Monitoring device for monitoring communication state of power apparatus and power apparatus having same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a power apparatus having a communication state monitoring device. The power apparatus comprises: a communication port connected to a network connection device; a control unit for receiving and processing reception data received via the communication port to output, to the communication port, transmission data to be transmitted to a destination apparatus and for performing an operation according to a program logic for performing a function of the power apparatus; and a communication state monitoring module disposed between the communication port and the control unit and for outputting reception data received from the communication port to the control unit, outputting transmission data received from the control unit to the communication port, classifying the transmission data or the reception data input from the communication port and the control unit into predetermined different categories according to a header, and storing a statistical analysis result performed for each category.

Description

A monitoring device for monitoring the communication status of a power device and a power device having the device

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication status monitoring device that collects transmission and reception data from a power device and provides information obtained by monitoring and analyzing the transmission and reception data, and to a power device having the communication status monitoring device.

[0002] Current power devices can transmit and receive high-speed data using Ethernet communication. Ethernet communication is a widely used communication technology today, offering high bandwidth, low latency, and cost-effectiveness. Consequently, it is used in a variety of power devices, such as relays, RTUs, gateways, HMIs, and PLCs, and its adoption is on the rise.

[0003] However, in the case of this Ethernet communication method, each device connected to the network has a unique 48-bit MAC address and can use this address to exchange data with each other. In addition, BNC cables (coaxial cables), UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable), and STP (Shielded Twisted-Pair Cable) cables are used as transmission media, and devices such as hubs, network switches, and repeaters (hereinafter referred to as network connection devices) are used to interconnect each device.

[0004] Meanwhile, when transmitting data, this Ethernet creates a data packet that contains not only the information to be transmitted, i.e., the content, but also the MAC addresses of the source and destination devices (destination), and transmits it through the transmission medium (cable) and network connection device. If the destination device is not connected to the same network, the packet is routed through a router until it reaches the destination device. In addition, when receiving data, when a device receives a data packet, it checks whether the MAC address matches its own MAC address. If the MAC addresses do not match, the data packet is rejected. If the MAC addresses do match, the data packet is accepted and the data is retrieved. This is how data reception is performed.

[0005] Meanwhile, Ethernet communication can experience communication interruptions and errors due to failures. These communication failures can be attributed to issues with the source device, the destination device, or the network connection devices, such as cables or switches. Therefore, to determine the cause of a communication failure, the source device, the destination device, and the presence of any cable or network connection device must be individually checked.

[0006] Meanwhile, when the above communication failure occurs, there are typical methods such as using a network monitoring tool or a sniffer tool. First, in the case of a network monitoring tool, traffic volume, delay time, error rate, packet loss, etc. can be checked. However, this method is a communication monitoring method in a monitoring system in the upper network, not the communication status of the power device itself. Therefore, although it can detect problems with the cable or the network connection device, it has the problem of not being able to detect the communication status of the source device or destination device, i.e. the power device itself.

[0007] Another method, using a sniffer tool, involves sniffing packets transmitted over an Ethernet network to examine detailed information about Ethernet communications, such as packet headers, packet data, and packet attributes. This method offers the advantage of allowing real-time inspection of packets being transmitted or received, allowing for direct inspection of packets. However, it requires a large amount of data to be manually separated, analyzed, and reviewed, requiring a high level of debugging skills. Furthermore, packet data can be leaked, making it vulnerable to security vulnerabilities.

[0008] Accordingly, there is a need for a method to monitor and analyze the communication status of the power equipment itself more easily and quickly.

[0009] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a communication status monitoring device for a power device capable of monitoring the communication status of the power device itself and providing a result of analyzing the communication status, and a power device equipped with the communication status monitoring device.

[0010] In addition, the present invention aims to provide a communication status monitoring device for a power device that can provide statistically analyzed information on the communication status of a power device, and a power device having the communication status monitoring device, which can reduce the load of the control unit of the power device.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention to achieve the above or other purposes, a power device according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized by including a communication port connected to a network access device connected to a preset network, a control unit that receives reception data received through the communication port, processes it, and outputs transmission data to be transmitted to a destination device connected to the network to the communication port, and performs an operation according to a preset program logic for performing a function of the power device, and a communication status monitoring module that is disposed between the communication port and the control unit, outputs reception data received from the communication port to the control unit, outputs transmission data received from the control unit to the communication port, classifies the transmission data or reception data input from the communication port and the control unit into different categories that are predetermined according to a header, performs statistical analysis for each category, and stores the results of the performed statistical analysis.

[0012] In one embodiment, the communication status monitoring module is characterized in that it determines, based on the header of the received data, whether the received data is data that does not require processing by the control unit, and outputs the received data to the control unit if the received data is data that requires processing by the control unit.

[0013] In one embodiment, the communication status monitoring module is characterized in that it determines whether the received data is data that does not require processing by the control unit based on the header of the received data, based on whether the received data is a type that can be processed as a response by transmitting preset response data corresponding to the received data as a response.

