JP2001101130A - Internet server device provided with peripheral information collection function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an Internet server device provided with a peripheral information collection function and setting up a home page capable of collecting information concerned with peripheral environments and allowing the information to be accessed from the external. SOLUTION: This Internet server device 1 provided with the peripheral information collection function has a MODEM 8 to be connected to an Internet 2, an Ethernet (registered trademark) interface 9 to be connected to a personal computer(PC) 3 and a sensor device 4, which is provided with various sensors for detecting information concerned with peripheral environments. A server is set up by an instruction from the PC 3 connected through the interface 9, and when the server device 1 is accessed from the PC 3, data are transmitted so as to display a home page inserting information detected from the sensor device 4 at a prescribed point of time and stored.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a server device, and more particularly to an Internet server device with a peripheral information collection function that collects information about a peripheral environment and establishes a homepage that can access the information from outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As the construction of computer networks has become active, the demand for server devices has increased rapidly. This is to construct an intranet or groupware by using a LAN that has been introduced conventionally, and to operate a large number of personal computers more efficiently, thereby reducing system management costs. And you can utilize a wide range of functions, such as exchanging e-mails and sharing information. When the Internet is used, digitally converted data based on pictures, sounds, and characters can be exchanged as information.

[0003] Also, by using a server device,
You can build a network connected to the Internet,
Disclosure of information and exchange of information between networks can be easily realized. Furthermore, a great deal of information can be accumulated and unified. On the other hand, the price of the semiconductor element has also been reduced, the memory capacity has been increased, and the operation speed has been further increased.
General personal computers themselves are also cheaper. In such an environment, when a small network is constructed, it has become easy to make one computer function as a server device.

[0004]

However, when constructing a network, various operations and registrations are required to set up and activate functions of a server device, and these operations are troublesome. This is especially true if the server device has limited functions. Even if you are not familiar with computers, it is very convenient to be able to automatically launch the home page when you turn on the power. If this homepage is established, information can be obtained at any time by accessing the homepage.

On the other hand, there is a case where the user wants to know the state of his / her office from a remote place. In the office management, such as what is the environment of the office, whether there is a fire, or whether a suspicious person has entered
Or, it is convenient to be able to grasp necessary information for monitoring.
Introducing systems specially designed for these can be costly. Therefore, it is advantageous to be able to easily collect information about the peripheral environment in the server device by using the multifunctionality of the server device necessary for constructing the network.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to omit the connection of a display and a keyboard, provide only a function necessary for communication and a function of collecting information from sensors, and to reduce the size as a server-dedicated machine.

[0007]

The Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function includes a modem for connecting to the Internet, an Ethernet interface for connecting to a personal computer, and a sensor device for detecting a peripheral condition. The server is set according to an instruction from a modem or a personal computer connected via the Ethernet interface, and when the personal computer is accessed, the information detected and stored at a predetermined time by the sensor device is posted. The data is transmitted so that the homepage can be displayed.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a connection relationship between a server device according to the present embodiment and the Internet. 1 is a server device, 2 is the Internet, 3 is a personal computer (PC) connected externally,
Reference numeral 4 denotes a sensor device that detects information related to the environment around the server device 1.

The sensor device 4 includes an infrared sensor and a CCD camera in addition to sensors for detecting temperature, vibration, sound, and the like, and is appropriately selected and prepared from these as needed. These sensor devices 4 may be built in the main body of the server device 1 or may be installed at a location remote from the server device 1. Note that the sensor may be appropriately provided with another type of sensor other than those described above.

The sensing operation of these sensor devices 4 is controlled by the computer of the server device 1 and operates periodically or in real time according to the type of sensor. Then, the detected signals from the sensors are accumulated in the server device 1. It is assumed that a homepage has been set up in the server device 1 in advance, and a domain name has been assigned. The home page is set up as soon as the server device 1 is turned on. The server device 1 is connected to the Internet 2 via a modem of the server device 1.

Therefore, in order to access the information on the sensor device 4 stored in the server device 1, the external connection personal computer 3 connects via the Internet 2 by specifying a domain name and opens a homepage. By designating necessary items according to the items displayed on the homepage, each data obtained by the sensor device 4 can be accessed. For example, it is possible to know the temperature stored in the server device in the office where the server device 1 is installed. Further, regarding the scene in the office at the time of access, C
Acquire images with a CD camera and connect to an externally connected PC 3
Can also be displayed on the display.

