JPH04262641A - Lan controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To output a memory content even when an information output (memory dump or the like) via a host software is disable even when interfacing with a host software is disable due to a hardware fault or the host software disconnects the interface with the controller due to illegal report. CONSTITUTION:When a transfer command of a transmission command or a reception data to a host software is not received till a timer 101 counting a time interval of the reception of a software command from a host information processing unit 2 expires, a control section 103 sends a frame informing disable communication or information stored in a memory 102 in its own LAN controller 1 to an opposite station 4 in busy via a LAN line 3 or whose data link is on the way of data link establishment.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a LAN control device.
In particular, it relates to the RAS function of the own device.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional LAN control devices only transmit frames specified by higher-level software in response to commands from higher-level software. That is, conventional LAN control devices could not perform transmission by themselves without instructions from software.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] This conventional LAN control device transmits data only when there is a command from software, so if communication with the higher-level software becomes impossible due to a hardware failure, There was a problem in that the system could no longer output information, making it impossible to analyze problems on the LAN or on the control device.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] A LAN control device of the present invention is a LAN control device that communicates with each station on a LAN according to a procedure by executing software commands from a higher-level information processing device. There is a timer that counts the time interval for receiving commands, and if the timer does not receive a transmission command or a command to transfer received data to the upper software by the time the timer times out, communication is not possible to a station that is currently communicating or in the process of establishing a data link. and transmitting means for transmitting a frame for notifying information or information within its own LAN control device.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing an embodiment of the LAN control device of the present invention.

[0006]The LAN control device 1 is an upper level information processing device 2.
A timer 101 that counts the time interval of software commands received from the computer, a memory 102 that stores control information and transmitted/received data, and a control unit 103 are provided.

Normally, the control unit 103 of the LAN control device 1 transmits and receives frames between the partner station 4 and the information processing device 2 via the LAN line 3 by executing software commands from the information processing device 2. There is. When there is a transmission command from the software, the control unit 103 fetches the transmission data into the memory 102 from the memory address in the information processing device 2 added to the command, and transmits it to the LAN line 3. When the response is received from the partner station 4 via the LAN line 3, if there is a reception command from the software in advance, the report data is immediately transferred to the information processing device 2; if not, it waits for the reception command to be received, and as soon as there is a reception command. , transfer reporting data.

[0008] When data is received from the partner station 4, if there is a reception command from the software in advance, the received data is immediately transferred to the information processing device 2, and if there is no reception command, the reception data is immediately transferred to the information processing device 2. Transfer data.

[0009] If specified data is transmitted in response to a transmission command from the software, and a response is received from the partner station 4 and reported to the software, if there is no subsequent transmission command before the timer 101 times out, or If a command to transfer the received data to the host device is not received in advance at the time of reception, and if no command is received even after waiting until the timer 101 times out, the control unit 103 determines on its own that communication cannot be continued, and the control unit 103 determines that it is not possible to continue communication, and stops the communication or data link. Either transmits a frame to notify communication is not possible to multiple established partner stations, or sends a frame to the memory 1 in the own LAN control device
LA the information such as traces and dumps stored in 02.
It is assembled and edited into N frame formats, and sequentially transmitted to one station.

0010

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention enables a LAN control device that operates according to commands from an information processing device to transmit frames by itself without depending on commands from higher-level software, thereby improving the interface with higher-level software. Even if communication becomes impossible, it is possible to transmit a frame indicating that communication is not possible or output information held in the memory within the device itself. Therefore, when the interface with the higher-level software becomes impossible due to a hardware failure, or when the higher-level software disconnects the interface with this device due to an incorrect report, information output via the higher-level software ( Even if a memory dump (such as a memory dump) becomes impossible, it is possible to dump the memory contents.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a LAN control device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 LAN control device 2 Information processing device 3 LAN line 4 Opponent station 101 Timer 102 Memory 103 Control section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A LAN control device that communicates with each station on a LAN according to a procedure by executing a software command from a higher-level information processing device, comprising: a timer for counting the time interval at which the software command is received; If a transmission command or a command to transfer received data to the higher-level software is not received before the timer times out, a frame or information within the own LAN control device that notifies a station that is communicating or in the process of establishing a data link that communication is not possible. A LAN control device comprising a transmitting means for transmitting.