JPH04291828A - Unit switching system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a unit switching system avoiding a complicated switching processing as much as possible and relieving a faulty unit quickly. CONSTITUTION:When, e.g. a unit 1a is faulty while an identical setting data is set to units 1a-1x, the faulty unit 1a sends an alarm signal AA to a switching control unit 3. The switching control unit 3 receiving the alarming signal AA sends a switching control signal FF to a switching unit 4 and sends a signal BB representing the reception of the alarming signal to a management unit. The switching unit receiving the switching control signal FF selects a standby unit 2 as the communication unit from the unit 1a.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a unit switching system in which a unit switching system having a plurality of units switches to a spare unit when a failure occurs in one of the units.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a unit switching system is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, this unit switching system has a plurality of units 1a to 1 to be switched.
x, one spare unit 2 that communicates in place of these units 1a to 1x in the event of a failure, a switching control unit 3 that outputs a switching control signal, and a switching control unit 3 that receives the switching control signal output from this switching control unit 3. It is comprised of a switching unit 4 that executes switching operations, and a management unit 5 that manages unit status. Unit 1a-1
x are connected to the switching control unit 3 and the management unit 5 through lines 6a to 6x, respectively, and to the switching unit 4 through main signal lines 8a to 8x. The spare unit 2 is connected to the switching control unit 3 and the management unit 5 via a line 7 and to the switching unit 4 via a main signal line 9. Further, the switching control unit 3 is connected to the switching unit 4 through a line 10 and to the management unit 5 through a line 11.

A conventional unit switching procedure in such a unit switching system will be explained using FIG. 3.

[0004] That is, if, for example, unit 1a among the units 1a to 1x is in a failure state, the unit 1a in the failure state sends an alarm signal A to the switching control unit 3, and upon receiving this alarm signal A, The switching control unit 3 sends a signal B to that effect to the management unit 5. The management unit 5 writes the setting data C of the unit 1a to the spare unit 2, and
By reading this written data D from the spare unit 2, it is confirmed whether or not this data has been written correctly. Thereafter, the management unit 5 sends a switching permission signal E to the switching control unit 3, and the switching control unit 3, which has received this, sends a switching control signal F to the switching unit 4. The switching unit 4 receiving this switching control signal F switches the communication unit from the unit 1a to the standby unit 2.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above, in the switching procedure in the conventional unit switching system, the management unit 5 always writes the setting data of the faulty unit to the backup unit 2, so the switching process is difficult. The problem was that it was complicated and it took time to repair a faulty unit.

The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and its purpose is to provide a unit switching method that can eliminate the complexity of switching processing as much as possible and quickly rescue a faulty unit. It's about doing.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems The unit switching system of the present invention provides a plurality of units that communicate with each other, a spare unit that communicates in place of the unit when the unit fails, and a unit that switches from the unit in the failure state to the spare unit. A switching control unit that outputs a switching control signal instructing switching to a unit, a switching unit that executes unit switching in response to a switching control signal output from this switching control unit, and a management unit that manages the unit. In a unit switching system having a unit switching system, if the setting data of the plurality of units are all the same, the management unit notifies the switching control unit to that effect when the unit starts up, and the switching control unit detects the failure. When an alarm signal is received from a unit that has become , it outputs a switching control signal to the switching unit and also outputs a signal to that effect to the management unit.

According to the unit switching method of the present invention, when the setting data of each unit are all the same, the management unit notifies the switching control unit in advance that the setting data are the same when starting up the units. As a result, there is no need to write setting data from the management unit to the spare unit as in the past, and a failed unit can be quickly rescued.

[0009]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a unit switching system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, since the configuration of the unit switching system is the same as that shown in FIG. 2, a description thereof will be omitted.

In the unit switching system of this embodiment, if the setting data of the units 1a to 1x are all the same, when each unit 1a to 1x is started up, the management unit 5 sends a message XX to that effect to the switching control unit 3. This is to notify you.

That is, when all the setting data of the units 1a to 1x are the same, for example, if the unit 1a becomes in a fault state, the unit 1a in the fault state sends an alarm signal AA to the switching control unit 3. send. The switching control unit 3 that received this alarm signal AA
sends the switching control signal FF to the switching unit 4, and
A signal BB to that effect is sent to the management unit. Then, the switching unit 4 receiving the switching control signal FF switches the communication unit from the unit 1a to the spare unit 2, as in the conventional case.
This completes the switching operation.

Note that if the setting data of units 1a to 1x are not the same, as in the conventional switching procedure shown in FIG. Switching control unit 3
The switching control unit 3, which has received the alarm signal A, sends a signal B to the management unit 5 to that effect. Management unit 5 is unit 1a
By writing the setting data C into the spare unit 2 and reading out the written data D from the spare unit 2, it is confirmed whether or not this data has been written correctly. Thereafter, the management unit 5 sends a switching permission signal E to the switching control unit 3, and the switching control unit 3, which has received this, sends a switching control signal F to the switching unit 4. The switching unit 4 that receives the switching control signal FF switches the communication unit from the unit 1a to the standby unit 2, thereby completing the switching operation.

[0014] In the above embodiment, unit 1
Although the case where unit a is in a failure state has been described, it goes without saying that the same procedure is followed even if the other units 1b to 1x are in a failure state.

[0015]

As explained above, according to the unit switching method of the present invention, if the setting data of a plurality of units are all the same, the management unit sends a notification to the switching control unit when the units are started up. When the switching control unit receives an alarm signal from the faulty unit, it outputs a switching control signal to the switching unit and also outputs a signal to that effect to the management unit. As a result, the switching procedure can be easily performed, and a failed unit can be rescued in a short period of time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a unit switching procedure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a switching control system.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional unit switching procedure.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a~1x unit 2 Spare unit 3 Switching control unit 4 Switching unit 5 Management unit A, AA Alarm signal B, BB switching notification E Switching permission signal F, FF switching control signal

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of units that each communicate with each other, a spare unit that communicates in place of the unit when the unit fails, and outputs a switching control signal instructing switching from the unit in the failure state to the spare unit. In the unit switching system, each of the plurality of units has a switching control unit that performs unit switching, a switching unit that executes unit switching in response to a switching control signal output from the switching control unit, and a management unit that manages the units. If all the setting data are the same, the management unit notifies the switching control unit of this when the unit starts up, and when the switching control unit receives an alarm signal from the faulty unit, the switching control unit A unit switching method characterized by outputting a switching control signal to the switching unit and outputting a signal to that effect to the management unit.