Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To improve certainty of log storage.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus includes a plurality of storage units, and a storage control unit configured to cause a first storage unit included in the plurality of storage units to store a log related to an event that has occurred in at least one of the plurality of storage units and the information processing apparatus, wherein the storage control unit is configured to, when a frequency of occurrence of an event in the first storage unit is greater than a first threshold value, perform control to cause a second storage unit included in the plurality of storage units and having a lower frequency of occurrence of the event than the first storage unit to store the log.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, information processing devices that store events that occur during processing as logs in a storage device have become widespread. In such information processing devices, there is a possibility that the logs will be lost if an abnormality occurs in the storage device.

[0003] Patent document 1 proposes a technology in which, when executing a processing function using an SSD with a limited number of rewrites, the current lifespan level of the SSD is compared with a preset lifespan level, and the writing destination is switched from the SSD to an HDD depending on the comparison result.

[0004] As another example, Patent Document 2 proposes a technology that sets several levels for the degree of writing to an SSD based on the upper limit of the number of writes to the SSD, and changes the ratio of job processing that the SSD takes over from the HDD depending on the current level of the SSD.

[0005] As another example, Patent Document 3 proposes a technology for switching the destination for writing data to another HDD when the time required to write data to the HDD exceeds a preset time limit, or when the number of retries counted after issuing a write command to the HDD exceeds a preset limit. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, none of the conventional techniques considers changing the log storage destination depending on the frequency of events occurring in the storage device.

[0007] An object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program that improve the reliability of log storage by changing the storage destination of the log. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an information processing device comprising a plurality of memory units and a memory control unit that stores logs relating to events that have occurred in at least one of the plurality of memory units and the information processing device in a first memory unit included in the plurality of memory units, and when the frequency at which the event has occurred in the first memory unit is greater than a first threshold, the memory control unit controls the storage of the log in a second memory unit among the plurality of memory units that has a lower frequency of occurrence of the event than the first memory unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the reliability of log storage is improved by changing the log storage destination. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software group of an MFP according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram illustrating management information managed by a log management module according to the first embodiment; FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram illustrating log types stored by a storage control unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by a log management module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for determining a storage unit in which a log is to be stored, performed by a storage control unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating characteristics of a storage unit that stores logs according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for determining a storage unit in which a log is to be stored, performed by a storage control unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for determining a storage unit in which a log is to be stored, performed by a storage control unit according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] (First embodiment) The image forming apparatus according to this embodiment may be, for example, a multifunction full-color digital copier (MFP (Multifunction Peripheral / Product / Printer)) that forms color images by electrophotography.

[0013] 1 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of an MFP according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the MFP 9 includes a controller 910, a short-range communication circuit 920, an engine control unit 930, an operation panel 940, and a network I / F 950.

[0014] Of these, the controller 910 has an SOC 902 including a CPU 901, which is the main part of the computer, a RAM 903 that functions as a system memory, an eMMC 904, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 906, a local memory (MEM-C) 907 that is a storage unit, an HDD controller 908, and an HDD 909 and NVRAM 905 that are also storage units, and is configured such that the SOC 902 and the ASIC 906 are connected by a PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect-Express) bus 921.

[0015] Of these, the CPU 901 is a control unit that performs overall control of the MFP 9. The SOC 902 connects the CPU 901 with the RAM 903, eMMC 904, NVRAM 905, and PCIe bus 921, and includes a memory controller that controls reading and writing to the RAM 903, eMMC 904, and NVRAM (Non-Volatile RAM) 905, and a PCIe master.

[0016] The eMMC (embedded multi media card) 904 is a memory for storing programs and data that realize the various functions of the controller 910. The RAM 903 is used for expanding the programs and data, and as a drawing memory for memory printing. The programs stored in the eMMC 904 may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable format on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, or DVD. The NVRAM 905 holds setting values ​​for controlling the MFP 9.

[0017] The ASIC 906 is an integrated circuit (IC) for image processing applications that has hardware elements for image processing, and serves as a bridge that connects a PCIe bus 921, a PCIe bus 922, an HDD controller 908, a MEM-C 907, and an SD card slot (an example of an SD card I / F) 911. The ASIC 906 includes a PCIe target, an arbiter (ARB) that forms the core of the ASIC 906, an SD host controller for using an SD memory card inserted in the SD card slot 911, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C 907, a plurality of direct memory access controllers (DMACs) that perform image data rotation using hardware logic, and a PCIe unit that transfers data between the scanner unit 931 and the printer unit 932 via the PCIe bus 922. A universal serial bus (USB) interface or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 1394 (IEEE 1394) interface may be connected to the ASIC 906.

[0018] The PCIe bus 921 and the PCIe bus 922 are bus interfaces that connect devices connected by point-to-point wiring, and enable data transmission and reception using a serial transfer method.

[0019] The SD card slot 911 is a physical interface for inserting an SD card, and allows data to be read from and written to the SD card inserted in the SD card slot 911 .

[0020] The MEM-C 907 is a local memory used as an image buffer for copying and a code buffer. The HDD 909 is a storage for storing image data, font data used during printing, and forms. The HDD 909 controls the reading and writing of data from and to the HDD 909 under the control of the CPU 901.

[0021] Further, the short-distance communication circuit 920 includes a short-distance communication circuit 920a. The short-distance communication circuit 920 is a communication circuit such as NFC (Near Field Communication) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0022] Furthermore, the engine control unit 930 is made up of a scanner unit 931 and a printer unit 932. The operation panel 940 is equipped with a panel display unit 940a, such as a touch panel, that displays current setting values, selection screens, etc. and accepts inputs from the operator, and an operation panel 940b that includes a numeric keypad that accepts setting values ​​for image formation conditions such as density setting conditions and a start key that accepts a copy start command. The controller 910 controls the entire MFP 9, and controls, for example, drawing, communication, input from the operation panel 940, etc. The scanner unit 931 or the printer unit 932 includes an image processing unit such as error diffusion and gamma conversion.

