JP6508711B2 - Network system and network setting method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a network system in which a plurality of devices are communicably connected and a network setting method thereof.

  BACKGROUND In recent years, a LAN (Local Area Network) in which a computer and various devices are communicably connected is widely used in general homes, corporate offices, laboratories, factories, and the like. There are various systems in LAN, but a system combining Ethernet (registered trademark) which is a physical communication standard and TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) which is a communication protocol is common. . In addition, although various forms are known as a network configuration (topology) forming a LAN, one of them is a daisy chain which connects a plurality of devices in a cascade. For example, in a multi-display system in which a plurality of display devices are arranged in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction to form a large screen, the display devices are connected in a daisy chain to distribute video signals, control signals, and the like.

  When replacing some of the devices in the LAN configured with multiple devices for reasons of failure etc., to incorporate the replaced device into the LAN, change (reconfigure) the network settings of the replaced device There is a need. The network setting can also be manually changed by a manager who manages the network, a manager of a device, or the like. However, manual change is complicated and there is also a possibility that an erroneous setting or the like may occur. Further, in the above multi-display system etc., it may be difficult to change the network settings of the display device depending on the position of the display device after replacement, so it is necessary to take measures such as changing the network settings before replacement. become. Therefore, it is preferable to reset the network settings automatically.

A method for automatically performing network setting is proposed, for example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-098480).
In the technology described in Patent Document 1, for every client device to be set, a server associates a name or an identifier for identifying the client device in advance with information for network setting and stores the information. Then, when a new client device is installed, a method for acquiring information necessary for the network setting of the client device from the server is described.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-098480

  In the technology described in Patent Document 1 described above, for each client device, it is necessary to associate and store the name or identifier thereof and information necessary for network setting. Therefore, a relatively large database must be built on the server to store such information. Patent Document 1 proposes a method for providing information from another server to the client device if the server requested to provide information from the client device does not store the information necessary for network setting of the client device. doing. In that case, it is possible to reduce the capacity of the database provided for each server. However, in a configuration in which information necessary for network setting is distributed and stored by a plurality of servers, a mechanism for managing information stored by the plurality of servers is required. Therefore, the processing of the whole system becomes complicated.

  The present invention has been made to solve the problems in the background art as described above, and a network system capable of automatically and easily reconfiguring a network configuration for each device without increasing the amount of information required for network configuration. And providing a network setting method.

In order to solve the above problems, a network system according to the present invention comprises:
A master device that manages the network settings of the secondary device;
Have
The secondary device is
A preceding stage communication port for communicably connecting to the preceding main device or the sub device;
A post-stage communication port for communicably connecting to the post-stage secondary device;
A switch for connecting or disconnecting communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device;
The main device and the sub device are communicably connected by a daisy chain,
The main device acquires and stores network setting information indicating contents of the network setting which are set in advance uniquely for each of the sub devices.
When a resetting operation for resetting the network setting of the secondary device is detected, the network setting information of each secondary device is sequentially transmitted.
The secondary device, Configure the network settings of its own in accordance with the network setting information received from the main device,
The sub device is
When a reset start command for notifying the start of the reset operation is received from the main device, the switch disconnects between the post-stage communication port and the processing device by the switch.
When the network setting command instructing the network setting is received from the main device, if the network setting information received together with the network setting command and the network setting information of the own device are different, the network setting of the own device according to the network setting information , And the switch enables communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device,
The main device is
The network setting command transmitted after the reset start command, while assigning a different operation ID to each reset start command, which is an identifier for identifying the reset start command, to the reset start command Include the operation ID of the reset start command in
The sub device is
When the network setting of the own machine is changed according to the network setting information, or when the network setting information received with the network setting command matches the network setting information of the own machine, the operation ID included in the network setting command The processing completion of the corresponding network setting is recorded, and thereafter, even if a network setting command including the operation ID in which the processing completion of the network setting is recorded is received, the processing for the command is not executed .

