JPH08212060A - Electronic mail system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To attain the solution of troubles without sending any serviceman to the place of an electronic mail terminal by providing a software updating means in an electronic mail system. CONSTITUTION: A control document(CD) of a version-up request is sent to a message communication system MHS terminal 71 from a host computer 11. The terminal 71 that acquired the right of transmission sends the version number of control software of its own terminal to the computer 11 . The computer 11 refers to a control software storage area management table 9 from the inside of a storage 31 and acquires the head address of an area where the software of the version to be updated is stored. Then the computer 11 reads the software out of the storage 31 and sends the software information to the terminal 71 after converting it into a CD. Then the code part of the software storage area included in an auxiliary storage of a storage 81 connected to the terminal 71 is updated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to MHS (Message Handll
ing System: message communication system) to an electronic mail system suitable for an electronic mail system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of electronic mail system, the terminal may become unusable due to a defect in the software for operating the terminal. At this time, in order to analyze the failure of the terminal and correct the bug of the internal software to upgrade the version, a serviceman goes to the place where the terminal is installed and installs the modified software on the terminal. Relaunching.

[0003]

However, as described above, in the event of a terminal failure, it takes a huge amount of time and cost if the service person goes to the place where the terminal is installed and performs the required processing.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and dispatches a service person to a place where an electronic mail terminal is installed when a problem occurs in the software of the electronic mail terminal. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic mail system that can eliminate problems without problems.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises means for updating software in an electronic mail system.

That is, the present invention is to construct an electronic mail system as described in (1) to (4) below.

(1) An electronic mail system having a communication network, an electronic mail terminal connected to the communication network, and a host computer, wherein the electronic mail terminal outputs software version information of its own terminal to the host computer. And a updating means for updating the software of the terminal itself with the software information received from the host computer, the host computer receives the software version information, and based on this, the required information. An electronic mail system comprising a search means for searching software and a sending means for transmitting the software searched by the search means to the electronic mail terminal.

(2) The electronic mail system according to (1), wherein the electronic mail terminal includes a version upgrade request transmitting means for transmitting a version upgrade request to the host computer.

(3) The electronic mail system according to (1), wherein the host computer includes a version upgrade request transmitting means for transmitting the version upgrade request to the electronic mail terminal.

(4) The electronic mail system according to (1), which converts software version information and software information into a control document.

[0011]

With the configurations (1) to (4), when the software version information is sent from the electronic mail terminal to the host computer, the host computer searches for the required software based on the information and electronically sends it. It is sent to the mail terminal, and the e-mail terminal updates the software of its own terminal with this software.

[0012]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an "electronic mail system" which is an embodiment. In the figure, 1 ₁ 1 ₂ , ...,
1 _n is a host computer, which is a processor 2 ₁ , 2
_2, ......, _{2 n} and the storage device 3 of the _main memory or the like auxiliary storage device connected thereto processor 2 ₁ to 2 _n,
3 ₂ , ..., 3 _n . These storage devices 3 _{1 to} 3
An area for storing control software of the MHS terminal is statically or dynamically secured in _n , and each software is managed for each version as described later. Further, the host computer 1 ₁ to 1 _n is the operation or the like from the console of the MHS terminal or communications from other host computer or a host computer,
The control software on the MHS terminal side is stored in the storage device 3 ₁ to
3 _n has means for registering, deleting and updating.

Each of the processing devices 2 ₁ to 2 _n is connected to the communication network 5 via the communication control devices 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ , ..., 4 _n . Also, in this network 5,
Through the communication control devices 6 ₁ , 6 ₂ , ..., 6 _n , the MHS
Terminals 7 ₁ , 7 ₂ , ..., 7 _{n are} connected. These M
The HS terminals 7 _{1 to} 7 _n are main memories or auxiliary memories 8 ₁ , 8 ₂ , ... Which store software for controlling the terminals.
, 8 _n , and the area for storing the code portion of the control software is secured separately. Also, these MH
The S terminals 7 _{1 to} 7 _{n use} means for analyzing the CD (control document) transferred from the host computers 1 ₁ to 1 _n and updating the software of the self terminal, and using the CD for the failure information to the host computer. Have a means to transfer.

FIG. 2 shows the internal structure of the storage device of the host computer. In the figure, 9 is a storage area management table of control software for MHS terminals, and 9 ₁ is MH
S terminal control software registration number, 9 ₂ is control software version number, 9 ₃ is control software date information, and 9 ₄ is storage device of host computer in which execution code part of control software is stored. Is the storage address in. Reference numeral 10 indicates a storage area of the storage device 3 _{1 to} 3 _n in which the substance of the control software is stored.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the internal hardware and storage device of the MHS terminal. In the figure, 7 is a processing device for controlling the MHS terminal, and 8 is a storage device for storing execution codes and data. The storage device 8 internally stores a code part and a data part related to control software separately.

In the electronic mail system having the above-mentioned structure, the operation procedure of the MHS terminal and the host computer when the version of the MHS terminal control software according to the present invention is upgraded will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. .