[0014] In one embodiment, the communication status monitoring module is characterized in that it classifies the transmission data or the reception data into different categories depending on whether the input data is transmission data or reception data, and the destination of the transmission data or the source of the reception data.

[0015] In one embodiment, the communication status monitoring module further collects communication error analysis results of the received data, and the communication error analysis results are characterized in that they are error analysis results based on CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check).

[0016] In one embodiment, the power device further includes a UI (User interface) input / output port to which a separate device for receiving a request for the statistical analysis result is connected, and the communication status monitoring module is directly connected to the UI input / output port and, in response to the statistical analysis result request received through the UI input / output port, directly outputs the statistical analysis results of at least some categories among the categories according to the request through the UI input / output port.

[0017] In one embodiment, the communication status monitoring module is characterized in that it groups data having continuity according to an assigned serial number among data received through the communication port, outputs the grouped data to the control unit, and when missing data is detected based on the serial number, it requests the source of the data having continuity to retransmit the missing data, and outputs the group of data including the data received through the requested retransmission to the control unit.

[0018] In one embodiment, the communication status monitoring module is characterized in that it resets the communication port when data destined for the power device, as well as data not destined for the power device, is not received through the communication port for a certain period of time.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention to achieve the above or other purposes, a communication status monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized by including a first input / output port connected to a communication port of a power device, a second input / output port connected to a communication port of a network access device connected to a preset network, a memory for storing statistical analysis results for transmission data of the power device received through the first input / output port and reception data of the power device received through the second input / output port, and a control unit disposed between the power device and the network access device, controlling the first input / output port to receive the transmission data and output the reception data to the power device, controlling the second input / output port to receive the reception data and output the transmission data to the network access device, classifying the transmission data or the reception data into different categories that are designated in advance according to a header, performing statistical analysis for each category, and storing the performed statistical analysis results in the memory.

[0020] In one embodiment, the control unit is characterized in that it classifies the transmission data or the reception data into different categories depending on whether the input data is transmission data or reception data, and the destination of the transmission data or the source of the reception data.

[0021] In one embodiment, the control unit further collects a communication error analysis result of the received data, and the communication error analysis result is characterized in that it is an error analysis result based on a CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check).

[0022] In one embodiment, the control unit groups data having continuity according to an assigned serial number among the received data, controls the first input / output port to output the grouped data to the power device, and when missing data is detected based on the serial number, requests a source of the data having continuity to retransmit the missing data, and outputs a group of data including data received through the requested retransmission to the power device.

[0023] The effects of the communication status monitoring device and the control method thereof according to the present invention are described as follows.

[0024] According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is attached to the inside of a power device and classifies data transmitted and received by the power device by type, and provides statistical information on the classified data and log information on each transmitted and received data, thereby providing information on actual transmitted and received data monitored by the power device and statistical analysis information on the transmitted and received data. Accordingly, a user can more easily and quickly determine the communication status of the power device based on the provided monitoring information and statistical analysis information.

[0025] Furthermore, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can classify data received from a power device by type and determine whether the received data requires processing by the control unit. Furthermore, if the received data does not require processing by the control unit, the processing can be performed on behalf of the control unit, thereby reducing the computational load on the control unit.

[0026] Furthermore, according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can classify data received from a power device by type, group packets having continuity, and store them. In addition, when the stored data requires processing by the control unit, the grouped data is provided to the control unit, thereby reducing the time required for the control unit to parse the packets, thereby increasing the speed at which the control unit processes the received data.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a power device in which a communication status monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in a module form.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation process of a communication status monitoring module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram showing an example of a UI screen in which a communication status monitoring module according to an embodiment of the present invention provides monitoring and analysis information according to a user's request.

[0030] FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram illustrating an operation process in which a communication status monitoring module according to an embodiment of the present invention processes received data differently depending on the type of data received.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of a communication status monitoring module according to an embodiment of the present invention, classifying received data by type, grouping packets having continuity, and providing them to a control unit.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment in which a communication status monitoring device according to the present invention is installed outside a power device.

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, and identical or similar components will be given identical or similar drawing reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. The suffixes "module" and "part" used for components in the following description are given or used interchangeably only for the convenience of writing the specification, and do not in themselves have distinct meanings or roles. In addition, when describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that a specific description of a related known technology may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the attached drawings are only intended to facilitate easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical ideas disclosed in this specification are not limited by the attached drawings, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0034] Meanwhile, a communication status monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention may be installed within a power device, in the form of a component that constitutes the power device and is connected to the control unit of the power device. Hereinafter, when a communication status monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed within a power device, the communication status monitoring device will be referred to as a communication status monitoring module.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a power device in which a communication status monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in a module form.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 1, a communication status monitoring device in a module form according to an embodiment of the present invention, i.e., a communication status monitoring module (100), may be placed between a control unit (110) and an external communication port (150) inside a power device (10). In addition, it may be connected to a memory (130) of the power device (10). In addition, it may be connected to a UI input / output port (120) that is connected to the power device (10) and inputs or outputs information related to the power device (10).

