Information processing apparatus

Abstract

An information processing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is capable of safely separating a communication path from a communication port, said information processing device comprising: a communication port that is for connecting a communication path with a communication device; a display unit that displays the state of the communication port; a communication control unit that controls communication with the communication device; a header extraction unit that extracts prescribed header information of communication data; a correspondence storage unit that stores a correspondence between the header information and a risk rating which is preset as a rating indicative of the probability that failure will occur as a result of separation of the communication path from the communication port; a risk determination unit that determines the current risk rating of the communication port on the basis of the correspondence and of the header information extracted by the header extraction unit; and a display control unit that displays a determination result by the risk determination unit on the display unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, various devices such as industrial machines and household electrical appliances have communication functions and are connected to a network. In order to effectively use the devices connected to the network, in a control device that controls the network, it is necessary to set communication conditions such as an IP address, a subnet mask, and a communication protocol for each communication device.

[0003] Many network systems have an information processing apparatus having a plurality of communication ports for individually connecting communication devices in order to connect a plurality of communication devices to the network. As such a communication port, for example, in Ethernet, which is a widely spread network standard, a jack (female connector) of an RJ45 connector defined mainly in ISO8877 is mainly used. Generally, in an information processing apparatus having a plurality of communication ports, the communication ports are numbered, and a communication device is connected to the communication port with the number for which the communication condition is set in the control device. That is, in a conventional network system, it is necessary to insert a plug (male connector) provided at the tip of a cable extending from a communication device into a communication port having the same number as the number confirmed by the information processing apparatus. However, relying only on the number of the communication port may result in connecting the communication device to a communication port different from the set communication port.

[0004] In order to facilitate connecting a communication device to a correct communication port, based on information included in an event received from the outside and connection information, among a plurality of communication ports, the communication port to which the cable should be connected is specified, and a lighting unit is lit so as to be distinguishable from the specified communication port and other communication ports (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-10997 [Summary of the Invention] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0006] When newly connecting a communication device, it may be sufficient to simply identify the communication port to which the communication device should be connected. However, when replacing a communication device that is connected to and operating in an operating system, depending on the timing of separating the currently connected communication device from the communication port, there is a risk of causing a failure in the system. For example, separating the communication path from the communication port during the process of updating the software of the communication device may cause a failure in the entire system. Therefore, a technology that can safely separate the communication path from the communication port is desired. [Means for Solving the Problems]

[0007] An information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a communication port for connecting a communication path to a communication device, a display unit for displaying the state of the communication port, a communication control unit for controlling communication with the communication device, a header extraction unit for extracting predetermined header information of communication data, a risk level preset as a level representing the likelihood of a failure occurring due to separation of the communication path from the communication port, a correspondence relationship storage unit for storing a correspondence relationship with the header information, a risk determination unit for determining the current risk level of the communication port based on the header information extracted by the header extraction unit and the correspondence relationship, and a display control unit for causing the display unit to display the determination result of the risk determination unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, the communication path can be safely separated from the communication port. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a network system 1 including an information processing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] The network system 1 includes an information processing apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a plurality of communication devices 20 that communicate with the information processing apparatus 10 via a communication path. In the network system 1 of the present embodiment, the information processing apparatus 10 is, for example, a control device that manages the entire system or a higher-level device such as a server that provides necessary commands, data, etc. to each communication device 20, and the communication device 20 is, for example, assumed to be a lower-level device such as a terminal, a client, or a slave. However, the information processing apparatus 10 according to the present disclosure may be a lower-level device such as a terminal or a slave controlled by the connected communication device 20, or may be a device equivalent to the communication device 20.

[0012] The information processing apparatus 10 can be realized, for example, by causing a computer device having a processor, a memory, etc. to execute an appropriate control program. Further, the computer device constituting the information processing apparatus 10 may have one or more auxiliary devices connected thereto as necessary. Note that the information processing apparatus 10 is not limited to a general-purpose computer device, and may be a peripheral device such as a switching hub or a router, for example.

[0013] The information processing apparatus 10 includes a plurality of communication ports 11 for connecting to a communication path with the communication device 20, a plurality of display units 12 for respectively displaying the states of the communication ports 11, a communication control unit 13 for controlling communication with the communication device 20, a header extraction unit 14 for extracting predetermined header information of communication data, a risk level that is preset as a level indicating the likelihood of a failure occurring in the information processing apparatus 10 due to separation of the communication path from the communication port 11, a correspondence relationship storage unit 15 for storing the correspondence relationship between the risk level and the header information, a risk determination unit 16 for determining the current risk level of the communication port 11 based on the header information extracted by the header extraction unit 14 and the correspondence relationship stored in the correspondence relationship storage unit 15, and a display control unit 17 for causing the display unit 12 to display the determination result of the risk determination unit 16. Note that the communication control unit 13, the header extraction unit 14, the correspondence relationship storage unit 15, the risk determination unit 16, and the display control unit 17 are classifications of the functions of the information processing apparatus 10, and do not necessarily have to be clearly distinguishable in terms of physical configuration and program configuration.

[0014] The communication port 11 can have a connector (generally female) compliant with a standard such as RJ45, USB, RS232C, etc. The plurality of communication ports 11 can be arranged in one or a plurality of enclosures. A communication path for communicating with the communication device 20 is connected to the communication port 11. Examples of the communication path connected to the communication port 11 include a communication cable physically connected to the communication device 20, a wireless adapter for establishing a wireless communication path with the communication device 20, and a connector provided directly on the communication device 20.

[0015] The display unit 12 is configured to be able to display the risk level of the communication port 11. The display unit 12 may be provided corresponding to each of the communication ports 11. Typically, the display unit 12 may be composed of a light-emitting element such as an LED so as to be able to perform a display that is easy for the user to recognize. As a specific example, since a connector such as an RJ45 that can be used as the communication port 11 has an LED, this LED can be used also as the display unit 12. The RJ45 connector has two LEDs. Generally, the left LED is controlled to light up when data is being transmitted and received, and the right LED is often controlled to light up when a data link is established. Therefore, by blinking the right LED indicating the establishment of the data link, it can be used as the display unit 12 indicating that the separation of the communication path of the communication port 11 is dangerous. Also, the display unit 12 may be controlled to stepwise display the magnitude of the risk of separation of the communication path of the communication port 11 by the blinking pattern, blinking cycle, light emission intensity, color, etc. of the light-emitting element.

[0016] Also, the display unit 12 may be configured to mechanically change its visual state. As an example, the display unit 12 may be configured to display that the separation of the communication path from the communication port 11 is dangerous by, for example, the protrusion of the marker from the housing or the movement to a position visible from the opening.

[0017] Also, as the display unit 12, a display device capable of displaying information such as characters and images may be provided independently of the communication port 11. As a specific example, by using, for example, a 7-segment LED, a 16-segment LED, a small liquid crystal display panel, etc. as the display unit 12, it is possible to clearly display the magnitude of the risk of a failure occurring due to the separation of the communication path from the communication port 11. Also, when using such a display device, a single display unit 12 may be provided to simultaneously display information identifying the communication port 11 and information identifying the risk level in order to display the risk levels of a plurality of communication ports 11.

[0018] The communication control unit 13 controls communication with the communication device 20 via each communication port 11, and for example, the control above the data link layer in the OSI reference model can be performed under communication conditions compliant with various standards. As a specific example, in the data link layer, the communication control unit 13 can perform data transfer compliant with the standards matching the connector of the communication port 11, such as Ethernet, USB, etc. Also, as communication conditions, the communication control unit 13 may perform control according to higher-level control procedures such as error correction, retransmission control, file transfer, etc.

[0019] Therefore, the communication control unit 13 can be configured to include a setting storage unit that stores communication conditions set for each communication port 11, and a main control unit that controls communication with the communication device 20 via the communication port 11 according to the communication conditions stored in the setting storage unit. Examples of the communication conditions stored in the setting storage unit include information such as the IP address and subnet mask of the communication device 20 connected via each communication port 11, and the communication protocol applied to communication with the communication device 20.

[0020] The header extraction unit 14 extracts predetermined header information used for determining the risk level of communication path separation from the communication port 11 from the communication data transmitted and received via the communication port 11. The format of the communication data includes a header and data, and the header may include version information, sequence number, command type, etc. Therefore, the header extraction unit 14 can be configured to extract the command information included in the header of the communication data. Specific examples of the extracted command information include "User Login", "User Logout", "Data Reading", "Data Writing", "Software Updating", etc.

[0021] The correspondence relation storage unit 15 may be configured to store a reference table indicating the correspondence relation between command information and risk levels. FIG. 2 shows an example of the correspondence relation stored in the correspondence relation storage unit 15. In this example, the risk levels are divided into four ranks from the safest "0" to the most dangerous "3" in multiple stages, but the risk levels may be divided only into two categories: a relatively safe rank and a rank with risks.

