JP2011103590A - Radio starting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To overcome inconvenience with a home network environment that shares contents of digital AV equipment, PCs, or the like, at home, wherein a client can not start a server through a radio link since there is necessity to always start a power supply of the server in order to obtain connection through the radio link. <P>SOLUTION: A radio starting device has: a radio I/F unit 206 connectable with external equipment, and performs communications through the radio circuit; a wire I/F unit 207 connectable with the external equipment, and performs the communications through a cable; and a switching control unit 205 which performs starting control of the radio I/F unit 206 by the communication of the wire I/F unit 207. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a device having a wireless line and a wired line interface for sharing digital contents such as music, photos, and moving images, and more particularly to a wireless activation device for realizing wireless connection with an external device.

  Currently, the transition from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting is being promoted in television broadcasting, and large-capacity recording from DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) to BD (Blu-ray Disc) has been rapidly expanded in recording media. The digitalization of AV equipment is accelerating. Along with the digitalization of such AV equipment, video and audio can be handled as digital data, and the compatibility with personal computers (hereinafter abbreviated as PCs) has improved. For this reason, standardization is being promoted for building a home network where content can be shared between different devices and viewed anywhere regardless of the storage location of the content. DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is an example of a typical network protocol.

  DLNA aims to build a home network that seamlessly shares digital content such as music, photos, and videos between AV devices, PCs, and mobile devices. Using the IP network used on the Internet, Communication between devices is realized by wired LAN (LAN cable) or wireless LAN (IEEE802.11a / b / g). A device that supports DLNA is called a server when it is a device that stores and provides content, and it is called a client when it is a device that plays back content. A typical device is a hard disk recorder (hereinafter referred to as HDD). (Abbreviated as a recorder), PC, network type hard disk, etc., and the latter includes TV, PC, network media player, etc. To play content in a DLNA environment, first start the server and client, and search for DLNA-compatible devices in the network. Next, a list of servers or contents detected by a client (for example, a television) that the user wants to view is displayed. The user starts reproduction by searching and selecting target content.

  When trying to use DLNA's home network in a general home, there are not many homes with LAN cables (Ethernet (registered trademark) cables) already wired, and LAN cables must be installed so that they are placed in each room. Is costly, and data communication is inevitably performed by wireless connection by wireless LAN.

  However, in order to perform data communication over a wireless LAN, it is assumed that both a server that distributes data and a client that receives and reproduces data are running. Normally, a wireless LAN access point sends a signal (packet) called a beacon, and a device equipped with a wireless LAN interface receives the beacon, detects an available wireless LAN network, and connects wirelessly. Therefore, to receive a beacon, the power must be turned on (activated). If a wired LAN is connected, it is possible to start the server by sending a wake-up command from the client via the wired LAN, but it is currently impossible to start the server using only the wireless LAN. . In addition, when viewing content stored on a server, it is desirable that there is an interlocking function that enables the content to be played by turning on the server in synchronization with the selection of the corresponding server on the menu screen from the client. By starting the server at the time of selection, it is not necessary to supply power to devices that are not used, and this has the effect of contributing to low power consumption.

DLNA guidelines

  In this way, in a home network environment where contents such as digital AV devices and PCs are shared in the home, it is necessary to keep the server power on in order to realize connection via the wireless line. There is a problem that the server cannot be started from the client.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above, and its purpose is to equip both wired and wireless interfaces, and the wired interface is a request for activation from an external device via a coaxial cable or a power cable. Accordingly, a wireless activation device is provided which has a switching function of activating a wireless interface and switching to a wireless connection.

  In order to achieve the above object, a wireless activation device of the present invention includes a first interface unit that can be connected to an external device and that communicates wirelessly, and a second interface that can be connected to the external device and communicates via a cable. And a switching control unit that performs start-up control of the first interface unit through communication of the second interface unit.

