JPH03248659A - Trunk amplifier status supervisory system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To confirm the operation of a trunk amplifier by the system supervisor of a CATV at a distant place by connecting a host computer and a personal computer at the distant place through a public line by using a telephone MO DEM. CONSTITUTION:A communication line is established by connecting the host computer 6 and the personal computer 9 at the distant place through the public line 8 by using the telephone MODEMs 7(1), 7(2), and at the time of the occurrence of an operating state request from the computer 9, or when the analysis of the operating state of each trunk amplifier 3 by the computer 6 results in the occurrence of abnormality, the information of the operating state of the trunk amplifier 3 is transmitted from the computer 6 to the computer 9 by using the communication line 8. Thus, the operating state of each amplifier 3 of the CATV system can be supervised at the computer 9.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a trunk amplifier status monitoring system that monitors the operating status of each trunk amplifier (trunk amplifier) installed on a CATV trunk line.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional trunk amplifier status monitoring systems monitor each trunk amplifier (
The operating status of the trunk amplifiers (trunk amplifiers) is monitored by K by polling each trunk amplifier in turn from a polling center device connected on the same trunk line.

Polling data from the polling center device is downloaded to the memory of the host computer, analyzed, and the analysis results are displayed on the CAT of the host computer.

The conventional trunk amplifier status monitoring system described above does not take into consideration the case where the analysis results are communicated to and displayed on a remote combiator at a remote location.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the above conventional technology, the CATV system administrator must be on standby at all times to check the operating status of each main line amplifier (trunk amplifier), and is required to stay away from the CATV system. There was a problem that it was not possible to monitor the location.

An object of the present invention is to connect a host computer installed in a system and a personal computer at a remote location via a public line using a telephone modem.
The purpose of the CATV system V is to enable the operator to check the operating status of a trunk amplifier from a remote location.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention connects a host computer installed in a CATV system to a personal computer at a remote location via a public line using a telephone modem, establishes a communication line, and performs operations from the personal computer. When a status request occurs, or when an abnormality occurs when the operating status of each trunk amplifier is analyzed by the host computer, information on the operating status of the trunk amplifier is transmitted from the host computer to the computer using the communication line. A at a point away from the CATV system and transmitted to the armpit-sonal Φ comviator.
- The operating status of each trunk amplifier in the CATV system can be monitored in the internal combinator.

[Effect]

A ROM in the polling center device of the present invention stores a polling processing program for polling the trunk amplifier.

The above polling processing program refers to the address in the trunk amplifier monitor information area developed in the table memory on the RAM in the polling terminal device, and sends a pooling frame to the trunk amplifier having the above address. Send.

The polling processing program supervises response frames from the trunk amplifier in response to the polling frames, and receives the response frames.

The polling processing program analyzes the response frame and reflects the result in the trunk amplifier monitor information area developed in the table memory on the RAM in the I-ring center device.

After completing the series of /IJ processing for one trunk amplifier, the polling processing program sequentially executes polling processing for other trunk amplifiers in the order of the addresses in the trunk amplifier monitor information area.

When the polling center device finishes polling all the trunk amplifiers, the host computer downloads the relay amplifier monitor information area to the RAM memory of the host computer, where the polling results are stored. Load and parse polling results.

If an abnormality occurs in the analysis result as described above, the host computer transmits the analysis result to a personal computer at a remote location via a telephone line.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A trunk amplifier status monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the overall configuration of the trunk amplifier status monitoring system will be explained with reference to FIG.

The TV signal received from the reception antenna 1 is mixed by the headend device 2 and then sent to the trunk amplifier 3 (J) via the splitter 4.
3 (,'1? 3 (,?),... 3(n)
The signal is transmitted by the CATV trunk line while maintaining the signal level.

The polling center device 5 sequentially performs pooling on the pooling terminal devices in the trunk amplifiers 3(1), 3(2)), . . . 3(n) via the CATV main line, and collects trunk amplifier monitor information. The operating status of the trunk amplifier is monitored by receiving.

The host computer 6 is the polling center device 5
The system collects and analyzes the trunk, amplifier, and monitor information collected by the system.

The host computer 6 transmits the analysis results to the telephone modem 7 (
J) 97 (L Transmitted to personal computer 9 at remote location via public line 11118.

Next, the configuration of the polling center device 5 will be explained with reference to FIG. The polling center device 5 includes a CPU 53 that controls the entire device, a CPU control program section 6 that operates the CPU 53, a CPU control memo 9 section 57 that displays the CPU control program section, and a digital signal for polling. Convert to analog signal and convert to C
Output to ATV main line.

