JP2001034460A - Image processing system and method for automatically updating its program - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To realize new functions / performances even in a combination of a new device and an old device without separately upgrading the software of the old device. SOLUTION: A switcher 201 and a controller 210 are connected by communication means. If the program installed in the switcher program storage memory 204 of the switcher 201 is an old version, it is automatically rewritten to the new switcher software installed in the switcher program storage memory 211 of the controller 210.
Conversely, if the program installed in the controller program storage memory 213 of the controller 210 is an old version, it is automatically rewritten to the new controller software installed in the controller program storage memory 202 of the switcher 201. As a result, the function or performance of the combination of the new switcher and the new controller can be realized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image processing system, and more particularly to an image processing system and a method for automatically updating a program thereof, which can easily improve / change the function of the system or improve / change the performance thereof. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A monitoring system in which a plurality of television cameras are installed corresponding to respective monitoring areas and connected to a controller via a switcher is used in a station, a financial institution,
It is used in many places, such as department stores. And
Conventionally, when the function of such a monitoring system is improved / changed or the performance is improved / changed, the software of all devices constituting the system has been changed.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional method, when a system in which the function or performance is improved / changed is released, when the same improvement / change is made to the conventional system, Related conventional system equipment required replacement or all software changes. For this reason, there has been a problem that the change requires time and effort.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is an object of the present invention to improve the function or performance only by replacing one of the devices connected by communication means or by changing the software of one of the devices. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing system and a program automatic updating method for the image processing system capable of performing / changing.

[0005]

An image processing system according to the present invention includes a plurality of image input devices, a switching device connected to the plurality of image input devices, and a control device connected to the switching devices. In the image processing system, the switching device and the control device,
It has a configuration in which version management means for managing the version of the program of the partner device and communication means for performing communication for the version management with the partner device are provided. With this configuration, when a system in which the function or performance has been improved / changed is released, one of the switching device or the control device is replaced or the software is changed to that of the new system, so that the other device is equivalent to the new system. Therefore, the function or performance of the entire system can be improved / changed.

An automatic updating method of a program of an image processing system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of image input devices, a switching device connected to the plurality of image input devices,
In the method of automatically updating a program of an image processing system including a control device connected to the switching device, a program of a partner device is stored in the switching device and the control device, and a program installed in the partner device. Is compared with the version of the program of the partner device stored in the own device via the communication means. If the result of the comparison indicates that it is necessary to upgrade the version, the other device is communicated via the communication means. Is updated. With this configuration, when a system in which the function or performance has been improved / changed is released, one of the switching device or the control device is replaced or the software is changed to that of the new system, so that the other device is equivalent to the new system. Therefore, the function or performance of the entire system can be improved / changed.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a monitoring system to which the present invention is applied. This monitoring system includes n television cameras 101-1, 101-2, 101-3 ... 101-n, a switcher 102 connected to these television cameras and switching these television cameras, and the like, The system 102 includes a controller 103 that is connected to a communication cable 104 via a communication cable 104 and controls the entire monitoring system, and a monitor 105 that monitors video and audio.

Each television camera is installed on a ceiling or the like near each monitoring area, and inputs video and audio of the monitoring area to the switcher 102. The switcher 102 switches video and audio input from each TV camera at a predetermined timing by a controller 103 connected via a communication cable 104. The monitor 105 is connected to the switcher 102
By displaying the video and audio supplied from
Monitoring can be performed while switching the entire monitoring area of each television camera. The controller 103 includes a switcher 102 and television cameras 101-1, 101-2, 101-3 ... 101-.
A control signal for setting and controlling n is provided to the switcher 102 via the communication cable 104. Switcher
102 uses this control signal to control itself and the TV camera 1
Perform setting and control of 01-1, 101-2, 101-3 ... 101-n.

[0010] In the monitoring system configured as described above, when a new function is added or a system with improved performance is released, conventionally, both the switcher and the controller are replaced with equipment or software is changed. Needed a version upgrade. However, in the embodiment of the present invention, only one of the switcher 102 and the controller 103 is replaced with a newly released device, or the software is changed, so that both the switcher and the controller are similar to the new system. New functions / performances can be realized.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the switcher and the controller and the connection between them in the embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, switcher 20
1. The controller 210 is the switcher 10 of FIG.
2. Corresponds to the controller 103.

In FIG. 2, a switcher 201 includes a switcher program storage memory 204 and a switcher control processing unit 206 for performing a normal switcher operation, a controller program storage memory 202, a controller program version management table 207, a version comparison It comprises a device 208, a program up / download control processing unit 203, a system control unit 205 and a communication control processing unit 209 having control functions of version comparison and program rewriting processing, and a software rewriting function of the controller 210 in addition to the switcher function. It has a function of rewriting the controller program storage memory 202 and the switcher program storage memory 204. The controller program storage memory 202 and the switcher program storage memory 204 are configured by a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory.

In FIG. 2, the controller 210
Are a controller program storage memory 213 for performing a normal control operation and a controller control processing unit 215.
In addition to the above, a switcher program storage memory 211, a switcher program version management table 216, a version comparator 217, a program up / download control processing unit 212, a system control unit 214 having a function of controlling version comparison and program rewriting processing, and communication control The processing unit 218 has a software rewriting function of the switcher 201 and a rewriting function of the switcher program storage memory 211 and the controller program storage memory 213 in addition to the controller function. The switcher program storage memory 211 and the controller program storage memory 213 are configured by a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an image of the version management table according to the embodiment of the present invention, and shows the contents of the program version management tables 207 and 216 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the current version V1.20 and the old version V1.10, V
Difference information from 1.00 is described. This indicates that when updating the old version to the current version, only the part described as the difference information needs to be rewritten. For example, the old version to be updated is V
At 1.00, to upgrade to the new version V1.20, all modules, all commands, all parameters,
Indicates that all setting values (initial values) need to be rewritten. When the old version is V1.10, rewriting module A, rewriting command B1 of module B, rewriting parameter 8 of command B5 and setting values (initial values) ) Is required to be 2. In other words, all of V1.10 is V
This means that the rewriting time can be shortened compared to the case where 1.20 is replaced. This means that the memory consumption can be reduced.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a version upgrade operation sequence between the controller 210 and the switcher 201 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

First, the controller 210 and the switcher 201
After both are initialized, the controller 210 sends a switcher software version request to the switcher 201, and the switcher 201 sends a version response notifying the version. That is, the system control unit 214 of the controller 210
A command for requesting the version of the switcher program installed in the switcher 201 is transmitted from the communication control processing unit 218 to the switcher 201. In the system control unit 205 of the switcher 201, this command is transmitted to the communication control processing unit 209.
And interpret its contents. Then, a response for notifying the version information of the program stored in the switcher program storage memory 204 is generated and transmitted from the communication control processing unit 209 to the controller 210. Since the communication between the switcher 201 and the controller 210 is always performed via the communication control processing units 209 and 218, the description is omitted in the following description.

In the controller 210, the system control section 214 receives the response. The version comparator 217 compares the version information in the response with the version stored in the switcher program version management table 216. Whether the system control unit 214 needs to rewrite the switcher program mounted on the switcher 201 based on the comparison result,
It determines what software is required, and if it determines that rewriting is necessary, generates a command requesting permission of upload and sends it to the switcher 201.

Upon receiving the command, the system control unit 205 of the switcher 201 generates a response requesting the start of download as soon as the rewrite to the switcher program storage memory 204 is ready, and the controller 210
Send to

In the controller 201, the system control unit 214 receives the response. The software necessary for rewriting is read out from the switcher program storage memory 211 by the program up / download control processing unit 212 and transmitted to the switcher 201.

The program up / download control processing unit 203 of the switcher 201 receives the software and downloads it to an internal DRAM (not shown) or the like. When the download is completed, the download is notified to the system control unit 205. When notified that the download has been completed, the system control unit 205 notifies the controller 210 of the notification.

The system control unit 214 of the controller 210
Upon receiving this notification, an operation test is performed with the switcher 201 using the newly downloaded software. Then, the test determination result is recorded in a log and transmitted to the switcher 201. FIG. 4 illustrates a case where the operation test is completed normally and a pass notification is transmitted.

The system control unit 205 of the switcher 201 records its own operation test result in a log. In addition, the operation test determination result transmitted from the controller 210 and the operation test determination result of the switcher 201 itself are comprehensively determined. Then, only when it is determined to be normal, control is performed so that the software previously downloaded to the DRAM or the like of the program up / download control processing unit 203 is written to the switcher program storage memory 204. At the same time, the controller program storage memory 202 is also rewritten.

The system control unit 205 of the switcher 201
Generates a write end event after writing is completed, and
Send to 210 and initialize itself. Upon receiving the write end event, the system control unit 214 of the controller 210 initializes itself.

After initialization, the controller 210 and the switcher 201 exchange version requests / determinations in the same manner as after the initialization, and the controller 210 performs version determination. In this version determination, it is determined that there is no need to upgrade, so the switcher 201 is instructed to start a normal operation. And
The normal operation is started, and the test result logs are deleted in the controller 210 and the switcher 201. Thereafter, the state shifts to the normal monitoring state.

FIG. 5 shows another example of a version upgrade operation sequence between the controller 210 and the switcher 201 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In this figure, the process from the initialization of the controller 210 and the switcher 201 to the determination of the version by the controller 210 is the same as FIG.

As a result of the version determination, the system control unit 214 of the controller 210 does not need to upgrade the version.
Alternatively, it is determined to be unknown. This determination is a determination result when the version of the program stored in the switcher program storage memory 204 is equal to the version described in the switcher program version management table 216 or when it is newer.

