JP5805166B2 - COMMUNICATION TEST DEVICE, COMMUNICATION TEST METHOD, AND PROGRAM - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication test apparatus, a communication test method, and a program.

  In a system composed of a plurality of communication devices, it is important to perform a communication test for verifying whether communication is properly performed between the communication devices.

  Patent Document 1 describes a communication test apparatus for the purpose of enabling a communication test to be performed accurately and efficiently. Specifically, the communication test apparatus described in Patent Document 1 first simulates (simulates) a communication device that communicates with a communication device to be tested according to a selected scenario. And a communication test apparatus performs a connection test (communication test) by exchanging a message | telegram with the communication apparatus of a test object according to the selected scenario.

JP 2009-260754 A

  In the communication test apparatus described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to prepare in advance a scenario in which the test contents and test procedure of the communication test are described. For this reason, there is a problem that it takes time to prepare for the communication test and the efficiency is not good.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and provides a communication test apparatus, a communication test method, and a program capable of performing a communication test efficiently without taking time and effort. With the goal.

In order to achieve the above object, the communication test apparatus of the present invention provides:
A collection unit that collects communication commands communicated between communication devices connected to a specific network and stores the communication commands in a communication command storage unit in association with information indicating a transmission time, a transmission source, and a transmission destination of the communication command; ,
A determination unit that groups communication commands stored in the communication command storage unit for each command content, and determines the transmission timing of the communication command for each group;
For each communication device , simulation information for simulating the communication device in which the communication command transmitted by the communication device is associated with information indicating the transmission destination of the communication command and the transmission timing determined by the determination unit. A simulated information creation section to be created;
Using the simulation information created by the simulation information creation unit, a communication test execution unit that performs a communication test by simulating the opposite device that communicates with the communication device to be tested,
It is characterized by providing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently perform a communication test with less effort than before.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the system provided with the communication test apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the physical structure of the communication test apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the communication test apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the data stored in the communication command storage part. It is a figure which shows the example of the simulation information stored in the simulation information storage part. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of a monitoring process. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the simulation information creation process. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of a communication test process. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the simulation communication process at the time of a communication test process.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a communication test apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes communication devices 4 (4 ₁ , 4 ₂₎ constituting a communication system 3 via a network 2 such as a LAN (Local Area Network). 4 ₃ ,...).

The communication system 3 in the present embodiment is a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) composed of communication devices 4 such as a controller and an air conditioner. Command). In the following description, the communication device _{4 1} controller, the communication device _{4 2} and the air conditioner, the controller _{4 1,} to both the air conditioner _{4 2} notation. Each communication device 4 is assigned a device ID for identification.

  The communication test apparatus 1 is a computer for executing a communication test of each communication device 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the communication test apparatus 1 includes a communication unit 11, an operation unit 12, a display unit 13, a storage unit 14, and a control unit 15. Each unit is connected to each other via a bus 16.

  The communication unit 11 includes a communication interface such as a LAN card and communicates with each communication device 4 via the network 2.

  The operation unit 12 is used to input various information to the communication test apparatus 1 and includes an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse. For example, the user operates the operation unit 12 and designates the communication device 4 that is the subject of the communication test.

  The display unit 13 includes a display device such as a display and outputs various information. For example, a screen showing the result of the communication test is displayed on the display unit 13.

  The storage unit 14 includes an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk, and stores a table (not shown) in which a device ID, a device name, an IP address, and the like are associated with each communication device 4. In addition, the storage unit 14 stores various programs and data.

  The control unit 15 performs calculation processing of data and controls the communication unit 11, the operation unit 12, the display unit 13, and the storage unit 14 via the bus 16. The control unit 15 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 15a, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 15b, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 15c, and the like. Specifically, the arithmetic processing and control processing in the control unit 15 are performed by the CPU 15a executing the control program stored in the ROM 15b while temporarily storing various data using the RAM 15c as a work area. Done.

  Functionally, the communication test apparatus 1 includes a communication monitoring unit 101, a communication command storage unit 102, a simulation information creation unit 103, a simulation information storage unit 104, and a test object reception unit 105, as shown in FIG. A communication test execution unit 106, a test result storage unit 107, a test result determination unit 108, and a test result output unit 109. Note that these units are realized by the control unit 15 illustrated in FIG. 2 controlling the communication unit 11, the operation unit 12, the display unit 13, and the storage unit 14 that are also illustrated in FIG.

  The communication monitoring unit 101 constantly monitors each communication device 4 constituting the communication system 3 and immediately detects a communication command transmitted / received between the communication devices 4. Then, the communication monitoring unit 101 transmits the detected communication command, the date and time when the communication command was transmitted, the type of the communication command, the device ID (transmission source device ID) of the communication device 4 that transmitted the communication command, and the In correspondence with the device ID (transmission destination device ID) of the communication device 4 that is the transmission destination of the communication command, the communication command is sequentially stored in the communication command storage unit 102 as shown in FIG. Note that the processing performed by the communication monitoring unit 101 is background processing, and is always performed in parallel with other processing described later.

