Laser system and maintenance program

Abstract

To reduce waste of processing time required for updating firmware of a sub-substrate, and to maintain consistency of firmware between sub-substrates.SOLUTION: The PC120 for maintenance makes the secure card substrate 111 read the version information of the firmware of the plurality of sub-substrates B, C113, 114 and transmit it to the PC120 for maintenance, selects the sub-substrate C114 for executing the update of the firmware according to the version information of the plurality of sub-substrates B, C113, 114, transfers a firmware update file to the secure card substrate 111, and then requests the secure card substrate 111 to execute an update sequence. In the update sequence, the firmware update file is transferred to the selected sub board C114, and the firmware is updated based on the firmware update file.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technique for maintaining a laser oscillator having a plurality of substrates using a maintenance computer. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a software management system including a machine having a host control device and a plurality of control devices, and an update device that transmits control software to the host control device and specifies the control device to be updated. In this software management system, the host control device receives the control software from the update device and transmits it to the control device specified as the update destination, causing the update sequence to be executed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6610639 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 does not disclose how the update device determines the control device to be updated.

[0005] In a laser system including a laser oscillator having a main board and multiple sub-boards and a maintenance computer for maintaining the laser oscillator, it may be necessary to match the firmware versions of the multiple sub-boards. In such a case, if firmware updates are performed on all sub-boards, firmware updates will also be performed on sub-boards that do not require updates, resulting in wasted processing time. On the other hand, if updates are not performed on sub-boards that require updates, firmware consistency between the sub-boards cannot be maintained.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to reduce the wasted processing time required to update the firmware of sub-boards and to maintain firmware consistency between sub-boards. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a first aspect of the present disclosure is a laser system comprising a laser oscillator having a main board and multiple sub-boards, and a maintenance computer for performing maintenance of the laser oscillator, wherein the maintenance computer causes the main board to read firmware version information from the multiple sub-boards and transmit it to the maintenance computer, selects a sub-board for performing a firmware update according to the firmware version information of the multiple sub-boards, transfers a firmware update file to the main board, and after transferring the firmware update file, requests the main board to execute an update sequence, wherein the update sequence transfers the firmware update file to the sub-board selected from the multiple sub-boards by the selection, and executes the firmware update based on the firmware update file, and wherein communication between the maintenance computer and the main board is encrypted communication.

[0008] This allows the maintenance computer to select a sub-board on which to perform a firmware update according to the version information read from the sub-board, and have the main board execute an update sequence that updates the firmware on the selected sub-board. Therefore, firmware updates can be performed only on sub-boards that do not have the desired firmware version, reducing the waste of processing time required to update the firmware of the entire laser oscillator. Furthermore, firmware consistency between sub-boards can be maintained.

[0009] Furthermore, since communication between the maintenance computer and the main board is encrypted, the safety and confidentiality of data sent and received between the maintenance computer and the main board during firmware update can be ensured.

[0010] A second aspect of the present disclosure is a maintenance program to be executed by a maintenance computer that performs maintenance on a laser oscillator having a main board and multiple sub-boards, wherein the maintenance computer, by executing the maintenance program, causes the main board to read firmware version information from the multiple sub-boards and send it to the maintenance computer, selects a sub-board on which to perform a firmware update according to the firmware version information of the multiple sub-boards, transfers a firmware update file to the main board, and after transferring the firmware update file, requests the main board to execute an update sequence, wherein the update sequence transfers the firmware update file to the sub-board selected from the multiple sub-boards by the selection, and executes the firmware update based on the firmware update file, and wherein communication between the maintenance computer and the main board is encrypted communication.

[0011] This allows the maintenance computer to select a sub-board on which to perform a firmware update according to the version information read from the sub-board, and have the main board execute an update sequence that updates the firmware on the selected sub-board. Therefore, firmware updates can be performed only on sub-boards that do not have the desired firmware version, reducing the waste of processing time required to update the firmware of the entire laser oscillator. Furthermore, firmware consistency between sub-boards can be maintained.

[0012] Furthermore, since communication between the maintenance computer and the main board is encrypted, the safety and confidentiality of data sent and received between the maintenance computer and the main board during firmware update can be ensured. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the amount of processing time wasted in updating the firmware of a laser oscillator and maintain the consistency of firmware between sub-boards. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a communication sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation during firmware update of a laser system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0016] 1 shows a laser system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The laser system 100 includes a laser oscillator 110, a maintenance PC (Personal Computer) 120 serving as a maintenance computer for performing maintenance on the laser oscillator 110, and an external device 130 provided outside the laser oscillator 110.

[0017] The laser oscillator 110 includes a secure card board 111 as a main board, a sub-board (module) A112 and a sub-board (module) B113 connected to the secure card board 111, and a sub-board (module) C114 and a sub-board (module) D115 connected to the sub-board B113.

[0018] The secure card board 111, the sub-board A 112, the sub-board B 113, the sub-board C 114, and the sub-board D 115 each have a CPU 111a to 115a and a storage device 111b to 115b.

[0019] Data is transmitted and received in an unencrypted state between the secure card substrate 111 and the sub-substrates A to D 112 to 115. In other words, communication between the secure card substrate 111 and the sub-substrates A to D 112 to 115 is not encrypted communication.

[0020] The maintenance PC 120 has a CPU 121, a storage device 122, a display device 123, a firmware (FW) update start button 124, and a file designation input device 125. A firmware update application serving as a maintenance program is installed (recorded) in the storage device 122. The storage device 122 also stores a plurality of compressed firmware update files. The CPU 121 of the maintenance PC 120 executes this firmware update application, causing the secure card substrate 111 to read firmware version information for the plurality of sub-boards A to D 112 to 115 and the external device substrates X, Y 131, 132 (described later) and transmit the read information to the maintenance PC 120. The CPU 121 of the maintenance PC 120 also executes this firmware update application, causing the sub-boards A to D 112 to 115 and the external device substrates X, Y 131, 132 to be updated with the firmware, in accordance with the version information for the plurality of sub-boards A to D 112 to 115 and the external device substrates X, Y 131, 132. Furthermore, the CPU 121 of the maintenance PC 120 executes this firmware update application to decompress the compressed firmware update file. Furthermore, the CPU 121 of the maintenance PC 120 executes this firmware update application to transfer the decompressed firmware update file to the secure card board 111, and after transferring the firmware update file, requests the secure card board 111 to execute a predetermined update sequence.

[0021] This update sequence transfers the firmware update file to the sub-boards A to D 112 to 115 and external device boards X, Y 131, 132 selected by the selection from among the multiple sub-boards A to D 112 to 115 and multiple external device boards X, Y 131, 132, and executes a firmware update based on the firmware update file.

[0022] Encrypted data is transmitted and received between the secure card board 111 and the maintenance PC 120 and the external device 130. In other words, communication between the secure card board 111 and the maintenance PC 120 and the external device 130 is encrypted communication. For example, TLS (Transport Layer Security) is adopted as a communication protocol for communication between the secure card board 111 and the maintenance PC 120 and the external device 130.

[0023] The display device 123 is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display.

[0024] The firmware update start button 124 receives a pressing operation (input operation) by the user to instruct the start of firmware update.

[0025] The file designation input device 125 accepts an input operation by a user to designate a firmware update file from among a plurality of files. The file designation input device 125 is configured by, for example, a keyboard or a mouse.

[0026] The external device 130 is a device having a function of monitoring the state of laser welding, such as the wavelength of the laser, but may also be a device having other functions. The external device 130 includes an external device board (module) X131 connected to the secure card board 111, and an external device board (module) Y132 connected to the external device board X131.

[0027] The external device board X 131 and the external device board Y 132 have CPUs 131a and 132a and storage devices 131b and 132b, respectively.

[0028] Here, an example of the operation of the laser system 100 configured as described above when updating firmware will be described with reference to the communication sequence diagram of FIG.

[0029] First, in S101, the operator P presses the firmware update start button 124. In response to this, the CPU 121 of the maintenance PC 120 starts executing the firmware update application recorded in the storage device 122.

[0030] By executing the firmware update application, the CPU 121 of the maintenance PC 120 first displays on the display device 123 in S102 a file selection dialogue prompting the operator P to select a file.

[0031] Then, operator P visually checks the file selection dialog displayed in S102, and in S103, specifies a firmware update file to be used for the update from among multiple firmware update files. Note that in this embodiment, multiple firmware update files are stored in storage device 122, but it is also possible to store only one. Then, in S103, operator P may specify this one firmware update file as the firmware update file to be used for the update.

[0032] Next, in S104, the CPU 121 of the maintenance PC 120 requests the secure card board 111 for firmware version information.

[0033] In response to the request in S104, the secure card board 111 reads out the version information of the firmware built into all the sub-boards A to D 112 to 115 and the external device boards X, Y 131, and 132.

[0034] 2 shows only the read operation for the sub-boards B, C 113, 114, and omits the read operations for the other sub-boards A, D 112, 115 and external device boards X, Y 131, 132.

[0035] Specifically, in S105, the secure card board 111 requests version information from the sub-board B113.

[0036] In response to this, in S106, the sub-board B113 transmits the version information to the secure card board 111.

[0037] Also, in S107, the secure card board 111 requests version information from the sub-board C114 via the sub-board B113.

[0038] In response to this, in S108, sub-board C114 transmits the version information to the secure card board 111 via sub-board B113.

[0039] Next, in S109, the secure card board 111 transmits to the maintenance PC 120 the version information read from all the sub-boards A to D 112 to 115 and the external device boards X, Y 131, 132, as well as the version information of the secure card board 111 itself.

[0040] Next, in S110, the maintenance PC 120 decompresses the compressed firmware update file designated in S103.

[0041] Next, in S111, the maintenance PC 120 selects a board on which to perform the firmware update in accordance with the version information transmitted by the secure card board 111 in S109, i.e., the version information of the sub-boards A to D 112 to 115, the external device boards X and Y 131 and 132, and the secure card board 111. In detail, the maintenance PC 120 determines, from among the firmware built into the sub-boards A to D 112 to 115, the external device boards X and Y 131 and 132, and the secure card board 111, firmware of a different version from the version of the firmware update file extracted in S110, and selects it as the board to be updated. In the example of Fig. 2, only the sub-board C 114 is selected as the board on which to perform the firmware update, and the firmware of the sub-board B 113 is not selected as the board to be updated.

[0042] Next, in S112, the maintenance PC 120 transfers the firmware update file that was extracted in S110 to the secure card board 111, and the secure card board 111 receives this firmware update file.

[0043] Next, in S113, the secure card board 111 notifies the maintenance PC 120 that reception of the firmware update file has been completed.

[0044] In response to this, in S114, the maintenance PC 120 requests the secure card board 111 to start updating the firmware.

[0045] In response to this, in S115, the secure card board 111 transfers the firmware update file received in S112 to the sub-board B113, and the sub-board B113 receives this firmware update file.

[0046] Next, in S116, the sub-board B113 notifies the secure card board 111 that reception of the firmware update file has been completed.

[0047] Next, in S117, the secure card board 111 requests the sub-board B113 to start updating the firmware of the sub-board C114.

[0048] In response to this, in S118, the sub-board B113 transfers the firmware update file received in S115 to the sub-board C114, and the sub-board C114 receives this firmware update file.

[0049] Next, in S119, the sub-board C114 notifies the sub-board B113 that reception of the firmware update file has been completed.

[0050] Next, in S120, sub-board B113 requests sub-board C114 to start the firmware update.

[0051] In response to this, in S121, the sub-board C114 updates the firmware based on the unzipped firmware update file received in S118.

[0052] Then, in S122, the sub-board C114 notifies the sub-board B113 of the completion of the firmware update.

[0053] In response to this, in S123, the sub-board B113 notifies the secure card board 111 of the completion of updating the firmware of the sub-board C114.

[0054] Then, in S124, the secure card board 111 notifies the maintenance PC 120 that the firmware update has been completed.

[0055] In response to this, in S125, the maintenance PC 120 causes the display device 123 to display a message indicating that the firmware update has been completed.

[0056] As described above, in this embodiment, the maintenance PC 120 selects the sub-substrate C114 for which a firmware update is to be performed according to the version information read from all the sub-substrates A to D 112 to 115 and the external device substrates X, Y 131, 132, and causes the secure card substrate 111 to execute the update sequence of S115 to S123, which causes the selected sub-substrate C114 to update its firmware. Therefore, it is possible to cause only the sub-substrate C114 whose firmware is not the desired version to update its firmware. This reduces the waste of processing time required to update the firmware of the entire laser oscillator 110 and the external device 130. Furthermore, firmware update omissions are suppressed, and firmware consistency can be maintained between the sub-substrates A to D 112 to 115 and the external device substrates X, Y 131, 132.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, firmware for the entire laser oscillator 110 and the external device 130 can be updated simply by having the maintenance PC 120 execute a firmware update application. Therefore, the update work is easy.

[0058] Furthermore, since communication between the secure card board 111 and the maintenance PC 120 and the external device 130 is performed using encrypted communication, the safety and confidentiality of data sent and received between the secure card board 111 and the maintenance PC 120 and the external device 130 can be ensured during firmware update work.

[0059] Furthermore, because communication between the secure card substrate 111 and the sub-substrates A to D 112 to 115 is not encrypted communication, there is no need to perform encryption-related processing on data sent and received between the secure card substrate 111 and the sub-substrates A to D 112 to 115. Therefore, compared to when encryption-related processing is performed on the sub-substrates A to D 112 to 115, relatively inexpensive CPUs can be used as the CPUs 112a to 115a of the sub-substrates A to D 112 to 115. Furthermore, the implementation costs of software to be executed by the CPUs 112a to 115a of the sub-substrates A to D 112 to 115 can be suppressed, and development costs can be reduced.

[0060] Furthermore, because the firmware update file is decompressed by the maintenance PC 120, there is no need to provide the sub-boards A to D 111 to 115 and the external device boards X, Y 131, 132 with a file decompression function. This also reduces the machine power required for the sub-boards A to D 111 to 115 and the external device boards X, Y 131, 132, respectively, making it possible to reduce the cost of the CPUs 111a to 115a, 131a, 132a of the sub-boards A to D 111 to 115 and the external device boards X, Y 131, 132. This also reduces the implementation cost of the software to be executed by the CPUs 111a to 115a, 131a, 132a of the sub-boards A to D 111 to 115 and the external device boards X, Y 131, 132, thereby reducing development costs. [Industrial Applicability]

[0061] The laser system and maintenance program disclosed herein reduce wasted processing time required to update the firmware of sub-boards and maintain firmware consistency between sub-boards, making them useful as a technology for maintaining laser oscillators having multiple boards using a maintenance computer. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 100 Laser System 110 Laser Oscillator 111 Secure card board (main board) 112 Sub-board A 113 Sub-board B 114 Sub-board C 115 Sub-board D 120 Maintenance PC (Maintenance Computer) 130 External equipment 131 External device board X 132 External device board Y

Claims

1. a laser oscillator having a main board and a plurality of sub-boards; a maintenance computer for performing maintenance of the laser oscillator, The maintenance computer causing the main board to read firmware version information from the plurality of sub-boards and transmit it to the maintenance computer; selecting a sub-board for which firmware update is to be performed according to the firmware version information of the plurality of sub-boards; Transferring a firmware update file to the main board, and after transferring the firmware update file, requesting the main board to execute an update sequence; the update sequence transfers the firmware update file to the sub-board selected by the selection from among the plurality of sub-boards, and executes an update of the firmware based on the firmware update file; A laser system characterized in that communication between the maintenance computer and the main board is encrypted communication.

2. 10. The laser system of claim 1, A laser system characterized in that communication between the main board and the sub-board is not encrypted communication.

3. 10. The laser system of claim 1, The laser system is characterized in that the maintenance computer decompresses the compressed firmware update file and transfers the decompressed firmware update file to the main board.

4. 10. The laser system of claim 1, further comprising an external device having an external device board; The maintenance computer The version information is further read from the firmware of the external device board to the main board and transmitted to the maintenance computer. selecting a board on which to perform firmware update according to version information of the plurality of sub-boards and the external device board; The laser system is characterized in that the update sequence transfers the firmware update file to the sub-board and the external device board selected by the selection from among the plurality of sub-boards and the external device board, and executes an update of the firmware based on the firmware update file.

5. A maintenance program to be executed by a maintenance computer for performing maintenance on a laser oscillator having a main board and a plurality of sub-boards, The maintenance computer executes the maintenance program, causing the main board to read firmware version information from the plurality of sub-boards and transmit it to the maintenance computer; selecting a sub-board for which firmware update is to be performed according to the firmware version information of the plurality of sub-boards; Transferring a firmware update file to the main board, and after transferring the firmware update file, requesting the main board to execute an update sequence; the update sequence transfers the firmware update file to the sub-board selected by the selection from among the plurality of sub-boards, and executes an update of the firmware based on the firmware update file; A maintenance program characterized in that communication between the maintenance computer and the main board is encrypted communication.

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