[0037] Here, the UI input / output port (120) may be a serial port such as a USB port that can be connected to another device, such as a laptop or PDA, that can output information provided from the power device (10) or input information into the power device (10). In addition, the external communication port (150) may be a communication port for transmitting and receiving data through a preset communication network, i.e., an Ethernet communication network, and may be a communication port that is connected to a network connection device, such as a hub, repeater, or network switch, via a communication cable, to which the power device (10) is connected.

[0038] In addition, the memory (130) may be a memory that stores various data related to the operation and function of the power device (10). The memory (130) may store information related to the operating state of the power device (10) that is driven under the control of the control unit (110).

[0039] In addition, the memory (130) is connected to the communication status monitoring module (100) and can store information provided from the communication status monitoring module (100) under the control of the communication status monitoring module (100).

[0040] For example, the memory (130) can store transmission and reception data classified by group by the communication status monitoring module (100), or can store data including the results of statistical analysis of the transmission and reception data.

[0041] The memory (130) can store data stored under the control of the control unit (110) in a different area from the area where data is stored under the control of the communication status monitoring module (100). That is, an area on the memory (130) where data is stored under the control of the control unit (110) and an area on the memory (130) where data is stored under the control of the communication status monitoring module (100) can be distinguished from each other. In this case, the memory (130) can allocate a part of the area where data is stored by the communication status monitoring module (100) as a dedicated area, thereby distinguishing it from an area where other data is stored.

[0042] In this case, the memory (130) can be divided into a memory in which data is stored under the control of the control unit (110) and a memory in which data is stored under the control of the communication status monitoring module (100). That is, a separate memory in which data is stored under the control of the communication status monitoring module (100) may be provided.

[0043] Meanwhile, as described above, the communication status monitoring module (100) may be placed between the external communication port (150) and the control unit (110). Accordingly, data received by the power device (10) through the external communication port (150) may be provided to the control unit (110) through the communication status monitoring module (100). In addition, the communication status monitoring module (100) may be configured as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0044] Here, the communication status monitoring module (100) can classify the received data by type. Here, the 'type of data' is arbitrarily determined by the user, and may be determined based on the header of the received data, i.e., packets.

[0045] For example, data received through the external communication port (150) may be categorized into categories according to their respective headers. In this case, at least one header may be designated as a category. That is, the communication status monitoring module (100) may check the headers of the received data, i.e., packets, and classify and store the received data into different categories according to at least one header corresponding to each category pre-designated by the user. To this end, the communication status monitoring module (100) may store information on headers that have been pre-grouped into different categories by the user.

[0046] Meanwhile, some of the above categories may be categories of data that do not require processing by the control unit (110). For example, in the case of received data such as an ACK (Acknowledge) request or a PING (Packet Internet Groper) request, although a response is required, the received data may be a simple response signal and do not require processing by the control unit (110) for the response. In addition, the categories into which such received data are classified may be grouped into category groups that do not require processing by the control unit (110).

[0047] Accordingly, the communication status monitoring module (100) detects received data that does not require processing by the control unit (110) through classification by type according to the header of the received data, and the communication status monitoring module (100) can process the detected received data, i.e., the received data that does not require processing by the control unit (110), on behalf of the control unit (100). Accordingly, the communication status monitoring module (100) can provide the received data to the control unit (110) only when the received data corresponding to a category group requiring processing by the control unit (110) is received.

[0048] Accordingly, in the case of received data that does not require processing by the control unit (110), such as the simple response processing, or for which simple response processing is possible, the communication status monitoring module (100) can process the data instead without processing by the control unit (110), so that the interrupt of the control unit (110) for processing the received data can be reduced. Therefore, the computational load of the control unit (110) can be reduced, and the computational efficiency of the control unit (110) can be increased.

[0049] Meanwhile, as described above, since the communication status monitoring module (100) is placed between the control unit (110) and the external communication port (150), not only the received data but also the transmitted data processed by the control unit (110) for transmission to the outside can be provided to the external communication port (150) via the communication status monitoring module (100). Accordingly, the communication status monitoring module (100) can also classify the type of the transmitted data into a category specified according to the header.

[0050] Here, data classified by type in the communication status monitoring module (100), i.e., transmitted data and received data, can be stored in the memory (130). Furthermore, the communication status monitoring module (100) can analyze the classified data by category. For example, the analysis may be based on statistical methods.

[0051] The above communication status monitoring module (100) can count the number of transmitted or received data by classified category. In this case, each category can be classified according to the destination device or source device of the data. Accordingly, the communication status monitoring module (100) can store transmitted or received data by classifying them by each source or destination, and can count the number of transmitted or received data by source or destination through statistical analysis. Accordingly, when at least one other device is connected to the power device (10) for communication, the number of DI (Digital Input) or DO (Digital Output) of each connected device can be counted.

