in the inquiry parameter is the same value as the node address of the own device (B), determines that the search is to be performed on the own device, and transmits the search inquiry to the inquiry searching means 44. Do it against. The inquiry search means 44 searches the magnetic disk 25a for a search code that matches the search code in the inquiry parameter, and stores the search code in the buffer address specified by the inquiry data. The search contents are sent back to the application program 41.

Next, a search from device A to device B will be explained. First, the keyboard 12 is used to set the search mode using the other device B and input a search code. Then,
Inquiry parameters are created by the application program 31 and supplied to the inquiry receiving means 33. At this time, the node address of the other device (B) is set as the node address of the inquiry parameter. As a result, since the node address (B) in the inquiry parameter does not match the node address (A) of the own device, the inquiry receiving means 33 determines that another device (B) should be used for the search, and sends the inquiry parameter to the transmitting/receiving means. 35, the communication line 2, and the file server 42 of the device (B) via the transmitting/receiving means 45.
supply to.

Then, the file server 42 supplies the inquiry parameters supplied from the device A to the inquiry receiving means 43.

As a result, the inquiry receiving means 43 determines that the node address (B) in the inquiry parameter is the node address of the own device (
This is the same as B), and the search query is output to the query search means 44. The inquiry search means 44 searches the magnetic disk 25a for a search code that matches the search code in the inquiry parameter, and the file server 42 transmits the search code to the transmission/reception means 45 and the communication line 2.
, and is supplied to the inquiry receiving means 33 of the device A via the transmitting/receiving means 35. Then, the inquiry receiving means 33 stores the search button supplied from the device in the buffer address specified by the inquiry parameter. The search contents are returned to the application program 31 as if an inquiry had been made to the inquiry retrieval means 34 of the device 3A.

Also, a search from device B to device A will be explained. First, use the keyboard 22 to set the search mode using the other device A, and input the search code. Then, the application program 41 creates inquiry parameters and supplies them to the inquiry receiving means 43.

In this case, the node address of the query parameter is
The node address of the other device (A) is set. As a result, since the node address (A) in the inquiry parameter does not match the node address (B) of the own device, the inquiry receiving means 43 determines that another device (A) should be used for the search, and transmits the inquiry parameter to the transmitting/receiving means. 45, the communication line 2, and the file server 3 of the device (A) via the transmitting/receiving means 35.
Supply to 2.

Then, the file server 32 supplies the inquiry parameters supplied from the device B to the inquiry receiving means 33.

As a result, the inquiry receiving means 33 determines that the node address (A) in the inquiry parameter is the node address of the own device (
This is the same as A), and the search query is output to the query search means 34. The inquiry search means 34 searches the magnetic disk 15a for a search code that matches the search code in the inquiry parameter, and the file server 32 transmits the search code to the transmission/reception means 35 and the communication line 2.
, and is supplied to the inquiry receiving means 43 of device B via the transmitting/receiving means 45. Then, the inquiry receiving means 43 stores the search button supplied from the device in the buffer address specified by the inquiry parameter. The content of the search is returned to the application program 41 as if an inquiry had been made to the inquiry retrieval means 44 of the device B itself.

As mentioned above, by setting the node address of the inquiry destination in the inquiry parameter, and simultaneously operating the function of distributing the inquiry destination using the database management system, and the file save that operates asynchronously in addition to the inquiry processing of the own device, It is possible to construct an image information storage and retrieval device that can be both a center and a terminal.

In other words, the application program and the network section are completely separated, there is no need to distinguish between remote (other device) and local (own device) searches at the application program level, and the search section identifies remote/local. The center function includes a file server function independent of normal business application programs, and is designed to respond to inquiries from terminals.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail below, according to the present invention, when making an inquiry such as searching for information between devices connected via a communication line,
It is possible to provide an information processing system in which queries such as searches can be arbitrarily made from one device to another without distinguishing each device into a center side and a terminal side.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the structure of query parameters, Figure 4 is a diagram showing the structure of query parameters.
The figure is a diagram for explaining the relationship between each device, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the main part of the operation. A, B... Image information storage and retrieval device, 2... Communication line, 11.21... Control unit, 14.24... Optical disk device, 14 a s 24 a... Optical disk,
15.25...Magnetic disk device, 15a, 25a.
... Magnetic disk, 31.41 ... Application program, 32.42 ... File server, 33.
43... Inquiry receiving means, 34.44... Inquiry searching means, 35.45... Transmitting/receiving means. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an information processing system in which a first device and a second device are connected via a communication line, the first device or the second device sends an inquiry address using an inquiry parameter including an inquiry device address. If the analysis result of this analysis means is for the own device, a processing means for processing the inquiry, and if the analysis result of the analysis means is for another device, sending the inquiry parameter to the other device. a first transmitting means for receiving an inquiry from another device; a receiving means for receiving an inquiry from another device; when the receiving means receives an inquiry from the other device, the processing means processes the inquiry, and sends the processing result to the inquiry; An information processing system comprising: a second transmitting means for transmitting data to a device where the information has been transmitted.