JPH0512154A - Data communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a data communication system which can secure the remote maintenance of a terminal equipment even if a maintenance program file is produced in a binary form. CONSTITUTION:A data transmitter consists of a connection means 11 secures the connection among the program files 101-10n which are described in a binary form, a character converter means 12 which converts the binary data into the character data, and a transmitter means 13 which transmits the character data in a prescribed communication procedure. Meanwhile a data receiver consists of a receiver means 23 which receives the character data including plural programs in a prescribed communication procedure, a binary converter means 22 which converts each character data into the binary data and produces a binary file, and a separator means 21 which separates the binary file into the programs 201-20n.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data communication system for realizing remote maintenance of terminal devices connected to a network.

In recent years, the development of chain stores has been remarkable. In order to realize distribution of sales and centralization of management through such chain development, introduction of a chain store system has been promoted and has become widespread.

[0003] In such a chain store system, maintenance of each terminal device becomes a heavy burden as its scale increases, and a method for performing the maintenance easily is desired.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the most commonly used transmission procedure in the distribution industry is the "customer data exchange standard communication control procedure" (hereinafter referred to as "J") established in July 1980.
CA procedure ". ).

The specification of the JCA procedure is based on the BSC procedure mainly in the data link level protocol and has the following features.

The transmission code is "EBCDIC (Extende
d Binary Coded Decimal Intercha-nge Code)
Is. The transmission method is a non-transparent method. One file is transmitted by one dial connection.

Therefore, the following problems have been encountered in implementing remote maintenance by the file transmission system of the terminal devices (controller, POS terminal, etc.) connected to the network by the JCA procedure.

Since the maintenance program file is created in binary format, file transmission by the JCA procedure is impossible.

Only one file can be transmitted with one diamond connection. For this reason, a plurality of maintenance program files cannot be transmitted by one dial connection, and there is a risk that transmission failure of maintenance program files of the same version number may occur.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and enables file transmission according to the JCA procedure even if the maintenance program file is created in binary format. It is an object of the present invention to provide a data communication system capable of transmitting the maintenance program file of 1 above with a single dial connection and preventing transmission omissions.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of a data communication system according to the present invention. That is, the data communication system of the present invention has a data transmitting device and a data receiving device.

The data transmission apparatus includes a combining means 11 for combining a plurality of program files 10 ₁ , 10 ₂ to 10 _n described in binary, and each binary in a binary file obtained by combining with the combining means 11. It is composed of character conversion means 12 for converting data into character data and transmission means 13 for transmitting the character data converted by the character conversion means 12 in accordance with a predetermined communication procedure.

The data receiving device includes a receiving means 23 for receiving character data including a plurality of programs in accordance with a predetermined communication procedure, and each character data received by the receiving means 23 is converted into binary data into a binary file. And a separation unit 21 that separates the binary file obtained by the binary conversion unit 22 into a plurality of programs 20 ₁ , 20 _{2 to} 20 _n written in binary.

The data transmission device and the data reception device are network-connected.

[0015]

The data communication is performed as follows. First, in the data transmission device, for example, a plurality of program files (10 ₁ , 10
By combining ₂ to 10 _n) to create a single binary file.

Then, each binary data is extracted from this binary file and converted into character data according to a predetermined rule. This character data is sent to the line by the transmitting means 13 in accordance with a predetermined non-transparent procedure, for example, the JCA procedure.

On the other hand, the data from the line is transferred to, for example, JCA.
The data receiving device which has received according to the procedure first converts the character data into binary data and reproduces one binary file. Next, the program included in the binary file is separated into a plurality of original programs.

As described above, the program composed of binary data is once converted into character data, communication is performed with the character data in the data transmission stage, and the character data is restored to the original binary data program on the receiving side. Therefore, binary data such as a program can be transmitted even in a transmission procedure that works only with character data, for example, the JCA procedure, and remote maintenance is possible.

Further, on the transmitting side, since a plurality of programs are combined and transmitted as one file at a time, it is possible to avoid a situation in which transmission failure of maintenance program files of the same version occurs. .

[0020]

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a first embodiment of a data communication system according to the present invention. It should be noted that the same or corresponding parts as those in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a higher-level device as a data transmission device. This upper-level device is, for example, a host computer that forms the core of the system. Maintenance data is transmitted from the higher-level device 1 to each terminal device.

Reference numeral 2 is a terminal device as a data receiving device. The program of the terminal device 2 will be updated by remote maintenance.

