JPH104409A - System consisting of plurality of units and method for controlling information transfer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently send and receive information between a main control unit and subunits which are connected via a common transfer path by informing each subunit of a band after a plurality of transfer request contents are synthetically decided and an allocated band is decided for each subunit. SOLUTION: Each line card 10 is mounted on by an interface 14 to which an internal bus 16 and a control system transfer path 6 are connected, a control part 20 is provided with an interface 24 to which an internal bus 26 and the path 6 are connected, and information transfer is controlled by the part 20 as a master and the card 10 as a slave. That is, the part 20 collects transfer requests from each card 10, synthetically judges each transfer request content, decides a transfer band to be allocated in each card 10 and informs each card 10 of the allocated band prior to information collection. Each card 10 sends out information of the band which is designated by a notice from the part 20 to the path 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system comprising a plurality of units and a method for controlling the transfer of information. The present invention relates to a system and an information transfer control method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Broadband ISDN (Integrated Services)
Digital Network) Asynchronous Transfer Mode (AT)
In an M (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) communication device, for example, an ATM communication device such as an ATM switching device, an ATM cross-connect device, a subscriber line multiplexing / demultiplexing device, etc., control information and fault information generated in a plurality of subunits inside the device. Information on the main control unit side, and conversely,
A function of distributing control information from the main control unit to each subunit is required.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an ATM device.
1 shows a schematic configuration of an exchange. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a switch having a plurality of pairs of input / output ports 5 for outputting fixed-length packets (ATM cells) input from the respective input ports to output ports determined by routing information included in respective headers (cell headers). (SW) unit, 20 is a call control device (control unit), 2 terminates the call control cell output from SW unit 1, converts it into a control message, transfers it to control unit 20, and transfers it to control unit 20; Signaling circuit (SIG terminator) that converts the control message given from the cell into a cell and inputs the cell to the SW unit 1, 10 (10 a to 10 a)
n) indicates a circuit board (hereinafter, referred to as a line card) equipped with a line interface group provided between each input / output port of the SW unit 1 and an external input / output line (main signal transmission path) 3.

In the ATM exchange, cells input from the main signal transmission path 3 undergo header conversion and internal routing information addition processing at the line interface on the line card 10 and then input to the SW unit 1 from an input port. Is done. Of the input cells, the cell for call control is SIG
The cell output to the input / output port 5 ′ connected to the terminating unit 2 and containing the user information is output to any output port indicated by the internal routing information, and the internal routing information is output by the line interface on the line card 10. After the removal, the signal is transmitted to the main signal transmission path 3. The control unit 20
In addition to the call control operation performed in response to the call control message input from the SIG terminating unit 2, it performs operations such as control of each line interface on the line card 10 and the SW unit 1, failure monitoring, and performance monitoring. For this reason, the control unit 20 is connected to the line card 10 and the SW unit 1 by the control system transfer path 6, and through this control system transfer path, call control information such as call setting parameters, monitoring information, performance information, and alarm. Information and the like are transmitted and received. Reference numeral 4 denotes a transmission line (LAN) for connecting the control unit 20 to another management device.

FIG. 3 shows a control unit 20 and each line card 10.
An example of the configuration will be described. A plurality of main signal system circuit devices (main signal system LSIs) 13 corresponding to the above-mentioned line interfaces are provided on each line card 10, and microcircuits connected to these LSIs via an internal bus (MPU bus) 16. A processor (MPU) 11 and a memory 12, and a transfer path interface circuit (IF LSI circuit) 15 for connecting the internal bus 16 and the control system transfer path 6 are mounted. On the other hand, the control unit 20 controls the internal bus (MP
Microprocessor (MP) connected to a U bus 26
U) 21, a memory 22, a LAN interface circuit (IFLSI) 23, a transfer path interface circuit (IF LSI) 25 for connecting the internal bus 25 to the control transfer path 6, and a conflict control unit 27. The bit rate of the control system transfer path 6 that connects the control unit 20 and each line card 10 is, for example, several tens kbps to several tens Mbps. In the above configuration, for example,
When information to be transmitted to the control unit 20 occurs in the line card 10a, an information transfer request is issued from the MPU 11 to the transfer path interface circuit 15, and the interface circuit 15 attempts to transfer information to the control unit 20. In this case, a plurality of line cards 10a to 1
Since 0n is connected, information cannot be immediately transferred from the line card 10a to the control unit 20.