On the other hand, according to the network method of the present invention, there is provided a sub-device which is a management target of network setting;
A master device that manages the network settings of the secondary device;
Have
A network setting method for the sub device in a network system in which the main device and the sub device are connected by a daisy chain,
The secondary device is
A preceding stage communication port for communicably connecting to the preceding main device or the sub device;
A post-stage communication port for communicably connecting to the post-stage secondary device;
A switch for connecting or disconnecting communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device;
The main device is
Obtaining and storing network setting information indicating contents of the network setting which are set in advance uniquely for each of the secondary devices;
When a resetting operation for resetting the network setting of the secondary device is detected, the network setting information of each secondary device is sequentially transmitted.
The secondary device is
Configure the network settings of its own in accordance with the network setting information received from the main device,
The secondary device is
When a reset start command for notifying the start of the reset operation is received from the main device, the switch disconnects between the post-stage communication port and the processing device by the switch.
When the network setting command instructing the network setting is received from the main device, if the network setting information received together with the network setting command and the network setting information of the own device are different, the network setting of the own device according to the network setting information , And the switch enables communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device,
The main device is
The network setting command transmitted after the reset start command, while assigning a different operation ID to each reset start command, which is an identifier for identifying the reset start command, to the reset start command Include the operation ID of the reset start command in
The secondary device is
When the network setting of the own machine is changed according to the network setting information, or when the network setting information received with the network setting command matches the network setting information of the own machine, the operation ID included in the network setting command This is a method of recording the processing completion of the corresponding network setting, and thereafter executing the processing for the command even if a network setting command including the operation ID in which the processing completion of the network setting is recorded is received .

  According to the present invention, the network settings for each device can be automatically and easily reconfigured without increasing the amount of information required for the network settings.

It is a block diagram showing an example of 1 composition of a network system of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows one structural example of the apparatus shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of a change of the network system shown in FIG. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the network setting method of this invention.

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one configuration example of the network system of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one configuration example of the device shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the network system of the present invention has a configuration in which n (n is a positive integer) devices 1 to n are connected by a communication cable so as to be able to communicate with each other in a daisy chain. A daisy chain is to connect a plurality of devices in a series connection as described above, and is also called a cascade connection. For example, a LAN cable may be used as the communication cable.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the devices 1 to n includes a front communication port 11, a rear communication port 12, a CPU 13 and a switch 14, and communicates with other devices via the front communication port 11 and the rear communication port 12. It is possible configuration. For example, a LAN port may be used as the upstream communication port 11 and the downstream communication port 12. In addition, FIG. 2 represents the structural example of the apparatus n as a representative.
The devices 1 to n are provided with the former stage communication port 11, the latter stage communication port 12, the CPU 13 and the switch 14 and may be of any configuration as long as the network setting method of the present invention described later can be realized by processing of the CPU 13. There is no need.
The CPU 13 (processing device) implements functions unique to the devices 1 to n by executing processing in accordance with a program stored in a storage device (not shown). Also, the CPU 13 can transmit and receive information with other devices by executing processing according to a communication protocol such as TCP / IP. The processing of the communication protocol does not have to be executed by the CPU 4 and may be executed by another processing device or dedicated hardware.
The first-stage communication port 11 is a communication port for communicably connecting with the main device or sub-device of the first stage connected in a daisy chain, and the second-stage communication port 12 is communication for communicably connecting with the second device It is a port. The former stage communication port 11 and the latter stage communication port 12 are communication interfaces based on, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark) for transmitting and receiving information to and from adjacent devices. The CPU 13 can transmit and receive information to and from other devices via the front communication port 11 and the rear communication port 12.
The switch 14 connects or disconnects communication between the CPU 13 and the post-stage communication port 12 according to an instruction of the CPU 13. The switch 14 only needs to be able to connect or disconnect communication between the CPU 13 and the post-stage communication port 12, and there is no need to physically connect or disconnect the CPU 13 and the post-stage communication port 12. When the processing of the communication protocol is executed by another processor or dedicated hardware instead of the CPU 13, the switch 14 connects communication between the processor or hardware and the post-stage communication port 12 according to the instruction of the CPU 13 or You should cut it.

