JPH09152960A - Information processor and information processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to easily return an updated program to an original unupdated program by keying even when a trouble is generated in the updated program in the case of changing an execution program for a terminal equipment connected to a host computer through a slow line such as a public telephone line by the use of an on line. SOLUTION: The information processor is provided with a program storing part 11 capable of storing an execution program consisting of plural versions received from a host 1a, a number-of-loaded-versions storing part 10 for storing the number-of-versions information of the program to be loaded from the storing part 11 and executed and an input means 13a for inputting data, and when a trouble is generated in the program to be loaded and executed, the number-of versions information stored in the storing part 10 is rewritten by an input from the input means 13a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system in which a host computer (host) and a large number of information processing devices are connected by a line, and an execution program for controlling the information processing devices is transmitted from the host computer. The present invention relates to an information processing device and an information processing system that perform software maintenance.

[0002] In a system in which a host computer and terminal devices, which are a large number of information processing devices, are connected by lines, when changing an execution program on a terminal device, a method of exchanging programs by a floppy or the like on each terminal device There is.

However, like a bank system,
In the case where each terminal device is distributed in each region, there are inconveniences such as preparation of a floppy for exchanging programs, and a worker having to go to each region to actually exchange programs.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art In the case where each terminal device is distributed in each region such as a bank system, preparation of a floppy to replace the program or an operator must go to each region to actually replace the program. There are inconveniences such as not becoming. As a countermeasure against this inconvenience, a method of inserting a change program into a host computer and sending the change program from the host computer using a line has been conventionally used as a soft remote maintenance method.

[0005]

The above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. (1): When a terminal device is installed in a wide area like a bank system, the data transfer speed of the line connecting the host computer and the terminal device is generally very low. Therefore, when the capacity of the control program on the terminal device is large, the amount of data to be transferred through the line is large, so that the execution program has to be transferred mainly by using all of the night time. Therefore, if there is some inconvenience in the transferred execution program and the program is not saved in the floppy disk etc., it is impossible to restore the execution program to the original execution program until it is sent again the next day. It was

(2): When the number of terminal devices is large and it is necessary to change the execution programs of all the terminal devices at all, there is a limit to the amount of program data that can be transmitted at night, so the amount of change is small. In many cases, software remote maintenance was impossible.

(3): If the programs of some terminal devices have not been changed for some reason, the host computer cannot easily check them, so the execution programs of all terminal devices must be changed without fail. The remote maintenance method could not be used, for example, in the case of serious inconvenience to the system.

The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and when an execution program of a terminal device connected to a host computer through a low speed line such as a public telephone line is changed online, the updated program is executed. Even if there is any inconvenience, you can easily return to the program before change by key input, and if there are too many change programs to send overnight, you can send them in multiple days, Another object of the present invention is to prevent inconvenience even when the programs of all terminal devices must be changed at the same time.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the principle of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1a is a host, 3a is a line, 4a is an information processing device, 6a is a processing section, 10 is a load version number storage. 11 is a program storage unit, and 13a is an input means.

The present invention has the following structure in order to solve the above conventional problems. (1): A program storage unit 11 capable of storing execution programs of a plurality of versions received from the host 1a, and a loaded version storage unit 10 storing version number information of a program loaded and executed from the program storage unit 11 And input means 13a for inputting data, the input means 1 is provided when the program to be loaded and executed is defective.
The version number information in the load version number storage unit 10 is rewritten by the input from 3a.

(2): In the information processing apparatus of (1), a processing unit for processing a load version number storage unit rewriting command received from the host 1a and rewriting the version number information of the load version number storage unit 10. 6a, the host 1
a to receive only the change program in advance, and then the processing unit 6a receives a load version number storage unit rewriting command from the host 1a to rewrite the version number information in the load version number storage unit 10, or The version number information in the load version number storage unit 10 is rewritten by the input from the means 13a.

(3): A host 1a for transmitting a change program to perform remote maintenance, a plurality of information processing devices 4a connected to the host 1a via a line 3a, and the information processing device 4
a, a program storage unit 11 capable of storing a plurality of versions of execution programs received from the host 1a, and a loaded version number storage unit 10 for storing version number information of the program loaded and executed from the program storage unit 11. , A version received from the host 1a, which processes the load version number rewriting command for rewriting the version number information in the load version number storage unit 10 and the version number information of the program stored in the program storage unit 11 The host 1a sends the version number check command, and the change program is stored in all the information processing devices 4a that are targets for changing the program. After confirming that, the load version storage unit rewriting command is issued.