  When the first interface unit is not activated and wireless communication is not possible, the second interface unit receives a connection request signal from an external device to the first interface unit, and the connection The request signal is compared with the unique information of the second interface unit, and when it is determined that they are the same, a switching request signal for starting the first interface unit is output to the switching control unit, The switching control unit may activate the first interface unit in accordance with the switching request signal.

  The first interface unit receives a connection end signal from an external device, and the switching control unit detects the connection end signal, disconnects the connection of the first interface unit, and stops power supply. At the same time, when the second interface unit is not activated, it may be controlled to be activated by supplying power.

  The cable connected to the second interface unit is, for example, an antenna cable (coaxial cable) or an electric wiring (power line).

  The unique information included in the second interface unit may be the same as the unique information included in the first interface unit.

  According to the wireless activation device of the present invention, activation of an external device that performs content transmission by wireless connection is activated via a wired connection and switched to a wireless connection after activation. Since no installation or wiring is required, costs can be reduced. Further, there is no need to energize the wireless I / F unit in a normal state, and the external device is activated only during viewing, so that there is an effect of suppressing power consumption. In addition, it is not necessary to secure a broadband transmission line such as a LAN, and the wireless I / F unit can be activated even with a narrow-band transmission line.

It is a figure which shows the connection structure outline | summary of the television and HDD recorder which were equipped with the radio | wireless starting apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the client apparatus provided with the radio | wireless starting apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example which operated the client apparatus provided with the radio | wireless starting apparatus which concerns on this invention, and displayed the input switching menu screen. It is a figure which shows an example which displayed the list | wrist of the content preserve | saved at the server apparatus via the wireless connection on the client apparatus provided with the radio | wireless starting apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the server apparatus provided with the radio | wireless starting apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart of the process of the client apparatus provided with the radio | wireless starting apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart of the process of the server apparatus provided with the radio | wireless starting apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example in wired I / F of the transmission side of the radio | wireless starting apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows an example in the wired I / F of the receiving side of the radio | wireless starting apparatus which concerns on this invention.

  As a preferred example for carrying out the present invention, FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration for connecting a TV equipped with a wireless activation device according to the present invention and an HDD recorder. The television is the client device 100 and the HDD recorder is the server device 110, both of which include the wireless I / F modules 101 and 111 and the wired I / F modules 102 and 112. In this embodiment, on the premise that data communication such as video and audio is performed by wireless connection, content selection and playback are performed, in order to perform wireless line connection mainly between client and server devices in wired connection, It is assumed that command communication is performed to control device activation. In wireless connection, the client device 100 and the server device 110 communicate with each other via a wireless access point 120 over a wireless LAN. The wired connection is realized through the wired I / F modules 102 and 112 and the distributor 130 using an antenna cable that has already been stretched around the home, without requiring any new LAN cable wiring or construction.

  Details of the wireless line connection processing for content transmission by the wireless activation device according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.

  A method for realizing wireless connection will be described with reference to configuration diagrams of a client device and a server device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, after the user activates the client device 100, activates the server device 110 that stores the content that the user wants to view and establishes a connection via a wireless line, The video / audio bitstream of the corresponding content is transmitted from the client device 100, and the client device 100 receives and views the bitstream. In this embodiment, the server device 110 has a built-in wireless I / F module unless a request from an external device including the client device 100, manual power supply by the user, or automatic power supply by a timer or the like is made. Assume that no power is supplied to 111.

