JPH0456446A - Modem diagnostic system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need for a special ROM card or the like by storing a MODEM program together with an application software and executing the MODEM diagnostic only when a prescribed operation is implemented. CONSTITUTION:A card ROM 20 is a software package on market for general users storing an application software for game machine and is connected to an internal bus 10 through a connector 16 of a main body. The ROM 20 also stores a program for diagnosing a MODEM 15. When the operator is a maintenance personnel from a manufacturer or the like and desires to execute the MODEM diagnostic mode, the program is started only when a special operation is implemented from a pad controller 5 and a >> initial prompt is displayed on the screen. Thus, the need of preservation and management for a diagnosing ROM card is avoided and the MODEM diagnostic system not confusing a generic user is realized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to modems, and more particularly to modem diagnostic methods.

[Prior Art] A modem, for example, a modem for a home game machine, is an interface device for communicating data with other home games, a personal computer, or a host computer of a value-added network through a telephone line. It has the functions of converting (modulating) digital signals into analog signals that can be transmitted over telephone lines, and converting (demodulating) received analog signals into digital signals. In addition, some modems of this type have a built-in NCU (network control unit) for connection to a telephone, and some even have an AT command function.

When such a modem is attached to the main body of a home game machine, the manufacturer or supplier may have to diagnose whether the modem functions properly. In order to perform this diagnosis, conventionally, a ROM card dedicated to diagnosis, which stores a diagnostic program, has been used.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, according to the conventional diagnostic method as described above, it is necessary to prepare a special diagnostic ROM card for modem diagnosis, and its production requires special cost. Diagnostic R
There was a drawback that storing and managing the OM card was troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and aims to provide a modem diagnosis method that eliminates special production costs, storage and management, and does not cause unnecessary confusion to general users. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the modem diagnosis method of the present invention diagnoses the modem together with application software for general users in a storage means that is removably loaded in the modem. The modem diagnosis mode is made executable only when a special operation set in advance is performed from the input means while the initial screen is displayed after the power is turned on.

[Operations] In the present invention, a program for modem diagnosis is stored in a removable storage means (such as a ROM card) together with application software for general users.

Accordingly, when such a commercially available storage means is loaded into the information processing apparatus main body, the modem diagnosis program is loaded into the RAM within the information processing apparatus main body.

When the power is turned on, the usual initial screen is displayed. Therefore, if you are a general user, you can use the normal input device (key operations) to display a normal menu screen, select the desired one from the various menus presented there, and then click that menu. will be executed. However, when a person involved in modem diagnosis performs diagnosis, special key operations determined in advance are performed while the initial screen is displayed.

Then, a diagnostic program is activated in response to the special operation, and the modem diagnostic mode becomes executable. As for the screen display, instead of the normal menu screen, a diagnostic menu screen appears.

As described above, in the present invention, since the diagnostic program is included in a commercially available software package, there is no need for special manufacturing costs such as manufacturing a special ROM card or the like for diagnosis. Moreover, such commercial software packages are ubiquitous, making traditional special ROM
It does not require special storage or management like a card.

Further, in the present invention, the diagnostic program is activated only when a special operation is performed at the initial screen stage. In addition to the method of the present invention, methods for starting the modem diagnostic program include: - including the modem diagnostic mode in the normal menu screen;
■An alternative method is to enter a PIN code. Method (2) allows general users to easily execute the modem diagnostic mode; however, the modem diagnostic mode only causes unnecessary confusion for the general user and has no practical utility. Furthermore, for manufacturers or suppliers, providing the modem diagnostic mode as a user-executable mode requires supporting various types of information for modem diagnosis, which results in high costs. In principle, only a specific person who knows the PIN code can start the diagnostic program using method (2). This is not a complete preventive measure, as there are people who intentionally find the PIN code.

In contrast, in the present invention, the diagnostic program is not started unless a special operation is performed at the initial screen stage.

It is only after the display screen enters the execution mode that the user performs random key operations to discover the above-mentioned "tricks", and it is highly unlikely that the user performs such operations at the initial screen stage. Therefore, there is no possibility that a general user will start up the diagnostic program either accidentally or intentionally.

[Example code] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, as shown in FIG. 4, a television receiver 2 and a pad controller 5, which are essential for game functions, are connected to the home game machine 1 according to this embodiment, and a telephone set is also connected in order to add a communication function. 4 is connected, and further, a counterpart device 6 such as a personal computer is connected via the communication line 3. A telephone 7 is also connected to this counterpart device 6. The pad controller 5 is an operation panel as shown in FIG. 5, and has direction buttons 5A and 5ELEC corresponding to a joystick.
T (selection) button 5B, RUN (execution) button 5C,
It has an I button 5D and an n button 5E.

FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the main circuits inside the game machine 1. As shown in FIG.

CPUI on the internal bus 10 of the main unit 1. RAM12. Graphic controller 13. Video memory 14 and modem 15 are connected.

The card type ROM20 is for game machine applications and
It is a commercially available software package for general users that stores software, such as communication software, and is connected to the internal bus 10 via a connector 16 on the main body. According to this embodiment, a program for diagnosing the modem 15 is also stored in this commercially available ROM card 20. Power supply circuit 1
7 has operating voltages Vl, V2 . It supplies V3, and its on/off is controlled by the power switch 18. The RAM 12 stores programs and data loaded from the ROM card 20 and various data processed by the CPU II. Video memory 14 stores video signals to be displayed on the screen, and these video signals are sent to television receiver 2 under the control of graphic controller 15.