FIG. 4 shows an MHS when the MHS terminals 7 _{1 to} 7 _n receive a CD requesting an upgrade of the software on the MHS terminal side from the host computers ₁₁ to 1 _n.
7 is a flowchart showing the operations of the terminals 7 _{1 to} 7 _n and the host computers 1 ₁ to 1 _n . An example of transmission and reception between the MHS terminal 7 ₁ and the host computer 1 ₁ will be described below. First,
Transmitted from the host computer 1 ₁ MHS terminal ₇₁ of upgrading requesting CD, it shifts the transmission right to the MHS terminal ₇₁ (see S1). MHS terminal 7 ₁ that has acquired the transmission right
From sends the onboard control software version number to the radio terminal to the host computer 1 ₁ shifts the transmission right to the host computer (S2). Host computer 1 ₁ that has acquired the MHS terminal 7 ₁ side control software version number refers to the control software storage area management table 9 from the interior of the storage device 3 ₁ (S
3), to obtain the start address of the area where the version of the software to be updated is stored (S4) read the software from the storage unit 3 _1, MHS terminal 7 converts the software information to CD Send to ₁ (S
5). The MHS terminal 7 ₁ receiving the CD converts the CD into software data and updates the code part of the software storage area in the auxiliary storage device in the storage device 8 ₁ connected to the MHS terminal 7 ₁ (S7). . After that, the MHS terminal 7 ₁ shifts to the restart processing of its own terminal, and the storage device 8 1
_The updated software stored in the auxiliary storage device in ₁ is read and transferred to the main storage device in the storage device 8 ₁ , and the terminal 7 ₁ is restarted by the updated control software (S8). .

In FIG. 5, the host computers 1 ₁ to 1 _n are M
7 is a chart showing an operation of the host computers 1 ₁ to 1 _n when receiving a CD of a version upgrade CD transmission request from the HS terminals 7 _{1 to} 7 _n . An example of transmission and reception between the host computer 1 ₁ and the MHS terminal 7 ₁ will be described. First, MHS
In the terminal ₇₁ side, and transmits the latest or MHS terminal 7 operation by the specified version of the upgrade CD transmission request CD from ₁ to the host computer 1 _1, and requests the own terminal software version up (S11).
This upgrade CD transmission request host computer 1 ₁ received a CD of searches whether the latest or the specified version of the terminal control software has been registered (S12), if there is a corresponding software MHS
Terminal 7 ₁ to version-up request of the software on the CD
To update the control software inside the MHS terminal 7 ₁ . If it does not exist, select MH without corresponding software.
It is transmitted to the S terminal 7 ₁ (S15).

FIG. 6 shows an example of CD editing for a version upgrade request. In the figure, action element 3.3000
Indicates an upgrade request. Element 39 indicates the receiving MHS terminal number, element 6900 indicates the version number of the control software transmitted as a CD, and element 6911 indicates the creation date of the control software transmitted as the CD.

FIG. 7 shows C of the upgrade CD transmission request.
This is an example of D editing. In the figure, action element 3.
Reference numeral 3001 indicates a version upgrade CD transmission request. Element 14 is the sender MHS terminal number, element 692
Reference numeral 2 represents the version number of the control software installed in the terminal, and element 6933 represents the creation date of the control software installed in the terminal.

The MHS terminals 7 _{1 to} 7 _n and the host computers 1 ₁ to 1 _n analyze the version number and the date contained in the CD to determine the operation.

CR, LF, BS, and + are control codes, and CCITT (The International Telegraph and Te)
lephone Consultative Committiee: International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee) The encoding is based on the 330 recommendation. The element numbers are numbered according to the same recommendation.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the means for updating the software of the electronic mail terminal is provided in the electronic mail system, so that even if a failure related to the software occurs in the electronic mail terminal. , The problem can be solved without dispatching a service person to the place where the e-mail terminal is installed.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a problem occurs in the software of the electronic mail terminal, the problem can be solved without dispatching a service person to the installation location of the electronic mail terminal. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a storage device of a host computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of an MHS terminal according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing operations of an MHS terminal and a host computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the host computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of CD editing of a version upgrade request.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of CD editing of an upgrade CD transmission request.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ₁ to 1 _n host computer 5 network 7 _{1 to} 7 _n MHS terminal

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An electronic mail system having a communication network, an electronic mail terminal connected to the communication network, and a host computer, wherein the electronic mail terminal sends software version information of its own terminal to the host computer. The transmitting means for transmitting, and an updating means for updating the software of its own terminal by the software information received from the host computer, the host computer,
It is characterized by further comprising a searching means for receiving the software version information and searching for required software based on the information, and a sending means for sending the software searched by the searching means to the electronic mail terminal. E-mail system. 2. The electronic mail system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic mail terminal comprises a version upgrade request transmission means for transmitting a version upgrade request to the host computer. 3. The electronic mail system according to claim 1, wherein the host computer comprises an upgrade request transmission means for transmitting the upgrade request to the electronic mail terminal. 4. The electronic mail system according to claim 1, wherein the software version information and the software information are converted into a control document.