JPH05265977A - Input/output control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the availability of a peripheral device by grouping plural peripheral devices, and executing input/output by selecting the arbitrary peripheral device in an unworking state in a group to which the required peripheral device belongs. CONSTITUTION:In a controller 30, a group address discriminating part 32 discriminates whether a frame transferred from one of CPUs 10 to 12 is direct designation or group designation. Then, at the time of the group designation, the group address is sent to a group address correspondence table 33. A working state managing part 35 selects the working state of the peripheral devices 2 connected to ports 36 corresponding to the plural addresses sent from the table 33, and a port address selecting part 34 selects the unworking peripheral device 2. A data switch part 31 sends the transferred frame sent from the CPU to the port 36 corresponding to the port address sent from the port address selecting part 34.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention controls a path between a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of peripheral devices shared by the CPUs by a control device to input / output data between a predetermined CPU and peripheral devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to an input / output control system in which a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of peripheral devices are switched and connected so that they can be efficiently used, and a path that has been switched is reserved / released.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of peripheral devices shared by the CPUs (for example, an input / output device such as an external storage device or a printer) are mutually connected by a control device to input / output data. A known method is to switch the transmission path between the CPU and peripheral devices. In this method, the CPU side port and the peripheral device side port to be connected are designated and switched one-to-one (one CPU designates one peripheral device in advance by a program or the like to perform input / output). In addition, the port is used / unused for each input / output unit.

A system related to this type is Nikkei Computer 1991.1.28 (No. 24).
5) "E, which was introduced by IBM, the aim of the next generation channel
SCON ”.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned prior art, when a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of peripheral devices are connected to each other, one of the CPU side port and one of the peripheral device side ports are designated in advance by a program or the like. Since switching is performed, when the specified peripheral device is operating, even if there is another peripheral device that is not in operation, the peripheral device must wait for the specified peripheral device to become available. The utilization efficiency of the device is poor.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention can share any of a plurality of peripheral devices with a plurality of CPUs, such as a printer device and an external storage device, and can use only one of these peripheral devices. When the output processing can complete the required input / output processing, it was considered to select an empty one of those peripheral devices and perform the input / output by the peripheral device. In this case, for a shared peripheral device group (the number of peripheral devices is one or more) commonly connected to a plurality of CPUs, one of the CPUs selects an inactive peripheral device in this peripheral device group. A specific CP in the shared system for input / output
When the U monitors and supervises the operating status of the shared peripheral device and other CPUs want to perform input / output to / from the shared peripheral device group, this "specific" CPU is inquired about the operating status of the shared peripheral device, and the Dynamic path specification based on the result (CPU
By designating the side port and the peripheral device side port), a method of improving the utilization efficiency of the peripheral device can be considered.
However, in this method, a specific CPU in the system must monitor and manage the operating status of each of a large number of peripheral devices, and must also inquire about the operating status of each peripheral device. An increase in overhead and a decrease in connection efficiency with peripheral devices pose problems.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to overcome the above problems of the prior art and to control switching of paths between a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of peripheral devices shared by the plurality of CPUs. This makes it possible to efficiently use a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of peripheral devices, and to provide an input / output control system that does not increase the CPU overhead and decrease the connection efficiency with peripheral devices.

Further, in the above conventional technique, switching of paths between a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of peripheral devices is performed by one I / O.
Port switching is performed in units of O (input / output unit), so that a single job can be performed by executing a series of (plural) input / output commands, such as when printing a large document several times. If an interrupt from another CPU occurs in the middle of the process, the problem that the required work cannot be completed occurs.

Therefore, a second object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of I's.
An object of the present invention is to provide an input / output method that enables a single integrated job to be performed by occupying a path between a CPU and a peripheral device in a job unit including an / O processing unit.

[0009]

In order to achieve the first object, the present invention switches input / output paths between a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of peripheral devices to perform input / output to / from required peripheral devices. In the input / output control method, the plurality of peripheral devices are grouped (means defined as a group)
A means for managing the operating status of the peripheral device in each group, a means for selecting an inactive peripheral device in the group to which the required peripheral device belongs, and a means for inputting / outputting data to / from the selected peripheral device. And a means for switching the output path.