[0052] In addition, the communication status monitoring module (100) can collect the results of communication error analysis of data received through the external communication port (150). Here, the communication error analysis is performed at the MAC communication level, which is level 2 among the 7 layers of the OSI (Open System Interconnection), i.e., the data link level, in the external communication port (150), and may be an error analysis result based on a CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check). In addition, the communication status monitoring module (100) can collect the count information of the error analysis result as monitoring information that analyzes the communication status of the power device (10).

[0053] Meanwhile, the communication status monitoring module (100) may have a reset function of the external communication port (150). For example, if the external communication port (150) is normally connected to an Ethernet network, packet data must be received even if the power device (10) is not the destination for a certain period of time (e.g., 20 seconds). Accordingly, the communication status monitoring module (100) may reset and initialize the external communication port (150) if no packet data is received through the external communication port (150) for the certain period of time, regardless of whether the power device (10) is the destination device.

[0054] Meanwhile, the control unit (110) can generally control the overall operation and function of the power device (10). The control unit (110) can be driven according to a preset program logic for the preset operation and function of the power device (10), and can control the operation of at least one component connected to the control unit (110) according to the program logic.

[0055] Here, the control unit (110) can transmit and receive data to and from the external communication port (150) through the communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, data received from the external communication port (150) can be provided to the control unit (110) via the communication status monitoring module (100). In addition, the control unit (110) can transmit data to a destination device by transmitting data to be transmitted to the external communication port (150) through the communication status monitoring module (100).

[0056] Accordingly, the control unit (110) can receive only the data that requires processing by the control unit (110) among the received data, so that the occurrence of interrupts according to the received data can be reduced. Accordingly, by reducing the amount of received data to be processed, the computational load of the control unit (110) can be reduced, and the computational speed can be increased.

[0057] Meanwhile, as described above, the control unit (110) may be a control unit of a conventional power device (10) in which the program logic to be driven is implemented in advance. That is, the communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a configuration additionally disposed between the control unit (110) of the conventional power device (10) and the external communication port (150). As an example, the communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be disposed in a conventional power device by only changing the bus structure connecting the control unit (110) and the external communication port (150) without changing the control unit (110) of the conventional power device (10).

[0058] Meanwhile, as described above, not only the received data but also the transmitted data is received by the control unit (110) through the communication status monitoring module (100) or output through the external communication port (150), so statistical information such as count information of the received data and transmitted data can be collected by the communication status monitoring module (100).

[0059] Furthermore, as described above, the communication status monitoring module (100) according to the embodiment of the present invention can classify transmitted and received data by type based on the header. Accordingly, data packets with continuity can be classified into the same category. The communication status monitoring module (100) can then group data packets classified into the same category by aligning them with packets that have continuity.

[0060] And the communication status monitoring module (100) can provide the sorted and grouped data to the control unit (110). Therefore, the control unit (110) of the power device (10) equipped with the communication status monitoring module (100) according to the embodiment of the present invention can receive the sorted and grouped packet data in order when receiving the packet data. Therefore, the control unit (110) can perform parsing on the sorted and grouped packet data.

[0061] Here, the control unit (110) may be a control unit of a conventional power device (10), as described above. Accordingly, when packet data is received from an external communication port (150), it may have a function of sorting the packet data in order and parsing the sorted packet data.

[0062] However, if the above communication status monitoring module (100) is not present, the control unit (110) may receive packet data that are continuous with each other, i.e., packet data that have a preset order according to serial number, in a mixed state. Then, the control unit (110) performs parsing while the packet data are mixed, which may delay the processing speed.

[0063] On the other hand, if sequentially sorted packet data are received through the communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (110) only needs to sequentially parse the provided packet data, so the computational load according to the parsing can be reduced and the processing speed can be made faster.

[0064] Hereinafter, examples of control methods that can be implemented in a communication status monitoring module (100) configured as described above will be described with reference to the attached drawings. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation process of a communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 2, when data (transmission data: input from the control unit (110) or the external communication port (150)) is input into the communication status monitoring module (100), the communication status monitoring module (100) can detect the header of the input data (S200). Then, the type of the currently input data can be determined based on the detected header (S202).

[0067] Here, the type of data may refer to a category determined based on the detected header. As described above, at least one different header may be designated for each category, and thus, transmitted and received data having a header corresponding to a specific category may be classified as data corresponding to the specific category.

[0068] Here, the above categories can be determined in various ways. For example, they can be determined based on the function or application associated with the data. For example, data related to a specific function or application can be classified as a single category of data. Alternatively, the type of data, or category, can be classified based on the content contained in the data. Alternatively, a source device or a destination device can be a single category. In this case, data received from a specific source device can be classified into a single category, or data transmitted to a specific destination device can be classified into a single category.

