Data processing system with data transmission failure recovery measures

• US 5,343,477 A
• Filed: 09/12/1991
• Issued: 08/30/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Yamada, Kazutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elmore, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US07/758,108
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 371/8.2, 371/11.2, 371/11.3, 371/7, 371/8.1, 371/9.1, 371/10.1, 371/11.1, 395/575, 364/269.2
• US Class Current: 714/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2005 using redundant communication controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/201 between storage system components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2066 Optimisation of the communication load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/161 Computing infrastructure, e.g. computer clusters, blade chassis or hardware partitioning casings, cabinets, racks or drawers for data centers H05K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A data processing system with data transmission failure recovery measures includes a plurality of first POS terminals and a plurality of second POS terminals. Each POS terminal is connected to two transmission lines. A first file server is connected to one of the transmission lines. A second file server having stored contents identical to that of the first file server is connected to the other transmission line. The first POS terminal accesses the first file server, and the second POS terminal accesses the second file server during normal transmission. This permits incorporation of a plurality of files and allows a large number of POS terminals to be installed while alleviating access concentration of the files. Because the transmission lines and files are multiplexed, data processing including data transmission can be continued, thereby avoiding a system down, by switching from the normal transmission line or file when a transmission failure occurs. The two file servers are connected to each other via another transmission line to update the stored content of one file via the third transmission line to conform to the update of the stored contents of the other file. Thus, after updating, the stored contents of those files are always identical and the same data can always be obtained regardless of which file is accessed.

Claims

1. A data processing system with data transmission failure recovery measures, comprising:

first and second storing means for storing files having identical contents,

a first transmission line connected to said first storing means,

a second transmission line connected to said second storing means,

a plurality of first terminals connected to said first and second transmission lines, and

a plurality of second terminals connected to said first and second transmission lines;

wherein each of said first and second terminals comprises;

first transmission control means for transmitting data to and from said first storing means only via said first transmission line, and

second transmission control means for transmitting data to and from said second storing means via only said second transmission line,

wherein each of said first terminals further comprises first switching means for selecting said first transmission control means during normal transmission, and for selecting said second transmission control means if a failure in a transmission controlled by said first transmission control means occurs and,

wherein each of said second terminals further comprises second switching means for selecting said second transmission control means during normal transmission, and for selecting said first transmission control means if a failure in a transmission controlled by said second transmission control means occurs,

such that said first and second terminals communicate over different transmission lines during normal transmission and over a same transmission line if a failure in transmission over one of said first and second transmission lines occurs.

2. The data processing system with data transmission failure recovery measures according to claim 1, wherein

each of said first and second terminals further comprises storing means for storing specific data for specifying either of said normal transmission or said failure in a transmission as well as enabling data for enabling one of said transmission control means and said second transmission control means, and

wherein each of said first and second switching means is responsive to said specific data stored in said storing means for selecting one of said first and second transmission control means to enable said one transmission control means according to said enabling data.

3. The data processing system with data transmission failure recovery measures according to claim 2, wherein each of said first and second terminals further comprises:

failure detecting means for detecting occurrence of said transmission failure, and

specific data updating means responsive to detection of an occurrence of said failure in a transmission by said failure detecting means for updating said specific data stored in said storing means.

4. The data processing system with data transmission failure recovery measures according to claim 1, further comprising a third transmission line for connecting said first storing means to said second storing means,

wherein each of said first and second storing means comprises

third transmission control means for transmitting updated contents of one storing means to the other storing means via said third transmission line when stored content is updated, and

updating means for updating stored contents according to the transmitted contents by said third transmission control means.

5. The data processing system with data transmission failure recovery measures according to claim 4, wherein

said first storing means further comprises first updating means for updating stored content according to a first predetermined data provided from said first transmission control means, and

said second storing means further comprises second updating means for updating stored content according to a second predetermined data provided from said second transmission control means.