(Operation) The operation based on the above configuration will be described. The program storage unit 11 stores the execution programs of a plurality of versions received from the host 1a, and the load version storage unit 10 stores the version information of the program loaded from the program storage unit 11 and executed. When there is a problem in the program to be loaded and executed, the loaded version number storage unit 10 is input by the input means 13a.
Rewrite version information of. Therefore, even if the information processing apparatus 4a becomes unusable by the program after the change, the operator can easily specify the version number before the change by the input means 13a so that the information processing apparatus can be operated by the program before the change. Can be used.

Further, the processing unit 6a which receives only the change program from the host 1a in advance and then processes the load version number storage unit rewriting command receives the load version number storage unit rewriting command from the host 1a and loads the load version number storage unit rewriting command. The version number storage unit 1 is rewritten by rewriting version number information in the version number storage unit 10 or by input from the input unit 13a.
The version number information of 0 is rewritten. Therefore, even if the change program sent from the host 1a has a very large capacity and cannot be sent overnight, only the change program is sent from the host 1a in several days, and the load version storage unit is sent immediately before the change is implemented. It can be changed by a rewriting command or the input means 13a, and a large-capacity change program can be remotely maintained.

Furthermore, the host 1a which transmits the change program and performs remote maintenance sends a version number check command to all the information processing devices 4 which are the objects of the program change.
After confirming that the change program is stored in a, a load version number storage unit rewriting command is issued. Therefore, the programs of all the information processing devices 4a have a large interdependency relationship, and the programs of all the information processing devices 4a change at the same time when the system does not operate normally unless all the programs of all the information processing devices 4a are changed. It is also possible to deal with program changes that are premised on that.

[0016]

2 to 6 are views showing an embodiment of the present invention, and an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1): Description of System Configuration FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram in the embodiment. In FIG. 2, the host computer 1 is connected to a plurality of terminal devices 4 via a modem 2, a public telephone line network 3, and a modem 2.

The host computer 1 is a host for transmitting an execution program for controlling the terminal on the terminal device 4, a version number data change command (load version number storage section rewriting command), a version number check command, and the like. The modem 2 converts digital data handled by a computer into analog data handled by the public telephone line network 3. Public telephone network 3
Is a network used for sending and receiving data. The terminal device 4 is an information processing device that is connected to the host computer 1 via the public telephone line network 3 and can execute the program sent from the host computer 1.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the apparatus configuration.
3A is a description of the host computer, and FIG. 3B is a description of the terminal device. 2): Description of host computer In FIG. 3A, the host computer 1 includes the latest version of the terminal execution program 14, the execution program transmission mechanism 15, the version check mechanism 16 of all terminals, and the version information siphoning mechanism 17 of each terminal. Is provided.

The latest version of the terminal execution program 14
Is an execution program of the latest version for controlling the terminal on the terminal device 4, and is stored in a storage device or the like. The execution program transmission mechanism 15 transmits the latest version of the terminal execution program 14, version number data change command (load version number storage section rewriting command), version number check command, and the like.

The version check mechanism 16 of all terminals is
A version number check command is transmitted from the execution program transmission mechanism 15 to all the terminal devices 4, and the version information suction mechanism 17 of each terminal siphons the version information of each terminal to check. The version information sucking mechanism 17 of each terminal sucks the version information of each terminal device 4, and transfers the information to the version checking mechanism 16 of all terminals.

3): Description of Terminal Device In FIG. 3B, the terminal device 4 includes a line processing unit 5,
A program save processing unit 6, a program load processing unit 7, a program running memory 8, a non-volatile storage device 9,
A load version number storage unit rewriting processing unit 12 is provided. The nonvolatile storage device 9 is provided with a load version storage unit 10 and a program storage unit 11.

The line processing section 5 receives the change program and the like sent from the host computer 1. The program save processing unit 6 excludes the program change data received by the line processing unit 5 except the version number designated by the load version number storage unit 10, and is the oldest among the programs stored in the program storage unit 11. This is a processing unit that replaces the program.

The program load processing section 7 includes a terminal device 4
When the power is turned on / reset, the version number of the program designated by the load version number storage section 10 is loaded from the program storage section 11 and loaded into the program running memory 8. The program running memory 8 is used as the terminal device 4
It is a memory for running a program that moves.

The non-volatile storage device 9 is one in which the stored data is not erased even when the power of the terminal device 4 is turned off. For example, an EEPROM (fixed storage element capable of writing and erasing information by electrical means). , A battery-backed memory, a magnetic disk device, and the like. The load version number storage unit 10 specifies which version number of the program to load. The program storage unit 11 has areas (1), areas (2) ... Area (N) in which programs of different versions can be stored.

