Remote module control system for controlling module disposed at remote place which accommodates line/trunk circuit and control method thereof

• US 6,289,387 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Katayama, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIELDS, KENNETH WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US09/127,790
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 709/237, 709/238, 709/217, 709/224, 709/227, 709/232, 370/229, 370/230, 370/235, 370/236
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13092 Scanning of subscriber lines, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/58 Arrangements providing connection between main exchange and sub-exchange or satellite

Abstract

A remote module control system in which a remote module includes data information management means for managing data information indicative of existence/non-existence of data to be transferred which is to be transferred to a switching system and notifying the switching system of the data information as required and data transmission means for transmitting data to be transferred to the switching system, the switching system includes first storage means for storing data information received from the remote module, second storage means for storing data to be transferred received from the remote module and reception information setting means for setting reception information indicative of the reception of data to be transferred based on data information stored in the first storage means, and a central processor mounted on the switching system obtains data to be transferred stored in the second storage means according to reception information.

Claims

1. A remote module control system for controlling, from a switching system, a remote module which is disposed at a place remote from said switching system and accommodates a plurality of line/trunk circuits, said remote module comprising:

data information management means for managing data information indicative of existence/non-existence of data to be transferred which is to be transferred to said switching system and notifying said switching system of the data information as required; and

data transmission means for transmitting said data to be transferred indicated by said data information to said switching system, said switching system comprising;

a central processor for controlling said line/trunk circuits; and

interface means for connecting said central processor and said remote module,

wherein said interface means comprises;

first storage means for storing said data information received from said remote module,

second storage means for storing said data to be transferred, received from said remote module, and

reception information setting means for monitoring said first storage means to set reception information indicative of the reception of said data to be transferred based on said data information stored,

wherein said central processor monitors said reception information setting means to obtain said data to be transferred stored in said second storage means according to said reception information, and

wherein said data information management means of said remote module includes;

first flag setting means for setting first flag data indicative of existence/non-existence of said data to be transferred, and

first flag management means for monitoring said first flag data set by said first flag setting means to transmit said first flag data to said switching system according to the state of the flag data.

2. The remote module control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said reception information setting means of said switching system comprises

data information management means for monitoring said data information stored at said first storage means, and

flag data setting means for setting flag data indicative of the reception of said data to be transferred indicated by said data information under control of said data information management means,

wherein said central processor monitors said flag data setting means to obtain said data to be transferred stored at said second storage means according to the state of said flag data.

3. The remote module control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said reception information setting means of said switching system includes:

second flag management means for monitoring said first flag data stored at said first storage means, and

second flag setting means for setting second flag data indicative of the reception of said data to be transferred indicated by said first flag data under control of said second flag management means, and

wherein said central processor monitors said second flag setting means to obtain said data to be transferred stored at said second storage means according to the state of said second flag data.

4. A remote module control method of controlling, from a switching system, a remote module which is disposed at a place remote from said switching system and accommodates a plurality of line/trunk circuits, comprising the steps of:

in said remote module,

managing data information indicative of existence/non-existence of data to be transferred which is to be transferred to said switching system and notifying said switching system of the data information as required, and

transmitting said data to be transferred indicated by said data information to said switching system, and

in said switching system,

storing said data information and said data to be transferred received from said remote module at predetermined storage means,

setting reception information indicative of the reception of said data to be transferred based on said data information stored at said storage means, and

obtaining said data to be transferred stored at said storage means according to said reception information by a central processor mounted on said switching system for controlling said line/trunk circuits, and

wherein

said data information management step of said remote module includes;

setting first flag data indicative of existence/non-existence of said data to be transferred, and

monitoring said first flag data to transmit said first flag data to said switching system according to the state of the first flag data.

5. The remote module control method as set forth in claim 4, wherein

at said reception information setting step of said switching system, said data information stored at said storage means is monitored to set flag data indicative of the reception of said data to be transferred indicated by said data information, and

at said data to be transferred obtaining step, said central processor obtains said data to be transferred stored at said storage means according to the state of said flag data.

6. The remote module control method as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said reception information setting step of said switching system comprises

monitoring said first flag data stored at said storage means to detect a state change of the first flag data, and

setting second flag data indicative of the reception of said data to be transferred indicated by said first flag data according to the detected state of said first flag data, and

at said data to be transferred obtaining step, said central processor obtains said data to be transferred stored at said storage means according to the state of said second flag data.

7. A computer readable memory storing a remote module control program for controlling, from a switching system, a remote module which is disposed at a place remote from said switching system and accommodates a plurality of line/trunk circuits, said remote module control program comprising the steps of:

in said remote module,

managing data information indicative of existence/non-existence of data to be transferred which is to be transferred to said switching system and notifying said switching system of the data information as required, and

transmitting said data to be transferred indicated by said data information to said switching system, and

in said switching system,

storing said data information and said data to be transferred received from said remote module at predetermined storage means,

setting reception information indicative of the reception of said data to be transferred based on said data information stored at said storage means, and

obtaining said data to be transferred stored at said storage means according to said reception information by a central processor mounted on said switching system for controlling said line/trunk circuits, and

wherein said data information management step of said control program at said remote module includes;

setting first flag data indicative of existence/non-existence of said data to be transferred, and

monitoring said first flag data to transmit said first flag data to said switching system according to the state of the first flag data.

8. The storage medium as set forth in claim 7, wherein

in said control program on said switching system,

at said reception information setting step, said data information stored at said storage means is monitored to set flag data indicative of the reception of said data to be transferred indicated by said data information, and

at said data to be transferred obtaining step, said central processor obtains said data to be transferred stored at said storage means according to the state of said flag data.

9. The storage medium as set forth in claim 7, wherein

said reception information setting step of said control program at said switching system includes:

monitoring said first flag data stored at said storage means to detect a state change of the first flag data, and

setting second flag data indicative of the reception of said data to be transferred indicated by said first flag data according to the detected state of said first flag data, and

at said data to be transferred obtaining step, said central processor obtains said data to be transferred stored at said storage means according to the state of said second flag data.