[0023] The MFP 9 can sequentially switch among the document box function, copy function, printer function, and facsimile function using the application switching key on the operation panel 940. When the document box function is selected, the MFP 9 enters document box mode, when the copy function is selected, the MFP 9 enters copy mode, when the printer function is selected, the MFP 9 enters printer mode, and when the facsimile mode is selected, the MFP 9 enters facsimile mode.

[0024] The network I / F 950 is an interface for performing data communication using a communication network. The short-range communication circuit 920 and the network I / F 950 are electrically connected to the ASIC 906 via a PCIe bus 922.

[0025] <Software configuration> 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a software group of the MFP 9 according to this embodiment. The MFP 9 according to this embodiment includes a software group 200 for implementing various operations using a hardware configuration 170. The software group 200 is implemented, for example, by the CPU 901 executing a program stored in the eMMC 904. In the software group 200 according to this embodiment, a BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) / monitor program 201 starts an OS 202 on the CPU 901.

[0026] The hardware configuration 170 according to this embodiment includes, as examples of multiple storage units for saving logs, an HDD 909, an SD card 911A connected to an SD card slot 911, and an eMMC 904. Note that the multiple storage units for saving logs according to this embodiment are not limited to the HDD 909, the SD card 911A connected to the SD card slot 911, and the eMMC 904, and may include, for example, an NVRAM 905.

[0027] On the OS 202, application layer programs such as a copy application (program) 231, a printer application (program) 232, a scanner application (program) 233, a FAX application (program) 234, and a log management module 235 are configured.

[0028] The OS 202 includes an HDD driver 221, an SD card driver 222, an eMMC driver 223, and an NVRAM driver 224 as components for controlling the hardware configuration 170 in response to requests from the application layer programs.

[0029] The HDD driver 221 is a driver for controlling the reading and writing of data from and to the HDD 909 .

[0030] The SD card driver 222 is a driver for controlling the reading and writing of data from and to the SD card 911A connected via the SD card slot 911.

[0031] The eMMC driver 223 is a driver for controlling the reading and writing of data from and to the eMMC 904 .

[0032] The NVRAM driver 224 is a driver for controlling the reading and writing of data from and to the NVRAM 905 .

[0033] A copy application (program) 231 configured in the application layer is a program used when using the copy function of the MFP 9. A printer application (program) 232 is a program used when using the printer function of the MFP 9. A scanner application (program) 233 is a program used when using the scanner function of the MFP 9. A fax application (program) 234 is a program used when using the fax function of the MFP 9.

[0034] The log management module 235 includes an event monitoring unit 236 and a memory control unit 237, and stores logs relating to events that occur in at least one of a plurality of memory units (e.g., HDD 909, SD card 911A connected to SD card slot 911, and eMMC (embedded MMC) 904) and the MFP 9 in any one of the memory units included in the plurality of memory units.

[0035] Furthermore, the log management module 235 according to this embodiment has a function of switching the storage unit that will store the log based on the configuration of the MFP 9 and the multiple storage units, and the past operation history and abnormal operation occurrence records.The log management module 235 also has a function of periodically storing the operation logs that each module and the OS 202 have written to memory such as the RAM 903 in the storage unit that has been determined as the log storage destination.

[0036] The log management module 235 according to this embodiment manages information relating to the abnormality that has occurred as management information.

[0037] 3 is a diagram illustrating management information managed by the log management module 235 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the log management module 235 according to this embodiment manages the occurrence of abnormalities by error identification information. In this embodiment, the occurrence frequency of abnormalities is managed by error identification information.

[0038] For example, if a predetermined error identification information accounts for 10% or more of all errors stored in the log, the predetermined error identification information is associated with "high" as the occurrence frequency; if the predetermined error identification information accounts for 5% to less than 10%, the predetermined error identification information is associated with "medium" as the occurrence frequency; and if the predetermined error identification information accounts for less than 5%, the predetermined error identification information is associated with "low" as the occurrence frequency. The method for determining the occurrence frequency of error identification information according to this embodiment is not limited to the above method. For example, the occurrence frequency may be determined for each error included in the log based on whether the number of occurrences of the error is greater than a predetermined threshold.

[0039] The management information may be stored in the same storage unit as the log, or may be stored in a storage unit (not shown) that is safer than the storage destination of the log. In this embodiment, an abnormality (error) is used as an example of an event, but the events saved as management information and logs are not limited to abnormalities (errors).

[0040] For example, if the number of error identification information "SC_xxx" included in the log accounts for 10% or more of all errors, the management information associates the error identification information "SC_xxx" with a frequency of occurrence of "high."

[0041] As another example, if the number of error identification information "SC_yyy" and "SC_abc" contained in the log is greater than or equal to 5% and less than 10% of all errors, the management information will associate the error identification information "SC_yyy" and "SC_abc" with an occurrence frequency of "medium."

[0042] As another example, if the number of error identification information "SC_zzz" included in the log is less than 5% of all errors, the management information associates the error identification information "SC_zzz" with a frequency of occurrence of "low."

[0043] 3, a device driver for controlling a storage unit is associated with each piece of error identification information. Therefore, when a certain piece of error identification information occurs frequently, the log management module 235 can infer which storage unit has a high frequency of abnormalities based on the device driver associated with the error identification information.

[0044] The storage control unit 237 stores in a storage unit a log relating to events that have occurred in at least one of the multiple storage units and the MFP 9, based on an operation log that indicates the operation results of each software module operating on the MFP 9. The MFP 9 is an example of an information processing device, and may be any information processing device that is a target for diagnosis of whether or not an abnormality has occurred.

