JPH02230893A - Data line remote monitor system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To collect status information when a fault takes place in a short period by collecting the status information with a remote controller when a fault takes place automatically from each data line remote monitor. CONSTITUTION:When a fault detection means 19 of a data line remote monitor 3 detects a fault of an interface signal, a control means 16 commands the stop of the storage of the status information of the interface signal to a storage control means and commands a readout means 20 to send the status information of the interface signal stored in a storage means 13 to a line. Then a transmission request command is received by a command reception means 21 which gives a command to the readout means 20 to read the status information of the interface signal stored in the storage means 13 and to send it to the line. Thus, when a fault takes place, the status information in the occurrence of the fault is collected automatically.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a communication line remote monitoring system for remotely monitoring an interface signal on an interface circuit between a data line termination device and a data terminal device.

(Prior art) Computers and data terminal equipment installed in remote locations are
They communicate with each other through data line termination equipment and communication lines.

FIG. 2 shows an example of such a configuration, in which the data terminal device 50 and the host computer 54 are generally
They are installed in remote locations and communicate with each other via a modem 51, a public network (for example, a dedicated line using a telephone network) 52, and a modem 53. In a transmission line configured in this way, instantaneous interruptions occur due to switching of various devices within the public network 6, resulting in data errors (host computer 54
An error may occur in which data sent from the host computer 50 is not sent correctly to the data terminal device 50, or conversely, data sent from the data terminal device 50 is not sent correctly to the host computer 54. Since this instantaneous power outage occurs intermittently, it is extremely difficult to pinpoint the location of the failure. Therefore, in the past, a maintenance person went to each location where the modem 50 and host computer 54 were installed and installed the data terminal equipment W.
50 and modem 51 and host computer 54
A measuring device is installed between the modem 53 and the modem 53, and a maintenance person operates this measuring device to measure the state information of the interface signal on the interface circuit, that is, the data information (transmitted data of the transmitted data circuit and received data of the received data circuit). ) and status information (on state or off state of the data channel reception carrier detection circuit, etc.).
Then, the collected status information is sent to the maintenance center by fax or mail, and the maintenance center analyzes this status information to search for the location of the failure.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, the conventional method of collecting status information for searching for fault locations requires that an operator is always present at the location where the data terminal device, host computer, etc. are installed. It won't happen. Therefore, a lot of time and money are required to collect status information for searching for the location where the failure has occurred. In this way, conventional data collection methods had issues that needed to be resolved. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a data line remote monitoring system that can automatically collect status information when a failure occurs. Our goal is to provide the following.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the data line remote monitoring system of the present invention connects a data terminal device, a computer, etc. to a communication line via a data line termination device, and In a network system in which mutual communication is performed between devices or between the computer and the data terminal device, a data line remote monitoring device monitors the state of an interface signal on an interface circuit between the data line terminating device and the data terminal device. Storage means for storing information; Storage control means for storing state information of the interface signal in the storage means; Reading means for reading out the state information of the interface signal stored in the storage means and transmitting it to a line. , command receiving means for receiving a transmission request command from the line; abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality in the interface signal; and when the abnormality detection means detects an abnormality in the interface signal, the storage control means instructing to stop storing the state information of the interface signal, and instructing the reading means to transmit the state information of the interface signal stored in the storage means to the line;
control means for instructing the reading means to read the state information of the interface signal stored in the storage means and transmit it to the line when the transmission request command is received by the command receiving means; A control device includes a receiving means for receiving state information of the interface signal transmitted to the line by the data line remote monitoring device, and a memory for storing state information of the interface signal received by the receiving means in a storage means. a control means; a transmission means for transmitting to a line a transmission request command instructing transmission of the state information of the interface signal; and after the storage control means finishes storing the state information of the interface signal in the storage means; control for instructing the transmitting means to transmit a transmission request command instructing to transmit the status information of the interface signal to any data line remote monitoring device other than the data line remote monitoring device that has transmitted the status information of the interface signal; means. (Function) In the data line remote monitoring system of the present invention, the storage means of the data line remote monitoring device stores state information of the interface signal on the interface circuit between the data line terminating device and the data terminal device. The control means stores state information of the interface signal in the storage means. Then, the reading means reads the state information of the interface signal stored in the storage means and transmits it to the line, and the command receiving means receives the transmission request command from the line. The abnormality detection means detects an abnormality in the interface signal, and the control means instructs the storage control means to stop storing the state information of the interface signal when the abnormality detection means detects the abnormality in the interface signal; Instructing the reading means to transmit the state information of the interface signal stored in the storage means to the line, and upon receiving the transmission request command by the command receiving means, the reading means transmits the state information of the interface signal stored in the storage means. Issues an instruction to read signal status information and send it to the line. Further, the receiving means of the remote control device receives the state information of the interface signal transmitted to the line by the data line remote monitoring device, and the storage control means stores the state information of the interface signal received by the receiving means in the storage means. do. Then, the transmitting means transmits a transmission request command to the line to instruct the transmission of the state information of the interface signal, and the control means transmits the state information of the interface signal after the storage control means has finished storing the state information of the interface signal in the storage means. Instructs the transmitting means to transmit a transmission request command instructing to transmit the interface signal status/m report to any data line remote monitoring device other than the data line remote monitoring device that sent the status information.