As described above, a plurality of information sources (line cards) 10 share one control system transfer path 6 and control unit 20
One of the transfer control methods when information is transferred to each information source is to start information transfer to the information source if the control system transfer path 6 is idle when information transfer is attempted; A "conflict control function" that waits until the condition is reached. In this method, for example, a narrowband-ISDN layer 2 protocol, LAP-D (Link Access Proc.
edure for D-channel) and contention control unit 2
7 is used.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a time sequence when the number of line cards connected to the control system transfer path as an information source is two. TU is a unit time, and 41 is a line card that has acquired the right to use the transfer path 6 (master right). In the figure, LC-1 and LC-2 are line cards 1 and 2, respectively.
It corresponds to line card 2. Reference numeral 42 denotes an actual use band of the transfer path (a period during which information is actually transferred);
Reference numeral 44 denotes a change in the amount of information to be transferred in each line card. Each line card acquires the transfer path master right 41 when the control system transfer path 6 becomes free, starts information transfer, and releases the transfer path master right 41 when all the stored information is transmitted. The occupation time of the transfer path by each line card varies depending on the amount of transmission information stored at the time when the master right is acquired.

As another information transfer control method applied to the control system transfer path 6, there is a method of periodically allocating a fixed time slot to each line card as shown in a time chart of FIG. . In this control method, for example, time frames TF1, TF2... Having a unit time TU are set on the time axis, and each time frame is divided into a plurality of times equal to the number of information sources (in this case, "2"). It is divided into slots TS-1 and TS-2, and one time slot is assigned to each line card. Each line card transmits information in a time slot unique to itself, which cycles periodically in each time frame. In this case, since the use time of the transfer path is restricted for each time frame, when the amount of transmission information stored is large, information that could not be transmitted in one time slot is carried over to the next time frame.

[0009]

However, according to the contention control method shown in FIG. 4, the line card for which the master right has been acquired can use the transfer path without restriction, so that the line card in which a large amount of transmission information is generated is provided. Has acquired the master right, the transfer path is occupied for a long time until the information transfer is completed, and there is a problem that information transfer from another line card 1 is blocked. Also, when high-priority information requiring urgency occurs, each line card cannot transfer the information to the control unit if another line card is using the transfer path. Even if the line card releases the master right, there is no guarantee that the master right will be obtained immediately. On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
According to a method in which time slots are fixedly assigned to each information source, when a large amount of transmission information is generated in a certain line card, the amount of transmission information is small in another line card and a time slot is vacant. Even in this state, since each line card can only perform a transmission operation within its own time slot, there is a problem that the utilization rate of the control system transfer path 6 is reduced.

The information transferred on the control system transfer path 6 of the exchange includes control information such as call setting, performance information, monitoring information, alarm information, and the like. It has different characteristics such as urgency (transfer priority). For example, call setting information is generated statistically and constantly, but the amount of information generated at one time is relatively small (tens to hundreds of bytes), and the transfer priority is extremely high (the allowable delay time is Tens to hundreds of ms). On the other hand, performance information is generated periodically (for example, every 15 minutes), and the amount of information is large (several M to several hundred Mbytes), but the transfer priority is not so high.

