JPH10254726A - Remote inspection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inspect the different systems to be inspected of peripheral units connected to a personal computer without exchanging an inspection program. SOLUTION: When an inspected system starting means 12 starts the inspected system 2a, an inspection object unit information transmission means 17 transmits unit information on the inspection object, which the inspected system 2a holds to an inspection system 1a. An inspection object unit information reception means 13 receives unit information on the inspection object. An inspection program selection means 14 selects and holds an inspection program which is the object of inspection based on unit information on the inspection object and corresponds to the main part of the personal computer and the peripheral unit from an inspection program 11a. An inspection program read means 18a reads the inspection program which the inspection program selection means 14 holds as an inspection program 11b for inspecting the inspected system 2a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote inspection system, and more particularly to a remote inspection system for inspecting a system to be inspected installed at a geographically distant place.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of remote inspection system is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-36730.
If the system to be inspected is located geographically distant from the inspection system, the inspector in charge of the inspection of the system to be inspected can be inspected by remote control without having to go to the site where the system to be inspected exists. In order to be able to perform inspection work on a system, the system has been used in various fields as a system that can increase the efficiency of inspection work.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional remote inspection system for a system to be inspected typified by a personal computer system in which peripheral devices are connected to a personal computer, for example. The remote inspection method shown in FIG. 5 includes an inspection system 1b and an inspection system 2b connected to the inspection system 1b via the network 3 and installed at a location geographically distant from the inspection system 1b.

The inspection system 1b holds an inspection program 25 to be operated by the system under inspection 2b, and starts the system under inspection 2b using a network address unique to the machine of the system under inspection 2b. Start-up means 12 and inspection target system 2
b, an inspection program execution instructing unit 15b for instructing the inspection system 1b to execute the inspection program 25, and an inspection result receiving unit 16b for receiving the inspection result transmitted from the inspected system 2b.
Are provided.

[0005] Further, the inspection system 2b has an inspection program reading means 18 for reading out the inspection program 25 stored in the inspection system 1b onto the inspection system 2b via the network 3 as the inspection program 25.
b, and an inspection result transmitting means 19b for transmitting an inspection result when the inspection program 25 is executed by the inspected system 2b to the inspection system 1b.

Next, the operation of the thus configured remote inspection system will be described.

When the inspector activates the system-to-be-inspected starting means 12 in a state where the inspection system 1b has been activated, the system-to-be-inspected activation means 12 sets a predetermined network address unique to the machine of the system to be inspected 2b. And performs a boot load process for starting up the system under test 2b, and performs a pre-process necessary for operating the inspection program 25 in the system under test 2b.

When the preprocessing is completed in the system under inspection 2b, the inspection program reading means 18b accesses the inspection system 1b based on a preset network address unique to the inspection system 1b and holds the inspection system 1b. The read inspection program 25 is read as the inspection program 25 onto the inspection target system 2b via the network 2.

At this point, the inspection program 25 is loaded on the system under test 2b, and the inspection program 25 becomes operable on the system under inspection 2b.

Next, the inspector instructs the inspected system 2b to execute the inspection program 25 loaded on the inspected system 2b by the inspection program execution instructing means 15b of the inspection system 1b.

The system to be inspected 2b is
b, the inspection program 25 is executed. When the inspection program 25 is completed, the inspection program 25 is unloaded from the inspected system 2b, and the inspection result is transmitted by the inspection result transmitting unit 19b to the inspection result receiving unit 16b of the inspection system 1b. Send to

The inspection system 1b includes an inspection result receiving means 1
6b, the test result transmitted from the system under test 2b is received, and the test result is output to an output device such as a display.

As described above, it is possible to load and execute the inspection program 25 from the inspection system 1b to the inspection system 2b, and the inspection result of the inspection program 25 is transmitted from the inspection system 2b to the inspection system 1b. Therefore, the inspection system 1b
It is possible to display the inspection result of b.

[0014]

In the conventional remote inspection method described above, since the inspection program is single, if the contents of the inspection are the same, a plurality of systems to be inspected are inspected sequentially by the same inspection program. However, the configuration of peripheral devices connected to a personal computer usually included in the system to be inspected often differs for each system to be inspected depending on the use of the system to be inspected. When inspecting a system to be inspected having a different configuration, it is necessary to change the inspection program each time, so that it is difficult to increase the inspection efficiency of the system to be inspected.

An object of the present invention is to provide a system to be inspected having different peripheral devices of a personal computer without changing an inspection program even when performing an inspection of a system to be inspected in which peripheral devices included in the system to be inspected have different configurations. An object of the present invention is to provide a remote inspection method capable of inspecting an image.

