JP4381990B2 - Communication line control system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication line control for improving the efficiency of the entire communication by distributing a request for communication to each communication means in a communication system in which a large number of communication is performed by a certain number of communication lines and communication means. About the system.

  The above-mentioned “communication system for sending a large number of communications by means of a certain number of communication lines and communication means” to which the present invention can be applied includes a communication system having a plurality of parallel communication lines, a client server system, and a plurality of facsimiles. There are communication systems equipped with communication devices such as systems, systems that transmit and receive data batchwise to media for high-speed transmission and reception of optical cables and the like.

  In a communication system that sends a large number of communications to a certain number of communication lines and communication means, communication requests are concentrated on a specific communication line or communication means, and the communication data once sent to the communication line or communication means is not easy. Often it is not sent to the other party.

Specific examples of communication systems in which such a phenomenon occurs include the following.
(A) In a communication system having a plurality of parallel communication lines (telephone lines, computer communication lines, etc.), this is the case when communication is concentrated on a specific communication line.
In this case, the line to be used cannot be used and communication cannot be performed.
(B) In a client server system in which a plurality of distributed servers are connected to one center server, and a large number of clients are connected to these distributed servers, a large number of clients send a communication request to the center server to a specific distributed server. This is the case.
In this case, the other distributed servers are in an idling state even though the distributed servers in which communication requests are concentrated are in a full operation state. When viewed from the client side, the communication request is not easily processed, and communication cannot be performed.
(C) In a communication system equipped with a plurality of facsimiles, this case corresponds to a case where transmission data concentrates on a specific facsimile and data cannot be transmitted easily even though other facsimiles can be transmitted.
As a method for avoiding a failure due to communication concentration as described in the above examples (a) to (c), it has been considered to assign a specific type of communication to each communication line or communication means.

  As an example of this conventional method, the above-described “conventional method in which a specific communication line or communication means is in charge of specific communication” will be described using a stock order communication system in a securities company.

  FIG. 8 shows a configuration of a communication system for stock order in which a specific communication line or communication means is in charge of specific communication.

  In this communication system for ordering stock, a plurality of lines L <b> 1 to L <b> 4 are connected to the exchange 50. Each line L1-L4 is provided with communication means T1-T4. Communication means T1-T4 is an apparatus which controls the communication protocol between the exchanges 50 via the lines L1-L4, and transmits / receives data.

  Dedicated order terminals TM1 to TM5 are connected to the communication means T1 to T4. As shown in FIG. 8, the dedicated order terminals TM1 to TM5 are order terminals that place specific types of orders, such as a terminal that makes a basket order, a terminal that makes a single order, and a terminal that makes a consignment order. The basket order is a stock ordering method in which a plurality of stocks are combined and ordered, and the single order is a stock ordering method in which a single stock is ordered. The consignment order is a stock ordering method in which a securities company orders a stock under the commission of a customer.

  According to this communication system for ordering stocks, it is possible to place stock orders on the exchange 50 by using the dedicated order terminals TM1 to TM5 depending on the type of stock order.

  However, in the above-mentioned “conventional method in which a specific communication line or communication means is responsible for a specific type of communication”, when a load is concentrated on a certain communication line, a communication line with a low other load cannot be used. Therefore, the overall communication efficiency was low.

  Further, in the above conventional method, when a certain communication line becomes incapable of communication, the type of communication in charge of the communication line cannot be transmitted / received. In this case, the reliability of reliably sending data to the communication partner was low.

  Also, in a communication system that takes more time to establish a protocol for transmission / reception than time to actually transmit / receive data, such as a communication system using a medium for high-speed transmission / reception such as an optical cable, Communication efficiency is higher when a plurality of pieces of communication data are transmitted and received at the same time.

  However, in the past, there has been no system that sends and receives received communication requests in groups according to the type of communication on a single high-speed line, and transmits and receives a fixed number of communication requests for each communication type. It was.

  Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is that communication inefficiency due to mutual interference of communication requests is avoided, communication can be performed using the entire communication line, and communication failure is backed up by another communication line. It is to provide a communication line control system that can be used.