Among the n devices 1 to n shown in FIG. 1, the device 1 operates as a main device for managing the network settings of the devices 2 to n, and the devices 2 to n operate as sub-devices for network configuration management. Do.
When constructing the network shown in FIG. 1, the administrator of the network etc. connects the devices 1 to n in a daisy chain using a communication cable, and executes the respective network settings. The device 1 acquires and saves contents of network settings (hereinafter referred to as network setting information) including IP addresses set to the devices 2 to n by the administrator or the like in advance. The network setting information of the devices 2 to n may be acquired, for example, by transmitting a packet requesting the provision of the network setting information from the device 1 to the devices 2 to n by limited broadcast or the like. In that case, the devices 2 to n return the response packet including the network setting information of the own device to the device 1, so that the device 1 can acquire the network setting information of the devices 2 to n by the response packet. The limited broadcast refers to a process of transmitting the same packet to all network terminals (here, devices 2 to n) managed by the device 1 using a broadcast address as an IP address.

  Thereafter, when any of the devices 2 to n which are secondary devices is replaced, a manager or the like instructs the primary device to reset the network settings of the replaced secondary device from the outside. When the main device (device 1) detects a network setting reset operation instructed by the administrator or the like, the main device (device 1) sequentially transmits corresponding network setting information to the respective sub devices including the replaced sub device. However, network setting information corresponding to the sub device before replacement is transmitted to the sub device after replacement. At this time, since there is no change in the network setting information of the sub device not replaced, the network setting of the own device is not changed. On the other hand, the sub device after replacement changes the network setting of its own device according to the network setting information of the sub device before replacement received from the main device. That is, the replaced secondary device takes over and operates the network setting information of the secondary device before replacement. When the main device is replaced, the administrator etc. may execute again the network setting of the main device after the replacement. In addition, when the main device after replacement detects a network setting reset operation, the main device may obtain the network setting information from each sub device using the limited broadcast and the like.

Next, the network setting method of the present invention will be described by taking the case of replacing the device 3 with the device 3 'among the devices 1 to n of the network system shown in FIG. 1 in such a configuration.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a modification of the network system shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing one example of a network setting method of the present invention. Similar to the devices 1 to n, the device 3 'after replacement shown in FIG. 3B has a configuration including the front communication port 11, the rear communication port 12, the CPU 13, and the switch 14 (see FIG. 2). Moreover, the process of the apparatus 1, the apparatus 2, the apparatuses 4-n, and the apparatus 3 'described below shall be performed by CPU13 with which each is equipped.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, for example, when the device 3 constituting the network is replaced with the device 3 ', a manager or the like who manages the network can set the setting menu etc. of the main device (device 1). Use the command to input network configuration reset operation by using. As a setting menu, there is, for example, a well-known OSD (On-Screen Display) menu.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the main device (device 1) detects a network setting reset operation, the secondary device (device 2, etc.) receives a reset start command for notifying the start of the reset operation by limited broadcast or the like. Send to 3 ', 4 to n). The reset start command has an identifier (hereinafter referred to as an operation ID) for identifying the reset start command. The operation ID may be a numerical value different for each resetting operation (resetting start command). For example, a unique number such as the number of times of resetting operation of network setting may be used.
When the secondary device (device 2, 3 ', 4 to n) receives the reset start command, it extracts the operation ID given to the reset start command, and stores the operation ID. Also, the secondary device (device 2, 3 ', 4 to n) determines, based on the operation ID, whether or not the network setting process corresponding to the received reset start command has already been completed. If the setting process has not been completed, the secondary devices (devices 2, 3 ', 4 to n) disconnect the communication between the CPU 13 and the post-stage communication port 12 using the respective switches 14. In the case of the setting process that has already been completed, the secondary devices (devices 2, 3 ', 4 to n) execute no process.

