CN1751290B - Method and device for modifying message of module structure - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for modifying modular messages (7) that can be transmitted via an electronic message transmission system using an electronic arithmetic unit, in particular a computer. A message (7) is read using a read device (6) and the structure (10) of the read message (7) is determined. An individual structural unit of said message (7) and modifications that can be carried out to the selected structural unit are then determined. The possible modifications and/or functions are then displayed and a modification and/or function that is to be carried out is/are read. The validity of the selected modification of the individual structural unit is verified with regard to the structure (10) of the message (7). If the modification is valid, it is executed and a modified, new message is issued.

Description

Method and device for modifying message of module structure

technical field

The invention relates to a method and a device for modifying messages of a modular structure which can be transmitted via an electronic message transmission system.

Background technique

It is already known from DE 101 39 068 A1 that for hierarchically structured command structures it is possible to automatically generate command sequences. For this purpose, the complete set of possible commands is initially generated by storing all possible branches through the layers of the hierarchy as individual commands. Each command corresponds to a path from the highest level of the hierarchy to the lowest level. The individual commands generated in this way are then arranged in a random sequence, where repetition of individual commands is allowed.

This sequence of individual commands is then provided, for example to a measuring device, which operates continuously with these commands. If a system error occurs during the execution of such a process run, the entire sequence of individual commands is systematically shortened in order to determine the individual command chain that caused the system error. During this process, the individual commands themselves are not modified.

The steps described are only suitable for systems that process individual commands. It allows limiting to a smaller number of individual commands, however, a smaller number of individual commands have been previously present in the original command chain. It is not possible to generate individual commands and/or individual messages with the proposed system. However, developing an end system that operates according to the OSI reference model requires modification of such individual commands or requires generation of new individual commands.

Contents of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a device and a method for modifying messages of a modular structure capable of being transmitted via an electronic message transmission system, which allow easy generation and modification of messages within the structure specified for them.

This object is achieved by a method according to the invention as defined in claim 1 , and an apparatus according to the invention as defined in claim 17 . Claims 18 and 19 relate to a corresponding computer program and claim 20 relates to a computer software product.

According to claim 1 and claim 17, messages are first read in, such as messages transmitted between two layers of the OSI reference model. The underlying structure of the message is determined from the read-in message. By determining the basic structure of this message, it is possible for each structural element to determine which modifications are absolutely possible for the individual structural elements from which the complete message is built. An individual structural unit is then selected from the read-in messages, and possible modifications for this selected structural unit are determined and displayed on the display device.

Then, the intended modification of the selected structural unit is read in and its validity relative to the message structure as a whole is checked. In this way it is possible to prevent those modifications which are generally valid for individual structural elements, but which would lead to irregular messages in the context of the message, since only the type of structural element modifications identified in the check as valid for the message structure are performed . The complete message modified in this way is then published as a new message.

The measures listed in the dependent claims relate to further advantageous developments of the invention.

It is especially advantageous if the actual message is read in as a basis for generating a new message by modification. In this context, actual messages are understood as: during a previous test of the end system represented by the OSI model, the messages actually generated and stored in their so-called "log files". If this message is considered by the developer to be the cause of an error, then the developer can perform modifications to this message without having to reconstruct the entire message and all of its hierarchically structured structural units, and use the The new messages are used for further test runs. This process is especially suitable for performing relatively small modifications during the development of end systems operating according to the OSI reference model.

At the beginning of development, however, no actual messages were available within the system that were transmitted between the individual layers of the OSI reference model. At this stage, therefore, a complete new message needs to be generated. For this purpose, according to a further advantageous development, it is possible to read in basic messages from a database, so that by modifying the structural elements of the basic messages the finally required messages can be generated. Thus, by using the underlying messages read from a given database corresponding to the protocol used, the structure of the messages in which the modification can be performed is determined. Different databases may be provided for different protocols.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to have a graphical display of the structure of the read-in message, so that it is immediately apparent to the developer which structural element of the message is currently being modified. Messages and their structure are displayed in a similar representation to a file tree, so that the individual layers of messages can be distinguished from each other by appropriate indentation. In this context, the structure is advantageously represented in a first window of the display device, so that the structural elements displayed in the first window can be marked using a suitable selection tool, such as a computer mouse.

The structural units marked in the first window allow various modifications or functions depending on each marked structural unit. For example, there may be elements of messages, for which parameter modification can be performed, for which purpose the developer must enter the corresponding alphanumeric value. Other elements allow the adoption of one or more structural units lower in the hierarchy. The selection results based on the selected structural elements marked in the first window are displayed in the second window. Then, the developer can perform the selection and/or registration of the value of the predetermined modification in the second window.

After the entry and/or selection in the second window has been carried out, the modification to be carried out is then checked for its validity within the message structure as a whole. Since a given type of structural unit may coincide with other superordinate structural units in different hierarchies and/or different environments, modifications that generally work for a given type of structural unit do not necessarily also work for selected structural units. For example, a given modification is indeed possible in principle for a selected structural unit, but not valid for the specific structure of the complete message from which the structural unit to be modified was selected. If such a situation occurs, the developer is notified via a corresponding dialog, where possible or expected modifications can be clearly listed.

Description of drawings

A preferred preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The accompanying drawings are as follows:

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the structure of a message of a module structure;

Figure 2 shows a time series of messages of several generations;

Figure 3 shows a block circuit diagram of the method according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows a screenshot of selecting the actual message using the message analysis means;

Fig. 5 shows a screenshot with functions depending on the structural unit;

Figure 6 shows a screenshot for selecting a database for a new message;

Figure 7 shows a screenshot for selecting a base message from a database;

Figure 8 shows a screen shot of a selection table for modifying a selected structural unit;

Figure 9 shows another screen shot of a selection table for modifying a selected structural unit;

Figure 10 shows a screenshot for selecting a new message output;

Figure 11 shows a screenshot with a warning message;

Figure 12 shows a screenshot for determining comparison criteria; and

Figure 13 shows a screenshot for determining another comparison criterion.

Detailed ways

Before describing in more detail the method of generating a message of a modular structure according to the present invention, first, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the structure of a message of a modular structure is explained by way of example.

Figure 1 shows information 1, eg, which is used for service provision by a layer according to the OSI reference model. The message 1 is made up of segments, which are marked with the reference numbers 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 in FIG. 1 . The first segment 1.1 is further subdivided into blocks 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.1.4 and 1.1.5. Other segments of the entire message 1 can also be broken down into these types of chunks. The individual blocks of segment 1.1 can also be broken down into smaller units 1.1.4.1, 1.1.4.2 and 1.1.4.3. Subdividing into smaller and smaller structural units as shown will result in a hierarchical system of Message 1, which reflects its modular structure or construction. Message 1 generated using the present invention provides a modular structure of the type in which individual structural units are combined to form a superordinate structure according to the logical association of the structural units. For example, message 1 represents data flow elements that are exchanged between different layers according to the OSI reference model for base stations or mobile phones in a cellular mobile telephone network.

Starting from a given message 1, Figure 2 shows the message flow through several generations. Message 2 of the parent comes before message 1. Message 1 itself has been triggered by the content of the parent's Message 2. As shown by the connecting lines, message 1 in turn is the cause of the triggering of further messages 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 belonging to the children. Descendent messages 3.1 to 3.4 can likewise be responsible for triggering further messages 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, which are shown as descendants of message 3.3 by way of example, in a causal manner. In all cases, on the basis of the scheme presented in Fig. 1, the individual messages presented in Fig. 2 are built according to a modular structure. In this regard, under certain circumstances, individual structural units of a given type can be used in different layers of the hierarchy, that is to say, both in sections 1.1 to 1.5, and for example also in block 1.1.1 into 1.1.5.