In the figure, in order to simplify the explanation,
Although the case where one terminal device 2 is connected to the upper device 1 is shown, a configuration in which a plurality of terminal devices are network-connected to the upper device 1 is common.

The upper device 1 is constructed as follows. That is, 10 ₁ to 10 ₃ are maintenance program files. This maintenance program file 1
0 ₁ to 10 ₃ are formed in, for example, a magnetic disk device (not shown). This maintenance program file 1
The 0 _{1-10 3,} version-up program is stored in binary form together with the version number information.

Reference numeral 11 is a connecting portion as a connecting means. The combining unit 11 combines the maintenance program files 10 ₁ to 10 ₃ having the same version number to generate one maintenance program file (hereinafter referred to as “binary file”) 110.

In the figure, the three maintenance program files 10 ₁ to 10 ₃ have the same version number, and the combining unit 11
Binary files 110 combined by the functions of
Is generated.

The combining unit 11 generates a control statement file (not shown) when combining a plurality of maintenance files, and also includes this in the binary file 110. Here, the control statement file 110 is a file that stores information about each maintenance program file, and in the terminal device 2, the combined binary file 210 is stored in each maintenance program file 20.
_It contains information necessary for separation into _{1 to} 20 ₃ .

Reference numeral 110 is a binary file formed by combining the maintenance program files 10 ₁ to 10 ₃ and the control statement file as described above.

Reference numeral 12 is a character conversion unit. The character conversion unit 12 reads binary data from the binary file 110 and converts it into character data.

That is, 1-byte binary data is converted into 2-byte EBCDIC code (character code). The conversion is performed as follows, for example.

Before conversion: 1-byte binary data “E2 _H ” After conversion: 2-byte character data “45F
2 _H "

Here, "45 _H " represents "E" of the EBCDIC code, and "F2 _H " represents "2" of the EBCDIC code. The subscript " _H " indicates that it is a hexadecimal number.

The output of the character conversion unit 12 is temporarily stored in the character file 120. And JC
The file transmission according to the A procedure is performed on the contents of the character file 120.

On the other hand, the terminal device 2 is constructed as follows. That is, 220 is a character file. The character file 220 temporarily stores character data (EBCDIC code) sent by the JCA procedure. The contents of the character file 220 are supplied to the binary conversion unit 22.

The binary conversion unit 22 uses a 2-byte EBC.
The DIC code is converted into 1-byte binary data. That is, the operation reverse to the operation of the character conversion unit 12 is performed. The output of the binary conversion unit 22 is supplied to the binary file 210.

The binary file 210 is a file in which a maintenance program file as binary data and a control statement file are stored as one binary data. This binary file 210 corresponds to the binary file 110 of the higher-level device 1. The contents of this binary file 210 are
Referenced by 1.

The separation unit 21 according to the contents of the control statements file in a binary file 210, a plurality of maintenance program file stored in the 210 to the binary file, the program individual maintenance files 20 ₁ to 20 ₃ To separate.

The maintenance programs separated by the separating unit 21 are individually stored as individual maintenance program files 20 _{1 to} 20 ₃ . The terminal apparatus 2, according to the maintenance program files 20 ₁ to 20 _3, will modify the program of the terminal device.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.

Program defect of terminal device 2, specification change
Etc. occur, the revised device will be
Program is created and the maintenance program file is created.
Le 10₁-10₃Stored in. At this time, each maintainer
Program file 10 ₁-10₃Version information
Is attached.

In this state, when the remote maintenance command is issued in the host device 1, the connecting unit 11
Is the maintenance program file 10 ₁ to 10 ₃
A file having the latest version number information is searched, and these are combined to create the binary file 110. On this occasion,
A control statement file is also created, and the above binary file 11
Included in 0.

Next, the character conversion unit 12 reads the binary data from the binary file 110 byte by byte and converts it into 2-byte character data (EBCDIC code). This character data is sequentially stored in the character file 120.

Then, the file transmission according to the JCA procedure is performed. For more information on this file transfer procedure,
Since it is well known, its explanation is omitted.

On the side of the terminal device 2, when the character data is received by the file transmission, it is sequentially stored in the character file 220.

When this file transmission is completed, the binary converter 22 reads the EBC from the character file 220.
The data of the DIC code is read every 2 bytes and converted into 1-byte binary data. Then, the converted data is sequentially stored in the binary file 210.

