An arrangement for the generation of information and/or an instruction intended for input to the program memory of a computer

Abstract: The arrangement is intended to generate information in a simple manner for input to the program memory of a computer. This information will depend partly on required changes, and partly on the physical capabilities of the tele­ phone station. Before the information is input to the computer it is possible to check that the information is correct and that the equipment can perform the required function.

Description: AN ARRANGEMENT FOR THE GENERATION OF I#;FORMATION AND/OR AN INSTRUCTION INTENDED NPUT TO THE PROGRAM IVEN.ORY OF A COMPUTER DESCRIPTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a method and apparatus rating information or an instruction intended for input to the program memory of a computer, and especially to the program memory of a computer which is either itself part of a telephone system or which controls a telephone system. It is further assumed that a computer for this special application is arranged to control subscriber connection and operation of an automatic telephone exchange in accordance with received control signals and the instructions in a program memory. Background Art It is known that automatic telephone exchanges can make use of computers which are so arranged as to control subscriber connections and the operation of said telephone exchange, including various service functions, for example recall or interception facilities. An example of such an automatic telephone exchange is the digital system AXE 10 jointly developed by Televerket and L.M. Ericsson. In addition, it is known that for automatic exchanges a computer could be arranged to take over the control functions for making subscriber connections in operation of the telephone exchange. fforeover, it is kllown t by various means, to change the ccii#nt 2 a computer program memory whilst the exchange is in operation, in order to introduce various addition services, change the switching sequences in the exchange, etc. Technical Problems The use of automatic computer-based telephone systems and the requirement for including additional services, for example automatic recalling facility, staff location system for certain or all subscribers etc., has shown that there are two different but related problems. The first problem is to create conditions leading to the production of a correct program instruction or sequence or instructions, i.e. a program instruction which is input to the program memory to give the required function, or the additional service, without adversely affecting existing and desirable functions. The second problem is to confirm in advance that existing or available equipment used in the telephone system has both the capacity and capability to perform these desirable functions and/or additional services. If it is discovered that existing equipment cannot perform these desirable functions it becomes a technical problem to simply establish where and to what extent the equipment needs to be supple melted. Practical experience obtained in the operation of previous computer-controlled telephone stations and systems has unequivocally shown that skilled solution of technical problems are required to create conditions such that a program instruction correctly adapted to the system can be input to the computer'# program memory, such that the computer can control the making of coljnections and the operation of the automatic telephone exchange accoi:oing to the desired functions. It has eve been shown that skilled solution of technical problems is required to create conditions such that a correct and verified program instruction can be input to the computers program memory so that a change in the telephone exchange's functions can be brought about, for example inclusion of a new service, without adversely affecting existing and desirable functions. Furthermore, it has been shown that skilled solutions of technical problems is required to create conditions such that it can be simply and rapidly determined if existing equipment or newly developed equipment has the capability and capacity to perform desired functions and/or services, and if not also establish where and how the equipment needs to be supplemented. Thus it has been shown that there are considerable problems associated partly with the creation of specification, which in itself is correct and error-free, and partly with the creation of a specification which has the physical capabilities to be performed both by existing devices and by those devices forming part of the automatic telephone exchange. It has been found to be extremely time-consuming to first set up a certain specification of requirements, verify that the specification itself is correct, input to the program memory instructions corresponding to the specification and then, by means of practical switching tests, to establish to what extent the automatic telephone exchange can perform according to the new specification. Solution The present invention is an arrangement for (1) the creation of information and/or (2) an instruction intended for input to the program memory of a computer, and especially (3) to the program memory of a computer arranged to be part of a telephone system, which with the preferably given special application is arranged to control subscriber ccctio and the operation of an automatic telephone exchange accordance with received control signals and the contents or the program memory. With the intention of solving the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides that by usage of a manually influenced information generator information shall be generated after being derived from a requirement specification and coded by a code; the information is transmitted to an information processing unit. In addition, coded information relating to the operating states' devices comprising what the equipment or automatic telephone exchange can achieve is transmitted to the information processing unit. The invention indicates how the information processing unit must be arranged such that depending partly on information encoded from the requirement specification and depending partly on information encoded from the operating states, to calculate the information and/or instructions which