[0045] When the storage control unit 237 recognizes that an abnormality has occurred by referring to the operation log, the storage control unit 237 stores error identification information corresponding to the abnormality as a log in the storage unit. In this embodiment, the log types are determined according to the importance of the errors that have occurred in each of the multiple storage units and the MFP 9.

[0046] 4 is a diagram illustrating log types stored by the storage control unit 237 according to this embodiment. The log types in FIG. 4 indicate levels and functions.

[0047] The level indicates the importance (priority) of the log. In other words, the lower the level of a log type, the higher the importance (priority) of the log. When the storage capacity of the storage unit where the logs are stored is insufficient, the storage control unit 237 controls logs of a type with a low level so that they are stored preferentially without being thinned out (deleted).

[0048] The function is the name of the function that is called depending on the importance of the log to be output. "print_error" at level 0 is a function for outputting an operation log when a fatal error occurs. "print_warn" at level 1 is a function for outputting high-priority information as an operation log for abnormality diagnosis, etc. "print_info" at level 2 is a function for outputting information that is not so important when performing abnormality diagnosis, etc. as an operation log. "print_dbg" at level 3 is a function for outputting an operation log during debugging.

[0049] For example, while an application running on the MFP 9, such as the copy application 231, printer application 232, scanner application 233, or fax application 234, is performing a normal operation, the application calls a function corresponding to the importance of the operation result in order to output an operation log indicating the operation result to memory. Therefore, the operation log stored in memory holds a level corresponding to the called function in an identifiable manner.

[0050] When storing an operation log saved in memory in a storage unit, the storage control unit 237 determines whether to store the operation log in the storage unit depending on the level of the operation log and the storage capacity of the storage unit (see FIG. 7). For example, if the storage capacity of the storage unit is "large," the storage control unit 237 stores all operation logs (levels 0 to 3), if the storage capacity is "medium," the storage control unit 237 stores operation logs other than debugging information (levels 0 to 2), and if the storage capacity is "small," the storage control unit 237 stores only operation logs related to fatal errors (level 0).

[0051] The event monitoring unit 236 monitors for abnormalities that occur in each of the multiple storage units and the MFP 9 by referring to the logs stored in the storage units.

[0052] Specifically, the event monitoring unit 236 according to this embodiment refers to the stored log, and when it recognizes that an abnormality has occurred, it updates the management information. For example, when it recognizes that an abnormality has occurred based on the referenced log, the event monitoring unit 236 calculates the occurrence frequency for each piece of error identification information in consideration of the newly occurred abnormality, and updates the management information with the calculated occurrence frequency.

[0053] Then, when the MFP 9 is next started up, the storage control unit 237 performs control to determine the storage destination of the log from among the multiple storage units in accordance with the management information.

[0054] For example, when the MFP 9 is started up, the storage control unit 237 refers to the management information, and if the frequency of errors in the HDD 909 is high or higher, in other words, if the frequency of abnormalities occurring in the HDD 909 is greater than 10% of all abnormalities, the storage control unit 237 performs control to store a log in, for example, the SD card 911A or the eMMC 904, which is a storage device among the multiple storage units that has a lower frequency of occurrence of events than the HDD 909. In this embodiment, the HDD 909 is an example of a first storage unit, and the SD card 911A or the eMMC 904 is an example of a second storage unit. In this embodiment, 10% of all abnormalities that have occurred is an example of a first threshold.

[0055] 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing performed by the log management module 235 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the log management module 235 performs the processing shown in FIG. 5 when the MFP 9 is started up.

[0056] First, at the time of booting up the MFP 9, the storage control unit 237 refers to the management information and determines, from the multiple storage units recognized by the OS 202, a storage unit to be used as a storage destination for the log (S1501). A specific method of determination will be described later.

[0057] Each software module running on the MFP 9 performs a normal operation by the MFP 9 and generates an operation log indicating the operation results (S1502). Then, each software module calls a function (see FIG. 4) corresponding to the operation result and saves the operation log in RAM 903.

[0058] Next, the storage control unit 237 stores the log in the storage unit determined as the storage destination based on the operation log indicating the operation results of each software module (S1503). When storing the log, the storage control unit 237 determines whether to write the log in the storage unit according to the level of each event included in the operation log, and stores the log according to the determination.

[0059] For example, the storage control unit 237 determines the level of the log to be saved depending on the storage capacity (see FIG. 7) of the storage unit determined as the storage destination of the log. For example, when the storage capacity of the storage destination storage unit is "large," the storage control unit 237 saves all operation logs (levels 0 to 3), when the storage capacity is "medium," the storage control unit 237 saves operation logs other than debugging information (levels 0 to 2), and when the storage capacity is "small," the storage control unit 237 saves only operation logs related to errors (level 0).

[0060] The event monitoring unit 236 refers to the log stored in the storage unit and updates the management information according to the occurrence status of an abnormality, etc. (S1504). If the event monitoring unit 236 recognizes that an error has occurred when referring to the log, it calculates the occurrence frequency corresponding to the error identification information according to the number of times the error has occurred for each piece of error identification information stored in the log, and updates the management information with the calculated occurrence frequency. The correspondence between the number of times the error indicated by the error identification information has occurred and the occurrence frequency is as described above, so a description thereof will be omitted. As a result, at the next startup, the storage control unit 237 determines the storage destination of the log taking into account the errors that have occurred so far.

[0061] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the storage control unit 237 switches logs to be saved depending on the storage capacity of the storage unit. However, this embodiment is not limited to a method in which the storage control unit 237 switches logs to be saved depending on the storage capacity. For example, the storage control unit 237 according to this embodiment may perform data compression processing on logs to be saved depending on the storage capacity (free space) of the storage unit at the storage destination, and perform control so as to save all logs.

