JPH09223094A - Communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication equipment with which a communication path including respective pieces of equipment is automatically diagnosed in a configuration information processors (DTE) such as a host computer, terminal equipment and personal computer through the communication equipment such as the terminal adapter (TA) of ISDN. SOLUTION: This communication equipment has the following configuration. The communication path between information processors 1 and 4 connected to communication equipment 2 and 3 is diagnosed 1 while using a standard signal. The communication path to the information processor connected to the other communication equipment is diagnosed 2. The communication path between the information processors 1 and 4 is diagnosed 3 according to a procedure while using the combination of plural signals. A timer is provided and periodically diagnosed 4. As the substitutive means or additive means of a display means, a diagnosed result reporting means is provided 5. As the diagnosed result reporting means, a public line network is used 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication device such as a modem for connecting an information processing device such as a host computer, a terminal device, a personal computer or the like via a line or a network, such as personal computer communication or internet connection. In particular, it relates to a technique for diagnosing a communication path including each device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a host computer is used from a terminal device at a remote place or personal computer communication is performed, a host computer, a terminal device or a personal computer is connected via a communication device such as a modem or an ISDN TA (terminal adapter). Information processing device such as.

These information processing devices are called DTEs (data terminal devices). The DTE and the communication device are connected by the RS232C protocol which is a world standard communication procedure. The communication device connected to the DTE is connected via a switching line or a network whose protocol is more complicated. FIG. 8 shows a communication device and a communication path.

FIG. 8 shows that the communication device is divided into a caller side and a callee side, and the communication path of the communication device is different depending on whether the caller side or the callee side belongs. A standard transmission signal and a corresponding standard response signal are determined for each communication path. In an actual system, a large number of terminal devices and a large number of DTEs are connected, and further an exchange is connected.

In such a system, if a failure occurs such that the communication program falls into a permanent loop for some reason, it is difficult to find it on either the communication device side or the DTE side. Even if a failure is found, it is difficult to identify the failed part. Is. Such an obstacle is usually caused by the D on the other side connected through the line.
Discovered by TE user. Also, the failure can be detected only after connecting the line.

In particular, it is difficult to distinguish which communication device has a failure between communication devices installed at remote locations, and it takes a long time to recover. Therefore, a technique has been devised for determining a faulty part between both communication devices in a short time when a fault occurs (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-117062 digital transmission device faulty part determination method).

In a system connected through a line,
In the case of a leased line, the line user manually inputs the key from the connected terminal device to investigate the cause of the failure. For example, the response is manually confirmed by connecting to each connected communication device.

When the system is configured by a network such as a local area network, it is desirable to automatically diagnose the communication route without stopping the operation of the entire system. Therefore, a technique (for example, a test method for a local area network of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-135247) has been devised that periodically tests the network.

[0009]

In the conventional communication device, there is a method of determining the faulty part of the communication path between the both communication devices, or even if the test target includes the center device and the terminal device, It was a method of sending and receiving by adding a test message to a normal message. Therefore, there is a problem that a failure in the information processing apparatus cannot be detected, the communication apparatus provides a specific pattern, and the center-side communication apparatus has to create a test message at the time of failure investigation or test.

In view of the above points, the present invention makes it possible to easily and automatically diagnose a communication path including an information processing apparatus by using a standard signal corresponding to the communication path, and execute communication executed in the information processing apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide a communication device capable of early resetting a faulty part of a program, an information processing device, or another communication device.

[0011]

The above problems can be solved by the communication device of the present invention configured as follows. A communication device according to a first invention is a communication device installed between an information processing device and a line so that the information processing device can communicate with each other via the line. In order to diagnose the route, a signal comparison means for sending a standard transmission signal to the information processing device side and comparing a predetermined standard response signal to be received in response to the standard transmission signal with an actual reception signal is provided. .

A communication device according to a second aspect of the present invention is a communication device installed between an information processing device and a line so that the information processing device can communicate with each other via the line. A predetermined standard response signal that should be received in response to the standard transmission signal by sending the standard transmission signal to the line side in order to diagnose the communication path with another information processing device connected via the And signal comparison means for comparing the received signal with the actual received signal.

In the communication device of the present invention, the standard transmission signal is first transmitted.
In the invention, the information is transmitted to the information processing device side, and in the second invention, the information is transmitted to another information processing device through the line and another communication device, and the corresponding received signal and the standard response signal are compared, Diagnose the communication path of.

