JPH0818680A - Remote maintenance system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the running cost of maintenance work. CONSTITUTION:One public line is shared by a computer system being a device to be maintained and a facsimile. At the time of maintenance work, a line switching switch 4 is connected to the side B and the maintenance of the computer system is performed by one line from the maintenance device. The switch control of the switch 4 is performed by sending a signal with the specific frequency from the maintenance device for the prescribed time in succession. This is performed by a switch command. Thus, the running cost can be reduced without providing a line for maintenance.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote maintenance system, and more particularly to a remote maintenance system for maintaining computer equipment via a public line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for remote maintenance of computer equipment using a public line, is a dedicated line installed for maintenance, and is a signal automatically received from a service center or the like performing remote maintenance connected directly to the computer equipment to be maintained? Or, various maintenance work was performed online from a distance by manual connection.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional remote maintenance system, it is necessary to install a dedicated line for maintenance, and a line usage fee is required. In such a case, there is a drawback that running costs are high and a heavy burden is placed on the user. In particular, the smaller the maintenance target computer is, the less the user can understand it. Therefore, remote maintenance is manually performed or is not performed.
There was a disadvantage that it was a disadvantageous situation from the maintenance side.

Further, according to the manual switching method, a worker or a user who manually performs switching work in the computer equipment to be maintained is required, and there is a drawback that it is difficult for the maintenance side to perform any maintenance work.

Incidentally, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-44450 discloses a remote monitoring device comprising a monitoring center and a plurality of terminal devices, but this is merely an improvement of the dial system.
The above drawbacks cannot be solved. In addition, JP-A-61-793
Although the maintenance method in the automatic transaction device is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 58, it is premised on manual maintenance and the above-mentioned drawbacks cannot be solved.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a remote maintenance system capable of reducing running costs.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A remote maintenance system according to the present invention is a maintenance system for performing maintenance on a device to be maintained via a device to be maintained and a public line shared by the device to be maintained and other devices. And a device for connecting the public line to the device to be maintained when a maintenance start command is input from the maintenance device via the public line.

[0008]

Function: One public line is shared by the device to be maintained and another device, and during maintenance work, the device to be maintained is maintained online from the maintenance device via the public line.

[0009]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an embodiment of a remote maintenance system according to the present invention. In the figure, a remote maintenance system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a public line 1, a call control unit 2 for processing an incoming call from the line 1, and a remote maintenance switching signal detection unit for monitoring a reception state on the line 1. 3 and a line changeover switch 4 that is switch-controlled by the control of the detection unit 3. Reference numeral 6 is a maintenance lamp for displaying that remote maintenance is being switched, and reference numeral 5 is a forced switch for forcibly switching the connection state of the switch 4.

In addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the maintenance system shown in FIG. 1 is connected to the line 8 and serves as a device to be maintained, which is not shown, and the public line 1 is used to perform maintenance of the computer system. Maintenance device (service center, etc.). As will be described later, the maintenance device sends a switching signal of a specific frequency to remotely control the line changeover switch 4.

The line changeover switch 4 is connected to the A side in the initial state, and the detection unit 3 and a facsimile device (not shown) (hereinafter referred to as FAX) are connected via the line 7 to each other. It is assumed that In this state, the FAX (not shown) can receive information from the external FAX.

That is, since the call control unit 2 does not detect a switching signal, which will be described later, in a normal facsimile call from a public line, the switch 4 remains in the initial state.
Therefore, since the FAX machines are directly connected to each other, normal facsimile reception is possible.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to a facsimile machine, and a telephone may be used. In short, one public line may be shared with other machines.

In such a configuration, after the call control unit 2 receives an incoming call from the public line 1, the remote maintenance switching signal detection unit 3 for monitoring the reception state on the line receives a specific frequency transmitted from the maintenance side. When the switch signal (hereinafter, referred to as switch signal b) is detected, the detection unit 3 connects the line switch 4 to the B side. As a result, the detection unit 3 and the computer system (not shown) are connected via the line 8.

In this state, the maintenance device (not shown) and the computer system (not shown) are connected via the public line 1, and online maintenance work can be performed.

At the end of the maintenance work, the detection section 3 detects a switching signal of a specific frequency (hereinafter referred to as switching signal a), and the line switching switch 4 is connected to the A side to return to the initial state. As a result, the detection unit 3 and the FAX (not shown) are connected again via the line 7.