The communication line control system according to claim 1 of the present application is:
A plurality of communication lines connected to one communication partner, communication means connected to each of the communication lines, load distribution control means connected to a plurality of the communication means, and one load distribution control means A communication line control system having a plurality of communication terminals connected to
The communication means has at least one communication channel, and can declare or cancel the communication ID classified according to the type of communication for the communication channel, and the communication channel in which the communication ID is declared is declared Only communication data having the same communication ID as the communication ID can be passed through, and communication data having the same communication ID as the declared communication ID can be held in a queue,
The load distribution control means receives a communication request and data attached with a communication ID from the communication terminal, and searches a communication channel in which the same communication ID as the communication ID of the communication request is declared in a predetermined priority order. The communication request data is transmitted to the communication channel with the highest priority among the communication channels in the usable state.

The communication line control system according to claim 2 of the present application is the communication line control system according to claim 1,
The load distribution control means receives a communication request with a communication ID from the communication terminal, searches for a communication channel that passes the same communication ID as the communication ID of the communication request in a predetermined priority order, and can be used. The communication request data is transmitted to the communication channel having the highest priority among the communication channels in the state, the information of the request source communication terminal is held, and the response communication data is transmitted to the request source communication terminal. It is characterized by this.

The communication line control system according to claim 3 of the present application is the communication line control system according to claim 2,
The load distribution control means includes
A communication means management unit for managing the communication means by a communication ID and information for specifying the communication means;
A communication request management unit that manages the generation, processing, and reply of the communication request of the communication terminal;
A request source communication terminal management unit for managing a request source communication terminal for each communication request;
A main control unit that inputs a communication request or a response communication request, and distributes the processing of the request to each management unit,
It is characterized by having.

The communication line control system according to claim 4 of the present application is the communication line control system according to claim 3,
The communication means management unit
For each communication path for maintaining communication between the communication terminal that issued the communication request and the communication means that performs communication of the communication request, communication means information management means for managing information on the communication path and the communication means,
A communication means management table managing means for managing the communication means information management means, comprising a communication means management table in which communication means and their communication IDs are registered;
It is characterized by having.

The communication line control system according to claim 5 of the present application is the communication line control system according to claim 3,
The communication request management unit
Communication request queue management means for managing information of communication means for performing communication and holding communication request data for each communication ID;
Communication request queue manager means for managing the communication request queue management means for each communication ID;
Reply watcher means for monitoring a response to a communication request for each communication ID and managing transmission of response data when there is a response;
It is characterized by having.

The communication line control system according to claim 6 of the present application is the communication line control system according to claim 3,
When a communication failure occurs, the communication unit sends information identifying the communication ID of the communication unit and the communication unit to the load distribution control unit,
The load distribution control unit searches the communication unit management unit and the communication request management unit for a communication unit having the same communication ID as the communication ID sent from the communication unit, and the communication is disabled. The communication failure is backed up by deleting information on the means.

  As is apparent from the above description, according to the communication line control system of the present invention, when a large number of types of communication are performed by a certain number of communication lines and communication means, the priority order of use of the communication means is set according to the communication type. Since transmission / reception is performed by a communication means that is in a usable state and has the highest priority order at that time, it is possible to perform fluid communication using the usable communication means. As a result, it is possible to prevent inconvenience that a specific line is overloaded and communication is not possible.

  In addition, when a communication failure occurs in a specific communication means, communication can be performed by the communication means in the next priority order of use, so that the communication failure can be backed up smoothly.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, a system configuration example of a communication line control system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 1, a communication line control system denoted as a whole by reference numeral 1 includes a plurality of communication lines L1 to L4 connected to a communication partner 2, and communication means T1 to T4 respectively connected to the communication lines L1 to L4. It has load distribution control means 3 connected to communication means T1 to T4, and communication terminals TM1 to TM5 connected to load distribution control means 3.

  The communication means T1 to T4 have communication channels 10 to 30 and 50 corresponding to the communication ID. Here, the communication ID is an identifier of communication classified by communication type such as “communication ID 10”, “communication ID 20”,... As shown in FIG.

