System management device, system management method, and program

A system management device (1) includes: a data request transmission unit (5) which successively transmits data request signals (C5) to a management object system (50); a feature data extraction unit (6) which extracts feature data (D3) from data (D50) acquired by a data acquisition unit (3); an error information extraction unit (7) which extracts error information from the data; a feature data storage unit (8) which stores feature data at a time of occurrence of an error as error-occurrence-time feature data (D6) according to the error information; and a system control unit (9) which, each time the data is acquired, compares a status value included in the feature data (D3) in the acquired data with a status value included in the error-occurrence-time feature data (D6) already stored in the feature data storage unit (8) and performs control of the management object system (50) according to a result of the comparison.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a system management device and a system management method for acquiring data from a management object system and controlling operation of the management object system on the basis of feature data extracted from the acquired data.

BACKGROUND ART

There are monitoring systems as an example of management object systems which are objects of maintenance or the like. In a monitoring system, it is required to record situations of emergency such as crimes and accidents in the form of video data without omission and without fail. Even in a case where a monitoring system has increased in scale and the amount of video data handled by the monitoring system has multiplied, the monitoring system is required to continue operating stably while recording video with high image quality.

Patent Reference 1 describes a monitoring system including monitoring cameras, a hub, and a recording device. The aim of the monitoring system is to record video data that is inputted from the monitoring cameras to the recording device via the hub without omission. In the monitoring system, the recording device monitors its own status, and when a usage ratio of a CPU or data accumulation volume of a buffer has reached or exceeded a prescribed reference value, a delivery-volume control notification signal for reducing a delivery rate is issued to the hub, by which the accumulation volume of the video data accumulated in the buffer is regulated and the delivery rate of the video data is reduced.

PRIOR ART REFERENCE

Patent Reference

Patent Reference 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-041274

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

However, in the monitoring system described in the Patent Reference 1, if the prescribed reference value for the usage ratio of the CPU or the data accumulation volume of the buffer that is used for determining to issue the delivery-volume control notification signal is set too low, a problem arises in that frequency of occurrence of the delivery-volume control notification signal increases, the delivery rate of the video data decreases, and the image quality of the recorded video deteriorates. Further, if the prescribed reference value is set too high, a problem arises in that low-priority tasks, among tasks of software being executed by the CPU, are not carried out and operation of the monitoring system is hindered.

Furthermore, in the monitoring system described in the Patent Reference 1, a calculation of the usage ratio of the CPU has to be carried out by the CPU itself that is an object of measurement of the usage ratio. Thus, in the calculation of the usage ratio of the CPU, a load caused by the calculation is added to the CPU furthermore, and processing by the CPU for recording the video sometimes fails to keep up with the need. Accordingly, there is a problem that failure of recording of the monitoring video occurs or the calculation of the usage ratio of the CPU becomes impossible, and consequently, the operation of the monitoring system becomes unstable.

Thus, the present invention is made to solve the above-described problems of the conventional technology, and its object is to provide a system management device, a system management method and a system management program for controlling a management object system so that prevention of occurrence of trouble in data processing in the management object system and stable operation of the management object system can be realized.

Means for Solving the Problem

A system management device according to one aspect of the invention is the system management device that controls a management object system, and includes a data request transmission unit that successively transmits data request signals, for requesting transmission of data, to the management object system, a data acquisition unit that successively acquires data transmitted from the management object system in response to the data request signals, a feature data extraction unit that extracts feature data including a status value indicating operation status of the management object system from each piece of the data acquired by the data acquisition unit, an error information extraction unit that extracts error information indicating a processing error that occurs in the management object system from each piece of the data acquired by the data acquisition unit, a feature data storage unit that stores feature data at a time of occurrence of the processing error, in the feature data extracted by the feature data extraction unit, as error-occurrence-time feature data, and a system control unit that, each time the data is acquired by the data acquisition unit, compares a status value included in the feature data in the acquired data with a status value included in the error-occurrence-time feature data already stored in the feature data storage unit and performs control of the management object system according to a result of the comparison.

A system management method according to another aspect of the invention is the system management method that controls a management object system, and includes a data request transmission step of successively transmitting data request signals, for requesting transmission of data, to the management object system, a data acquisition step of successively acquiring data transmitted from the management object system in response to the data request signals, a feature data extraction step of extracting feature data including a status value indicating operation status of the management object system from each piece of the data acquired in the data acquisition step, an error information extraction step of extracting error information indicating a processing error that occurs in the management object system from each piece of the data acquired in the data acquisition step, a feature data storage step of storing feature data at a time of occurrence of the processing error, in the feature data extracted in the feature data extraction step, as error-occurrence-time feature data, and a system control step of, each time the data is acquired in the data acquisition step, comparing a status value included in the feature data in the acquired data with a status value included in the error-occurrence-time feature data already stored in the feature data storage step and performs control of the management object system according to a result of the comparison.

Effects of the Invention

In the system management device and the system management method according to the present invention, feature data in a situation in which a processing error occurred in the past is stored as error-occurrence-time feature data. Each time data is acquired from the management object system, feature data included in the acquired data is compared with the stored error-occurrence-time feature data, and operation of the management object system is controlled on the basis of a result of the comparison. As above, according to the system management device and the system management method of the present invention, occurrence of trouble in data processing in the management object system can be reduced and stable operation of the management object system can be realized by appropriately controlling the management object system in a case where the feature data included in the acquired data is approximate to the stored error-occurrence-time feature data.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

First Embodiment

FIG. 1is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a data collection recording device1as a system management device according to a first embodiment. The data collection recording device1is a system that collects and records data from a monitoring system (management object system)50and controls the management object system50. The data collection recording device1is a device capable of executing a data collection recording method as a system management method according to the first embodiment. The management object system50and a nonvolatile memory15are also shown inFIG. 1as components connected to the data collection recording device1. Components having no direct influence on the effects of the first embodiment are not shown inFIG. 1.

