JPH0897783A - Check system for communication equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To check the communication function or the like for a communication equipment at a location where the equipment is actually installed and in use. CONSTITUTION: A communication port 2 of a communication equipment 1 is connected to a communication port 11 of a check terminal equipment 10. Furthermore, a monitor port 3 of the communication equipment 1 and a monitor communication port 12 of the check terminal equipment 10. A check program is down- loaded to an idle area of an internal memory 5 of the communication equipment 1 from the check terminal equipment 10. A CPU 4 in the communication equipment 1 executes a check program anti makes communication with the check terminal equipment 10. On the other hand, the check terminal equipment 10 checks the cross reference between the content received from the communication equipment 1 via the communication port 11 and the operating state of the communication equipment 1 monitored via the monitor port 3 and the monitor communication port 12. As a result, the check terminal equipment 10 checks whether or not the communication function of the communication equipment 1 is normally in operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inspection system for inspecting communication equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, a communication control section including a communication port 41 for network communication connected to a network line NL which is a communication line and a communication IC having a communication function for network communication ( (Not shown)
An arithmetic processing unit and a memory (not shown) including a CPU having a management function for managing the network; a monitor port 42 for monitoring the network management function;
There is a so-called high-function type communication device 40 including a connection terminal 43 for stack-connecting another communication device. On the other hand, a management terminal device 50 that manages the communication device 40 is connected to the network line NL, and a communication port 41 of the communication device 40 is a terminal device that performs network communication with the management terminal device 50 and the like via the communication device 40. 51 is connected.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the communication port 46 for network communication connected to the network line NL and the communication function for network communication are provided without the arithmetic processing unit and the memory having the above-mentioned network management function. A so-called low-function type having a communication control unit (not shown) including a communication IC included therein, a connection terminal 47 that is stack-connected to the high-function type communication device 40 as described above, and has only a network communication function. Communication device 45. In such a low-function type communication device 45, a network management terminal 50 including a personal computer is connected to the communication port 46 to manage the network. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the connection terminals 43 and 47 of the high-function type communication device 40 and the low-function type communication device 45 are connected.
Are connected in a stack by a cable 48, so that the low-function type communication device 45 is managed by the management terminal device 50 via the high-function type communication device 40.

[0004]

By the way, the inspection of the communication function and the internal circuit operation of the high-function type and low-function type communication devices 40 and 45 as described above is performed by checking the function operation of the circuit board in the manufacturing process. Although it is performed by automatic inspection using a personal computer, it is said that the above inspection cannot be performed after it is put on the market as a finished product or in the place where communication equipment is actually installed and used. There was a problem.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication equipment inspection system capable of inspecting the communication function and the like of the communication equipment at the place where it is actually installed and used. Is.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 self-executes by executing a communication port connected to a communication line, a monitor port for monitoring, and at least an inspection program. An inspection system for inspecting a communication device, comprising: an arithmetic processing unit for inspecting the communication function of the communication device, wherein an inspection program is downloaded to the communication device via the monitor port of the communication device at any time, and the communication device is accessed through the communication port. And an inspection terminal device having control processing means for performing communication with the communication port and monitoring the operating state of the communication device through the monitor port, the test terminal device being connected to the communication device through the communication port and the monitor port.

In order to achieve the above object, a second aspect of the present invention includes a communication port connected to a communication line, a monitor port for monitoring, an inspection port for inspecting an internal circuit, and at least an inspection. An inspection system for inspecting a communication device equipped with an arithmetic processing unit for executing a communication program and inspecting its own communication function and an internal circuit, wherein the inspection program is transmitted to the communication device at any time via a monitor port of the communication device. Download, communicate with the communication device through the communication port, monitor the operating condition of the communication device through the monitor port, and inspect the operating condition of the internal circuit of the communication device through the inspection port. The inspection terminal equipped with the control processing means is connected to the communication device through the communication port, the monitor port, and the inspection port.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, there is provided an inspection system for inspecting a communication device equipped with a communication port connected to a communication line and an expansion port, which executes an inspection program. The external device for inspection equipped with an arithmetic processing unit for inspecting the communication function of the communication device is connected to the communication device through the expansion port, the inspection program is downloaded to the external device for inspection at any time, and the communication device is also connected through the communication port. An inspection terminal device having a control processing means for communicating with the inspection external device and for monitoring the operating state of the communication device via the inspection external device and the expansion port is connected to the inspection external device. .