  The type of communication for classifying the communication ID can be freely determined by the user depending on how the user uses the communication line control system. For example, a communication ID may be attached depending on the content of communication data, and a different communication line may be used preferentially for each communication type. Alternatively, the communication may be ranked according to the communication priority and assigned with a communication ID, and communication with a communication ID having a high priority may be preferentially passed.

  The communication partner 2 may be a single communication partner or a plurality of communication partners. In addition to a person, it may be a computer or a communication device.

  The communication lines L1 to L4 refer to communication paths through which communication is performed regardless of wired, wireless, or carrier current.

  The communication means T1 to T4 are means for inputting / outputting communication data to / from the communication lines L1 to L4. The communication means T1 to T4 can perform processing of declaring and releasing communication IDs of communication channels 10 to 30 described later. It has an information processing function capable of storing a predetermined number of communication request data in a queue in communication channels 10 to 30. Preferably, the communication means T1 to T4 are computers.

  Further, the communication means T1 to T4 can transmit and receive a predetermined number of the same type of communication collectively. That is, the communication means T1 to T4 store the communication requests that are sent by grouping according to the communication type, and determine that communication is possible on the condition that a certain number of communication requests are collected for each communication type, It can be sent.

  The load distribution control means 3 receives a communication request from the communication terminals TM1 to TM5, and searches the communication channels 10 to 30 and 50 that pass the same communication ID as the communication ID attached to the communication request in a predetermined priority order. The communication request data is transmitted to the highest available communication channel 10 to 30 or 50 in the usable state. The load distribution control means 3 is an information processing device for performing the above-described processing, and may be an information processing device built to perform the above-mentioned processing in a fixed manner, but is preferably a computer controlled by software.

  Note that the communication line control system 1 may perform transmission of response communication data, or may perform transmission only unilaterally.

  When the communication line control system 1 also transmits response data, the load distribution control means 3 holds information of the request source communication terminals TM1 to TM5, and transmits response communication data to the request source communication. Send to the terminal.

  The communication terminals TM1 to TM5 are devices that input and output communication requests, and are telephones, dedicated terminals, computers, and the like. When the communication terminals TM1 to TM5 send a communication request, they are sent with the communication ID.

  Communication by the communication line control system 1 having the above configuration is performed as follows. The communication terminals TM1 to TM5 attach a communication ID to the communication request and send it individually to the load distribution control means 3. The load distribution control means 3 receives communication requests from the communication terminals TM1 to TM5, reads the communication ID attached to the communication request, and has communication means T1 to T1 having communication channels 10 to 30 and 50 for transmitting and receiving the same communication ID. Search for T4 according to a certain priority order. Here, “search” refers to checking whether or not a certain number of communication requests already stored in the communication channel of the communication means has reached a certain number. This means checking the communication channel.

  As a result of the search, the load distribution control means 3 transmits the data of the communication request to the communication channel 10 to 30 or 50 in the usable state having the highest priority. The communication means T1 to T4 sequentially transmit the communication requests in the queue of each communication channel to the communication partner 2.

  In this case, as described above, the communication means T1 to T4 store the transmitted communication requests by grouping them according to the communication types, and a condition that a certain number of communication requests are collected for each communication type. It is determined that communication is possible. As a result, a certain amount of data can be sent together, and time spent for establishing a communication protocol can be saved and highly efficient communication can be performed.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, the communication means T1 to T3 have communication channels 10 to 30, respectively, and can transmit and receive a plurality of types of communication. On the other hand, since the communication means T4 can transmit and receive only the communication channel 50, it is the same as the conventional dedicated line.

  Thereby, the communication request of communication ID10 is sent to the communication channel 10 in which communication means T1-T3 is vacant. The same applies to communication IDs 20-30. The communication ID 50 is always sent to the communication channel 50.

  As a result, the communication request is sent to an unspecified communication means, and the communication line control system 1 can perform highly efficient communication as a whole. A specific communication load distribution control method will be described later.

Next, the configuration and processing of the load distribution control means 3 which is a characteristic part of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 2 shows the structure of the class object of the load distribution control means 3.