As shown inFIG. 1, the data collection recording device1includes a system communication unit2, a data acquisition unit3, a memory write I/F unit (memory write interface unit)4, a data request transmission unit5, a feature data extraction unit6, an error information extraction unit7, a feature data storage unit8, a system control unit9, and a device control unit10. The device control unit10is formed by use of a CPU (Central Processing Unit)11. The nonvolatile memory15is connected to the memory write I/F unit4. The data collection recording device1is connected to the monitoring system50as the management object system. The nonvolatile memory15may be a part of the data collection recording device1. The nonvolatile memory15is not restricted to a semiconductor memory but can be a different type of storage device such as an HDD, an optical information storage medium or a magnetic information storage medium.

As shown inFIG. 1, the management object system50is a monitoring system including cameras20a,20band20cfor shooting video, a hub21to which the cameras20a,20band20care connected, a monitoring recording device30which is connected to the hub21, and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive)35which is connected to the monitoring recording device30. Connection between the cameras20a,20b,20cand the hub21, connection between the hub21and the monitoring recording device30, connection between the monitoring recording device30and the HDD35, and connection between the management object system50and the data collection recording device1may be made via a network so that communication is possible. It is also possible to connect two or more management object systems50to one data collection recording device1. In this case, the one data collection recording device1may perform control while switching the management object systems in turn.

The data collection recording device1may further include a user operation unit as a command input unit for letting the user command a start or a stoppage of a recording operation and so on in the monitoring recording device30, and a liquid crystal monitor as a status display unit for displaying status of the monitoring recording device30.

The system communication unit2is connected with and can communicate with the monitoring recording device30of the management object system50which is the object of data acquisition. The system communication unit2performs transmission of commands (signals) to the monitoring recording device30and reception of data (signals) from the monitoring recording device30.

The data request transmission unit5generates data request signals C5which are commands for requesting the monitoring recording device30to transmit data in the management object system50and so on, and successively transmits the data request signals C5to the monitoring recording device30via the system communication unit2.

The data acquisition unit3successively acquires data D50which is response data sent from the monitoring recording device30in response to the data request signals C5generated by the data request transmission unit5. The data D50received from the monitoring recording device30are recorded in a time series in the nonvolatile memory15via the memory write I/F unit4. Data recorded in the nonvolatile memory15via the memory write I/F unit4may be the whole of the data D50acquired by the data acquisition unit3; however, a configuration may be adopted in which only particular collection object data in the data D50acquired by the data acquisition unit3is selectively collected and recorded. In the first embodiment, sensor information data outputted from sensors A-Z of the monitoring recording device30, in the data D50acquired by the data acquisition unit3, are recorded in the nonvolatile memory15.

The error information extraction unit7extracts error information from each piece of data D50successively acquired by the data acquisition unit3. The error information is information indicating a processing error that occurred in the management object system50.

The feature data extraction unit6extracts feature data D3from each piece of data D50successively acquired by the data acquisition unit3. The feature data D3is data including a status value indicating operation status of the management object system50. The feature data extraction unit6supplies the feature data storage unit8with feature data at a time of occurrence of the processing error, in the feature data D3extracted by the feature data extraction unit6, as error-occurrence-time feature data D6.

The feature data storage unit8stores the feature data at the time of occurrence of the processing error, in the feature data D3extracted by the feature data extraction unit6, as the error-occurrence-time feature data D6. That is, the feature data storage unit8includes a register or memory, and on the basis of the error information extracted by the error information extraction unit7, stores and holds the feature data at that time point (time point when the error information was extracted) as the error-occurrence-time feature data D6.

The system control unit9compares the error-occurrence-time feature data D6stored and held in the feature data storage unit8with the feature data D3extracted by the feature data extraction unit6. If a result of the comparison satisfies a prescribed condition, the system control unit9performs control of the cameras20a-20c, the hub21and the monitoring recording device30of the management object system50. Specifically, each time the data D50is acquired by the data acquisition unit3, the system control unit9compares the status value included in the feature data D3in the acquired data D50with the status value included in the error-occurrence-time feature data D6already stored in the feature data storage unit8, and performs control of the management object system50(control for impeding occurrence of an error) in a case where the result of the comparison satisfies the prescribed condition. The system control unit9may be configured to compare the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6stored and held in the feature data storage unit8with the status value of the feature data D3extracted by the feature data extraction unit6and perform control of the management object system50in a case where the result of the comparison satisfies the prescribed condition.

The device control unit10is a part for performing overall control of the components of the data collection recording device1. For example, the device control unit10performs control such as a start and a stoppage of the processing in the system communication unit2.

The device control unit10is formed by use of the CPU11, for example. Control by the device control unit10is implemented by execution of a program by the CPU11. While a case where the CPU11includes only the device control unit10is shown inFIG. 1, components other than the device control unit10may be formed by use of the CPU11in the data collection recording device1. For example, the data acquisition unit3, the data request transmission unit5, the feature data extraction unit6, the error information extraction unit7and so forth may be configured to be implemented by execution of a program by the CPU11.

The system communication unit2is configured according to a serial communication specification in conformity with a serial communication standard such as the RS-232C standard. In this serial communication specification, it is possible to transmit data from the data collection recording device1to the monitoring recording device30of the management object system50and it is possible for the data collection recording device1to receive data from the monitoring recording device30of the management object system50. The system communication unit2is not restricted to a configuration according to the RS-232C standard but can be configured according to a different serial communication standard such as the RS-485 standard, or a parallel communication standard. In a case where the communication standard employed by the system communication unit2of the data collection recording device1and the communication standard employed by the communication unit of the management object system50differ from each other, a conversion device for the conversion between communication methods may be provided between the system communication unit2and a communication unit of the management object system50which is a destination of connection from the system communication unit2.