When the main device (device 1) transmits a reset start command, it transmits a network setting command instructing network setting including the operation ID of the reset start command and the network setting information of the device 2 by limited broadcast or the like. . At this time, since the communication between the CPU 13 and the post-stage communication port 12 is disconnected in the device 2, the network setting command is not delivered to the devices 3 'and 4 to n, and only the device 2 receives.
When receiving the network setting command from the device 1, the device 2 extracts the operation ID included in the command, and determines whether the network setting process corresponding to the extracted operation ID is already completed. If the setting process has not been completed, the device 2 compares the network setting information of the device 2 received together with the network setting command with the network setting information stored by the own device. In this case, since the network setting information received from the device 1 matches the network setting information of the own device, there is no need to change the network setting. Therefore, the device 2 records the process completion of the network setting corresponding to the operation ID extracted from the network setting command. The device 2 connects the CPU 13 and the post-stage communication port 12 using the switch 14 to enable communication with the device 3 ′ at the post stage, and then returns a response packet indicating processing completion of network setting to the device 1. Do.

When the main device (device 1) receives the response packet from the device 2, the network setting command including the network setting information of the device 3 at the subsequent stage and the operation ID of the reset start command transmitted immediately before is transmitted by limited broadcast or the like. Send. The network setting command is received by the device 2 and the device 3 '.
When receiving the network setting command from the device 1, the device 2 extracts the operation ID included in the command, and determines whether the network setting process corresponding to the extracted operation ID is already completed. In this case, since the process completion of the network setting corresponding to the operation ID is recorded, the device 2 does not execute the process for the command.

  When the device 3 'receives the network setting command from the device 1, it extracts the operation ID included in the network setting command as with the device 2, and does the network setting process corresponding to the extracted operation ID have already been completed? It is determined whether or not. If the setting process has not been completed, the device 3 'compares the network setting information of the device 3 received together with the network setting command with the network setting information stored by the own device. In this case, since the received network setting information of the device 3 is different from the network setting information stored in the own device, the device 3 'uses the network setting information of the device 3 which has received the own network setting from the device 1 Change based on. Further, the device 3 ′ records the completion of the process of the network setting corresponding to the operation ID of the received network setting command. Furthermore, after connecting the CPU 13 and the post-stage communication port 12 using the switch 14 and enabling communication with the post-stage device 4, the device 3 ′ sends back a response packet indicating processing completion of network setting to the device 1. Do.

  Thereafter, the main device (device 1) sequentially executes the same processing as the device 2 and the device 3 'from the device 4 to the device n. On the other hand, each sub device (devices 4 to n) executes the same process as the device 2 and the device 3 '. As a result, the device 3 ′ is automatically changed to the network setting of the device 3 installed before the replacement.

According to the present invention, when part of the sub-devices constituting the network system is replaced, the sub-device after replacement allows the network setting of the sub-devices before replacement to be taken over. Therefore, it is not necessary to associate and store the name or identifier for identifying the device and the network setting information for all the devices connectable as the secondary device as in the technology described in Patent Document 1.
In the present invention, the network setting information of each sub device is stored in the main device, and when the sub device is replaced, the network setting information is sequentially transmitted from the main device to each sub device, to each sub device. Determine whether it is necessary to change the network settings. Therefore, the post-replacement secondary device that requires a change (reconfiguration) of the network settings changes the network settings of its own device according to the network configuration information of the pre-replacement secondary device. Therefore, the network settings for each device can be automatically and easily changed.
Therefore, the network setting for each device can be automatically and easily reconfigured without increasing the amount of information required for the network setting.

1 to n, 3 'device 11 front stage communication port 12 rear stage communication port 13 CPU
14 switches

Claims (4)

