Network management system for remote setup of control equipment in a network

• US 7,343,403 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Komiya, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack; Melvin H.
• Application Number:
  US10/296,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20030131090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,539 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/218, 709223-230, 709/236, 709/248, 709/249, 707/10, 707/104.1, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A network management system has setup processing of a target network which can be done at other network. Therefore, it is possible to perform a network setup from a remote place. The network management system includes a plurality of networks to which equipment is connected and a management node connected between the plurality of networks, for exchanging setup information on equipment between different networks through the management node.

Claims

1. A network management system which includes a plurality of networks to which equipment is connected and a management node connected between the plurality of networks, for exchanging setup information on equipment between different networks through the management node, wherein the management node comprises:

first transmission/reception means which performs data communications with one network;

second transmission/reception means which performs data communications with another network;

setup information store means which stores setup information for the another network;

setup information frame analysis means which analyzes a setup information frame received from the one network, the setup information frame containing the setup information for the another network, and making the setup information store means store the setup information;

setup means which sets up the another network by using the setup information for the another network which is stored in the setup information store means and received from the one network;

setup state acquisition means which acquires a setup state of the another network from equipment which is connected to the another network, and making the setup information store means store the acquired setup state as the setup information about the another network; and

setup information frame forming means which forms a setup information frame in order to transmit the setup information about the another network to the one network, and transmitting the same to the one network, wherein setup and checking of the another network is performed by equipment connected to the one network.

2. The network management system of claim 1, wherein each element which composes the setup information on a network in the setup information frame is an equipment address of the equipment linked to the system, and a connection setup between each equipment based on a correspondence between the equipment address and an equipment property number.

3. The network management system of claim 1,

wherein the setup information frame analysis means and the setup information frame forming means include interpreting and forming means of a data structure description language which can be used for communications on a world wide web, and

wherein a communication frame based on the data structure description language is used for communications of the setup information between the plurality of networks.

4. The network management system of claim 2,

wherein the setup information frame analysis means and the setup information frame forming means include interpreting and forming means of a data structure description language which can be used for communications on a world wide web, and

wherein a communication frame based on the data structure description language is used for communications of the setup information between the plurality of networks.

5. A network management system which includes a management node connected between a plurality of networks to which equipment is connected, for exchanging setup information on equipment between different networks through the management node, wherein the management node comprises:

first transmission/reception means which performs data communications with one network;

second transmission/reception means which performs data communications with another network;

setup information store means which stores connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network;

setup information frame analysis means which analyzes a setup information frame received from the one network, the setup information frame containing the connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network and makes the setup information store means store the connection setup information; and

setup means which sets up the another network by using the connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network which is stored in the setup information store means and received from the one network, wherein setup of the another network is performed by equipment connected to the one network;

wherein the another network connects at least first equipment with second equipment, the first equipment and the second equipment each having an equipment property;

wherein the setup information store means stores information, which relates an equipment address of the first equipment and an equipment property number indicating the equipment property of the first equipment, to an equipment address of the second equipment and an equipment property number indicating the equipment property of the second equipment, as connection setup information between equipment of the first equipment and the second equipment;

and wherein the setup means sets up the connection setup information between equipment stored in the setup information store means at least for the first equipment and the second equipment of the another network, and relates equipment properties between the first equipment and the second equipment.

9. The network management system according to claim 5,

wherein the setup information frame analysis means includes interpreting and forming means of a data structure description language which can be used for communications on a world wide web,

and wherein a communication frame based on the data structure description language is used for communications of the setup information between the plurality of networks.

6. A network management system which includes a management node connected between a plurality of networks to which equipment is connected, for exchanging setup information on equipment between different networks through the management node, wherein the management node comprises:

first transmission/reception means which performs data communications with one network;

second transmission/reception means which performs data communications with another network;

setup information store means which stores connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network;

setup state acquisition means which acquires the connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network from equipment connected to the another network, and which makes the setup information store means store the acquired connection setup information between equipment;

set information frame forming means which forms a setup information frame in order to transmit the connection setup information between equipment of the another network, which is stored in the setup information store means, to the one network, and transmits the setup information frame to the one network wherein the one network checks the setup on the equipment connected to the another network,

wherein the another network connects at least first equipment with second equipment, the first equipment and the second equipment each having an equipment property; and

wherein the setup state acquisition means acquires information that relates an equipment address of the first equipment and an equipment property number indicating the equipment property of the first equipment, to an equipment address of the second equipment and an equipment property number indicating the equipment property of the second equipment, and makes the setup information store means store the information.

8. The network management system according to claim 6,

wherein equipment connected to the one network displays a connection setup state between equipment of the another network to a user based on the connection setup information between equipment of the another network, which is transmitted from the setup information frame forming means to the one network, and promotes a change of the connection setup information between network of the another network,

wherein the first transmission/reception means receives a setup information frame in order to change the connection setup information between equipment of the another network, from the equipment connected to the one network,

and wherein the management node further comprises:

setup information frame analysis means which analyzes a setup information frame for changing the connection setup information between equipment of the another network, which is received by the first transmission/reception means, and changes the connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network, which is stored in the setup information store means; and

setup means which changes a connection setup between equipment of the network by using the connection setup information between equipment connected to the network, which is stored in the setup information store means and is changed by the setup information frame analysis means.

11. The network management system according to claim 6,

wherein the setup information frame analysis means includes interpreting and forming means of a data structure description language which can be used for communications on a world wide web,

and wherein a communication frame based on the data structure description language is used for communications of the setup information between the plurality of networks.

7. A network management system which includes a management node connected between a plurality of networks to which equipment is connected, for exchanging setup information on equipment between different networks through the management node, wherein the management node comprises:

first transmission/reception means which performs data communication with one network;

second transmission/reception means which performs data communication with another network;

setup information store means which stores connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network;

setup information frame analysis means which analyzes a setup information frame received from the one network, the setup information frame containing the setup information for the another network, and makes the setup information store means store connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network;

setup means which sets up a connection of equipment of the another network by using the connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network which is stored in the setup information store means and received from the one network;

setup state acquisition means which acquires the connection setup information between equipment of the another network from equipment connected to the another network, and which makes the setup information store means store the acquired connection setup information between the equipment connected to the another network; and

set information frame forming means which forms a setup information frame in order to transmit the connection setup information between the equipment of the another network, which is stored in the setup information store means, to the one network, and transmits the setup information frame to the one network, wherein the setup and checking of the another network is performed by equipment connected to the one network,

wherein each equipment of at least first equipment and second equipment, to which the another network connects, has an equipment property,

wherein the setup information store means stores information which relates an equipment address of the first equipment and an equipment property number indicating the equipment property of the first equipment, to an equipment address of the second equipment and an equipment property number indicating the equipment property of the second equipment, as connection setup information between equipment of the first equipment and the second equipment;

wherein the setup means sets up the connection setup information between equipment, which is stored in the setup information store means at least for two equipments of the first equipment and the second equipment of the another network, and relates equipment properties between equipment;

wherein the setup state acquisition means acquires information that relates the equipment address of the first equipment and the equipment property number indicating the equipment property of the first equipment, to the equipment address of the second equipment and the equipment property number indicating the equipment property of the second equipment, as connection setup information between the first equipment and the second equipment connected to the another network, and makes the setup information store means store the information.

10. The network management system according to claim 7,

wherein equipment connected to the one network displays a connection setup state between equipment of the another network to a user based on the connection setup information between equipment of the another network, which is transmitted from the setup information frame forming means to the one network, and promotes a change of the connection setup information between network of the another network,

wherein the first transmission/reception means receives a setup information frame in order to change the connection setup information between equipment of the another network, from the equipment connected to the one network,

and wherein the management node further comprises:

setup information frame analysis means which analyzes a setup information frame for changing the connection setup information between equipment of the another network, which is received by the first transmission/reception means, and changes the connection setup information between equipment connected to the another network, which is stored in the setup information store means; and

setup means which changes a connection setup between equipment of the network by using the connection setup information between equipment connected to the network, which is stored in the setup information store means and is changed by the setup information frame analysis means.

12. The network management system according to claim 7,

wherein the setup information frame analysis means includes interpreting and forming means of a data structure description language which can be used for communications on a world wide web,

and wherein a communication frame based on the data structure description language is used for communications of the setup information between the plurality of networks.