Although a display and a keyboard are usually connected to the server device, the connection 3 between the display and the keyboard is omitted in the server device 1 according to the present embodiment. For this reason, since the setting operation of the detection condition of the sensor device 4 or the like cannot be performed in the server device 1 itself, the setting operation is performed by the externally connected personal computer 3. Next, a block configuration of the server device 1 is shown in FIG. 2 that are the same as those shown in FIG.

The server device 1 includes a CPU 5, a memory 6, an R
OM7, Modem 8 for connecting to Internet 2,
It comprises an Ethernet interface 9 for connecting the externally connected personal computer 3, a hard disk 10, a smart media writer 11, and a sensor interface 12, which are connected via a bus 13.
The memory 6 has 256 Mb and the hard disk 10 has 6 Mb.
It is sufficient to prepare Gb.

A sensor device 4 is connected to the sensor interface 12. The device 4 includes a temperature sensor 4a, a vibration sensor 4b, a sound sensor 4c, a CCD camera 4d, and an infrared sensor 4e. It is also possible to select necessary types of these sensors and to arrange the required number of them. In particular, the CCD camera 4d and the infrared sensor 4e may be arranged in stereo.

The ROM 7 stores a Linux (Linux) OS for operating the server device 1, an HTML driver, a sensor information driver, and the like. Here, a domain name for the homepage of the server device 1 is registered, and automatic startup at power-on is set in advance. Then, the detection condition of each sensor is also set.

When a password is input on the homepage, each set sensor can be selected.
Then, when access is permitted by a password, information from each sensor can be displayed or sounded on the next Web page. The smart media writer 11 is for transferring information stored in an IC card or the like to the server device 1 or writing information stored in the hard disk 10 to the IC card or the like.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a case where the server device 1 connected to the sensor device 4 is connected to the Internet 2 by itself. However, due to the configuration of the network, a plurality of server devices may be installed at a plurality of locations. FIG. 3 shows such a case. In FIG. 3, a plurality of server devices 1a, 1b,... Are grouped and connected to the Internet 2 via the central server device S. Server device 1a, 1
b have the same configuration as the server device 1 shown in FIG. Therefore, a domain name may be registered in each of the server devices 1a, 1b,..., And addresses may be exchanged in the central server device S. Alternatively, a domain name may be registered in the central server device S, and .. May be stored in the device S in each of the server devices 1a, 1b,.

Then, similarly to FIG. 1, the externally connected personal computer 3a of the information acquirer can access only the server device 1a by inputting a password.
Is set so that only the server device 1b can be accessed. By doing so, you can keep it secret if you don't want others to know it. Further, it is intended to prevent the setting of the detection conditions of the sensor and the like from being rewritten by others without permission.

Next, the operation of the server 1a in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to the flow shown in FIG. As described for the server device 1, when the server device 1a is powered on (step S1), the CPU 5 starts operating, and
Start the Linux OS from OM7 (Step S
2).

When the Linux OS is started, the HTML file is read into the memory 6 according to the settings (step S3). Here, when the reading of the HTML file into the memory 6 is completed, the server device 1a connects to the central server device S via the modem 8 of the server device 1a (step S4). Central server device S
Becomes exchangeable upon knowing that the server device 1a has been started, and starts a homepage service for the Internet (step S5).

After starting the homepage service,
An information acquirer having access right to the server device 1a
The external personal computer 3a is connected to the central server S via the Internet 2 (step S6). The central server device S determines the identifier of the server device 1a accessed by the information acquirer, and stores the HTML in the memory 6 in the server device 1a.
Instructs file transmission. Upon receiving the instruction, the server 1a transmits the HTML file to the externally connected personal computer 3a via the central server S (step S7).

When the HTML file is transmitted to the external connection personal computer 3a, the personal computer 3a can open the homepage of the server device 3a. Therefore, the information acquirer
In accordance with the items displayed on the homepage, the user selects information to be known and inputs a password (step S8). On the other hand, in the server device 1a, when the Linux OS is started, the sensor information driver is also started (Step S9). Then, according to a condition preset in the sensor information driver, for example, the temperature sensor 4a installed in the server device 1a periodically detects the ambient temperature of the server device 1a, and stores the temperature information in the hard disk 11. It goes (step S10).

