JPH05342135A - File device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To appropriately operate a buffer by providing a buffer memory for storing data inputted and outputted to and from a storage device by a file controller, and managing in a lump an allocation and a collection to each device. CONSTITUTION:In a file controller 5, there is a buffer memory consisting of plural storage units for storing data inputted and outputted to and from a storage device 8, they are pooled in a lump, and when the connected device accesses the storage device 8, a necessary number of storage units are allocated, and collected after they are used. The buffer memory is not allocated fixedly at every connected device, as conventional, therefore, it can be prevented that it is insufficient in one device and is left over in the other device, and a buffer system can be used effectively. Also, each storage unit is arranged in order and used in order from the head one, and the used storage unit is returned in front of the head one at that time point, therefore, allocation and collection processings of the storage unit can be executed quickly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a file device that constitutes a small star network in which a plurality of office automation devices are connected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a main multi-user document file system, a storage device for storing a document such as an optical disc device or a magnetic disc device, a retrieval device for retrieving a document stored in this storage device, and a document printing device are provided. A system is used in which a printing device and a plurality of workstations for man-machine interface are connected in a star shape to a file controller as a center device.

[0003]

In such a system, when there is a read or write request to the storage device from each device connected to the file controller, the data is first read or written in the buffer and then this data is sent to the request source. Transfer or write to storage. This buffer was fixedly assigned to each connected device. For this reason, there has been a situation in which a certain device has a shortage of the buffer amount to be used at the same time, and a certain device has an excessive buffer amount.

Each workstation uses the connection information of each device connected to the file controller to access that device. Conventionally, each of the other workstations connected to the file controller has this connection information, and the device connected to the file controller is accessed based on this information. However, when each workstation has connection information as described above, some work stations are not updated, and there is also a case where connection information having common contents is lost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a file device that appropriately operates a buffer of a file controller and has common connection information.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, a storage device, an input / output device for inputting / outputting to / from the storage device, a search device for searching the storage device, the storage device, and A file device is configured by an entry device, a plurality of workstations that access the search device, and a storage device, the input / output device, the search device, and a file controller that controls the workstation. A buffer memory having a plurality of storage units for storing data input / output to / from a storage device is provided, and the allocation of the storage unit and the collection after use are collectively managed for each of the devices that access the storage device. To

Further, when the file controller allocates and collects the storage units to each of the devices that access the storage device, the storage units are arranged in order,
When allocating from the first one and collecting it, return it to the front.

A storage device, an input / output device for inputting / outputting data to / from the storage device, a search device for searching the storage device, and a plurality of devices for accessing the storage device, the input / output device, and the search device. And a storage device, the input / output device, the search device, and a file controller that controls the workstation, and a file device is configured, and one of the plurality of workstations is used as a privileged workstation. A storage unit for storing connection information of each of the devices connected to the file controller is provided, and the connection multiplication is input to the file controller when the file controller does not hold the connection information when the file device is started up. It was done like this.

[0009]

The file controller has a buffer memory composed of a plurality of storage units for storing the data to be input / output to / from the storage device. It is necessary to pool the buffer memory at a time and to allow the connected device to access the storage device. Allocate a number of storage units and collect after use. It is possible to prevent the shortage in one device and the surplus in the other device without fixedly allocating the buffer memory for each connected device as in the past, and to effectively use the buffer system. it can.

Further, since the respective storage units are arranged in order and used in order from the first one, and the used storage unit is returned to the one before the first one at that point in time, the allocation and collection processing of the storage unit is performed. Can be done quickly.

The latest connection information of each device connected to the file controller is stored in the storage unit of the privileged workstation, and the connection information is input from the privileged workstation when the file device is started up. By inputting this connection information, each workstation can access the file device by the common connection information.

[0012]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a star network system is constructed. One file controller 5 is provided with a plurality of workstations 2 and 3, a search device 4, an input device 6 such as a scanner, an output device 7 such as a printer, and a plurality of storage devices. 8 is connected. In FIG. 1, the search device 4, the input device 6, and the output device 7 are each one, but a desired number can be connected.

One of the workstations connected to the system is a privileged workstation 2, and the privileged workstation 2 stores a connection information file storage unit 1 storing connection information of each device connected to the file controller 5. have. The search device 4 searches the data stored in the storage device 8. An optical disk or a magnetic disk is used as the storage device 8, and some storage devices 8 have a sub storage device 8 which is further connected to one storage device 8.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the connection information file. The connection information indicates the attribute of the device connected for each channel, and is a device indicating whether it is an active terminal such as the workstations 2 and 3, a passive terminal such as the scanner 6 or the printer 7, or not connected. A sub-channel that indicates the type, the number assigned in the system of the device connected to the channel, and the number of devices connected further below as described in the storage device 8 in FIG. Represents a number. In addition, the number of commands that can be executed at one time in each device, the response time, and the like are also stored.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the file controller 5. The main memory 11 has a file management unit which stores and manages the connection information shown in FIG. 2 and a buffer management unit which manages a transmission buffer memory 14 described later. The clock circuit 12 is provided to indicate the processing time,
The communication control unit 13 controls communication with each device in the connected system. The transmission buffer memory 14 is used for communication with each connected device, is composed of n storage units, and is numbered # 1 to #n in order. The DMA controller 15 is a central processing unit (CPU) 17 that controls the whole.
This is a device for transmitting data in the transmission buffer memory 14 without going through.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 4 is an operation flow diagram of the privileged workstation. First, the workstation checks whether or not the connection information is installed in the file controller 5 when the system starts up (step 20), and if not, reads the connection information from its own storage unit and transfers it (step 21). As a result, the file controller 5 has the connection information and can transfer the connection information to the general workstation 3 to which the file controller 5 is connected. As a result, the system can always be operated with common (same) connection information. At this time, the time of the clock of the privileged workstation is also transferred, and thereafter, the common time can be obtained by setting the clock of each device to this time.

