JPH06177882A - Remote terminal maintenance method for isdn communication network - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily acquire maintenance data at a remote position without setting a packet protocol into each communication terminal. CONSTITUTION:A call setting (SETUP) message includes an ID to request the return of the version information, for example, as the maintenance data on the opposite party to a UU1 of a maintenance terminal equipment. Then the SETUP message is sent to a terminal equipment 4 via an ISDN communication network 3. The equipment 4 analyzes the UUI of the received SETUP message. If a version check ID is included in the SETUP message, the equipment 4 sent an answer (CONN) and then returns a cut (DISC) message including the version information on its own terminal to the equipment 1. The equipment 1 analyzes the UUI of the received DISC frame and acquires the version information on the equipment 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for remote maintenance of terminals in an ISDN communication network, and more particularly to an ISD for obtaining maintenance data of a terminal device connected to the ISDN communication network from a remote location.
The present invention relates to a remote terminal maintenance method in an N communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional method for remote maintenance of terminals in an ISDN communication network is to obtain maintenance data from a remote location by using packet communication or the like, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-77142. Was there. Of these maintenance data, in particular, version (version number) information regarding the functions of software and hardware in the communication terminal connected to the ISDN communication network is important. For example, even after the terminal device is delivered as a product and connected to the ISDN communication network and started to be used, if the version upgrades (revisions) are frequently performed one after another, the versions tend to become inconsistent, and the It was necessary to unify the versions of.

Conventionally, however, packet communication has been used to collect maintenance data such as version information of each communication terminal by remote control as described above.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional terminal remote maintenance method in the ISDN communication network, maintenance data such as version information is obtained by using packet communication, so that the maintenance data is monitored. There is a problem in that the packet protocol must be incorporated into the maintenance terminal device and all the terminal devices to be monitored.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and remote maintenance of terminals in an ISDN communication network in which desired maintenance data can be easily obtained from remote locations without incorporating a packet protocol in each communication terminal. The purpose is to provide a method.

[0006]

The invention according to claim 1 is an IS
A call setup (SETUP) message in which the predetermined maintenance data return request ID of the partner terminal for maintenance is included in the user / user information of the maintenance terminal device connected to the DN communication network is sent to the partner terminal, and the partner terminal Maintenance data return request ID in the user / user information of the received call setup message
When a response (CONN) message or a response (CONN) message is sent, disconnection (DIS) is detected.
C) The user / user information in the message is loaded with the maintenance data of its own device and returned to the maintenance terminal device, the user / user information in the message received by the maintenance terminal device is analyzed, and the result is sent to the ISDN communication network. It is characterized in that predetermined maintenance data of the connected terminal device is obtained from a remote place.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the maintenance terminal device connected to the ISDN communication network sends a call setup (SETUP) message to the partner terminal, and a call setup acceptance (CALL PROC) message from the partner terminal is sent in response to the call setup (SETUP) message. Existence,
The presence or absence of the response message is detected by the maintenance terminal device, and the failure status of the partner terminal is determined based on the detection result.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the maintenance terminal device 1 requests the maintenance data return request to the UUI in the call setup (SETUP) message when a call is made to the partner terminal 4 for which predetermined maintenance data is to be obtained. The ID is entered and sent, the partner terminal 4 sends a response (CONN) message, and then sends back the version information of its own device in the UUI in the disconnect (DISC) message, which is analyzed by the maintenance terminal device 1. Is.
For this reason, it becomes possible to request and return predetermined maintenance data only with the normal Dch protocol of ISDN, and it is possible to easily check the version information of the communication terminal connected to ISDN at a remote place.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, by observing the transmission of the call setup (SETUP) message from the maintenance terminal device 1 and the reaction from the partner terminal 4 in response to this,
It is possible to easily determine a network abnormality with the partner terminal 4 or a failure status of the communication terminal.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration will be described. FIG. 1 is a network configuration diagram showing an ISDN communication network to which a communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a maintenance terminal device which is connected to an ISDN line 2 and collects maintenance data such as version information of a terminal device 4 which is to be maintained via an ISDN communication network 3 from a remote location. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the outline of the internal configuration of the maintenance terminal device 1 of FIG. Here, a facsimile machine is used.

In the figure, 5 is a protocol control unit for executing a communication protocol in ISDN, 6 is a ROM (Read Only Memory) in which a basic program for operating the maintenance terminal device 1 is stored in advance, and parameters and registration relating to system control. RAM (Random AccessM) that stores the line data etc.
memory, which is composed of a memory, etc., 7 is an ISDN interface unit that is connected to an ISDN line and performs data transmission / reception processing, 8 is a CPU that controls the entire system of the maintenance terminal device 1 based on a program in the memory 6, and 9 is maintenance An image control unit that controls the processing of image information when the terminal device 1 is normally used as a facsimile device,
Reference numeral 10 is a system bus that connects the above-mentioned units to exchange data.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 1. First, from the maintenance terminal device 1 shown in FIG.
To check, for example, version information as maintenance data in order to maintain the terminal device 4 at a remote place via the DN communication network 3, put the version information of the partner terminal on the UUI of the maintenance terminal device 1. The IDs instructing to return the data are preliminarily agreed with each other, and the UUI containing the ID is sent to the terminal device 4 after being placed on the call setting (SETUP).