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the communication port is connected to the communication line, the monitor port for monitoring, and the arithmetic processing unit for executing at least the inspection program to inspect its own communication function. An inspection system for inspecting a communication device, wherein an inspection program is downloaded to the communication device via the monitor port of the communication device at any time, and communication is performed with the communication device via the communication port and via the monitor port. Since the inspection terminal equipped with the control processing means for monitoring the operation state of the communication device is connected to the communication device through the communication port and the monitor port, the inspection is performed at the place where the communication device is installed and actually used. The communication port of the communication device can be inspected by using the communication terminal and the standard serial line can be used. Since it is used, inspection can be performed without using the protocol of the communication device, and it is not affected by problems on the communication line such as traffic, and the inspection program does not affect the protocol. . Furthermore, since the inspection program is downloaded from the inspection terminal device to the communication device at any time during the inspection, it is possible to increase or decrease the inspection items as appropriate, and it is possible to easily support existing communication devices. is there.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a communication port connected to a communication line, a monitor port for monitoring, a test port for testing an internal circuit, and at least a test program are executed. An inspection system for inspecting a communication device, comprising an arithmetic processing unit for inspecting its own communication function and an internal circuit, wherein an inspection program is downloaded to the communication device at any time via a monitor port of the communication device, and the communication port is opened. And a control processing unit for performing communication with the communication device via the monitor port, monitoring the operating state of the communication device via the monitor port, and inspecting the operating state of the internal circuit of the communication device via the inspection port. The location where the communication device is installed and actually used because the inspection terminal was connected to the communication device through the communication port, monitor port, and inspection port. In, the communication function of the communication device and the internal circuit can be inspected using the inspection terminal, and since the monitor port and the inspection port of the communication function that can use the standard serial line are used, The inspection can be performed without using the protocol of the communication device, and the problem of the communication line such as traffic is not affected, and the inspection program does not affect the protocol. Furthermore, since the inspection program is downloaded from the inspection terminal device to the communication device at any time during the inspection, it is possible to increase or decrease the inspection items as appropriate, and it is possible to easily support existing communication devices. is there.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inspection system for inspecting a communication device equipped with a communication port connected to a communication line and an expansion port, wherein an inspection program is executed to communicate the communication device. An inspection external device equipped with an arithmetic processing unit for inspecting functions is connected to a communication device through an expansion port, and the inspection program is downloaded to the inspection external device at any time and communication is performed with the communication device via the communication port. Since the testing terminal device having the control processing means for monitoring the operation state of the communication device through the testing external device and the expansion port is connected to the testing external device,
Even for communication equipment that does not have an arithmetic processing unit that executes the inspection program and inspects its own communication function, the inspection is performed with the external equipment for inspection at the place where the communication equipment is installed and actually used. The communication function can be inspected using a dedicated terminal, and since the expansion port that can use the standard serial line is used, the inspection can be performed without using the protocol of the communication device. It is not affected by problems on the communication line such as traffic, and the inspection program does not affect the protocol. Further, since the inspection program is downloaded from the inspection terminal device to the inspection external device at any time when performing the inspection, it is possible to appropriately increase or decrease the inspection items and easily correspond to the existing communication device. It is a thing.

[0012]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) A block diagram of an inspection system in this embodiment is shown in FIG. 1, and a system configuration diagram is shown in FIG. In this inspection system, an inspection terminal 10 composed of a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as personal computer) 10a having a display device 10b is connected to a communication device 1 that communicates via a network line (not shown). The device 10 is used to inspect the communication function of the communication device 1.

The communication device 1 is of a so-called high-performance type, and has a communication port 2 for network communication, a monitor port 3 for monitoring, a network management function and a communication function by executing an inspection program described later. CPU 4 which is an arithmetic processing unit for inspecting the data, internal memory 5 in which data necessary for network communication is stored and which can be accessed from CPU 4, and communication port 2 which is not shown but refers to data stored in internal memory 5 It has a communication control unit for controlling network communication via the network and has the same configuration and function as those of the conventional example.

Further, the personal computer 10a constituting the inspection terminal 10 communicates with the communication port 11 connected to the communication port 2 of the communication device 1 and transmitting with a standard serial line such as RS-232C. Control processing having a monitor communication port 12 connected to the monitor port 3 of the device 1, a communication function via the communication port 11, a monitor function via the monitor communication port 12, and various other control functions. A CPU 13 as a means is provided, and an inspection program for inspecting the communication function of the communication device 1 is stored in an internal memory (not shown). The inspection terminal 1
The communication port 11 of 0 and the communication port 2 of the communication device 1 are connected by a communication line similar to the network line, and the communication port 12 for monitoring of the inspection terminal 10 and the communication device 1
The monitor port 3 is the serial line cable 14
Connected by.

