JPH04287446A - Fault information transmission method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce fault information quantity and to attain effective use of the network by sending fault information only when the generated fault information differs from the newest result of fault diagnosis implemented precedingly. CONSTITUTION:The fault information transmission method is devised such that each equipment 1 sends fault information of its own configuration to other equipment and any other equipment receives fault information. Then each equipment 1 compares (26) fault information 21 generated its own configuration with the newest result of fault diagnosis implemented precedingly and sends (22) the fault information to other equipment only when they are different. Moreover, the equipment discriminates the presence of generation of fault information as to its own configuration and changes the execution time interval of fault diagnosis for each configuration only based on the result of discrimination. Thus, the fault information sent once is not sent again to decrease number of times of fault diagnosis thereby reducing number of times of detection of the fault information and reducing fault information quantity sent to other equipment.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a failure information transmission method for transmitting failure information between devices forming a network in an information network system.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an information network system to which a conventional failure information transmission method is applied. In the figure, 1 is a device that controls data input/output of a computer, etc., and 2 is a first network loop as a network to which this device 1 is connected. 3 and 4 are devices equivalent to device 1 accommodated in this first network loop 2. In this case, this device 3 is made the main device of the first network loop 2.

5 is a second network loop as a network connected to the first network loop 2 in this device 3; 6 and 7 are devices 1 and 7 connected to this second network loop 5; This is the same device as 3 and 4. In this case, the main device of the second network loop 5 is the device 6.

Reference numerals 8a to 8c are lower-level devices such as terminal devices as constituent parts of the device 1 housed in the device 1;
d to 8f are lower devices as constituent parts of the device 6, which are also housed in the device 6. A display device 9 is connected to the device 7 and displays failure information and the like on its display screen.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the device 1, and shows a microcomputer that controls and monitors the lower devices 8a to 8c. In the figure, 11
is the central processing unit of the microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as C
12 is a random access memory (hereinafter referred to as R) in which the CPU 11 records data during processing.
13 is a read-only memory (referred to as AM) in which programs for controlling and monitoring the lower-order devices 8a to 8c are stored.
(hereinafter referred to as ROM).

Reference numeral 14 denotes a clock generation circuit that generates a reference clock for the microcomputer. 15 is the first network loop 2 to which the microcomputer is connected, and the lower devices 8a to 8c accommodated therein.
16 is an input/output port that transmits and receives information between this input/output port 15 and the CPU 11, RA
This is a bus line connecting M12 and ROM13.

Note that the other devices 3, 4, 6, and 7 can also have the same configuration as the device 1 described above.

Next, the operation will be explained. Here, Figure 6
1 is a processing outline diagram showing a conventional failure information transmission method. Now, a certain device, for example, device 1, makes an inquiry regarding a failure to one lower-level device, for example, lower-level device 8a. If there is a response from the lower device 8a to this inquiry, it is determined whether or not there is an error code in the response information.

[0009] If an error code is included, device 1
generates failure information based on the error state and error content in its failure information generation function 21, adds its own device address to the failure information, and then generates failure information transmission function 22.
The data is then transmitted to the device 3, which is the main device of the first network loop 2. The device 1 executes this failure diagnosis process at predetermined time intervals for all lower-level devices 8a to 8c accommodated therein.

On the other hand, when the device 3 receives this failure information sent via the first network loop 2 with the failure information receiving function 23, the device 3 adds its own information to the received failure information with its own device identification information adding function 24. A device address is further added, and the failure information transmission function 25 sends it to the device 6, which is the main device of the second network loop 5.

Similarly, the device 6 also adds its own device address to the received failure information, and
It is transmitted to the device 7 to which the display device 9 is connected. The device 7 that receives this failure information transfers it to the display device 9,
The display device 9 displays the failure information on the display screen. Here, the device address of each device 1, 3 added to the failure information is used when specifying the failed lower device 8a to 8c.

[0012] Documents describing techniques related to such a conventional failure information transmission method include, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-219843.