Next, the configuration of the monitoring recording device30of the management object system50will be described. As shown inFIG. 1, the monitoring recording device30includes an input/output I/F unit (input/output interface unit)31, a CPU (Central Processing Unit)32, an HDD input/output I/F unit (hard disk drive input/output interface unit)33, a log data accumulation buffer34, and a data volume measurement unit36. Further, the monitoring recording device30includes the sensors A-Z, for example. The sensors A-Z are sensors for detecting certain physical quantities, such as a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an acceleration sensor, an optical sensor, a vibration sensor, an inclination sensor, a voltage detector and a current detector. The number and kinds of the sensors are not limited in the management object system connected to the system management device to which the present invention is applied. The sensors A-Z may be arranged at other positions, such as positions outside the monitoring recording device30, the positions of the cameras20a-20c, positions inside the hub21, and positions inside the HDD35.

The input/output I/F unit31receives video data outputted from the cameras20a-20cvia the hub21and supplies the video data to the data volume measurement unit36. The data volume measurement unit36outputs the video data inputted via the hub21to the CPU32, and measures volume of data per unit time or the number of packets per unit time of the video data which is an example of a status value in the feature data of the management object system50. The CPU32performs data processing for recording the video data inputted from the data volume measurement unit36in the HDD35, and performs processing for outputting status data of the monitoring recording device30to the log data accumulation buffer34upon receiving a data request from the system communication unit2. The HDD input/output I/F unit33performs writing of the video data which has undergone the data processing by the CPU32, into the HDD35and reading out of data accumulated in the HDD35. The amount of data processing performed by the CPU32per unit time is also an example of a status value in the feature data of the management object system50.

FIG. 2is a sequence chart showing a fundamental process performed by the data collection recording device1for the data acquisition from the monitoring recording device30. As shown inFIG. 2, the data request transmission unit5of the data collection recording device1first transmits a data-acquisition start request signal, which is a data request signal C5indicating a start of data reception, to the monitoring recording device30. In response to the data request signal C5from the data request transmission unit5, the monitoring recording device30returns a response signal (data acquisition response signal) to the data collection recording device1if it is in a state in which data transmission is possible.

After receiving the response signal from the monitoring recording device30, the data request transmission unit5of the data collection recording device1transmits a command (sensor A information request), which requests acquisition of a detection value (data value) of the sensor A (e.g., temperature sensor in a housing) from the monitoring recording device30, to the monitoring recording device30. In response to the request (sensor A information request) from the data request transmission unit5, the monitoring recording device30returns a data value of the sensor A (sensor A information data) at that time point (i.e., the time point when the request from the data request transmission unit5is received).

Similarly, the data request transmission unit5of the data collection recording device1transmits a command (sensor B information request), which requests transmission of a detection value (data value) of another sensor B of the monitoring recording device30, to the monitoring recording device30. In response to the request (sensor B information request) from the data request transmission unit5, the monitoring recording device30returns a data value of the sensor B (sensor B information data) at that time point (i.e., the time point when the request from the data request transmission unit5is received).

Thereafter, the data collection recording device1performs acquisition of necessary data in a similar manner, and finally, notifies the monitoring recording device30that the data acquisition is finished and transmits a data acquisition completion notification. In response to this, the monitoring recording device30returns a response (data acquisition completion response). The above explains one data acquisition cycle (i.e., a cycle for acquiring data (n) which is the n-th piece of data). A process in which this cycle is repeated at a specified cycle interval T1, for example at a cycle of 10 seconds (T1=10 seconds), is a fundamental process sequence. Here, n represents a positive integer. The cycle T1is not restricted to 10 seconds.

FIG. 3is a flowchart showing operation of the data collection recording device1according to the first embodiment. First, the data request transmission unit5of the data collection recording device1sends the request indicating a start of data reception to the monitoring recording device30as the management object system50(step S1). In response to the data request signal C5from the data request transmission unit5, the monitoring recording device30returns the response if it is in a state in which data transmission is possible. Then, together with the response data, the monitoring recording device30transmits one of status values (feature data) at that time point and error information indicating the presence/absence of a processing error in the CPU32. The data acquisition unit3of the data collection recording device1receives the transmitted data (step S2).

The feature data needs to be a parameter having an influence on the operation of the monitoring recording device30, especially on the processing by the CPU32. In the first embodiment, the feature data is assumed to be the volume of data or the number of packets inputted from the cameras per unit time which is measured by the data volume measurement unit36. If the volume of data or the number of packets inputted from the cameras20a-20cper unit time is large, the volume of data that should be processed by the CPU32increases. If the volume of data or the number of packets which exceeds a processing power of the CPU32is inputted to the monitoring recording device30, a processing error occurs, such as a reception error or packet loss of the video data, a data processing error in the CPU32, or a write error in writing to the HDD35.

The CPU32acquires the volume of data or the number of packets of the video data per unit time from the data volume measurement unit36, writes the acquired data to the log data accumulation buffer34, and transmits the acquired data to the data collection recording device1together with other data representing the status of the system. The error information is information indicating whether an error occurred in the processing performed in the CPU32. For example, it is information such as the reception error or packet loss of the camera video data inputted from the hub21, the data processing error in the CPU32and the write error in writing to the HDD35.

FIG. 4is a diagram showing an example of a data format of the data inputted from the monitoring recording device30.FIG. 4shows the data format of the data that is transmitted in a case where the data-acquisition start request signal is transmitted from the data collection recording device1and the data acquisition response signal is returned from the monitoring recording device30. The data acquisition response signal is a response signal of data “1” similarly to an Ack signal in data communication. Data following the data “1” which is the data acquisition response signal is data representing the reception data (the number of packets) measured by the data volume measurement unit36which is the feature data. After this data, the aforementioned error information regarding an error which occurs in the processing in the monitoring recording device30is added.

Returning to the explanation ofFIG. 3, the data collection recording device1writes data acquired from the data acquisition response signal shown inFIG. 4to the nonvolatile memory15via the memory write I/F unit4(step S3). The feature data extraction unit6extracts, for example, the reception data volume (the number of packets) as the feature data, from the data shown inFIG. 4(step S4). Further, the error information extraction unit7extracts the error information from the data shown inFIG. 4(step S5).