are to be input to the computer's program memory so that the automatic telephone exchange can work according to the specified requirements. The invention also shows how the manually influenced information generator generates information (derived from the requirements specification and encoded) and how this in for mation may be transferred to a document (magnetic tape, data list or the like). The information generator is arranged to check, preferably automatically, the authenticity of the document contents by comparing the document contents with the check list. The devices are moreover arranged such that it is possible to obtain an error indication and possible7 even a correction indication. The checking device can, advantageusi, even compris çre storage of and read-cut of the information content. In addition, it is suggested that encoded information relating to those states, preferably all states, which various telephone exchanges can assume are stored in a memory unit. Also encoded information relating to those functions, preferably all functions, which various devices comprising automatic telephone exchange can perform are stored in a memory unit. Moreover, it is suggested that the output signal from the information processing unit is connected to a control unit and/or a simulator unit, whose output is connected to a compiler arrangement, to transfer the flow of information to a program information in one or more program languages. Said program information is consequently transferred to the compilers program memory. Advantages Those advantages which can be considered as characteristic for the method and apparatus of the subject invention are that it becomes possible to establish in advance whether a requirement specification as laid down is correctly formulated and programmed and whether those devices comprising the equipment or the automatic telephone exchange can carry out said specification. This check can be carried out before program information is input to the computer's program memory of the automatic telephone exchange and before the telephone exchange is allowed to function according to the new specification. That which can be considered most characteristic for this invention is given in claim 1 of the attached patent claims. Brief Description of the Enclosed Diagram An d. rangemerst dS presently proposed, for generating inforraticn and/or instructions intended for input to the program memory of a computer arranged to control subscriber connections and the operation of an automatic telephone exchange, will be more specifically described by reference to the enclosed drawing in which, the figure is a flow diagram indicating the principles according to the invention. Description of Proposed Embodiment The attached figure is a flow diagram which indicates the significant properties associated with this invention. The method of the flow diagram shown in said figure is intended to generate information and/or an instruction or instruction sequence for input to a computer's program memory. The computer according to the proposed embodiment is arranged to control subscriber's connections and the operation of an automatic telephone exchange in accordance with received control signals and instructions in the program memory. It should be noted that the invention is not restricted to a computer controlled telephone exchange but includes all forms of coordination between a given specification and the physical properties of any mechanical and/or electromechanical arrangement. The proposed embodiment utilizing a computer with a program memory is thus all example where the specific application is the control of an electronic telephone exchange by the computer. For the example of the electronic telephone exchange, a number of well defined requirements Is valid, all o < nie. are listed in the sc-caiiec requirement specification. One such specification could be: a) receive an incoming call to a subscriber, b) establish whether the subscriber's telephone is posi ioned in the interception mode or not, c) if not, move to "e", d) if so, connected to the directed number, e) connect the ring signal generator, etc. This and other specifications, which are to be included in the system can be described in coded form, for example in CClTT's specification and description language SDL. Comments can be included with such a description for the sake of completeness to avoid ambiguity. The coded description (with comments) constitutes a release document which may be used for all further construction work relating to that specific function. The document can also be used for final approval and testing of the function. By means of a manually influenced information generator "A", information coded according to the specification is produced. The information generator can be designed to work with SDL information (Specification and Description Language). The information is transferred over line 2 to an information processing unit or circuit "C". Besides the information generator "A", there is also an ailiary device "", in which significant rules, definitions ald tables are stored relative to the language or ccde used. All of these should be input and stored in "B". Under the control of the rules, etc. which are stored in "B", and which are transferred along the line 3, the base document's contents are created on line 2 using information from the information generator "A", whose information is combined in an information processing unit or circuit "C". The circuit "C", provides for a rearrangement of the contents in "A" and the rules in "B" such that the function is allocated a number of function blocks. These function blocks give a more detailed description of the specification than the one in "A". In addition, a check may be performed to ensure that the information input follows the requirements (from "A") and rules (from "B"). The input into and processing in "C" results in a systematic description at block level in the given code, for example an SDL code of the function input. Information can be manually input to the device "C", if this information need not be evident from the information obtained from "A". This system description is transferred to device "D", in which the boundary conditions are given, its various blocks, boundary conditions between these blocks, etc. The