Information processing device

Abstract

To provide an information processing device that can be miniaturized by sharing maintenance hardware between control boards.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes a plurality of control boards with processors and memories mounted thereon, in a housing, and functions by processing of the processors mounted on the control boards. The information processing device includes: maintenance hardware to be used during maintenance of the information processing device; and a switching unit which selectively connects an input / output port of any one of the control boards to the maintenance hardware.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD An embodiment of the present invention relates to an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an information processing device such as a personal computer that houses two motherboards in one housing and allows the motherboards to be switched for use (for example, Patent Document 1). There is also known a device that has multiple motherboards to distribute the processing that realizes the functions of a single information processing device.

[0003] Meanwhile, maintenance of information processing devices such as servers is performed by service personnel on a regular or irregular basis. Maintenance hardware for the information processing device is used for the maintenance. Examples of maintenance hardware include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector for connecting external devices, a reset switch for resetting the processor, and a status LED (Light Emitting Diode) that indicates an abnormal state of the hardware.

[0004] In the conventional information processing apparatuses having a plurality of motherboards, the maintenance hardware is mounted on each motherboard, which causes a problem of the apparatus becoming large in size. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an information processing device that can be made smaller by sharing maintenance hardware between control boards. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The information processing device of the embodiment is an information processing device that has multiple control boards, each equipped with a processor and memory, within a housing, and functions through the processing of each processor mounted on the multiple control boards.The information processing device is also equipped with maintenance hardware that is used when maintaining the device itself, and a switching unit that selectively connects the input / output port of any of the multiple control boards to the maintenance hardware. The maintenance hardware also has a connector to which an external device can be connected and a dump switch for instructing a memory dump, and when operation of the dump switch is received, a memory dump of the memory mounted on the control board connected by the switching unit is output to the external device connected to the connector. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a POS system including a server device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main electrical configuration of the server device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the outer surface of the housing of the server device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining switching between input / output ports of a control board of a server device and maintenance hardware according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the switching process by the server device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An information processing device according to an embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. For example, in the embodiments described below, an example will be described in which the information processing device is applied to a server device used in a store's POS (Point of Sales) system, but the present invention is not limited to this. The information processing device can be widely applied to devices that include a processor and process data, such as POS terminals, personal computers, and various server devices.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a POS system 1. The POS system 1 is applied to a store that sells products or services (hereinafter collectively referred to as "products"). The POS system 1 includes a server device 2 and a plurality of POS terminals 3. The server device 2 and the POS terminals 3 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0010] The server device 2 executes processes for managing various store information. For example, the server device 2 receives from each POS terminal 3 product information and payment information for products paid for in the checkout process. The server device 2 also receives from each POS terminal 3 settlement information that settles sales for a predetermined period (for example, one day). The server device 2 centrally manages the product information, payment information, settlement information, etc. received from each POS terminal 3, and performs sales management for a single store.

[0011] The server device 2 also receives a product code from each POS terminal 3, and transmits product information (product name, price, etc.) corresponding to the product code to the POS terminal 3 that transmitted the product code. The server device 2 is an example of an information processing device.

[0012] One or more POS terminals 3 are placed in a store. When an operator (e.g., a store clerk) operates the POS terminal 3, the POS terminal 3 registers the products to be sold. The POS terminal 3 performs transaction processing based on the registered product information, and transmits product information and payment information for the products paid for in the transaction processing to the server device 2.

[0013] Next, a detailed description will be given of the server device 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the main electrical configuration of the server device 2. The server device 2 includes a first motherboard 20, a second motherboard 30, a base board 40, and a front board 50.

[0014] The first motherboard 20 is equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a memory 202, an interface unit 203, etc. The CPU 201 controls the server device 2. The memory 202 stores various programs and various data. The interface unit 203 is an interface for communicating with the POS terminal 3, etc. The first motherboard 20 is equipped with other electronic components necessary for executing the processing of the server device 2.

[0015] In the first motherboard 20, the CPU 201 operates in accordance with a control program stored in the memory 202 to execute some of the various control processes performed by the server device 2. The CPU 201 is an example of a processor, and the first motherboard 20 is an example of a control board.