[0013]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the conventional failure information transmission method is configured as described above, the device 1 transmits data at predetermined time intervals regardless of whether or not a failure occurs in the lower-level devices 8a to 8c that it accommodates. Furthermore, even if the same error condition continues for a long period of time, fault information is sent every time a fault is diagnosed, which increases the size of the network and makes it difficult to control data input/output. As the number of lower-level devices 8a to 8c increases, the number of errors that occur also increases, the time required for fault diagnosis of each device 1 becomes longer, and the amount of fault information sent to other devices 3 increases. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a method for transmitting failure information that can reduce the amount of failure information that is needlessly transmitted within a network and make effective use of the network. The purpose is to obtain.

[0015]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the fault information transmission method according to the invention described in claim 1, each device compares fault information generated in its own component with the latest results of fault diagnosis performed previously. The failure information is sent to other devices only when the failure information differs.

Further, in the failure information transmission method according to the invention as set forth in claim 2, the device determines whether or not failure information is generated for each component of the device, and performs a failure diagnosis of each component based on the determination result. The implementation time interval is changed.

[0017]

[Operation] The device according to the invention described in claim 1 transmits failure information to other devices only when the generated failure information is different from the latest result of the failure diagnosis performed previously. A failure information transmission method that prevents failure information that has been sent once from being sent again, reduces the number of failure information transmissions, reduces the amount of failure information that is transmitted to other devices, and makes effective use of the network. Realize.

[0018] Furthermore, the apparatus according to the invention according to claim 2 is capable of detecting a failure by changing the time interval at which the failure diagnosis of each component is performed based on the result of determining whether or not failure information has been generated for the component. To realize a failure information transmission method that can effectively utilize a network by reducing the number of times diagnosis is performed, the number of times failure information is detected, and the amount of failure information transmitted to other devices.

[0019]

[Example] Example 1. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a processing outline diagram showing an embodiment of the invention as set forth in claim 1.

In the figure, 1 indicates a failure information generation function 21;
In addition to the failure information transmission function 22, the failure information judgment function 26
This device is different from the conventional device shown with the same reference numerals in FIG. 2 is a failure information receiving function 23;
This is a device equivalent to the conventional device with the same reference numerals in FIG. 6 and equipped with a self-device identification information addition function 24 and a failure information transmission function 25.

These devices 1 and 3 are connected to a first network loop 2 and a second network loop 5.
are connected to form an information network system similar to the conventional case shown in FIG. 4, each of which is configured with, for example, a microcomputer similar to the conventional case shown in FIG.

Next, the operation will be explained. Here, Figure 2
is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the embodiment, and the device 1 executes the fault diagnosis subroutine shown in the flowchart at a predetermined time interval "T".
``I do it every time.

When this subroutine is started, device 1
First, in step ST1, an inquiry regarding a failure is made to one lower-order device, for example, the lower-order device 8a. It is determined in step ST2 whether there is a response from the lower-level device 8a in response to this inquiry, and if there is a response, it is determined in step ST3 whether or not there is an error code in the response information.

As a result, if an error has occurred and an error code is included, the content from the error code is recognized and the latest results of the previous failure diagnosis held in the RAM 12 are displayed. Step ST4
It will be held at On the other hand, if it is determined in step ST2 that there is no response from the lower-level device 8a, the process moves directly to step ST14, and a preset response code is used as the error code.

As a result of the comparison, if the details of the failure are different, the failure diagnosis result held in the RAM 12 is updated to the latest diagnosis result in step ST5. Next, in step ST6, failure information to be transmitted to another device, for example device 3, is created based on the latest failure diagnosis result. The processing up to this point is performed by the failure information generation function 21 and the failure information judgment function 26 within the device 1.

Next, the failure information transmission function 22 of the device 1
In step ST7, the device address of the device itself is further added to the failure information created in this way, and step ST
At step ST8, it is transmitted to the first network loop 2 to be addressed to another device 3, and the process moves to step ST9. Note that also when it is determined in step ST3 that there is no error code, and when it is detected in step ST4 that the error content matches the latest result of the previous failure diagnosis,
The process is directly moved to step ST9.