[0022] In addition, the correspondence relation storage unit 15 may store other information required for the risk determination unit 16 to determine the risk level. The correspondence relation storage unit 15 may be configured to refer to a storage device such as a hard disk drive, or may be configured to read information into the working memory in advance. Further, the correspondence relation storage unit 15 may be configured such that information such as the stored correspondence relation can be updated by communication via the communication port 11.

[0023] The risk determination unit 16 determines the current risk level of the communication port 11 that transmits and receives the communication data based on the header information extracted by the header extraction unit 14 and the correspondence relation stored in the correspondence relation storage unit 15. Specifically, the risk determination unit 16 may be configured to determine the rank value of the risk level corresponding to the header information of the communication data transmitted and received by the communication port 11 as the rank value of the risk level of the communication port 11. When using the reference table in FIG. 2, the risk determination unit 16 determines the risk level of the communication port 11 in multiple stages.

[0024] The risk determination unit 16 may be configured to determine the risk level of each communication port 11 in consideration of the header information of past communication data and other conditions. As an example, when the header information corresponds to the preset holding information, the risk determination unit 16 may be configured to limit the range in which the rank value of the risk level can be taken until the header information corresponds to the preset release information. As an example in the correspondence relationship of FIG. 2, when the header information is "User Login", the correspondence storage unit 15 may be configured not to set the rank value of the risk level to "0" and to hold it at "1" or higher until the transmission and reception of communication data with the header information "User Logout" are performed. When data communication establishes a link by "User Login" and releases the link by "User Logout", the safety can be improved by preventing the rank value of the risk level from being lowered to "0" while the link is established.

[0025] In addition, the risk determination unit 16 may be configured to determine the risk level for new communication data in consideration of the immediately preceding risk level or the header information that was the reason for its determination. As an example, when the rank value of the immediately preceding risk level is "2" or "3", the correspondence storage unit 15 may be configured to hold the risk level of the new communication data at the rank value of the immediately preceding risk level unless the header information of the new communication data corresponds to the rank value "1" of the risk level in the correspondence relationship. This can prevent the rank value of the risk level from being temporarily lowered when an interruption of transmitting and receiving other communication data occurs during the transmission and reception of highly dangerous communication data. For this reason, the risk determination unit 16 can suppress the disconnection of the communication path until the transmission and reception of the highly dangerous communication data are completed after the interruption process. One or both of the start and release of such risk level holding may be determined based on the header information. That is, the holding of the risk level may be started when specific header information (for example, "Software Updating" command) is transmitted and received, or the holding of the risk level may be released when specific header information is transmitted and received.

[0026] The display control unit 17 causes the display unit 12 to display the risks determined by the risk determination unit 16 for each communication port 11.

[0027] The communication device 20 is not particularly limited as long as it can communicate with the information processing device 10. When a wireless adapter is connected to the communication port 11, it may be an unspecified device.

[0028] In the above network system 1, the risk level of communication path separation from each communication port 11 is determined, and the determination result is displayed on the display unit 12, so that the timing at which the communication path can be safely separated from the communication port 11 can be recognized.

[0029] As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. In addition, the effects described in the above-described embodiments are merely a list of preferable effects resulting from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in the above-described embodiments.

[0030] As an example, the information processing device according to the present invention may have a single communication port.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0031] 1 Network system 10 Information processing device 11 Communication port 12 Display unit 13 Communication control unit 14 Header extraction unit 15 Correspondence storage unit 16 Risk determination unit 17 Display control unit 20 Communication device

Claims

1. a communication port for connecting to a communication path with a communication device; a display unit for displaying the state of the communication port; a communication control unit for controlling communication with the communication device; a header extraction unit for extracting predetermined header information of communication data; a correspondence relationship storage unit for storing a correspondence relationship between a risk level preset as a level indicating the likelihood of a failure occurring due to separation of the communication path from the communication port, and the header information; a risk determination unit for determining the current risk level of the communication port based on the header information extracted by the header extraction unit and the correspondence relationship; a display control unit for causing the display unit to display the determination result of the risk determination unit; An information processing apparatus comprising the above.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the header information corresponds to preset holding information, the risk determination unit restricts the range in which the risk level can be taken until the header information corresponds to preset release information.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the risk determination unit determines the risk level for the new communication data in consideration of the immediately preceding risk level or the header information that was the reason for the determination.

4. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the risk determination unit determines the risk level by dividing it into ranks of 3 or more.

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