FIG. 2 illustrates the causal link between several messages along a time axis 5 . These messages may be recorded using message analysis means such as are used to analyze mobile phone systems. If this list, which is stored in a so-called "log file", can be used to identify a given message which caused the error, then the relevant message must be replaced by an appropriately modified message. In this regard, the modified new message can in principle be generated in two different ways. On the one hand, by modifying the content of one or more structural units, i.e. by modifying segments, blocks or smaller units, an existing error-triggering message can be used to generate a new message with the same structure. In contrast to this case, the raw message taken from the "log file" is referred to below as a real message. The same applies vice versa, from bottom to top of the hierarchy.

The second possibility for generating messages is to read the underlying message from the database. As will be explained in more detail below, several base messages are stored in respective databases for a given protocol, where each individual base message represents a valid structure with respect to that given protocol. The basic message thus corresponds to a ready-made structure from which the actually required complete message can be generated by modifying the individual structural elements.

The method according to the invention is now explained in more detail with reference to the block circuit diagram shown in FIG. 3 . The message 7 is read in by the read-in device 6 . The messages 7 read in at this stage can be actual messages, which are stored in a file 8 . Each message 7 has a given structure, so this message can be type-encoded. The structure 10 on which the actual message is based is also read in via the read-in device 6 .

Structural elements from message 7 are selected by selection means 11 . For this purpose, the read-in device 6 is connected to an input-output device, wherein the input-output device comprises a display device on which the read-in message 7 can be displayed in a first window.

The read-in message 7 is displayed in a first window of the display device, so that all structural units of each level of the hierarchical structure including all subordinate structural units are represented. As in the file tree representation, substructure units can be shaded if desired. Using an appropriate selection device, the developer can mark one of the structural units present in any desired level of the hierarchy. For example, it could be a computer mouse. The structural units marked by the developer are selected by the selection means 11 .

For further processing, the selected structural units are forwarded to a modification device 13 , which initially determines possible modifications of the selected structural unit type in principle. The modification means 13 also transmit these feasible modifications to the input-output means, and those possible modifications are presented by the display means in a second window. The developer now makes another entry in this second window, which is passed back to the modification device 13 . As will be explained below with reference to other figures, an entry of this type may be a selection from several suggested elements, or an alphanumeric entry.

This entry is checked by modification means 13 with respect to its validity, by means of which entry the developer determines a predetermined modification to the content of the selected structural unit. For example, if the insertion of a modification of a selected structural unit into message 7 causes the new message to replace the corresponding originally read-in structural unit (which thus no longer corresponds to structure 10 of the originally read-in message 7), the validity of the message type May be restricted. Modifying the content of the selected structural elements will then result in a modification of the message structure which no longer corresponds to the structure of the message required by the underlying standard at this position in the OSI reference model. Invalid modifications of this type are not implemented, and the developer's attention is drawn to the concerned invalid modification by a warning message.

If the modification of the selected structural unit is valid, a message with the modified content is generated as a new message 7 ′ and this new message 7 ′ is published via the output device 14 . In this regard, different output formats are available for the output of the new message 7'. For example, the new message 7' can be stored in the first output file 15.1 in the form of XML code. Messages 7 ′ generated in this way are inserted into the raw data stream at runtime during a new test run of the end system on which the above-cited OSI reference model is based.

As an alternative, the output device 14 can write the new message 7' directly in the second output file 15.2 in the form of a hexadecimal string (hexadecimal bit sequence).

As explained above, instead of reading in the actual message, the base message can also be read in as message 7 . For this purpose, the developer can likewise create portals via the input-output device. In response to this entry, the reading means 6 read in the underlying message from one of some possible databases 9.1, 9.2 or 9.3.

Databases are structurally modular and differ with respect to their underlying description language (eg ASN1) or the protocol to be replicated. Different information structures are possible depending on the protocol. The respective structure assigned to the basic message is also read in by the reading device 6 . Information about the structure 10 is necessary so that the modifying means can then check the validity of the modification of the message 7 within the structure 10 . When using actual messages, information about the structure is also read from one of the databases. The corresponding database can then be automatically selected on the basis of this actual message.

The various stages of the method of generating a new message 7' are explained below with reference to various screen shots.