The load version storage rewriting processor 12
With the version number data entered by the operator using the key 13,
The processing for rewriting the data in the load version number storage unit 10 is performed. The key 13 is an input means operable by an operator.

4): Description of remote maintenance In the case where the host computer 1 changes the program of the terminal device 4 by remote maintenance, there is a problem in the program after the change, and the terminal device 4 remains in the changed program as it is. If the terminal device 4 becomes unusable and the backup floppy before the change is not attached to the terminal device 4, the operator inputs the key 13 to specify the program of the version before the change as a program to be loaded.
The terminal device 4 can be easily used with the program before the change.

The following are examples of problems in the program after the change. : When only the terminal device 4 has not been intentionally or erroneously revised in hardware, and a problem occurs due to a mismatch between the hardware level and the software level.

[0028]: The latest version of the execution program has a problem
The situation in which the terminal device 4 is placed is fatal, and it is too late to contact the center in which the host computer 1 is placed and restore the old version. That is, depending on the nature of the failure, the environmental conditions (temperature, presence / absence of electromagnetic waves, presence / absence of vibration, etc.) of the terminal device 4 are greatly influenced. For this reason, even if it does not cause a problem in the environment of the other terminal device 4, there is a case where the specific terminal device 4 causes a fatal obstacle.

The timing of revision of the execution program is
When you want to set for each terminal device 4. For example, in the case of a bank terminal, it may be desired to freely set the date of addition of a new function of the terminal device 4 for each bank store (branch).

Even when the capacity of the change program sent from the host computer 1 is so large that it cannot be sent overnight, only the change program is sent from the host computer 1 over several days and immediately before the change execution date. By sending only the version number data change command of the load version number storage unit 10 from the host computer 1, a change program having a large capacity can be remotely maintained.

Further, when the programs of the terminal devices 4 have a large interdependence relationship and the system does not operate normally unless all the programs of all the terminal devices 4 are changed, the version number data change command is transmitted from the host computer 1. Before doing so, a version check command is sent from the host computer 1 to check the version number of each terminal device 4, and there is no problem in responding to program changes on the assumption that the programs of all terminal devices 4 are changed at the same time. It will be possible.

5): Description of Processing of Program Save Processing Section FIG. 4 is a processing flowchart of the program save processing section. Hereinafter, the processing performed by the program save processing unit 6 of the terminal device 4 will be described according to processing S1 to processing S7.

S1: The program save processing unit 6 receives the data related to the software remote maintenance from the host computer 1 at the line processing unit 5, and shifts to processing 2. S2: The program save processing unit 6 determines whether the received data is the version check command of the program stored in the program storage unit 11. If the data received by this determination is the version number check command, the process proceeds to step S3. If it is not the version number check command, the step S3 is performed.
Move to 4.

S3: The program save processing unit 6 reads the version number of the program stored in the program storage unit 11 and sends it from the line processing unit 5 to the host computer 1,
This processing ends. In this case, whether or not the version number designated by the version number check command is stored in the program storage unit 11 may be transmitted to the host computer.

S4: If the data received in the processing S2 is not a version number check command, the program save processing section 6 changes the version number data of the program to be loaded into the program running memory 8 (load version number storage section rewriting command). ) Determine if If the data received in this determination is the version number data change command, the process proceeds to step S5. If it is not the version number data change command, the process step S5 is performed.
Go to 6.

S5: The program save processing unit 6 sets the version number data received by the version number data change command in the loaded version number storage unit 10, and ends this process. S6: If the data received in the process S4 is not a version number data change command, the program save processing unit 6 determines whether it is program data. If the data received in this determination is program data, the process proceeds to step S7. If it is not the program data, error processing is performed such as determining a data reception error and notifying the host computer 1, and this process ends.

S7: The program save processing section 6 selects one of the areas (1) to (N) of the program storage section 11
Except for the version number in the load version storage unit 10, the received program data is set in the area containing the oldest version number data, and this process ends.

6): Description of Processing of Program Load Processing Section FIG. 5 is a processing flowchart of the program load processing section. Hereinafter, the processing performed by the program load processing unit 7 of the terminal device 4 will be described according to processing S11 and processing S12.

S11: The program load processing section 7 starts this processing when the terminal device 4 is powered on or reset, and proceeds to the processing S12. S12: The program load processing unit 7 selects from the program storage unit 11 a program having a version number that matches the version number data stored in the loaded version number storage unit 10 and loads it into the program running memory 8. The process ends.