Alternatively, a high-frequency modem device 52 that performs signal modulation and demodulation to convert trunk amplifier monitor information of an analog signal sent via a signal line 5) from a polling terminal device in the trunk amplifier to a digital signal through the CATV main line, Trunk amplifier for computer 6
R8-2320 line driver that outputs monitor information/
It is composed of a receiver IC 54 and an RC-232C connector 55.

The CPU control control program section is composed of a polling processing program 561, a download/load processing program 56b, and a response wait timer timeout processing program 56e.

The polling processing program 56a sequentially processes the I in the trunk amplifier 3 (J) #j (2)...3(n).
- Make an I-ring to the ring terminal.

The response wait timer timeout processing program 56e is
Trunk amplifier 3()) e 3 (2>-3(tt
) is a timer interrupt process that monitors the response frame to the polling terminal device for a certain period of time and is activated when the timeout occurs.

The download processing program 56b transmits the polling result to the 79-channel combiator 6.

The CPU control memo 9 section 57 is 1. The trunk amplifier 3 (hat 3 (2) +... 3 (1m) K-related information is registered in the trunk amplifier monitor information area 571, which is polled by the IJ processing program 56&, and the response wait timer. - Consists of a time-out counter 56b that manages the number of time-outs.

next! The configuration of the host computer 6 will be explained with reference to FIG. The host computer 6 is.

The CRT 62 is connected via the CRT controller IC 64 in the data processing section 6, and the key? - The keypad controller 3 is connected via the card controller IC 65.

The data processing unit 61 is a CPU 6 that controls the entire device.
6, a CPU control memo 9 section 68 for checking the CPU control program 67 for operating this CPU 66, a non-volatile memory section 69 for CPU control. R8-232C line driver e-receiver IC 610 for the CPU 66 to communicate with the pooling center device 5, R8-232C connector 611. CPU
66 comprises a telephone modem 612 for communicating with the personal computer 9 via the public line 1118.

The CPU control program 67 includes a monitor information analysis processing program 67C, a monitor information output processing program 67
This is a program that controls the scheduling that starts ``d'' as needed.

The monitor information download processing program 67b is
This is an interrupt process that is activated when the U 66 detects reception of the I-ring results of each trunk amplifier transmitted from the 4-ring center device 5.

When the monitor information download processing program 67b is started, the polling results of each trunk amplifier sent from the ring center device 5 are received, and the trunk amplifier information area 61 in the CPU control memo 9 section 68 is
Store at 1m.

The monitor information analysis processing program 67e analyzes the contents of the trunk amplifier information area 68, and stores the analysis result in the transmission buffer 68b.

The monitor information output processing program 67d refers to the internal computer telephone number area 69m in the CPU control non-volatile memory section 9, and the telephone modem 612
dial the telephone number to which the telephone modem to which the personal computer 9 is connected via Establish a communication line.

After establishing the communication line, the monitor information output processing program 67d transmits the information to the transmission buffer '8bf:/4-' to the internal combiator 9.

Next, the configuration of the personal computer 9 will be explained with reference to FIG. The personal computer 9 includes a CPU 92 that controls the entire device, and a CPU control program 93 that operates the CPU 92.
l! I-I! ] The program section 93 includes a CPU control memo 9 section 94 and a CRT controller 95, and the CRT 9g is connected to this CRT controller 95.

CPU control program code 93 Monitor information reception processing program 93a, Monitor information display processing program 93
Consists of b. Further, the CPU control memo 9 section 94 includes a reception buffer area 94a.

The monitor information reception processing program 93 is an interrupt process that is activated when the CPU 92 detects reception of monitor information transmitted from the host computer 6 via the telephone modem 1 (2). The above monitor information reception processing program 9
31 is started, it receives the monitor information sent from the host computer 6 and sends the CPU control memo 9 part 94.
The received data is stored in the receive buffer area 94m within. The monitor information display processing program 93b is executed in the reception buffer area 94.
If there is trunk amplifier monitor information to be output in the reception buffer area 94a, it is output to the CRT j 6 via the CRT controller IC 95.

Next, the configuration of the trunk amplifier polling terminal device 3 will be explained with reference to FIG.