When the performance information generated by each line card is collected in the control unit 20, all the performance information is collected from one line card, rather than receiving information transmitted by the plurality of line cards in a time-division manner. Thereafter, the process of collecting the performance information of the next line card makes the processing in the control unit 20 easier. Such an information collection format cannot be realized by a method of allocating a fixed time slot to each information source. In an ATM exchange, information to be transferred / collected with priority changes according to the state of the system. For example, when an exchange is initially started up, it is necessary to transfer a large amount of setting information, and the need for transferring fault information and the like is relatively low. Conversely, during the operation period of the exchange, the fault information and the call control information have a high priority. The above-described conventional information transfer control method cannot respond to a request to dynamically change the priority of transfer information depending on the state of the system.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information transfer control method that enables information to be efficiently transmitted and received between a main control unit and a plurality of subunits connected via a common transmission line. It is in. Another object of the present invention is to allow a main control unit and a plurality of subunits connected via a common transmission path to efficiently change information priorities flexibly according to the state of the system. An object of the present invention is to provide an information transfer control method capable of transmitting and receiving information. Another object of the present invention consists of a main control unit and a plurality of subunits connected via a common transmission path, so that information generated in each of the subunits can be efficiently collected in the main control unit. And a method of collecting information. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a main control unit and a plurality of subunits for generating a plurality of types of information having different degrees of urgency. The information generated in each of the above subunits is transferred via a control transfer path. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system capable of efficiently transferring data to the main control unit, particularly a system configuration suitable for a node device in a communication network.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a system comprising a main control unit and a plurality of subunits connected by a common transmission line, the main control unit comprises a plurality of subunits. After periodically collecting information transfer requests from the sub-units, comprehensively judging the contents of the plurality of transfer requests and determining the allocated bandwidth for each sub-unit, the bandwidth is notified for each sub-unit, Each transmission sub-unit responds to the band notification from the main control unit and transmits information within the band specified by the notification. The transfer request is collected by, for example, generating an interrupt at a period of about several ms to several s by a timer, and when receiving this timer interrupt,
This can be realized by the main control unit initiating polling of each sub-unit, and in response to this, causing each sub-unit to transmit a transfer request. In this case, the bandwidth for each subunit is determined after polling responses from all subunits have been completed.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when each sub-unit has a plurality of types of information having different priorities, in response to polling from the main control unit, the type of information to be transferred and the type of information to be transferred are determined. A transfer request is transmitted in a form indicating the amount of information, and the main control unit allocates a band for each sub-unit such that information with high priority is transferred preferentially. In this case, the main control unit notifies each sub-unit of the bandwidth for each priority of the transfer information, and each sub-unit transmits the information of the priority specified by the bandwidth notification. In addition, the main control unit notifies each subunit of the total band allocated to a plurality of types of information,
Each subunit may transmit information having a higher priority within a band specified by the band notification.
Alternatively, the main control unit may change the relationship between the type of information and the priority according to the state of the system, and may allocate the bandwidth to the same type of information at different priorities depending on time.

When a plurality of types of information having different priorities are stored, each subunit transmits a transfer request in a form indicating the total amount of the plurality of types of information in response to polling from the main control unit. The main control unit equally allocates a fixed band for transferring priority information to each subunit, and allocates a variable band for non-priority information transfer according to the total amount of information indicated by the transfer request. The total band of the fixed band and the variable band may be notified to each subunit. In this case, each subunit may transmit the information in the order of higher priority within the range of the notified band.

A system to which the present invention is applied comprises a plurality of sub-units serving as information sources and a main control unit connected to the plurality of sub-units via a common transmission path. Timer means for generating an interrupt signal at a predetermined period; and in response to the interrupt signal, starting an operation of issuing an inquiry message for an information transfer request addressed to each of the sub-units; Means for comprehensively judging the contents of the transfer request message received one after another, and determining an allocated bandwidth for each of the sub-units; and, after determining the allocated bandwidth, an allocated bandwidth for each of the sub-units. Means for sequentially issuing notification messages, and accumulating and processing transfer information sequentially received from said plurality of subunits via said transmission path. Each of the subunits issues a transfer request message including at least a transfer information amount in response to the information transfer request inquiry message and a memory unit for storing information to be transferred to the main control unit. Means for transmitting the information stored in the memory means to the transmission path within a range designated by the message in response to the bandwidth notification message. Each of the subunits includes, for example, a plurality of line interfaces provided for each input / output line of a node device in a packet network, a processor connected to each of the line interfaces via an internal bus, and the common bus and the common bus. A circuit board comprising a transmission path interface provided between the transmission path and the memory means connected to the internal bus. Implemented by function.

[0017]

FIG. 1 shows a hardware block diagram of a control system of the ATM exchange shown in FIG. 2, as one embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG.
The components corresponding to those of the conventional system described in (1) are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. In this embodiment, each line card 10 is equipped with an interface (transfer path IF LSI) 14 for connecting the internal bus 16 and the control system transfer path 6, and the control unit 20 is provided with an internal bus 26 and a control system transfer path. An interface (transfer path IF LSI) 24 for connecting to the path 6 is provided, and the control unit 20 serves as a master and each line card 10 serves as a slave to control information transfer. That is, prior to information collection, the control unit 20 collects transfer requests from each line card, comprehensively determines the contents of each transfer request, determines a transfer band to be assigned to each line card, Notify the card of the allocated bandwidth. When each line card 10 receives the notification of the band from the control unit 20, the line card 10 sends the information of the band (information amount) specified by the notification to the transfer path 6.
If the type of information is specified in the notification of the allocated bandwidth, and each line card 10 sends the specified information to the transfer path, the control unit 20 determines a specific type of information from each line card. Information can be collected preferentially.

FIG. 6 shows an information transfer control sequence according to the present invention in the exchange control system shown in FIG. When information to be transmitted to the control unit 20 occurs in the line interface (main signal system LSI) 13 in each of the line cards 10a to 10n, the MPU 11 collects the information and stores it in the RAM 12. MPU of control unit 20
Reference numeral 21 has a timer (hereinafter, referred to as a transfer request timer) for generating a timer interrupt every predetermined period. When the transfer request timer times out (53), the transfer path IF 24 is given a polling instruction addressed to each line card. Transfer path IF
24, upon receiving the above instruction, sequentially performs polling (55) for inquiring each line card 10 (10a to 10n) through the control system transfer path 6 about the presence or absence of a transfer request.

The transfer path IF 14 of each line card 10 is
When a polling signal addressed to itself is received from the transfer path 6, the polling signal is notified to the MPU 11. In response to the polling signal, the MPU 11 totalizes the amount of transmission information accumulated in the RAM 12 by type, and sends a transfer request indicating the amount of transmission information for each information type to the control system transfer path 6 via the transfer path IF 14. (54). When receiving the transfer request (54) from one line card, the transfer path IF 24 of the control unit 20 notifies the MPU 21 of this, and generates a polling signal addressed to the next line card. When the polling operation is completed for all the line cards 10 and the transfer requests from the respective line cards are completed, the MPU 24 analyzes the amount of transmission information for each information type and transfers the information to the control unit 20 for each line card. The type and amount of information to be determined are determined (transfer band allocation calculation: 56). When the bandwidth allocation calculation is completed, M
The PU 24 sends an assigned bandwidth notification (5) indicating the transmission information type and the information amount to each line card via the transfer path IF 24.
7) are sequentially issued. MPU11 of each line card
Reads out the information of the type specified by the above-mentioned allocated bandwidth notification from the information stored in the RAM 12 by the specified amount, and transfers the read information to the control system transfer path 6 via the transfer path IF 14.
(Allocation information transfer 58). Last bandwidth notification 5
When the information transfer 58 in response to 7 ends and the transfer request timer times out again (53), the above-described sequence consisting of the polling 55, the transfer request 54, the bandwidth allocation calculation 56, the allocated bandwidth notification 57, and the information transfer 58 is repeated. .

FIG. 7 shows details of the transfer path IF 24 on the control unit 20 side and the transfer path IF 14 on each line card 10 side.
In the present embodiment, since each line card 10 performs an information transfer operation in accordance with the content specified by the control unit 20, the control unit 10 is called a "master" and the line card side is called a "slave". In this example, the control system transfer path 6 transfers a clock signal 65 used for transmitting a clock signal (CLK), and a control signal (CTL) and a data (DATA) signal synchronized with the clock signal, respectively. A clock signal (CLK) is generated based on an output of an oscillator (OSC) 64.

The transfer path IF 24 on the master side is connected to a master control unit 61 connected to the transfer path 6 and a control unit internal bus (MP
M bus interface (I bus) 26
F) 62, which share the RAM 60. The transfer path IF 14 on the slave side is also connected to the I
The configuration is the same as that of the F. The slave control unit 71 connected to the transfer path 6 and the control unit internal bus (MPU bus) 1
MPU interface (IF) 72 connected to 6
And a RAM 70. For example, in the MPU 21, when the above-described allocation of the transfer bandwidth to each line card is completed, the MPU 21 stores the notification of the allocated bandwidth for each line card in the RAM 60 via the MPU bus 26 and the MPU interface 62 (the transfer information type). And the amount of information)
Is written, and the master controller 61 is instructed to start transmission of the allocated bandwidth notification. Master control unit 6
1 sequentially transmits a bandwidth notification to each line card in accordance with the above table.