[0027] In step ST9, it is determined whether or not the inquiries to all lower-level devices 8a to 8c connected to the device 1 have been completed. If not, the process returns to step ST1 and the same process is repeated. . When the inquiry to all lower-level devices 8a to 8c is completed, the processing of the subroutine is ended, and other processing is executed until it is restarted after a predetermined time interval "T" has elapsed.

Thereafter, the device 3 that receives the failure information sent to the first network loop 2 operates in the same manner as in the conventional case and transfers it to the device 6, and the failure information is transmitted from the device 6 to the device 7. Display device 9 sent to and connected to it
displayed on the display screen.

As described above, in this embodiment, unless fault diagnosis information different from the latest result of the previous fault diagnosis is detected, the fault information is not transmitted to other devices 3, and the network The amount of failure information sent throughout is reduced, improving network usage efficiency.

Example 2. In the above embodiment, the failure information determination function 26 compares the contents of errors, but the determination may be based only on the presence or absence of an error.
The same effects as in the above embodiment are achieved. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operational procedure in one embodiment of the invention as set forth in claim 2. Here, the same step numbers as in FIG. 1 are given to corresponding processes to avoid redundant explanation.

[0031] In step ST2, the lower device 8a (~8c
) if we do not receive a response to your inquiry,
Alternatively, if an error code is detected in step ST3, the process moves to step ST10. In step ST10, the time interval for activating the fault diagnosis subroutine is set to a predetermined time interval "T", and then the process is passed to step ST6 for creating fault information.

On the other hand, if no error has occurred in the lower device 8a (-8c) and there is no error code in the received response information, the process moves from step ST3 to step ST11. In step ST11, the lower device 8a (
~8c) The activation time interval of the fault diagnosis subroutine is set to be larger than the predetermined time interval "T", for example "2T"
”.

[0033] As a result, when the lower device 8a (~8c) is normal, the time interval at which the fault diagnosis subroutine is activated increases, and the number of times fault information is sent to other devices 3 due to fault information detection is reduced. , the amount of failure information transmitted throughout the network is reduced, improving network usage efficiency.

[0034]

As described above, according to the invention set forth in claim 1, transmission of failure information to other devices is possible even if the generated failure information differs from the latest results of the previous failure diagnosis. Since the configuration is configured so that it is performed only when the fault information is sent, the fault information that has been sent once will not be sent again, reducing the number of times fault information is sent to other devices, and reducing the amount of fault information that is wasted. This has the effect of providing a failure information transmission method that reduces the number of errors and makes effective use of the network.

Further, according to the invention as set forth in claim 2, the time interval at which the failure diagnosis of each component is performed is changed based on the result of determining whether or not failure information has been generated for the component. Therefore, the number of times that fault diagnosis is performed is reduced, the number of times that fault information is sent to other devices is reduced, and the amount of fault information that is needlessly transmitted is reduced, thereby providing a fault information transmission method that enables effective use of the network. It has the effect of

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a processing outline diagram showing a failure information transmission method according to an embodiment of the invention as set forth in claim 1;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of another embodiment of the invention as set forth in claim 2;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an information network system to which the present invention and a conventional failure information transmission method are applied.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the device.

FIG. 6 is a processing outline diagram showing a conventional failure information transmission method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Device 2 Network (first network loop)
3, 4 Device 5 Network (second network loop)
6, 7 Devices 8a to 8f Component parts (lower device)

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: In an information network system in which a plurality of devices that perform data input/output control are connected to a network, at least one of the devices transmits failure information of its own component to other devices. In addition, in the failure information transmission method in which the failure information is received by any other of the devices, the device is configured to transmit the failure information that has occurred in its own component to the latest results of the previous failure diagnosis. A failure information transmission method characterized in that the failure information is transmitted to the other device only when . 2. In an information network system in which a plurality of devices that perform data input/output control are connected to a network, at least one of the devices transmits failure information of its own component to other devices. In addition, in the failure information transmission method in which the failure information is received by any other of the devices, the device determines whether or not failure information has been generated for each component of the device, and based on the determination result. A failure information transmission method characterized in that the time interval between each of the failure diagnoses is changed.