JPH05242029A - Computer applying system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute a communication between the outside and the system through a communication circuit at an arbitrary time or at each time and to read in and execute a program. CONSTITUTION:A MODEM 6 is provided in advance between this system and an external system 10 so that a communication circuit 7 can be utilized, time is counted in advance by a time counting part 8, an arbitrary time is set in advance by a time setting part 9, and when the time set to the time setting part 9 comes, a program instruction group 45 is read in a main storage part 4 from an external system 16 through the MODEM 6 and processed. In such a way, maintenance of a program can be executed efficiently.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer-applied system, and more particularly to maintenance of its program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The basic structure of a conventional computer application system is, for example, as shown in FIG. Figure 5
In FIG. 1, 1 is a control unit, 2 is an input / output unit, 3 is a calculation unit, 4 is a main storage unit, and 5 is an external storage unit. Main memory 4
In the figure, 41 is an IPL (initial program loader) unit, 42 is a program instruction group, and 43 is data.

In the main memory 4, a group of program instructions 42 defining the operation of this computer and other data 4 are stored.
3 and 3 are stored. An external storage device 5 such as a hard disk or a floppy disk is connected to the input / output unit 2 and is stored in the main storage unit 4. The program instruction group 42 is transferred from the external storage device 5. Main memory 4
There is a non-volatile storage section for holding the contents even if power is not supplied, and an IPL (Initial Program Loader) section 41 is stored in this section. I
The PL unit 41 stores the program instruction group 42 in the external storage device 5
It is a minimum necessary program for transferring data from the main storage unit 4 to the main storage unit 4.

When the power is turned on, first, the IPL unit 41 is executed, and the program from the external storage device 5 is stored in the main storage unit 4.
Transferred to. After the program transfer, the transferred program is executed. Normally, when the program 42 that regulates the operation of such a computer is preserved by bug correction, version upgrade correction, etc., the contents of the floppy disk, hard disk, etc. of the external storage device 5 are rewritten. The contents of this floppy disk, hard disk, etc. can be rewritten by replacing the floppy disk, hard disk, etc. that store the old program with a floppy disk, hard disk, etc. that store the new program, or by using a new floppy disk, hard disk, etc. This is done by transferring the new program to the old floppy disk or hard disk.

In this conventional computer application system, usually, the same system is present in plural units (tens or hundreds). Therefore, when replacing external storage devices such as floppy disks and hard disks for bug fixes and version upgrades for program maintenance, it is necessary to have as many replacement external storage devices as there are systems. It costs a lot of money. Even when a new program is transferred to an external storage device and modified, as many external storage devices as transfer sources are needed for the number of existing systems. Will take a very long time to complete.

[0006]

The problem to be solved is that a large amount of cost is required as the number of systems increases, and if the number of external storage devices is small, the program correction time becomes long, and the work This is the point that the number of maintenance personnel required to perform the above is equal to the number of systems.

[0007]

The computer application system of the present invention is designed to be able to communicate with the outside of the system, and communicates with the outside of the system at a preset time to operate the system. It is characterized in that the prescribed program instruction group is read from the outside and executed.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a computer application system according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a block diagram showing an automatic program maintenance system for a personal computer is shown. In FIG. 1, 1
Is a control unit, 2 is an input unit / output unit, 3 is a calculation unit, 4 is a main storage unit, and these are the five major components of the computer. In the main memory 4, 44 is an OS program, 45
Is an application program, and 46 is a communication control program. Further, 6 is a communication means modem, 7 is a communication line, 8 is a timekeeping unit for timekeeping, 9 is a time setting unit for setting an arbitrary time, and 10 is an external host computer.

Generally, the main storage unit 4 stores a program called an OS (operating system) program 44 for controlling the basic operation of the entire system.
Under the control of the S program 44, the user can read various application programs 45 from the external storage device 5 and execute them. When the time measured by the time measuring unit 8 reaches the time set in the time setting unit 9, a signal is output from the time measuring unit 8 to the control unit 1, and the control unit 1 sends the communication control program 4 through the OS program 44.
Start 6.

The communication control program 46 is executed via the communication line 7 based on the flowchart shown in FIG.
It communicates with the external host computer 10 of 0, and confirms whether there is a bug-corrected program. If there is a bug-corrected program, the new corrected application program 45 is read from the external host computer 10 and stored in the external storage device 5. Thereafter, the communication control program 46 passes control to the OS program 44 and executes a new application program. If the time set in the time setting unit 9 is set to a time when the operating status of the system is low (for example, midnight), the application program can be maintained without lowering the operation efficiency of the system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the computer application system according to the present invention. In FIG. 3, a block diagram showing an application example to a facsimile is shown. Reference numeral 11 is a microcomputer (CPU) for controlling the entire facsimile, 12 is a facsimile mechanism section, 13 is a floppy disk for storing a control program, 8 is a clock section, and 14 is a backup power source. Further, 15 is a ROM, 16 is an IPL section, and 17 is a RAM. The ROM 15 stores the IPL 16. RAM1
Reference numeral 7 stores the control program read from the floppy disk 13 before execution. Reference numeral 21 is a telephone line, 18 is a telephone exchange, 19 is a partner for exchanging information by facsimile, and 20 is a center where a host machine is located.

When the power is turned on, the IPL unit 16 checks the timekeeping information of the timekeeping unit 14 as shown in the flowchart of FIG. If the time preset by the program has passed, the facsimile mechanism 12 communicates with the center 20 via the telephone line 21, and the version of the program stored in the center 20 and the floppy disk 13 are stored. Check the version of the installed program.

When the program in the center 20 is new, the new program upgraded from the center 20 is read via the telephone line 21 and the old program 13 is rewritten. After that, the new program stored in the floppy disk 13 by the IPL unit 16 and having the bug fixed therein is read into the RAM 17 and executed. In this way, the program marches automatically every fixed period, and the correct program is always executed.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, a program that communicates with an external center of the system and presets the operation of the system via a communication line is communicated with an external center of the system at any preset time or period. Since it has a function of further reading and executing, there is an effect that program maintenance such as bug correction and version upgrade correction can be performed without lowering the operation efficiency of the system. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the program of all the existing systems can be modified only by modifying the program of the center, so that the program can be maintained very efficiently.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a first computer application system according to the present invention.
It is a block diagram showing an example of.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a communication control program in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a second computer application system according to the present invention.
It is a block diagram showing an example of.

4 is a flowchart of an IPL in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration example of a conventional computer application system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Control Section 2 Input Section / Output Section 3 Calculation Section 4 Main Storage Section 41, 16 IPL Section 42 Program Section 43 Data Section 44 OS Program 45 Application Program 46 Communication Control Program 5 External Storage Device 6 Modem 7 Communication Line 8 Timekeeping Section 9 Time setting unit 10 Host system 11 Microcomputer 12 Facsimile function unit 13 Floppy disk 14 Backup power supply 15 ROM 17 RAM 18 Telephone exchange station 19 Remote station 20 Center 21 Telephone line

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A communication means for communicating with an external host computer system, a time measuring means for measuring time, a time setting means for setting an arbitrary time, and the time setting means. A computer application system comprising an OS means for causing the communication means to read and execute a program command group that defines the operation of the external host computer system via the communication means at the time. 2. The computer application system according to claim 1, wherein the communication means is a modem connected to a communication line. 3. The computer application system according to claim 1, wherein said OS means stores the program instruction group in the main memory via the communication means and then controls the system.