[0069] In step S202, if the type of data is classified through the header of the input data, the communication status monitoring module (100) can store the input data in the memory (130) according to the type of the classified data (S204). In this case, the stored data can be classified and stored according to each category. For example, the data can be classified and stored by each category in a form of being stored in different directories.

[0070] When the data entered in step S204 is stored and categorized by each category, the communication status monitoring module (100) can reflect the entered data and perform statistical analysis of the categories corresponding to the entered data (S206). For example, the communication status monitoring module (100) can count the number of data included in a specific category to which the entered data has been added. Accordingly, when data is entered, the statistical analysis results of the categories corresponding to the entered data can be updated.

[0071] That is, when data is received from a specific device, the number of data in the first category corresponding to the received data with the specific device as a source may increase, and thus the count value (statistical analysis result) of the number of data in the first category may increase. In addition, when data to be transmitted to a specific device is input, the number of data in the second category corresponding to the transmitted data with the specific device as a destination may increase, and thus the count value (statistical analysis result) of the number of data in the second category may increase.

[0072] Meanwhile, when data is stored according to the type classification and the classified type according to the header, and statistical analysis of the data according to the classified type is completed, the communication status monitoring module (100) can store the statistical analysis result and store the input data, that is, the time the data was entered, that is, the time of transmission and reception of the data, log information including the data (S208). Then, when the statistical analysis result and the log information are stored, the input data can be transmitted or received (S210). Here, the communication status monitoring module (100) can transmit and process the transmission data input from the control unit (110) by outputting the transmission data to the external communication port (150), and can receive and process the reception data input from the external communication port (150) by outputting the reception data to the control unit (110).

[0073] Meanwhile, when the transmission processing of the input transmission data or the reception processing of the input reception data is completed in step S210, the communication status monitoring module (100) can check whether there is a request for communication status monitoring information from the user (S212). In this case, the request for the communication status monitoring information can be received through the UI input / output port (120) provided in the power device (10).

[0074] Meanwhile, the communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention can be directly connected to the UI input / output port (120) as shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, a request for the communication status monitoring information transmitted through the UI input / output port (120) can be directly received by the communication status monitoring module (100). Then, the communication status monitoring module (100) can provide information on the communication status of the power device (10) monitored up to the present according to the received user request.

[0075] Here, the information on the communication status of the power device (10) may be data and information stored in the memory (130) by the communication status monitoring module (100). That is, when there is a request for communication status monitoring information in step S212, the communication status monitoring module (100) may, in response thereto, provide data that has been input from the control unit (110) or the external communication port (150) up to now and stored in different categories according to the type according to the header.

[0076] Alternatively, the communication status monitoring module (100) may provide statistical information analyzed by each category, for example, information counting the number of data, in response to a request for the communication status monitoring information. To this end, when a request for the communication status monitoring information is received, the communication status monitoring module (100) may detect data by type, i.e., by category, according to the request from the memory (130) (S214), and output at least some of the detected data and statistically analyzed data by category through the UI input / output port (S216).

[0077] FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram showing an example of a UI screen in which a communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention provides monitoring and analysis information according to a user's request.

[0078] The UI screen illustrated in the above-described FIG. 3 may be displayed through a separate input / output device (hereinafter referred to as a request device), for example, a mobile terminal such as a laptop or PDA, connected to the UI input / output port (120) of the power device (10) illustrated in the above-described FIG. 1. In this case, the request device outputs a UI screen including items from which a user can select desired data, and the user can monitor and analyze the communication status of the power device (10) from the UI screen and provide information.

[0079] Referring to the above-mentioned FIG. 3, a user can select item 1 through the UI screen to request DNP (Distributed Network Protocol) Mode information, i.e., information related to data received according to the DNP protocol. In this case, the user can receive received data classified by category, including statistical information on the received data received through the external communication port (150). Here, the statistical information may include log information on the received data.

[0080] Additionally, the user can select item 2 to request MPU (Main Processing Unit) Mode information, i.e., information regarding data input from the control unit (110) and transmitted to the external communication port (150). In this case, transmission data classified by category, including statistical information on the transmission data, can be provided. Here, the statistical information may include log information on the transmission data.

[0081] Additionally, the user can select item 4 or item 5 to request initialization information or history information of an FPD (Field Processing Device) for monitoring and controlling field equipment or an IAPD (Intelligent Analog Processing Device) for measuring values ​​of field equipment to generate multi-power data or transmitting analog input measurement value data to the control unit (110).

[0082] Alternatively, you can select item 6 to request information about the CRC-based error rate of the received data, or select item 7 or 8 to request log information about devices that have encountered errors or log information about events that have occurred.

[0083] Additionally, the user may select item 9 to request information about the SIO (Serial Input Output Communication) terminal, i.e., the external communication port (150). In this case, the information about the external communication port (150) may include assigned MAC address information or initialization information of the external communication port (150). Alternatively, the user may select item 9 to request a reset of the external communication port (150). In addition, when item 12 is selected, the communication status monitoring module (100) may determine that the user's request has been terminated.