[0016] The second motherboard 30 has the same configuration as the first motherboard 20. That is, the second motherboard 30 is equipped with a CPU 301, a memory 302, an interface unit 303, etc. The CPU 301 controls the server device 2. The memory 302 stores various programs and various data. The interface unit 303 is an interface for communicating with the POS terminal 3, etc. The second motherboard 30 is equipped with other electronic components necessary for executing the processing of the server device 2.

[0017] In the second motherboard 30, the CPU 301 operates in accordance with a control program stored in the memory 302 to execute some of the various control processes performed by the server device 2. The control processes executed by the CPU 301 of the second motherboard 30 are different from the control processes executed by the CPU 201 of the first motherboard 20. The functions of the server device 2 are realized by the CPU 201 and the CPU 301 executing the control processes. In other words, the various control processes executed by the server device 2 are distributed and executed by the CPU 201 of the first motherboard 20 and the CPU 301 of the second motherboard 30. The CPU 301 is an example of a processor, and the second motherboard 30 is an example of a control board.

[0018] The base substrate 40 is electrically and physically connected to the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30. For example, the base substrate 40 supports the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30 while being electrically connected to the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30.

[0019] The base substrate 40 also has a switching unit 401 and a power supply circuit unit 402 mounted thereon. The switching unit 401 connects an input / output port of any one of the multiple control substrates to maintenance hardware 502 mounted on the front substrate 50. Specifically, the switching unit 401 selectively connects an input / output port of the first motherboard 20 or an input / output port of the second motherboard 30 to the maintenance hardware 502 in response to operation of a slide switch 501 mounted on the front substrate 50.

[0020] Here, the input / output ports of the first motherboard 20 refer to ports that input control signals from the maintenance hardware 502 mounted on the front board 50 to the CPU 201, and / or ports that output control signals from the CPU 201 to the maintenance hardware 502. The first motherboard 20 has a plurality of input / output ports provided corresponding to each of the maintenance hardware 502. The input / output ports of the second motherboard 30 have the same configuration as the input / output ports of the first motherboard 20, and therefore a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0021] The switching by the switching unit 401 may be realized by software processing or by hardware.

[0022] The power supply circuit unit 402 generates supply power by appropriately converting the voltage of the commercial power supply, and supplies the generated power to each of the first motherboard 20, the second motherboard 30, the front board 50, and the base board 40.

[0023] The front board 50 is provided in a position facing the outer surface 26 (see FIG. 3) inside the housing of the server device 2. The front board 50 has a slide switch 501 and maintenance hardware 502 mounted thereon.

[0024] The slide switch 501 has a slidable operator exposed on the outer surface 26 of the housing. The slide switch 501 is a switch that selects one of two contacts with the operator. A first signal or a second signal is input to the switching unit 401 of the base substrate 40 depending on the selected contact.

[0025] When one contact is selected, a first signal is input to the switching unit 401 of the base substrate 40. When the first signal is input, the switching unit 401 connects the maintenance hardware 502 to the input / output port of the first motherboard. When the other contact is selected, a second signal is input to the switching unit 401 of the base substrate 40. When the second signal is input, the switching unit 401 connects the maintenance hardware 502 to the input / output port of the second motherboard.

[0026] The maintenance hardware 502 is, for example, an electronic component that is operated when a serviceman performs maintenance on the server device 2. In this embodiment, the maintenance hardware 502 includes a reset switch 5021, a USB connector 5022, a dump switch 5023, a dip switch 5024, and a status LED 5025 mounted on the front board 50.

[0027] The reset switch 5021 is operated, for example, when the server device 2 freezes during maintenance. When the reset switch 5021 is operated, the CPU 201 on the first motherboard 20 or the CPU 301 on the second motherboard 30 corresponding to the input port connected to the reset switch 5021 is reset.

[0028] In the following description, the connection of all or any of the maintenance hardware 502 to the input / output ports of the first motherboard 20 may be referred to as "the maintenance hardware 502 is connected to the first motherboard 20." Similarly, the connection of all or any of the maintenance hardware 502 to the input / output ports of the second motherboard 30 may be referred to as "the maintenance hardware 502 is connected to the second motherboard 30."