Further, the grouping means, the operating state managing means, the non-operating state peripheral device selecting means, and the input / output path switching means are provided on the control device.

In addition to the above means, one of the CPUs dynamically designates one of the peripheral devices directly and switches the path so that input / output is performed to the designated peripheral device. Can also be used in combination.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned second object, when a business consisting of a plurality of input / output processing units is further executed, the path between the CPU and the required peripheral circuit is occupied in each business unit.

[0013]

The operation based on the above configuration will be described.

According to the present invention, when a plurality of CPUs perform input / output to a plurality of shared peripheral devices connected to the control device, these peripheral devices are grouped (definition of grouping), and each peripheral device is grouped. The operating status of peripheral devices in the group is constantly managed and monitored. Then, when the CPU attempts to perform input / output to / from a required peripheral device, the CPU transfers the data by adding the peripheral device address information defined for each group to the frame to be transferred to the peripheral device. Then, the non-operational (non-operational) peripheral device in the group to which the required peripheral device belongs is selected, the path to the selected peripheral device is switched and connected, and input / output is performed. As a result, if any one of the peripheral devices in the group is in a non-operational state, it is possible to immediately establish a path to this peripheral device and perform input / output.
Compared to the conventional method of designating the CPU and the peripheral device on a one-to-one basis, there is almost no need to wait for an active peripheral device to become available, and the utilization efficiency of the peripheral device is improved.

Further, an operating state management means for the peripheral devices of each group, a non-operating peripheral device selecting means for the group, an input / output path switching means, etc. are provided in the control device, and the non-operating peripheral devices under the control device are provided. Since the selection switching for the CPUs is collectively controlled, the CPUs that try to perform input / output in the system are connected to the peripherals one by one as in the case where a specific CPU is provided to manage the operating states of many peripheral devices. There is no need to inquire the operating status of the device to a specific CPU, and it is not necessary to be aware of which peripheral device in the group the input / output is performed. Simply by specifying the group, the control device will perform all subsequent selective connection operations. As a result of being able to input and output to the required I / O device,
The processing can be executed efficiently without increasing the CPU overhead.

Further, in combination with the above means, the CPU 1
One directly specifies one of multiple peripherals,
The specified peripheral device has the function of inputting and outputting. In this case, the control device determines, based on the address information of the transfer frame within the control device, whether to perform input / output to the specified peripheral device or to the peripheral device group defined by the group, and if the former, Immediately transfers the frame to the specified peripheral. In the latter case, select a peripheral device group that has a group definition from the address information,
From the operating status management unit (management means) that manages the operating status of peripheral devices, check the operating status of the peripheral device group and the reserve / release status of the port, and select the peripheral device that is inactive from the peripheral device group. Select and send frame to its peripherals.

Further, in the case of carrying out a task consisting of a plurality of input / output processing units, when occupying (reserving) the path between the CPU and the required peripheral circuit in the task unit, specifically,
When the path between the CPU and the peripheral device (printer etc.) is established, the port reserve command is used to occupy the port of the control device to which the peripheral device to be reserved is connected,
This port is released by the pass release command at the end of business.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system that realizes the input / output control method of the present invention. CPUs 10 and 1 for processing information.
1 and 12 and peripheral devices 20, 21, ... 2n that perform input / output based on instructions from the CPU, and the CPU and peripheral devices are connected to each other, and correspond to address information added to a frame to be transferred. In addition, the control device (input / output control device) 30 is capable of switching the input / output path between the CPU and the peripheral device.