When this binary conversion is completed, the separation unit 2
1, a binary file reading control statements file from 210, based on the contents of the control statements file, the binary file 210 a plurality of maintenance program file stored in the individual maintenance program files 20 ₁ to 20 Separate into ₃ . As a result, maintenance program files 20 _{1 to} 20 ₃ similar to the maintenance program files 10 ₁ to 10 ₃ of the host device 1 are formed on the terminal device 2 side.

In the terminal device 2, the existing program is replaced by the contents of the maintenance program files 20 _{1 to} 20 ₃ , and the terminal device is upgraded to the latest state.

As described above, a program composed of binary data is once converted into character data, and a file is transmitted with the character data at the data transmission stage, and the character data is restored to the original binary data program at the receiving side. As a result, binary data such as a program can be transmitted even in the JCA procedure that works only with character data, and remote maintenance of the terminal device connected to the network by the JCA procedure is possible.

Also, on the transmitting side, since a plurality of maintenance program files are combined and transmitted as one file at a time, it is possible to avoid a situation in which transmission failure of maintenance program files of the same version occurs. Has become.

Next, a second embodiment of the data communication system according to the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the second embodiment. The same parts as those in the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

A characteristic part of this second embodiment is that a data compression / decompression means is provided.

That is, in the host computer 1, a data compression unit 13 for compressing the contents of the binary file 110 obtained by combining the maintenance program files and a compressed data file for storing the data compressed by the data compression unit 13. Have fourteen. Character conversion unit 12
Converts the binary data extracted from the compressed data file 14 into character data and outputs the character data. Other than the above, it is the same as the higher-level device of the first embodiment described above.

On the other hand, in the terminal unit 2, a compressed data file 24 for converting the received character data into binary data and temporarily storing it, and a data decompression unit 2 for decompressing the data stored in this compressed data file 24.
Have three. The data decompressed by the data decompression unit 23 is stored in the binary file 210. Other than the above, the terminal device is the same as the terminal device of the first embodiment described above.

The compression / decompression method in this embodiment may be any method.

Thus, according to this second embodiment,
In the host device 1, the binary files obtained by combining the maintenance program files 10 ₁ to 10 ₃ are once compressed and then converted into character data for data transmission. In the terminal device 2, the received character data is transferred. extended after converting into binary data, then, since so as to separate the maintenance program files 20 ₁ to 20 _3, the transmission of data on the transmission line is reduced, which quickly and efficiently can remote maintenance Has become.

In the above embodiment, the case where there are three maintenance program files has been described, but the number of maintenance program files is not limited to this, and may be any number.

In the above embodiment, the case of converting binary data into an EBCDIC code has been described. In this case, the JCA procedure used as an example of the transmission procedure has a specification to perform data transmission with the EBCDIC code. Because.

Therefore, in another transmission procedure, it is necessary to convert the character code into another character code required by the procedure, for example, the JIS code.
It can be converted to the required character code and file can be transmitted.

[0060]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
Even if the maintenance program file is created in binary format, it is possible to transfer the file using the JCA procedure.
Further, it is possible to provide a data communication system capable of transmitting a plurality of maintenance program files with one dial connection and preventing transmission omissions.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of a data communication system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 program file 11 binding portion of the upper unit 2 terminal apparatus 10 ₁ to 10 _n upper device (coupling means) 12 the character conversion unit (character converting means) 13 transmitting means 20 ₁ to 20 _n terminal program file 21 separation unit (Separation means) 22 Binary conversion section (Binary conversion means) 23 Reception means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of programs written in binary
File (10₁,Ten ₂~Ten_n) Joining means (11)
When, In the binary file obtained by combining with the combining means (11)
A character that converts each binary data of
Lacta conversion means (12), Character data converted by the character conversion means (12)
Transmission means (13) for transmitting data according to a predetermined communication procedure.
A data transmission device comprising: 2. A receiving means (23) for receiving character data including a plurality of programs in accordance with a predetermined communication procedure.
A binary conversion means (22) for converting each character data received by the receiving means (23) into binary data to create a binary file, and a binary file obtained by the binary conversion means (22) Multiple programs written in (20 ₁ , 20
_{2 to} 20 _n ) and a separating means (21) for separating the data receiving apparatus. 3. The data transmitting apparatus according to claim 1 converts a plurality of programs described in binary into character data and transmits the character data, and the data receiving apparatus according to claim 2 receives and converts the program into binary data. A data communication system characterized in that it is separated into a plurality of programs.