The “object” is classified according to an attribute, and data and procedure are integrated. The object has the following characteristics.
(1) Objects (class objects) having the same attributes basically have the same method (means for performing predetermined processing).
(2) Attributes and methods of a class object can be inherited by other class objects.
(3) It is possible to request another object to perform processing using a method possessed by the object.

  The “object” in this specification includes software in which the above data and procedure are integrated, and hardware for executing the object.

  The constituent means of the load distribution control means 3 of this embodiment is composed of “objects”. By making each processing means an “object”, the system of the present invention can flexibly cope with various processes. However, this does not mean that the present invention is limited to an object-oriented framework. That is, the load distribution control means 3 may be realized by a processing device in which the same function as the object is controlled by a normal procedural program.

  In FIG. 2, each object constituting the load balancing control means 3 is surrounded by a square line, and an object name is shown in the upper part, an attribute is shown in the middle part, and a method of the object is shown in the lower part.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the core node generally indicated by reference numeral 3 includes a main control unit 4, a communication means management unit 5, a communication request management unit 6, and a request source communication terminal management unit 7.

  The communication means management unit 5 includes communication means information management means 5a and communication means management table management means 5b.

  The communication means information management means 5a is means for managing information on the communication path and information on the communication means for each communication path that maintains communication between a predetermined communication request and the communication means that processes the communication request. . The communication path is a communication path for the flow of information, although a predetermined communication means performs transmission / reception processing for a predetermined communication request. The communication means information management means 5a manages information on communication means (information specifying the communication means) and information on other communication paths (for example, communication protocol) for each communication path.

  One communication means management table management means 5b exists in all the systems, has a communication means management table, and manages the communication means information management means 5a. Here, “management” between objects refers to, for example, control in which the communication means management table management means 5b requests the communication means information management means 5a to search information on predetermined communication means and obtain an answer. To do. The same applies to “management” between objects.

  The communication means management table is a table in which information of each communication means connected to the communication line control system 1 according to the present invention is registered. Here, the information of the communication means registered in the communication means management table is information for identifying each communication means, a communication ID, and the like.

  The communication request management unit 6 includes reply watcher means 6a, communication request queue management means 6b, and communication request queue manager means 6c.

  The reply watcher means 6a exists for each communication request ID, registers information of a communication terminal waiting for a response, monitors a response, and transmits a response data when there is a response (response communication Data transmission system). The communication request ID is an identifier assigned to each communication request in order to specify the communication request.

  The communication request queue management unit 6b exists for each communication ID, manages information on the communication unit that transmits and receives the corresponding communication ID, and holds communication data of the communication request.

  When there is a communication request, the communication request queue management means 6b searches for the communication means with the corresponding communication ID, transfers the communication data of the communication request, and registers the communication request until there is a response. is there.

  The communication request queue manager 6c exists for each communication ID and manages the communication request queue manager 6b.

  The request source communication terminal management unit 7 manages information of a communication terminal that is a communication request transmission source for each communication request ID.

  The above is the description of each constituent unit of the load distribution control unit 3. Next, the operation of each constituent unit in communication will be described below. In the following description, by referring to the configuration of the load distribution control unit 3 shown in FIG. 2, the relationship between the configuration units becomes clearer.

  First, in order to configure the communication line control system 1 of the present invention, communication means must be connected to the system. The flow of processing for connecting the communication means is shown in FIG. In the flowchart of FIG. 3, the processing means for performing the processing of each processing step is shown in parentheses.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in order to connect the communication means T1 to T4 to the communication line control system 1 of the present invention, the communication means T1 to T4 requesting connection are connected to the main control unit 4 of the load distribution control means 3. Send an event requesting connection.

  Receiving this connection request event, the main controller 2 (step S100) generates an event for connecting the communication means to the communication means connection acceptance channel (step S110). This event is processed as follows.

  First, a new communication means information management means 5a is created for a communication means that requests connection, and communication path information, information about the communication means, and the like are registered (step S120).

  Next, this new communication means is registered in the communication means management table (step S130).