[0084] Meanwhile, if there is no request for communication status monitoring information as a result of the check in step S212, or if the user's request is terminated and the data and statistical analysis results stored for each category are output through the UI input / output port in step S216, the communication status monitoring module (100) can proceed to step S200 again to receive data transmitted or received from the control unit (110) or the external communication port (150). Then, the following steps can be performed again.

[0085] Meanwhile, according to the above-described explanation, the communication status monitoring module (100) according to the embodiment of the present invention can reduce the computational load of the control unit (110) by distinguishing whether the data received from the external communication port (150) is data requiring processing by the control unit (110) based on the type of data received, and providing the received data to the control unit (110) based on the result of the distinction.

[0086] FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram illustrating an operation process in which a communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention processes received data differently depending on the type of data received.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 4, the communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention can check whether the currently received data is data that requires processing by the control unit (110) based on a category classified according to the header of the received data when step S210 of FIG. 2 starts in a state where data is input from the external communication port (150) (S400).

[0088] The above communication status monitoring module (100) can distinguish between categories that require processing by the control unit and categories that do not, based on preset data categories. For example, in the case of received data requesting an ACK response or received data according to the PING protocol, this is data that requires a response to the received data, but may be data that can be processed by transmitting preset response data corresponding to the received data as simple response data. In this way, in the case of received data that can be processed by response processing (simple response processing) by simply transmitting preset response data corresponding to the received data, this may be data that does not require processing by the control unit (110).

[0089] Accordingly, the communication status monitoring module (100) can group at least one category including headers of the received data capable of simple response processing into a group that does not require processing by the control unit (110). And, as a result of detecting the header of the received data and classifying the received data into a specific category according to the detected header, if the specific category is a group that does not require processing by the control unit (110), the communication status monitoring module (100) can determine in step S400 that the currently received data is data that does not require processing by the control unit (110).

[0090] Conversely, if the specific category is not a group that does not require processing by the control unit (110), the communication status monitoring module (100) can determine that the currently received data in step S400 is data that requires processing by the control unit (110).

[0091] If the judgment result of the above step S400 is that the currently received data is not data that does not require processing by the control unit (110), the communication status monitoring module (100) can provide the currently received data to the control unit (110) (S406). Accordingly, the control unit (110) can receive and process the data received from the external communication port (150) from the communication status monitoring module (100).

[0092] On the other hand, if the judgment result of step S400 indicates that the currently received data does not require processing by the control unit (110), the communication status monitoring module (100) can check whether the currently received data is data requiring a response (S402). In this case, whether the data requires a response can be determined based on the category included in the data.

[0093] If the result of the check in step S402 above is that the type of data currently received is data that does not require a response, the communication status monitoring module (100) can terminate the operation process of FIG. 4 without processing a response. Then, the communication status monitoring module (100) can proceed to step S212 of FIG. 2 above and, depending on whether there is a request for communication status monitoring information, proceed to a lower step to provide communication status monitoring information according to the request, or proceed to step S200 to detect the header of data input from the control unit (110) or the external communication port (150).

[0094] On the other hand, if the check result of the above step S402 indicates that the type of data currently received is data that requires a response, for example, received data requesting the ACK response or received data according to the PING protocol, the communication status monitoring module (100) can transmit a response corresponding to the received data instead of the control unit (110).

[0095] That is, response processing can be performed by transmitting ACK response data to the source device of the received data in response to the received data requesting the ACK response, or transmitting a PING response to the source device of the received data in response to the received data according to the PING protocol (S404).

[0096] Accordingly, in the case of the received data for which the simple response is possible, the response can be transmitted through the response processing of the communication status monitoring module (100) without the processing of the control unit (110). Accordingly, when the communication status monitoring module (100) is provided, the number of times the control unit (110) is interrupted by the received data can be reduced, and the computational load of the control unit (110) can be reduced.

[0097] And when the response processing is completed, the communication status monitoring module (100) can end the operation process of FIG. 4 and perform an operation according to the check result of step S212 of FIG. 2.

[0098] Meanwhile, according to the above-described description, it has been mentioned that the communication status monitoring module (100) according to the embodiment of the present invention can reduce the computational load required for the control unit (110) to parse the received data by grouping and sorting the received data having continuity and providing them.

[0099] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process in which a communication status monitoring module (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention classifies received data by type, groups data having continuity, such as packets, and provides the grouped data to a control unit (110).

[0100] Referring to FIG. 5, when step S406 of providing the data received in FIG. 4 to the control unit (110) is performed, the communication status monitoring module (100) can group the received data by data having continuity (S500).

[0101] Here, the data having the above continuity may be data transmitted from the same source and may have serial numbers that are linked to each other. Therefore, in step S500, data having serial numbers that are linked to each other may be grouped. Then, the communication status monitoring module (100) may sequentially sort the grouped data according to the serial numbers (S502).