(Example 1)
First, the configuration of the client device 100 will be described. FIG. 2 shows a configuration of the client device 100 provided with the wireless activation device according to the present invention. The wireless I / F module 101 and the wired I / F module 102 in FIG. 1 correspond to the wireless I / F unit 206 and the wired I / F unit 207 in FIG. In the client device 100 of FIG. 2, in order to play back the content that the user wants to view, the user inputs a request for displaying an input switching menu screen for selecting a server device that stores the content to the user I / F unit 202. (S600, the parentheses below indicate the step numbers in the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 and 7). The user I / F unit 202 converts a request input by the user into a request signal and inputs the request signal to the control unit 204. The control unit 204 determines the request signal and sends an instruction to the GUI screen generation unit 203 to generate an input switching menu screen. The GUI screen generation unit 203 generates an input switching menu screen in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 204, and displays the input switching menu screen as shown in FIG. 3 by superimposing it on the screen currently displayed on the display 201 ( s601). FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the user operates the remote controller 301 to display the input switching menu screen superimposed on the currently viewed screen. In this example, the user I / F unit 202 converts a remote control signal output from the remote control 301 by a user operation into a request signal that the control unit 204 can understand. The user selects a server device storing reproducible content from the displayed input switching menu screen (s602). In this embodiment, the server device 110 that is the HDD recorder in FIG. 1 is selected, and the input destination of the input switching menu screen assigned to the server device 110 is selected. In FIG. 3, the input destination assigned to the server device 110 is the net 1. The request indicating the input destination selected by the user is input to the user I / F unit 202, converted into a request signal, and output to the control unit 204. The control unit 204 determines the request signal and outputs a request to the switching control unit 205 in order to establish connection with the server device requested to be input. The switching control unit 205 first selects the wireless I / F unit 206 (s603). The wireless I / F unit 206 transmits a partner detection signal compliant with the wireless LAN protocol to the wireless access point 120 in order to connect to the server device 110 requested to be input.

  When the server device 110 requested to be input is detected, a detection response signal is transmitted from the wireless access point 120, and the wireless I / F unit 206 receives this signal to establish a wireless line with the server device 110 requested to input. Connection is established. At the same time, the wireless I / F unit 206 outputs a connection enable / disable signal indicating that the wireless connection has been established to the switching control unit 205. The switching control unit 205 determines the input connection enable / disable signal, and when the wireless connection is established, the switching control unit 205 fixes the wireless I / F unit 206 and stops the switching control.

  When the server device 110 requested to be input is not detected, a detection response signal is not transmitted from the wireless access point 120. Therefore, the wireless I / F unit 206 is connected to the server after a predetermined time has elapsed since the transmission of the partner detection signal. It is determined that the wireless I / F unit 501 of the device 110 is not in the activated state, and a connection enable / disable signal indicating that wireless connection is not possible is output to the switching control unit 205 (s604). The switching control unit 205 determines the input connection enable / disable signal, and when the wireless connection is not established, reselects the wired I / F unit 207 (s605). The wired I / F unit 207 transmits a connection request signal via an antenna cable (coaxial cable) to activate the server device 110 requested to be input (s606). FIG. 8 shows an example of configuring the wired I / F unit 207 on the transmission side. In the wired I / F unit 207, the counterpart detection signal of the server device 110 selected by the user is input to the device information extraction unit 802. The device information extraction unit 802 extracts information on the corresponding device from the device information table 801 based on the input partner detection signal, and outputs it to the modulation unit 803. The extracted device information includes device-specific information (such as a MAC address) that identifies the device, and is not confused with other devices. The modulation unit 803 modulates the device information and transmits a connection request signal to a device connected in a wired manner at home. For example, the modulation unit 803 performs modulation by superimposing a plurality of levels of direct current on a signal flowing through the antenna cable. The modulation unit 803 performs modulation by switching between two levels, assigns “0” to the Lo level of the superimposed DC voltage, assigns “1” to the Hi level, and outputs a pattern signal of “0” or “1”. To do. The output signal is, for example, a pattern signal in which a MAC address that is information unique to a connection destination device is repeated a plurality of times, and is recorded in a frame data area of Ethernet (registered trademark).

  Next, the configuration of the server device 110 that receives a connection request from the client device 100 will be described. FIG. 5 shows a configuration of the server device 110 provided with the wireless activation device according to the present invention. The wireless I / F module 111 and the wired I / F module 112 in FIG. 1 correspond to the wireless I / F unit 501 and the wired I / F unit 502 in FIG. In the server device 110 of FIG. 5, the wired I / F unit 502 is normally selected by the switching control unit 505, and only the wired I / F unit 502 is supplied with power and is in a standby state.

  On the other hand, when the wireless I / F unit 501 is wirelessly connected and content transmission is not performed, power is not supplied, so that a connection request via a wireless line from an external device is not received. The server device 110 receives the connection request signal from the client device 100 through the wired I / F unit 502 (s701). FIG. 9 shows an example of configuring the receiving side wired I / F unit 502. In the wired I / F unit 502, the demodulator 901 receives the modulated connection request signal, demodulates it, and outputs device information (s702). The comparison unit 903 extracts the information on the server device 110 from the unique information ROM 902 that records the device information demodulated by the demodulation unit 901 and the information unique to the server device 110, and compares them (s702). If they are not the same, the wired I / F unit 502 does not activate the wireless I / F unit 501 and continues the standby state. If they are the same, the wired I / F unit 502 outputs a request signal for switching to a wireless line to the switching control unit 505 (s703). When the switching request signal is input, the switching control unit 505 instructs each unit in the server device 110 to start power supply (s704). Further, the switching control unit 505 causes the wireless I / F unit 501 to transmit a partner detection signal compliant with the wireless LAN protocol to the wireless access point 120 in order to connect to the client device 100 that requests connection. (S705, s706). At this time, when the wireless I / F unit 501 is selected, the switching control unit 505 stops power supply to the wired I / F unit 502 in order to suppress power consumption.

  The wireless access point 120 receives the partner detection signal transmitted from the wireless I / F unit 206 of the client device 100 and the partner detection signal transmitted from the wireless I / F unit 501 of the server device 110. The connection destination is determined from the detection signal, and the wireless line between the client device 100 and the server device 110 is connected (s607, s707).

  When transmission / reception via a wireless line connection is possible, a list of contents stored in the server device 110 as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the client device 100 as a response from the requested server device 110. (S608). When the user selects content to view, a content selection signal is output from the user I / F unit 202 to the control unit 204. FIG. 4 shows that the live content in the lower right is selected. The control unit 204 determines the content selection signal, and causes the wireless I / F unit 206 to transmit a content request signal conforming to the wireless LAN protocol to the server device 110 via the switching control unit 205.

  The server device 110 receives the content request signal from the client device 100 via the wireless I / F unit 501, and the content request signal is input to the control unit 506 via the switching control unit 505. The control unit 506 determines the content request signal, detects the corresponding content from the HDD 503, converts the video / audio bitstream data of the corresponding content into a content transmission signal compliant with the wireless LAN protocol, and sends it to the wireless I / F unit 501. It is transmitted to the client device 100 (s707).

  The client device 100 receives the content transmission signal transmitted from the server device 110 by the wireless I / F unit 206, converts the content transmission signal into video / audio bitstream data, and inputs the video / audio bitstream data to the control unit 204 via the switching control unit 205 To do. The control unit 204 analyzes the encoding format of the video / audio bitstream data and outputs the format to the decoder unit 208. The decoder unit 208 selects a decoder suitable for decoding from the format format input from the control unit 204, decodes the video / audio bitstream data into video and audio signals, outputs them to the display 201 and the speaker, and starts reproduction. In this way, the user can view the selected content via the wireless line.

  After viewing the content (s609), when the client device 100 is operated to display the input switching menu screen and the input is switched to another device, the wireless connection with the server device 110 is used to reduce power consumption. The connection may be disconnected. In such a case, in the client device 100, a device input switching signal is input to the user I / F unit 202, and the control unit 204 specifies a device to be switched and is currently wirelessly connected to the switching control unit 205. A request signal for terminating the connection with the existing server device 110 is output. The switching control unit 205 converts the request signal into a connection end signal compliant with the wireless LAN protocol in order to disconnect the connection with the server device 110, and sends the connection end signal to the wireless access point 120. Then, the server device 110 is made to transmit the message (S610).