  The communication means is connected to the system through the above processing. Next, the connected communication means must make a communication ID declaration indicating what kind of communication ID is to be transmitted and received. The flow of processing for communication ID declaration is shown in FIG. In the flowchart of FIG. 4, the processing means for performing the processing of each processing step is shown in parentheses.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the communication means that makes a communication ID declaration transmits a request for the communication ID declaration to the main control unit 4 of the load distribution control means 3 (step S200).

  The main control unit 4 receives the event of the communication ID declaration, sends a message to the communication means management table management means 5b, creates a communication means information management means 5a for the communication means by the communication means management table management means 5b, and performs communication. ID and communication means specifying information are registered in the communication means management table (step S210).

Next, the communication means is registered in the communication request management unit 6.
First, the communication means information management means 5a searches for a communication request queue manager means 6c having the same communication ID (step S220). If there is no communication request queue manager means 6c with the same communication ID, a new one is created.

  Next, the communication means information management means 5a registers the information of the communication means making the communication ID declaration in the communication request queue manager means 6c retrieved or created in step S220 (step S230).

  Finally, the communication request queue manager 6c acquires the corresponding communication request queue manager 6b, and registers the communication unit declaring the communication ID as a communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving (step S240). Here, “acquisition” means that a predetermined object is searched and various messages can be sent via a link.

  The above is the description of the communication ID declaration and its processing. When a predetermined communication means becomes unable to communicate due to a communication failure, the communication means declares the communication ID release. The communication ID cancellation declaration is achieved by tracing the same object as the communication ID declaration and deleting the registered communication means and information related to the communication ID.

  The communication line control system 1 to which the communication means is connected and the communication means declares the communication ID performs communication processing as described below. Hereinafter, a flow of communication processing performed until transmission of response data will be described.

  The communication includes transmission of a communication request from the communication terminal to the communication means and transmission of response communication data from the communication means to the communication terminal. All of these transmissions are performed via the load distribution control means 3.

  FIG. 5 shows a flow of communication request transmission from the communication terminal to the communication means. In the flowchart of FIG. 5, the processing means for performing the processing of each processing step is shown in parentheses.

  The communication request is issued from the communication terminal and is input as an event of the communication request to the main control unit 4 of the load distribution control unit 3 as shown in the beginning of FIG. 5 (step S300).

  Receiving the communication request event, the main control unit 4 generates the communication means information management means 5a for each communication path (step S310).

  Next, the communication means information management means 5a generated in step S310 acquires the communication request queue manager means 6c having a communication ID corresponding to the communication ID of the communication request (step S320).

  The communication request queue manager 6c acquired in step S320 acquires the communication request queue manager 6b having the same communication ID (step S330). The communication request queue manager 6c passes information (communication data) related to the communication request to the acquired communication request queue manager 6b (step S340).

  The communication request queue managing means 6b registers information related to the communication request in the communication request queue, that is, the queue of communication requests (step S350).

  Next, the communication request queue management means 6b acquires the reply watcher means 6a, and registers the communication request source communication terminal as a response waiting communication terminal (step S360).

  The reply watcher 6a acquired in step S360 sets a response wait timer for the communication request and monitors the response (step S370).

  Next, the communication request queue management means 6b searches for a communication means (specifically, a communication channel) that performs communication according to a predetermined priority order, and uses the communication channel with the highest priority order among the usable communication means. A certain communication means information management means 5a is acquired (step S380).

  Next, the communication means information management means 5a transmits communication data to the communication means having a low load (step S390). As a result, the communication request and the communication data are sent to the communication partner via the predetermined communication means.

  The above is the transmission of the communication request from the communication terminal to the communication means. In steps S380 and S390, the communication means that the communication request queue management means 6b can communicate with is searched for the highest priority, and the communication data The communication line control system 1 of the present invention can perform load distribution of the communication line by the process of transmitting.

  Next, processing for transmitting response communication data from the communication partner to the communication terminal via the communication means will be described.

  FIG. 6 shows the flow of transmission of response communication data from the communication means to the communication terminal. In the flowchart of FIG. 6, the processing means for performing the processing of each processing step is shown in parentheses as in FIG.

  The response communication data transmission event is transmitted from the communication means that has performed communication, and is input to the main control unit 4 of the communication line control system 1 as shown at the beginning of FIG. 6 (step S400).