A CPU and peripheral devices are connected to the control device 30, and a port 36 having a function of occupying / releasing by a path reserve / release command from the CPU.
And a group address determination unit 32 that determines whether the transfer frame is direct designation or group designation based on the definition of the group address identification information included in the frame transferred between the CPU and the peripheral device, and the port corresponding to the group address. A group address correspondence table 33 that defines an address group, and an operating state management that manages the operating states of the peripheral devices 20, 21, ... 2n connected to the control device 30 and the reserve / release state of the port 36. Section 35 and the operating status information of the peripheral devices 20, 21, ... 2n reported from the operating status management section 35 and the port 3
It is sent through the group address determination unit 32 and the port address selection unit 34 that selects a peripheral device in an inactive state according to the reserve / release status information of No. 6 and specifies the port address to which the peripheral device is connected. The data switch unit 31 that switches the transfer frame to each port according to the port address in the transfer frame or the port address specified by the port address selection unit 34.
It is composed of and. (Here, in the reserved state, when a peripheral device performs input / output processing many times with a series of instructions, a specific CPU is connected so that another CPU cannot enter until the processing is completed. The operating state refers to the state of the reserved state during which the peripheral device is actually performing input / output).

FIG. 2 shows the structure of a frame to be transferred between the CPU and the peripheral device. The transfer frame has control information (including a device address) and data (these parts are the same as usual ones). Is omitted), and address information 50 is added to the head of the address information. The address information 50 is group address identification information 51 that specifies whether a transfer frame is to be transferred directly to a designated port (direct designation) or to a port group defined in the group address correspondence table 33 (group designation). By specifying the group address identification information 51 (direct specification or group specification), a peripheral device side port address or an address A52 specifying a group address, an address B53 specifying a CPU side port address, and a peripheral device side address Port reserve / release information for port reserve / release 5
4 and.

FIG. 3 shows the correspondence of the port addresses fixedly added one by one to each port 36 in the control device 30, and is set for each port on the CPU side and the peripheral device side.

FIG. 4 shows the correspondence between group addresses and port addresses defined in the group address correspondence table 33 in the control device 30.

(Embodiment 1) In the present embodiment, the CPU 1
A case where a frame is transferred from 1 to one of the peripheral devices 20 and 21 by group designation will be described below as an example.

The group address identification information 51 in the address information 50 of the frame (FIG. 2) transferred from the CPU 11 is set to the group designation information "1", and the address A52 is set to the group address "00". The port address "01" of the CPU side port is set in the address B53.

From the CPU 11 to the port N of the control device 30
o. The frame sent to No. 2 is sent to the data switch section 31 and the group address discrimination section 32, and the group address discrimination section 32 determines that this transfer frame is a group designation by the information of the group address identification information 51 of the transfer frame. Then, the group address “00” set in the address A52 is sent to the group address correspondence table 33. Group address correspondence table 3
3 is a port address “03”, “0” defined from the group address “00” sent from the group address discrimination unit 32, corresponding to the address “00”.
4 "(FIG. 4) is sent to the port address selection unit 34 and the operating state management unit 35. In the operating state management unit 35, the port 3
It manages the latest operating status (operating status or non-operating status) and port reserve / release status of the peripheral devices 20, 21, ... Peripheral devices 20, 2 connected to port addresses "03", "04"
The operating state of 1 and the reserve / release state of the port are sent to the port address selecting unit 34. In this description, the peripheral devices 20 and 21 are in the operating state, that is, the peripheral device 20 is in the operating state, the peripheral device 21 is in the non-operating state, 4 is reserved, port No. 5 is in the release state.

The port address selection unit 34 selects an inactive peripheral device 21 from the operation status information of the peripheral devices 20 and 21 and the port reserve / release status information sent from the operation management unit 35, and its surroundings. The port address “04” of the port to which the device 21 is connected is sent to the data switch unit 31.

The data switch unit 31 sends the transfer frame sent from the CPU 11 to the port with the port address "04" in response to the port address "04" sent from the port address selecting unit 34, and sends it to the peripheral. The device 21 processes the transfer frame.

(Embodiment 2) In this configuration, the CPU 12
When a frame is to be transferred from the CPU 12 to the peripheral device 20 by direct designation, "0" which is direct designation is set in the group address identification information 51 in the address information 50 of the frame (FIG. 2) transferred from the CPU 12. The port address "03" is set in the address A52.