Now, FIG. 1 shows the transition of the screen of the television receiver 2 after the power is turned on according to this embodiment. When the power switch 18 is turned on, the initial screen shown in the figure is first displayed. This display content is the same as before, “PUSHI
BUTTON'' (I button 5 on pad controller 5
(Press D). Therefore, if the operator is a general user, he or she presses the E button 5D of the pad controller 5 in accordance with the operator's instructions. Then, the TV screen changes to the [Normal Menu Screen] as shown. This normal menu screen is also the same as before, and the user operates the direction button 5A of the pad controller 5 to move the cursor frame W to the desired menu and presses the 5ELECT button 5B. Then, that menu ("communication mode" in FIG. 1) is selected and the execution mode is entered.

However, if the operator is a diagnostic staff (e.g., development staff, maintenance staff) of this game machine manufacturer or supplier and wants to execute the modem diagnostic mode, when the [Initial screen] is displayed, use the pad controller 5 to perform special operations. Perform operations. That is, such an operator first presses the n button 5E.
Press , then press I button 5D and RUN button 5C at the same time. Then, in response to this special operation, the diagnostic program is activated, and the display screen becomes the Diagnosis Menu Screen as shown in the figure.

In this way, in this embodiment, the diagnostic program is stored in a commercially available ROM card that stores communication software, etc.
Diagnosis personnel can be found anywhere (for example - at the home of a general user)
It is possible to easily diagnose a home game machine modem. In addition, in this embodiment, the modem diagnostic mode is not executed unless a special operation is performed when the [Initial screen] is displayed. No matter what pad controller operation you perform, there is no risk of starting the diagnostic program.

In addition, [On the diagnosis menu screen] ALB is analog loop back diagnosis, DLB is digital loop back diagnosis, and ARDL is answer mode remote diagnosis.
Digital Loopbank Diagnosis, 0RDL stands for Origin Mode Remote Digital Loopbank Diagnosis.

, mh et al. ALB, DLB, ARDL, 0RDL (7) To execute each diagnosis, operate the direction button 5A of the pad controller 5 to move the cursor ■ to the position of the desired diagnosis mode and press the RUN button 5C. good.

FIG. 2 shows each modem diagnostic mode ALB according to this embodiment,
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining how to execute DLB, ARDL, and 0RDL. In this figure, the modem 15 includes a modulation section that converts (modulates) a digital signal to be transmitted from the game machine 1 to the partner device 6 into an analog signal and outputs it on the communication line 3, and a modulation section that converts (modulates) a digital signal to be transmitted from the game machine 1 to the partner device 6 and outputs it on the communication line 3. A demodulation section for converting (demodulating) the analog signal received via the line 3 into a digital signal compatible with the data format within the game machine 1 is included. In addition to these modulation/demodulation circuits, the modem 15 includes various circuits such as an NCU, but these are not related to the diagnosis of this embodiment and are therefore omitted from this figure.

Among the four diagnostic modes, ALB and DLB are RO
It is executed by a diagnostic program loaded from the M card 20, and predetermined diagnostic pattern data (for example, 00h
, Olh, . . . EFh, FFh) are supplied from the CPU 11 to the modem 15. In the case of ALB, this diagnostic pattern data that has entered the modem 15 passes through the route shown by the broken line (digital part of the modulator → analog part → analog part of the demodulator → digital part) before being sent to the CPU.
Sent back to 11. In addition, in the case of DLB, the signal passes through the route shown by the dotted line (digital section of the modulation section -> di-notional section of the demodulation section) before being sent back to the CPU II. In each diagnostic mode, the CPU II examines the returned diagnostic pattern data and displays the diagnostic results as OK/NG as shown in Figure 3.
Display the model number on the screen.

For ARDL and 0RDL, the diagnostic pattern data is
It is sent from the partner device 6 via the communication line 3, and after passing through the route shown by the chain line in the modem 15 (analog part of the demodulator → digital part → digital part of the modulator → analog part), It is sent back to the other party's device θ. Full-duplex communication is performed on communication line 3, and ARDL (Answer)
mode), the partner device 6 uses a carrier frequency of 1200 Hz, and the modem 15 uses a carrier frequency of 2400 Hz, and in the 0RDL (originating mode) modem 15#l uses 1200 Hz, and the partner device 6 uses a carrier frequency of 240 Hz.
A carrier frequency of 0 Hz is used respectively. The CPU of the partner device 6 examines the returned diagnostic pattern data and displays the diagnosis result on the screen of the partner device 6. In this way, ARDL.

Since operation from the partner device 6 is required to execute 0RDL, the partner device 6 must be prepared for executing these diagnoses. However, this partner device 6 is not limited to a personal computer, but may also be a home game machine.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the modem diagnosis method of the present invention, a program for diagnosing the modem is stored in the storage means that is removably loaded into the modem together with application software for general users. However, we decided to make the modem diagnostic mode executable only when a preset operation is performed using the input means while the initial screen is displayed after the power is turned on, so we created a special ROM card, etc. This has the great advantage of not only saving costs and effort for management, but also preventing confusion among general users by ensuring that only those involved can start the diagnostic program.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the transition of screens after power is turned on to explain the operation of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram to explain how to execute each modem diagnosis mode according to the embodiment. Block diagram, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing how the execution results of each modem diagnosis mode are displayed on the screen, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the connection relationship between the home game machine of the embodiment and various external devices. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a pad controller used in the home game machine of the embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of main circuits inside the home game machine of the embodiment. In the drawings, 1...home game console, 2...television receiver, 3...communication line, 4.7...telephone, 5...parad controller, 6... ...Partner device, 11...CPU. 3...RAM. 15...modem, 20...ROM card.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a method for diagnosing a modem, a program for diagnosing the modem is stored in a storage means that is removably loaded in the modem together with application software for general users, and the program is installed after power is turned on. A modem diagnosis method characterized in that a modem diagnosis mode can be executed only when a predetermined operation set in advance is performed using an input means while an initial screen is displayed.