In each line card 10, the slave control unit 71 having received the notification transmits the MPU interface 72
The notification contents (information type and amount of information) are transmitted through the MPU 11
Tell The MPU 11 reads out a specified amount of information of the type specified by the notification from the transmission information stored in the RAM 12, and reads the information through the MPU interface 72.
Write to AM70. This information is stored in the slave controller 71
And transferred to the master side via the transfer path 6, and written to the reception buffer area in the RAM 60 by the master control unit 61. The master control unit 61
When the information received from one line card is stored in the RAM 60, the MPU 2
1 is notified of the arrival of information. Thereby, the MPU 21
Captures the received information in the RAM 60 into the RAM 22.

FIG. 8 shows a polling signal 55 for a transfer request.
And an example of the frame format of the transfer request 54 transmitted by each line card in response to this. The polling signal frame 55 includes only a header portion including a line card number 80 serving as a destination device address and an operation type code 81 indicating that the frame is a polling frame. Each line card transmits the transfer request frame 54 in response to the polling signal frame in which the destination device address 80 matches its own card number. The transfer request frame 54 includes a header portion including a line card number 80 serving as a transmission source address and an operation type code 81 indicating that the frame is a transfer request.
The transmission information to be transferred to the control unit (master side) 20 is sequentially arranged by pairs of the type code 82 and the information amount 83.

FIG. 9 shows an allocated bandwidth notification 57 and an information transfer 58.
1 shows an example of the frame format. The allocated bandwidth notification frame 57 includes a header portion including a line card number 80 and an operation type 81, a type code 82 of information to be transmitted, and an information amount 84.
Consists of an information type code 82 and a transfer information field 85 following the header part.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of band allocation to a plurality of line cards performed by the control unit 20. here,
To simplify the explanation, the number of line cards to be polled is set to “2”, and the type of transmission information is set to “priority information”.
And "non-priority information", and take the time on the horizontal axis,
The change over time of the amount of information stored in each line card and the control unit 2
0 shows the relationship with the assigned bandwidth. The transfer path master right 41 indicates to which line card the information transmission is permitted during that period, and the actual use band 42 indicates the period during which the transfer path is used for information transfer. In the present embodiment, the control unit 20 polls each line card 10 in a period 49 for each time frame TF of the unit time TU, and based on the information type and the information amount obtained as a transfer request response from each line card. Then, after the bandwidth is allocated, in the remaining period, notification of the allocated bandwidth to each line card and information collection from each line card are performed.

The band is allocated, for example, in order to collect from the high priority information stored in each line card, a period corresponding to the transmission information amount with respect to the priority information held by the line cards 1 and 2. The transfer bands of LC1 and LC2 are allocated, and the remaining bands are respectively allocated to the non-priority information of each line card for the periods LC1 'and LC2'. In the example shown here, as can be seen from the temporal changes 43a, 43b, 44a and 44b of the stored information amount of the line cards 1 and 2, in the time frame TF1, the bandwidth is provided for all the stored information requested to be transferred by the polling response. However, the time frame TF2 lacks the band and the non-priority information of the line card 2 has a backlog.

In this example, the bands are allocated in the order of the priority of the information and the number of the line card. However, for the information of the same priority, which line card is allocated the band first is arbitrarily determined by the control unit 20. Can be determined. In order to reduce the information transfer delay, for example, the transmission band of the non-priority information in the next time frame TF3 is
May be assigned first. Further, as described above, since the priority of information changes depending on the operation state of the system, even if the information is of the same type, the MPU 21 sets the information priority to adaptive according to the operation state of the system at that time. The bandwidth may be allocated while changing to. If there is no distinction between priority and non-priority in the information, a band may be allocated according to the amount of information stored in each line card. According to this embodiment, the control system transfer path 6 is not monopolized by one information source (line card),
A plurality of information sources can transfer information by sharing a control system transfer path.

FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the band allocation to a plurality of line cards performed by the control unit 20. In this embodiment, as shown by the bands LC1 and LC2, the priority information and the non-priority information are collectively allocated to the line cards in the order of the line cards. This method is effective when the maximum amount of priority information generated within the unit period TU in each line card is known.