Initially, Fig. 4 shows a message analysis device. In the first area 16, all messages transmitted in the end system via the layers of the OSI reference model are presented in chronological order. The second area 17 shows the hierarchy of the messages selected in the first area 16 . In this regard, each subordinate level of the hierarchy is shown indented to the right relative to its superordinate level. As described above with reference to FIG. 1 , each row presented corresponds to a structural unit, where each structural unit may be subdivided into further hierarchically subordinate structural units. One of the structural units can be marked in the second field 17 and can thus be stored in the file using the pull-down menu. In the preferred embodiment shown, the relevant command 19 is "export to message pool", where "message pool" corresponds to the familiar file 8 from the block diagram of Fig. 3 .

Opening and reading this message from file 8 corresponds to the procedure of other conventional programs; therefore no separate description is required. FIG. 5 shows a screenshot that appears after reading in a message from file 8 . The structure of the read-in message 7 is displayed in a first window 20 . The presentation corresponds to the second area 17 of the message analysis device shown in FIG. 4 . In the lowest hierarchical level of the message 7 there are, for example, three structural units 21.1 to 21.3, which when combined form the superordinate structural unit 22.1. On the same hierarchical level as the structural unit 22.1, another structural unit 22.2 is shown. The two structural units 22.1 and 22.2 together form the structural unit 23, which again forms a higher hierarchical level.

In the first window 20, the structural unit 21.1 is marked using the selection device and the drop-down menu is opened. A drop-down menu is presented in the drop-down menu window 24 and contains different functions 25.1 to 25.5, such as copy and insert functions, by which new messages can also be generated. For this purpose, for example, already existing structural elements can be copied and additionally inserted at another position in the message. The validity of the operation is then checked as in the case of modification of the content of the selected structural unit. Depending on the structural unit from which the pull-down menu 24 is opened, the presented functions 25.1 to 25.5 can differ in this regard. In the example presented in FIG. 5, the function "Copy" is selected, with which the marked structural unit 21.1 is copied. However, if a structural unit copied in this way cannot be inserted into another structural unit (for example structural unit 23), the drop-down menu opened for structural unit 23 will not offer a corresponding insertion option.

Parallel to the functions of the pull-down menu 24 (such as copy, insert, replace, etc.) is the modification of the message 7, it is also possible to modify the content of structural elements already present in the message.

Each structural unit corresponds to a different type. The type designation of the structural unit 21.1 in the preferred embodiment is eg "Digit". Certain modification options are always available for this type of structural unit. These modification options appear in the second window 26 for each structural element marked and selected in the first window 20 . On the basis of the marking provided by the developer in the first window 20 , the structural elements highlighted by the marking are selected by the selection means 13 . For the selected structural unit, the type of structural unit can then be determined and the resulting modification options are then presented in the second window 26 . Further information relating to the selected structural unit is additionally displayed in a second window 26 .

In the preferred embodiment presented, the acceptable range of possible values ("Range") 27 for such structural elements is also shown alongside the designation of the structural element's type ("Type"). The developer can determine the value of the structural element 21.1 by entering a value in the entry field 28 (for example via a keyboard). The value written in the entry field 28 is read in by the modifying means 13 . Before the structural element 21.1 is modified to the entered value, the validity of the modification is checked by the modification device 13 . If such a modification is invalid, the warning message described below is issued and the modification is not completed.

However, if the modification is valid, a modified structural unit 21.1' is formed from the selected structural unit 21.1, and at the same time a new message 7' is formed from the message 7 originally read in.

To generate a new message, a dialog window 29 is initially opened, as shown in FIG. 6 . In the dialog window 29, a list 30 of available databases is shown, wherein, by marking a database from the list 30, the reading-in device 6 is connected to the selected database 9.1, 9.2 or 9.3 in order to obtain a pair of data stored in the respective database by the reading-in device 6. Access to the structure and underlying messages of the databases 9.1 to 9.3.

After selecting a database via the list 30 , the entries present in the corresponding database are listed in the window part 31 . Each entry in window portion 31 corresponds to a base message, and thus corresponds to the structure of the messages based on this base message.

Again, the base message is selected from the list by marking in window part 31; during entry of a name in filename entry field 32, this base message is then stored.

In the screenshot representation in FIG. 7 , a different database has been selected and therefore the underlying message shown in window portion 31 is different from FIG. 6 . In the preferred embodiment shown, a given base message 33 is already marked in the window portion 31 . If the entry in the dialog window 29 is terminated by activating the function field 34 with the forwarding of the data entered in the dialog window 29, the modified basic message 33 is presented directly in the first window 20, as shown in FIG. 8 Show.

Among other elements, the base message 33 includes in particular structural elements 36 , for which purpose a list of subordinate structural elements is represented in the second window 26 . In the presently preferred embodiment, the provisioning setting for reading in the base message is "no segment". If the substructural unit "first segment" is selected instead in the list, the content modification of the structural unit 36 identified as valid is performed, and the updated display of the modified basic message 33' is displayed in the first segment. Window 20, as shown in Figure 9.

After the newly inserted structural unit 35 has been selected, the second window 26 once again displays the possible modifications of this structural unit 35 . Instead of entering an alphanumeric value in the entry field 28, some possible entries in the selection menu are presented. If the value shown in the selection menu is entered by marking, the value marked in this way will be read in by the modification means 13 and, after the validity has been checked, the content of the selected structural unit will be modified accordingly.

As a result of the modification, the initially read-in base message 33 now becomes the complete message 33″, which is presented as XML code in the main memory of the operator. Message 7 (that is to say, of the base message 33 or of the actual message) The processing takes place in the form of XML code. The new complete message 33" can be stored in this XML code via output means.

However, in addition, this option can be used to directly convert this message (the storage location of this message is shown in the third window 37) into a string in hexadecimal format, which can be inserted into the program code middle. For this reason, the stored file 38 is marked in the third window 37 and a drop-down menu 39 is opened, as shown in FIG. 10 . Generates a hexagonal sequence from the XML code, which can thus be stored in another file via the function "generate hexstring".

FIG. 11 shows a warning message 41 which is displayed when a modification of a structural element is invalid within the structural framework of the message 7 to be modified. In this regard, the warning message 41 initially indicates the cause 42 of the wrong modification. Furthermore, the incorrectly modified structural elements are displayed in the second line 43 of the warning message 41 . If it is clear on the basis of the structure of the message 7 which type of structural element should be used instead or which content should be modified, this is indicated in a further line 44 . In order to prevent errors, such warning messages 41 must be known by activating the entry field.

FIG. 12 shows how message 51 can then be used as a comparison message by determining comparison criteria. This type of comparison message is used to assign to a given message group the actual messages such as were stored in a "log file" during the test run. Accordingly, messages that provide eg the same content to a given structure may be grouped in message groups, eg to allow improved analysis within a given information structure.

In order to determine such comparison criteria for a given structural unit, as shown in FIG. 12 , for a structural unit 50 the corresponding structural unit is marked in the first window 20 . The marked structural unit 50 is selected and possible comparison criteria 52 for this structural unit 50 are displayed in the second window 2.6. In the example shown, it is possible to choose between three different criteria, wherein in case of agreement between the actual message and the comparison criteria determined in the comparison message, the actual message is assigned to the Compare message groups represented by messages.

If a first comparison criterion 53.1 of possible comparison criteria 52 is marked in the second window 26, the comparison criterion 53.1 is stored together with the comparison message, for example in a separate file. Those messages whose message structure corresponds to that of the message 51 will then be assigned to the message group defined by the comparison message presented, wherein the corresponding structure unit 50 can provide any desired content.

Conversely, if the structural unit corresponding to the structural unit 50 of the actual message to be compared has no content, the flag of the comparison criterion 53.2 will only assign the actual message to the message group. In the preferred embodiment presented, the third comparison criterion 53.3 is marked both when the content is present and when it is not present, according to which the actual message is assigned to the corresponding message.

