JPH0883173A - Remotely maintainable terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a remotely maintainable terminal equipment for which the remote maintenance of programs of terminal equipments scattered in remote places by transmission of a small quantity of correction information and also can be performed which can be operate in a simply way, in a short time and at a low cost. CONSTITUTION: The remotely maintainable terminal equipment is provided with a load module storing part 6 which stores a program of an execution form, and an object program storing part 5 which stores an object program that is inputted to a correction management means 4 when a load module is produced. The means 4 corrects the load module stored in the part 6 based on the object program of a correction version that is received from a reception means 3 via a circuit 2 and through the part 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention uses a maintenance management apparatus on the center side connected with a business processing program (hereinafter, simply referred to as a program) which is software for operating terminal devices distributed in a remote place. The present invention relates to a remote maintenance target terminal device that is remotely modified and maintained.

In recent years, in the online network system, in addition to the increase in the overall size of the system and the number of terminal devices, the sophistication and quantitative increase of the business processing function in the terminal devices are remarkable, and the terminal devices are accompanied by this. Both the frequency and the amount of modification of programs have increased, which has become a problem in system operation.

As a countermeasure against this, remote maintenance, that is, remote maintenance has been adopted as a means. However, an increase in the amount of transmission of correction information and an increase in correction processing time are new problems in remote maintenance operation of an online network system. Has become. Therefore, there is a demand for a remote maintenance terminal device that is simple and can be operated in a short time and at low cost.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, the procedure for introducing a business processing program for a terminal device in an online network system is as follows.

Usually, the program development is performed by using an information processing device different from the terminal devices which are distributed and arranged. A source program describing the specifications of the business processing procedure is input to the information processing device, and the compiler converts it into an object program.

A linkage editor combines several related object programs and converts them into load modules. This load module is stored in the electro-magnetic medium of each terminal device, and the terminal device functions.

[0007] When the program needs to be revised after the operation, such as a change in specifications or a need for improvement in operation and operation, the terminal devices distributed to remote locations are distributed. Although the program that has been introduced must be modified, the information is centrally stored in the network center for centralized management of the program.
Maintenance management will also be concentrated.

For a small-scale terminal device or a part of terminal devices operating with a program having a common and fixed structure, correction information for replacing a part of the stored contents of the terminal device program has been transmitted conventionally. Then, the terminal device replaces the relevant part of the program stored in the electro-magnetic medium according to the correction information to realize the remote correction.

However, as mentioned above, the program becomes complicated as the business processing in the terminal device becomes complicated, and it cannot be corrected by replacing a part of the stored contents. It has become necessary to replace it as a unit.

Therefore, in the conventional remote maintenance, it was necessary to completely replace the corresponding load module on the side of the terminal device even if the program was changed in only a few steps in the source program format.

That is, the terminal device side only uses and operates the installed program, and the maintenance management device side of the center assembles or compiles the source program in advance, and the terminal programs are processed in the procedure described above. A load module for each device was created and sent in a state of being stored in a magnetic medium, or transmitted using a communication line and introduced into a terminal device.

[0012]

However, the number of steps of the program, and hence the size of the load module, has increased with the sophistication of the business processing function of the terminal device side. Especially, when a compiler language such as COBOL is used. The size of the load module, which is the target unit for remote maintenance, is several tens of KB to several hundreds of KB, and the increase in the amount of data transmission and the required transmission time for remote maintenance can be said to be a fatal problem in operation. Came.

That is, in the conventional remote maintenance terminal device, even if the program on the terminal device side is corrected by several steps, it is forced to transmit the correction data for a long time, and normally, in time for the daytime service time, Perform night maintenance work, but if all transmissions can not be completed within the night before, the program correction of all terminal devices should be completed in the next morning in synchronization with the program correction of the computer of the center. It was impossible to operate in a way that required

As described above, in the recent large-scale online network system, compression of the transmission amount or reduction of the transmission time has been a major problem of remote maintenance. Furthermore, in recent years, the number of network systems that use a volume-based line such as a packet switching network is increasing, and an increase in the amount of data is a problem even if the line cost increases.

In reality, the modification of the program is concentrated on a part of the program elements, and in most cases, a small amount such as several steps to several tens of steps is sufficient, and the modern terminal device has a large-capacity main memory. Focusing on the fact that it has become possible to incorporate a compiler, linkage editor, etc. with a device and magnetic storage device, instead of the conventional transmission and replacement of load module units, the source program modification function and compilation function on the terminal side By providing a linkage editor function, etc., it is possible to recreate and replace the load module by transmitting a remarkably small amount of data such as only the necessary parts of the object program or only the necessary statements of the source program. It is possible to provide remote maintenance means to It made.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points.
In the invention of claim 1, as a remote maintenance target terminal device that can be executed by a relatively small terminal device, transmission of a large amount of load modules is unnecessary, and only object programs of some program elements that need correction are transmitted. In the second aspect of the present invention, a large number of load modules are used as remote maintenance target terminal devices applied to a larger-scale terminal device, with the object of assembling and configuring the load module thereafter on the terminal device side. It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the need for transmission of the above, to transmit only the corrected and corrected source program, and to compile and assemble the load module on the terminal device side.

In the third invention, the amount of information is further reduced as compared with the second invention, and only the source program modification information is transmitted, and thereafter, from the modification and compilation of the source program to the assembly of the load module, the terminal device. The purpose is to do it on the side.

[0018]

The above problems can be solved by a remote maintenance terminal device configured as follows.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the first invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the second and third inventions. Maintenance management device 1
Is connected to line 2 of the online network and is located in the center.
Information necessary for modifying the program is transmitted to each terminal device 10 in order to maintain and manage the 10 programs.

The receiving means 3 receives the program modification information sent from the maintenance management device 1 and activates the modification management means 4. The modification management means 4 executes modification of the program on the terminal device 10 side in accordance with the transmitted program modification information, and is preset for each terminal device 10 by a library editing function, a compiler function, a linkage editor function, etc., which are not shown. These parameters are given and these functions are activated sequentially.

The object program storage unit 5 stores an object program group for converting into a load module by linking with a linkage editor function.

The load module storage unit 6 stores a group of execution programs for realizing the business processing function of the terminal device 10. The program of the execution format stored here is loaded into the memory and the terminal device 10 is loaded. Will work and function.

In the second and third inventions, a source program storage unit 7 is further provided. The source program storage unit 7 stores a source program group for creating an object program group and a load module group.

[0024]

In the first aspect of the invention, the maintenance management device 1 transmits the modified object program through the line 2, the receiving means 3 receives this, and the modification management means 4 is activated. An object program editing function (not shown) replaces the corresponding object program in the object program storage unit 5 with the received object program to reconfigure the object program storage unit 5. Next, the modification management means 4 reconfigures the load module by a linkage editor function (not shown) using the replaced object program storage unit 5 and the parameters provided in advance for each terminal device 10 and stores it in the load module storage unit 6. By doing so, the modified business processing program with the new function becomes usable.

In the second aspect of the invention, the maintenance management device 1 transmits a modified source program corresponding to the source program in the source program storage unit 7 provided in each terminal device 10, and the receiving means 3 transmits this. Upon receipt, the modification management means 4 is activated, and the modification management means 4 replaces the corresponding source program in the source program storage means 7 using the source program by a source program editing function (not shown), An object program is created by the compiler function, reconstructed based on the created object program, and stored in the object program storage unit 5. After that, the first
In the same manner as in the operation of the invention described above, by reconstructing the load module library and storing it in the load module library storage unit 6, it becomes possible to use the business processing program having the corrected new function.

In the third aspect of the invention, the maintenance management device 1 transmits the source program modification information corresponding to the source program in the source program storage unit 7 provided in each terminal device 10, and the receiving means 3 transmits this. Upon receipt, the modification management means 4 is activated, and the modification management means 4 modifies the corresponding source program in the source program storage means 7 using the source program modification information by a source program editing function (not shown). ing. After that, by reconstructing the load module library and storing it in the load module library storage unit 6 in the same manner as in the operation of the second aspect of the invention, the business processing program having the corrected new function can be used.

[0027]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. First, the components of the structure will be described. The configuration diagram shows means, functions and data on the terminal device 10 side. As a system for performing remote maintenance of programs for a large number of terminal devices 10, an online network center including the maintenance management device 1 and a line 2 that constitutes a network are required. The features of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, since it is on the terminal device 10 side, it is not shown.

In FIG. 3, a square surrounded by a double line represents a block of information, and correction information transmitted from the center includes a modified object program 32, a modified source program 30 and a source program modification information 31, and a terminal device. As the library to be installed on the 10 side, a load module library 6 (same as that conventionally installed) consisting of an executable program group for performing business processing functions, and newly installed to realize the remote maintenance of the present invention. There is a created object program library 5 and a source program library 7.
Other than this, there are information such as a work file that holds intermediate state data such as a temporary storage file of remote maintenance data, program assembly, and configuration parameters.

The ones enclosed by a single-line rectangle indicate the means of the embodiment of the present invention and the functions that operate therein, and the receiving means 3 relates to the modification of the program transmitted from the maintenance management device 1 in the online network center. It receives information and also has a function of activating the correction management means 4 in response to designation of a message from the center.

According to the program modification information received from the center, the modification management means 4 designates a plurality of functions necessary for finally rebuilding the modified load module library 6 while designating predetermined parameters. It is activated one after another and plays a central role in this remote maintenance target terminal device.