When the control unit 20 performs polling during the period 49, each line card determines the amount of information to be transmitted.
Responds to 0. As shown in the time frame TF1, when the sum of the transfer information amount requested by each line card exceeds the transfer band, the control unit 20 sets the remaining bandwidth in which the maximum amount of the priority information transmission band is allocated to each line card. And the amount of transfer information requested by each line card, the bandwidth to be assigned to each line card is determined. In this example, the bandwidth is allocated so that the bandwidth shortage affects all the line cards.For example, the remaining bandwidth of the priority information is allocated in the order of the line card number according to the required amount, and in the next time frame, The bandwidth allocation according to the requested amount may be performed in order from the line card in which the non-priority information is delayed due to the lack of the bandwidth in the previous time. Like time frame TF2,
When the total amount of transfer information requested from each line card falls within the transfer band, the band is allocated as requested by each line card. The allocation of the bandwidth to the line cards does not necessarily have to be in the order of the card numbers.

Each line card stores information for each type and knows which information is priority information. When receiving the notification of the allocated bandwidth from the control unit, each line card transmits the priority information, if any, first, and transmits the non-priority information within the range of the remaining bandwidth. According to this embodiment,
The transfer delay of the priority information falls within two unit times.

FIG. 12 shows still another embodiment of the band allocation. In this embodiment, when the maximum amount of priority information generated per unit time in each line card is known, the transfer band in each time frame excluding the polling period 49 is divided into M time slots equal to or more than the number N of line cards. , The first N
Time slots are allocated for transmission of priority information of each line card, and the remaining time slots are allocated for transfer of non-priority information.

FIG. 12 shows a case where N = 2 and M = 7.
The first time slot TS1 is allocated to transmission of the priority information of the line card 1, the second time slot TS2 is allocated to transmission of the priority information of the line card 2, and the remaining time slots TS3 to TS7 are allocated to the non-transmission of the line cards 1 and 2. Assigned sequentially for priority information transfer. The assignment of the time slot for the non-priority information may be changed according to the state of the system.

FIG. 13 is a hardware block diagram of a control system of an ATM switch which is effective when the number of line cards serving as information sources increases and information transfer cannot be performed in one physical transfer path. This is because the line card shown in FIG. 1 is divided into a plurality of groups, and the control system transfer path 6
a to 6n are provided and transmitted and received in parallel by a plurality of transfer path interfaces 24a to 24n on the master side. By applying the above sequence to each of the control system transfer paths 6a to 6n, information can be efficiently transferred.

FIG. 14 is a hardware block diagram of a control system of the ATM exchange which becomes effective when the information transfer amount further increases in the configuration of FIG. In this embodiment, in order to prevent the load of the MPU 21 of the control unit 20 from being significantly increased by the information transfer control with the line card, the load between the internal bus 26 of the control unit 20 and the control system transfer path 6 is set. , A transfer control unit (transfer unit) 30 including a dedicated MPU 28 is provided.

The transfer section 30 includes a transfer path interface 24 connected between the control system transfer path 6 and an internal bus (MPU bus) 29, an MPU 28, a RAM 27, the internal bus 19, and the internal sections of the control section 20. A BUS interface 31 is connected between the bus and the bus 26. The MPU 28 allocates a transfer band to each line card 10 and collects information, and the MPU 21 analyzes the information collected in the RAM 32.

In the above embodiment, the transfer control sequence in the case where the control unit collects information of each line card has been described. However, in the control system such as an exchange, the control unit transmits the control unit via the same control system transfer path 6. It is necessary to transfer control information from the side 20 to each line card. FIG. 15 shows an example of a transfer control sequence when information is transferred bidirectionally between the control unit 20 and the line card 10. 6 denote the same operations, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
In the present embodiment, when the transfer request timeout 53 occurs, the control unit 20 determines the type of information to be transferred to each line card 10 in parallel with or before or after the polling operation 54 of the transfer request to each line card 10. And the operation 50 for counting the amount of information. When allocating the bandwidth, in addition to the response information from each line card obtained by polling, taking into account the type and amount of information addressed to the line card collected by the control unit, the control unit The transfer band allocation calculation 56 is performed for both the downstream band from the network card to the line card and the upstream band from the line card to the control unit. In this example, according to the band allocation result, first, the downlink information transmission 51 is performed, and thereafter, the allocated band notification 57 for each line card and the upstream information transfer 58 described in FIG. 6 are repeated. I have.

The information transfer control method and the configuration of the control system according to the present invention have been described above by taking an ATM exchange as an example. However, the present invention relates to a main control unit (or a master unit) and a plurality of subunits (or slave units). Is effective when information is transmitted by sharing a physical transfer path between
It is apparent that the present invention can be applied to ATM systems other than exchanges, such as cross-connects and multiplexing devices, and various systems other than communication devices.