(Example) Next, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a data terminal device, 2, 4.8 is a modem which is one of the data line termination devices, 3 is a data line remote monitoring device, and 5.7 is a public communication network 6 (telephone network, telegraph network, etc.). 9 is a remote control device, 30 is an input/output device, and 40 is a data terminal device 1 and a modem. This is an interface circuit that connects the 2.

The data line remote monitoring device 3 includes a signal conversion means 10, a data storage means 11, a status storage means 12, and a storage means 1.
3, 14, time measurement means 15, control means 16, protocol setting means 17, NCU control stage 18, abnormality detection means 19,
It consists of reading means 20 and command receiving means 21. The remote monitoring device 9 also includes a receiving means 90, a file controlling means 91, a file 92, a transmitting means 93, an NCU controlling means 94, a controlling means 95, and an input/output stage 96.

an electrical and physical interface circuit of the interface circuit 40 between the data terminal equipment 1 and the modem 2;
CCITT Recommendation V. 24, V. 28X20. X21
etc., but... ．． : Here! ．． tV. +24 and ■. 2
Set it to 8. Further, the public network 6 may include a telephone network, a telegraph network, etc., but the telephone network is assumed.

The signal converting means 10 includes: (1). 28 is converted into a standard TTL signal and outputs an interface signal. 28 interface signals (for example, High Impeded).
ance connection, etc.).

When the data storage stage 11 receives a predetermined amount of transmitted data and received data (V.24 SD circuit, RD circuit) in the interface circuit 40, it reads the time information from the clock means 15 and stores it together with this time information. There are various methods for storing transmitted data and received data in the storage means 13.For example, a method of storing 1-bit data information (transmitted data and received data) each time it is received, a method of storing n-bit data information each time it is received, Here, a method is considered in which the time information is read from the clock means 15 every time n bits are received, and this time information and the received data information are stored in the storage means 13.Status storage The means 12 collects status information in the interface circuit 40 at each time (for example,
On and off states of D, RS, ER, etc.) are stored in storage means 1.
4. Means for storing status information 1
There are various methods for storing the status signals in the storage means 14. For example, there are various methods for storing the status of each status signal in the storage means 14 at fixed time intervals, and a method in which the state of each status signal changes (for example, from "on" to "off").
Possible methods include storing information indicating the changed status signal and time information when the state changes, or when the state changes from "off" to "on J state."

Here, when the status signal changes, information indicating the change and time information are stored in the storage means 14. The protocol setting means sets a communication protocol between the data terminal device 1 and a data terminal device (not shown) or a host computer (not shown), such as a basic data transmission procedure, HDLC (High Level Data
For example, DI
This is set using the R switch, etc. Here, we will use the basic data transmission procedure (RASIC). The abnormality detection means 19 detects abnormalities in each interface signal of the interface circuit 40. Various methods can be considered for anomaly detection methods. For example, an abnormality regarding a data signal is a BCC error (block check error) of transmitted data and received data in RASIC.
, no response from the other station (not receiving ACK, NAK, STX, EOT, etc. as a response to ENQ within a certain period of time), FCS error (frame check sequence error) in Mana HDLC, FRMR (Frame R
eject) command reception, etc. An abnormality regarding the status signal includes, for example, the CD signal changing from an on state to an off state during communication. Here, errors in BCC will be explained.

Next, an explanation will be given of the operation when the data line remote monitoring device 3 detects a BCC error in received data while the data terminal device 1 is communicating with the host computer in the embodiment shown in FIG. First, the operator inputs a message to the input device 3 instructing the start of operation of the data line remote monitoring device 3.
Enter 0.

Then, the input/output means 96 of the remote control device 9 receives this message and passes it to the control means 95.