The function started by the modification management means 4 corresponds to the first invention, which is an object program editing function 36, and the functions corresponding to the second and third inventions are a source program editing function 33 and a compiler. Function 34
Is. A linkage editor function 35 is a function commonly used. It should be noted that the various functions activated by these correction management means 4 operate on the unmanned terminal device 10 and, of course, do not display a message or the like prompting the operator to intervene. Concerns about program correction errors, etc. have not been a problem because they do not occur in principle because they have been thoroughly checked and tested in advance.

FIG. 4 shows an explanatory diagram of the structure of the program library. Before explaining the overall operation, the structure of the library will be described with reference to the specific example of FIG. FIG. 4 (1) shows the source program library 7. A, B, C, ...
・, N respectively indicate the element of the source program. That is, the original information of the programs forming the load module library 6 that operates as an execution program of the business processing function of the terminal device 10 is collectively stored in the terminal device 10 as a library as a source program group.

There is a copy phrase group 41 as a common part incorporated in the source program, which is shown in FIG. 4 (2). x
Each of a, xb, xc, ..., xx represents an independent copy phrase. FIG. 4 (3) shows an object program library 5 in which a group of object programs, which are the results obtained by compiling the source programs by the compiler, are put together. a, b, c, ..., N represent the elements of the object program. Object programs a, b, etc. show the internal structure such as (A) + (xb), (B) + (xx), etc., but this is because the copy phrase specified in the source program at the time of compilation is included. The state of the object program as a result of the execution, which indicates that the element is included in parentheses.

FIG. 4 (4) shows the load module library 6
Is shown. Object program name in each load module, a, c, f, ..., n, b, e, ...
Indicates that the program elements of the object program library 5 are incorporated, and that the load module 42 and the overlay load module 43 of the business processing program are created. The overlay load module 43 is shown to be overloaded in the runtime memory. Further, the common execution subroutine library 44 is a common subroutine called when the program is executed.

The functions of the terminal device 10 as a whole can be realized by calling and operating these load modules as necessary. The operation and effects of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram of the embodiment of the present invention in FIG. 3 and the explanatory diagram of the configuration of the program library in FIG.

When a part of the source program A needs to be modified as an embodiment of the first invention, the maintenance management device 1 of the network center modifies the modified object program 32 (a ': a). Is transmitted). The object program library 5 in FIG. 4 (3) is an object program editing function.
By 36, the object program a is replaced by a'of the contents of (A ') + (xb). Next, the object program library 5 in which the linkage editor function 35 has been replaced is combined using the parameters provided for each terminal device 10 to create a new load module. The parameters are prepared for the number of types of load modules created by combining object programs. Since the name of the modified object program is made known at the time of transmission together with the transmitted object program, the combination of parameters including the program name is selected. In this example, the modified object program is shown as a'to indicate that the contents have been modified, but a'has the same program name a, and the linkage editor function 35 uses the object program name a, A new load module of the business processing program will be created using the parameters including c, f, ..., N. When there are a plurality of parameters including the same object program, a plurality of load modules are created, but only one load module is created in this embodiment. The load module library 6 in FIG. 4 (4) is a business processing program load module including the object program element a therein.
42 is replaced by the above new load module. That is, a new load module library 6 in which a part of the source program A is modified is installed and used for a new business operation of the terminal device 10.

Here, comparing with the conventional one, in the conventional remote maintenance, the entire load module 42 of the business processing program in FIG. Was being transmitted to the device. Comparing this quantitatively, the modified object program 32
(a ') is about 20KB, and the load module 42 of the business processing program is 10 times as large as about 200KB.If only program A is modified, the transmission time of the correction information from the center to the terminal device is also increased. The difference is 10 times. For example, assuming a transmission efficiency of 80% on a 2,400 bps line, 240 bytes (2,400 ÷ 8 × 0.8 = 240) of data can be transmitted per second, so the conventional load module can transmit 833 seconds (200
(KB / 240B), which means it takes about 1 and a half minutes while it takes about 14 minutes.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment of the invention will be described. The source program A of the program to be modified is modified to receive the modified source program 30 containing A ', and the source program editing function replaces the source program with the same program name in the source program library 7 to create a new source library. Will be configured. Next, the compiler function 34 activated by the modification management means 4 compiles the source program (A ') having the received source program name A, and the copy phrase xb
Object program a '((A') + (xb))
To replace the corresponding old object program a in the object program library 5.
The new load module library 6 is completed based on the corrected object program library 5 thus completed in the same manner as described in the case of the first invention.

