JPH04177540A - Information processor having automatic call function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To constitute the processor so that an automatic call can be executed even in the course of disconnection of a system power source by providing a means for always supplying a power source between a communication processor (CP) to service processor, a means for delivering a control signal, and a data delivering means for executing a data delivery between the CP-SP separately from between the CPU-CP. CONSTITUTION:In the SP 20 and the CP 30, in addition to registers (address register, data register, R/W register) which become interfaces to a bus 41, another pairs of registers (address registers 26, 36, data registers 27, 37, R/W registers 28, 38) are provided, respectively, and the SP20 and the CP30 are connected directly by a bus 43 through these registers. Also, a connecting line 44 for supplying a power source to the CP30 directly from a power source part 24 of the SP20 is provided. Accordingly, even in the case the bus 41 does not operate, an exchange of data, etc., can be executed independently from an operation of a CPU10 between the SP20 and the CP30. In such a way, an automatic call to a maintenance center is executed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Table of contents] Overview Industrial field of application Prior art (Figure 4) Means for solving the problems to be solved by the invention (Figure 1) Working examples (Figure 2) , Fig. 3) Effects of the invention [Summary] Regarding an information processing device having an automatic call function, the purpose of this invention is to enable automatic calling even when the system power is turned off. C
PU), a communication processor (CP) that controls communication with other systems, and a service processor (S) that is constantly supplied with power (battery support) to manage the system environment and status and control the system power. P), and has a function of automatically calling a system connected to the system via a line due to a soft error or hard error during system operation using the processor group according to preset control information. , a means for constantly supplying power between the CP and SP, a means for exchanging control signals, and a means for transmitting and receiving control signals between the CPU and the CB.
By providing a data transfer means that transfers data between the CP and SP, the CPU-C
The configuration is such that P can access the resources of the SP without having exclusive control, and automatic calls can be made even when the system power is turned off.

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an information processing device such as a computer system that is equipped with a remote maintenance function and capable of unmanned automated operation, and particularly relates to an automatic call function in such an information processing device.

Recently, information processing devices such as office computers are increasingly operated unmanned and automatically. In this case, the information processing device will be subject to remote maintenance control from a maintenance center located at a remote location. In order to enable remote control, when a failure occurs in an information processing device such as an office computer, it is necessary to take appropriate measures immediately. Therefore, when a failure occurs in an information processing device such as an office computer, the information processing device is configured to automatically notify the maintenance center of the problem (an automatic call).

SEs, CEs, etc. are stationed at this center, and they diagnose office computers based on automatically called information and take necessary measures, such as traveling to the site as the case may be.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a conventional information processing device having an automatic call function. Note that the drawings mainly depict constituent parts particularly related to the present invention, and this does not mean that these constituent elements are composed only of the illustrated parts.

In FIG. 4, 1 is a computer placed in an office (hereinafter referred to as an office computer), and 2 is a maintenance center where SEs, CBs, etc. for maintenance are stationed.

The office computer 1 and the maintenance center 2 are connected through a telephone line. When a failure occurs in the office computer 1, a call is automatically made to the maintenance center 2 from the office computer 1 side. A log information recording unit 3 is provided on the maintenance center side, and log information from the office computer 1 is recorded here.

The SE and CE in the maintenance center will check the content of the automatic call and take necessary measures.

The office computer 1 includes a central control unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 10 and a service processor (hereinafter referred to as SP) 2.
0 and communication processor (hereinafter referred to as CP)
Contains 30. The CPU 10 controls the entire office computer 1 and executes various applications.

Inside the CPU10, an SP control channel 11 and a CP control channel 12 for the CPU to access the 5P20 and CF2O are provided, and a power supply section 13 controlled by the 5P20 is also provided.

5P20 is provided with an address register 21, a data register 22, and an R/W register 23, which are registers for interfacing with the bus 41 connected to the CPU.
A power supply section 24, a nonvolatile memory 25, and the like are provided for supplying power to o and controlling the same. This 5P20 executes IPL (initial startup of the system), CPUl0
It also supplies and controls the necessary power to the 5P20, records log information in the nonvolatile memory 25, etc.

Like the 5P20, the CP3O is provided with an address register 21, a data register 22, and an R/W register 23, which are registers for interfacing with the bus 41 connected to the CPU, and also has a power supply unit controlled by the 5P20. 34 is provided to control communication with other systems.

In a system configured as described above, when a hardware or software error occurs in the office computer, the CPU10 detects it and records it in the non-volatile memory 25 in the SP, and also sends an automatic call to the CP3O. I will issue a command. The CP3O reads the log information recorded in the non-volatile memory 25 via the bus 41 and sends it to the maintenance center 2 via the line 42 by automatic call.