When the switch 4 is connected to the B side, the detection unit 3 turns on the lamp 6 which indicates that the remote maintenance switching is in progress. Further, the detection unit 3 includes a switch 4
When the forced changeover switch 5 is turned on even in the state where is connected to the B side, the switch 4 is forcibly connected to the A side.

Next, the above operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, during the initial operation such as when the power of the system is turned on, the line changeover switch 4 is connected to the A side (step S1).

The remote maintenance switching signal detector 3 constantly monitors the telephone line and detects whether the received signal does not include the switching signal a or b of the specific frequency. The switching signal a and the switching signal b have different frequencies. Then, the switching signal a becomes a command for connecting the switch 4 to the B side which is the computer system side which is the device to be maintained, and the switching signal b becomes a command for connecting the switch 4 to the A side which is the FAX side. .

The remote maintenance switching signal detector 3 constantly monitors the presence / absence of the switching signal a or b in steps S2 and S4. When the switching signal b is continuously detected for n seconds, the line switching switch 4 is connected to the B side and the maintenance lamp 5 is turned on (step S2 → S3). When the changeover signal a is continuously detected for m seconds, the line changeover switch 4 is set to A
Connected to the side and the lamp 6 in maintenance is off (off)
Is performed (steps S4 → S5). As a result, the line changeover switch 4 returns to the initial state.

Further, when the line disconnection or the ON state of the forced changeover switch 5 is detected in step S6,
A process of connecting the line changeover switch 4 to the A side and turning off the maintenance lamp 6 is performed (steps S6 → S).
7). As a result, the line changeover switch 4 returns to the initial state.

Note that n and m in steps S2 and S4
The value of is usually impossible in order to prevent malfunction due to facsimile communication or voice communication. Otherwise, even if a signal having the same frequency as the switching signal a or b is included during the facsimile communication or the voice call, the switching signal will be in the same state as the momentarily transmitted state, and the switch 4 will be erroneously. This is because there is a possibility that

Next, the operation of the maintenance device (not shown) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

A maintenance device such as a service center for performing maintenance makes a call to a device to be maintained such as a computer system connected via a public line (step S1).
1). When the incoming call is confirmed, the switching signal b is continuously transmitted for n seconds or more (steps S12 → S13). As a result, the line changeover switch 4 is connected to the B side.

In this state, the maintenance device performs maintenance work online (step S14).

After the maintenance work is completed, the maintenance device outputs the switching signal a.
Is continuously transmitted for m seconds or more (step S15). As a result, the line changeover switch 4 is connected to the A side and is in the initial state. After that, the maintenance device disconnects the line (step S16), and the process ends.

As described above, by sharing one line with a commonly used FAX or the like, it is not necessary to newly install a public line or a dedicated line for maintenance, so running costs are reduced. It can be reduced. As a result, remote maintenance can be easily performed even for small-scale computer equipment, and it is possible to improve services and reduce costs on the maintenance side.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, one public line is shared by a device to be maintained and another device, and the maintenance device is maintained online from the maintenance device via the public line during maintenance work. As a result, there is an effect that it is not necessary to newly provide a maintenance line and the running cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a remote maintenance system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of each unit in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation on the maintenance side in the remote maintenance system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Public line network 2 Call control section 3 Remote maintenance switching signal detection section 4 Line switching switch 5 Forced switching switch 6 Lamp under maintenance

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A remote maintenance system including a device to be maintained and a maintenance device for performing maintenance on the device to be maintained via a public line provided commonly to the device to be maintained and other devices, the remote maintenance system comprising: A remote maintenance system comprising means for connecting the public line to the device to be maintained when a maintenance start command is input from the maintenance device via the public line. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising means for connecting the public line to the other device when a maintenance end command is input from the maintenance device via the public line.
Remote maintenance system described. 3. The remote maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance start command is a signal of a first frequency continuously transmitted for a predetermined time. 4. The remote maintenance system according to claim 2, wherein the maintenance end command is a signal of the second frequency that is continuously transmitted for a predetermined time. 5. A means for connecting the public line to the other device in response to an input of a forced switching command when the maintenance device is maintaining the device to be maintained via the public line. The remote maintenance system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: