JP2003316430A - Association method and device of data constellation between equipments - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate to easily associate data constellation between equipments which are connected to a network even in a large-scale system. <P>SOLUTION: An equipment DV<SB>1</SB>is specified as an equipment connected to the network, and names of data A<SB>1</SB>-Am of data constellation NVA<SB>1</SB>-NVAm, which are collected/managed by this equipment DV<SB>1</SB>, are displayed on a first area G2L of a connector window G2 in a tree view form. An equipment DVn is specified as an equipment connected to the network, and names of data B<SB>1</SB>-Bm of data constellation NVB<SB>1</SB>-NVBm collected/managed by this equipment VDn are displayed on a second area G2R of the connector window G2 in a tree view form. The name of the data B<SB>1</SB>displayed on the area G2R is overlapped on the name of the data A<SB>1</SB>displayed on the area G2L by a drag and drop operation. Thus, the data constellation NVA<SB>1</SB>of the equipment DV<SB>1</SB>is associated with the data constellation NVB<SB>1</SB>of the equipment DVn. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inter-device data group associating method and apparatus for associating a data group between devices connected to a network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in urban areas where intelligent buildings are constructed, LON (Local Operating Network)
The system is being built. LON is BA (Buld
ing Automation) is an open standard for communication in the field. In order to build a LON system, a data group between devices existing on the network (Network Variab
le: Data group collected / managed by each device) must be associated as necessary.

FIG. 8 shows an outline of the LON system. In the figure, BL _{1 to} BL _N are buildings, and buildings BL ₁ to BL _N
Networks LAN _{1 to} LAN _N are built in BL _N. A large number of devices DV are connected to the networks LAN _{1 to} LAN _N. For example, network LA
Devices DV _{1 to} DVn are connected to N ₁ . The devices DV _{1 to} DVn are various types of data groups NV in the building BL ₁ .
Collect / manage. In this example, the device DV ₁ collects / manages the data groups NVA _{1 to} NVAm, and the device DVn collects / manages the data groups NVB _{1 to} NVBm. Building B
L ₁ to BL network LAN ₁ ~LAN _N of _N via the network NW such as the Internet center CN
Connected to the higher-level device 1 '.

In this LON system, the association of the data group NV between the devices DV existing on the network LAN is performed on the screen of the host device 1 '. For example, devices connected to the network LAN ₁ DV ₁
When it is desired to associate the data group NVA ₁ of the device with the data group NVB ₁ of the device DVn, the connection relationship between the network LAN ₁ and the devices DV _{1 to} DVn and the devices DV _{1 to} DVn are collected / collected on the screen of the host device 1 ′. Data group NV to manage
A graphic screen G0 showing (NVA _{1 to} NVAm, NVB _{1 to} NVBm) is displayed (see FIG. 9).

[0005] Then, in the graphic screen G0, signed a data group NVB ₁ data group NVA ₁ and equipment DVn devices DV ₁ by a connecting line L, associates the two.
By making such an association, the data of the data group NVA ₁ collected by the device DV ₁ is transferred to the network LA.
The data of the data group NVB ₁ transferred to the device DVn via N ₁ and collected by the device DV _n is connected to the network LAN.
It is transferred to the device DV ₁ via ₁ .

[0006]

However, according to such a conventional inter-device data group associating method, two data groups NV are connected by the connecting line L on the graphic screen G0, so that the network LAN is connected. In the case of a small-scale system with a small number of connected devices DV and a small number of connecting lines L, workability and visibility are excellent, and association can be performed easily.
In the case of a large-scale system in which the number of devices DV connected to N is large and the number of connecting lines L is large, one graphic screen G
A large number of devices DV are scattered at 0, and a large number of connecting lines L are crossed with each other, so that workability and visibility are deteriorated, and association cannot be performed easily.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to easily associate a data group between devices connected to a network even in a large-scale system. It is to provide a method and apparatus for associating data groups between devices that can be performed.

[0008]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention designates one of devices connected to a network as a first device, and the first device collects / manages. The data name indicating the data group to be displayed is displayed in the tree view format in the first area on the screen of the host device, and one of the devices connected to the network is designated as the second device. The second device displayed in the second area is displayed in a tree view format in the second area adjacent to the first area on the screen of the higher-level device, the data name indicating the data group collected / managed by the second device. 1 of the data name of the data group of
One of the data names of the data groups of the first device displayed in the first area is dragged and dropped, and this data name is overlaid. The data group of the first device and the data group of the second device are associated with each other.

According to the present invention, the data name indicating the data group of the first device to be associated is displayed in the tree view format in the first area on the screen of the host device, and the data name is displayed on the screen of the host device. In a second area adjacent to the first area of
A data name indicating a data group of the second device to be associated is displayed in a tree view format. That is, the data names of the data groups of the first device and the second device to be associated are displayed simultaneously on the screen of the host device in a tree view format. While simultaneously displaying the data names of the data group in this tree view format, select one of the data names of the data group of the second device and drag and drop it to one of the data names of the data group of the first device. When overlapping by operation, the data group of the first device and the second data
And the data group of the device.

It should be noted that the drag-and-drop operation is the first
In some cases, when the data names of the data group of the device and the data name of the data group of the second device are superposed, the data groups cannot be associated with each other. In such a case, it is possible to notify the operator that the data groups cannot be associated with each other by displaying the fact that the data groups are not associated with each other when they are overlapped. Both can be associated with the data name indicating the data group of the first device displayed in the first area and the data name indicating the data group of the second device displayed in the second area. You may make it add the icon which shows. For example, it is assumed that an icon displaying characters such as “IN” and “OUT” is added in the arrow so that “IN” and “OUT” can be associated with each other, and “IN”, “IN”, and “ O
It is not possible to associate “UT” with “OUT”. This will allow you to
It is possible to know whether the data groups that can be associated with each other or the data groups that cannot be associated with each other.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an inter-device data group associating device (upper device) used for implementing the inter-device data group associating method according to the present invention. This host device 1 is used in place of the host device 1'of the LON system shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, 1-1 is a CPU, 1-2 is a RAM, 1-3 is a ROM, 1-4 to 1-6 are interfaces, 1-7 is a display, 1-8 is a keyboard,
1-9 are mice. The CPU 1-1 connects to the network NW via the interface 1-4, to the display 1-7 via the interface 1-5, and the keyboard 1-8 and mouse 1 via the interface 1-6.
-9 connected to these interfaces 1-4
~ Obtain various input information given via 1-6,
According to the program stored in OM1-3, RAM1-
The process is executed while accessing 2.

FIG. 2 shows a part of the LON system construction screen G1 that appears when "LON system construction" is selected from the top menu (not shown) displayed on the display 1-7 of the host device 1. The LON system construction screen G1 has a tree view format (hierarchical structure based on a tree view) in which the buildings BL (BL ₁ to BL ₁ ...
BL _N ) network LAN (LAN _1- LA)
Network menu NM corresponding to _N N) (NM ₁ ~
NM _N ) is displayed.

When the network menu NM is clicked with the mouse, a device group menu DVM showing a device group connected to the network LAN corresponding to the network menu NM appears (see FIG. 3). In FIG. 3, a network menu NM ₁ is clicked with a mouse to display a device group menu DVM showing a device group connected to the network LAN ₁ , and the device group menu DVM is displayed.
Mouse click, and the device menu DV corresponding to the devices DV _{1 to} DV _n connected to the network LAN _1.
1 is an example of displaying the M～DVnM.

[Device D existing on the network LAN
Association of data group NV between V] Now, network LA
And want to associate the data group MVB ₁ data group NVA ₁ and equipment DVn devices DV ₁ present on N _1. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, to display the instrument menu DV ₁ M~DVnM the LON system construction screen G1, mouse click device menu DV ₁ M corresponding to the device DV _1.

Then, this LON system construction screen G1
A function menu WM as shown in FIG. 4 appears on the top. In this function menu WM, "XIF Explorer",
Menu items such as "Device information" and "Connector" are lined up. Select "Connector" from this menu item and click the mouse.

Then, instead of the LON system construction screen G1 up to that point, a connector screen G2, a part of which is shown in FIG. 5, appears. In the connector screen G2, a data group NVA _{1 to} NVAm collected / managed by the device DV ₁ in a tree view format in a left area (first area) G2L.
The data names A _{1 to} Am indicating the are displayed. In the data names A _{1 to} Am, the icon IC 1 in which the character “IN” is displayed in the arrow pointing to the left or the character “OUT” in the arrow pointing to the right is displayed according to the type of the data group NVA _{1 to} NVAm. The icon IC2 displaying is added.

On the connector screen G2, a dialog box BX1 and a device information display section BX2 are displayed in a right area (second area) G2R adjacent to the area G2L. The dialog box BX1, a list of the list of devices that belong to the same network as the device data name of the data group in the area G2L is displayed, apparatus DV in this example present on the network LAN ₁ (DV ₁ ~DVn) Is scrollably displayed. The data name of the data group NV of the device DV selected in the dialog box BX1 is displayed in the device information display portion BX2 in a tree view format.

The tree view in this example, as shown in FIG. 6, to select the device DVn dialog box BX1, a data name B ₁ to Bm data group NVB ₁ ~NVBm equipment DVn the device information display box BX2 To display. Also the data name B ₁ to Bm, like the display in the area G2L, according to the type of the data group NVB ₁ ~NVBm, leftward arrow arrow icons IC1 and right displaying the letters "IN" in An icon IC2 displaying the character "OUT" is added to the inside.

[Data group NVA₁And data group MVB₁When
Association] The device is displayed in the first area G2L of the connector screen G2.
Bowl DV₁Data group NVA₁~ NVAm data name A₁
To Am in the second area G2R of the connector screen G2
DVn data group NVB₁~ NVBm data name B₁~
Data in the second area G2R with Bm displayed
Group MVB₁Data name B₁Position the mouse pointer P1 on
Let Then, the lower region G2D of the second region G2R
₂The data group MVB ₁Other device associated with
Connection information list LS2 showing
Is displayed.

After confirming that the connection information list LS2 is not associated with the data group NVA ₁ of the device DV ₁ , the icon IC2 added to the data name B ₁ in the second area G2R and the first After confirming that the icon IC1 added to the data name A ₁ in the area G2L of ₁ is different, that is, "IN" and "I"
N "," after confirming that it is not a OUT "and" OUT ", icon IC data-name B ₁ in the second area G2R
The first area G by drag and drop operation with 2
Overlay on data name A ₁ in 2L (see FIG. 7).

As a result, the CPU 1-1 of the host device 1
Associates the data group NVA ₁ of the device DV ₁ with the data group NVB _{1 of the} device DVn. In this case, CPU1-1
Indicates that the icon IC2 added to the data name B ₁ is “OUT” and the icon IC1 added to the data name A ₁ is “IN”, so the data group NVB ₁ to the device DV _{1 of the} device DVn is The data group NVB ₁ of the device DVn is associated with the data group NVA ₁ of the device DV ₁ so that the data is transferred to the data group NVA ₁ of the device DVn.

At the same time as this association, the CPU 1-1
It is a lower region G2D ₁ of the first region G2L, displays a connection information list LS1 indicating, for example, remote device and data groups that are associated with the data group NVA _1, in this connection information list LS1, previous Device DVn is added to data group NVA ₁ by drag and drop operation.
It is clearly shown by changing the color of the list display that the data group NVB _{1 of} is associated. Further, the data group NVB is also added to the connection information list LS2 of the lower area G2D ₂ of the second area G2R by the drag and drop operation described above.
It is indicated by changing the color of the list display that the data group NVA ₁ of the device DV ₁ is associated with ₁ .

The CPU 1-1 of the host device 1 is
Data area displayed in the area G2R and the first area G
When the data name displayed in 2L is overlaid by the drag and drop operation, it is determined whether or not the association can be performed depending on the type of the icon added to the data name. When the data names “IN” and “IN” and “OUT” and “OUT” are overlapped, it is determined that the data groups cannot be associated with each other, the association between the data groups is prohibited, and the association is performed. A message indicating that the operation cannot be performed is displayed.

Further, when there is a direction of association such as transferring data from the data group displayed in the second area to the data group displayed in the first area, "IN" in the above-mentioned embodiment, By referring to the value indicating the attribute of the data group, such as “OUT”, by the higher-level device 1, that is, by referring to the value indicating the attribute of the data group, which is not limited to “IN” and “OUT”. May determine the direction of the association (eg, the direction of data transfer).

Further, according to the procedure at the time of associating, that is, the direction of the drag and drop operation (from the data group displayed in the second area to the data group displayed in the first area), the higher-level device 1 performs the association. You may decide the direction. Further, when a drag-and-drop operation is performed, association may be performed so as to transfer in both directions. In the present embodiment, the data is transferred between the associated data groups, but the association in the present invention is not limited to the data transfer.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the data names of the data groups of the first device and the second device to be associated with each other are displayed in the tree view on the screen of the host device. The data groups are displayed at the same time, and the data groups are associated by overlapping the data names by a drag-and-drop operation. Therefore, workability and visibility are good, and association can be easily performed. In addition, even in a large-scale system, the data names of the data groups of the first device and the second device to be associated are only displayed in the tree view format on the screen, and even if they increase It is only the data name of the data group of the second device and the second device, and it is possible to easily grasp the target device and the target data group without the fact that many devices are scattered on the screen and many connecting lines do not intersect. Therefore, the association can be easily performed.

Further, according to the present invention, the first device and the second device
By displaying the fact that the data groups cannot be associated when the data names of the data groups of the devices are overlapped, it is possible to inform the operator that the data groups cannot be associated, and the association error It is possible to eliminate the above and efficiently perform the association. Further, according to the present invention, by adding an icon indicating that both can be associated to the data name indicating the data group of the first device and the data name indicating the data group of the second device,
Before overlapping the data names, it is possible to know whether the two can be associated with each other, and it is possible to perform the association more efficiently.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an inter-device data group associating device (upper device) used for implementing an inter-device data group associating method according to the present invention.
It is a block configuration diagram showing an example.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a part of a LON system construction screen appearing on a display of a host device.

3 is a diagram showing an example of displaying a device menu DV ₁ M~DVnM corresponding to the device DV ₁ ~DV _n connected to the network LAN ₁ in this LON system creation screen.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of a function menu appearing on the LON system construction screen.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a part of a connector screen that appears in place of the LON system construction screen when “connector” in this function menu is selected.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example when a device DVn is selected in a dialog box BX1 in a right area GR2 of the connector screen.

FIG. 7: Data group NVA ₁ on this connector screen
And is a diagram illustrating an association method according to the drag-and-drop operation of the data group MVB _1.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an outline of a LON system.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a conventional method of associating a data group between devices using a graphic screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

BL (BL _{1 to} BL _N ) ... Building, CN ... Center, DV
(DV _{1 to} DVn) ... Equipment, LAN (LAN _{1 to} LAN
_N ), NW ... network, NV (NVA _{1 to} NVA
m, NVB _{1 to} NVBm) ... data group, 1 ... host device,
1-1 ... CPU, 1-2 ... RAM, 1-3 ... ROM, 1
-4 to 1-6 ... Interface, 1-7 ... Display, 1-8 ... Keyboard, 1-9 ... Mouse, G1 ... LO
N construction screen, NM (NM _{1 to} NM _N ) ... network menu, DV ₁ M to DVnM ... device menu, WM ... function menu, G2 ... connector screen, G2L ... left area (first area), G2R ... right side Area (second area),
BX1 ... dialog box, BX2 ... device information display _{unit, A 1 ~Am, B 1 ~Bm} ... data name, IC1, I
C2 ... Icon, LS1, LS2 ... Connection information list, P1 ... Mouse pointer.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yoichi Granzaki             Sanbu Building, 4-3-4 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo             System Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 5B085 AA08 BA07 BG02 BG03 BG07                 5H223 DD07 EE08 EE11

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A network system comprising a network, a plurality of devices connected to the network for collecting / managing various types of data groups, and a host device managing the devices connected to the network, One of the devices connected to the network is designated as the first device, and the data name indicating the data group collected / managed by the first device is displayed in the tree view in the first area on the screen of the host device. One of the devices connected to the network is designated as a second device, and a data name indicating a data group collected / managed by the second device is displayed on the screen of the host device. Display in a tree view format in a second area adjacent to the first area, and select one of the data names of the data group of the second device displayed in the second area, The selected data name of is overlaid on one of the data names of the data group of the first device displayed in the first area by a drag and drop operation, and the first device with this data name overlaid And a data group of the second device are associated with each other. 2. The inter-device data group associating method according to claim 1, wherein the data name of the data group of the first device and the data name of the data group of the second device by the drag and drop operation. A method for associating a data group between devices, characterized in that when data groups that cannot be associated with each other are overlapped, a message to that effect is displayed. 3. The inter-device data group associating method according to claim 1, wherein the data name indicating the data group of the first device displayed in the first area and the data name displayed in the second area are displayed. An inter-device data group associating method, wherein an icon indicating that both can be associated is added to a data name indicating a data group of the second device. 4. An inter-device data group associating device for associating multiple types of data groups collected / managed by a plurality of devices connected to a network, wherein one of the devices connected to the network is a first device. When specified, the first display means for displaying the data name indicating the data group collected / managed by the first device in the tree view format in the first area on the screen, and being connected to the network. If one of the existing devices is designated as the second device, the data name indicating the data group collected / managed by this second device is displayed in the tree area in the second area adjacent to the first area on the screen. One of the data names of the second display unit for displaying in the view format and the data group of the second device displayed in the second area is selected, and the selected data name is the first data name. When the data is superimposed on one of the data names of the data group of the first device displayed in the area by the drag-and-drop operation, the data group of the first device and the second data group of this data name are superimposed. The device-to-device data group associating device, further comprising: associating means for associating with the data group of the device. 5. The inter-device data group associating device according to claim 1, wherein the data name of the data group of the first device and the data name of the data group of the second device by the drag and drop operation. When the data groups are overlapped with each other, a judgment means for judging whether or not the data groups can be associated with each other and a message indicating that the data groups cannot be associated with each other are judged by the determination means. An inter-device data group associating device, comprising: a message displaying means for displaying. 6. The inter-device data group associating device according to claim 1, wherein the data name indicating the data group of the first device displayed in the first area and the data name displayed in the second area are displayed. An inter-device data group associating device characterized in that a data name indicating a data group of a second device is added with an icon indicating that both can be associated with each other.