7): Description of the processing of the version check mechanism of all terminals The host computer 1 is a target for changing the program by sending a version check command before instructing to change the program of the terminal device 4. After confirming that the changed programs of all the terminal devices 4 are surely stored in the program storage unit 11, by issuing a load version storage unit rewriting command, only some of the terminal devices 4 are erroneously loaded. It prevents that the program cannot be changed.

FIG. 6 is a processing flowchart of the version check mechanism of all terminals. Hereinafter, the processing performed by the version check mechanism 16 of all the terminals of the host computer 1 will be described according to processing S21 to processing S25.

S21: The host computer 1 transmits the latest version of the terminal execution program 14 from the execution program transmission mechanism 15 to all the terminal devices 4, and proceeds to processing S22. S22: The version check mechanism 16 of all terminals transmits a version check command to each terminal device 4 from the execution program transmission mechanism 15, and the version information sucking mechanism 17 of each terminal receives the version number of each terminal device 4, It is confirmed whether or not the latest version of the execution program exists, and the process proceeds to step S23.

S23: The version checking mechanism 16 of all terminals judges whether or not the latest version of the execution program exists in all terminal devices 4. If the latest version of the execution program exists in all the terminal devices 4 according to this determination, the process proceeds to step S24. If the latest version of the execution program does not exist in all the terminal devices 4, the process proceeds to step S25.

S24: The version check mechanism 16 of all the terminals sends a load version number storage section rewriting command which is a command for rewriting the version number of the load version number storage section 10 to all the terminal devices 4, and the load version number storage section 10 is sent. Change the version number of to the latest version and end this process.

S25: The version checking mechanism 16 of all the terminal devices 4 does not load the latest version program to some of the terminal devices 4 because the power of the terminal devices 4 is not turned on. The operator is notified that the revision has been stopped, and this processing ends.

[0046]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects. (1): When there is a problem in the program loaded from the program storage unit and executed by the version number information stored in the loaded version number storage unit, the version number information in the loaded version number storage unit is input by the input means. Even if the information processing device becomes unusable with the changed program, the operator can easily use the information processing device with the program before the change by specifying the version number before the change with the input means. can do.

(2): Only the change program is previously received from the host, and then the processing unit for processing the load version number storage unit rewriting command receives the load version number storage unit rewriting command from the host, and the load version number is received. Since the version number information in the storage unit is rewritten or the version number information in the load version number storage unit is rewritten by the input from the input means, the capacity of the change program sent from the host 1a is very large and is sent overnight. Even if it is not possible, only the change program is transmitted from the host in several days, and it can be changed by the load version storage unit rewriting command or the input means 13a immediately before the change is performed, and a change program with a large capacity can be remotely maintained. Become.

(3): The host that transmits the change program and performs remote maintenance sends a version number check command,
After confirming that the changed program is stored in all the information processing devices that are subject to the program modification, the load version number storage unit rewriting command is issued, so that the interdependence of the programs of the information processing device is large, and If all the programs of the information processing devices are not changed, it is possible to cope with the program change assuming that the programs of all the information processing devices are changed at the same time, such as when the system does not operate normally.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a device configuration according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a processing flowchart of a program save processing unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a processing flowchart of a program load processing unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a processing flowchart of version check mechanisms of all terminals in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a host 3a line 4a information processing device 6a processing unit 10 load version storage unit 11 program storage unit 13a input means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A program storage unit capable of storing a plurality of versions of execution programs received from a host, a load version number storage unit for storing version number information of a program loaded and executed from the program storage unit, and data. An information processing device, characterized in that the version number information in the load version number storage section is rewritten by an input from the input means when there is a problem in the program to be loaded and executed. . 2. A processing unit for receiving a load version number rewriting command for rewriting the version number information in the load version number storage unit and receiving only the change program from the host in advance, The processing unit receives a load version number rewriting command from the host and rewrites the version number information in the load version number storage unit, or the version number in the load version number storage unit by input from the input means. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information is rewritten. 3. A host for transmitting a change program to perform remote maintenance, a plurality of information processing devices connected to the host by a line, and a plurality of version numbers received from the host for the information processing device. A program storage unit that can store an execution program, a load version number storage unit that stores version number information of a program loaded and executed from the program storage unit, and a version number of the loaded version number storage unit that is received from the host And a processing unit for processing a version number check command for checking version number information of the program stored in the program storage unit, the host storing the version information. Send a number check command,
An information processing system characterized by issuing the load version number rewriting command after confirming that the changed program is stored in all the information processing apparatuses to be changed.