[0062] Fig. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a procedure for determining a storage unit for storing a log, performed by the storage control unit 237 according to this embodiment. In the example shown in Fig. 6, when the MFP 9 is started up, the OS 202 recognizes the HDD 909, the eMMC 904, and the SD card 911A, and the storage control unit 237 determines whether or not the conditions for storing a log are met in descending order of storage capacity, in other words, the HDD 909, the eMMC 904, and the SD card 911A.

[0063] First, the storage control unit 237 reads the management information (S1601). Then, the storage control unit 237 references the management information and determines whether the frequency of errors related to the HDD 909 is high or higher (S1602). If the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors is not high or higher (S1602: NO), the storage control unit 237 determines that the log storage destination is the HDD 909 (S1603).

[0064] On the other hand, if the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors related to the HDD 909 is high or higher (1602: YES), the storage control unit 237 determines whether the frequency of errors related to the eMMC 904 is high or higher (S1604).If the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors is not high or higher (S1604: NO), the storage control unit 237 determines that the log storage destination is the eMMC 904 (S1605).

[0065] On the other hand, if the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors related to the eMMC 904 is high or higher (1604: YES), the storage control unit 237 determines whether the frequency of errors related to the SD card 911A is high or higher (S1606).If the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors is not high or higher (S1606: NO), the storage control unit 237 determines that the log storage destination is the SD card 911A (S1607).

[0066] On the other hand, if the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors related to the SD card 911A is high or higher (1606: YES), the storage control unit 237 determines the HDD 909 as the storage destination for the log (S1608).

[0067] In a conventional information processing device, if HDD-related errors occur frequently, a write error may occur during processing to save a log to the HDD, making it impossible to save the log.

[0068] In contrast, the log management module 235 of this embodiment controls the MFP 9 to not leave logs on the HDD 909 and to store logs in another storage unit if there are many errors related to the HDD 909 before the MFP 9 is started, using the processing procedure described above.

[0069] 3, the frequency of errors related to the HDD 909 is high, so the storage control unit 237 determines in S1602 that the error occurrence frequency related to the eMMC 904 is medium, so the storage control unit 237 determines in S1604 that the error occurrence frequency related to the eMMC 904 is medium, so the storage control unit 237 determines in S1604 that the error occurrence frequency related to the eMMC 904 is medium, so the storage control unit 237 determines in S1604 that the log storage destination is the eMMC 904.

[0070] For example, when the storage capacity of the eMMC 904 is set to medium (see FIG. 7), the storage control unit 237 controls the eMMC 904 to store logs (levels 0 to 2) other than debugging information.

[0071] By performing the above-described processing, the storage control unit 237 according to this embodiment can determine the storage destination of the log according to the frequency of errors occurring in the storage unit. The MFP 9 according to this embodiment determines, through the above-described control, a storage unit with a low frequency of errors as the storage destination of the log, and therefore can prevent the stored log from being lost due to an abnormality or the like.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the storage control unit 237 determines that the error occurrence frequency is high or higher in all of the multiple storage units predetermined as log storage destinations, the storage control unit 237 determines the HDD 909 as the log storage destination. This is because the HDD 909 has a longer device lifespan or a larger storage capacity than other storage units (e.g., SD card 911A and eMMC 904). In other words, when the error occurrence frequency is high or higher in all of the multiple storage units predetermined as log storage destinations, the storage control unit 237 according to this embodiment determines the HDD 909 as the log storage destination in consideration of factors other than the error occurrence frequency, thereby improving the reliability of log storage.

[0073] The MFP9 of this embodiment can switch the storage unit in which logs are stored based on the history of abnormalities occurring in each of multiple storage units, and can save logs of abnormalities that occurred in the storage unit that was the storage destination for logs before the switch, or in the device driver that uses that storage unit.

[0074] In the MFP 9 according to this embodiment, the level of logs to be saved is switched depending on the storage capacity of the storage unit that is the storage destination of the logs. In other words, in this embodiment, when the storage destination of the logs is switched, the amount of log data to be saved is adjusted depending on the storage capacity of the storage unit and the level (priority) of the logs, so that even when switched to a storage unit with a different storage capacity, it is possible to save logs that are necessary and sufficient for analyzing an abnormality.

[0075] (Second embodiment) In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which a storage unit serving as a log storage destination is switched depending on the frequency of error occurrence. However, the above-described embodiment does not limit the determination of the log storage destination to a method that takes into account only the frequency of error occurrence. Therefore, an example will be described in which the log management module 235 according to the second embodiment determines the log storage destination while taking into account other factors.

[0076] 7 is a diagram showing the characteristics of a storage unit that is a storage destination of a log according to this embodiment. In the example shown in Fig. 7, each storage unit is associated with a storage capacity, a rewrite lifespan, and a frequency of transition to power saving mode.

[0077] For example, the storage capacity of the HDD 909 is larger than the first capacity, so "large" is set. The storage capacities of the eMMC 904 and the SD card 911A are equal to or smaller than the first capacity and larger than the second capacity, so "medium" is set. The storage capacity of the NVRAM 905 is equal to or smaller than the second capacity, so "small" is set. As described above, in this case, the first capacity is defined as a capacity larger than the second capacity. Note that the first capacity and the second capacity are defined according to the embodiment.

[0078] Furthermore, the HDD 909 has no rewrite life, so "-" is set. The eMMC 904 has a rewrite life of "xxx, xxx" (number of writes specified in a catalog or the like). The SD card 911A has a rewrite life of "yy, yyy" (number of writes specified in a catalog or the like). The NVRAM 905 has a rewrite life of "zzz, zzz" (number of rewrites specified in a catalog or the like).