Next, the procedure for inspecting the communication device 1 by the inspection system of this embodiment will be described. First, the inspection terminal device 10 is connected to the communication device 1 at its installation location, and the inspection terminal device 10 is connected to the monitor communication port 12 and the communication device 1.
The inspection program is downloaded to the empty area of the internal memory 5 of the communication device 1 via the monitor port 3 of FIG. Then, in the communication device 1, the CPU 4 executes the inspection program downloaded to the internal memory 5, and the communication control unit (not shown) communicates with the inspection terminal 10 via the communication ports 2 and 11. .

On the other hand, the operating state of the communication device 1 associated with the execution of the inspection program is monitored by the CPU 13 of the inspection terminal device 10 via the monitor port 3 of the communication device 1 and the monitor communication port 12 of the inspection terminal device 10. To monitor. The CPU 13 of the inspection terminal device 10 performs inspection by inspecting the correspondence relationship between the content received from the communication device 1 via the communication port 11 and the operating state of the communication device 1 monitored via the monitoring communication port 12. It is checked whether or not the communication function of the communication device 1 is normally operating with respect to the execution of the communication program. The operation contents, communication contents, inspection results, etc. of the inspection terminal device 10 associated with the series of inspections described above are displayed on the display device 10b by the personal computer 10a. The status and results of the inspection can be confirmed on the screen of the display device 10b.

In the above configuration, the inspection terminal device 10 is connected by the communication port 2 and the monitor port 3 of the communication device 1, and the communication function of the communication device 1 is inspected using the inspection terminal device 10. Therefore, the place where the communication device 1 is actually placed and used after the communication device 1 is put on the market as a finished product, which can be inspected for the communication function, which was conventionally possible only in the manufacturing process.
It can also be done in situations. Further, since the inspection program for performing the inspection is downloaded from the inspection terminal device 10 to the communication device 1 via the monitor port 3 at any time, the contents of the inspection can be appropriately added or reduced. Therefore, it is possible to easily cope with conventional communication equipment. Furthermore, since a standard serial line can be used for the monitor port 3 of the communication device 1, the operating state of the communication device 1 can be monitored by the inspection terminal 10 without using the protocol of the communication device 1. In addition, the inspection can be performed safely without being affected by problems on the network line such as traffic, and without the inspection program affecting the protocol of the communication device 1.

If the free space of the internal memory 5 of the communication device 1 is sufficient, it is possible to store the inspection program in the internal memory 5 in advance when the communication device 1 is manufactured. In this case, when performing the inspection, the inspection program stored in the internal memory 5 may be executed as it is, or the inspection program stored in advance may be used. You may make it inspect by updating to the inspection program downloaded from.

(Embodiment 2) A block diagram of an inspection system in this embodiment is shown in FIG. 3, and a system configuration diagram is shown in FIG. The basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, the common parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. Only the characteristic parts of this embodiment will be described.

In this embodiment, the communication device 1 is provided with an inspection port 6 for inspecting the operation of an internal circuit, and the input / output of a personal computer 10a constituting the inspection port 6 and the inspection terminal 10 is performed. The inspection port 15 such as a port is connected by a cable 16, and the communication function of the communication device 1 is inspected via the communication port 2 and the monitor port 3 as in the first embodiment. It is characterized in that the circuit operation inside the communication device 1 that cannot be performed is inspected through the inspection ports 6 and 15.

The inspection port 6 provided in the communication device 1 is
This is for extracting data (for example, voltage value) of points (inspection points) necessary for inspecting the circuit operation inside the communication device 1. When the communication device 1 is to be inspected, the inspection program is downloaded from the inspection terminal device 10 to the empty area of the internal memory 5 of the communication device 1 through the monitor port 3, and the CPU 4 of the communication device 1 downloads the inspection program. By executing the inspection program, it is possible to inspect the communication function of the communication device 1 as in the case of the first embodiment. further,
In addition to this, in the present embodiment, along with the execution of the inspection program, the inspection point data of the communication device 1 is fetched from the inspection port 15 of the inspection terminal 10 via the inspection port 6 of the communication device 1, CPU 1 of inspection terminal 10
3, the circuit operation of the communication device 1 can be inspected by the data.

