JPH09152950A - Protocol converting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it easy to design the input and output of data by GUI by providing a protocol conversion definition body and automatically performing protocol conversion between a screen and a server. SOLUTION: A protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 converts the type and value of data and the contents of the value by referring to the protocol conversion definition body 8. The protocol conversion definition body 8 defines the type and value of data to be inputted, the type and value of data to be outputted, and the alteration contents of the values. Then the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 inputs data from a screen with the specified type and value by referring to the protocol conversion definition body 8, converts the contents of the inputted value at the time of specification, and sends it to the server with the specified type and value. Further, the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 inputs data from the server with the specified type and value by referring to the protocol conversion definition body 8, converts the contents of the inputted value at the time of specification, and then takes it out with the specified type and value and makes a display on the screen.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a protocol conversion device that performs protocol conversion of data between a screen and a server.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, GUI (graphical user
When building software (application program) operating in a client / server model having an interface on a PC (personal computer) of a client, normally, a different GUI is prepared for each software, as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the client PC communicates with the server, a different protocol is required for each software, a unique communication unit is created for each software, and the data input from the screen on the PC is protocol-converted. Then, the data received from the server is protocol-converted and displayed (output) on the screen of the PC. Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of FIG. 8 will be briefly described.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the prior art. In FIG. 8, the PC is a personal computer, and is composed of a software A client unit and a software B client unit here.

The software A client unit and the software B client unit have individual screens dedicated to the respective software, a GUI unit, and a software A communication unit (or software B communication unit).

The screen is a screen (window) for inputting and outputting (displaying) data. The GUI is
It is a graphical user interface that captures data entered on the screen and displays the data on the screen.

The communication section for software A (or the communication section for software B) performs protocol conversion of dedicated data for software A (or software B) and transmits / receives data to / from server A (or server B). Is to do.

Next, the operation will be described. A dedicated GUI captures the data input from the screen of the client unit for software A, and the communication unit for software A converts the type and value of the captured data (for example, converting an integer type to a character type, specifically, The checked value “1” is converted into “However, as purchase price”) and sent to the server.
On the other hand, the software A communication unit receives the data received from the server, converts the type and the value, transfers the data to the GUI, and displays the data on the screen.

Similarly, the software B client unit independently takes in the data input from the screen by the dedicated GUI, and the software B communication unit converts the type and value of the taken-in data and sends it to the server. . On the other hand, the software B communication unit receives the data received from the server, converts the type and value, passes the data to the GUI, and displays the data on the screen.

[0009]

As described above, in the past, the screen, GUI, communication unit, etc. were individually created for the software (application program) on the client. Therefore, details of the screen, GUI, communication unit, etc. There is a problem that it cannot be designed without such specialized knowledge, and that it requires a lot of time and effort to create each software individually.

The present invention solves these problems.
A protocol conversion definition that defines the type of data to be converted, the value, and the conversion contents of the value is provided to enable automatic protocol conversion between the screen and the server to send and receive data. The purpose of the present invention is to easily realize the design of data input / output by GUI without the need to create a communication unit for performing protocol conversion.

[0011]

Means for solving the problem will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, screen 3
Is a screen for inputting and displaying data.

The protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 converts a data type, a value, and a content of the value by referring to the protocol conversion definition body 8. The protocol conversion definition 8 is
It defines the type and value of data to be fetched, the type of data to be output, the value, and the conversion contents of the value.

Next, the operation will be described. The protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 refers to the protocol conversion definition structure 8 and takes in the data from the screen with the specified type and value, converts the contents of the acquired value at the specified time, and then the specified type , It takes out as a value and sends it to the server.

Further, after the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 refers to the protocol conversion definition body 8 and takes in the data from the server in the specified type and value, and converts the contents of the taken-in value at the specified time, The specified type and value are fetched and displayed on the screen.