[0079] Furthermore, the HDD 909 is set to "high" because its energy saving transition frequency is greater than a predetermined frequency. The eMMC 904, SD card 911A, and NVRAM 905 are set to "low" because their energy saving transition frequencies are equal to or less than a predetermined frequency. The predetermined frequency is determined depending on the embodiment.

[0080] Then, the storage control unit 237 of the log management module 235 selects a second storage unit from the plurality of storage units (HDD 909, eMMC 904, SD card 911A, and NVRAM 905) as the storage destination for the log based on at least one condition of the storage capacity, rewrite life, and frequency of transition to an energy-saving state of each of the plurality of storage units, and controls the storage of the log in the selected storage unit.

[0081] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the log storage destination is determined according to the rewrite life of the storage unit, one of the characteristics of the storage unit described above, in addition to the frequency of error occurrence.

[0082] FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a procedure for determining the storage unit in which to store a log, performed by the storage control unit 237 according to this embodiment.

[0083] First, the storage control unit 237 reads the management information (S1801). Then, the storage control unit 237 references the management information and determines whether the frequency of errors related to the HDD 909 is high or higher (S1802). If it is determined that the frequency of errors is not high or higher (S1802: NO), the storage control unit 237 determines the HDD 909 as the storage destination for the log (S1803).

[0084] On the other hand, if the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors related to the HDD 909 is high or higher (1802: YES), the storage control unit 237 determines whether the frequency of errors related to the eMMC 904 is high or higher (S1804). If the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors is not high or higher (S1804: NO), the storage control unit 237 determines whether the number of times the eMMC 904 can be written until its rewrite life expires is less than a predetermined number (S1805). If the storage control unit 237 determines that the number of times the eMMC 904 can be written until its rewrite life expires is equal to or greater than a predetermined number (S1805: NO), the storage control unit 237 determines the eMMC 904 as the storage destination for the log (S1806). The predetermined number of times used as a criterion for determining whether or not writing is possible may be determined according to the embodiment, and may be determined taking into account, for example, the rewrite life of the storage unit. Furthermore, the number of times data has been written to the storage unit such as the eMMC 904 and the SD card 911A may be detected by a conventional method.

[0085] On the other hand, if the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors related to the eMMC 904 is high or higher (S1804: YES) or that the number of times the eMMC 904 can be written to until its rewrite life expires is less than a predetermined number (S1805: YES), the storage control unit 237 determines whether the frequency of errors related to the SD card 911A is high or higher (S1807). If the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors is not high or higher (S1807: NO), the storage control unit 237 determines whether the number of times the SD card 911A can be rewritten until its rewrite life expires is less than a predetermined number (S1808). If the storage control unit 237 determines that the number of times the SD card 911A can be rewritten until its rewrite life expires is greater than or equal to the predetermined number (S1808: NO), the storage control unit 237 determines that the SD card 911A is the storage destination for the log (S1809).

[0086] On the other hand, if the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors related to the SD card 911A is high or higher (1807: YES), or if it determines that the number of times the SD card 911A can be rewritten before the end of its rewrite life is less than a predetermined number (S1808: YES), the storage control unit 237 determines that the log will be stored in the HDD 909 (S1810).

[0087] In this embodiment, the above-described process allows the storage destination of the log to be determined taking into consideration the rewrite lifespan of the storage unit. In other words, the storage control unit 237 controls so that, among multiple storage units, a storage unit whose rewrite lifespan is shorter than a predetermined number of times is not selected as the storage destination of the log. Note that the predetermined number of times is an example of a second threshold value.

[0088] By the above-described control, the storage unit that will be rewritten many times until the rewrite life is determined as the storage destination for the log, so that the stored log can be prevented from being lost due to an abnormality or the like.

[0089] The processing procedure shown in Fig. 8 is shown as an example, and is not limited to this processing procedure. For example, the order of the determination process of S1804 and the determination process of S1805 may be reversed. In this way, the order of the processes of S1804 and S1805 is not limited. As another example, the order of the determination process of S1807 and the determination process of S1808 may be reversed. In this way, the order of the processes of S1807 and S1808 is not limited.

[0090] In the example shown in FIG. 8, an example was described in which the storage destination of a log was determined taking into consideration the rewrite lifespan of the storage unit. However, this embodiment is not limited to a method of determining the storage destination of a log taking into consideration the rewrite lifespan of the storage unit. For example, the storage destination of a log may be determined taking into consideration the storage capacity of the storage unit. For example, the storage control unit 237 may determine whether the storage capacity or remaining capacity of the storage unit is greater than a predetermined capacity, and may determine a storage unit whose storage capacity or remaining capacity is greater than the predetermined capacity as the storage destination of the log.

[0091] (Third embodiment) In the second embodiment, an example was described in which the storage unit to store the log is switched depending on the rewrite life or storage capacity in addition to the frequency of error occurrence. However, the second embodiment does not limit the factors for determining the storage destination of the log to the rewrite life or storage capacity other than the frequency of error occurrence. Therefore, in the third embodiment, an example will be described in which the frequency of transition to energy saving mode is taken into consideration.

[0092] In order to improve energy-saving performance, devices with high power consumption, such as HDDs, may switch to an energy-saving state, such as by turning off the power, if they have not been used for a certain period of time, and then switch back on and switch to a recovery state when they are used again. In a storage unit that frequently switches to such an energy-saving state, there is a possibility that logs related to abnormalities that occur while the device is in the energy-saving state may not be saved. Therefore, the log management module 235 according to this embodiment performs the following control.