Next, a connection request is sent to the file controller 5 (step 22), and a connection information file is received from the file controller (step 23). This makes it possible to confirm that the connection information of the file controller 5 and the connection information of the privileged workstation are the same.
Next, using this connection information, the channel number of each device connected to the file controller 5 is known, the data in the storage device 8 is searched and the data is registered in the storage device 8 (step 24). After the processing is completed, a connection release request is issued to the file controller 5 (step 25), and the processing is ended.

Next, the operation of the general workstation is shown in FIG.
Will be explained. First, a connection request is issued to the file controller 5 (step 30), and when connected (step 31), a connection information file is received from the file controller 5 (step 32). Next, use this connection information to know the channel number of the device connected to the system,
Performs registration, search, etc. (step 33), and when completed, issues a disconnection request to the file controller 5 (step
34), end.

Next, the transmission buffer memory 14 shown in FIG. 3 will be described. FIG. 6 shows the structure of the transmission buffer memory 14. The transmission buffer memory 14 is divided into n buffers, numbered from # 1 to #n. FIG. 7 illustrates a specific example of the operation of allocating a divided buffer to the device connected to the channel number which is the connection terminal number of the file controller 5 and collecting the returned one after use. It is a figure.

Let us say that the two channels are CH1 and CH2, and the processing for these will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 7A, CH1 secures buffer # 1 and buffer # 2, and C
H2 reserves buffer # 3. Other buffers are linked to free buffers. Next, as shown in (b), CH1
When the transmission of the data stored in the buffer # 1 is completed, the data is returned to the empty buffer. In the empty buffer, it waits and links before the head of the buffer sequence. Next, as shown in (c), when data arrives at CH2, the buffer # 1 at the head of the empty buffer link is taken out.

In this way, the transmission buffer memory 14 is divided into storage units, pooled into one unit, taken out in order from the beginning in response to a request, and if returned, it is returned before the one currently linked to the beginning. Go on. By doing so, the buffer memory 14 can be effectively used and can be quickly managed.

FIG. 8 is an operation flow chart of the transmission buffer memory 14. (A) is an operation flow for initial setting, in which all storage units # 1 to #n are linked to free buffers (step 40). (B) is an operation flow when the buffer is used. When the buffer request is from the connection device, it is checked whether or not there is a free storage unit (step 50). If not, error processing is performed (step 51). If there is, the buffer is taken out from the beginning of the link of the empty buffer (step 52), and the taken out buffer is linked to the designated channel (step 53). (C) is a flow for releasing the used buffer. The buffer to be released is removed from the specified channel (step 60), and the removed buffer is linked to the head of the empty buffer (step 6).
1).

[0024]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the memory space of the transmission buffer is not fixed for each channel but is managed in common, so that the use efficiency of the transmission buffer can be improved. Moreover, common connection information can be always secured by managing the connection information by the privileged workstation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a specific example of a connection information file.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a file controller.

[Figure 4] Privileged workstation operation flow chart

[Figure 5] General workstation operation flow chart

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a transmission buffer memory.

FIG. 7 is a diagram explaining how to use a transmission buffer memory.

FIG. 8 is an operation flow diagram of a buffer of a transmission buffer memory.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Connection Information File Storage 2 Privileged Workstation 3 General Workstation 4 Search Device 5 File Controller 6 Input Device 7 Output Device 8 Storage Device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A storage device, an input / output device for performing input / output to and from the storage device, a search device for searching the storage device, and a plurality of devices for accessing the storage device, the input / output device, and the search device. Workstation and the storage device,
A file device is configured by the input / output device, the search device, and a file controller that controls the workstation, and the file controller has a buffer memory including a plurality of storage units for storing data input / output to / from the storage device. The file device is characterized in that allocation of the storage unit and collection after use are collectively managed for each of the devices that access the storage device. 2. When the file controller allocates and collects the storage units to each of the devices that access the storage device, the storage units are arranged in order, and when the storage units are allocated and collected from the top, The file device according to claim 1, wherein the file device is returned to the front. 3. A storage device, an input / output device for inputting / outputting to / from the storage device, a search device for searching the storage device, and a plurality of accessing the storage device, the input / output device, and the search device. Workstation and the storage device,
A connection information of each of the above-mentioned devices that configures a file device by the input / output device, the search device, and a file controller that controls the workstation, and connects one of the plurality of workstations to the file controller as a privileged workstation. A file having a storage unit for storing the file information and inputting the connection information to the file controller when the file controller does not hold the connection information when the file device is started up. apparatus.