[0102] The communication status monitoring module (100) can sequentially provide the sorted data to the control unit (110) according to the serial number (S504). Accordingly, when multiple data packets are received, the control unit (110) can sequentially receive the data packets sorted according to the serial number.

[0103] Meanwhile, as described above, the control unit (110) may be a control unit of a conventional power device (10). Accordingly, it may already have a function for sorting received data packets in order according to serial number. Accordingly, when data packets are received, the control unit (110) may perform sorting according to designated program logic and then parsing.

[0104] However, if the control unit (110) performs sorting again and data packets are provided that have already been sorted according to serial numbers as described above, the time it takes for the control unit (110) to search for data packets corresponding to the serial numbers can be shortened. Accordingly, the time required to sort data packets can be significantly shortened. Accordingly, the overall time required for the control unit (110) to parse the data packets can be shortened, and the computational load of the control unit (110) can also be reduced.

[0105] Meanwhile, as described above, since the communication status monitoring module (100) has a function of grouping and sorting data having continuity among the received data, the communication status monitoring module (100) can detect whether there is missing data according to the serial number. In addition, if there is missing data, it can request the source device of the grouped data to retransmit the missing data without processing by the control unit (110).

[0106] And when the missing data is received in response to the above retransmission request, a data group having a consecutive serial number including the received data may be provided to the control unit (110). Accordingly, the computational load for the control unit (110) for retransmission requests according to the missing data can be reduced.

[0107] Meanwhile, in the above description, an embodiment in which the communication status monitoring module (100) according to the present invention is installed inside the power device (10) has been described, but it is of course possible to install it outside the power device, between the power device and the network connection device. In this case, the communication status monitoring module (100) may be a separate device from the power device. Hereinafter, the communication status monitoring module (100) installed outside the power device in this way will be referred to as a communication status monitoring device.

[0108] FIG. 6 illustrates the configuration of a communication status monitoring device (20) according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is placed between a power device (650) and a network connection device as described above.

[0109] Referring to FIG. 6, a communication status monitoring device (20) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured to include a first input / output port (610) connected to a communication port (651) (external communication port (150) of FIG. 1) for transmitting and receiving data through a preset communication network in a power device (650), a second input / output port (620) connected to a communication port (661) of a network access device (hereinafter referred to as a switch) (660), a memory (630), and a control unit (600). Here, the control unit (600) may be configured as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0110] Here, the first input / output port (610) can receive data (transmission data) output from the power device (650). Then, the input transmission data can be input to the control unit (600). Then, the control unit (600) can classify the input transmission data by type.

[0111] Here, the control unit (600) can check the headers of the input transmission data and classify and store the transmission data into different categories according to at least one header corresponding to each category pre-designated by the user. To this end, the memory (630) of the communication status monitoring device (20) can store information on headers pre-grouped into different types of categories by the user.

[0112] Meanwhile, since the communication status monitoring device (20) is placed between the power device (650) and the switch (660), not only data transmitted from the power device (650) to another device, but also received data transmitted from another device to the power device (650) via the network can be input to the communication status monitoring device (20).

[0113] In this case, the second input / output port (620) is connected to the communication port (661) of the switch (660), and can receive data (received data) transmitted from another device connected to the power device (650) through the network to which the switch (660) is connected. Then, the control unit (600) can classify the inputted received data according to a category classified according to the detected header by detecting the header, similar to the above-described transmission data.

[0114] Then, the control unit (600) can store the classified data, i.e., the transmission data and the reception data, in the memory (630). Furthermore, the control unit (600) can analyze the classified data by category. Here, the analysis may be based on a statistical method.

[0115] For example, the control unit (600) can count the number of transmitted or received data by classified category. In this case, each category can be classified based on the destination device or source device.

[0116] Then, the control unit (600) can store the transmitted or received data by dividing them by each source or destination, and can count the number of transmitted or received data by each source or destination through statistical analysis. Accordingly, when at least one other device is connected to the power device (650) for communication, the number of DI (Digital Input) or DO (Digital Output) of each connected device can be counted.

[0117] Additionally, the control unit (600) can collect the results of communication error analysis of the received data. Here, the communication error analysis may be a CRC-based error analysis result. Furthermore, the control unit (600) can collect count information of the error analysis result as monitoring information analyzing the communication status of the power device (650).

[0118] Meanwhile, the communication status monitoring device (20) may perform the same function as the communication status monitoring module (100) described above. For example, the control unit (600) may have a function of grouping data having continuity according to the assigned serial number among the data received through the second input / output port (620) and sequentially outputting the grouped data to the power device (650).

[0119] In this case, the control unit (600) can detect missing data based on the serial number, and if missing data is detected, it can request the source of the data having the continuity to retransmit the missing data. In addition, if the missing data is re-received according to the request, the previously received data and the re-received data can be sorted according to the serial number and provided sequentially to the power device (650). In this case, the power device (650) can reduce the computational load due to parsing by continuously receiving data that is not missing according to the serial number.