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the first and second inventions.
As shown in FIG. 1, the communication device 2 of the present invention is connected to the information processing device 1 and is connected to another information processing device 4 via another communication device 3. The communication device 2 and the other communication device 3 are connected by a line.

In the communication device 2, the standard transmission signal in the combination of the standard transmission signal and the standard response signal corresponding to the communication path is sent to the information processing device 1 in the first invention and the information processing device 4 in the second invention. To receive the corresponding received signal.

The received signal is compared with the standard response signal in the signal comparison means 5. A communication device according to a third aspect of the invention is an extension of the communication device according to the first and second aspects of the invention. Since the information processing devices communicate with each other via a line, a communication device is provided between the information processing device and the line. A communication device installed in
A standard transmission signal is sent to the information processing device side and the line side to diagnose the path to the information processing device and the communication path to another information processing device connected via another communication device. And a signal comparison means for comparing a predetermined standard response signal to be received in response to the standard transmission signal with the actual reception signal.

FIG. 2 is a principle diagram of the communication device of the third invention. As shown in FIG. 2, in the communication device of the third invention, the communication path between the information processing device 1 and the information processing device 4 is diagnosed by a plurality of combinations of standard transmission signals and standard response signals. 2 has the same meaning as in FIG.

The communication apparatus of the fourth invention is provided with the timer means in the communication apparatus 2 of any one of the first to third inventions. The communication device of the fifth invention includes a display unit in the communication device 2 of any of the first to fourth inventions, and displays the diagnosis result.

The communication device of the sixth invention comprises a diagnostic result transmitting means for transmitting a diagnostic result transmission signal generated based on the diagnostic result, as an alternative means of the display means of the communication device 2 of the fifth invention.

FIG. 3 is a principle diagram of a communication device of the fourth, fifth and sixth inventions. 3A shows a communication device 2 of the first and second inventions, and FIG. 3B shows a communication device 2 of the third inventions.
Shows that the timer means 6, the display means 7, and the diagnostic result transmitting means 8 are added respectively. Meanings of other symbols in FIG. 3 are the same as those in FIGS.

According to the fourth invention, a communication path including each device between the information processing device 1 or the other information processing device 4 and the communication device 2 or between the information processing device 1 and the other information processing device 4. Can be regularly diagnosed.

According to the fifth aspect, the comparison result by the comparison means 5, that is, the diagnosis result of each communication path can be displayed by the display means 7. According to the sixth invention, it is possible to notify the diagnosis result through a route different from the information processing device 4 or the information processing device 1 which is the connection destination of the line included in the communication device of any one of the first to fifth inventions. Become.
Further, the display means 7 can be used as an alternative means or the display means 7 can be deleted.

A communication device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention comprises a destination information storage means for storing destination information for notifying a diagnosis result and a destination information setting means for registering in the destination information storage means. A public line network is used as the diagnostic result transmitting means of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a principle diagram of the communication device of the seventh invention. Reference numeral 9 in FIG. 7 is a destination information storage means, and 10 is a destination information setting means. The meanings of other symbols in FIG.
It is the same as FIG.

According to the seventh invention, it becomes possible to arbitrarily specify the other party 18 via the line to which the communication device 2 of the first to sixth inventions is connected and notify the diagnosis result. By using the public line network, the destination of the telephone number can be the information processing device 1 or the information processing device 4 or an information processing device completely different from them.

Furthermore, if a pager is notified or a voice signal is generated, a general telephone different from the information processing device can also be notified by voice.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
An example applied to the called side communication device of (A) will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
51 and 54 are DTE, 52 is a modem which is a communication device of the present invention, and 53 is a modem which is another communication device. DT
The E51 and the DTE 54 connect the modem 52 and the modem 53, respectively, and communicate with each other.

Reference numeral 61 in FIG. 5 is a line connection mechanism, which is connected to the host computer 68 and another modem 53 via the public line network. Reference numeral 62 in FIG. 5 is a port connection mechanism, and the DTE 51 is connected via the RS232C interface.
Connected to.

Reference numeral 64 in FIG. 5 is a standard signal holding register, which holds a plurality of combinations of standard transmission signals corresponding to the standard transmission signals of the communication paths A1 and A2 of FIG. 8A.

Reference numeral 65 in FIG. 5 is a standard signal setting register, which is a communication path A1 held in the standard signal holding register 64.
And a plurality of combinations of standard signals of the communication path A2 are set. In this example, the called modem is used, but when the calling modem is used as shown in FIG.
The standard signal setting register 65 sets a combination of standard signals of the communication path B1 and the communication path B2.