In these cases, the controller 210 sends a version determination request to the switcher 201. That is, the system control unit 214 of the controller 201 transmits the version information of the controller program stored in the controller program storage memory 213 to the switcher 201, and compares / determines it with the controller program version management table 207 in the switcher 201. Request.

The system control unit 205 of the switcher 201
Based on the comparison result, it is determined whether the program stored in the controller program storage memory 213 needs to be rewritten or what software is required. If it is determined that the software needs to be rewritten, the program is uploaded. A command requesting permission of the request is generated and transmitted to the controller 201.

Upon receiving the command, the system control unit 214 of the controller 210 generates a response requesting the start of download as soon as the preparation for rewriting to the controller program storage memory 213 is completed.
Send to

Thereafter, as in FIG.
The software stored in the controller program storage memory 202 is read out by the program up / download control processing unit 203 and downloaded to the program up / download control processing unit 212 of the controller 210. Then, after an operation test, program rewriting, initialization, and version determination, normal operation is started.

In this way, it corresponds to a case where the switcher 201 has a new function / performance.

FIG. 6 shows another example of a version upgrade operation sequence between the controller 210 and the switcher 201 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In this operation sequence, in the automatic operation test after download, the test result is determined to be defective by the system control unit 214.

The system control unit 214 records the test determination result in a log and transmits it to the switcher 201.

The system controller 205 of the switcher 201 records its own operation test result in a log. In addition, the operation test determination result transmitted from the controller 210 and the operation test determination result of the switcher 201 itself are comprehensively determined. Here, since the test determination result is unsuccessful, the DR of the program up / download control
The software downloaded to the AM or the like is not written to the switcher program storage memory 204, but the controller 210 is notified of the writing incomplete.

When the controller 210 receives the write incompletion notice, it displays an error. And the switcher
After instructing 201 to start the limited operation, that is, the operation according to the program of the old version, the limited operation is started. At this time, in the controller 210 and the switcher 201, the respective test result logs are stored without being erased.

As described above, when the result of the automatic operation test is determined to be defective, writing to the program storage memory is not performed, an error is displayed, and the log of the automatic operation test result remains without being erased. Can be determined whether or not it was a problem. Although FIG. 6 shows a case where the controller 210 transmits a failure notification of the test determination result to the switcher 2011, even if a success notification is transmitted, the self-determination of the In such a case, a process may be performed such that writing is not executed based on comprehensive judgment.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, the version of the program installed in the partner device is compared with the version of the program of the partner device stored in the own device via the communication means, and it is necessary to upgrade the version. When the new system is released, the other device is replaced or the software is changed to that of the new system when the new system is released. It is possible to provide an image processing system and an automatic updating method of an image processing system having an excellent effect that the system can be improved / changed to be equivalent to a new system and the function / performance of the entire system can be improved / changed. You can do it.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a monitoring system to which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a switcher and a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a connection relationship thereof.

FIG. 3 is an image diagram of a version management table according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a version upgrade operation sequence between the controller and the switcher according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of a version upgrade operation sequence between the controller and the switcher according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing still another example of the version upgrade operation sequence between the controller and the switcher according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101-1 to 101-n Camera 102, 201 Switcher 103, 210 Controller 202, 213 Controller program storage memory 203, 212 Program up / download control processor 204, 211 Switcher program storage memory 205, 214 System controller 207 Controller Program version management table 208, 217 Version comparator 209, 218 Communication control processing unit 216 Switcher program version management table

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B076 AC03 AC04 CA08 5C054 AA02 CG01 CH03 CH09 DA08 EA01 EA03 FA01 FE22 FF02 HA02 HA03 HA18 HA19 HA20 HA21

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image processing system comprising: a plurality of image input devices; a switching device connected to the plurality of image input devices; and a control device connected to the switching device. An image processing system, comprising: a device provided with version management means for managing a version of a program of a partner device; and communication means for performing communication for the version management with the partner device. And a version management table storing difference information between a latest version and an old version of the program of the counterpart device. Comparing means for comparing the version information of the program of the partner device received via the communication means with the version information stored in the version management table;
2. The image processing system according to claim 1, further comprising control means for updating a program requiring rewriting based on a result of the comparison. 3. A method for automatically updating a program of an image processing system, comprising: a plurality of image input devices; a switching device connected to the plurality of image input devices; and a control device connected to the switching device.
A program of a partner device is stored in the switching device and the control device, and a version of the program installed in the partner device is compared with a version of the program of the partner device stored in the own device via a communication unit. And automatically updating the program of the image processing system via the communication means when it is determined that a version upgrade is required as a result of the comparison. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein when updating the program, only a portion corresponding to a difference before and after the update is rewritten. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the update program is temporarily stored in the partner device, an operation test is performed via the communication unit, and the update is performed only when the device operates normally. 5. The method for automatically updating a program of the image processing system according to 3 or 4.