JPS58125158A - Computer controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform centralized control over the maintenance of dispersed software, by starting the dispersed type software control program of a central computer, and putting maintenance software set up in each computer in operation through a data highway. CONSTITUTION:To a data highway device 6, central computers 1 and 2 and low-priority computers 3-5 are connected through stations 7. The low-priority computers 3-5 have station software control program memories 22 respectively. From a dispersed type software control program memory 21 provided to the central computer 1, instructions for the alteration of programs and data and for state confirmation are sent out through the data highway device 6 to one of the low-priority computers 3-5 specified by a terminal device 8. The low- priority computer executes the instructions through the station control program memory 22 and sends back the results through the data highway device 6. Consequently, the centralized control over the maintenance of the dispersed computers is performed easily.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (3,1) Field of the Invention This invention relates to a distributed computer system in which a plurality of computers are connected to each other using a transmission path such as a data/percentage network, and in particular to management and maintenance of the software. It's about.

(3, 2) Configuration of Prior Art A conventional distributed computer system is shown in Figure O1. The one shown in Figure 1 shows, for example, a distributed computer system for monitoring and controlling plants etc. that are distributed over a wide area.
are the central computer, +31 and +41, respectively.

(5) are each lower-level computers. Central computer (1)
.

In (2), comprehensive data processing is performed, and the lower-level computer (3
), +41, and +51 are relatively small-scale computers equipped with only direct input/output processing functions and are provided to distribute the processing load on the central computer. Assume that each computer is located several hundred meters to several thousand meters apart.

(61 is the data highway device, (7) is each computer (1
1 to (51 station devices connected to the Wota highway device, (8) to 0 terminals are computers (1) to (5), respectively.
) is a terminal device for software management and maintenance that is directly connected to the

03 is a display device, (14 is a process input/output device, (g)
is a process input/output terminal, such as a plant sensor.

For convenience, display device α3 and process input/output device α◆
are connected to the IT calculators 3) and (41, f5+), respectively, but there is no limit to the number or number of connected needles.

(3, 3) Operation of Prior Art Next, the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be explained. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the lower-level computers (41 and (5) input and output process signals from the process input/output terminal Q→ through the process input/output device a◆, and also provide them to plant operators etc. The information is displayed on the display device [113] by the lower-order computer (3).The central computer +I+, f2+ performs comprehensive data processing, and input/output data and timing signals for processing the number of people are sent to the data highway device (6). ) and each computer (11 to (5)) via each station device 171. Each computer also transfers the programs and data (hereinafter collectively referred to as software) executed by j to (5) F1 of the computer concerned. stored in memory.

In order to manage and maintain this software, that is, to check changes made to this software by maintenance personnel, a terminal bag for software management and maintenance connected to each computer is used, such as a terminal bag. device σ
Using υ, you can display or print the contents of the specified address in the main memory of the lower-level computer (41), or change the contents, and you can also test the process input/output device α◆ when this is connected. Testing of the display device 03 was performed using the terminal device αQ of the computer.

(3.a) Disadvantages of conventional technology Therefore, in order to manage and maintain shiftware using conventional equipment, it is necessary to use a terminal device for software management and maintenance connected to each computer. However, maintenance personnel have to move between computers, which is troublesome, and this has the drawback of lacking synchronicity during maintenance of each software.

(3, s) Purpose of the present invention This invention was made in order to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional ones as described above.In this invention, each computer is provided with maintenance software, and the central computer is equipped with a distributed software management program. By preparing the distributed software management program and running the software for maintenance of each computer via the data highway device, management and maintenance of the distributed software can be centrally carried out on the central computer. The purpose is to provide a device that can.

(3,6) Structure of the present invention FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 indicate the same or corresponding parts, and (21) is a distributed type. soft management program memory,
(22) is a station software management program memory. Terminal device (8: specifies the lower computer and this specification 1
It has a function to issue commands to manage the software of lower-order subtraction machines, and decodes these commands and gives commands to refer to software changes to specified lower-order computers, and also outputs the results of execution of these commands by lower-order computers. The functions to be input and displayed on the terminal device (8) are stored in the program memory (21) as a distributed software management program. A program for managing and maintaining the software of a lower-level computer in response to instructions from the central computer is stored in the station software management program memory (22) of the computer.

(3, 7) When the operation maintenance personnel of the present invention change the software, that is, 10 grams or data on the lower-level computers (3) to (5) or check their status, they use the terminal device (81) to , and input an instruction for modification or reference.This instruction is decoded by the distributed software management program in the program memory (21) and is sent to the specified lower-level computer as an instruction for modification or reference. data highway device (6
). The lower-level computer activates the station management program in the program memory (22) according to the sent command to change its own software or read the status, and then executes the data highway device (
6) and sends it back to the central computer (1). The central computer 1 processes the returned results using a distributed software management program and checks via the terminal device 81 whether the current command has been completed correctly or the status of the software in the lower-level computers. Examples of commands input by maintenance personnel from the terminal device (81) include the following.

(a) Reading the status of memory contents Specify the machine number of the lower computer and its address in the main memory, and display the contents on the terminal device [181].

←) Changing memory contents Specify the machine number of the lower computer and the address in its main memory, change the contents to the specified bit pattern, and display the new and old data on the terminal device (8).

(c) Specify the program execution RAM memory and execute the specified program.

b) Testing the display device Specify the lower computer (3), display the test pattern on the display device (13), and check whether it is normal or not.

(e) Testing the process input/output device Specify the machine number of the lower-level computer to which the process input/output device α◆ is connected, and as a test, read data or output a test pattern to confirm normality/failure.

(f) Confirmation of event completion Specify the machine number of the lower computer and the program in its main memory, execute the specified program, monitor the time including the controlled object, and measure the time at completion.

As described above, maintenance personnel can manage and maintain the software of lower-level computers located over a wide area by simply inputting commands from the terminal device (81).

(3, 8) Other embodiments of the invention In the embodiment shown in FIG.
1 and +51 have been described, but if there are multiple central computers, software management and maintenance can be performed on these central computers by centrally operating them from one terminal.

In addition to software, data way equipment (6
) and the station device (71), and the status of the distributed computer system can be monitored in an integrated manner.

(3, 9) Effects of the present invention As described above, according to the present invention, by consolidating management and maintenance operations in a central terminal device, it is possible to reduce the number of maintenance stations and to It allows simultaneous operations, is effective for fine-tuning after plant operation, and is highly useful as a maintenance tool.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional device, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. (11, +2)...Central computer, 131, respectively
141, 151...low-order computers, (61,
...Data highway device, (7)...Station device, +81, +91...Terminal device for software management and maintenance, 03...Display device, a◆...Process input/output device, (g)... ...I/O terminal, (21)
・・・Distributed software management program memory, (22)・
...Station software management program memory. In each figure, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. Agent Shin Kuzuno −

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a computer management device that manages each computer when multiple computers are connected to each other by a transmission path and operates, a computer management device is installed in the central computer that controls the execution of management and sends out management commands to each managed computer. a distributed software management program memory storing a program for receiving the results of the managed computers executing the sent instructions;
In order for maintenance personnel to activate this distributed software management program memory, a terminal device for software management and maintenance provided in the central computer and a terminal device provided in each managed computer execute the program of the distributed software management program memory. 1. A computer management device comprising: a station software management program memory storing a program for executing instructions sent by a computer on a managed computer.