With the above configuration, not only can the communication function of the communication device 1 be inspected after being put on the market as in the first embodiment, but
Items that cannot be inspected by using the monitor port 3 of the communication device 1, that is, the inspection port 6 included in the communication device 1 is used to inspect the circuit operation of the communication device 1.
Can be inspected. (Embodiment 3) A block diagram of an inspection system in this embodiment is shown in FIG. 5, and a system configuration diagram is shown in FIG. The present embodiment is not the so-called high-function type communication device 1 in the above-described first and second embodiments, but is provided with the communication port 21 without the CPU 4 having a network management function or the monitor port 3 for monitoring. Is an inspection system for inspecting so-called low-function type communication device 20 that performs only the network communication.

This low-function type communication device 20 includes a communication port 21 connected to a network line, a communication controller 22 composed of a communication IC for controlling network communication via the communication port 21, and a communication controller. 22 is provided with an expansion port 23 for connecting and expanding an external device. Then, in the inspection system of the present embodiment, the CPU 31 as an arithmetic processing unit that executes the inspection program to inspect the communication function and circuit operation of the communication device 20, and the communication device 20.
Expansion port 3 connected to the expansion port 23 included in
2 and a CPU board 30 which is an external device for inspection provided with an internal memory 33 by means of a cable 34.
No. 0 expansion port 23, the communication port 21 of the communication device 20 and the communication port 11 of the inspection terminal device 10 are connected, and the personal computer 10 configuring the inspection terminal device 10 is connected.
The expansion port 32 of the CPU board 30 is connected to the expansion port 17 of a by a cable 35. Thereby, the expansion port 17 of the inspection terminal device 10 and the communication device 2
The communication control unit 22 of 0 is C provided in the CPU board 30.
It is connected through the bus of PU31.

Next, the inspection procedure in the inspection system of this embodiment will be described. First, the inspection terminal 10 to the CPU
The inspection program is downloaded to a free area of the internal memory 33 included in the board 30. In the CPU board 30, the CPU 31 executes the inspection program downloaded to the internal memory 33, and the inspection for inspection is performed by the communication control unit 22 of the communication device 20 via the expansion port 32 and the expansion port 23 of the communication device 20. Communication with the mobile terminal 10 is performed.

On the other hand, the operation state of the communication device 20 associated with the execution of the inspection program is shown in the expansion port 23 of the communication device 20.
Also, the CPU 13 of the inspection terminal 10 monitors through the expansion port 32 of the CPU board 30. The CPU 13 of the inspection terminal 10 inspects the correspondence relationship between the content received from the communication device 20 via the communication port 11 and the operating state of the communication device 20 monitored via the CPU board 30, thereby performing the inspection program. It is checked whether or not the communication function of the communication device 20 is normally operating with respect to the execution of. The operation contents and communication contents of the CPU board 30 and the inspection terminal device 10 associated with the series of inspections described above,
The inspection result and the like are displayed on the display device 10b by the personal computer 10a.
An inspector who inspects can check the inspection status and result on the screen of the display device 10b. Further, if inspection data (for example, voltage value) at inspection points for inspecting the circuit operation of the communication device 20 can be taken out from the expansion port 23 of the communication device 20, the communication device 20 can be obtained as in the second embodiment. The communication function and circuit operation inspection can be performed simultaneously.

In the above configuration, a so-called low-function type communication device 2 that does not have the CPU 4 for executing the inspection program is used.
Even for 0, the CPU board 30 which is an external device for inspection
The same as the high-performance communication device 1 using the
The communication function can be checked at 0.

[0027]

According to the present invention, there is provided a communication port connected to a communication line, a monitor port for monitoring, and an arithmetic processing unit for executing at least an inspection program to inspect its own communication function. An inspection system for inspecting a communication device, wherein an inspection program is downloaded to the communication device via the monitor port of the communication device at any time, and communication is performed with the communication device via the communication port and via the monitor port. Since the inspection terminal equipped with the control processing means for monitoring the operation state of the communication device is connected to the communication device through the communication port and the monitor port, the inspection is performed at the place where the communication device is installed and actually used. It is possible to inspect the communication function of the communication device using the communication terminal, and the monitor port of the communication device that can use the standard serial line is installed. Therefore, the inspection can be performed without using the protocol of the communication device, and it is not affected by the problem on the communication line such as traffic, and the inspection program does not affect the protocol. is there. Furthermore, since the inspection program is downloaded from the inspection terminal device to the communication device at any time during the inspection, it is possible to increase or decrease the inspection items as appropriate.
The effect is that it can be easily applied to existing communication equipment.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a communication port connected to a communication line, a monitor port for monitoring, an inspection port for inspecting an internal circuit, and at least an inspection program for executing its own program. An inspection system for inspecting a communication device, comprising an arithmetic processing unit for inspecting a communication function and an internal circuit, wherein an inspection program is downloaded to the communication device via a monitor port of the communication device at any time, and the inspection program is downloaded via the communication port. For inspection, which has control processing means for performing communication with the communication device, monitoring the operating condition of the communication device through the monitor port, and inspecting the operating condition of the internal circuit of the communication device through the inspection port. Since the terminal was connected to the communication device through the communication port, monitor port, and inspection port, the place where the communication device is installed and actually used Can be inspected communication function and the internal circuit of the communication device using the inspection terminal unit, moreover,
A standard serial line can be used because the communication function monitor port and inspection port are used, so inspection can be performed without using the protocol of the communication device, and it is also affected by problems on the communication line such as traffic. In addition, there is an effect that the inspection program does not affect the protocol. Further, since the inspection program is downloaded from the inspection terminal device to the communication device at any time when performing the inspection, it is possible to appropriately increase or decrease the inspection items and easily correspond to the existing communication device. There is.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inspection system for inspecting a communication device equipped with a communication port connected to a communication line and an expansion port, wherein the inspection program is executed to perform the communication function of the communication device. An external device for inspection equipped with an arithmetic processing unit for inspection is connected to communication equipment through an expansion port,
Control processing means for downloading the inspection program to the inspection external device at any time, communicating with the communication device via the communication port, and monitoring the operating state of the communication device via the inspection external device and the expansion port. Since the inspection terminal equipped with the above is connected to the external inspection device, the communication device is installed even for the communication device that does not have the arithmetic processing unit that executes the inspection program and inspects its own communication function. Because the communication function can be inspected by using the external device for inspection and the terminal for inspection at the place where it is actually used, and the expansion port that can use the standard serial line is used. In addition, the inspection can be performed without using the protocol of the communication device, and it is not affected by problems on the communication line such as traffic and the inspection program affects the protocol. There is an effect that it is not even on the. Further, since the inspection program is downloaded from the inspection terminal device to the inspection external device at any time when performing the inspection, it is possible to appropriately increase or decrease the inspection items and easily correspond to the existing communication device. There is an effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an inspection system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of the above.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an inspection system according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a system configuration diagram of the above.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an inspection system according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram of the above.

FIG. 7 is a system configuration diagram showing a conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a system configuration diagram showing another conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a system configuration diagram showing still another conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Communication Equipment 2 Communication Port 3 Monitor Port 4 CPU 5 Internal Memory 10 Inspection Terminal 11 Communication Port 12 Monitor Communication Port 13 CPU

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshiaki Inage 1048 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Works Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An inspection for inspecting a communication device, comprising: a communication port connected to a communication line; a monitor port for monitoring; and an arithmetic processing unit for executing at least an inspection program to inspect an own communication function. In the system, the inspection program is downloaded to the communication device via the monitor port of the communication device at any time, the communication with the communication device is performed via the communication port, and the operating state of the communication device is checked via the monitor port. An inspection system for communication equipment, wherein an inspection terminal equipped with control processing means for monitoring is connected to the communication equipment through a communication port and a monitor port. 2. A communication port connected to a communication line, a monitor port for monitoring, an inspection port for inspecting an internal circuit, and at least an inspection program to execute its own communication function and internal circuit. An inspection system for inspecting communication equipment, comprising an arithmetic processing unit for inspecting
The inspection program is downloaded to the communication device at any time via the monitor port of the communication device, the communication with the communication device is performed via the communication port, and the operating state of the communication device is monitored via the monitor port, and the inspection is performed. A communication device comprising an inspection terminal equipped with control processing means for inspecting an operating state of an internal circuit of the communication device through the communication port, the communication terminal, the monitor port, and the inspection port being connected to the communication device. Inspection system. 3. An inspection system for inspecting a communication device having a communication port connected to a communication line and an expansion port, the arithmetic processing unit executing an inspection program to inspect a communication function of the communication device. An inspection external device equipped with the above is connected to a communication device through an expansion port, an inspection program is downloaded to the inspection external device at any time, and communication is performed with the communication device via the communication port and the inspection external device is connected. An inspection system for communication equipment, characterized in that an inspection terminal equipped with control processing means for monitoring the operating state of the communication equipment is connected to an external inspection device via an expansion port.