  In the present embodiment, the communication command has any type of a request command, a response command, and a notification command (in FIG. 4, simply expressed as “request”, “response”, “notification”). . The request command is a communication command that requests a specific operation from the destination communication device 4. The response command is a communication command for the communication device 4 that has received the request command to respond to the communication device 4 that has transmitted the request command. The notification command is a communication command for notifying the destination communication device 4 of specific information, status, and the like. The communication monitoring unit 101 can identify these types from the header information included in the detected communication command.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the simulation information creation unit 103 creates simulation information necessary for simulating the communication device 4 for each communication device 4 based on the communication command and the like stored in the communication command storage unit 102. And stored in the simulation information storage unit 104. Details of the process performed by the simulation information creation unit 103 will be described later.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of simulation information stored in the simulation information storage unit 104. In the simulated information storage unit 104, the device ID of the communication device 4, the communication command transmitted by the communication device 4, the device ID of the communication device 4 (transmission destination device ID) that is the transmission destination of this communication command, and the transmission Simulated information in which information indicating timing is associated with is stored.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the test target receiving unit 105 receives a communication device 4 (test target device) to be tested from a user, and a communication device 4 (opposite device) that communicates with the test target device for a communication test. The specification of is accepted.

  The communication test execution unit 106 simulates the opposite device using the designated opposite device simulation information, and executes a communication test of the test target device. In addition, the communication test execution unit 106 stores the communication command received from the test target machine during the communication test execution in the test result storage unit 107 in association with the reception date and time.

  The test result determination unit 108 refers to the test result storage unit 107 and determines whether there is a communication abnormality in a simulated communication process described later. The test result output unit 109 outputs the result of determination by the test result determination unit 108.

  Next, each process executed by the communication test apparatus 1 will be described.

(Monitoring process)
First, the monitoring process will be described. The communication monitoring unit 101 of the communication test apparatus 1 executes the monitoring process shown in FIG. 6 while the communication test apparatus 1 is activated.

  The communication monitoring unit 101 constantly monitors communication performed between the communication devices 4 and when a communication command flowing on the network 2 is detected (step S11; Yes), the communication command is analyzed and the detected communication is detected. The type of command, the device ID of the communication device 4 (transmission source device ID) that has transmitted this communication command, and the device ID (transmission destination device ID) of the communication device 4 that is the transmission destination of this communication command are specified (step) S12).

  Then, the communication monitoring unit 101 stores the detected communication command, each piece of information specified in step S12, and the transmission date / time (detection date / time) in association with each other in the communication command storage unit 102 (step S13). Then, the process returns to step S11.

  Thus, by the monitoring process, a communication command in communication between the communication devices 4 is detected by the communication monitoring unit 101 of the communication test apparatus 1 and stored in the communication command storage unit 102 together with the transmission time and the like.

(Simulation information creation process)
Next, the simulation information creation process will be described. The simulation information creation unit 103 of the communication test apparatus 1 performs the simulation information creation process shown in FIG. 7 every time a predetermined period (for example, one week) elapses or when a process start instruction is received from the user. Run.

  First, when there is simulation information stored in the simulation information storage unit 104, the simulation information creation unit 103 deletes the simulation information (step S21).

  Subsequently, the simulation information creation unit 103 selects one communication device 4 that has not yet created simulation information in the current simulation information creation process (step S22).

  Subsequently, the simulation information creation unit 103 refers to the transmission source device ID of the communication command storage unit 102 and identifies the communication command transmitted by the communication device 4 selected in step S22 (step S23).

Subsequently, the simulation information creating unit 103 analyzes the specified communication command and classifies the command into contents into groups (step S24). Here, for example, consider the case of identifying a communication command for instructing a communication command and 2 ℃ rise to command 1 ℃ rise in set temperature with respect to the air conditioner 4 _2. In this case, these communication commands are classified into the same group in step S24 as communication commands having the same command content for raising the set temperature.

  Subsequently, the simulation information creation unit 103 determines the transmission timing of the communication command in the group for each classified group (step S25). For example, the simulation information creation unit 103 refers to the transmission date and time of each communication command in the group, and if there is regularity in the transmission time and transmission interval of the communication command, determines them as transmission timing. When the communication command in the group is a response command, the simulation information creation unit 103 refers to the communication command storage unit 102, and transmits a communication command (request command) that triggers transmission of the response command, and the request command. The response delay time from when the command is received until the response command is transmitted is determined as the transmission timing.