[0038]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, in a system in which a plurality of subunits are connected to a main control unit via a common transmission line, the transmission line is monopolized by a specific subunit. When the transfer information has a priority, the information transfer with the effective use of the bandwidth of the transmission path can be performed without causing a large transfer delay to the information with a high priority. Also, according to the present invention, the main control unit allocates a band to each sub-unit according to the information accumulation state, and each sub-unit transmits information within the range of the band allocated by the main control unit. With this configuration, it is possible to optimally use the limited communication band on the transmission path and adaptively transfer or collect information according to the situation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of control system hardware of a communication apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of an ATM exchange to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional control system in an ATM exchange.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing an example of a conventional information transfer method in a control system of the ATM exchange.

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing another example of the conventional information transfer method in the control system of the ATM exchange.

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing one embodiment of an information transfer control method according to the present invention applied to the control system of the ATM exchange.

FIG. 7 shows transfer path interfaces 14 and 2 shown in FIG.
4 is a configuration diagram showing details of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a format of a transfer request polling message 55 and a response message 54;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a format of a bandwidth allocation notification message 57 and an information transfer message 58;

FIG. 10 is a time chart showing one embodiment of information transfer control according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a time chart showing another embodiment of the information transfer control according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a time chart showing still another embodiment of the information transfer control according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of a control system to which the information transfer control according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing still another configuration example of a control system to which information transfer control according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 15 is a time chart showing one embodiment of information transfer control according to the present invention for performing bidirectional information transfer.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... ATM apparatus SW part, 2 ... SIG termination part, 3 ... Main signal transmission line, 4 ... Network management LAN, 5 ...
SW transmission line, 6: control system transfer line, 10: line card,
11, 21, MPU, 12, 22, RAM, 13 Main signal LSI, 14, 24 Transfer path interface, 1
6: MPU bus, 20: control unit.

Claims (18)

