JPH07134699A - Generating system for connection device status managing table in multiprocessor system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a working load and to shorten the start-up time of the whole system when each device generates a connection device status managing table in a multiprocessor system consisting of plural devices with different power source control. CONSTITUTION:Two devices 100, 200 are connected together via an inter-device communication path 13. When a power source is already applied to the device 200 and the power source is applied to the device 100 later, the master processor 1 of the device 100 issues a packaging inquiry to all entries on a device communication path 5, and responses are returned from slave processors 9, 10, and the master processor 1 registers the slave processors 9, 10 on a device packaging table. Also, an inquiry is issued from a processor 2 for communication to the device 200, and the master processor 1 in the device 200 receiving the inquiry registers the device 100 on the connection device state managing table additionally, and returns a response message to the device 100 via a processor 8 for communication. In the device 100, the master processor 1 receives the message, and registers the device 200 on the connection device status managing table.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention enables communication between devices in a multiprocessor system composed of several processor clusters (hereinafter referred to as "devices") having different power control systems. The present invention relates to a method of creating and updating the connected device status management table held by each device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of multiprocessor system, in order to enable communication between devices, each device is in a state of another device (for example, identification information and mounting position of the other device).
It holds a connection device status management table that describes This connection device status management table is created by each device individually, but in order to create the connection device status management table, each device must acquire its status from other devices by communication.

By the way, in this type of system, since the power supply control system is different for each device, the startup time of each device is different. Therefore, the device that was launched earlier (hereinafter,
The “preceding device” cannot acquire the state of the device that starts up later (hereinafter referred to as “trailing device”) at the start-up time. The preceding device must acquire the status of the succeeding device after the succeeding device has started up, and additionally register it in the connection status management table in its own device.

Conventionally, the following two methods are known as methods for the preceding device to additionally register the state of the succeeding device.

(1) A method in which the preceding device periodically issues a response request to another device and registers when a response is received.

(2) A method in which the succeeding device notifies the preceding device that its own device has started up, and the preceding device performs registration.

[0007]

However, the method (1) has a problem that the processing load on the device is large because the preceding device needs to make an inquiry periodically. Further, if the inquiry interval is long, there is also a problem that a lag dime (delay time) that cannot be ignored occurs from the time the trailing device is actually started up to the time it is registered.

Further, the method (2) has a problem that the startup time of the entire system becomes long.

That is, each device is composed of several processors, one of which is a communication processor in charge of communication between devices, and the other is a master processor which plays a central role in the device. A connection device status management table is placed in this master processor. In such a configuration, when the device starts up, the master processor first recognizes the mounting location (entry) of the communication processor in the device. A device mounting table is created by making a mounting inquiry to inquire attributes (processor type, identification information, mounting position, etc.). After this work is completed, the master processor notifies the preceding device through the communication processor. Therefore, the notification from the trailing device to the preceding device is delayed, and as a result, the startup time of the entire system becomes long.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the work load of each device as much as possible when each device creates a connection device status management table in a multiprocessor system consisting of a plurality of devices with different power control. And to provide a technique for shortening the startup time of the entire system as much as possible.

[0011]

A multiprocessor system to which the present invention is applied comprises a plurality of devices (clusters of processors) communicatively connected to each other, and each device has intra-device communication having a plurality of entries. At least a path, a master processor implemented in one of the entries, and a communication processor implemented in another one of the entries and communicatively connected to another external device. Contains.

According to the method of the present invention, in each device of this multiprocessor system, the master processor is
(1) means for transmitting an inquiry message containing identification information of the own device to the communication processor through the intra-device communication path, and (2) receiving a response message from another device for this inquiry message from the communication processor. Means for creating a connection device status management table based on this response message, and (3) receiving an inquiry message transmitted from another device from the communication processor,
Based on the inquiry message from this other device, means for updating the connection device status management table already created,
(4) means for transmitting a response message containing identification information of the own device to the communication processor in response to the inquiry message from the other device, and the communication processor (5) from the master processor Means for receiving the inquiry message of and transmitting it to another device, (6)
Means for receiving a response message from another device and transmitting it to the master processor; (7) means for receiving an inquiry message from another device and transmitting it to the master processor; and (8) receiving a response message from the master processor. And means for transmitting to another device.