The polling terminal device filt3 in the trunk amplifier is connected to a CPU 31 that controls the entire device.
The CPU control program unit 32 that operates the CPU control memory unit 33, and the mailing and
A high-frequency modem device 34 that performs signal modulation and demodulation that converts I-ring information of an analog signal sent from the center device 5 into a digital signal, or converts monitor information of a digital signal that is a response to the above-mentioned I-ring information into an analog signal. , various sensors 35 for measuring operating conditions such as the temperature and signal level of the trunk amplifier.

The CPU control program section 32 includes various sensors 35
A sensor information collection processing program 32* that stores the operating status collected from the monitor information area 33& in the control memory section 33, and a monitor information output that sends the data stored in the monitor information area 33a to the polling center device 5. It is composed of a processing program 32b.

Next, the operation of the trunk amplifier φ status monitoring system of the present invention will be explained using FIGS. 6 to 15.

In the above configuration, the power supply of the polling center device 5 is
When the I-ring processing program 56& is activated by N, the trunk amplifier 3<l)t3(2+) registered in the monitor information area 57*.

... Among the addresses of the I-ring terminal devices in 3(n), select the address of the I-ring terminal device to be polled first according to the polling order, and select the address of the I-ring terminal device to be polled first according to the polling order, and select the address of the I-ring terminal device to be polled first according to the polling order, and Middle terminal address area 5
7c (step 701).

Next, referring to the I-ring terminal device address stored in the I-ring terminal address area 57c, a polling frame is transmitted (step 1oz).

When transmitting the I-ring frame, start the response wait timer for the response frame (step 103).

The loop continues until a response frame is received from the polling terminal device or a retryout occurs due to the response waiting timer timing out three times (steps 104 and 1).
05).

If the response wait timer times out, the response wait timer timeout processing program 56e is activated by a timer interrupt, and the process shown in FIG. 7 is executed. The timeout counter 57b that manages the number of timeouts of the response wait timer is incremented by 1 (step 200).
.

As a result of incrementing the timeout counter 57b by 1, the counter value reaches 3 and it is considered a tryout (
Step 201). If the counter value is less than 3, /
The polling frame is retransmitted with reference to the polling terminal device address stored in the IJ middle terminal address area 57c (step 202).

Additionally, start the response wait timer for the response frame;! 03), polling processing program 5
Return to 6a.

Trunk amplifier 5(1), 5(z), 5(s)
,... The monitor information output processing program 32b in the I-ring terminal device in the CPU 3(n) receives the pooling frame from the polling center device 5.
FIG. 8 shows the contents of the interrupt processing that is activated when the interrupt signal 1 is detected.

Various sensors 35 installed in the trunk amplifier are detected at regular intervals by the seven sensor information collection processing program 32h.
is read and the operating status is set in the monitor information area 33aK (step 400 in FIG. 9).

During the execution of the above Senna information collection processing program 32m,
- When an interrupt occurs due to reception of a ring frame and the monitor information output processing program 32b is started, it is checked whether the address stored in the received response frame is the address of the own polling terminal device, as shown in FIG. Compare (step 300).

As a result of comparing the above addresses, if the addresses match (
Step 301), the contents of the monitor information area 33a are set in a response frame and transmitted to the polling center device 5 (Step 302).

When the polling device 5 receives the response frame, the polling processing program 56m stops the running response waiting timer (steps xoty in FIG. 6) and monitors the trunk amplifier monitor information in the received response frame. It is stored in the area corresponding to the address in the information area 56a (Stella 7°1θ1).

When a retryout occurs due to three response wait timer timeouts, retryout information is stored in the area corresponding to the address in the monitor information area 56a (step 108).

By the above procedure, all trunk amplifiers 3 (71?
3 (ffi),... If the /IJJ processing for the polling terminal device in 3(n) has not been completed (step 109), the address of the next polling terminal device is stored in the polling terminal address area 57 (I). Set (step 112), and repeat the above process.

If polling processing for all polling terminal devices has been completed, the polling terminal address area 57c
φ clear step 110).

The download process 56d is started.

When the download process 56d is started, as shown in step SOO of FIG. 8, each trunk amplifier 3(1), 3(2),
...3(n) operating status R8-232C line driver/regi-bae C54, R8-232C: 2 connector 5
5 to the host computer 6 (step 500).

CPU 66 of host combination Tame-Yu6 is R8-23
2C=r connector gll, polling center device 5 through R8-232C driver/receiver IC610
When it detects the reception of the trunk amplifier monitor information that has been sent to you, the monitor information download processing program 6
Start yb (step 600 in Figure 811).