  Upon receiving the response transmission event, the main control unit 4 acquires the communication unit information management unit 5a of the communication unit that has transmitted the response (step S410).

  Next, the communication means information management means 5a acquired in step S410 acquires the communication request queue manager means 6c with the corresponding communication ID (step S420).

  The communication request queue manager 6c acquired in step S420 acquires the communication request queue manager 6b having the same communication ID (step S430).

  The communication request queue management means 6b acquired at step S430 deletes the communication request from the communication request queue (step S440).

  Next, the reply watcher 6a deletes the data related to the communication request source communication terminal from the response waiting communication terminal data (step S450).

  The communication request is deleted from the communication request management unit 6 through the processes in steps S420 to S450 described above.

  Next, the reply watcher means 6a accesses and acquires the communication means management table management means 5b (step S460).

  The communication means management table management means 5b obtains the corresponding communication means information management means 5a from the information of the communication means, and by this communication means information management means 5a and the request source communication terminal management section 7, the reply watcher means 6a Information of the original communication terminal can be obtained (step S470).

  Finally, the reply watcher 6a transmits the processing result to the request source communication terminal obtained as described above (step S480).

  The above is the flow of processing of the load distribution control unit 3 related to transmission of a communication request and return of response communication data in communication processing.

  Next, a process of “searching the communication channel of the communication unit according to a certain priority order and transmitting the communication request data to the highest available communication channel among the available communication channels” by the load distribution control unit 3; The process of “backing up communication by another communication means that has become unable to communicate when there is a communication failure” will be described below using a specific example.

  FIG. 7 shows a communication system for stock order to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 7, a plurality of lines L1 to L4 are connected to an exchange 8 (corresponding to the communication partner 2). Communication means T1 to T4 for transmitting order data are connected to the lines L1 to L4, respectively. Load distribution control means 3 for transmitting an order request is connected to the communication means T1 to T4. A plurality of order terminals OTM1 to OTM3 (corresponding to communication terminals TM1 to TM5) are connected to the load distribution control means 3.

  In this stock order communication system, an order request is processed by communication IDs 10 and 20 categorized according to the order types of basket order and single order. As a precaution, the basket order refers to a method of ordering a combination of a plurality of stocks, and the single order refers to a method of ordering a single stock. A basket order is an example of transmitting a large amount of data, and a single order is an example of transmitting a small amount of data preferentially. Communication IDs can also be classified according to the subject of the order, such as consignment order and self-order, as appropriate.

  The communication means T1 to T4 are each a protocol control unit that establishes a protocol with the exchange 8, a line that manages the communication channel, blocks an appropriate number of order data held in the communication channel, and transmits the data to the exchange 8. Managers LM1 to LM4 are provided.

  The line managers LM1 to LM3 have a basket order channel that accepts basket orders and a single order channel that accepts single orders. The line manager LM4 has only a single order channel. That is, the lines L1 to L3 are multi-use lines for performing basket orders and single orders, and the line L4 is a dedicated line for performing single orders only.

  The basket order channel and the single order channel are pre-assigned a priority order to be used. The numbers below the basket order channel and the single order channel in FIG. 7 indicate the priority order of each order channel. In other words, in the case of a basket order, the use state of the communication means is searched in the order of communication means T1 → T2 → T3, and in the case of a single order, the search is performed in the order of communication means T4 → T3 → T2 → T1.

  In the stock order communication system configured as described above, when the order terminals OTM1 to OTM3 issue a basket order or single order request, each order request is processed as follows. Each order request has a communication ID 10, 20 for identifying whether it is a basket order or a single order.

  First, the order request is sent to the load distribution control means 3. The load distribution control means 3 identifies whether the order request from the order terminals OTM1 to OTM3 is a basket order or a single order by a communication ID.

  Next, if the order request is a basket order, the load distribution control means 3 searches the usage status of the basket order channel in the order of communication means T1 → T2 → T3, and if the order request is a single order, the communication means T4 → T3. The usage status of the single order channel is searched in the order of T2 → T1. Each order channel declares the number of order requests that can be held in a queue in advance. When the number of order requests in the queue of the order channel reaches the number declared in advance, the load distribution control means 3 searches for the next order channel assuming that the order channel is in use.