Further preferably, the master processor is
The inquiry message is sent not only to the entry of the communication processor but also to all other entries, and based on these other response messages, the device implementation used for the in-device communication with the slave processor. It is preferably adapted to create a table.

[0014]

In a system in which a plurality of devices having the above-mentioned configuration are interconnected, the following operation is performed when a certain device starts up.

First, the master processor of the device that has started up (referred to as the device) sends an inquiry message to the communication processor, and this inquiry message is transmitted to another device. If there is a preceding device that has already started up in another device, the preceding device returns a response message to the inquiry message to the device.

In this device, the master processor receives the response message returned from the preceding device through the communication processor and creates the connection device status management table based on this. Therefore, in the connection device status management table created here, the information of the preceding device is registered, while the information of the succeeding device which has not been started up is not registered.

After that, when the succeeding device is started up, an inquiry message is sent from the succeeding device to the device. Therefore, in the device, the master processor receives the inquiry message from the succeeding device through the communication processor and updates the connection device status management table based on the inquiry message. That is, the information of the succeeding device is additionally registered in the connection device status management table.

In this way, every time each device in the system starts up, a connection device status management table is created in each device, and at the same time, the connection status management table in another preceding device is automatically registered. To be done. Therefore, unlike the conventional method, the preceding device does not need to periodically send the inquiry message, the processing load on each device is reduced, and the succeeding device can be recognized quickly.

Further, when the master processor is configured to transmit an inquiry message (implementation inquiry) not only to the communication processor but also to all other entries in the intra-device communication path, the above-mentioned connection is performed. A device mounting table can be created simultaneously with the creation of the device status management table. Therefore, the two-step work of creating the device mounting table and then creating the connected device status management table as in the conventional system is integrated into the one-step work, which shortens the startup time of the entire system. Become.

[0020]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a multiprocessor system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, this system comprises two devices 100 and 200, both of which are connected to each other through a communication path 1 between the devices.
Interconnected by 3.

One of the devices 100 is a master processor 1 which controls the device 100 as a whole, a communication processor 2 which is controlled by the master processor 1 and performs communication between the devices,
Slave processors 3 and 4 controlled by the master processor 1 to perform processing, an intra-device communication path 5 for connecting these processor groups in the device 100, and a power supply unit 6 for controlling the power supply of the device 100. The intra-apparatus communication path 5 includes a large number of entries 5-1 to 5-8, among which the various processors 1 to 4 described above are mounted in the entries 5-1 to 5-4 and other entries 5-5. 5-8 is in an unmounted state.

The other device 200 has the same configuration as the device 100 described above. That is, the device 200 includes a master processor 7, a communication processor 8, slave processors 9 and 10, an intra-device communication path 11, and entries 11-1 to 11-11.
-8, and a power supply unit 12.

FIG. 2 shows the master processor 1 of the apparatus 100.
The schematic configuration of is shown. The master processor 7 of the device 200 has the same configuration.

As shown in FIG. 2, the master processor 1
Is a central processing unit (CPU) 101 for performing calculation, processing, control, etc., and this central processing unit (CPU) 1
Reference numeral 01 denotes an internal memory 102 used for performing calculations, processing, control, etc., a data file 103 including an external storage device for storing information such as image data, character data, and audio data, and an intra-device communication path 5 The adapter 104 is provided for matching with.

FIG. 3 shows the communication processor 2 of the apparatus 100.
The schematic configuration of is shown. The communication processor 8 of the device 200 has the same configuration.

As shown in FIG. 3, the communication processor 2
Is a central processing unit (CPU) 201 for performing calculation, processing, control, etc., and this central processing unit (CPU) 2
01 includes an internal memory 202 used for performing calculation, processing, control, etc., an adapter 203A for matching the intra-device communication path 5, and an adapter 203B for matching the inter-device communication path 13.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration of the slave processor 3 of the apparatus 100. The other slave processor 4 of the device 100 and the slave processors 9, 1 of the device 200
0 has the same configuration as this.

As shown in FIG. 4, the slave processor 3
Is a central processing unit (C
PU) 301, this central processing unit (CPU) 301
An internal memory 30 for calculating, processing, controlling, etc.
2 and an adapter 303 for matching with the intra-apparatus communication path 5.

FIG. 5 shows the master processor 1 of the apparatus 100.
Connection device status management table 5 stored in internal memory 102 of
1 and the device mounting table 52.