[0029] A USB connector of an external device is connected to the USB connector 5022. For example, the USB connector 5022 may be connected to a USB connector of a display or a storage device (neither of which is shown) that outputs data from the memory 202 or the memory 302 when an error occurs in the server device 2.

[0030] The dump switch 5023 is a switch that instructs a memory dump. For example, the dump switch 5023 is operated when data in the memory 202 or the memory 302 is to be output when an error occurs in the server device 2. Specifically, when the dump switch 5023 is operated while the dump switch 5023 is connected to the first motherboard 20 by the switching unit 401, the data in the memory 202 is output to an external device via the USB connector 5022.

[0031] The dip switch 5024 is a switch that instructs various settings of the electronic devices mounted on the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30. For example, the dip switch 5024 instructs initialization of the electronic devices mounted on the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30.

[0032] The status LED 5025 is made up of one or more LEDs. In this embodiment, the status LED 5025 is made up of three LEDs as shown in Fig. 3. The status LED 5025 emits light in accordance with instructions from the CPU 201 or CPU 301, and notifies the user of various information by its light emission pattern.

[0033] For example, the status LED 5025 emits light in one light emission pattern to notify the user of an abnormality in an electronic component mounted on the first motherboard 20 or the second motherboard 30. The status LED 5025 changes its light emission pattern by changing the color of the light emitted, the combination of lighting and blinking, or the blinking speed, and notifies the user of various information indicated by each light emission pattern.

[0034] Other electronic components are also mounted on the front substrate 50. For example, a first power LED 505 and a first access LED 506 (both see FIG. 3 ) are mounted on the front substrate 50 in correspondence with the first motherboard 20. The first power LED 505 and the first access LED 506 are constantly connected to the input / output ports of the first motherboard 20.

[0035] The first power LED 505 lights up when power is being supplied to the first motherboard 20. The first access LED 506 lights up when the CPU 201 accesses the memory 202 to read or write information (data).

[0036] In addition, the front substrate 50 is equipped with a second power LED 507 and a second access LED 508 (see FIG. 3) corresponding to the second motherboard 30. The second power LED 507 and the second access LED 508 are always connected to the input / output ports of the second motherboard 30.

[0037] The second power LED 507 lights up when power is being supplied to the second motherboard 30. The second access LED 508 lights up when the CPU 301 accesses the memory 302 to read or write information (data).

[0038] The first power LED 505, the first access LED 506, the second power LED 507, and the second access LED 508 need to constantly report information during normal operation of the server device 2. For this reason, the first power LED 505 and the first access LED 506 need to be constantly connected to the first motherboard 20, and the second power LED 507 and the second access LED 508 need to be constantly connected to the second motherboard 30.

[0039] In contrast, the maintenance hardware 502 may be connected to the first motherboard 20 or the second motherboard 30 as necessary when, for example, a serviceman performs maintenance on the server device 2. In this embodiment, focusing on this point, a switching unit 41 is provided so that the maintenance hardware 502 can be selectively connected to the first motherboard 20 or the second motherboard 30. As a result, the maintenance hardware 502 can be shared by both the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30.

[0040] 3 is a diagram showing the outer surface 26, for example the front surface, of the housing of the server device 2. A plurality of ventilation holes 261 are formed on the outer surface 26 of the housing. The ventilation holes 261 exhaust air from inside the housing and take in outside air, thereby preventing a rise in temperature inside the housing.

[0041] An electronic component mounting section 262 is provided below the plurality of ventilation holes 261. In the electronic component mounting section 262, various electronic components mounted on the front substrate 50 are provided in an exposed state.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic component placement section 262 is provided with, from the right end, a first power LED 505, a first access LED 506, a reset switch 5021, a USB connector 5022, a dump switch 5023, a status LED 5025, a slide switch 501, a dip switch 5024, a second power LED 507, and a second access LED 508.