FIG. 13 shows a further possibility for determining the comparison criterion and thus for generating a comparison message. In the first window 20 a further structural element 54 of the message 51 is marked. In contrast to the structural element 15 marked in FIG. 12, the structural element 54 can have an alphanumeric value as its content. Thus, in the comparison of the actual message with the comparison message, after selecting the marked structural element 54, a question is asked as to whether the content of the structural element of the actual message is placed within the value range indicated by the fourth comparison criterion 53.4. This fourth comparison criterion 53 . 4 is determined by entering a range of values in the entry field 55 .

Claims (17)

1. be used for the method for the message (7) of modified module structure, described message (7) can be transmitted via electronic message delivery system by the electronic operation device, and this method comprised as the next stage:

Read in message (7) by reader unit (6),

Determine the structure (10) of this message of reading in (7),

Select the individual configurations unit of this message (7),

Determine the feasible modifications at structural unit of selected structural unit,

Show described feasible modifications and/or function,

Read in feasible modifications to be performed and/or function,

The feasible selected modification of the structure at this message (7) (10) of checking this individual configurations unit is about the validity of the structure (10) of this message (7),

Execution is identified as effective feasible modifications in the structure of this message (7) (10), and

Issue amended new information.

2. according to the method for claim 1, it is characterized in that:

Real messages is read into as this message (7).

3. according to the method for claim 1 or 2, it is characterized in that:

Basic message is read into as this message (7) from database (9.1,9.2,9.3).

4. according to the method for claim 1, it is characterized in that:

The structure (10) of this message (7) is displayed in first window (20) of display device.

5. according to the method for claim 4, it is characterized in that:

The individual configurations unit that is labeled in first window (20) of this display device is selected.

6. according to the method for claim 4, it is characterized in that:

The feasible modifications of selected individual configurations unit is displayed in second window (26) of this display device.

7. according to the method for claim 6, it is characterized in that:

At least one of option table in this second window (26) tagged element is read into, so that revise the content of this structural unit.

8. according to the method for claim 6, it is characterized in that:

The numerical value that alphanumeric ground is transfused in this second window (26) is read into, so that revise the content of this structural unit.

9. according to claim 1,7 or 8 method, it is characterized in that:

If the invalid element of structure (10) about this message (7) is read into, if perhaps be read into for the invalid alphanumeric numerical value of the content modification of this individual configurations unit, then alert message (41) is presented on the display device.

10. according to the method for claim 1, it is characterized in that:

Before this amended new information issue, some modifications of some individual configurations unit are performed.

11. the method according to claim 1 is characterized in that:

Be published as binary sequence by revising this new information that body structure unit at least one by one generates.

12., it is characterized in that according to any method in the claim 1:

Be selected individual configurations unit, can in first window (20), open and have a plurality of functions (25.1, ..., 25.5) drop-down menu (24), wherein be present in the function (25.1 in this drop-down menu (24), ..., 25.5) depend on the structure (10) of selected individual configurations unit and/or this message (7).

13., it is characterized in that according to any method in the claim 1:

This amended new information is sent to message groups as the comparison message that is used for the real messages distribution, wherein determines comparison criterion with this comparison message.

14. the method according to claim 13 is characterized in that:

This comparison message is stored in the independent file with one or more comparison criterion.

15. the method according to claim 13 or 14 is characterized in that:

The numerical range of the content of structural unit is confirmed as comparison criterion.

16. the method according to claim 13 or 14 is characterized in that:

The existence of the given content of structural unit is confirmed as comparison criterion.

17. be used for the device of the message (7) of modified module structure, the message of described modular structure (7) can be transmitted via electronic message delivery system, comprising:

Reader unit (6) is used to read in message (7),

Structure is determined device, is used for determining the structure (10) of this message of reading in (7),

Selecting arrangement is used to select the individual configurations unit of this message (7),

Determine device, be used for determining the feasible modifications at structural unit of selected structural unit,

Display device is used to show described feasible feasible modifications and/or function,

Reader unit is used to read in feasible modifications to be performed and/or function,

Proving installation, the selected feasible modifications of the structure at this message (7) (10) that is used to check this individual configurations unit is about structure (10) validity of this message (7), and be used for carrying out and be identified as effective feasible modifications the structure (10) of this message (7) in, and

Output unit is used to issue amended new information.

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