In FIG. 5, a column 511 is an area for storing the device identification information of the own device and other devices, and a column 512 is for communication with the master processor of the own device and other devices in the intra-device communication path 5. This is an area in which processor position information (entry) is stored. Further, a column 521 is an area where the identification information of the slave processor in its own device is stored, and a column 522 is an area where the position information (entry) in the intra-device communication path of the slave processor is stored.

Similarly, FIG. 6 is a view showing the concept of the connected device state management table 61 and the device mounting table 62 stored in the internal memory 102 of the master processor 7 of the device 200.

In FIG. 6, a column 611 is an area for storing the device identification information of the own device and other devices, and a column 612 is for communication with the master processor of the own device and other devices in the intra-device communication path 11. This is an area in which processor position information (entry) is stored. Further, a column 621 is an area where the identification information of the slave processor in its own device is stored, and a column 622 is an area where the position information (entry) of the slave processor in the intra-device communication path 11 is stored.

In the above configuration, taking the case where the device 200 is the preceding device and the device 100 is the trailing device as an example, each device 100, 200 at the time of starting the trailing device 100
The operation of will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 7 shows the operation of the master processor in the device when the device is started up.

Referring to FIG. 7, when the succeeding device 100 is powered on, the master processor 1 first makes an implementation inquiry to all the entries 5-1 to 5-8 of the intra-device communication path 5. (Step 700). At that time, the master processor 1 has the entry information specifying the own entry 5-1 and the device identification information (MASTER) specifying the device 100.
1) is included in a communication message (inquiry message) to make an implementation inquiry. The entry information of the master processor 1 and the device identification information of the device 100 are registered in advance in the connection device status management table 51 in the master processor 1.

Thereafter, the master processor 1 starts counting a predetermined constant inquiry time (step 70).
1) Then, the process waits for a response from each of the entries 5-1 to 5-8 (step 702).

The operation of the slave processors 3 and 4 receiving the inquiry message from the master processor 1 is shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 8, the slave processors 3 and 4 receiving the inquiry message enter the entry information (entry 5) of the master processor 1 included in the message.
-1) is stored (step 800), and subsequently, each attribute (identification information and entry information) is transmitted to the master processor 1 as a response message (step 80).
1).

The operation of the communication processor 2 which receives the inquiry message from the master processor 1 is shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 9, communication processor 2 having received the inquiry message stores the entry information of master processor 1 included in the inquiry message (step 900), and then precedes through inter-device communication path 13. An inquiry message is transmitted to the communication processor 8 of the device 200 (step 901). After that, the communication processor 2 enters a state of waiting for a response from the preceding device 200 (step 902).

The operation of the communication processor 8 of the preceding device 200 which receives the inquiry message from the inter-device communication path 13 is shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 10, when the communication processor 8 of the preceding device 200 receives the inquiry message from the inter-device communication path 13, the entry information (11- 2) is added to the inquiry message, and this inquiry message is transmitted to the entry 11-1 of the in-device communication path 11 of the master processor 7 which has already been stored (step 1000). After that, the communication processor 8 waits for a response from the master processor 7 (step 1001).

The operation of the master processor 7 which has received the inquiry message from the communication processor 8 is shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 11, master processor 7
Searches the column 611 of the connected device status management table 61 based on the device identification information (MASTER1) of the device 100 included in the received inquiry message, and the entry information (11-2) of the communication processor 8 is entered in the corresponding column 612. Register (or, as another method, a field 61 depending on the entry information).
2 may be searched and the identification information may be registered in the corresponding field 611) (step 1100). This allows
Information regarding the succeeding device 100 is additionally registered in the connection device status management table 61.

After this, the master processor 7 determines that the device 20
The device identification information of 0 (MASTER2) is transmitted to the communication processor 8 as a response message (step 11).
01).

Referring to FIG. 10, communication processor 8 which has received the response message from master processor 7.
Transmits this response message to the communication processor 2 of the inquiry source device 100 through the inter-device communication path 13 (step 1002).

Referring to FIG. 9, when the communication processor 2 of the device 100 receives the response message from the device 200, the communication processor 2 obtains the entry information (5-2) in the intra-device communication path 5 of the communication processor 2. The response message is added to the received response message and transmitted to the entry 5-1 of the intra-device communication path 5 of the master processor 1 which has already been stored (step 903).

As described above, the response message to the inquiry message issued by the master processor 1 of the succeeding apparatus 100 is returned to the master processor 1 from the slave processors 3 and 4 and the communication processor 2.

Referring to FIG. 7, the master processor 1
When the response message is received as described above, it is first determined whether the response message is from the slave processors 3 and 4 or the communication processor 2 (step 704).

When the received response message is from the slave processors 3 and 4, the master processor 1
Searches the column 521 of the device mounting table 52 based on the slave processor identification information (SLAVE1, 2) included in the response message, and in the corresponding column 522, the entry information (5-3, 5-4) of the slave processor 3, 4. ) Is registered (step 705) (or, as another method, the column 522 may be searched by the entry information and the identification information may be registered in the corresponding column 521).

When the received response message is from the communication processor 2, the master processor 1
Is the connected device status management table 5 based on the device identification information (MASTER2) of the preceding device 200 included in the response message.
The column 511 of No. 1 is searched, and the entry information (5-2) of the communication processor 2 is registered in the corresponding column 512 (step 706) (or, as another method, the column 512 is searched by the entry information, and the corresponding The identification information may be registered in the column 511 for selecting).

In parallel with the above response message reception processing (steps 704 to 706), the master processor 1 checks whether or not the counting of the inquiry time has ended (timed out) (step 703). And
The master processor 1 receives an entry for which no response message was received before the time-out,
It is determined that nothing is mounted therein, and that effect is recorded in the device mounting table 52 (step 707).

As described above, in the succeeding apparatus 100, the identification information of the preceding apparatus 200 and the entry information of the communication processor 2 to which the preceding apparatus 200 is connected are created when the connected apparatus state management table 51 at the time of startup is created. And can be registered in the connection device status management table 51. At the same time, the preceding apparatus 200 can additionally register the identification information of the succeeding apparatus 100 and the entry information of the communication processor 8 to which the succeeding apparatus 100 is connected in the connected apparatus state management table 61.

The overall flow of the above operation is shown in FIG. In addition, in FIG. 12, FIGS.
Steps corresponding to are given the same reference numerals.

Although the operation at the time of starting the succeeding apparatus 100 has been described above, the same operation is performed in the preceding apparatus 200 when the preceding apparatus 200 is started.

That is, when the preceding apparatus 200 is powered on, the master processor 7 performs the operation shown in FIG. 7, the slave processors 9, 10 perform the operation shown in FIG. 8, and the communication processor 8 shows the operation shown in FIG. Perform each operation. However,
In this case, since the succeeding device 100 has not started up yet, the communication processor 8 does not receive the response message from the succeeding device 100. Therefore, the flow of the overall operation is such that the process of the preceding device and the process subsequent thereto in FIG. 12 are removed, and the connection device state management table 61
The trailing device 100 is recorded as not mounted. After that, as described above, at the stage when the succeeding device 100 starts up, the information regarding the succeeding device 100 is additionally registered in the connected device state management table 61, starting from the inquiry message from the succeeding device 100.

As is clear from the above description, according to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The succeeding device can be promptly recognized by another preceding device and registered in the connection device status management table.

(2) The succeeding device can promptly recognize another preceding device and register it in the connected device state management table.

The present invention is within the scope not departing from the gist thereof,
It is also possible to implement in various modes other than the above embodiment.

For example, in addition to the information described in the above-mentioned embodiment, other information may be included in the communication messages between processors and between devices such as inquiry messages and response messages.

Further, in the above embodiment, one device is connected to another device via the inter-device communication path 13, but it may be connected to a plurality of other devices. Good. In such a mode, for example, the communication processor 2 generates a plurality of inquiry messages, transfers the inquiry messages to all the entries of the inter-device communication path 13, and registers them in the connection device status management table 51 based on the returned message. , Is performed.

[0065]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In a multiprocessor system in which multiple devices are interconnected, when one device boots up, it makes an inquiry to the other device, and based on the response from the other device to that device, Creates a connected device status management table consisting of information, and after that, at the stage when the subsequent device starts up, an inquiry from the subsequent device is used as an opportunity to add the information of the subsequent device to the connected device status management table. I am trying to do it. Therefore, the preceding device does not need to make an inquiry periodically, the processing load on the device is reduced, and the lag time (delay time) from the startup of the subsequent device to the additional registration does not substantially occur.