Reference numeral 63 in FIG. 5 denotes a port control mechanism, which sends the standard transmission signal held in the standard signal holding register 64 to the port connection mechanism 62. Reference numeral 58 in FIG. 5 denotes a network control mechanism, which sends the standard transmission signal held in the standard signal holding register 64 to the line connection mechanism 61.

Reference numeral 55 in FIG. 5 is a signal comparison mechanism which compares the received signal received by the line connection mechanism 61 and the port connection mechanism 62 with the standard response signal held in the standard signal holding register 64.

Reference numeral 57 in FIG. 5 is a display. The comparison result of the signal comparison mechanism 55, that is, the diagnosis result of each communication path is displayed. An LCD display or a lamp display may be used as long as it is a display means for displaying the diagnosis result.

Reference numeral 66 in FIG. 5 is a control memory, which uses the standard transmission signal and the standard response signal held in the standard signal holding register 64 to make the port connection mechanism 62 and the line connection mechanism 6.
The procedure for diagnosing the communication path connected to 1 is stored in the designated order.

Reference numeral 67 in FIG. 5 is a diagnostic procedure control mechanism, and according to the procedure stored in the control memory 66, the standard signal setting register 65, the standard signal holding register 64, the port control mechanism 63, the network control mechanism 58, and the signal comparison mechanism. 55 and the like are controlled.

Reference numeral 56 in FIG. 5 is a timer, which periodically issues a timer interrupt to the diagnostic procedure control mechanism 67 to periodically diagnose the communication path. Timer interrupts can be generated at regular intervals or at regular times.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 59 is a destination information storage, and 60 is a destination information setting register. Destination information setting register 6
Reference numeral 0 is a register for setting the telephone number of the other party to notify the diagnosis result of the communication path in the modem 52, and the other party information storage 59 is for storing the telephone number set in the other party information setting register 60. It is a memory.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the telephone number of the host computer 68 to which the diagnosis result is notified is stored. When notifying the diagnosis result, the diagnostic procedure control mechanism 67 reads the telephone number stored in the destination information storage 59, and the network control mechanism 58 calls the host computer 68 to which the diagnosis result is notified.

The host computer 68 manages the diagnostic information of the communication path of the system for performing the DTE communication and manages the failure. If a failure is detected as a result of the communication path diagnosis, it has a function of automatically removing the failure such as resetting the corresponding communication program and recording.

FIG. 6 shows a U between DTEs having UNIX as an OS.
UCP connection (Unix to Unix CopyPr
A setting example of a standard signal sequence in the (autocol) is shown. As in the setting examples 1 to 4 of FIG. 7, the communication path to be diagnosed is set in the standard signal setting register 65, and the standard signal used in the AT modem conforming to the AT command is held in the standard signal holding register 64.

In the setting example 1 of FIG. 6, the communication path to be diagnosed is the port side and the communication path A1 (see FIG. 8). A line feed code that is a standard signal on the port side for diagnosis
Send "▽". From the DTE 51, the character string "login" is expected as a received signal as a response signal. If a response other than the character string "login" or no response is received, "NO RESPONSE" is displayed on the display 57 and the host computer 68 is also notified as a message via the line connection mechanism.

Setting example 2 in FIG. 6 is one in which the communication path to be diagnosed is on the line side (communication path A2 in FIG. 8), and setting example 4 is that the communication path to be diagnosed is on both the port side and the line side. It was done. In the setting example 3 of FIG. 6, the communication path to be diagnosed is set to the port side, and the ER for the CD (carrier detection) signal is set.
It shows the procedure from the expectation of receiving the (device ready) signal to the procedure of expecting the character string "Passwd" for transmission of the character string "uucp".

The setting example 3 of FIG. 6 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 7 as an example of the diagnostic procedure. First, in step s1, a CD signal is transmitted to the communication path A1 and the process proceeds to step s2. In step s2, the ER signal is expected to be received as a response signal.

If the ER signal is received in step s2, the process proceeds to step s3. If the signal other than the ER signal is received or there is no response, the process proceeds to step s9. In step s3, the line feed code "▽" is transmitted to the communication path A1, and step s
Proceed to 4. If the character string "login" is received in step s4, the process proceeds to step s5, and if a response other than the character string "login" or no response is received, the process proceeds to step s11.

At step s5, the character string "
uucp "is transmitted, and the process proceeds to step s6.
If the character string "Passwd" is received in step 6, step s7
If there is no response other than the character string "Passwd" or no response, the process proceeds to step s13.