Secondary device that is subject to management of network settings,
A master device that manages the network settings of the secondary device;
Have
The secondary device is
A preceding stage communication port for communicably connecting to the preceding main device or the sub device;
A post-stage communication port for communicably connecting to the post-stage secondary device;
A switch for connecting or disconnecting communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device;
The main device and the sub device are communicably connected by a daisy chain,
The main device acquires and stores network setting information indicating contents of the network setting which are set in advance uniquely for each of the sub devices.
When a resetting operation for resetting the network setting of the secondary device is detected, the network setting information of each secondary device is sequentially transmitted.
The secondary device, Configure the network settings of its own in accordance with the network setting information received from the main device,
The sub device is
When a reset start command for notifying the start of the reset operation is received from the main device, the switch disconnects between the post-stage communication port and the processing device by the switch.
When the network setting command instructing the network setting is received from the main device, if the network setting information received together with the network setting command and the network setting information of the own device are different, the network setting of the own device according to the network setting information , And the switch enables communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device,
The main device is
The network setting command transmitted after the reset start command, while assigning a different operation ID to each reset start command, which is an identifier for identifying the reset start command, to the reset start command Include the operation ID of the reset start command in
The sub device is
When the network setting of the own machine is changed according to the network setting information, or when the network setting information received with the network setting command matches the network setting information of the own machine, the operation ID included in the network setting command A network system which records processing completion of the corresponding network setting and does not execute processing for the command after receiving a network setting command including an operation ID in which the processing completion of the network setting is recorded . Secondary device that is subject to management of network settings,
A master device that manages the network settings of the secondary device;
Have
A network setting method for the sub device in a network system in which the main device and the sub device are connected by a daisy chain,
The secondary device is
A preceding stage communication port for communicably connecting to the preceding main device or the sub device;
A post-stage communication port for communicably connecting to the post-stage secondary device;
A switch for connecting or disconnecting communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device;
The main device is
Obtaining and storing network setting information indicating contents of the network setting which are set in advance uniquely for each of the secondary devices;
When a resetting operation for resetting the network setting of the secondary device is detected, the network setting information of each secondary device is sequentially transmitted.
The secondary device is
Configure the network settings of its own in accordance with the network setting information received from the main device,
The secondary device is
When a reset start command for notifying the start of the reset operation is received from the main device, the switch disconnects between the post-stage communication port and the processing device by the switch.
When the network setting command instructing the network setting is received from the main device, if the network setting information received together with the network setting command and the network setting information of the own device are different, the network setting of the own device according to the network setting information , And the switch enables communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device,
The main device is
The network setting command transmitted after the reset start command, while assigning a different operation ID to each reset start command, which is an identifier for identifying the reset start command, to the reset start command Include the operation ID of the reset start command in
The secondary device is
When the network setting of the own machine is changed according to the network setting information, or when the network setting information received with the network setting command matches the network setting information of the own machine, the operation ID included in the network setting command A network setting method which records processing completion of the corresponding network setting and does not execute processing for the command after receiving a network setting command including an operation ID in which the processing completion of the network setting is recorded . It is a main device that manages the network settings of the sub-devices connected in a daisy chain so as to be communicable with the sub-devices that are targets of network configuration management and that configure a network system
When network setting information indicating contents of the network setting uniquely set in advance for each sub device is acquired and stored, and a resetting operation for resetting the network setting of the sub device is detected, the network setting information for each sub-devices have a sequential processing transmitting apparatus,
The processing unit
When the resetting operation is detected, a network setting command instructing the network setting is transmitted to the sub device,
The network setting command transmitted after the reset start command, while assigning a different operation ID to each reset start command, which is an identifier for identifying the reset start command, to the reset start command Main device including the operation ID of the reconfiguration start command . It is a secondary device that is a management target of the network setting that is connected in a daisy chain so as to be communicable with a main device that manages the network setting that configures a network system,
A processing device that performs network setting of the own machine according to the network setting information when network setting information indicating the contents of the network setting uniquely set for each of the sub devices is received from the main device ;
A preceding stage communication port for communicably connecting to the preceding main device or the sub device;
A post-stage communication port for communicably connecting to the post-stage secondary device;
A switch for connecting or disconnecting communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device;
I have a,
The processing unit
When a reset start command for notifying the start of the reset operation is received from the main device, the switch disconnects between the post-stage communication port and the processing device by the switch.
When the network setting command instructing the network setting is received from the main device, if the network setting information received together with the network setting command and the network setting information of the own device are different, the network setting of the own device according to the network setting information , And the switch enables communication between the post-stage communication port and the processing device,
When the network setting of the own device is changed according to the network setting information, or when the network setting information received with the network setting command matches the network setting information of the own device, the network setting command is included in the network setting command again Even when the processing completion of the network setting corresponding to the operation ID which is an identifier for identifying the setting start command is recorded, and thereafter, the network setting command including the operation ID in which the processing completion of the network setting is recorded is received. , A secondary device that does not execute processing for the command .

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