Furthermore, the error information extraction unit7judges whether or not the error information extracted in the step S5is information indicating the presence of a processing error (step S6). If the error information indicates the presence of a processing error (YES in the step S6), the feature data at that time is stored in the feature data storage unit8as the error-occurrence-time feature data D6(step S7) and thereafter the process proceeds to step S10. The processing in the step S10will be explained later. If no information indicating the presence of a processing error exists in the extracted error information (NO in the step S6), processing of step S8is performed without storing the feature data.

Here, the feature data storage unit8in the first embodiment is formed of registers and configured so that multiple pieces of feature data can be stored.FIG. 5shows an example of the data foirnat of the feature data storage unit8. The feature data storage unit8shown inFIG. 5stores five pieces of error-occurrence-time feature data D6at times when a processing error is present. Here, these pieces of error-occurrence-time feature data D6are referred to as feature data8A-8E respectively. The feature data8A-8E are recorded in sequence from the oldest data, and the newest error-occurrence-time feature data D6is stored in a register8a. Therefore, in a case where the newest feature data is stored, the oldest feature data8E is deleted, the feature data8A-8D are shifted by one register, and the newest feature data is stored in the register8ain which the feature data8A has been stored. While the number of pieces of feature data stored in the feature data storage unit8is assumed to be five inFIG. 5, the number is not restricted to this example and any number is possible.

Returning toFIG. 3, the system control unit9compares a status value included in the error-occurrence-time feature data D6stored in the feature data storage unit8with the feature data D3extracted in the step S4(step S8). As a result of the comparison, the system control unit9judges whether or not a status value included in the feature data D3extracted in the step S4is within a reference range (prescribed range) that is set on the basis of the status value included in the error-occurrence-time feature data D6stored in the feature data storage unit8(step S9).

In the step S8, the comparison with the status value in the feature data D3extracted in the step S4is made by using the status value included in the error-occurrence-time feature data D6stored in the feature data storage unit8. As the error-occurrence-time feature data D6stored in the feature data storage unit8used for the comparison, the newest feature data stored in the register8aamong the registers of the feature data storage unit8shown inFIG. 5can be used, the average value of the feature data of the registers8a-8ecan be used, or the median value or the minimum value of the feature data of the registers8a-8ecan be used.

Here, the status value included in the feature data is assumed, in the first embodiment, to be the volume of data or the number of packets inputted from the cameras per unit time, which is measured by the data volume measurement unit36. If this value becomes large, a processing load on the CPU32of the monitoring recording device30increases, and thus a processing error becomes easy to occur. In the feature data storage unit8, the error-occurrence-time feature data D6, which is the feature data at a time when a processing error occurred in the past, is stored. If the status value included in the feature data D3inputted from the monitoring recording device30approaches the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6stored in the feature data storage unit8, the system control unit9is capable of detecting a state that a possibility of occurrence of a processing error is high. That is, if the status value in the feature data D3inputted from the monitoring recording device30is within the reference range that is set on the basis of the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6stored in the feature data storage unit8, it can be judged that a possibility of occurrence of a processing error is high. If the status value in the feature data D3is not within the set reference range, it can be judged that a possibility of occurrence of a processing error is low.

For this reason, in a case where the judgment in the step S9is NO, control of the monitoring recording device30and its peripheral devices by the feature data is ended and the processing proceeds to usual data acquisition operation, since the status value in the feature data D3is not within the reference range that is set on the basis of the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6in which a possibility of occurrence of a processing error is high. Here, the “usual data acquisition operation” means that the processing from the sensor A information request to the data acquisition completion notification shown inFIG. 2is performed and, after the data acquisition completion, the process from the step S1is executed repeatedly at a time of the next data acquisition.

On the other hand, in a case where the judgment in the step S9is YES or in a case where the judgement in the step S6is YES and the processing of the step S7is executed, it means that the status value in the feature data D3is within the range set on the basis the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6in which a possibility of occurrence of a processing error is high, or a processing error has occurred actually. In these cases, the data collection recording device1performs control for decreasing the status value in the feature data D3, that is, reducing the processing load on the CPU32of the monitoring recording device30. The data request transmission unit5stops a subsequent data transmission request (step S10), and further, the system control unit9controls the cameras20a-20cand the hub21so as to reduce a delivery rate of the cameras20a-20cor the hub21(step S11). Thereafter, the process from the step S1is executed repeatedly at a time of the next data acquisition.

Although it is not shown inFIG. 3, in a case where the judgment in the step S9is NO at a time of the next data acquisition, the system control unit9controls the cameras20a-20cor the hub21so as to gradually increase the delivery rate of the cameras20a-20cor the hub21the delivery rate of which has been reduced.

Here, with regard to the set reference range which is used for the judgment in the step S9, for example, if it is assumed that the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6stored in the feature data storage unit8is 1000 and a range in which a possibility of occurrence of a processing error is high is within 10% of the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6, the judgment in the step S9becomes YES in a case where the status value in the feature data D3is larger than or equal to 900, and the judgment in the step S9becomes NO in a case where the status value in the feature data D3is less than 900. The set reference range (prescribed range) may be set by a different method as long as the range is set according to the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6. The reference range may be set as a range having both a lower limit and an upper limit.

Further, the status value used as the feature data D3is not restricted to the volume of data or the number of packets inputted from the cameras per unit time, which is measured by the data volume measurement unit36, but it can be the number of connected cameras, surface temperature of the CPU32, or internal temperature of the monitoring recording device30. In a case where the status value used as the feature data D3is the number of cameras, the number of the connected cameras is transmitted separately from the video data outputted from the hub21. By using the transmitted information on the number of cameras directly as the feature data D3, an operation by the CPU32and the data volume measurement by the data volume measurement unit36become unnecessary, an operation amount of the CPU32can be reduced or the data volume measurement unit36can be omitted, and cost for the monitoring system50can be reduced. The same goes for cases where the status value used as the feature data D3is the surface temperature of the CPU32or the internal temperature of the monitoring recording device30. By using information from a temperature sensor for measuring the surface temperature of the CPU32or the internal temperature of the monitoring recording device30, which is not shown in the figures, directly as the feature data D3, an operation by the CPU32and the data volume measurement by the data volume measurement unit36become unnecessary, an operation amount of the CPU32can be reduced or the data volume measurement unit36can be omitted, and the cost for the monitoring system50can be reduced. In addition, the feature data D3may be operation status data having a correlation with the load on the CPU32of the monitoring recording device30.

While the data collection recording device1in the above explanation is configured to acquire data by designating each piece of desired data one by one, the data collection recording device1may be configured so that a plurality of data sets are transmitted and received in a lump. Further, the data collection recording device1may communicate all the data in one communication.

As described above, according to the data collection recording device1and the data collection recording method according to the first embodiment, the status value in the feature data D3in the data inputted from the management object system50is compared with the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6in a previous situation in which a processing error occurred according to the information on the presence/absence of a processing error. In a case where the management object system50is judged to have a high possibility of occurrence of a processing error according to the result of the comparison, control of the object system is performed so as to reduce the processing load on the management object system50, by which processing errors in the management object system50can be prevented from occurring and stable operation of the management object system50can be achieved.

Further, the data collection recording device1and the data collection recording method according to the first embodiment are configured to estimate status of the management object system50by using the feature data that needs no processing by the CPU. Therefore, the processing load on the management object system50can be reduced by detecting status of the management object system50without newly performing processing for monitoring the load on the CPU on the side of the management object system50. Furthermore, according to the data collection recording device1and the data collection recording method according to the first embodiment, even in the management object system50which is formed by use of a low-priced CPU and has no surplus processing power of the CPU, data regarding status in which the management object system50is in operation can be acquired in detail.

Moreover, since the feature data D3for detection of status of the management object system50is received as the response to the data acquisition start request, in a case where the management object system50is judged to have a high possibility of occurrence of a processing error, the data acquisition is completed without making acquisition of detailed operation status data. This makes it possible to reduce the processing load for the data acquisition in a case where the load on the CPU in the management object system50is high.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 6is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a data collection recording device1aas a system management device according to a second embodiment. The data collection recording device1ais a system that collects and records data from the monitoring system (management object system)50and controls the management object system50. The data collection recording device1ais a device capable of executing a data collection recording method as a system management method according to the second embodiment. The management object system50and the nonvolatile memory15are also shown inFIG. 6as components connected to the data collection recording device1a. Components having no direct influence on the effects of the second embodiment are not shown inFIG. 6.

Components inFIG. 6identical or corresponding to the components shown inFIG. 1are assigned the same reference characters as those shown inFIG. 1. The data collection recording device1aaccording to the second embodiment differs from the data collection recording device1according to the first embodiment in that the data collection recording device1aincludes a data-request interval control unit12.

The data-request interval control unit12transmits a control signal regarding an interval at which data is requested to the data request transmission unit5. The data-request interval control unit12has three modes differing in the interval at which data is requested: a normal mode, an error mode, and an error recovery mode. The data-request interval control unit12is capable of changing the interval between the data requests to the monitoring recording device30by making switching among these modes and selecting one of the modes. The data-request interval control unit12makes mode switching on the basis of a control signal from the system control unit9. A relationship between each mode and the data request interval is as follows: the data request interval in the error recovery mode is the shortest, the data request interval in the error mode is the longest, and the data request interval in the normal mode has an intermediate length.

FIG. 7is a flowchart showing operation of the data collection recording device1aaccording to the second embodiment. Processing steps inFIG. 7identical or corresponding to the processing steps shown inFIG. 3are assigned the same reference characters as those shown inFIG. 3. The operation of the data collection recording device1aaccording to the second embodiment shown inFIG. 7differs from that of the data collection recording device1according to the first embodiment shown inFIG. 3in that processing of steps S12-S15is added inFIG. 7.

The processing from the step S1to the step S11is identical to the processing explained in the first embodiment. In the data collection recording device1ain the second embodiment, in a case where the judgment in the step S9is YES or in a case where the judgement in the step S6is YES and the processing of the step S7is executed, the processing of the steps S10and S11is executed and thereafter the system control unit9controls the data-request interval control unit12so as to increase an acquisition interval of data as the error mode (step S12).

FIG. 8is a sequence chart showing a fundamental process for the data acquisition from the monitoring recording device30in the error mode of the data collection recording device1a. InFIG. 8, for the feature data acquired by the data acquisition response at a time point of acquiring data (i) which is the i-th piece of data (i: positive integer), the judgment is made YES in the step S9inFIG. 7. In the step S10, the data acquisition is not performed at that time point, and data collection is stopped by transmitting the data acquisition completion notification. In the step S12, the data-request interval control unit12is set to the error mode and a time interval to the next data acquisition is changed to an interval T2longer than the basic data acquisition interval T1(T1<T2).

If the data acquisition interval is simply increased in a case where the status value in the feature data D3of the monitoring recording device30is large, that is, in a case where the processing load is large, it becomes impossible to acquire important data at a time point when the monitoring recording device30is in operation. Therefore, data is stored in the log data accumulation buffer34of the monitoring recording device30during the basic data acquisition interval T1in the normal mode, and in response to the data acquisition request from the data collection recording device1a, the data stored in the log data accumulation buffer34are sent out successively.

Meanwhile, if the data acquisition interval is increased, data are accumulated in the log data accumulation buffer34. If data are left accumulated in the log data accumulation buffer34, buffer overflow becomes easy to occur when the data acquisition interval is increased next time. Therefore, when the status value in the feature data D3deviates from the reference range that is set on the basis of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6, the amount of data remaining in the log data accumulation buffer34has to be reduced immediately by decreasing the data acquisition interval.