When the monitor information download processing program 67b is activated, the received trunk/unde monitor information is stored in the monitor information area 68a.

When the monitor information analysis processing program 67c is started by the scheduler 671, the monitor information analysis processing program 67c
Each trunk amplifier in s (1), s (!l)...
Analyze the operating status for 3(-) and store abnormality information of the trunk amplifier in which the abnormality is identified in the transmission buffer 68b (step 700 in FIG. 12).

After the above processing is completed, the processing is returned to the scheduler 67a.

When the monitor information output processing program 67d is started by the scheduler 67a, it checks the contents of the transmission buffer 68b (step 800) as shown in FIG. Step 801), the host
When dialing is performed by referring to the external personal computer telephone number area 69a in the computer CPU control non-volatile memory section 69 (Step 802), and the telephone line with the external personal combiator 9 is connected (Step 803), the transmission number is 611b to telephone modem 61
2 to the personal computer 9 (step 804).

In the armpit computer 9, when the CPU 92 detects reception of abnormal situation data from the host computer 6 via the telephone modem 7(2), it starts the monitor information reception processing program 93a.

When the monitor information reception processing program 93a is started,
The received abnormal situation data is stored in the reception buffer area 94a (step 900 in FIG. 14).

The monitor information output processing program 67d of the host computer 6 disconnects the telephone line after completing the transmission of the transmission buffer 611b to the non-sonal combinator 9 (step 805), clears the transmission buffer φ (step 806), After the above processing is completed, the processing is returned to the scheduler 67m.

The monitor information display processing program 93b of the personal computer 9 checks whether abnormal situation data is stored in the reception buffer 94a (step 1000 in FIG. 15), and if there is abnormal situation data (step 1000).
01), CRT controller IC! 95 to each trunk amplifier 3(1).

! ('),... The abnormal situation data for 3(n) is displayed on the CRT 96 (step 1ooz).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As detailed above, according to the present invention, a polling center device uses a polling method to perform data communication with I-ring terminal devices in a plurality of trunk amplifiers, and manages the operating status of the trunk amplifiers. trunk amp
In the status monitoring system, it is no longer necessary for the administrator of the system to constantly monitor the host combination 2-2 to manage the operating status of the trunk amplifier, and the system administrator can monitor a personal computer installed at a remote location outside. It is possible to manage the operating status of the trunk amplifier from K, and the maintainability of the CAT'v system is improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 15 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a diagram of the overall system configuration, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the I-ring center device, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the host computer. Figure 4 is a block diagram of the personal computer, Figure 5 is a block diagram of the pooling terminal device in the trunk amplifier, Figure 6 is a flowchart showing polling processing, and Figure 7 is a response waiting timeout. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing trunk amplifier monitor information output processing, FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing sensor information collection processing, FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing download processing, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing trunk amplifier monitor information output processing.
12 is a flowchart showing trunk amplifier monitor information analysis processing, FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing trunk amplifier monitor information output processing, and FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing trunk amplifier monitor information output processing. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the monitor information/reception process. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the trunk/unde/monitor information display process. J...Receiving antenna, 2...Head end device, 3
(zi , (,9) ,..., j(n)... Trunk amplifier, 4... Branch (tap-off), 5...
l-ring center device, 6... host computer, 7 (J) e (2)... telephone modem, 8.
-・Public line, 9...Personal computer.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) Polling means for sequentially polling and monitoring the operating status of each trunk amplifier installed on the CATV trunk line using a polling center device connected to the same trunk line, and from the polling center device, Equipped with a host computer that downloads polling data and analyzes the operating status of each trunk amplifier, and a personal computer that is connected to the host computer via a telephone line using a telephone modem for checking the operating status. A trunk amplifier status monitoring system featuring the following features: (2) In the trunk amplifier status monitoring system according to claim (1), when the host computer analyzes the operating status of the trunk amplifier and discovers an abnormality in the trunk amplifier, the The telephone modem of the external personal computer stored in
A trunk amplifier status monitoring system characterized in that the trunk amplifier status monitoring system is characterized in that the above-mentioned analysis results are transmitted by dialing and establishing a communication line with an external personal computer. (3) In the trunk amplifier status monitoring system according to claim (1), the host computer analyzes the operating status of the trunk amplifier and transmits the analysis results to the host computer.
A trunk amplifier status monitoring system characterized by having an output method of outputting to a CRT of a computer and/or outputting to an external personal computer.