  Then, the simulation information creation unit 103 includes the device ID of the communication device 4 selected in step S22, the communication command of each group classified in step S24, information indicating the transmission timing of the communication command determined in step S25, Is stored in the simulation information storage unit 104 (step S26). By this processing, simulation information of the communication device 4 selected in step S22 is created.

  Subsequently, the simulation information creating unit 103 determines whether or not the simulation information has been created in all the communication devices 4 (step S27). When there is a communication device 4 for which simulation information has not been created (step S27; No), the simulation information creation unit 103 selects the communication device 4 and simulates information based on a communication command transmitted by the communication device 4. The process of creating and saving (Steps S22 to S26) is repeated. When the simulation information is created for all the communication devices 4 (step S27; Yes), the simulation information creation process ends.

  In this manner, simulation information for simulating each communication device 4 is created from the communication command detected by the monitoring process by the simulation information creation process.

(Communication test processing)
Next, the communication test process will be described. As a premise of this communication test process, it is assumed that the above-described simulation information creation process has been executed and the simulation information of each communication device 4 is stored in the simulation information storage unit 104.

  For example, the user operates the operation unit 12 of the communication test apparatus 1 and instructs the start of the communication test. In response to this instruction, the communication test apparatus 1 executes simulation information creation processing shown in FIG.

  First, the test target receiving unit 105 displays a predetermined input screen on the display unit 13 and communicates with the communication device 4 (test target device) to be tested for communication and the test target device for this communication test. 4 (opposite machine) is received from the user (step S31).

  Note that the test target receiving unit 105 may receive only the designation of the test target machine from the user. In this case, the test target reception unit 105 refers to the communication command storage unit 102, specifies the communication device 4 that transmits / receives communication data to / from the received test target device, and sets the specified communication device 4 as the opposite device. . Further, when there are a plurality of communication devices 4 that transmit / receive communication data to / from the test target machine, the test target receiving unit 105 may allow the user to select the opposite device from the communication devices 4 and receive the opposite device. .

  Subsequently, the communication test execution unit 106 transmits a stop signal to the communication device 4 that is the designated opposite device to stop the operation (step S32). Then, the communication test execution unit 106 updates the address on the network 2 of the communication test apparatus 1 to the same address as that of the stopped counterpart device (step S33). Thereby, each communication apparatus 4 recognizes the communication test apparatus 1 as an opposite machine.

  Subsequently, the communication test execution unit 106 acquires simulated information of the counterpart device from the simulated information storage unit 104 (step S34).

  And the communication test execution part 106 performs the simulation communication process with a test object apparatus using the acquired simulation information (step S35).

  Here, the details of the simulated communication process executed in step S35 will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

  When the simulated communication process is executed, first, the communication test execution unit 106 refers to the acquired simulated information and determines whether or not it is time to transmit a communication command (step S351). If it is the transmission timing (step S351; Yes), the communication test execution unit 106 determines the corresponding communication command from the acquired simulation information and transmits it to the transmission destination (step S352).

  In addition, a communication command is transmitted from each communication device 4 to the communication test apparatus 1 operating with the opposite device at an arbitrary timing. When a communication command is received from the communication device 4 (step S353; Yes), the communication test execution unit 106 determines whether the communication command is a request command (step S354).

  When the received communication command is a request command (step S354; Yes), the communication test execution unit 106 determines the corresponding communication command (response command) from the simulation information acquired in step S34, and transmits the request command. (Step S355).

  If the received communication command is transmitted from the test target machine (step S356; Yes), the communication test execution unit 106 stores the communication command and the reception time in association with each other in the test result storage unit 107. (Step S357).

  Then, when a predetermined test period has elapsed or when a test end condition is satisfied by receiving a test end instruction from the user (step S358; Yes), the simulated communication process for the test target machine ends.

  Returning to FIG. 8, when the simulated communication process ends, the test result determination unit 108 refers to the test result storage unit 107 to determine whether there is a communication abnormality in the simulated communication process (step S <b> 36).

  Specifically, the test result determination unit 108 includes the contents of the communication command received from the test target machine stored in the test result storage unit 107 and the simulation information of the test target machine stored in the simulation information storage unit 104. The presence or absence of communication abnormality may be determined by comparing the content of For example, when the communication command stored in the test result storage unit 107 does not match the communication command indicated by the simulation information of the test target machine or when the transmission timing is different, the test result determination unit 108 determines that there is a communication error. What is necessary is just to judge.

  When the determination of the presence / absence of communication abnormality is completed, the test result output unit 109 outputs the determination result (step S37). This completes the communication test process.

  As described above, the communication test apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment monitors communication between the communication devices 4 under an actual use environment, and based on the monitoring result, the simulation information for simulating the communication device 4 is obtained. create. Then, the communication test apparatus 1 performs communication with the test target machine by simulating the opposite machine of the test target machine using the created simulation information. Therefore, the person in charge of the communication test does not need to prepare the setting of the opposite device or the scenario of the communication test, and it is possible to reduce time and labor when performing the communication test.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Of course, the various correction in the part which does not deviate from the summary of this invention is possible.