Next, the operation and effect of the third embodiment of the invention will be described. Information on the source statements to be modified and the source statements to be added or deleted in the source program A is transmitted from the center to the terminal device as the source program modification information 31. That is, only the information about how to modify the program in the source program library 7 provided in the terminal device is transmitted. The source program editing function 33 corrects the source program A in the source program library 7 based on the transmitted source program modification information 31 and replaces it with the source program A ′. Next, the compiler function 34 activated by the modification management means 4 compiles the source program A ', incorporates the copy phrase xb into the object program a' ((A ') + (xb)), and creates the object program library 5'. Replace the corresponding old object program element a in. The new load module library 6 is completed based on the corrected object program library 5 thus completed in the same manner as described in the case of the first invention.

Consider the comparison with the conventional remote maintenance under the same conditions as the case of the first invention. If the source statement modification is assumed to be 100 steps for the A program, the source program modification information 31 is 80 bytes per step, 80 × 100 = 8K.
It will be about a byte. The transmission time is about 33 seconds (8KB ÷ 240B), and the transmission time of the conventional load module as a whole is about 1/25 of 833 seconds, which is a great reduction.

Next, a trial calculation will be made regarding the operational necessity and effects in the distributed processing network system. For example, in a network of 500 terminals (500 lines), even if the center can transmit 8 multiplex simultaneously, in the above example, the conventional method takes 14.6 hours (14 minutes × 500 ÷ 8 = 875 minutes). About 34 minutes if you use the invention (case of the third invention)
(33 seconds × 500 ÷ 8 = 2,062 seconds) will be enough. As a result, even a large amount of modified data that could not be transmitted overnight in the past can be freely scheduled according to the operation, and a significant improvement in operational efficiency can be expected. In addition, there are great savings in operating costs such as personnel costs, electricity costs, center costs including transportation costs such as magnetic recording media, terminal equipment costs, line costs (especially in the case of metered lines such as packet networks). .

On the downside of the present invention, the processing time for editing, compiling functions, etc. on the terminal side increases, but the time taken for this is only a few minutes (for each individual terminal), so there is a substantial problem. However, it can be said that it is insignificant from the overall positive effect. [Explanation of another embodiment] In the above embodiment, the correction management means 4 in the terminal device 10 is started immediately after data transmission, but it is started at a designated date and time by using a clock mechanism (not shown). Alternatively, there are various methods such as starting at the time of opening a station, when an instruction is given from the operator of the terminal, or when the terminal is closed.

In the above, CO is used as the source program language.
I explained the case of compiler languages such as BOL.
The same effect can be expected not only in the assembler language but also in a program generator language close to the specification level.

[0044]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when a business processing program for operating terminal devices distributed in a remote place is remotely corrected and maintained by a communication line, the conventional remote maintenance is performed. Requires a large amount of data transmission in order to replace a large amount of load modules, but according to the present invention, only the elements of the modified object program or only the modification information of the modified source program are transferred. A large-scale distributed processing network that can realize a remote maintenance target terminal device that can be operated simply, in a short time and at low cost, that only needs to be transmitted, and has the effect of shortening the line usage time, the effect of shortening maintenance operation time, etc. There is a remarkable industrial effect of constructing a highly reliable system and reducing operating costs.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a first invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of second and third inventions.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a program library

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Maintenance Management Device 2 Line 3 Receiving Means 4 Correction Management Means 5 Object Program Storage 6 Load Module Storage 7 Source Program Storage 10 Terminal Device

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masato Uemura 8-4-10 Nishi-Kamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo Within Fujitsu Financial Systems Inc. (72) Inventor Hidero Yamagata 8-4-10 Nishi-Kamata, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock company Fujitsu Financial Systems

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A terminal device in which maintenance of a program operating in the device itself is performed via a line, wherein the terminal device includes a load module storage section for storing a load module which is an executable program, and a program editing function. And a modification management means having a linkage editor function, an object program storage section for storing an object program input to the modification management means when the load module is created by the linkage editor function, and a modified version of the object program. A terminal device comprising: a receiving unit for receiving via a line, wherein the received modified version of the object program and the object program storage unit modify the load module in the load module storage unit. 2. A terminal device in which maintenance of a program operating in the device itself is performed via a line, wherein the terminal device includes a load module storage section for storing a load module that is an executable program, and a program editing function. And a modification management unit having a linkage editor function, an object program storage unit for storing an object program input to the modification management unit when the load module is created by the linkage editor function, and a modified version of the source program. Receiving means for receiving via a line, modifying the object program in the object program storage unit from the received modified version of the source program, and using the modified object program storage unit to load module in the load module storage unit. Terminal apparatus characterized by correcting the Lumpur. 3. The terminal device according to claim 2, further comprising a source program storage unit for storing a source program corresponding to an execution-type load module in the terminal device, and the receiving unit modifying information of the source program. And a modification management unit that modifies the corresponding source program in the source program storage unit based on modification information of the source program.