JPH1188330A - Simulator device and remote maintenance system using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simulator device capable of a maintenance test just in the inside of one node station. SOLUTION: When a device 1 to be tested is turned to an A station and request contents to a virtual B station are set, they are assembled as a packet and transmitted through a communication path 3 to this simulator device 2. The simulator device 2 returns the packet for which a transmission origin address and a virtual opposite party address are replaced to the device 1 to be tested. The device 1 to be tested defines that a request from the virtual B station is received, assembles a response packet and transmits it to the simulator device 2. The simulator device 2 returns the response packet for which the transmission origin address and the virtual opposite party address are replaced to the device 1 to be tested. The device 1 to be tested defines that the response packet to the request to the virtual B station is received and preserves data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a simulator device and a remote maintenance system using the same.
In particular, the present invention relates to a simulator device for a network node station and a remote maintenance system using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a network is composed of several nodes (stations; devices) and transmission lines (lines) connecting the nodes. The communication network is exactly the same. The node sends a request signal to another node, and the node receiving the request signal returns a response signal. Such a function of the node needs to be tested, for example, for maintenance at a certain cycle.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-114249 discloses a special simulator device for verifying a remote I / O simulator, a driver, a receiver circuit, and a fault process with respect to an input / output control unit of a central processing unit of a node. How to do it has been proposed. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-226343 proposes a method of providing a simulator device connected to a centralized monitoring and control system for distribution (network) and having the same function as a remote monitoring and control device as a node. I have.

In each of the above proposals, the simulator device and the device under test (node) have a fixed relationship, and the device under test is equivalent to a node of the network, and is equivalent to the operation station (request side) or the response station (side). I do not consider becoming. In addition, the simulator device for the data collection and distribution device
It does not have a function as an operation station of the remote maintenance function or a response station apparatus.

Further, in order for the simulator device to realize the function as an operation station device of the remote maintenance function, the simulator device has a recording file for receiving and storing response information from the station under test as a response station in particular, You also need to have a way to output the contents of the recording file,
In the simulator device, it may be necessary to change the configuration of hardware such as a memory device and an external recording device.

Further, in order for the simulator device to realize a function as a response station device of the remote maintenance function, pseudo data for a remote maintenance response such as an operation state, a table, and a recording file equivalent to the data collection and distribution device. It is necessary to have a file, and in the simulator device, it may be necessary to change the configuration of hardware such as a memory device and an external recording device.

Further, when a remote maintenance function is added or changed in the data collection / distribution device, the simulator device also needs to add or change the remote maintenance function, and cannot respond immediately.

Conventionally, the remote maintenance function test is complicated and diversified in the remote maintenance function. Therefore, the simulator test apparatus needs to be large-scale and have a complicated function. Addition or change of the remote maintenance function of the equipment cannot be handled immediately.

However, as shown in FIG. 3, regarding the remote maintenance function of the data collection and distribution device (node),
The data collection / distribution device can be an operation station device (station A) 1 and a response station device (station B) 2 'with respect to the data collection / distribution device of any other station. In the data collection / distribution device serving as the operation station 1, an operator operates the data collection / distribution device of any other station as a response station device 2 ′.
A remote maintenance instruction is transmitted via the line 7.

When the response station apparatus 2 'receives and analyzes the remote maintenance instruction, the response station apparatus 2' notifies the determined operation state and table contents of the own apparatus, sets the driving operation and the table contents, or saves the table according to the contents of the instruction. Edited information is transmitted to the operation station device 1 via the line 7 as a remote maintenance response. Operation station 1
Receives the remote maintenance response information from the response station 2 ', and if checked, saves the contents in its own recording file.

The operator operates the operation station 1 to respond to the response station 2 ′.
By outputting the contents of the recording file of the remote maintenance response information to the CRT (display) device or the printer device, it is possible to know the operating state of the response station device 2 'of another station, the contents of the table, and the contents of the recording file. it can.
That is, the data collection / distribution apparatus itself has a function of testing an operation state by connecting to another station via the line 7.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining a general remote maintenance function between apparatuses. In this case, the remote maintenance function has a relationship between the operation station 1 and the response station 2 'between arbitrary node devices. When the maintenance staff sets desired contents for the desired response station 2 ′ at the operation station 1, the operation station apparatus (station A, address a) 1 assembles it as a remote maintenance packet (a → b),
It is transmitted to the responding station (station B, address b) 2 '.

The response station 2 ′ that has received the packet reassembles data corresponding to the instruction as a response packet (b → a) and returns it to the operation station 1. As a result, the operating station 1 checks its own operation function (remote maintenance)
can do.