In this way, the necessary information in the office computer is transmitted to the maintenance center 2, and unmanned and automatic operation of the office computer becomes possible.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As mentioned above, automatic calls are initiated by the CPU. With this activation of the CPU, a channel unit for accessing the SP in the CPU and a channel unit for accessing the CP perform exclusive control while accessing resources in the SP. Therefore, while either the CPU or CP accesses the SP, access to the other processor must wait, and
Since the SP controls the power supply, the input/output bus cannot be used when the power is turned off, so there is a problem in that automatic calls cannot be made using the CP based on commands from the CPU.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and
When the power is turned off, the CPU does not operate properly, and the CPU
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing device having an automatic call function that enables a call to a maintenance center even when an automatic call using a CP cannot be made due to a command from a PU.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the present invention in detail.

In FIG. 1, the same parts as in the conventional example shown in FIG. 4 are given the same numbers, and a detailed explanation of these parts will be omitted.

In this invention, in addition to the registers (address register, data register, R/W register) that serve as an interface to the bus 41, there is another set of registers (address register 26.86, data register 27.37) in 5P20 and CP8O. , R/W register 28.38)
5P20 and CP through this register.
8O is directly connected to the bus 43. Furthermore, 5P
A connection line 44 is provided for directly supplying power from the power supply section 24 of 20 to the CP 30.

[Effect]

In the present invention, since the 5P20 and CP3O are directly connected by the bus 43, control signals and data can be exchanged directly between the 5P20 and CP3O via the bus 43. Moreover, C.P.
For 3O, a connection line 44 connects the power supply section 2 in CP2O.
Power is directly supplied from the bus 41, and even if the bus 41 is not active, it is possible to supply power to the CP2O and control the power accordingly, and it is possible to operate the CP2O normally.

Therefore, even if bus 41 is in use, 5P20 and C
It is possible to communicate with Pso, and furthermore, even when the CPU10 cannot be started and the bus 41 is not alive due to a failure such as when starting the office computer 1, the 5P20
It becomes possible to communicate with CP3O.

〔Example〕

FIG. 3 shows an example of the present invention, in which 5P20 and CF2O
The connection part is shown. Also in this figure 3, the first
Since the same parts as in the figures are given the same numbers, detailed explanations of these parts will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the bus 43 shown in the diagram of the principle of the invention
Buses A, B, and C are used as busses A, B, and C.

Bus 8 performs signal transmission for setting the modes of buses B and C (for example, normal mode, bus test mode, etc.), and bus B transmits signals from SP to C according to the set mode.
Data etc. are transmitted to P, and on bus C, data is transmitted reversely from CP to SP according to the same set mode.

The data sent from SP to CP includes environmental abnormalities,
There is information for transmitting abnormal conditions such as hardware abnormalities and software abnormalities, or data for bus tests, and
Data sent from CP to SP includes communication start,
Information for reporting normal termination of communication, abnormal termination of communication, etc.
Or there is data for a bus test. Bus A is, for example, 2 bits, and buses B1 and C are each, for example, 4 bits.
It's bit.

In this embodiment, the CF2O is provided with a reset section 35, and the CF2O can be reset by a command from the 5P20.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. SP
If an error occurs while the office computer is starting up the office computer, it will record this in non-volatile memory, create an error code on bus B, set the mode, and detect the error in CF2O. Make a notification (step ■). The CP side performs a mode check and returns a mode reception response to the 5P20 (step ■).

After this, conduct a bus test for buses B and C (step ■),
The CF2O notifies the 5P20 of the start of an automatic call (step ■). At SP20, a message indicating that an automatic call has started is displayed on the operating spring (step 2), and at the same time, error data from the nonvolatile memory 25 is transferred to the CF 20 (step 2). When the CF2O receives the error data, it makes an automatic call to the maintenance center using the line 42 (step ■). When the automatic call ends, CF2O notifies 5P20 of the end (step ■), while 5P2
In step 0, after receiving this termination notification, an automatic call termination display is displayed on the operating spring (step @l).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the CPU is not operating normally and therefore the bus 41 is not operating, data etc. can be exchanged between 5P20 and CF2O independently of the operation of CPU10. Since the exchange can be performed, it becomes possible to execute an automatic call to the maintenance center 2.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the present invention in detail, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the main part of an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the invention in detail, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the invention in detail. It is a figure showing a conventional example. 1.-Office computer 2.--Maintenance center 3.--Log information storage unit 10.--CPU 20.--Service processor 30-.Communication processor 43-..5p
-Local bus 44 between CPs - Power supply line

Claims (1)

[Claims] A system processor (C
PU), a communication processor (CP) that controls communication with other systems, and a service processor (SP) that is constantly supplied with power (battery support) to manage the system environment and status and control the system power. ), and has a function of automatically calling a system connected to the system via a line due to a soft error or hard error during system operation using the processor group according to preset control information. , a means for constantly supplying power between the CP-SP, a means for exchanging control signals, and a means for supplying power between the CP-SP and the CP-SP separately from between the CPU-CP.
By providing a data transfer means for transferring data between the
What is claimed is: 1. An information processing device having an automatic call function, which is characterized in that it can access resources of the system, and can also make an automatic call even when the system power is turned off.