  For example, in the above embodiment, simulated information is created for all communication devices 4 in the communication system 3 in the simulated information creation process. However, when the test target machine and the opposite machine are specified in the communication test process without executing the simulation information creation process, only the simulation information of the test target machine and the opposite machine is created and the communication test is executed. May be.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, in the communication test process, the communication test was performed by performing simulated communication between the test object machine designated by the user and the opposite machine. However, the user may perform the communication test without specifying the test target machine or the opposite machine. For example, the communication test apparatus 1 may sequentially specify a set of a test target machine and a counter machine from each communication device 4 in the communication system 3 and sequentially execute a communication test for each specified set.

  In the above embodiment, simulation information is created by detecting a communication command transmitted and received between the communication devices 4 flowing through the network 2. However, communication data other than the communication command is detected, and the transmission timing is similarly determined. The simulated information may be created by discrimination.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated that the communication system 3 was HEMS, this invention is applicable also to the communication systems 3 other than HEMS. For example, the present invention can be applied to a communication system such as a weather forecast system in which various measuring devices and servers are connected via a network.

  Moreover, you may share the function of the communication test apparatus 1 in the said embodiment with a some apparatus. For example, the function of performing the monitoring process and the simulation information generation process and the function of performing the communication test process may be performed by separate servers.

  Further, for example, by applying an operation program that defines the operation of the communication test apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment to an existing personal computer, an information terminal device, or the like, the personal computer or the like functions as the communication test apparatus according to the present invention. It is also possible to make it.

  Further, the distribution method of such a program is arbitrary. For example, the program can be read by a computer such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), an MO (Magneto Optical Disk), or a memory card. It may be distributed by storing in a recording medium, or distributed via a communication network such as the Internet.

1 communication test apparatus, 2 network, 3 communication system, 4 communication device, 11 communication unit, 12 operation unit, 13 display unit, 14 storage unit, 15 control unit, 15a CPU, 15b ROM, 15c RAM, 16 bus, 101 communication Monitoring unit, 102 Communication command storage unit, 103 Simulation information creation unit, 104 Simulation information storage unit, 105 Test object reception unit, 106 Communication test execution unit, 107 Test result storage unit, 108 Test result determination unit, 109 Test result output unit

Claims (5)

A collection unit that collects communication commands communicated between communication devices connected to a specific network and stores the communication commands in a communication command storage unit in association with information indicating a transmission time, a transmission source, and a transmission destination of the communication command; ,
A determination unit that groups communication commands stored in the communication command storage unit for each command content, and determines the transmission timing of the communication command for each group;
For each communication device , simulation information for simulating the communication device in which the communication command transmitted by the communication device is associated with information indicating the transmission destination of the communication command and the transmission timing determined by the determination unit. A simulated information creation section to be created;
Using the simulation information created by the simulation information creation unit, a communication test execution unit that performs a communication test by simulating the opposite device that communicates with the communication device to be tested,
A communication test apparatus comprising: A test result determination unit for determining the presence or absence of communication abnormality by comparing the data received from the test target communication device with the content of the simulated information corresponding to the test target communication device;
The communication test apparatus according to claim 1 . A test result output unit for outputting a determination result by the test result determination unit;
The communication test apparatus according to claim 2 . A collection step of collecting communication commands communicated between communication devices under an actual use environment , and storing the communication commands in a communication command storage unit in association with information indicating a transmission time, a transmission source, and a transmission destination of the communication command; ,
A determination step of grouping communication commands stored in the communication command storage unit for each command content and determining a transmission timing of the communication command for each group;
For each communication device , simulation information for simulating the communication device in which the communication command transmitted by the communication device is associated with information indicating the transmission destination of the communication command and the transmission timing determined in the determination step. A simulation information creation step to be created;
Using the simulation information created in the simulation information creation step, a communication test execution step for performing a communication test by simulating an opposite device that communicates with a communication device to be tested,
A communication test method comprising: Computer
A collection unit that collects communication commands communicated between communication devices under an actual usage environment , and stores the communication commands in a communication command storage unit in association with information indicating the transmission time, transmission source, and transmission destination of the communication command;
A determination unit that groups communication commands stored in the communication command storage unit for each command content, and determines the transmission timing of the communication command for each group;
For each communication device , simulation information for simulating the communication device in which the communication command transmitted by the communication device is associated with information indicating the transmission destination of the communication command and the transmission timing determined by the determination unit. A simulation information creation section to be created,
Using the simulation information created by the simulation information creation unit, a communication test execution unit that performs a communication test by simulating an opposite device that communicates with a communication device to be tested,
Program to function as.

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