  In the server device 110, the wireless I / F unit 501 receives the connection end signal transmitted from the client device 100 and outputs it to the switching control unit 505 (s708). The switching control unit 505 causes the wireless I / F unit 501 to disconnect the wireless line connection with the client device 100 and to stop power supply to the wireless I / F unit 501, the control unit 506, and the hard disk drive 503. Then, a power supply stop signal is output to the power supply unit 504 (s709). Furthermore, the switching control unit 505 switches the connection destination to the wired I / F unit 502 and outputs a power supply start signal to the power supply unit 504 in order to activate the wired I / F unit 502. The wired I / F unit 502 is activated and enters a state of waiting for connection with an external device (s710).

(Example 2)
In the first embodiment, the case where an antenna cable is used as the physical medium and I / F for wired connection has been described as an example. However, an electrical wiring (power line) already wired in the home may be used. Power line communication (hereinafter abbreviated as “PLC”) is known as a technology that uses a power line as a communication line, and superimposes an electric signal of data transmitted and received at a much higher frequency on the power signal. To communicate with a PLC, a PLC modem is usually placed between the power outlet and the device. The PLC modem includes a microcomputer processing unit, a MAC layer processing unit, a physical layer processing unit, and a signal conversion unit that superimposes / separates a power signal and a modulation signal. In the present embodiment, the wired I / F unit 207 inside the client device 100 and the wired I / F unit 502 inside the server device 110 in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment are the power supply unit 504 (the power supply unit is omitted in the client device 100). It takes the form of an integrated or linked device and has the same function as a PLC modem. In this case, the cable wired to the device in the first embodiment is a power line cable, and the wired I / F module 102 of the client device 100 and the wired I / F module 112 of the server device 110 are each connected to a power outlet using the power line cable. Is done. Therefore, the antenna wall terminals 103 and 113 shown in FIG. 1 are replaced with power outlets. In addition, it is assumed that the wired I / F units 207 and 502 in FIGS. 2 and 5 showing the configurations in the client device 100 and the server device 110 are also connected to a power outlet by a power line cable. In the present embodiment, when the wireless connection from the client device 100 is not possible in the first embodiment, the switching control unit 205 determines the input connection enable / disable signal and reselects the wired I / F unit 207. (S605) The process up to the establishment of the wireless connection via the wired connection will be described. The wired I / F unit 207 transmits a connection request signal via the power line cable to activate the server device 110 requested to be input (s606). The wired I / F unit 207 first outputs device-specific information (for example, a MAC address) identifying the server device 110 selected by the user from the MAC layer processing unit. This information is information that is not confused with other devices, such as a MAC address. Next, the physical layer processing unit describes the output information in a data area in the Ethernet frame format, generates a transmission frame, modulates the data, and converts the data into an electrical signal. Here, as a modulation scheme, for example, a wideband spread spectrum scheme, a multicarrier scheme, or an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) scheme used in a PLC is adopted. The signal conversion unit superimposes the electric signal of the data thus generated on the power signal, and transmits it as a connection request signal to a device connected in a wired manner in the home. Since the data electrical signal uses a much higher frequency than the frequency of the power signal, it does not mix even if it flows through the same power line cable as the power signal.