[0016]

According to the remote inspection method of the present invention, an inspection system holding an inspection program is connected to a system to be inspected via a network, and the inspection program held by the inspection system is transmitted to the system to be inspected. In a remote inspection method in which the system to be inspected is transmitted and executed, and the inspection result is transmitted from the system to be inspected to the inspection system, when the system to be inspected is inspected, The inspected system transmits an inspected device information, which is information on an appliance to be inspected in the inspected system, constituting an inspection system, to the inspected system,
Based on the inspection target device information, the inspection system selects an inspection program corresponding to the inspection target device from the inspection program, and the inspected system executes the inspection program selected by the inspection system. And inspecting the system to be inspected.

Further, in the remote inspection method of the present invention, an inspection system holding an inspection program is connected to a system to be inspected via a network, and the inspection system comprises:
(A) a system-to-be-tested start-up unit that starts up the system-to-be-inspected by using a network address unique to the machine of the system-to-be-tested; An inspection program execution instructing unit for instructing the inspection system to execute the inspection program to notify the inspection result to the inspection system; and (C) an inspection result receiving unit for receiving the inspection result transmitted from the inspection target system. An inspection in which the inspection target system reads (D) the inspection program held in the inspection system onto the inspection target system via the network as a program for inspecting the inspection target system. (E) executing the inspection program in the inspection target system. A test result transmitting means for transmitting the obtained test result to the test system, wherein the test system is included in the test target system, constitutes the test target system, and is an object of the test. (F) an inspection target device information receiving unit that receives inspection target device information, which is information on the device, from the system to be inspected, and (G) the inspection target. Inspection program selecting means for selecting and holding an inspection program corresponding to the device to be inspected from the plurality of inspection programs based on the device information, wherein the system to be inspected comprises: When the system to be inspected is activated by the inspection system activation means, the inspection target device information is transmitted to the network. Has, inspected device information transmitting means for transmitting to the inspection system through,
The inspection program reading means reads the inspection program corresponding to the device to be inspected from the inspection program selection means as a program for inspecting the system to be inspected.

Further, the remote inspection method of the present invention is characterized in that, when there are a plurality of devices to be inspected indicated by the device information to be inspected transmitted from the system to be inspected to the inspection system, the inspection program is selected. The means selects and holds the inspection program corresponding to the plurality of devices from among the plurality of inspection programs, and the inspection program reading means selects and holds the plurality of devices selected and held by the inspection program selecting device. Are read out onto the system to be inspected via the network in the order held by the inspection program selection means, and the inspection program execution instructing means transmits the inspection program to the system to be inspected. One is executed each time the inspection program reading means reads out, and the inspection program is read out. Each for executing one of said test program gram reading means has read, configured as characterized by instructing the inspection result transmitting unit to notify the test results to the test system.

The remote inspection system according to the present invention is characterized in that the system to be inspected is a personal computer system.

The remote inspection method according to the present invention is characterized in that the inspection target device information is data of an information device list including a memory, a display, and a printer.

[0021]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the remote inspection system of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the remote inspection system of the present invention. In the remote inspection method shown in FIG. 1, an inspection system 2a configured by connecting a peripheral device to a personal computer, and an inspection system 2a connected via a network 3 to the inspection system 2a
And an inspection system 1a that retains an inspection program 11a composed of a plurality of inspection programs for inspecting. A plurality of inspection programs constituting the inspection program 11a are included in the system under inspection 2a and constitute the system under inspection 2a to be inspected, and are main parts of a personal computer such as a keyboard, a display and a memory. Further, it comprises a plurality of inspection programs corresponding to individual peripheral devices such as a printer and a mouse.

The inspection system 1a includes an inspection system starting means 12 for starting the inspection system 2a by using a network address unique to the machine of the inspection system 2a, and information on the above-mentioned peripheral devices. Inspection target device information receiving means 13 that receives the inspection target device information 21 held in the inspection system 2a via the network 3 and holds the inspection target device information 21 in the inspection system 1a, and the inspection target device held in the inspection system 1a An inspection program selection unit 14 for selecting and holding an inspection program corresponding to a main part of a personal computer and an individual peripheral device such as a printer and a mouse from the inspection program 11a to be inspected based on the information 21; The inspection system started by the inspection system starting means 12 Inspection that instructs the system 2a to execute the inspection program held by the inspection program selection means 14 and read into the inspection target system 2a and held as the inspection program 11b, and notifies the inspection system 1a of the inspection result. Program execution instructing means 1
5a and an inspection result receiving unit 16a that receives an inspection result, which is an execution result of the inspection program, transmitted from the inspection target system 2a.