[Claims] An information transfer control method between a main control unit and a plurality of sub-units connected to the main control unit via a common transmission path, wherein the main control unit includes the plurality of sub-units The information transfer requests are periodically collected from the unit, the contents of the plurality of transfer requests are comprehensively determined, and the allocated bandwidth for each sub-unit of the transfer request source is determined within the predetermined bandwidth restricted by the above cycle. Determined, and notifies the bandwidth for each of the subunits.Each of the transmission requesting subunits responds to the bandwidth notification from the main control unit and transmits information to the transmission path within the bandwidth specified by the notification. An information transfer control method characterized by transmitting. 2. The main control unit sequentially polls the plurality of subunits via the transmission line, and each subunit transmits a transfer request to the transmission line in response to each polling, 2. The information transfer control method according to claim 1, wherein, after all polling responses have been completed, the main control unit determines an allocated bandwidth for each of the subunits. 3. The main control unit periodically polls each of the sub-units based on a time frame having a predetermined frame period, and sets an information transfer time zone permitted in each time frame to the transfer time. 3. The information transfer control method according to claim 2, wherein the information is divided into a plurality of variable-length time slots according to the content of the request, and allocated as a bandwidth for each of the subunits. 4. Each of the sub-units has a plurality of types of information having different priorities, and indicates the type of information to be transferred and the amount of information for each type of information in response to polling from the main control unit. 4. The information according to claim 2, wherein a transmission request is transmitted, and the main control unit allocates a bandwidth for each subunit so that information with a high priority is preferentially transmitted. Transfer control method. 5. The main control unit notifies each sub-unit of a band for each priority of transfer information, and each sub-unit transmits information of a specified priority in response to the band notification. 5. The information transfer control method according to claim 4, wherein: 6. The main control unit notifies each sub-unit of a total band allocated to a plurality of types of information, and each sub-unit responds to the band notification to transmit a designated band. 5. The information transfer control method according to claim 4, wherein information is transmitted starting from information having a higher priority within the range. 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit changes the relationship between the type of information and the priority according to the state of the system, and performs bandwidth allocation to the same type of information at different priorities depending on time. The information transfer control method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that: 8. Each of the sub-units has a plurality of types of information having different priorities, and transmits a transfer request indicating a total amount of the plurality of types of information in response to polling from the main control unit. The main control unit equally allocates a fixed band for transferring priority information to each sub-unit of the transfer request source, and allocates a variable band for non-priority information transfer according to the total amount of information indicated by the transfer request. Allocation, notifying each subunit of the total band of the fixed band and the variable band, and transmitting each subunit within the range of the notified band in descending order of priority. An information transfer control method according to claim 2 or 3. 9. Each of the sub-units is processing means for processing communication information connected to a main signal transmission line in a node device on a communication network, and the main control unit is configured to perform control independent of the main signal transmission line. 9. The information transfer control method according to claim 2, wherein the information transfer control means is processing means for processing control information or maintenance information connected to each of the sub-units via a system transmission line. 10. A plurality of circuit boards each including a line interface group provided for each input / output transmission line of a main signal system, and a line determined by header information for a packet received from any of the line interfaces. An information transfer control method in a communication system including a switch unit that outputs to an interface, and a control device connected to each of the circuit boards via a control system transmission line, wherein a processor mounted on each of the circuit boards includes: The information generated in the line interface group is stored for each type of information, and the control device sequentially inquires the processors of each circuit board for information transfer requests via the control system transmission line, Indicates the accumulation state of information to be transmitted to the control device in response to the inquiry. The control device determines a bandwidth to be allocated to each circuit board based on the information transfer request collected from each circuit board, and sends a bandwidth notification to each circuit board. Sequentially transmitting to the control system transmission line, the processor on each of the circuit boards responding to the band notification, and transferring accumulated information to the control system transmission line within the band specified by the notification. An information transfer control method in a communication system. 11. A processor on each of the circuit boards transmits, as the information transfer request, a type of the stored information and an amount of information for each type, and the control device gives priority to information having a higher priority. 2. A bandwidth is assigned to a group.
0. The information transfer control method described in 0. 12. The bandwidth control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the bandwidth allocation while adaptively changing the priority of information according to an operation state of the communication system.
2. The information transfer control method according to 1. 13. The control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: before or after notification of a band to each of said circuit boards and collection of information from each of said circuit boards, distribution of control information addressed to each of said circuit boards via said control system transmission line. The information transfer control method according to claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein 14. An information collecting method in a system in which a plurality of information sources are coupled to a master device via a common transmission path, wherein each information source stores information to be transferred to the master device. The master device periodically inquires the information sources of the transfer information accumulation state, analyzes the transfer information accumulation state collected from the plurality of information sources, and determines the assigned bandwidth for each information source. An information collection method, wherein each information source is sequentially notified, and each of the information sources transmits accumulated information to the transmission path within a range of an allocated bandwidth in response to the notification from the master device. 15. The master device collects the type of transfer information and the amount of information for each type from each information source as the storage state of the transfer information, and determines the priority stored in each information source. Bandwidth allocation is performed for each information source so that high information is transferred preferentially, and each information source transmits stored information in order of information having a higher priority within the range of the allocated band. 15. The information collecting method according to claim 14, wherein: 16. The master device notifies each of the information sources of an allocated bandwidth for each priority, and each of the information sources responds to the notification from the master device to transmit a specific type of information to the transmission line. The information collection method according to claim 15, wherein the information is transmitted. 17. A computer system comprising: a plurality of sub-units serving as an information source; and a main control unit connected to the plurality of sub-units via a common transmission path, wherein the main control unit issues an interrupt signal at a predetermined cycle. In response to the generated timer means and the interrupt signal, an operation for issuing an inquiry message of an information transfer request addressed to each of the sub-units is started, and is sequentially received from the plurality of sub-units via the transmission path. Means for comprehensively judging the contents of the transfer request message and determining the allocated bandwidth for each of the sub-units, and sequentially allocating the bandwidth notification message to each of the sub-units after determining the allocated bandwidth Means for accumulating and processing transfer information successively received from the plurality of subunits via the transmission path, wherein each of the subunits Memory means for storing information to be transferred to the main control unit; means for issuing a transfer request message including at least a transfer information amount in response to the information transfer request inquiry message; Means for transmitting, in response to the notification message, information stored in the memory means to the transmission path within a range specified by the message. 18. Each of the subunits comprises: a plurality of line interfaces provided for each input / output line of a node device in a packet network; a processor connected to each of the line interfaces via an internal bus; And a transmission path interface provided between the common transmission path and the memory means connected to the internal bus, a circuit board including the transfer request issuing means and the storage information transmitting means, The system according to claim 17, realized by a function of the processor.