Therefore, by providing the protocol conversion definition body 8 for defining the type of data to be converted, the value, and the conversion contents of the value, the protocol is automatically converted between the screen and the server to transmit and receive the data. In addition, it is possible to easily design the input / output of data by GUI without the need to create a communication unit that performs protocol conversion for each conventional application program.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment and operation of the present invention will be described in detail sequentially with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a PC 1 is a personal computer, and here, is connected to a server via a line and inputs data from a screen (window of the screen) to transfer to the server, or data transferred from the server. Is displayed on the screen to perform various business processes. This PC1
Is composed of a software A client unit 2, a software B client unit 2, a communication unit 5, a protocol conversion definition body 8, and the like.

The client section 2 for software A and the client section 2 for software B are application programs, respectively, which take in data input from the screen and transfer it to the server 9 or data transferred from the server 9. Is displayed on the screen to perform various business processes, and is composed of the screen 3, the GUI unit 4, and the like.

The screen 3 is used for inputting data and displaying data. The GUI unit 4 is a graphical user interface, and is for taking in data input from the screen displayed graphically and displaying the data graphically on the screen.

The communication section 5 includes a software A client 2, a software B client 2, a server A,
The protocol conversion processing is performed with the server B to transmit and receive data, and includes the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 and the router 7.

The protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 refers to the protocol conversion definition body 8 to refer to the GUI unit 4 or the server 9.
The data type, the value, and the content of the value are converted and transferred to the server 9 or the GUI unit 4.

The router 7 sends data to the destination server 9 of the product, passes data received from the server 9 to the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6, and so on. The protocol conversion definition body 8 is for registering definitions for protocol conversion, and is for previously registering data types, values, contents of change of values, etc., as shown in FIG. 5 described later.

The server 9 is connected to each PC 1 via a line and performs various business processes. Next, the operation of the configuration of FIG. 1 will be described in detail according to the order shown in the flowchart of FIG.

In FIG. 2, in S1, data from the GUI unit arrives. This corresponds to the user inputting data in the input area on the screen 3 of FIG.
The unit 4 fetches the data, and the data (for example, refer to (b) of FIG. 4 described later) from the GUI unit 4 arrives at the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6.

At S2, the protocol ID is extracted from the data. In this case, the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 extracts the protocol ID from the arrived data, for example, the data shown in FIG.

In step S3, a buffer to be sent to the server is acquired. In S4, the protocol ID is stored at the head of the buffer. This is because the protocol ID extracted in S2 is S3.
Stored at the beginning of the buffer acquired in step 4, for example, as shown in FIG.
The protocol ID is stored as shown in the second from the beginning of the data of (c).

In step S5, the protocol conversion method of the corresponding protocol ID is read from the protocol conversion definition body. This reads, for example, the protocol conversion definition body 8 of FIG. 5 described later.

In step S6, int i = 0 is initialized and i
<S7 to S11 are repeated until the total number of controls is repeated. In S7, the data of control i is CONT
It is taken out in the format described in ROL. For example, when the control i = 0, reference is made to the control 1 EDIT char: in the CONTROL field of FIG. 5, and here, the char of the data of the control 1 from the data arriving in S1 is char (representing the character type).
Take out with. For example, a character type "Yamada Shokai Co., Ltd." is extracted from the data of control 1 in FIG.

In step S8, it is determined whether a data conversion instruction is described in CHANGE. If YES, S
Go to 9. On the other hand, if NO, the process proceeds to S10. S9
In S8, it is determined that the data conversion instruction is described in CHANGE with YES in S8, so the data is changed to the value described in CHANGE. For example, in the case of control 3, CHA of the protocol conversion definition structure 8 in FIG.
Indication of conversion of data in NGE field Control 3 1 "However, when the purchase price is" 0 "": For example, when the data of control 3 of FIG. Convert (change) to “However, as purchase price”.

In step S10, the data is converted into the format described in PARAMETER. For example, the PARM3 control 3 char: is extracted from the PARAMETER field in the protocol conversion definition structure 8 of FIG. 5, and the data of the control 3 is converted into a character type (char) format. Is converted to a character type (char) (here, since it is a character type, it is left as it is).