  In this way, the load distribution control unit 3 transmits an order request to the order channel having the highest priority among the available order channels. When all the order channels are in use, the load distribution control unit 3 searches the order channel again when response communication data is transmitted from any of the line managers LM1 to LM4 while holding the order request.

  The line managers LM1 to LM4 of the communication means T1 to T4 alternately check the order channel, take out the data of the incoming order request, perform the blocking process with the number specified by the exchange 8 as the maximum value, Send an order message. When the line managers LM1 to LM4 receive the order acceptance notification from the exchange 8, the line managers LM1 to LM4 transmit the response communication to the ordering terminal OTM1 to OTM3 via the load distribution control unit 3.

  When a communication failure occurs in any of the communication units T1 to T4, the communication units T1 to T4 issue a communication ID release declaration to the load distribution control unit 3. As described above, this communication ID cancellation declaration is realized by deleting information on a communication means or communication channel having a communication failure from a list of communication means or communication channels that can communicate. When the communication ID is canceled, the load distribution control unit 3 searches for the next communication unit or communication channel assuming that there is no communication unit or communication channel, so that the communication is eventually backed up by another communication unit.

  As described above, the communication line control system according to the present invention uses a plurality of communication means according to a certain priority order, and uses the next communication means when the communication means is in use. Instead of being fixed to the type of communication, a type of communication is sent over the currently available line. As a result, it is possible to solve the problem that only a certain type of communication is not transmitted due to an overload of a certain type of communication line.

  Also, as in the above example, by setting the priority order of each communication channel out of order with respect to the communication line, the communication line is used as a whole, and the communication efficiency of the entire line is improved. Can do.

  Further, the communication channel is set by the communication ID declaration of the communication means. However, by appropriately setting the communication channel, a specific line can be appropriately set as a dedicated line like the line L4 in the above example. For example, if a communication ID for single order is set in the line L4, the line can be made a dedicated line for single order.

  Furthermore, according to the communication line control system of the present invention, when a communication failure occurs in any of the communication means, other communication lines use it, so that the communication failure can be backed up fluidly.

  As described above, the process of “searching the communication channel of the communication means according to a certain priority order and transmitting the communication request data to the highest available communication channel” and “there was a communication failure The description of the process of “backing up communication with another communication means that sometimes becomes unable to communicate” ends. Next, an application example of the communication line control system according to the present invention will be described.

The communication line control system according to the present invention is, in short, a “communication system that transmits a large number of communications by a certain number of communication lines and communication means” and can be applied to a wide variety of communication systems. Such applicable communication systems include: (a) a communication system having a plurality of parallel communication lines; (b) a client server system; and (c) batch data on a medium for high-speed transmission / reception such as an optical cable. System to send and receive.
(A) For a communication system having a plurality of parallel communication lines, the load distribution according to the present invention is performed between the facsimile and the communication terminal in the communication system for stock order already described and the communication system having a plurality of facsimiles. A communication system in which a control unit is interposed to distribute communication load and back up due to a communication failure is conceivable.
(B) In a client server system, for example, in a client server system in which a plurality of distributed servers are connected to one center server, and a number of clients are connected to these distributed servers, the load according to the present invention is between the clients and the distributed servers. A client server system in which a distributed control unit is interposed to distribute the load on the distributed server and backup is performed by another distributed server when a failure occurs in processing can be considered.
(C) For a system that transmits and receives data batchwise to a medium for high-speed transmission / reception such as an optical cable, a plurality of communication means for sending data to a high-speed line and a communication terminal are provided. A high-speed communication system in which multipurpose communication is performed through a single high-speed line through the load balancing control means according to the invention can be considered.

  In this case, it is preferable that the communication means sends the same type of data in a fixed amount of data. This has the effect of enabling transmission / reception of a large amount of data at high speed by reducing the time required for establishing a communication protocol for a medium for performing high-speed transmission / reception such as an optical cable.