  Next, processing of the server device 110 that receives a connection request from the client device 100 will be described. The server device 110 receives the connection request signal from the client device 100 through the wired I / F unit 502 (s701). The wired I / F unit 502 first separates the data electrical signal and the power signal by the signal conversion unit. The separated electrical data signal is input to the physical layer processing unit, demodulated as an Ethernet frame format signal, and device-specific information is extracted from the frame data area. Next, the unique information of the server device 110 itself is extracted by the MAC layer processing unit and compared with the unique information extracted by the physical layer processing unit (s702). If they are not the same, the server device 110 does not activate the wireless I / F unit 501 and continues the standby state. If they are the same, the server device 110 outputs a request signal for switching to a wireless line to the switching control unit 505 (s703). When the switching request signal is input, the switching control unit 505 instructs each unit in the server device 110 to start power supply (s704). Further, the switching control unit 505 causes the wireless I / F unit 501 to transmit a partner detection signal compliant with the wireless LAN protocol to the wireless access point 120 in order to connect to the client device 100 that requests connection ( s705, s706). At this time, when the wireless I / F unit 501 is selected, the switching control unit 505 stops power supply to the wired I / F unit 502 in order to suppress power consumption.

  As described above, also in this embodiment, activation of wireless connection from wired connection via the power line cable can be realized as in the first embodiment.

  As described above, the wired I / F units 207 and 502 in the present embodiment do not require processing of a higher layer than the MAC layer, and only by comparing the unique information as a determination for starting the wireless connection. Therefore, it can be configured with a simple circuit.

  In addition, as the unique information of the device to be compared, by making the unique information of the wireless I / F the same as the unique information of the wired I / F, the unique information of the device can be unified, and the wired I / F has a ROM. It is possible to eliminate the necessity of having

  As described above, in the present application, in order to activate (wake up) a device capable of wireless communication from the outside, the activation operation is performed from the outside via a wired connection, and after the activation, the external device is switched to the wireless connection, The transmission is performed and has the following advantages.

(1) With wired connection, it is not necessary to secure a broadband transmission path such as a LAN, and the wireless I / F unit can be activated even with a narrow-band transmission path.

(2) Since a new LAN cable is not installed or wired in the home, costs can be reduced.

(3) Since there is no need to energize the wireless I / F unit in a normal state and the external device is activated only during viewing, there is an effect of suppressing power consumption.

(4) Since the wired I / F is used only to activate the wireless I / F, it requires only a circuit configuration with a small number of parts and can be manufactured at low cost.

100 Client device (TV)
101 Wireless I / F module
102 Wired I / F module
103 Antenna wall terminal
110 Server equipment (HDD recorder)
111 Wireless I / F module
112 Wired I / F module
113 Antenna wall terminal
120 wireless access point
130 distributor
140 Antenna
201 display
202 User I / F section
203 GUI screen generator
204 Control unit
205 Switching control unit
206 Wireless I / F part
207 Wired I / F part
208 Decoder part
301 remote control
302 TV
303 Input selection menu screen
501 Wireless I / F part
502 Wired I / F part
503 Hard disk drive (HDD)
504 Power supply
505 Switching control unit
506 Control unit
801 Device information table
802 Device information extraction unit
803 Modulator
901 Demodulator
902 Unique information ROM
903 comparator

Claims (6)

A first interface unit that can connect to an external device and communicate wirelessly;
A second interface unit that can be connected to an external device and communicates via a cable;
A wireless activation device comprising: a switching control unit that performs activation control of the first interface unit through communication of the second interface unit. The second interface unit receives a connection request signal from the external device to the first interface unit, compares the connection request signal with the unique information of the second interface unit, and is identical. Output a switching request signal for starting the first interface unit to the switching control unit when it is determined that
The wireless activation device according to claim 1, wherein the switching control unit activates the first interface unit according to the switching request signal. The first interface unit receives a connection end signal from an external device,
The switching control unit detects the connection end signal, disconnects the connection of the first interface unit to stop power supply, and supplies power when the second interface unit is not activated. The wireless activation device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless activation device is controlled so as to be activated. The wireless activation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a cable connected to the second interface unit is an antenna cable. The wireless activation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cable connected to the second interface unit is an electrical wiring. The wireless activation device according to claim 2, wherein the unique information included in the second interface unit is the same as the unique information included in the first interface unit.