Returning toFIG. 7, in a case where the judgment in the step S9is NO, it is judged whether the data acquisition by the data collection recording device1ais catching up with the data transmitted by the monitoring recording device30as explained above, that is, whether no data remains stored in the log data accumulation buffer34(step S13). The judgment on whether or not the data acquisition is catching up may be made by receiving a notification indicating that the data acquisition has caught up from the monitoring recording device30or by receiving free capacity information on the log data accumulation buffer34from the monitoring recording device30together with the feature data.

When the judgment in the step S13is YES, the data-request interval control unit12is set to the normal mode (step S14) since the data acquisition is catching up. On the other hand, when the judgment in the step S13is NO, the data-request interval control unit12is set to the error recovery mode to decrease the data acquisition interval (step S15) since the data acquisition is not catching up.

Although it is not shown inFIG. 7, in a case where the judgment in the step S9is NO at a time of the next data acquisition after the processing of the step S11, the system control unit9controls the cameras20a-20cor the hub21so as to gradually increase the delivery rate of the cameras20a-20cor the hub21the delivery rate of which has been reduced.

FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b)are diagrams showing an example of data acquisition interval control according to the status value included in the feature data. InFIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), the horizontal axis is a time axis (t-axis) representing time t, while the vertical axis represents the volume of data.FIG. 9(a)shows temporary storage status of data in the monitoring recording device30, whileFIG. 9(b)shows the data acquisition by the data collection recording device1a. InFIG. 9(b), at the time points of t=i−2 and t=i−1, the status value included in the feature data D3is judged to be not within the reference range (prescribed range) set on the basis of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6and the acquisition of operation status data from the management object system50is made at the basic data acquisition intervals T1of the normal mode. On the other hand, at the time point of t=i, the acquired feature data D3is judged to be within the reference range (prescribed range) set on the basis of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6, the data acquisition at that time point is interrupted, and the time interval to the next time point of t=i+1 is changed to the interval T2in the error mode (T2>T1). The interval T1is 10 seconds and the interval T2is 20 seconds, for example. The intervals T1and T2may be other values. Thereafter, at the time point of t=i+2, the status value in the feature data D3is judged to be not within the reference range set on the basis of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6, the acquisition of the operation status data is conducted, and the data acquisition interval to the next data acquisition time point of t=i+3 is changed to an interval T0of the error recovery mode which is shorter than the basic data acquisition interval T1. The time intervals T0, T1and T2satisfy the relationship of T0<T1<T2. Then, the acquisition of data stored in the log data accumulation buffer34of the monitoring recording device30is conducted at the data acquisition intervals of T0. If the acquisition of data stored in the log data accumulation buffer34has caught up, the data acquisition interval is returned to the basic data acquisition interval T1of the normal mode and the data collection is continued. Notification regarding whether or not the acquisition of data has caught up is sent from the monitoring recording device30in the data acquisition response.

While the data acquisition time interval in the second embodiment have been explained on the assumption that modes which determines the data acquisition interval are three stages of normal mode, error mode, and error recovery mode, the time intervals are not restricted to these three stages. The time interval may be switched among more than or less than three stages depending on the status value in the feature data D3or status of the log data accumulation buffer34.

Further, similarly to the first embodiment, the value used as the status value included in the feature data is not restricted to the volume of data or the number of packets inputted from the cameras per unit time, which is measured by the data volume measurement unit36, but can be the number of connected cameras, the surface temperature of the CPU32, or the internal temperature of the monitoring recording device30. In a case where the status value used as the feature data D3is the number of cameras, the number of the connected cameras is transmitted separately from the video data outputted from the hub21. By using the transmitted information on the number of cameras directly as the feature data D3, an operation by the CPU32and the data volume measurement by the data volume measurement unit36become unnecessary, an operation amount of the CPU32can be reduced or the data volume measurement unit36can be omitted, and cost for the monitoring system50can be reduced. The same goes for cases where the status value used as the feature data D3is the surface temperature of the CPU32or the internal temperature of the monitoring recording device30. By using information from a temperature sensor for measuring the surface temperature of the CPU32or the internal temperature of the monitoring recording device30, which is not shown in the figures, directly as the feature data D3, an operation by the CPU32and the data volume measurement by the data volume measurement unit36become unnecessary, an operation amount of the CPU32can be reduced or the data volume measurement unit36can be omitted, and cost for the monitoring system50can be reduced. In addition, operation status data having a correlation with the load on the CPU32of the monitoring recording device30can be used.

While the data collection recording device1ais configured to acquire data by designating each piece of desired data one by one, the data collection recording device1amay be configured so that a plurality of data sets are transmitted and received in a lump. Further, the data collection recording device1amay communicate all the data in one communication.

As described above, according to the data collection recording device1aand the data collection recording method according to the second embodiment, in a case where the management object system50is judged to have a high possibility of occurrence of a processing error on the basis of a result of the comparison between the status value included in the feature data inputted from the management object system50, which is a feature of the device, and the status value included in the error-occurrence-time feature data D6in a previous situation in which a processing error occurred according to the information on the presence/absence of a processing error, control of the management object system50is performed so as to reduce the processing load on the management object system50, and the interval of the data transmission requests from the data collection recording device1ais increased. Such control makes it possible to restrain the load on the management object system50which accompanies the data transmission. Accordingly, processing errors in the management object system50can be prevented from occurring and more stable operation of the management object system50can be achieved in comparison with the data collection recording device of the first embodiment.

Further, the data collection recording device1aand the data collection recording method according to the second embodiment are configured to estimate status of the management object system50by using the status value included in the feature data that needs no processing by the CPU. Therefore, the processing load on the management object system50can be reduced by detecting status of the management object system50without newly performing processing for monitoring the load on the CPU on the side of the management object system50. Furthermore, according to the data collection recording device1aand the data collection recording method according to the second embodiment, even in the management object system50which is formed by use of a low-priced CPU and has no surplus processing power of the CPU, data regarding status in which the management object system50is in operation can be acquired in detail.

Moreover, according to the data collection recording device1aand the data collection recording method according to the second embodiment, the feature data for detection of status of the management object system50is received as the response to the data acquisition start request. Thus, in a case where the management object system50is judged to have a high possibility of occurrence of a processing error, the data acquisition is completed without making acquisition of detailed operation status data. This makes it possible to reduce the processing load for the data acquisition in a case where the load on the CPU in the management object system50is high.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 10is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a data collection recording device1bas a system management device according to a third embodiment. The data collection recording device1bis a system that collects and records data from the monitoring system (management object system)50and controls the management object system50. The data collection recording device1bis a device capable of executing a data collection recording method as a system management method according to the third embodiment. The management object system50and the nonvolatile memory15are also shown inFIG. 10as components connected to the data collection recording device1b. Components having no direct influence on the effects of the third embodiment are not shown inFIG. 10.

Components inFIG. 10identical or corresponding to the components shown inFIG. 1are assigned the same reference characters as those shown inFIG. 1. The data collection recording device1baccording to the third embodiment differs from the data collection recording device1according to the first embodiment in that the data collection recording device1bincludes a playback processing unit40, a liquid crystal monitor41which is connected to the playback processing unit40, and a user operation unit42which is connected to the playback processing unit40. According to an operation by a user through the user operation unit42, the playback processing unit40acquires video data recorded in the HDD35from the monitoring recording device30, performs processing for playing back the acquired video data, and displays video based on the acquired video data on the liquid crystal monitor41.

FIG. 11is a block diagram showing a configuration of the playback processing unit40. As shown inFIG. 11, the playback processing unit40includes a communication unit43, a CPU44, a decoding unit45, a memory46, a liquid crystal I/F unit47, and a user operation I/F unit48. Some of the components other than the playback processing unit40are omitted inFIG. 11.

The communication unit43is an I/F part for performing communication with the monitoring recording device30, and outputs a video-transmission-request notification signal to the CPU32of the monitoring recording device30so that video data corresponding to selection or operation by the user through the user operation unit42is read out from the HDD35. Further, the communication unit43receives the video data read out from the HDD35and transmitted by the monitoring recording device30and supplies the received video data to the CPU44on the next stage.

The CPU44performs control of the entire playback processing unit40and reception processing of the video data inputted from the communication unit43and outputs the received video data to the decoding unit45. The CPU44also performs drawing of a graphic screen to be displayed on the liquid crystal monitor41and stores the graphic screen in the memory46. Further, the CPU44receives information regarding a user operation on the user operation unit42via the user operation I/F unit48, analyzes the video that should be read out, and controls the communication unit43so as to transmit the video-transmission-request notification signal to the monitoring recording device30. Furthermore, the CPU44receives a control signal from the system control unit9and performs the control of the entire playback processing unit40.

The decoding unit45performs decoding of the video data inputted from the CPU44and stores the video data after the decoding in the memory46. The memory46stores the graphic screen generated by the CPU44and the video data inputted from the decoding unit45. The liquid crystal I/F unit47outputs the graphic screen and the video data stored in the memory to the liquid crystal monitor41in sync with display timing of the liquid crystal monitor41and thereby makes the liquid crystal monitor41display video and graphics. The user operation I/F unit48outputs the information regarding the operation on the user operation unit42to the CPU44.

As mentioned above, the data collection recording device1bin the third embodiment is equipped with the playback processing unit40which plays back and displays recorded video selected by the user on the liquid crystal monitor41according to the user operation information inputted through the user operation unit42. The CPU32of the monitoring recording device30performing control of recording of video and the CPU44of the playback processing unit40performing control of a playback of video are separate CPUs. While it is possible to realize the CPU32performing the control of the recording and the CPU44performing the control of the playback of video by one common CPU, risk of failure in the recording of monitoring video increases due to an increase in the processing load on the CPU. Further, if the common CPU hangs up during the control of the playback, the control of the recording also stops and that leads to the failure in the recording of monitoring video. Since the stoppage of the recording of video is impermissible in the management object system50, it is important to configure the CPU32of the monitoring recording device30to perform the recording control only. These ideas apply also to the configurations of the first and second embodiments, and thus the CPU32performing the control of the recording and the CPU11performing the control of the data collection recording device1and1aare separate CPUs.

FIG. 12is a flowchart showing operation of the data collection recording device1baccording to the third embodiment. Processing steps inFIG. 12identical or corresponding to the processing steps shown inFIG. 3are assigned the same reference characters as those shown inFIG. 3. The operation of the data collection recording device1baccording to the third embodiment shown inFIG. 12differs from that of the data collection recording device1according to the first embodiment shown inFIG. 3in that processing of steps S16, S17and S18is added.

The processing from the step S1to the step S11is identical to the processing explained in the first embodiment. In the data collection recording device1bin the third embodiment, in a case where the judgment in the step S9is YES or in a case where the judgement in the step S6is YES and the processing of the step S7is executed, the processing of the steps S10and S11is executed, and thereafter, the system control unit9notifies the CPU44to control playback processing and the CPU44controls the playback processing unit40so as to stop the playback processing (step S16).

In a case where the judgment in the step S9is NO, the system control unit9inquires of the CPU44of the playback processing unit40about operation status of the playback processing and thereby checks whether operation of the playback processing has been stopped or not (step S17). If the judgment in the step S17is YES, the system control unit9notifies the CPU44of the playback processing unit40to restart the operation of the playback processing. Meanwhile, if the judgment in the step S17is NO, the system control unit9continues the data acquisition according to the sequence shown inFIG. 2.

Although it is not shown inFIG. 12, in a case where the judgment in the step S9is NO at the time of the next data acquisition after the processing of the step S11, the system control unit9controls the cameras20a-20cor the hub21so as to gradually increase the delivery rate of the cameras20a-20cor the hub21the delivery rate of which has been reduced.