The block diagram which showed the structure of an example of the communication line control system by this invention, and the flow of the process. The block diagram which showed the structure of the load distribution control means of the communication line control system of this invention, and the flow of the process. The flowchart which showed the process of the connection of the communication means to the communication line control system of this invention. The flowchart which showed the process of the communication ID declaration in the communication line control system of this invention. The flowchart which showed the flow of transmission of the communication request from the communication terminal to a communication means in the communication line control system of this invention. The flowchart which showed the flow of transmission of the response communication from the communication means in the communication line control system of this invention to a communication terminal. The block diagram which showed the structure of the communication system for stock orders to which the communication line control system of this invention was applied, and the flow of a process. The block diagram which showed the structure and processing flow of the conventional stock order communication system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Communication line control system 2 Communication partner 3 Load distribution control means 4 Main control part 5 Communication means management part 5a Communication means information management means 5b Communication means management table management means 6 Communication request management part 6a Reply watcher means 6b Communication request queue management means 6c Communication request queue manager 7 Request source communication terminal manager L1 Communication line L2 Communication line L3 Communication line L4 Communication line LM1 Line manager LM2 Line manager LM3 Line manager LM4 Line manager OTM1 Order terminal OTM2 Order terminal OTM3 Order terminal T1 Communication means T2 Communication means T3 Communication means T4 Communication means TM1 Communication terminal TM2 Communication terminal TM3 Communication terminal TM4 Communication terminal TM5 Communication terminal

Claims (6)

A plurality of communication lines connected to one communication partner, communication means connected to each of the communication lines, load distribution control means connected to a plurality of the communication means, and one load distribution control means A communication line control system having a plurality of communication terminals connected to
At least a part of the communication means has a plurality of communication channels, and the communication means can declare or cancel the communication ID classified according to the type of communication with respect to the communication channel, and the communication in which the communication ID is declared The channel can pass only communication data having the same communication ID as the declared communication ID, and can hold communication data having the same communication ID as the declared communication ID in a queue.
The load distribution control means receives a communication request and data attached with a communication ID from the communication terminal, and searches a communication channel in which the same communication ID as the communication ID of the communication request is declared in a predetermined priority order. A communication line control system, wherein the communication request data is transmitted to a communication channel having a highest priority among communication channels in a usable state.   The load distribution control means receives a communication request with a communication ID from the communication terminal, searches for a communication channel that passes the same communication ID as the communication ID of the communication request in a predetermined priority order, and can be used. The communication request data is transmitted to the communication channel having the highest priority among the communication channels in the state, the information of the request source communication terminal is held, and the response communication data is transmitted to the request source communication terminal. 2. The communication line control system according to claim 1, wherein: The load distribution control means includes
A communication means management unit for managing the communication means by a communication ID and information for specifying the communication means;
A communication request management unit that manages the generation, processing, and reply of the communication request of the communication terminal;
A request source communication terminal management unit for managing a request source communication terminal for each communication request;
A main control unit that inputs a communication request or a response communication request, and distributes the processing of the request to each management unit,
The communication line control system according to claim 2, further comprising: The communication means management unit
For each communication path for maintaining communication between the communication terminal that issued the communication request and the communication means that performs communication of the communication request, communication means information management means for managing information on the communication path and the communication means,
A communication means management table managing means for managing the communication means information management means, comprising a communication means management table in which communication means and their communication IDs are registered;
The communication line control system according to claim 3, further comprising: The communication request management unit
Communication request queue management means for managing information of communication means for performing communication and holding communication request data for each communication ID;
Communication request queue manager means for managing the communication request queue management means for each communication ID;
Reply watcher means for monitoring a response to a communication request for each communication ID and managing transmission of response data when there is a response;
The communication line control system according to claim 3, further comprising: When a communication failure occurs, the communication unit sends information identifying the communication ID of the communication unit and the communication unit to the load distribution control unit,
The load distribution control unit searches the communication unit management unit and the communication request management unit for a communication unit having the same communication ID as the communication ID sent from the communication unit, and the communication is disabled. 4. The communication line control system according to claim 3, wherein a communication failure is backed up by deleting information relating to the means.

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