Further, the inspection target device information 21 is held in the inspection target system 2a in advance. Further, the inspection target system 2a includes an inspection target system starting unit 12
When the inspection target system 2a is started up, the inspection target device information transmitting unit 17 transmits the inspection target device information 21 to the inspection system 1a via the network 3.
And the inspection program selecting means 1 via the network 3
The inspection program corresponding to the main part of the personal computer and individual peripheral devices such as a printer and a mouse, which are the inspection targets held by the inspection device 4, are inspected as the inspection program 11b for inspecting the system 2a. An inspection program reading means 18a for reading on the system 2a;
b) and an inspection result transmitting unit 19a for transmitting the inspection result obtained by executing the operation b to the inspection system 1a.

Next, the operation of the remote inspection system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of the remote inspection method of the present invention.

When the inspector activates the system-to-be-inspected starting means 12 from the state where the inspection system 1a has been started, the system-to-be-inspected starting means 12 sets a predetermined network address unique to the machine of the system to be inspected 2a. To perform a boot load process for accessing the system under test 2a based on the test program and starting up the system under test 2a, and performing a pre-process necessary for operating the test program read from the test system 1a on the system under test 2a. (Step S1 in FIG. 2, ie, Step 1: Hereinafter, the step is referred to as S).

When the above-mentioned preprocessing is completed in the system under test 2a, the device information transmitting means 17 to be inspected of the system under test 2a transmits to the inspection system 1a which has been set in advance.
The inspection system 1a is accessed based on the machine-specific network address, and the inspection target device information 21 of the inspection target system 2a is transmitted to the inspection system 1a via the network 3. The inspection target device information receiving means 13 of the inspection system 1a receives the inspection target device information 21 of the inspection target system 2a transmitted via the network 3 (S2). Next, the inspection program selecting unit 14 selects, based on the inspection target device information 21 received by the inspection target device information receiving unit 13, the inspection program 11 a
An inspection program corresponding to the main part of the personal computer and each peripheral device is selected and held (S3).
Inspection program reading means 18 of system under inspection 2a
In step a3, one of the inspection programs selected and held by the inspection program selecting unit 14 in S3 is read out as the inspection program 11b onto the system under inspection 2a via the network 3 (S4). next,
The inspector instructs the inspected system 2a to execute the inspection program loaded into the inspected system 2a as the inspection program 11b by the inspection program execution instructing means 15a of the inspection system 1a (S5). The inspected system 2a executes the inspection program 11b,
When the execution of the inspection program 11b is completed, the inspection program 11b is unloaded. Further, the inspection result transmitting unit 19a transmits the execution result of the inspection program to the inspection system 1a via the network 3. The inspection result receiving means 16a of the inspection system 1a
The execution result of the inspection program 11b of FIG.
Receive through. The execution result of the received inspection program 11b is held on the inspection system 1a (not shown) (S6). The inspection program selected and held by the inspection program selecting means 14 is the inspection program reading means 18
inspection program selecting means 1 each time the data is read
4 informs the inspection program execution instructing means 15
a. Each time the inspection program execution result is received from the inspection result transmitting unit 19a, a notification to that effect is sent from the inspection result receiving unit 16a to the inspection program execution instructing unit 15a. The inspection program execution instructing means 15a determines whether or not all the inspection programs selected and held by the inspection program selecting means 14 have been executed based on these notifications, and the inspection program selected and held by the inspection program selecting means 14 Is completed, the operation is terminated. If all the inspection programs selected and held by the inspection program selecting means 14 have not been executed, the operation returns to S4 (S7). As described above, the operations from S4 to S6 are repeated until the execution of the inspection program selected by the inspection program selecting unit 14 in S3 is completed. When the execution of the inspection program selected by the inspection program selection unit 14 is completed, the inspection program execution instructing unit 15a deletes the inspection target device information 21 stored in the inspection system 1a.

As described above, only the necessary inspection program can be executed according to the device to be inspected of the system to be inspected, so that the inspection of the system to be inspected with different devices to be inspected is also possible.

Next, the operation of the remote inspection system shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to an example in which a specific device name is set for the inspection target device information used in the remote inspection system shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of inspection target device information of the remote inspection method of the present invention. Also,
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of inspection result information of the remote inspection method of the present invention.

The device information 21 to be inspected in FIG.
It is assumed that the configuration shown in FIG. Inspection system 1a
Starts the inspected system 2a by the inspected system activation means 12. The inspection system 1a receives the inspection target device information 21 of the inspection target system 2a shown in FIG. The inspection program selecting means 14 selects an inspection program corresponding to each of a memory, a keyboard, a display, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a mouse, and a sound from the inspection programs 11a based on the inspection target device information 21 shown in FIG. I do. Therefore, the inspection program corresponding to the CD-ROM, the printer, and the FAX modem is not selected. The inspection program reading unit 18a of the inspection target system 2a stores the inspection program corresponding to the memory among the inspection programs selected and held by the inspection program selection unit 14 on the inspection target system 2a via the network 3. Read as 11b. The inspection program execution instructing means 15a of the inspection system 1a executes the inspection program of the memory held as the inspection program 11b on the inspection target system 2a. In the inspection system 1a, the inspection result receiving means 16a receives the inspection result information shown in FIG. 4 indicating the execution result of the memory inspection program sent from the inspection result transmitting means 19a of the inspection target system 2a. 1a (not shown). The test result information shown in FIG. 4 includes information as to whether each test program corresponding to the main part of the personal computer and each peripheral device has been selected, and information indicating whether the test results are normal or abnormal. It is included. The execution of the inspection program for the memory is completed as described above. The remote inspection of the inspected system 2a is performed by performing the same operation on the inspection program for the keyboard, display, floppy disk, hard disk, mouse, sound, and the like. be able to.

[0032]

As described above, according to the remote inspection system of the present invention, a plurality of necessary inspection programs are stored in the inspection system in advance, and the system is connected to the inspection system during the remote inspection. The inspection system notifies the inspection system of the information about what peripheral devices are connected as the inspection target device. Based on the information, the inspection system checks the necessary inspection program from the stored inspection program. By selecting a program and allowing the system to be inspected to read and execute the selected inspection program, the inspection program can be inspected even when the system to be inspected has a different configuration of peripheral devices included in the system to be inspected. Inspection system with different peripheral devices connected to a personal computer without changing the system It has the effect of inspection.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a remote inspection system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of an operation of the remote inspection method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of inspection target device information of the remote inspection method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of inspection result information of the remote inspection method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional remote inspection system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a, 1b Inspection system 3 Network 2a, 2b Inspection system 11a, 11b Inspection program 12 Inspection system start-up means 13 Inspection target equipment information receiving means 14 Inspection program selection means 15a, 15b Inspection program execution instructing means 16a, 16b Inspection result reception Means 17 Inspection target equipment information transmission means 18a, 18b Inspection program reading 19a to 19b Inspection result transmission means 21 Inspection target equipment information 25 Inspection program

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An inspection system holding an inspection program is connected to a system to be inspected via a network, and the inspection program held by the inspection system is transmitted to the system to be inspected and executed to inspect the system to be inspected. In a remote inspection system for transmitting an inspection result from the system to be inspected to the inspection system, at the time of inspection of the system to be inspected, the system to be inspected is included in the system to be inspected, and The system under test transmits information on the device to be inspected, which is information on the device to be inspected, to the inspection system, and based on the information on the device to be inspected, the inspection system selects the inspection program from the inspection program. An inspection program corresponding to a device to be inspected is selected, and the system to be inspected A remote inspection method, wherein the inspection system executes an inspection program selected to inspect the inspected system. 2. An inspection system holding an inspection program is connected to a system to be inspected via a network, and the inspection system (A) controls the system to be inspected by using a network address unique to a machine of the system to be inspected. (B) instructing the inspected system started by the inspected system activation means to execute the inspection program and to notify the inspection system of an inspection result. An inspection program execution instructing unit; and (C) an inspection result receiving unit that receives an inspection result transmitted from the inspection target system, wherein the inspection target system is: The inspection program is a program for performing an inspection of the system to be inspected, (E) a test result transmitting means for transmitting the test result obtained by executing the test program in the test system to the test system, In the inspection method, the inspection system includes a plurality of inspection programs that are included in the system to be inspected, configure the system to be inspected, and correspond to the devices to be inspected. A device-to-be-inspected information receiving means for receiving device-to-be-inspected information as information from the system under test,
Inspection program selection means for selecting and holding an inspection program corresponding to the device to be inspected from the plurality of inspection programs based on the inspection target device information,
And (H) an inspection for transmitting the device information to be inspected to the inspection system via the network when the system to be inspected is started by the system to start inspection. Target device information transmitting means, wherein the inspection program reading means reads the inspection program corresponding to the device to be inspected from the inspection program selecting means as a program for inspecting the system to be inspected. A remote inspection method. 3. The remote inspection method according to claim 2, wherein, when there are a plurality of devices to be inspected indicated by the inspection target device information transmitted from the inspected system to the inspection system, Inspection program selection means, selecting and holding the inspection program corresponding to the plurality of devices from the plurality of inspection programs,
The inspection program reading means may select and hold the inspection programs corresponding to the plurality of devices, which are selected and held by the inspection program selection means, in the order held by the inspection program selection means on the inspection target system via the network. The inspection program execution instructing means causes the system to be inspected to execute one of the inspection programs each time the inspection program reading means reads out the inspection program, and executes one of the inspection programs read out by the inspection program reading means. A remote inspection method wherein the inspection result transmitting means is instructed to notify the inspection system of the inspection result each time the inspection is performed. 4. The remote inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the system to be inspected is a personal computer system. 5. The remote inspection method according to claim 4, wherein the inspection target device information is data of an information device list including a memory, a display, and a printer.