[0043] The reset switch 5021, the USB connector 5022, the dump switch 5023, the dip switch 5024, and the status LED 5025 are examples of maintenance hardware 502 used during maintenance. Note that the USB connector 5022 can also be used during times other than maintenance.

[0044] Next, switching by the switching unit 41 will be described. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining switching of the connection between the input / output ports of the control boards (first motherboard 20, second motherboard 30) of the server device 2 and the maintenance hardware 502. Note that the switching of the connection between each maintenance hardware 502 and each input / output port of the control board is performed by the same operation, so here, only the switching of the connection between the reset switch 5021 and the control board will be described as a representative example.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 4, the first motherboard 20 includes a reset signal input port 21, a USB signal input / output port 22, a dump signal input port 23, a dip signal input port 24, and a status signal output port 25.

[0046] The reset signal input port 21 receives an input of a signal based on the operation of a reset switch 5021 on the front board 50. The USB signal input / output port 22 receives an input of a signal from a USB connector 5022 on the front board 50. The USB signal input / output port 22 also outputs a signal from the CPU 201 to the USB connector 5022 on the front board 50.

[0047] The dump signal input port 23 receives a signal based on the operation of the dump switch 5023 on the front board 50. The dip signal input port 24 receives a signal based on the operation of the dip switch 5024 on the front board 50. The status signal output port 25 outputs a signal from the CPU 201 to the status LED on the front board 50.

[0048] The second motherboard 30 has the same configuration as the first motherboard 20. That is, the second motherboard 30 has a reset signal input port 31, a USB signal input / output port 32, a dump signal input port 33, a dip signal input port 34, and a status signal output port 35. The functions of these input / output ports are the same as those of the input / output ports of the first motherboard 20, so a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0049] The base substrate 40 includes a switching unit 41. Fig. 4 conceptually illustrates the configuration of the switching unit 41. In the switching unit 41, a connector 413 is connected to a first contact 411 or a second contact 412 in response to a signal input based on the operation of a slide switch 501.

[0050] When a first signal is input from the slide switch 501, the switching unit 41 connects the connector 413 to the first contact 411. As a result, the maintenance hardware 502 is connected to the first motherboard 20. When a second signal is input from the slide switch 501, the switching unit 41 connects the connector 413 to the second contact 412. As a result, the maintenance hardware 502 is connected to the second motherboard 30.

[0051] The front substrate 50 includes a slide switch 501 and maintenance hardware 502. Note that only a reset switch 5021 is shown in Fig. 4, and the other maintenance hardware 502 is omitted.

[0052] In the slide switch 501, the connector 5013 is connected to the first contact 5011 or the second contact 5012. When the connector 5013 is connected to the first contact 5011 by a user's operation, the slide switch 501 outputs a first signal. When the connector 5013 is connected to the second contact 5012 by a user's operation, the slide switch 501 outputs a second signal.

[0053] 4, when a service person performs maintenance on the first motherboard 20, he operates the slide switch 501 to connect the connector 5013 to the first contact 5011. The slide switch 501 outputs a first signal to the switching unit 41.

[0054] When the first signal is input from the slide switch 501, the switching unit 41 connects the connector 413 to the first contact 411. As a result, the reset switch 5021 is connected to the reset signal input port 21 via the switching unit 41.

[0055] In this state, when a service person operates the reset switch 5021 to turn it on, a reset signal instructing the CPU 201 to reset itself is input to the CPU 201 via the reset signal input port 21 .

[0056] When the USB connector of an external device is connected to the USB connector 5022 while the connector 413 is connected to the first contact 411, information is input from the external device to the CPU 201 via the USB signal input / output port 22, or information is input from the CPU 201 to the external device. When the dump switch 5023 is operated while the connector 413 is connected to the first contact 411, a dump signal instructing the CPU 201 to dump a memory is input via the dump signal input port 23.

[0057] When the DIP switch 5024 is operated with the connector 413 connected to the first contact 411, a DIP signal indicating setting information is input to the CPU 201 via the DIP signal input port 24. When the connector 413 is connected to the first contact 411 and the CPU 201 outputs a status signal, the status signal is input to the status LED 5025 via the status signal output port 25.

