JPH033461A - Communication controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To test a communication control circuit in the same condition as in communication without especially preparing a terminal by providing a switching circuit for switching to connect the output of the communication control circuit, which transmits data, or a test communication control circuit to a communication line. CONSTITUTION:A control part 14 monitors states of communication control circuits 15-1 to 15-n, and the control part 14 controls a switching circuit 17-n to connect the communication line to a test communication control circuit 16 at the time of abnormal communication, for example, frequent occurrence of communication abnormality in the specific communication control circuit 15-n. The communication control circuit 15-n is instructed to transmit data, and the output of the communication control circuit 15-n is received by the test communication control circuit 16, and this received data is reported to the control part 14. The control part 14 discriminates the faulty part in accordance with operation states of the communication control circuit 15-n and the test communication control circuit 16 and results of collation between contents of received data and transmitted data. Thus, the test is performed in the actual use condition without using an actual terminal.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a communication control device that transmits the output of a combi-station to a communication terminal located in a remote location, and particularly relates to a communication control device that transmits the output of a combi-secondary device to a communication terminal located in a remote location. This invention relates to a communication control device with improved maintenance work.

[Conventional technology]

In a communication control device that transmits data output from a comviator to a remote location, test the communication control circuit by setting up a circuit inside the communication control circuit that loops back between the transmitting circuit and the receiving circuit, or Tests were conducted by actually connecting the terminal to the connected communication control circuit.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the former test, the loop is made between the transmitting circuit and the receiving circuit in the communication control circuit, so it is not possible to test on parts of the circuit other than those on the looping route, and the test is performed under the same conditions as the actual communication operation. The drawback was that it was not possible to conduct tests.

The latter test method eliminates these drawbacks, but since the test is performed under the same conditions as during communication, it is necessary to actually connect the terminal, and it requires There was a problem that it was necessary to always have the terminal ready.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a communication control device that can test a communication control circuit under the same conditions as during communication and without specially preparing a terminal.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention includes (i) a communication control circuit that transmits data to a terminal located at a remote location via a communication line; and (ii)
(iii) a test communication control circuit prepared for testing a communication control circuit that transmits data, and (iii) arranged between a communication control circuit that transmits data and a communication line;
The communication control device is equipped with a switching circuit that switches between connecting the output of the communication control circuit that transmits these data to the communication line or to the test communication control circuit.

That is, in the present invention, when testing a communication control circuit that transmits data, the communication control circuit can be connected to a test communication control circuit via a switching circuit, and the test can be performed through all routes of the communication control circuit. To accurately determine whether a failure is caused by a corresponding communication control circuit or by another terminal or the like.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Examples.

FIG. 1 shows the main parts of one communication control device of this embodiment. An input/output terminal 11 prepared for inputting and outputting an interface signal with a higher-level device (not shown) is connected to a higher-level device interface section 12 . The higher-level device interface unit 12 is configured to transmit and receive control signals to and from higher-level devices, and to receive data from the higher-level devices.

This host device interface section 12 connects to the right side of the control section 14 and a plurality of communication control circuits 15-1 to 15 via a control bus.
-n and the test communication control circuit 16. Here, the control unit 14 is composed of a microprocessor and firmware, and is connected to the host device interface unit 1.
2 and communication control circuits 1'5-1 to 15-n. Each communication control circuit 15-1
to 15-n are connected to the input ends of switching circuits 17-1 to 17-n, respectively. These switching circuits 17-1 to 1
7-n includes first and second output terminals that are selectively connected to the input terminal, and the first output terminal of these terminals is connected to the output terminals 18-1 to 18-n. Output terminal 18
Although not shown, terminals are connected to -1 to 18-n via communication lines. The test communication control circuit 16 is connected to the second output terminal of each of the switching circuits 17-1 to 17-n.

The operation of the communication control device having such a configuration will be explained next.

During normal operation, communication control circuits 15-1 to 15-n are connected to output terminals 18-1 to 18-n via corresponding switching circuits 17-1 to 17-n. At this time, the communication control circuits 15-1 to 15-n transmit the data received via the host device interface section 12 to the respective terminals connected through the above communication lines. The control unit 14 monitors the operation of each communication control circuit 15-1 to 15-n. When communication is not performed normally, for example, when communication abnormalities frequently occur in a particular communication control circuit 15-m, whether this is due to a failure in the communication control circuit 15-m or the communication circuit or A test operation will be started to determine whether the problem is due to a terminal failure.

The control unit 14 instructs switching of each of the switching circuits 17-1 to 17-n via the corresponding communication control circuits 15-1 to 15-n. Therefore, in this example, the control unit 14 controls the switching circuit 17-m via the communication control circuit 15-m, disconnects the output of the communication control circuit 15-m from the communication line, and instead Connect to control circuit 16.

When the switching is completed, the control unit 14 switches the communication control circuit 15
-Instruct m to send test data.

The resulting output of the communication control circuit 15-m is received by the test communication control circuit 16, and the received data is notified to the control unit 14. The control unit 14 includes the communication control circuit 1
5-m and the operating state of the test communication control circuit 16, and the result of comparing the contents of the received data with the transmitted data, the location of the failure is determined.

Furthermore, another vacant communication control circuit 15-x (however, 1
≦X≦n, xf−m), the same test is repeatedly performed, and the operation of the test communication control circuit 16 itself is confirmed as necessary. The test results conducted in this manner are notified to the higher-level device via the higher-level device interface section 12.

According to the embodiment described above, since the test is automatically started based on the statistical information of the communication abnormality, there is an advantage that the failure can be discovered at an early stage.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, when abnormal operation of a communication control circuit that transmits data is detected, the cause of this abnormal operation can be investigated by testing without using an actual terminal and under actual usage conditions. can do. Therefore, highly accurate tests can be performed. Further, since an actual terminal is not required for the test, there is no need to prepare a terminal for the test, and the system can be made more economical.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main part of the circuit configuration of a communication control device in one embodiment of the present invention. 14...Control unit, 15-1 to 15-n...Communication control unit (transmits data), 16...Test communication control circuit, 17-1 ~17
-n...Switching circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A communication control circuit that transmits data to a terminal located at a remote location via a communication line, and a test communication control prepared for testing the communication control circuit that transmits data. It is arranged between the circuit, the communication control circuit that transmits the data, and the communication line, and determines whether the output of the communication control circuit that transmits these data is connected to the communication line or to the test communication control circuit. A communication control device comprising a switching circuit that performs switching.