In step s7, since the diagnosis result of the communication path A1 is good, the display 57 displays "PATH AV
"AIABLE-A1" is displayed and the process proceeds to step s8.
In step s8, a message is notified to the host computer 68 via the network control mechanism 58 and the line connection mechanism 61.

At step s9, "N" appears on the display 57.
"O SIGNAL" is displayed and the process proceeds to step s10. At step s10, the message "NO S" is sent to the host computer 68 via the network control mechanism 58 and the line connection mechanism 61.
IGNAL "is notified.

In steps s11 and s13, "NORESPONSE" is displayed on the display 57, respectively.
And "NO ANSWER" are displayed and step s12
And it progresses to step s14. In steps s12 and s14, the respective messages are sent to the host computer 68 via the network control mechanism 58 and the line connection mechanism 61.
"NO RESPONSE" and "NO ANSWE
R "is notified.

When the modem is connected to the calling side as shown in FIG. 8B, the communication path B1 and the communication path B2 can be similarly diagnosed. It should be noted that both DTEs like UUCP connection
If the two are equal to each other, the same standard signal can be used by both the called side and the calling side.

Further, in the case of the connection between the host computer and the terminal device as shown in FIGS. 8C and 8D, it may be necessary to transmit / receive different signal trains on the called side and the calling side. In that case, set the required signal sequence in the modem.

Although the communication path is regularly diagnosed in the embodiment of the present invention, the transmission / reception in the normal communication process is performed.
There is no problem in displaying the response result on the display or sending a message to the host computer.

In order to diagnose the communication route as in the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to advance the communication protocol to some extent by using the standard signal and terminate the communication at a good break.

[0053]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a communication route including a DTE such as a host computer can be automatically diagnosed, and a diagnosis result can be notified to enable quick discovery and response. Therefore, there is an effect that it is possible to automatically handle resetting of a failed portion.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the first and second inventions.

FIG. 2 is a principle diagram of a third invention.

FIG. 3 is a principle diagram of fourth, fifth and sixth inventions.

FIG. 4 is a principle diagram of a seventh invention.

FIG. 5: Embodiment of the present invention

[Fig. 6] Example of standard signal sequence

[Fig. 7] Example of diagnostic procedure

FIG. 8: Communication device and communication path

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 4 Information processing device 2, 3 Communication device 5 Signal comparison means 6 Timer means 7 Display means 8 Diagnostic result transmission means 9 Destination information storage means 10 Destination information setting means 18 Destination 51, 54 DTE 52, 53 Modem 55 Signal comparison mechanism 56 Timer 57 Display 58 Network control mechanism 59 Destination information storage 60 Destination information setting register 61 Line connection mechanism 62 Port connection mechanism 63 Port control mechanism 64 Standard signal holding register 65 Standard signal setting register 66 Control memory 67 Diagnostic procedure Control mechanism 68 Host computer

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A communication device installed between the information processing device and the line in order for the information processing device to communicate with each other via the line, wherein the communication device is connected to the information processing device. Signal comparison for sending a standard transmission signal to the information processing device side and comparing a predetermined standard response signal to be received in response to the standard transmission signal with an actual reception signal in order to diagnose the path of A communication device comprising means. 2. A communication device installed between the information processing device and the line so that the information processing device can communicate with each other via the line, the communication device via another communication device. In order to diagnose the communication path with another connected information processing device, a standard transmission signal is sent to the line side, and a predetermined standard response signal to be received in response to the standard transmission signal and the actual A communication device comprising signal comparison means for comparing the received signal with the signal. 3. A communication device installed between the information processing device and the line so that the information processing device can communicate with each other via the line, wherein the communication device is connected to the information processing device. The standard transmission signal is sent to the information processing apparatus side and the line side in order to diagnose the communication path between the information processing apparatus and the other information processing apparatus connected via the other communication apparatus. A communication device comprising signal comparison means for comparing a predetermined standard response signal to be received in response to an actual received signal. 4. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising timer means, between the information processing device or the other information processing device and the communication device, or from the information processing device to the information processing device. A communication device which periodically diagnoses a communication path including each device to another information processing device. 5. A communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising display means for displaying a diagnosis result. 6. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a diagnostic result transmitting unit that transmits a diagnostic result signal generated based on the diagnostic result, and serves as an alternative unit to the display unit. A communication device characterized by. 7. A destination information storage unit for storing destination information for notifying the diagnosis result, and a destination information setting unit registered in the destination information storage unit, and a public line as the diagnosis result transmitting unit. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein the diagnosis result is notified using a network.