[0058] When connector 5013 of slide switch 501 is connected to second contact 5012, slide switch 501 outputs a second signal to switching unit 41. When the second signal is input from slide switch 501, switching unit 41 connects connector 413 to second contact 412. As a result, reset switch 5021 is connected to reset signal input port 31 via switching unit 41.

[0059] When connector 413 is connected to second contact 412, the signal input / output between USB connector 5022, dump switch 5023, dip switch 5024, and status LED 5025 and CPU 301 is the same as the signal input / output between CPU 201 and connector 413 is connected to first contact 411.

[0060] 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of switching processing by the switching unit 41. When a first signal is input by operating the slide switch 501 (Y in step S1), the switching unit 41 connects each piece of maintenance hardware 502 to each input / output port of the first motherboard 20 (step S2). Specifically, the switching unit 41 connects the connector 413 to the first contact 411. Then, the switching unit 41 ends the switching processing.

[0061] Furthermore, when the first signal is not input (N in step S1), in other words, when the second signal is input, the switching unit 41 connects each piece of maintenance hardware 502 to each input / output port of the second motherboard 30 (step S3). Specifically, the switching unit 41 connects the connector 413 to the second contact 412. Then, the switching unit 41 ends the switching process.

[0062] By the above switching process, the maintenance hardware 502 can be connected to the first motherboard 20 or the second motherboard 30 based on the operation of the slide switch 501. Therefore, the maintenance hardware 502 can be shared by the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30.

[0063] As described above, the server device 2 of the embodiment is an information processing device (server device 2) that has multiple control boards (first motherboard 20, second motherboard 30) mounted with processors (CPUs 201, 301) and memories 202, 302 inside a housing, and functions through the processing of each processor mounted on the multiple control boards, and is equipped with maintenance hardware 502 that is used during maintenance of the device itself, and a switching unit 41 that selectively connects the input / output port of any of the multiple control boards to the maintenance hardware 502.

[0064] This allows the server device 2 to share the maintenance hardware 502 between the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30. Therefore, the server device 2 does not need to provide the maintenance hardware 502 for each of the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30. This allows the server device 2 to be made smaller.

[0065] In the server device 2 of the embodiment, the maintenance hardware 502 is an electronic component provided on the outer surface 26 of the housing.

[0066] As a result, the server device 2 can reduce the number of electronic components provided on the outer surface 26 of the housing by sharing the electronic components provided on the outer surface 26 of the housing between the first motherboard 20 and the second motherboard 30. This improves the appearance of the server device 2 and also improves the operability of the electronic components provided on the outer surface 26 of the housing.

[0067] Furthermore, in the server device 2 of the embodiment, the switching unit 41 switches the input / output port of the control board (motherboard) connected to the maintenance hardware 502 based on the operation of a slide switch 501 provided on the outer surface 26 of the housing.

[0068] This allows the service technician performing maintenance to easily perform the switching operation.

[0069] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments and their modifications can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions and their equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 2. Server device (information processing device) 20 First motherboard (control board) 30 Second motherboard (control board) 201 CPU (processor) 202 memory 301 CPU (processor) 302 memory 502 Maintenance Hardware [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0071] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3102175

Claims

1. An information processing device that includes a plurality of control boards, each equipped with a processor and a memory, in a housing, and functions by processing of each processor equipped on the plurality of control boards, maintenance hardware used during maintenance of the device itself; a switching unit that selectively connects an input / output port of any of the plurality of control boards to the maintenance hardware; Equipped with The maintenance hardware has a connector to which an external device can be connected and a dump switch to instruct a memory dump, and when operation of the dump switch is received, the information processing device outputs a memory dump of the memory mounted on the control board connected by the switching unit to the external device connected to the connector.

2. the maintenance hardware is an electronic component provided on the outer surface of the housing; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. the switching unit switches the input / output port of the control board connected to the maintenance hardware based on the operation of a slide switch provided on the outer surface of the housing.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1.

4. The maintenance hardware further includes one of a reset switch, a dip switch, and a status LED. The information processing device according to claim 3 .

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