Based on this message, the control means 95 passes the telephone number information of the data line remote monitoring device 3 to the NCU control means 94° and starts the NCU control means 94°. The activated NCU control means 94
Set this telephone number information in NCU7. NCU7 is
Based on this telephone number, a call is made to the public network 6, a call is made to the telephone number, etc., a telephone line is connected via the NCU 5 and the public network 6, and the NCtJ control means 94 notifies that the connection is completed.
Notify. NCU control means 94 that receives this notification
notifies the control means 95 that the telephone line connection has been completed. In response, the control means 95 controls the interface #I
The sending means 93 is instructed to send a monitoring start message indicating that monitoring of the interface signal on 40 is to be started. The sending means 93 adds this monitoring start message to the modem 8. Then, this monitoring start message is sent to the command receiving means 21 of the data line remote monitoring device 3 via the NCU 7, the public network 6, the NCU 5, and the modem 4.
is received by. When the transmission of the monitoring start message is completed, the transmission means 93 notifies the control means 95 that the transmission has been completed, and the control means 95 instructs the NCU control means 94 to disconnect the line. Upon receiving this instruction, NCU 7 disconnects the telephone line. Therefore, the telephone line is connected only while the remote control device and the data line distant sun monitoring device 3 are communicating.

On the other hand, the command receiving means 2 of the data line remote monitoring device 3
1 adds the received monitoring start message to the control means 16. When the control means 16 receives this monitoring start message, it first instructs the protocol setting means 17 to set the communication protocol of the data terminal device 1 to the abnormality detection means 19. Upon receiving this instruction, the protocol setting means 17 reads out the protocol type preset in the DIP switch or the like and sets it in the abnormality detection means 19.

Next, the control means 16 activates the data storage means 11, the status storage means 12, and the abnormality detection means 19. When the data storage means 11 receives n bits of each of the transmission data and reception data in the interface circuit 40 whose electrical characteristics have been converted by the signal conversion means 10, the data storage means 11 reads out the time from the clock means 15. Then, this time information and the transmission data or reception data for n visits are stored in the storage means 13. Similarly, the status storage means 12 monitors the status signal whose electrical characteristics have been converted by the signal conversion means 10, and when the status signal changes, stores information indicating the status signal type and time information in the storage means 14. do. Furthermore, the abnormality detection means 19 receives the same transmission data and reception data as those added to the data storage means 11 from the signal conversion means 10, and
Perform CC determination. This kind of operation is detected by the abnormality detection means 19.
Repeat until detects a BCC error in the sent or received data. Then, the abnormality detection means 19 detects the BCC
When an error (for example, a BCC error in received data) is detected, the controller 16 is notified that an abnormality has occurred. Upon receiving this notification, the control means 16 instructs the status storage means 12 and the data storage means 11 to stop their operations immediately or after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Therefore, the storage means 13 and 14 store the state information of the interface signal of the interface circuit 40 up to the time when the abnormality is detected or the time when a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the abnormality was detected. Next, the control means 16 passes the telephone number information of the remote monitoring device 9 to the NCU control means 18 to activate the activated NC.
The U control means 18 adds this telephone number information to the NCU 5. The NCU 5 makes a call to the public 1 [I6, sends the telephone number, etc.] based on this telephone number as described above, and
Connect the CU 7 to the telephone line and notify the NCU IIJ control means 18 that the connection has been completed. Upon receiving this notification, the NCU control means 18 notifies the control means 16 that the telephone line connection has been completed. Upon receiving this notification, the control means 16 further activates the reading means 20. The activated reading means 20
The state information of the interface signal of the interface circuit 40 stored in the storage means 13 and 14 is read and applied to the modem 4. This status information is further transmitted to the remote monitoring device 9 via the NCU 5, the public network 6, the NCU and the modem 8.
is received by the receiving means 90 of.

The receiving means 90 of the remote monitoring device 9 passes the received status information to the file controlling means 91 and starts it up.

The activated file control means 91 stores the received status information in the file 92 and notifies the receiving means 90 that the processing has been completed. Sendan 90 who received this notification
The data line remote monitoring device W. that received the status information. 3
The information indicating the information (for example, the device number, etc.) is passed to the control means 95. The control means 95 controls the input/output means 96 to output a message indicating that an occurrence has occurred in the data line remote monitoring device 3 based on the received information indicating the data line remote monitoring device 3.
instruct. The input/output means 96 displays this message on the input/output device 30. Next, the control means 95 of the remote control device 9 controls a data line remote monitoring device connected to a data terminal device with which the data terminal device 1 communicates, or any data line remote monitoring device connected to a data terminal device in the network system. instructs the data line remote monitoring device to send status information.
Here, relying on FIG. 1, we will introduce the data line remote monitoring device 3.
Assuming that is the communication partner, we will explain the operation when transmitting status information. The control means 95 instructs the NCU control stage 94 to connect the telephone line. Then, as mentioned above, NCU
A telephone line is connected by the control means 94, the NCU 7, the public network 6, and the NCU 5.