result output from device "D" is connected to a control circuit "E", where the information is automatically checked against the requirements and the rules in device "" la line 4 such that no errors exist which deviate from the rules in "B". If an error is detected, a manual intervention is made and the process is repeated via line 5 from "C". After being formally approved in '¯E", the function's block description is fed into a data base "F" fcr the local application system. In the data base it is noted cr e block descrIptions and titat it is not integrated into the overall system. The information is now transferred, via line 6, tc a device "G" which can give a detailed description and cause the blocks to be broken down into a predetermined code. The function's various blocks are abstracted from a data base, broken down and described in detail according to the rules and conditions given in device "B". It may be that it is not possible to automatically carry out the detailed descriptions according to device "G". Furthermore, it may be that there are a number of equally valid detailed solutions. In both cases, a manual intervention via device "H" is required. The additional information introduced by this means is documented and is regarded as a part of "A". After the manual intervention, the processing in "G" is repeated and the cycle "G"-"H"-"G" is followed until no manual intervention is necessary. The output information from the process "G"-"H"-"G" is documented in device "J" in the form of detailed block descriptions in a given code. The descriptions must be complete and must also contain complete interfaces between the internal sub-functions in each block. Those detailed block descriptions which were obtained processing in device "J" are checked first formally and then structurally by device "K". After both these checks, changes are automatically made by device "K". Interfaces are also checked and changed automatically. In order that this can be done, all the information from device BR and the C.escription of the function according to device '!D", which is stored iII ' the data base according to device "F", is requirea. wraith the help of the latter information the unction is simulated. Errors can occur during the various checking an simulation procedures in the device "S" and these cannot be changed automatically. In such cases a manual intervention via device "L" is necessary. The manual intervention can lead to changes having to be made in either the detailed description in device "G", or the superior function description in device l'C". This means that the process must restart either from device II (;ll or from device "C". All new input information is documented. The cycles "K"-"L"-"G" and "K"-"L"-"C" . . . "K" are followed until manual intervention according to device "L" is not necessary. The output function from the systems "K"-"L"-"G" . . . "K" and "K"-"L"-"C" . . . "K" is stored in a data base "M" for the application system. It is noted that the detailed function descriptions have not been integrated into the overall system. Rules, tables, definitions and the like which are appropriate for the proper functioning of the particular system are input to device "N". The system, in which the particular function is a part, has its own rules and definitions which lead to limitations or more precisely clarifications of the coded rules and definitions. These rules are input to the data system for use when the desired functions have been defined in general terms. The device "0" contains a description of the system at block and detail level. The system, in which the particular function is to become a part, must be described to the data system according to the rules given in device "B" and with the clarifications given in device "N". The description includes system structue and hardware properties. scrition of functions which the system is capable of carrying out is input to device "P". All the functions which have already been created for the particular system must be described in and input to the data system according to the rules given in devices "B" and "N". Interfaces and cooperative requirements between functions must also be given. The information in devices "N", "0" and "P" constitutes a complete description of the particular system before the new particular function has been input. Additions of new functions and blocks to the system are arranged via the device "Q". A particular function being created is transferred from the data base where it was stored to the device "M". By means of information in device "N" the description is clarified such that it is compatible with the system described in device "0" and with the existing functions described in device "P". A manual intervention in device "R" can be required during the process in device "Q" and during checking the device "T". In order that this can be carried out in the correct manner new information must be input either from device "C" or from device "G". The process in device "Q" and the checking in device "T" are not complete until manual intervention is no longer necessary. Via device "T", a formal check and an automatic change, a structural check and an automatic change, an interface check and an automatic change or a simulation and an automatic change take place here. his checking process is independent of device "Q", and checks tha; the result from device "Q" satisfies the formal requirements in devices p," and "N", the structural require rents in devices "A" ("C") and "0" together with the inter #acc requ#re'ments in device "P". it Is also possible for the process to automatically input changes or request manual intervention at device 'R". Simulation is included in the checking process. After the simulation is approved, the new function is available ana described in SDL, ana is stored In device "P". If necessary, structural additions can be made in device '10". The process in device "Q" and the checking in device "T" can result in new hardware blocks being specified. This affects the system structure in device "0" and generates in device "U" the need for construction information which must be able to be used as input information for an automatic construction process for so-called VLSI-circuits. This takes place in device t'U". Compiling to a suitable intermediate language