JPH0723017A - Monitoring system for electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decide a saulty part without being aware of connection/ unconnection of an extension unit by inserting and detecting a monitoring signal of a signal line to a fundamental unit by the extension unit, and monitoring the normality of a detected signal. CONSTITUTION:Data is transferred from a fundamental unit 1 to extension units 2-4 through down signal lines 10-13, and data is transferred from the extension units 2-4 to the fundamental 1 through up signal lines 20-23. In the extension unit 2, a monitoring signal S2 is inserted toward the fundamental unit 1, and in the fundamental unit 1, its monitoring signal S2 is sent out as it is to the down signal line 10, its monitoring signal 2 is detected by the extension unit 2, and from a result of detection, monitoring between the extension unit 2, the up signal line 20, the fundamental unit 1, the down signal line 10 and the extension unit 2 is executed. By the extension units 3, 4, as well, the same monitoring is executed. In such a way, for instance, in the case a fault is generated in the signal line 11, abnormality is detected by the extension units 3, 4, and it can be estimated to be a fault between the extension units 3, 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is used in communication devices, electronic computers, control devices, and other electronic devices. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is used for monitoring the operating state inside an electronic device. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be widely used as a technique for monitoring an electronic device that is configured by sequentially connecting a plurality of extension units in series with a signal line from one basic unit as a base.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A large-capacity digital communication device and other large electronic devices are composed of a large number of units (or packages). There is known a technique of sequentially connecting and expanding the above. As illustrated in FIG. 4, when the extension unit 2 is connected to one basic unit 1 by the signal lines 10 and 20 and the operation is started, the number of channels is increased, and it is necessary to further increase the number. In some cases, the extension unit 3 is added by connecting to the extension unit 2 using the signal lines 11 and 21. In this type of expansion,
It is possible to add the extension units 4, 5, ..., N in sequence by using signal lines.

Here, the signal lines 10, 11, 12, and 13 are downlink signal lines having the basic unit 1 as a base point, and the signal line 2
Reference numerals 0, 21, 22, and 23 are upstream signal lines that reach the basic unit 1. In order to transmit a plurality of signals, the down signal line and the up signal line are formed by bundling a plurality of signal lines into one band-shaped cable. As another configuration, the down signal line and the up signal line transmit a plurality of signals, so that pulse signals time-division multiplexed on a small number of signal lines are transmitted.

In the apparatus of this type, the following method has been conventionally known to monitor each extension unit. That is, when the basic unit 1 inserts the monitoring inquiry signal Q1 into the downlink signal line 10 and transmits it, each extension unit detects the monitoring inquiry signal Q1 and
Response signals A1 and A corresponding to the inquiry signal Q1
2, A3, ... Are assembled, inserted into the upstream signal line, and returned to the basic unit 1.

[0005]

In such a conventional monitoring method, it is convenient for the basic unit 1 to monitor the operating state of each extension unit, but the connection state between each extension unit is monitored. I can't. For example,
If the downlink signal line 12 is physically disconnected, the inquiry signal Q1 does not reach the extension unit 4, so that the response signal A4 is not generated. Therefore, it is understood that the basic unit 1 does not receive the response signal A4. However, the fact that the response signal A4 does not come in the basic unit 1 is the same as when the extension unit 4 does not exist from the beginning, and the extension unit 4 does not exist and is normally processed.

For this reason, in the conventional monitoring method, the connection information transfer cable 3 is used in addition to the down signal line and the up signal line.
It was necessary to provide 0, give connection information of the extension unit to it, and monitor it together with the basic unit 1.

The present invention has been made against such a background, and it is not necessary to separately transfer the connection information of the extension unit, and the faulty portion can be quickly located and the system can be monitored without omission. The purpose is to provide.

[0008]

According to the present invention, one basic unit (1) and a plurality of extension units (2, 3, 4,
...), and the down signal line (10, 11, 12, 13, ...) Starting from this basic unit and reaching the farthest extension unit via each of the plurality of extension units.
And the upstream signal line (..., 23, 22, 21, 20) starting from the farthest end extension unit and reaching the base unit via each of the plurality of extension units, and the base unit and the plurality of extension units. In the monitoring method for electronic devices connected to each other, each of the plurality of additional units includes means for inserting its own monitoring signal into the upstream signal line, and the basic unit is each additional unit arriving at the upstream signal line. And a circuit for transferring the monitoring signal of the device back to the down signal line, wherein the plurality of extension units respectively detect the own monitoring signal returned to the down signal line, and Means for monitoring the normality of the generated monitoring signal.

The basic unit is provided with means for taking in a supervisory signal arriving at an upstream signal line to monitor the states of the plurality of extension units, and the supervisory signal transmission path is provided for the upstream signal line and the downstream signal line. It is desirable that it is a signal line for a supervisory signal provided therein, and a timing signal line for a timing supervisory signal provided in a time division manner in the upstream signal line and the downstream signal line.

[0010]

In each extension unit, its own supervisory signal is inserted in the upstream signal line and it is monitored that it is returned to the downstream signal line. Therefore, if a connection failure occurs somewhere in the up signal line or the down signal line, an alarm will be sent immediately and the operation will not be continued with the connection failure.

According to the present invention, the case where there is no additional unit and the case where there is a poor connection can be distinguished without using a separate connection information transfer cable or the like.

In the present invention, it is also possible to use the conventional monitoring system of the type in which the inquiry signal is transmitted to the down signal line on the side of the basic unit and the extension unit responds to this inquiry signal, so that the connection state is monitored. Other than that, it is not necessary to change the conventional monitoring method basically.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
Is a block diagram showing the configuration of a basic unit in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an extension unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

The embodiment of the present invention includes one basic unit 1.
, And a plurality of extension units 2, 3, 4, ..., From the basic unit as a starting point, the downstream signal lines 10, 11, 12 that reach the farthest extension unit via the plurality of extension units, respectively. , 13, ..., and the base unit 1 via the upstream signal line (..., 23, 22, 21, 20) starting from the farthest extension unit and reaching the base unit 1 via each of the plurality of extension units.
And a plurality of extension units 2, 3 and 4 are connected, and each of the plurality of extension units 4, 3 and 2 is an upstream signal line 2
3, 22, 21, and 20 are provided with means for inserting their own supervisory signals, and the basic unit 1 transmits the supervisory signals of the extension units 2, 3, and 4 coming to the upstream signal line 20 to the downstream signal line 1.
A circuit for loopback transfer to 0, 11, 12, and 13 is provided,
Each of the plurality of extension units 2, 3, 4 detects its own supervisory signal returned to the downstream signal lines 10, 11, 12, 13 and the normality of the supervisory signal detected by this detector. And means for monitoring.

Further, the basic unit 1 includes an upstream signal line 2
A plurality of extension units 2 that take in the supervisory signal that reaches 0,
3 and 4 are provided, and the transmission path of the supervisory signal is provided for the supervisory signals provided in the up signal lines 23, 22, 21, 20 and the down signal lines 10, 11, 12, 13. It is a signal line, and upstream signal lines 23, 22, 21, 20
And timing signal lines for timing monitoring signals provided in the down signal lines 10, 11, 12, and 13 in a time division manner.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention thus constructed will be described. In this embodiment, the basic unit 1 of the apparatus and the expansion units 2 to 4 are shown. Data is transferred from the basic unit 1 to the expansion units 2, 3 and 4 via the downlink signal lines 10 to 13. Transfer. In addition, the extension unit 2, through the upstream signal lines 20-23,
Data transfer from 3 and 4 to the basic unit 1. In the extension unit 2, the monitoring signal S2 is inserted toward the basic unit 1. The monitoring signal S2 reaches the basic unit 1 via the upstream signal line 20. In the basic unit 1, the monitoring signal S2 is sent to the downlink signal line 10 as it is, the expansion unit 2 detects the monitoring signal S2, and the expansion unit 2, the upstream signal line 20, the basic unit 1, and the downstream signal line are detected from the detection results. 10. Monitoring between extension units 2 is performed.

The monitoring signal S3 inserted and detected by the extension unit 3 is an extension unit 3, an up signal line 21, an extension unit 2, an up signal line 20, a basic unit 1, a down signal line 10, an extension unit 2, a down signal. It passes between the line 11 and the extension unit 3. The same monitoring is performed in the extension unit 4 thereafter.

With such a configuration, for example, the downlink signal line 11
If a failure occurs in the expansion unit, it is possible to detect an abnormality in the expansion units 3 and 4 and immediately estimate that there is a failure between the expansion units 3 and 2, and operate normally from the basic unit 1 to the expansion unit 2. It can be presumed to be possible.

That is, if the down signal line 12 has a poor connection, the supervisory signal S4 transmitted to the up signal line 22 in the extension unit 4 is not returned to the down signal line 12, so that an abnormality occurs somewhere. It is understood that the expansion unit 4 has issued a warning. However, at this time, no abnormality is detected in the extension units 2 to 4 because the supervisory signals transmitted to the upstream signal lines are returned to the downstream signal lines and received. Therefore, the extension unit 3
It can be immediately recognized that an abnormality has occurred between the extension unit 4 and the expansion unit 4.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the extension unit inserts and detects the supervisory signal of the signal line with the base unit, the base unit folds back the supervisory signal, and the extension unit By passing other monitoring signals, it is possible to determine the faulty part without transferring the connection / unconnection information of the extension unit to the basic unit, and further, it is possible to perform monitoring without omission. .

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a basic unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an extension unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Basic unit 2, 3, 4 Expansion unit 10, 11, 12, 13 Downstream signal line 20, 21, 22, 23 Upstream signal line

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A base unit (1) and a plurality of extension units (2, 3, 4, ...) Are provided, and the farthest end is provided from this base unit via each of the plurality of extension units. Downward signal line (1
0, 11, 12, 13, ...) and an extension signal line (... 2) that reaches the basic unit via each of the plurality of extension units starting from the farthest end extension unit.
3, 22, 21, 20), the monitoring method of an electronic device in which the basic unit and the plurality of extension units are connected to each other, wherein the plurality of extension units each inserts its own monitoring signal into the upstream signal line. The basic unit includes a circuit that loops back and transfers a supervisory signal of each extension unit arriving at the up signal line to the down signal line, and the plurality of extension units respectively loop back to the down signal line. A monitoring method for an electronic device, comprising: a means for detecting its own monitoring signal, and a means for monitoring the normality of the monitoring signal detected by the detecting means. 2. The electronic apparatus monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said basic unit comprises means for taking in a monitoring signal coming to an upstream signal line and monitoring the states of said plurality of extension units. 3. The monitoring method for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission path of the supervisory signal is a signal line for a supervisory signal provided in the up signal line and the down signal line. 4. The monitoring method for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission path of the supervisory signal is timing for a timing supervisory signal provided in the up signal line and the down signal line in a time division manner.