Next, the control means 95 requests the transmitting means 93 to transmit a transmission request command. This transmission request command is sent to modem 8, NCU 7, public fI 46, NCU 5 and modem 4.
is received by the command receiving means 21 of the data line remote monitoring device 3 via the data line remote monitoring device 3. Then, it is passed to the control means 16. Upon receiving this transmission request command, the control stage 16 of the data line remote monitoring device 3 instructs the data storage means 11 and the status storage means 12 to stop their operations immediately or after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Next, the reading means 20 is activated. The activated reading means 20 reads out the status information stored in the storage means 13 and 14 and adds it to the modem 4 as described above. This status information includes NCU5, NC
It is received by receiving means 90 of remote control device 9 via U7 and modem 8.

Status information received by the receiving means 90 of the remote control device 9 is stored in a file 92 by the file control means 91. After the process of storing in the file 92 is completed, the control means 95 instructs the NCU control means 94 to disconnect the telephone line. Therefore, the telephone line will only be connected while transmitting status information.

This kind of operation is performed for data line remote monitoring equipment that needs to collect status information. Therefore, file 92
will store all the necessary state information. When the above-described processing is completed, the control means 95 of the remote control device 9 creates a message indicating that the processing has been completed and passes it to the input/output means 96. The input/output means 96 displays this message on the input/output device 30.

Next, the operation by which the operator who sees this message retrieves the status information in the file 92 will be explained. First, an operator inputs a message requesting output of the file 92 to the input/output device 30. Then, the input/output means 96 of the remote control device 9 receives this message and the control means 9
Pass it to 5. The control means 95 starts the file control means 91 based on this message. The activated file control means 91 extracts status information from the file 92 and passes it to the control means 95. The status information passed to the control means 95 is displayed on the input/output device 30 via the input/output means 968. By looking at the status information collected by each data line remote monitoring device displayed on the input/output device 30, it is possible to easily identify the location where an error has occurred.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the data line remote monitoring method of the present invention allows the remote control device to automatically collect status information from each data line remote monitoring device when a failure occurs. . Therefore, when a failure occurs, the failure can occur in significantly less time and at less cost compared to the conventional method in which maintenance personnel go to the location where the data terminal equipment and host computer are installed to collect status information. It is possible to collect current status information. In this embodiment, the remote control device and each data line remote monitoring device are connected via the telephone network only when necessary, but it goes without saying that they may be connected at all times via a dedicated line. Furthermore, the protocol type may also be specified from the remote control device.

Stage, 13.14... Storage means, 15... Timing means,
16.95... Control means, 17... Protocol setting means, 18.94... NCU control means, 20... Reading means, 21... Command receiving means, 30...
Input/output device, 40...interface circuit, 54...
-Host computer, 90...Receiving means, 91...
- File control means, 92... File, 93...
Transmission means, 96... input/output means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A network system in which a data terminal device, a computer, etc. are connected to a communication line via a data line termination device, and mutual communication is performed between the data terminal devices or between the computer and the data terminal device, storage means for storing state information of an interface signal on an interface circuit between the data line termination device and the data terminal device; storage control means for storing state information of the interface signal in the storage means; reading means for reading state information of the interface signal stored in the means and transmitting it to a line; command receiving means for receiving a transmission request command from the line; abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality in the interface signal; When the abnormality detection means detects an abnormality in the interface signal, the storage control means is instructed to stop storing the state information of the interface signal, and the reading means is configured to read the interface signal stored in the storage means. instructing the line to transmit signal status information;
a data line remote controller comprising: control means for instructing the reading means to read state information of the interface signal stored in the storage means and transmit it to the line when the transmission request command is received by the command receiving means; a monitoring device; a receiving device for receiving status information of the interface signal transmitted to the line by the data line remote monitoring device; and a storage control device for storing the status information of the interface signal received by the receiving device in a storage device. and transmitting means for transmitting to a line a transmission request command instructing the transmission of the state information of the interface signal, and after the storage control means finishes storing the state information of the interface signal in the storage means, the state information of the interface signal is transmitted to the line. control means for instructing the transmitting means to transmit a transmission request command instructing the data line remote monitoring device to transmit the status information of the interface signal to any data line remote monitoring device other than the data line remote monitoring device that has transmitted the status information of the interface signal; 1. A data line remote monitoring system comprising: a remote control device having a remote control device;