can take place via a device "V". The machine is probably not built for the code used. The code described and the encoded functions must therefore be compiled to a suitable intermediate language, for which a compiler compatible with the machine code exists. Examples of such intermediate languages are PLEX, CHILL, Pascal and ADA. Compiling to the particular machine code can take place via device "X". This is a trivial compilation of all programs in the system from some intermediate language according to device "V" to the particular machine code. Coded information, representing the states which can be assumed by the various devices in the automatic telephone exchange, are fed into an information handling unit or device "Q" via lines 7, 8 and 9. Thc #n#ertnatior processing unit or device "Q" can advanta- ##ffiy contain a processor ana is arranged such that, depending partly on the Information on line 2 encoded by the specification, and partly on the information on lines 7, 8 and 0 encoded by the conditions (states), it calculates the information and/or the instruction which must be input to the computer's program memory such that automatic telephone exchange can function according to the stored specification. The information which must be input to the computer's program memory appears on line 10. It is evident that device "K" can advantageously contain or include devices for storage of information signals for read-out and transmission. The encoded information relating to those conditions (states), preferably all such conditions, which can be assumed by all devices comprising the automatic telephone exchange can advantageously be stored in a memory device which includes the devices "N", "0" and "P". Encoded information relating to those functions, preferably all such functions, which can be carried out by the devices comprising the automatic telephone exchange, can advantageously be stored in a memory which includes the devices "N", "O" and "P". The output signal from the information processing unit "±" is feu via line 11 into a checking and/or simulation unit "T". The output signal fro the checking and/or simulation unit "Ç" is connected directly via line 12 to a compiler arrange inert "V" to transfer or reform the information flow on line 12 to a program operation based on one or more languages, where the program c?peraLion according to a first program language takes }L;rc0 via a line 13, a program operation by means ofa secondprogram language via line id, etc. It is possible, by means of line 16, to allow the output signals from unit "T" to be transmitted to devices "N", "O" and "P" and by such means obtain a check on how the output signal effects the automatic telephone exchange There are a number of design directions within the framework of this invention. This can be appropriate to allow function structuring to be separated with its own dedicated data operation and serve as a unit. The invention is naturally not limited to the example described but can be modified within the framework of the following patent claims.

Claims: AN ARRANGEMENT FOR THE GENERATION OF INFORMATION AND/OR ANINSTRUCTION INTENTED FOR INPUT TO THE PROGRAM MEMORY OF A COMPUTER CLAIMS 1. An arrangement for generating information and/or an instruction for input to the program memory of a computer and which computer is so arranged that, depending on the contents of the program memory and depending on control signals received, it controls the connections of subscribers and the operation of a system, for example an automatic telephone exchange, characterized In that, by means of a manually influ enccd information generator (A), it is generated information transferrable from a requirement specifi cation and coded by a code and this information is transferred to an information processing unit (Q), that encoded information relating to the states which can arise in the devices comprising the system (or the automatic telephone exchange) is also input (via 7, 8 and 9) to the information processing unit (Q), that the information processing unit (Q) is arranged such that, depending partly on the information encoded from requirement specification and partly on the information encoded according to the device states, it calculates the information and/or the instruction which are to be fed into the program memory of the computer so that the system for the automatic telephone exchange) can function according to the input requirement specifica tion. 2. An arranberert according to Claim 1 characterized in that by heal's of the manually influenced information generator ¯x), it gacrates information transferrable from a requirement speciLlcation and coded by a code, 'Ja sa@@ information Is transfc--±rcd to a document, that devices are arranged to check, preferably autcinatical- ly, the correctness of the contents of this document by comparing the contents of the document with a check list (B), and that the device is arranged to produce information relating to possible errors and possibly even together with information relating to corrections. 3. An arrangement according to Claim 2 characterized in that a device for checking (E! the correctness also includes the storage of and transmission of the infor mation content. 4. An arrangement according to Claim 1 characterized in that the encoded information related to states, prefer ably all the devices comprised by the system or the exchange can take is stored in a memory device (N, O, P) . 5. An arrangement according to Claim 1, used in an auto matic telephone exchange, characterized in that the encoded information includes those functions, pre ferably all the functions, which the devices comprising by the automatic telephone exchange can perform and that these are stored in a memory device (N, O, P). 6. An arrangement according to any one of the previous patent claims, characterized in that the information processing unit's Q output signal is connected to a checking and/or simulation unit (T). 7. An arrangement according to Claim 6, characterized in that the checking and/or simulation unit's (T) output is connected to a compiler arrangement (V) in order to transfer an information flow to one vs sever program languages.

Inventors: KATZEFF, KURT
Applicants: KATZEFF, KURT
Application year: 1984
Main classification: G06F9
IPC codes: H04Q3, G06F9