Similarly to the first embodiment, the value used as the feature data is not restricted to the volume of data or the number of packets inputted from the cameras per unit time, which is measured by the data volume measurement unit36, but can be the number of connected cameras, the surface temperature of the CPU32, or the internal temperature of the monitoring recording device30. In a case where the status value used as the feature data D3is the number of cameras, the number of the connected cameras is transmitted separately from the video data outputted from the hub21. By using the transmitted information on the number of cameras directly as the feature data D3, an operation by the CPU32and the data volume measurement by the data volume measurement unit36become unnecessary, an operation amount of the CPU32can be reduced or the data volume measurement unit36can be omitted, and cost for the monitoring system50can be reduced. The same goes for cases where the status value used as the feature data D3is the surface temperature of the CPU32or the internal temperature of the monitoring recording device30. By using information from a temperature sensor for measuring the surface temperature of the CPU32or the internal temperature of the monitoring recording device30, which is not shown in the figures, directly as the feature data D3, an operation by the CPU32and the data volume measurement by the data volume measurement unit36become unnecessary, an operation amount of the CPU32can be reduced or the data volume measurement unit36can be omitted, and cost for the monitoring system50can be reduced. In addition, the value used as the feature data may be a value indicated by operation status data having a correlation with the load on the CPU32of the monitoring recording device30.

While the data collection recording device1bis configured to acquire data by designating each piece of desired data one by one, it may be configured so that a plurality of data sets are transmitted and received in a lump. Further, the data collection recording device1bmay communicate all the data in one communication.

Further, while the CPU44of the playback processing unit40controls the playback processing unit40so as to stop the playback processing upon receiving the notification for controlling the playback processing from the system control unit9, it may also perform control so as to stop only the communication with the monitoring recording device30and continue the playback processing other than it. With such a configuration, it is possible to freely change the graphic screen while displaying currently played back video on the liquid crystal monitor41in a paused state, and thus the effect that readout of the recorded video has been stopped can be displayed on the liquid crystal monitor41to notify the user of that effect.

Alternatively, the CPU44of the playback processing unit40may perform control so as to slow down speed of the communication with the monitoring recording device30, that is, reduce a frame rate at a time of the playback of video and thereby slow down readout speed of the recorded video upon receiving the notification for controlling the playback processing from the system control unit9. With such a configuration, it is possible to keep on playing back currently played back video in a state of a reduced frame rate as it is and thus the user is allowed to continue watching the recorded video as it is.

As described above, according to the data collection recording device1band the data collection recording method according to the third embodiment, the feature data D3inputted from the management object system50which is a feature of the device and the status value of the error-occurrence-time feature data D6in a previous situation in which a processing error occurred according to the information on the presence/absence of a processing error are used as the reference. In a case where a possibility of occurrence of a processing error increases in the management object system50on the basis of the status value in the feature data D3of the management object system50, control of the management object system50is performed so as to reduce the processing load on the management object system50and operation of the playback processing unit40performing the playback of video is stopped. This makes it possible to restrain the load on the management object system50which accompanies the readout of the recorded video and the video data transmission. Thus, according to the data collection recording device1band the data collection recording method according to the third embodiment, processing errors in the management object system50can be prevented from occurring and more stable operation of the management object system50can be achieved in comparison with the data collection recording device1of the first embodiment.

A configuration as a combination of the data collection recording device1bin the third embodiment and the data collection recording device1adescribed in the second embodiment is also possible. Namely, it is possible to add the playback processing unit40to the configuration of the data collection recording device1a, to control the cameras20a-20c, the hub21, the data-request interval control unit12and the playback processing unit40in the system control unit9depending on the status value in the feature data D3, and restrain the processing load on the monitoring recording device30of the management object system50. Accordingly, still more stable operation of the management object system50can be achieved.

Further, the data collection recording device1band the data collection recording method according to the third embodiment are configured to estimate status of the management object system50by using the feature data that needs no processing by the CPU. Therefore, the processing load on the management object system50can be reduced by detecting status of the management object system50without performing newly processing for monitoring the load on the CPU on the side of the management object system50. Furthermore, according to the data collection recording device1band the data collection recording method according to the third embodiment, even in the management object system50which is formed by use of a low-priced CPU and has no surplus processing power of the CPU, data regarding status in which the management object system50is in operation can be acquired in detail.

Moreover, according to the data collection recording device1band the data collection recording method according to the third embodiment, the feature data for detection of status of the management object system50is received as the response to the data acquisition start request. Thus, in a case where the management object system50is judged to have a high possibility of occurrence of a processing error, the data acquisition is completed without making acquisition of detailed operation status data. This makes it possible to reduce the processing load for the data acquisition in a case where the load on the CPU in the management object system50is high.

Modification

The system management device according to the above first through third embodiments can be realized by an electronic information processing device (computer) such as a personal computer, and the system management method according to the above first through third embodiments can be realized by a program executable by an electronic information processing device. The program in this case means a program that is executable by the system management device1,1aor1bas the electronic information processing device and for causing to execute: a data request transmission step of successively transmitting data request signals, for requesting transmission of data, to a management object system50; a data acquisition step of successively acquiring data transmitted from the management object system50in response to the data request signals; a feature data extraction step of extracting feature data D3including a status value indicating operation status of the management object system50from each piece of the data acquired in the data acquisition step; an error information extraction step of extracting error information indicating a processing error that occurs in the management object system50from each piece of the data acquired in the data acquisition step; a feature data storage step of storing feature data at a time of occurrence of the processing error, in the feature data extracted in the feature data extraction step, as error-occurrence-time feature data D6; and a system control step of, each time the data is acquired in the data acquisition step, comparing a status value included in the feature data D3in the acquired data with a status value included in the error-occurrence-time feature data D6already stored in the feature data storage step and performs control of the management object system according to a result of the comparison. The program can be acquired by the system management device by loading the program from an information recording medium or by downloading the program via a network.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The system management device and the system management method of the present invention are applicable also to systems other than monitoring systems, such as a production system in a factory, office electronic equipment, home electronic equipment and equipment installed in transportation such as a train, as long as the system is a management object system capable of transmitting data in response to data requests.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS