Information processing system and method for executing process during communication error

• US 7,716,522 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Iwata, Yoji, Hayashi, Ryuji, Hanai, Takehiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman; Scott T
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHELL, JOSEPH O
• Application Number:
  US11/693,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20080091970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714/18, 714/56, 714/13, 714/15, 709/205, 709/228
• US Class Current: 714/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1658 Data re-synchronization of a redundant component, or initial sync of replacement, additional or spare unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2048 where the redundant components share neither address space nor persistent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups

Abstract

In information processing between computers which perform a remote operation via a network, all or a part of process information being executed by an operation target and data for use in a process are transmitted beforehand to an operation unit, and the operation unit continues the processing by use of the process information transmitted beforehand when connection via the network for communication between the computers is interrupted or cut. When it is detected that the communication returns to a normal state, the process information being executed by the operation unit and the data for use in the process are transmitted to the operation target, and the operation target continues execution of an information processing program by use of the received process information and the data for use in the process.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising a first information processing device and a second information processing device,

the first information processing device comprising:

an input transmitting unit for transmitting input data to the second information processing device; and

a communication monitoring unit for monitoring communications between the first information processing device and the second information processing device;

the second information processing device comprising;

a program storing unit for storing a program, the program being requested to execute by the first information processing device;

a process executing unit for executing a process based on the program;

a transmitting unit for receiving the input data from the first information processing device, transferring the received input data to the process for execution with the process by the process execution unit based on the input data and sending a result of the executed result of the process by the process execution unit to the first information processing device;

an execution monitoring unit for monitoring whether the process starts running; and

a program control unit responsive to a detection by the execution monitoring unit that the process starts running, for transmitting one or more program modules related to the process being executed, to the first information processing device, the one or more program modules being run with the process being executed;

the first information processing device further comprising;

a program receiving unit for receiving the one or more program modules sent from the second information processing device; and

a program executing unit for executing a new process based on the received one or more program modules in response to a detection of a communication error between the first information processing device and the second information processing device, the error being detected by the communication monitoring unit;

wherein in response to the detection of the communication error, the input data transmitting unit transfers the input data to the new process executed by the program executing unit, and the user interface outputs a result of the new process executed by the program executing unit based on the input data.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein:

when the communication monitoring unit detects that the communication between the first information processing device and the second information processing device has returned to a normal state, the execution monitoring unit transmits information and data of the new process to the second information processing device; and

the program control unit receives the information and data of the new process transmitted from the first information processing device, and resumes the execution of the process based on the received information and data from the first information processing device.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more program modules related with the process realize functions performed by executing the process;

wherein a storage unit of the second information processing device records a data size of each of the one or more program modules; and

wherein the program control unit transmits the one or more program modules to the first information processing device so that a total value of the data sizes of the one or more program modules transmitted to the first information processing device does not exceed a predetermined value.

4. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein when it is not detected for a predetermined period that the communication error has occurred between the first information processing device and the second information processing device, the communication monitoring unit detects that the communication between the first information processing device and the second information processing device has returned to the normal state.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first information processing device monitors a free capacity of a memory of the first information processing device, compares the free capacity with a predetermined value, and discontinues writing of the one or more program modules transmitted from the second information processing device in the memory in accordance with a result of the comparison.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first information processing device monitors whether or not an authentication unit which specifies an operator of the first information processing device is mounted, and discontinues the execution of each process when it is detected that the authentication unit has been removed.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the first information processing device comprises a user interface for outputting the result received from the second information processing device.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more program modules related to the process constitute the process.

9. An information processing method of an information processing system comprising a first information processing device and a second information processing device, comprising:

transmitting input data by the first information processing device to the second information processing device

receiving the input data by the second information processing device;

monitoring, by the first information processing device, communications between the first information processing device and the second information processing device;

executing, by the second information processing device, a process based on a program to be requested by the first information processing device execute, the process being executed based on the input data;

sending an executed result of the process by the second information processing device to the first information processing device;

monitoring whether the process starts running;

transmitting, by the second information processing device to the first information processing device, responsive to a detection that the process starts running, one or more program modules related to the process having been executed, the one or more program modules being run with the process being executed;

receiving, by the first information processing device, the one or more program modules sent from the second information processing device; and

executing, by the first information processing device, a new process based on the received one or more program modules in response to a detection of a communication error between the first information processing device and the second information processing device;

wherein, in response to the detection of the communication error, the input data transmitting unit transfers the input data to the new process executed by the program executing unit, and a user interface outputs a result of the new process executed by the program executing unit based on the input data.

10. The information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising,

when it is detected that the communication between the first information processing device and the second information processing device has returned to a normal state, transmitting information and data of the new process from the first information processing device to the second information processing device;

and

receiving, by the second information processing device, the information and data of the new process transmitted from the first information processing device, and resuming the execution of the process based on the received information and data from the first information processing device.

11. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the communication error is detected in the communication between the first information processing device and the second information processing device when no data is transmitted from the second information processing device for a predetermined period;

and

wherein the communication between the first information processing device and the second information processing device returns to the normal state when it is not detected for a predetermined period that the communication error has occurred in the communication between the first information processing device and the second information processing device.

12. The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the one or more program modules related with the process realize functions performed by executing the processes;

and the method further comprises;

recording a data size of each of the one or more program modules; and

transmitting the one or more program modules to the first information processing device such that a total value of the data sizes of the one or more program modules transmitted to the first information processing device does not exceed a predetermined value.

13. The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein when no data is transmitted from the second information processing device for a predetermined period, the communication error is detected in the communication between the first information processing device and the second information processing device.

14. The information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring, by the first information processing device, an available capacity of a memory of the first information processing device;

comparing the available capacity with a predetermined value; and

discontinuing writing of the one or more program modules transmitted from the second information processing device in the memory in accordance with a result of the comparison.

15. The information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring, monitoring by the first information processing device, whether or not an authentication unit which specifies an operator of the first information processing device is mounted, and discontinuing the execution of each process when it is detected that the authentication unit has been removed.

16. The information processing method according to claim 9, further comprising outputting the executed result received from the second information processing device by a user interface of the first information processing device.

17. The information processing method according to claim 9, wherein the one or more program modules related with the process constitute the process.