Further, when the inquiry to the other device is made to serve as the mounting inquiry to all the entries in the own device, the connected device status management table and the device mounting table can be created at the same time. Therefore, the startup time of the entire system can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a multiprocessor system to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a master processor of the system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a communication processor of the system.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a slave processor of the system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the contents of a connected device management table and a device mounting table in the device 100 of the same system.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing contents of a connection device management table and a device mounting table in the device 200 of the same system.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the master processor in the device when the device is started up in the system.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation of a slave processor in the same system, which receives an inquiry message from the master processor.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication processor in the same system, which receives the inquiry message from the master processor.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication processor in the same system, which receives an inquiry message from another device.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of the master processor in the same system, which receives the inquiry message from the communication processor.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an overall flow of operations of a trailing device and a preceding device when the trailing device is started up in the same system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,7 Master processor 2,8 Communication processor 3,4,9,10 Slave processor 5,11 In-apparatus communication path 5-1,5-2,5-3,5,4,5,5-6 , 5
-7, 5-8, 11-1, 11-2, 11-3, 11-
4, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 Intra-device communication path entry 6, 12 Power supply unit 13 Inter-device communication path

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An intra-device communication path having a plurality of entries, a master processor mounted in one of the entries, and a communication with an external device mounted in another one of the entries. In a device including a communication processor that is operably connected, in the method of creating a connection device state management table used for inter-device communication with the other device, the master processor, the identification information of the device The inquiry message containing
Means for transmitting to the communication processor through the intra-device communication path, receiving a response message from the other device to the inquiry message from the communication processor, and based on the response message from the other device, the connection device status Means for creating a management table, means for receiving an inquiry message transmitted from the other device from the communication processor, and updating the already created connection device state management table based on the inquiry message from the other device And means for transmitting a response message including identification information of the device to the communication processor in response to an inquiry message from the other device, wherein the communication processor is an inquiry message from the master processor. Means for receiving and transmitting to the other device, Receiving a response message from the device, and means for transmitting to the master processor receives the inquiry message from the other device, and means for transmitting to said master processor, receives a response message from the master processor,
A connection device status management table creating method, comprising: a means for transmitting to the other device. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inquiry message transmitting means of the master processor transmits the inquiry message not only to the entry of the communication processor but also to all other entries. A slave processor can be implemented in each of all the other entries, the slave processor receiving an inquiry message from the master processor and sending a response message to the inquiry message to the master processor. Means for transmitting, further, the master processor receives a response message from the slave processor implemented in any of the entries, and based on the received response message, in the device with the slave processor. Used for communication Means for creating a location implementation table,
A method for creating a connection device status management table, characterized by comprising: 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection device status management table includes identification information of the other device,
A method for creating a connection device status management table, characterized in that it is composed of entry information of the communication processor corresponding to this. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection device state management table creating means of the master processor receives a message from the other device even after a predetermined time has elapsed from the transmission of the inquiry message from the master processor. A connection device status management table creation method characterized in that, when no response message is received, the fact that the other device is unavailable is recorded in the connection device status management table. 5. A device comprising a plurality of devices, each device comprising a plurality of processors including at least a master processor, a slave processor, and a communication processor connected via an intra-device communication path, and the devices. In a multiprocessor system in which the communication processors of are interconnected via an inter-device communication path, in a method of creating a connected device state management table used by each device for inter-device communication, among the plurality of devices. In the subsequent device, the master processor sends an inquiry message to the intra-device communication path, and in the following device, the master processor receives a response message from the slave processor to the inquiry message, For in-device communication between the master processor and the slave processor A step of creating a device mounting table to be used for, the process of receiving the inquiry message by the communication processor and transmitting the inquiry message to the inter-device communication path in the subsequent device, and the preceding device among the plurality of devices. In the device, the master processor receives the inquiry message from the succeeding device through the communication processor from the inter-device communication path, and relates to the succeeding device in the connection device state management table already created. A step of additionally registering information, a step of transmitting, in the preceding apparatus, a response message to the inquiry message from the succeeding apparatus by the communication processor to the succeeding apparatus; and in the succeeding apparatus, the preceding apparatus A response message from the master processor through the communication processor, Connection device status management table creation method characterized by and a process of creating a connection device status management table.