In S11, i ++ is performed (1 is added to the value of i), and S6 is performed. When the value of i becomes equal to the number of controls (total number of controls) in S6, the process ends, and S1
Proceed to 2.

In step S12, the data is stored in the buffer to be transmitted in the order described in PARAMETER. This is stored in the buffer as shown in FIG.
S13 transmits to the server corresponding to the product ID. This is because the router 7 of FIG. 1 refers to the data of (c) of FIG. 4 passed from the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 in the relation table between the product and the server (not shown), and the server 9 corresponding to the product ID Send to.

As described above, the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 that receives the data input on the screen 3 from the GUI unit 4 refers to the protocol conversion definition body 8 and the type specified by the control number in the CONTROL field from the data. , Data corresponding to the value, CH
After the conversion of the value specified by the control number in the ANGE field, the data converted into the type and value specified by the control number in the PARMAMETER field is extracted, and the extracted data is transmitted to the corresponding server. With these, by only describing the protocol conversion definition structure 8, the data from the screen 3 is read with the specified type and value, the read value is converted into the specified value, and then with the specified type and value. It is possible to take it out, store it in a buffer, and send it to the server.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the screen of the present invention. this is,
A window 31 is provided on the screen of FIG.
The following items shown in the figure are registered in this window 31.・ Product ID RECEIPT ・ Window ID 1 ・ Protocol ID 1 (for sending to server) ・ Protocol ID 2 (for receiving from server) ・ Control 1 ・ Control 2 ・ Control 3 ・ Control 4 (display result from server) As described above, the product ID “RECEIPT” and the window ID “1” are set for each window 31 provided on the screen, and the protocol ID (for sending to the server) and the protocol ID (for receiving from the server) are set. Set. Then, a control number is set for each component, data is converted as described in association with this control number, and the data is transmitted to the server 9.

FIG. 4 shows an example of data according to the present invention. FIG. 4 (a) shows an example of data coming from the window. This is the data coming from the window 31 in FIG. 3 and the data fetched from the window 31 as shown below (details of the data will be described later with reference to FIG. 5).

・ Product ID RECEIPT ・ Window ID 1 ・ Protocol ID 1 ・ Total number of controls 3 ・ Control 1 EDIT Yamada Shokai Co., Ltd. ・ Control 2 EDIT 10000 ・ Control 3 CHECK 1 (b) of FIG. 4 arrived at the GUI section. Time data is shown. This is the data when the data coming from the window of FIG. 4A arrives at the GUI unit 4, and is the data set as shown below.

Window ID Protocol ID Control 1 Control 2 1 1 Yamada Shokai Co., Ltd. 10000 Control 3 1 FIG. 4C shows an example of data when the data converted by the protocol conversion definition is transmitted to the server. . This is obtained by converting the data of FIG. 4B with reference to the protocol conversion definition object 8 of FIG. 5 according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. The generated data.

Product ID Protocol ID PARM1 PARM2 RECEIPT 1 Yamada Shokai Co., Ltd. 10000 PARM3 However, as a purchase price, (d) of FIG. 4 shows an example of data arriving from the server to the router. This is an example of data that has arrived from the server to the router in order to display it in the window on the screen with reference to the protocol conversion definition 8 of FIG. 7 according to the flowchart of FIG. 6 described later. The data is set as follows.

Product ID Protocol ID PARM1 RECEIPT 1 1 (e) of FIG. 4 shows an example of data when the data converted by the protocol conversion definition body is transmitted to the window. This is performed according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 which will be described later with reference to the protocol conversion definition body 8 of FIG.
(D) is converted, and the converted data is generated as shown below.

Window ID Protocol ID Total Controls Control 4 1 2 1 Aware of FIG. 5 shows an example of protocol conversion definition (screen → server) of the present invention. The protocol conversion definition body 8 is defined in advance as shown in the figure by giving a product ID and a window ID for each window on the screen. The meaning is described in the // comment field. Others will be described below.

The CONTROL field indicates the type and data format of each part in the window. For example, control 1 EDIT char: is the control 1 field on the window.
Indicates that data is taken in by the character type (char). Control 3 CHECK int: indicates that the field of control 3 on the window is checked and data is taken in as an integer type (int) (for example, integer "1" when checked, integer "1" when not checked). Read 0 ").

The PARAMETER field indicates the storage order and data format in the buffer to be transmitted to the server. For example, PARM1 control 1 char: stores control 1 data in the character type (char) at the beginning of PARM1 of the buffer. To do.

The CHANGE field indicates the contents of switching and change by the input data of each part. For example, control 31 "However," 0 "" as the purchase price is an integer type fetched from the window by control 3 of the CONTROL field. When the value of (int) is, for example, "1", it is converted into "however, as the purchase price". Regarding the converted value, the above-mentioned PARA
By the control 3 char: of the METER field, it is converted into a character type and stored in the buffer to be transmitted to the server.

As described above, the product ID for each window,
By setting a window ID, setting it in the CONTROL field and PARAMETER field in association with the control number given to each part in the window, and setting the value change contents in the CHANGE field as necessary, the window on the screen It is possible to capture the data with the specified type and value for each, convert the data value when specified, store the data converted into the specified type and value in the buffer, and send it to the server 9. Becomes

Next, referring to the protocol conversion definition body 8 of FIG. 7, according to the order shown in the flowchart of FIG.
The procedure for transmitting data from the server and displaying it in the window on the screen as shown in (d) to (f) of FIG.

FIG. 6 shows an operation explanatory flowchart (server → screen) of the present invention. In FIG. 6, in S21, the data arrives at the router. This arrives when the data transmitted from the server 9 in FIG. 1 is received by the router 7 via the line.

In step S22, the product ID is extracted from the data. In S23, the protocol ID is extracted from the data. In S22 and S23, the product ID and the protocol ID are extracted from the data arrived by the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 in S21 and the above-described data of FIG. For example, from the data of FIG. 4D, the product ID "RECEI"
The PT "and the protocol ID" 1 "are respectively taken out.

In step S24, a buffer to be sent to the window is acquired. S25 is the protocol I at the beginning of the buffer.
Store D and the window ID. For example, the window ID and the protocol ID are stored from the beginning of the data shown in FIG.

In step S26, the protocol conversion method of the corresponding protocol ID is read from the protocol conversion definition body.
This is, for example, the protocol conversion definition 8 of FIG. 7 described later.
Read.

In step S27, int i = 0 is initialized,
i <control total number is repeated from S28 to S32. S28 is the PARMi data PAR
Retrieved in the format described in METER. For example, P
When ARMi = 0, the PARM1 control 4 int: is referred from the field of PARM1 of FIG. 7, and here, for example, PARM1 of FIG.
It is taken out from the data of as in the integer type "1".

In step S29, it is determined whether or not a data conversion instruction is described in CHANGE. If yes,
Proceed to S30. On the other hand, if NO, the process proceeds to S31.
In S31, since it is determined that YES in S29 that the data conversion instruction is described in CHANGE, CHANG
Change the data to the value described in E. PA for example
In the case of RM1, C of the protocol conversion definition structure 8 in FIG.
Instructing conversion of data in the HANGE field Control 4 1 "Acknowledged" 0 Corresponding to "There is an input error", for example PARM1 in Fig. 4 (d) described later
When the data of control data 4 of “1”, it is converted (changed) to “I understand”.

In S32, i ++ is performed (1 is added to the value of i), and S27 is performed. When the value of i becomes equal to the number of controls (total number of controls) in S27, the process ends.
Proceed to S33.