From the CPU 12 to the port N of the controller 30
o. The frame sent to No. 3 is sent to the data switch unit 31 and the group address discrimination unit 32, and the group address discrimination unit 32 determines that the transfer frame is directly designated by the information of the group address identification information 51 of the transfer frame. And the port address “03” set in the address A52 is set to the data switch unit 31.
Send to.

The data switch unit 31 sends the port address "03" sent from the group address determination unit 32.
In response to the above, the transfer frame sent from the CPU 12 is sent to the port with the port address “03”, and the peripheral device 20 processes the transfer frame.

(Embodiment 3) Peripheral devices (printers, etc.) that need to reserve / release paths in business units (units of a plurality of I / O processes) are inactive in the peripheral device group by the group designation from the CPU. The operation of the path reserve / release when inputting / outputting to / from the state peripheral device will be described.

The path connection between the CPU and the inactive peripheral devices in the peripheral device group is performed in the same procedure as in the first embodiment.

Further, in the path reserve / release operation in this embodiment, in addition to the first embodiment, the path reserve command is set in the path reserve / release information 54 in the address information 50 of the frame transferred from the CPU 11 at the start of work. "0" is set and sent.

In the first embodiment, when the path is first connected between the CPU 11 and the peripheral device 21, the port to which the peripheral device 21 is connected by the parize command set in the path reserve / release information 54. N
o. 5 (port address "04") is in the reserved state, and during the reserved state, frames from CPUs other than the CPU 11 are not accepted. And the reserve state is the CPU
This continues until the path reserve / release information 54 of the frame transferred from 11 is set to "1" which is the path release command, and the port is released at this point.

Therefore, a business unit (a plurality of I / O processing units)
Peripheral devices that require pass reservation / release are CP
By adding a path reserve command to the frame at the start of work from U and a path release command to the frame at the end of work, it becomes possible to reserve / release the path for each business unit (multiple I / O processing units). , Can be connected.

As the criteria for grouping in the present embodiment, printers of the same type (which can be output by any printer) or those which may be input from any input device are grouped together. To

[0038]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, in an input / output control system having a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of shared peripheral devices, a plurality of peripheral devices are grouped and a group to which a required peripheral device belongs. Since an arbitrary peripheral device in a non-operating state is selected and input / output is performed, there is an effect that the utilization efficiency of the peripheral device can be improved. In addition, a means for selecting a peripheral device in this group that is not in operation within the group is provided on the control device,
Since the selection switching control for the peripheral devices under the control is performed collectively, the CPU that intends to perform input / output is
It is possible to automatically select an inactive peripheral device and perform input / output by simply specifying a group without increasing overhead.

Further, by using the path reserve / release function, it is necessary to reserve / release the path for each business unit (a plurality of I / O processing units) so as not to interrupt other CPUs during the plurality of I / O processing. The peripheral device (printer or the like) can be connected to the control device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of an input / output control system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a transfer frame transferred between a CPU and a peripheral device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a correspondence table of port addresses individually attached to ports in the control device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a correspondence table of group addresses and port address groups defined in a group address correspondence table in the control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 11, 12 CPU 20, 21, 2n Peripheral device 30 Control device 31 Data switch unit 32 Group address determination unit 33 Group address correspondence table 34 Port address selection unit 35 Operating state management unit 36 ports

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An input / output control system for switching input / output paths between a plurality of CPUs and a plurality of peripheral devices to input / output to / from a required peripheral device, and means for grouping the plurality of peripheral devices. Means for managing the operating state of the peripheral device in each group, means for selecting an inactive peripheral device in the group to which the required peripheral device belongs, and the input / output path for inputting / outputting to / from the selected peripheral device And an input / output control system characterized by comprising means for switching between. 2. The control device is provided with the grouping means, the operating state management means, the peripheral device selection means, and the input / output path switching means. Input / output control method described in 1. 3. A means for dynamically designating one of a plurality of peripheral devices by one of the CPUs and adding a means for switching paths so that input / output is performed to the designated peripheral device. The input / output control system according to claim 1 or 2. 4. When carrying out a job consisting of a plurality of input / output processing units, the path between the CPU and the required peripheral circuit is occupied in each job unit. The input / output control method according to any one of items 1.