Therefore, in the terminal device 4, as shown in FIG. 3, it is judged whether or not the call setting (SETUP) is sent from the maintenance terminal device 1 (step 100), and if it is the call setting (SETUP). For example, it is determined whether or not the UUI therein is the version checking UUI (step 10).
1). If the UUI includes the version check ID, after the terminal device 4 receives the call, it sends a response (CONN) to the maintenance terminal device 1 and disconnects the UUI containing the version information of its own terminal ( A DISC) message is sent to the maintenance terminal device 1 (step 102).

Further, in the case of the above embodiment, the version information is put on the disconnection (DISC) message and the terminal device 4
Although it has been returned to the maintenance terminal device 1 from the above, it may be returned in addition to this in the response (CONN) message. Then, on the side of the maintenance terminal device 1, I of FIG.
DISC received via SDN interface unit 7
After the UUI of the frame is temporarily stored in the memory 6, the UUI received by the protocol control unit 5 is analyzed.
The version information of the terminal device 4 can be obtained.

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, I
Call setup (SET) is performed according to the SDN communication protocol procedure.
UP) The UUI including the ID requesting the return of predetermined maintenance data is sent to the partner terminal 4 in the UP message and sent, and the partner terminal puts its own maintenance data in the UUI and disconnects (DISC) Message or response (CON
N) Since the message is returned as a message, desired maintenance data can be easily obtained at a remote place without using a special packet communication procedure as in the past.

Next, FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 2. In the case of the second embodiment, the maintenance terminal device 1 of FIG. 1 discriminates the terminal device 4 from the abnormality of the communication network or the failure of the communication terminal. First, the maintenance terminal device 1 sends a call setup (SETUP) to the terminal device 4 in accordance with a normal ISDN communication protocol procedure (step 200). Then, in response to this, the terminal device 4 transmits a call setting acceptance (CALL PROC) to the maintenance terminal device 1 and determines whether or not the maintenance terminal device 1 has received this (step 201). .

Here, the call setting acceptance (CALL PRO
If C) is not received, it can be determined that some abnormality may have occurred in the communication network (step 202). When the call setting acceptance (CALL PROC) is received but the response (CONN) is not received (step 20)
3) It can be determined that the terminal device 4 may have failed (step 204).

Further, when the maintenance terminal device 1 receives the call setting acceptance (CALL PROC) and the response (CONN), it can be determined that there is no abnormality. As described above, according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily determine the abnormality of the communication network with the partner terminal 4 or the malfunction of the partner terminal and perform maintenance using only the normal ISDN protocol. Became.

[0020]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a call is made to a partner terminal which wants to obtain predetermined maintenance data, a call setting (SET) is made.
UP) Maintenance data return request ID in UUI in the message
After sending the response (CONN) message, the other terminal puts the predetermined maintenance data of its own device in the UUI in the disconnection (DISC) message and sends it back, and this is analyzed by the maintenance terminal device. Therefore, ISDN normal Dch
It is possible to request and return predetermined maintenance data of the partner terminal only by the protocol, and it is possible to easily check the maintenance data such as version information of the communication terminal at the remote place connected to the ISDN.

According to the invention of claim 2, the call setup (S
It is possible to easily determine the abnormality of the communication network with the partner terminal and the failure status of the partner terminal only by sending the ETUP) message and the reaction from the partner terminal.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a network configuration diagram showing an ISDN communication network to which a communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an outline of an internal configuration of a maintenance terminal device 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 maintenance terminal device 2 ISDN line 3 ISDN communication network 4 terminal device 5 protocol control unit 6 memory 7 ISDN interface unit 8 CPU 9 image control unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A call setting (SETU) in which a predetermined maintenance data return request ID of a partner terminal for maintenance is included in user / user information of a maintenance terminal device connected to an ISDN communication network.
P) The message is sent to the partner terminal, and when the partner data detects the maintenance data return request ID in the user / user information of the received call setting message, the reply (CONN) message or the reply (CON) message is sent.
N) Disconnection after sending message (DISC) The user / user information in the message is loaded with the maintenance data of the own machine and returned to the maintenance terminal device, and the user / user information in the message received by the maintenance terminal device is returned. ISD characterized by analyzing and obtaining predetermined maintenance data of a terminal device connected to the ISDN communication network from a remote location.
Terminal remote maintenance method in N communication network. 2. A maintenance terminal device connected to an ISDN communication network sends a call setup (SETUP) message to a partner terminal, and a call setup acceptance (CALL P
ROC) The presence / absence of a message and the presence / absence of a response message are detected by the maintenance terminal device, and the failure status of the partner terminal is judged based on the detection result. The remote terminal maintenance method in the ISDN communication network is characterized. .