In step S33, the data is stored in the buffer to be transmitted in the order described in CONTROL. This is stored in the buffer as shown in (e) of FIG. S3
4 transmits to the corresponding window. As a result, the window receives the data shown in FIG. 4 (f) and displays the result, for example, “I know”, in the field of the control 4 of the window in FIG. 3 on the screen.

As described above, the protocol conversion processing mechanism 6 refers to the protocol conversion definition body 8 of FIG. 7 for the data received from the server 9 and the PARAMETER from the data.
The data is extracted corresponding to the type and value specified by the PARM number (control number) in the field, and C
After converting the value designated by the control number in the HANGE field, the data is taken out to the type and value designated by the control number in the CONTROL field, and the taken out data is sent to the corresponding window. With these, only by describing the protocol conversion definition structure 8, the data from the server 9 is read with the specified type and value, the read value is converted into the specified value, and then the specified type and value are used. It is possible to take it out, store it in a buffer, and send it to the window.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the protocol conversion definition structure (server → screen) of the present invention. This protocol conversion definition 8
Is the product ID and protocol ID for each product, as shown in the figure.
And is defined in advance as shown in the figure. /
The meaning is described in each comment field of /. Others will be described below.

-ToWINDOW: represents the direction of transmission / reception, which means that data is transmitted from the server to the window.

Window ID 1: indicates that the window ID for transmitting data is "1". The CONTROL field indicates the type and data format of each part in the window. For example, control 4 EDIT char: indicates that the field of control 4 on the window displays the data converted into character type (char). .

The PARAMETER field represents the storage order and data format in the buffer received from the server. For example, PARM1 control 4 int: is the integer data of the received PARM1 data of control 4 (int). ) Indicates that it is taken out.

The CHANGE field indicates the contents of switching and change by the input data of each part. For example, control 41 1 "I acknowledged" 0 "The input value is incorrect" is received from the server by control 4 of the CONTROL field. Integer type (i
When the value of (nt) is “1”, for example, it is converted to “I understand”. Regarding the converted value, the above-mentioned CONT
ROL field control 4 EDIT cha
It is converted to a character type by r: and stored in the buffer to be sent to the window.

As described above, the product ID and the protocol ID
The PARAMETER field and CON are associated with the control number given to each part in the window for each
Set in TROL field and CHNG if necessary
By setting the change contents of the value in the E field, the data received from the server is taken in with the specified type and value, the value of the data is converted at the specified time, and then the specified type and value are converted. The converted data can be stored in the buffer and sent to the window.

[0061]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the protocol conversion definition body 8 that defines the type of data to be converted, the value, and the conversion contents of the value is provided, and the protocol is automatically converted between the screen and the server to send and receive data , It is easy to describe only the protocol conversion definition 8 corresponding to the application program when fetching data from the input area on the screen window and sending it to the server or displaying data from the server on the window. It is possible to input and output data graphically on the screen by performing various tasks. As a result, it is not necessary to create a communication unit that performs protocol conversion for each conventional application program, and it is possible to easily design data input / output by GUI.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the present invention (screen → server).

FIG. 3 is a screen example of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an example of data of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an example of a protocol conversion definition structure (server → screen) of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the present invention (server → screen).

FIG. 7 is an example of a protocol conversion definition structure (server → screen) of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: PC (personal computer) 2: Software client unit 3: Screen 31: Window 4: GUI unit (graphical user interface unit) 5: Communication unit 6: Protocol conversion processing mechanism 7: Router 8: Protocol conversion definition 9: Server

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A protocol conversion device for performing protocol conversion of data between a screen and a server, and a protocol conversion definition body defining a data type to be converted, a value, and conversion contents of the value, and this protocol conversion definition body. And a means for outputting to the server after converting the type and value of the data from the screen based on the designation of the protocol conversion device. 2. A protocol conversion device for performing protocol conversion of data between a screen and a server, and a protocol conversion definition body defining a data type to be converted, a value, and conversion contents of the value, and this protocol conversion definition body. And a unit for converting the type and value of the data from the server based on the specification of and outputting to the screen.