[0014]

The remote maintenance function shown in FIG. 3 requires a pair of node stations (operating station 1 and responding station 2 '), and the maintenance test cannot be performed with only one node station. is there. Providing a simulation device having the same function as one node station in all node stations is too redundant.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simulator capable of performing a maintenance test only inside one node station and a remote maintenance system using the same.

[0016]

A simulator device according to the present invention is a simulator device for testing an operation function of a node device of a network. The simulator device transmits a remote maintenance packet signal sent from a node device under test to the node device under test. The present invention is characterized in that it includes first return means for sending back to the device, and second return means for sending back the response packet signal sent from the node device under test to the node device under test.

Further, the response packet signal is transmitted after the returned remote maintenance packet signal reaches the node device under test.

Further, the first return means is characterized in that the source address of the remote maintenance packet signal sent from the node device under test and the address of the other station are exchanged and sent back.

Still further, the second return means exchanges the source address and the destination station address of the response packet signal transmitted from the node device under test and transmits the response packet signal. .

Further, a remote maintenance system according to the present invention is characterized in that it includes the simulation device and the node device under test.

The operation of the present invention is as follows. The simulation device provided in the same station as the device under test
When a packet for remote maintenance is received from the device under test, the source address in the packet and the virtual destination address are exchanged, and the packet is returned to the device under test.

The device under test processes the remote maintenance instruction packet transmitted from its own device as if it were received from a virtual other station, and converts the data corresponding to the instruction content into a remote maintenance response packet. , To the simulator device. The simulator device that has received the response packet replaces the source address and the virtual destination address in the response packet again,
The response packet is returned to the device under test. The device under test stores the data assuming that it has received a response packet to the initially assumed (virtual) request to the opposite station.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a remote maintenance system according to the present invention, and the same parts as those in FIGS.

In FIG. 1, the remote maintenance system according to the present invention connects a device under test (node) device (station A) 1 whose operation function is to be checked, a simulator device 2 serving as a virtual answering station (station B), and a connection therebetween. It is composed of a connection line 3.

When the device under test 1 is set as an operating station (station A) and the contents of a request for an arbitrarily assumed (virtual) partner station (station B) are set, the operation station apparatus 1 sets a packet (a →
It is assembled as b) and transmitted to the simulator device 2 via the connection line 3. The simulator device 2 that has received the packet returns the packet (b → a) in which the source address a and the virtual destination address b in the packet are exchanged to the device under test 1.

Assuming that the device under test 1 has received a request from the (virtual) partner station (station B), the device under test 1 assembles data corresponding to the instruction as a response packet (a → b) and transmits it to the simulator device 2. I do. Response packet (a
The simulator device 2 that has received → b) exchanges the source address a and the virtual destination address b in the response packet and returns it to the device under test 1 as a response packet (b → a).

The device under test 1 is assumed initially (virtual).
Assuming that a response packet to the request to the partner station (station B) has been received, the data is saved.

FIG. 2A is a functional block diagram of the simulator device 2, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram of a packet format. The packet is received by the reception processing unit 4 from the connection line 3 and the format of the packet is confirmed. According to the format confirmation, if the packet is a remote maintenance packet, it is transferred to the remote maintenance return processing unit 5. The remote maintenance return processing unit 5 exchanges the source address a and the virtual partner station address b in the packet for return, and edits the packet.
To send the packet transmission request.

As described above, according to the present invention, a system in which the test of the device under test 1 can be performed as an operation station and a response station with a simple simulator device for testing the remote maintenance function has been realized.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a packet for remote maintenance is received, the source address in the packet and the virtual destination address are exchanged, and the packet is returned to the device under test. With a simple function, there is an effect that a remote maintenance function with a wide range of condition settings and a large amount of data to be handled can be confirmed by the remote maintenance function of the device under test itself.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a simulator device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a remote maintenance function of a general node device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 equipment under test 2 simulator equipment 3 lines

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A simulator for testing an operation function of a node device of a network, comprising: first return means for returning a remote maintenance packet signal sent from the node device under test to the node device under test; A second return means for returning a response packet signal sent from the node device under test to the node device under test. 2. The simulator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the response packet signal is transmitted after the returned remote maintenance packet signal reaches the node device under test. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first return means exchanges a source address and a destination station address of the remote maintenance packet signal transmitted from the node device under test and transmits the remote maintenance packet signal. Item 3. The simulation device according to item 1 or 2. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second return means exchanges the source address and the destination station address of the response packet signal transmitted from the node device under test and transmits the response packet signal. Item 3. The simulation device according to item 1, 2 or 3. 5. A remote maintenance system including the simulation device according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, and the node device under test.