[0093] 7, the HDD 909 has the energy saving mode transition frequency set to "high." Therefore, in this embodiment, the storage control unit 237 determines whether there are many abnormalities related to the energy saving mode transition in the HDD 909. In this embodiment, an abnormality related to the energy saving mode transition may be, for example, an error that occurs when the HDD 909 cannot be rewritten due to the transition to the energy saving mode, but the abnormality is not limited to an error related to the rewriting, and may be any error that occurs due to the transition to the energy saving mode.

[0094] In this embodiment, when the storage control unit 237 determines the HDD 909 as the storage destination for the log, the storage control unit 237 detects whether or not saving the log failed because the HDD 909 has transitioned to an energy saving state when saving the log to the HDD 909, and generates an operation log indicating the detection result in the RAM 903. Then, when the HDD 909 recovers, the storage control unit 237 refers to the operation log and adds error identification information indicating the failure to save to the HDD 909 as a log.

[0095] Then, the event monitoring unit 236 refers to the log, calculates the occurrence frequency of an error indicating a failure to save the log, and stores the occurrence frequency in the management information. Through this process, for example, in the management information shown in Fig. 3, the error identification information "SC_yyy" indicating a failure to save the log is associated with an occurrence frequency of "medium."

[0096] FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a procedure for determining the storage unit in which to store a log, performed by the storage control unit 237 according to this embodiment.

[0097] First, the storage control unit 237 reads the management information (S1901). Then, the storage control unit 237 refers to the management information and determines whether the frequency of errors related to the HDD 909 is high or higher (S1902). If the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors is not high or higher (S1902: NO), the storage control unit 237 further determines whether the frequency of abnormalities related to energy saving mode transition that occurred within a predetermined period is medium or higher (S1903). If the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of abnormalities is not medium or higher (S1903: NO), the storage control unit 237 determines that the HDD 909 is the storage destination for the log (S1904).

[0098] If the storage control unit 237 determines that the frequency of errors related to the HDD 909 is high or higher (S1902: YES), or if it determines that the frequency of abnormalities related to transition to power saving mode is medium or higher (S1903: YES), the storage control unit 237 determines whether the frequency of errors related to the eMMC 904 is high or higher (S1905). The subsequent processing of S1905 to S1911 is the same as the processing of S1804 to S1810 in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 8 of the second embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0099] 3 is an error related to the transition to energy saving mode of the HDD 909, even if it is determined in S1902 of FIG. 9 that the frequency of occurrence of errors is not high or higher, if it is determined in S1903 that the frequency of occurrence of abnormalities related to the transition to energy saving mode is medium or higher (S1903: YES), the storage control unit 237 controls to transition to S1905 and not to transition to S1904, which determines that the HDD 909 is the save destination for the log. This allows a log related to an abnormality that occurred while the HDD 909 was transitioning to the energy saving state to be saved in a storage unit other than the HDD 909, for example, the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A.

[0100] In this embodiment, when it is determined that the frequency of occurrence of abnormalities related to power saving transitions in HDD 909 is medium or higher, a memory unit that does not undergo power saving transitions is determined as the log storage destination, thereby preventing the occurrence of time periods during which logs cannot be saved.

[0101] The processing procedure shown in FIG. 9 is shown as an example, and is not limited to this processing procedure. For example, the order of the determination process of S1905 and the determination process of S1906 may be reversed. In this way, the order of the processes of S1905 and S1906 is not limited. As another example, the order of the determination process of S1908 and the determination process of S1909 may be reversed. In this way, the order of the processes of S1908 and S1909 is not limited.

[0102] In this embodiment, an example will be described in which it is determined whether or not there are many abnormalities related to the transition to power saving in the HDD 909, but the object for determining whether or not there are many abnormalities related to the transition to power saving is not limited to the HDD 909. For example, if there is a storage unit other than the HDD 909 for which the frequency of the transition to power saving is set to "high", it is also determined whether or not there are many abnormalities related to the transition to power saving in that storage unit.

[0103] (Fourth embodiment) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the storage unit to store the log is determined at the time of startup of the MFP 9 has been described. However, in the above-described embodiment, the determination of the storage unit to store the log is not limited to the time of startup of the MFP 9. Therefore, in this embodiment, an example will be described in which the storage unit to store the log is determined at a time other than startup.

[0104] In this embodiment, when the continuous operation time of the MFP 9 exceeds a certain time, the storage control unit 237 determines whether to switch the storage unit for storing the log even when not starting up. The timing for making the determination is when the MFP 9 has not been operated for a certain time, such as late at night when the operator is not using the MFP 9.

[0105] In the storage control unit 237 according to the fourth embodiment, when the HDD 909 is determined as the storage destination of the log, if the continuous operation time of the MFP 9 exceeds a certain time and a predetermined condition is satisfied, the OS 202 causes the HDD 909 to transition to an energy saving state. When the HDD 909 transitions to the energy saving state, the storage control unit 237 may determine a storage unit other than the HDD 909 as the storage destination of the log.

[0106] Assume that the HDD 909 transitions to an energy-saving mode, and the storage control unit 237 determines that the log storage destination is a storage unit other than the HDD 909, such as the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A. In this case, if the time during which the log has been stored in the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A is longer than the first time and the HDD 909 returns from the energy-saving mode, the storage control unit 237 performs processing to determine the storage unit that will be the storage destination for the log. For example, the storage control unit 237 may determine that the HDD 909, which has returned from the energy-saving mode, is the storage destination for the log. The same method as in the above-described embodiment may be used to determine the other storage destination. Note that the first time is determined according to the characteristics or implementation of the storage unit that has been switched to as the storage destination for the log. The eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A is an example of a third storage unit, but any storage unit connected to the MFP 9 may be used.

[0107] In this embodiment, when the HDD 909 returns from an energy saving state, the storage control unit 237 determines the storage destination of the log according to the management information. Therefore, the storage destination of the log is determined according to the latest status of the storage unit, thereby improving the reliability of log storage. Furthermore, when a storage unit such as the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A has been determined as the storage destination of the log, the storage control unit 237 can switch to another storage unit, thereby preventing the rewrite life of the MMC 172 or the SD card 911A from approaching the end of its life, thereby realizing a longer life for the storage unit.

[0108] (Fifth embodiment) In the fourth embodiment, the timing when the storage control unit 237 determines the storage unit to store logs other than those stored at startup is the timing when the storage unit returns from an energy saving state. However, the fourth embodiment does not limit the timing when the storage control unit 237 determines the storage unit to store logs other than those stored at startup to the timing when the storage unit returns from an energy saving state. Therefore, in the fifth embodiment, a case where the MFP 9 operates continuously for a long time will be described.

[0109] After the storage control unit 237 according to the fifth embodiment starts control to store a log in the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A (an example of a second storage unit), if the storage control unit 237 recognizes that the time for which the log has been stored in the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A is longer than the second time and that no operation has been performed by the operator for a third time, the storage control unit 237 stops control to store the log in the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A and performs control to store the log in a storage unit other than the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A, such as the HDD 909 (an example of a fourth storage unit). The second time is a time determined according to the characteristics and implementation of the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A. The third time is a time during which it can be determined that the operator is not using the MFP 9. The HDD 909 is an example of a fourth storage unit, but any storage unit connected to the MFP 9 may be used.

[0110] In this embodiment, if the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A stores logs for a long period of time, the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A may approach the end of its rewrite life during operation. Therefore, during periods such as nighttime when the operator is not using the MFP 9, the storage control unit 237 selects or switches the log storage destination from the eMMC 904 or the SD card 911A to another storage unit. Therefore, the storage control unit 237 according to this embodiment can switch the log storage destination in consideration of changes in the status of the MFP 9 during operation. For example, by the storage control unit 237 switching the log storage destination from the SD card 911A to another storage unit, the SD card 911A can be replaced with one with a longer life. Note that this embodiment is not limited to a mode in which the storage control unit 237 switches the storage destination of the log from eMMC 904 or SD card 911A (an example of a second storage unit) to another storage unit, but may also be a mode in which the storage control unit 237 switches from NVRAM 905 or HDD 909 (an example of a first storage unit) to another storage unit.

[0111] (Sixth embodiment) In the MFP 9 according to the sixth embodiment, a case will be described in which processing different from that in the fifth embodiment is performed when the continuous operation time is long.

[0112] When a fourth time has elapsed since a determination was made as to whether the frequency of occurrence of errors related to each of a plurality of storage units is high or higher and no operation has been performed by the operator for a fifth time, the storage control unit 237 according to the sixth embodiment stops control for storing the log in the storage unit currently designated as the log storage destination (e.g., eMMC 904 or SD card 911A) and performs control for storing the log in another storage unit, for example, HDD 909. The fourth time is a period determined depending on the embodiment. The fifth time is a period during which it can be determined that the operator is not using the MFP 9. The HDD 909 is an example of a fourth storage unit, but any storage unit connected to the MFP 9 may be used.

[0113] In this embodiment, if the storage unit has been operating as a log storage destination for a long time since the storage control unit 237 determined whether the error occurrence frequency is high or higher, the long log storage may bring the rewrite life to an end. For this reason, the storage control unit 237 may again select or switch the storage unit as a log storage destination during the night or other times when the operator is not using the device, thereby preventing the rewrite life of the storage unit from coming to an end, thereby improving the reliability of log storage.

[0114] The CPU 901 of the MFP 9 according to the embodiment described above has the above-described configuration, and by switching the log storage destination when an abnormality occurs frequently in a storage unit, even without any operation by the user or support, it is possible to improve the reliability of storing logs related to a storage unit where an abnormality frequently occurs. This improves the efficiency of defect analysis and shortens the time required for taking countermeasures.

[0115] When the CPU 901 of the MFP 9 according to the above-described embodiment switches the log storage destination to a storage unit that is less likely to fail to save the log, the CPU 901 controls the storage of logs so that the amount of data corresponding to the storage capacity of the storage unit is saved. Therefore, by saving logs up to the upper limit of the storage capacity of the storage unit, it is possible to prevent a situation in which saving of subsequent logs will fail, thereby improving the reliability of log saving.

[0116] Each function of the above-described embodiments can be realized by one or more processing circuits. Here, the term "processing circuit" in this specification includes a processor programmed to perform each function by software, such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit, as well as devices such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a conventional circuit module designed to perform each function described above.

[0117] In the above-described embodiment, the processing performed by the log management module 235 implemented by the CPU 901 of the MFP 9 has been described. However, the above-described embodiment is not limited to the CPU 901 of the MFP 9, as long as the information processing device stores a log in a storage unit. For example, the information processing device storing a log in a storage unit may be applied to an output device such as a PJ (Projector), an IWB (Interactive White Board: a white board with an electronic blackboard function capable of intercommunication), digital signage, a HUD (Head Up Display) device, industrial machinery, an imaging device, a sound collection device, a medical device, a network home appliance, an automobile (Connected Car), a notebook PC (Personal Computer), a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a game console, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a digital camera, a wearable PC, or a desktop PC. As another example, the information processing device storing a log in a storage unit may be an IoT device, etc.

[0118] In a further embodiment, the log management module 235 realized by the CPU 901 of the MFP 9 is not limited to storing logs in a memory unit provided within the MFP 9, but may, for example, perform control to store logs in a memory unit connected to the MFP 9 via a network.

[0119] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to a mode in which control is performed by the log management module 235 implemented by the CPU 901 of the MFP 9, but a server connected to the MFP 9 via a network may perform control to store the log via the network in a storage unit provided in the MFP 9 or a storage unit located on the network. The processing performed by the server is the same as in the above-described embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0120] Although several embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, the elements shown in the above-described embodiments can be combined in various ways as appropriate, provided that no technical contradiction occurs.

[0121] <Additional Notes> Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below. <First aspect> A first aspect is an information processing device comprising a plurality of memory units and a memory control unit that stores a log relating to an event that has occurred in at least one of the plurality of memory units and the information processing device in a first memory unit included in the plurality of memory units, and the memory control unit controls the storage of the log in a second memory unit among the plurality of memory units, which has a lower frequency of occurrence of the event than the first memory unit, when the frequency at which the event has occurred in the first memory unit is greater than a first threshold value. <Second mode> A second aspect is an information processing device described in the first aspect, wherein the storage control unit further selects the second storage unit from the plurality of storage units based on at least one condition of the storage capacity, rewrite life, and frequency of transitioning to an energy-saving state of each of the plurality of storage units, and controls the storage of the log in the selected second storage unit. <Third aspect> A third aspect is the information processing device of the second aspect, wherein the storage control unit performs control so as not to select, among the plurality of storage units, a storage unit whose rewrite life is shorter than a second threshold value as a storage destination for the log. <Fourth aspect> A fourth aspect is an information processing device of the second or third aspect, in which the storage control unit controls the second storage unit to store the log when the frequency with which the event based on transitioning to an energy saving state occurs in the first storage unit is greater than the first threshold value. <Fifth aspect> A fifth aspect is an information processing device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the storage control unit further controls the first storage unit to store the log when the frequency with which an event occurs in the first storage unit is less than the first threshold value. <Sixth aspect> A sixth aspect is an information processing device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein, when the first memory unit transitions to an energy saving state and control is being performed to store the log in a third memory unit, the storage control unit stops control to store the log in the third memory unit and performs control to store the log in the first memory unit when the time for storing the log in the third memory unit is greater than the first time and when the first memory unit returns from the energy saving state. <Seventh aspect> A seventh aspect is an information processing device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the memory control unit further starts control to store the log in the second memory unit, and when the time for which the log has been stored in the second memory unit is greater than a first time and no operation from the operator has been performed for a second time, stops control to store the log in the second memory unit and performs control to store the log in a fourth memory unit. <Eighth aspect> An eighth aspect is an information processing device according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the memory control unit stops control to store the log in the second memory unit and controls to store the log in a fourth memory unit when a first period has elapsed since a determination was made as to whether the frequency of occurrence of the event is greater than a predetermined threshold and no operation has been performed by the operator for a second period of time. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 9 MFP 910 Controller 901 CPU 909 HDD 911 SD card slot 911A SD card 904 eMMC 905 NVRAM 235 Log Management Module 236 Event Monitoring Unit 237 Memory control unit [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0123] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-032582 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-215717 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-234758

Claims

1. A plurality of storage units; a storage control unit that stores a log relating to an event that has occurred in at least one of the plurality of storage units and the information processing device in a first storage unit included in the plurality of storage units; the storage control unit, when a frequency at which the event has occurred in the first storage unit is greater than a first threshold, performs control to store the log in a second storage unit among the plurality of storage units, the second storage unit having a lower frequency at which the event has occurred than the first storage unit; Information processing device.

2. the storage control unit further selects the second storage unit from the plurality of storage units based on at least one condition of the storage capacity, the rewrite life, and the frequency of transition to an energy saving state of each of the plurality of storage units, and performs control to store the log in the selected second storage unit. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. the storage control unit controls the storage unit so that a storage unit having a rewrite lifespan shorter than a second threshold among the plurality of storage units is not selected as a storage destination for the log; The information processing device according to claim 2 .

4. the storage control unit performs control to store the log in the second storage unit when the frequency of occurrence of the event based on transition to an energy saving state in the first storage unit is greater than the first threshold value; The information processing device according to claim 2 .

5. the storage control unit further performs control to store the log in the first storage unit when the frequency of occurrence of the event in the first storage unit is lower than the first threshold value. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

6. When the first storage unit transitions to an energy saving state and control is being performed to store the log in a third storage unit, if a time period during which the log is stored in the third storage unit is longer than a first time period and the first storage unit returns from the energy saving state, the storage control unit stops the control to store the log in the third storage unit and performs control to store the log in the first storage unit. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

7. The storage control unit further stops the control of storing the log in the second storage unit and performs control of storing the log in a fourth storage unit when the time period during which the log has been stored in the second storage unit is longer than a second time period and no operation from an operator has been performed for a third time period after starting the control of storing the log in the second storage unit. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

8. the storage control unit stops control for storing the log in the second storage unit and performs control for storing the log in a fourth storage unit when a fourth time has elapsed since it was determined whether or not the frequency of occurrence of the event is greater than a predetermined threshold and no operation has been performed by an operator for a fifth time. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

9. An information processing method by an information processing device that controls a plurality of storage units, The information processing device, executing a storage control procedure for storing a log relating to an event occurring in at least one of the plurality of storage units and the information processing device in a first storage unit included in the plurality of storage units; the storage control step performs control to store the log in a second storage unit among the plurality of storage units, the second storage unit having a lower occurrence frequency of the event than the first storage unit, when the frequency of occurrence of the event in the first storage unit is greater than a first threshold value; Information processing methods.

10. On the computer, A program for executing a storage control step of storing a log relating to an event occurring in at least one of a plurality of storage units and the computer in a first storage unit included in the plurality of storage units, In the storage control step, when the frequency of occurrence of the event in the first storage unit is greater than a first threshold, control is performed to store the log in a second storage unit among the plurality of storage units, the second storage unit having a lower frequency of occurrence of the event than the first storage unit. program.

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