[0120] In addition, although not shown, the above communication status monitoring device (20) may further include a UI input / output port for providing statistical analysis results of transmitted / received data classified by each category according to the header.

[0121] In this case, similar to what was described in the above-described FIG. 2, the user can connect a separate display device (e.g., a laptop, PDA, mobile terminal, etc.) to the communication status monitoring device (20) through the UI input / output port, so that a request for statistical analysis information according to the user's selected items can be input.

[0122] Then, in response to the input request, the control unit (600) can output statistical analysis results of at least some of the categories classified by category through the UI input / output port. Then, the statistical analysis results of the transmitted / received data corresponding to at least some of the categories can be displayed through the separate display device.

[0123] The present invention described above can be implemented as computer-readable code on a medium having a program recorded thereon. Computer-readable media include all types of recording devices that store data that can be read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state disks (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), ROMs, RAMs, CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, etc., and also include media implemented in the form of carrier waves (e.g., transmission via the Internet).

[0124] Additionally, the computer may include a control unit (600) of a communication status monitoring module (100) or a communication status monitoring device (20). Therefore, the detailed description above should not be construed as limiting in any respect and should be considered illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. In power equipment, A communication port connected to a network access device connected to a pre-established network; A control unit that receives incoming data through the communication port, processes it, and outputs transmission data to be transmitted to a destination device connected to a network through the communication port, and performs operations according to preset program logic for performing the function of the power device; and It is placed between the above communication port and the above control unit, Outputting the reception data received from the communication port to the control unit, and outputting the transmission data received from the control unit to the communication port, A power device characterized in that it includes a communication status monitoring module that classifies the transmission data or reception data input from the communication port and the control unit into different categories designated in advance according to a header, performs statistical analysis for each category, and stores the results of the performed statistical analysis.

2. In paragraph 1, the communication status monitoring module, A power device characterized in that, based on the header of the received data, it is determined whether the received data is data that does not require processing by the control unit, and if the received data is data that requires processing by the control unit, the received data is output to the control unit.

3. In the second paragraph, the communication status monitoring module, Based on the header of the above received data, it is determined whether the above received data is data that does not require processing by the control unit, Whether the data does not require processing by the above control unit, A power device characterized in that the above-mentioned received data is determined based on whether or not a type capable of response processing is available by transmitting preset response data.

4. In paragraph 1, the communication status monitoring module, A power device characterized in that the transmission data or the reception data is classified into different categories depending on whether the input data is transmission data or reception data, and the destination of the transmission data or the source of the reception data.

5. In paragraph 1, The above communication status monitoring module, Further collect the results of communication error analysis of the above received data, The above communication error analysis results are: A power device characterized by error analysis results based on CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check).

6. In paragraph 1, The above power device, It further includes a UI (User interface) input / output port to which a separate device is connected for receiving a request for the above statistical analysis results, The above communication status monitoring module, A power device characterized in that it is directly connected to the UI input / output port and, in response to a request received through the UI input / output port, directly outputs at least some statistical analysis results according to the request among the categories through the UI input / output port.

7. In paragraph 1, the communication status monitoring module, Grouping the received data having continuity among the received data according to the serial number assigned to each received data, and outputting the grouped received data to the control unit. A power device characterized in that, when missing data is detected based on the above serial number, a retransmission of the missing data is requested from the source of the received data having the above continuity, and a group of the received data including the data received through the requested retransmission is output to the control unit.

8. In paragraph 1, the communication status monitoring module, A power device characterized in that the communication port is reset when data destined for the power device, as well as data not destined for the power device, is not received through the communication port for a certain period of time.

9. A first input / output port connected to the communication port of the power device; A second input / output port connected to a communication port of a network access device connected to a pre-established network; A memory that stores statistical analysis results for transmission data of the power device received through the first input / output port and reception data of the power device received through the second input / output port; and It is placed between the above power device and the above network connection device, Control the first input / output port to receive the transmission data and output the reception data to the power device, Control the second input / output port to receive the received data and output the transmitted data to the network connection device, A communication status monitoring device characterized by including a control unit that classifies the transmission data or the reception data into a pre-designated category according to a header, performs statistical analysis for each category, and stores the performed statistical analysis results in the memory.

10. In paragraph 9, the control unit, A communication status monitoring device characterized in that the transmission data or the reception data is classified into different categories depending on whether the input data is transmission data or reception data, and the destination of the transmission data or the source of the reception data.

11. In paragraph 9, The above control unit further collects the results of communication error analysis of the received data, The above communication error analysis results are: A communication status monitoring device characterized by error analysis results based on CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check).

12. In paragraph 9, the control unit, Control the first input / output port to group the received data having continuity according to the serial number assigned to each received data and output the grouped received data to the power device. A communication status monitoring device characterized in that, when missing data is detected based on the above serial number, a retransmission of the missing data is requested from a source of the received data having the above continuity, and a group of the received data including the data received through the requested retransmission is output to the power device.

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