Data processing system, accounting system, and data processsing system operating method

• US 20020143756A1
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Toshikazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/95 Financial
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system such as an accounting system providing highly reliable continuous operation services at low cost. The system is configured to transfer data asynchronously between a main system that operates in daytime mode and a subsystem that operates in nighttime mode. A sub-database receives and stores only data required in transactions performed in nighttime mode from the main system and its main database. The subsystem, which is responsible for performing processes in nighttime mode, transfers a log of transactions performed in nighttime mode to the main system through a subsystem queuing box on returning to the daytime mode and data re-processed by a main processor in the main system is stored in the main database based on the transaction log.

Claims

1. ) A data processing system for performing data processing in response to a process request input from an external source, comprising:

a main database for receiving and storing data comprising at least part of data stored in a sub-database of an alternative data processing system, from said alternative data processing system;

a main processor for performing a predetermined process on data based on said process request and said data stored in said main database; and

a data transmitter/receiver for transferring to said alternative data processing system, in an asynchronous manner, change information in said data stored in said main database resulting from the process performed by said main processor.

2. ) The data processing system according to claim 1,

wherein said data transmitter/receiver outputs said change information to said alternative data processing system in response to a request provided from said alternative data processing system.

3. ) The data processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a communication controller for assigning the process request input from the external source to either said data processing system or said alternative data processing system based on predetermined criteria.

4. ) The data processing system according to claim 3, further comprising a queueing box for temporarily storing said change information and, when the distribution destination of said process request is switched by said communication controller from said data processing system to said alternative data processing system, transferring said change information from said queueing box to said alternative data processing system.

5. ) A data processing system, comprising:

communication controller for accepting a process request from an external source;

a first processor for processing data in response to the process request accepted in said communication controller;

a second processor provided separately from said first processor for processing data in response to said process request accepted in said communication controller, said communication controller selecting one of said first and second processors as a transfer destination and transferring said process request to said selected transfer destination;

a data transmitter/receiver for transferring data in an asynchronous manner between said first and second processors;

wherein said data transmitter/receiver temporarily stores, in a first queueing box, data processed in said first processor and, when requested from said second processor, provides the processed data to said second processor, and also temporarily stores, in a second queueing box, data processed by said second processor and, when requested from said first processor, provides said processed data to said first processor.

6. ) The data processing system according to claim 5,

wherein said communication controller switches the transfer destination of said process request from said first processor to said second processor or from said second processor to said first processor according to a time at which said communication controller accepts the process request.

7. ) The data processing system according to claim 5 further comprising a main database for storing data and a sub-database for storing part of the data stored in said main database,

wherein said first processor references the data stored in said main database to perform a process based on the referenced data and said process request, and stores the processed data in said main database;

and

said second processor references the data stored in said sub-database to perform a process based on the referenced data and said process request, and stores the processed data in said sub-database.

8. ) The data processing system according to claim 7,

wherein said first processor transfers data that meets predetermined criteria out of said data processed by said first processor to said second processor through said data transmitter/receiver;

and

said second processor stores said data transferred from said first processor in said sub-database.

9. ) The data processing system according to claim 7,

wherein said data transmitter/receiver transfers from said second processor to said first processor at least part of the data stored by the process performed by said second processor in said sub-database when said communication controller switches the transfer destination of said process request from said second processor to said first processor.

10. ) The data processing system according to claim 9,

wherein said first processor performs a predetermined process based on the data transferred from said second processor to said first processor and stores the processed data in said main database.

11. ) A data processing system connected to an existing financial transaction system having a main database, comprising:

a sub-database for receiving and storing part of account information stored in said main database from said financial transaction system;

a processor for referencing said account information stored in said sub-database in response to a transaction request provided from a terminal operated by a customer to perform a transaction according to said transaction request;

a data transmitter/receiver for transferring account information changed as a result of the transaction to said financial transaction system in an asynchronous manner; and

a communication controller for switching a connection destination of the terminal between said financial transaction system and said data processing system.

12. ) The data processing system according to claim 11,

wherein said data transmitter/receiver stores, in a queueing box, transaction data concerning the transaction performed by said processor, said transaction data including at least said transaction request;

and

said transmitter/receiver transfers said transaction data from the queueing box to said financial transaction system when said communication controller switches said connection destination of said terminal from said data processing system to said financial transaction system.

13. ) The data processing system according to claim 11, wherein said processor and said data transmitter/receiver are duplicated.

15. ) The accounting system according to claim 14,

wherein said switching operation input module switches between said first mode and said second mode according to predetermined time periods.

16. ) The accounting system according to claim 14,

wherein said first processor extracts information used in said second mode from said account information changed as a result of said transaction and transfers said extracted information to said second processor;

and

said second processor stores said extracted information in said second database.

17. ) The accounting system according to claim 14,

wherein said second processor sends at least an account number of said customer and a transaction request item in said transaction request to said first processor as a transaction log when switching is performed from said second mode to said first mode;

and

said first processor re-performs the transaction for said transaction request based on said transaction log and stores the account information changed as a result of the re-performed transaction in said first database.

18. ) The accounting system according to claim 14,

wherein only part of a transaction menu that can be performed by said first processor in said first mode is performed by said second processor in said second mode.

20. ) The data processing system according to claim 19,

wherein said difference information storage outputs said difference information to said financial transaction system in response to a request provided from said financial transaction system.

14. ) An accounting system for a financial institution, comprising:

a communication controller for controlling data communication from a terminal on which a customer performs a transaction operation to said accounting system;

a first database for storing account information about an account of the customer;

a first processor for referencing said account information stored in said first database in response to a transaction request provided from said terminal through said communication controller to perform a transaction, and storing account information changed as a result of said transaction in said first database;

a second database for storing part of said account information stored in said first database;

a second processor for referencing said account information stored in said second database in response to a transaction request provided from said terminal through said communication controller to perform a transaction, and storing the account information changed as a result of said transaction in said second database;

a data transmitter/receiver for performing a data transfer between said first database and said second database in an asynchronous manner; and

a switching operation input module for switching between a first mode in which said first data processor and said first database are operated and a second mode in which said second processor and said second database are operated.

19. ) A data processing system connected to an existing financial transaction system having a main database, comprising:

a sub-database for receiving and storing part of account information stored in said main database from said financial transaction system;

a processor for referencing said account information stored in said sub-database based on a transaction request provided from a terminal operated by a customer to perform a transaction in response to said transaction request; and

a difference information storage for storing difference information changed in the account information stored in said sub-database as a result of the transaction.

21. ) A method of operating a data processing system, comprising a first processing system having a first database, and a second data processing system having a second database, said method comprising the steps of:

processing by said first processing system a first process request from an external source and storing data resulting from the processing by said first processing system in said first database;

transferring and storing at least part of the data resulting from the processing by said first processing system into said second database through a first data transmitter/receiver asynchronously;

switching connection of the external source from said first processing system to said second processing system; and

processing by said second processing system a second process request from the external source and storing data resulting from the processing by said second processing system in said second database.

22. ) The method according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

providing the data resulting from the processing by said second processing system to a second data transmitter/receiver;

transferring and storing the data resulting from the processing by said second processing system into said first database through the second data transmitter/receiver asynchronously; and

switching connection of the external source from said second processing system to said first processing system.

23. ) The method according to claim 22,

wherein said first processing system re-performs a process performed in response to the process request received from the external source in said second processing system and stores data resulting from the process performed by said first processing system in said first database, when the data resulting from the process performed by said second processing system is stored in said first database by said first processing system.

24. ) The method according to claim 21,

wherein said step of switching connection of the external source is performed by message communication through the first date transmitter/receiver.