Here, in step S8, if the temperature information is selected from the display items of the homepage, if the password is correct, the server 1a reads the temperature information accumulated in the hard disk 11, and (Step S11). When the temperature information is transmitted to the externally connected personal computer 3a, the temperature information is displayed on the screen of the personal computer 3a. The information acquirer can know the temperature around the server device 1a by knowing the temperature displayed on the screen (step S1).
1).

In the above description, the accumulated temperature information has been described as an example. However, the temperature at the time of connection to the externally connected personal computer 3a may be detected and the temperature information may be transmitted. In addition, when the temperature is detected by the vibration sensor 4b and the sound sensor 4c, the processing procedure is the same as that in the case of detecting the temperature. In this case, a speaker provided in the externally connected personal computer 3a may be driven. According to these sensors, it is possible to grasp the situation around the server device, for example, to know whether animals are kept or whether there is a sign of a person as a simple means. Can be.

When the detection is performed by the CCD camera 4d, the processing procedure of the information transmission is the same as that of the case of the temperature information, except that the image taken from the installation place of the CCD camera 4d, for example, the image in the office is transmitted. That is, the stored past still images can be displayed. Alternatively, the status of the office at the time when the externally connected personal computer 3a is connected may be displayed. Therefore, even if it is remote, it is possible to perform security monitoring using a personal computer, or it is possible to perform in-house management from another place.

Further, it is possible to arrange the CCD camera 4d in a stereo arrangement so as to grasp in three dimensions. In this case, the situation around the server device can be visually represented accurately, but since the still image information is used, the transmission capacity does not increase.
The modem 8 only needs to have a low speed. In the case of using the infrared sensor 4e, the processing procedure of the information transmission is the same as the case of the temperature information. Knowing the normal state, such as using or using a person, gives an approximate idea.
If the infrared sensor 4e is arranged in stereo, the position of the heat source can be known, so that the situation around the server device can be more easily grasped.
It is useful for crime prevention.

In the above-described embodiment, the information detected by the sensor is distributed via the homepage, and the information acquirer having the password accesses the homepage. Can also be set up along with the homepage that distributes. As described above, according to the present embodiment, an externally connected personal computer is connected to the server device to set the detection conditions and the like of each sensor, and the communication device and the sensor function are provided. It is not necessary to provide a display and a keyboard in the device itself, and it is possible to reduce the size of the hardware of the device and to omit the connection of the display and the keyboard in the software.

Further, since it is a fully automatic Web server that can start a homepage service only by turning on the power, even those who do not know the details of opening the homepage can easily install the server, thereby promoting the spread of the server device. . Various sensors can be connected to the server device, and the information detected by each sensor can be easily transmitted.By using a mobile terminal instead of an externally connected personal computer, even from a remote place where you are away from home, You can check the status of the office. And security management can be easily performed.

Furthermore, not only via the Internet, but also LAN connection via Ethernet is possible, and peripheral information can be displayed on the screen of the personal computer, so that management and monitoring can be performed easily.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a connection relationship between a server device according to the present invention and the Internet.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a server device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a case where a plurality of server devices according to the present invention are connected to the Internet.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation flow of the server device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a, 1b: Server device 2: Internet 3, 3a, 3b: Externally connected personal computer 4: Sensor device 4a: Temperature sensor 4b: Vibration sensor 4c: Sound sensor 4d: CCD camera 4e: Infrared sensor 5: CPU 6, memory 7 ROM 8 Modem 9 Ethernet interface 10 Hard disk 11 SmartMedia writer 12 Sensor interface

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function, comprising: a modem for connecting to the Internet; an Ethernet interface for connecting to a personal computer; and a sensor device for detecting a peripheral condition. Alternatively, the server is set according to an instruction from a personal computer connected via the Ethernet interface, and when the server device is accessed by the personal computer, information detected and stored at a predetermined time from the sensor device is stored. An Internet server device with a peripheral information collection function that transmits data so that the posted homepage can be displayed. 2. The Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function according to claim 1, wherein a homepage / domain name of the server device is registered in advance when the server device is installed. 3. The Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device includes a temperature sensor. 4. The Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device includes a vibration sensor. 5. The Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device includes a sound sensor. 6. The Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device includes a CCD camera sensor. 7. The Internet according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device includes an infrared sensor.
Server device. 8. The Internet with a peripheral information collecting function according to claim 1, further comprising a smart media writer.
Server device. 9. The Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function according to claim 1, wherein the personal computer is a mobile terminal. 10. The Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function according to claim 1, wherein the Internet server device is an automatic start server that starts a homepage service when the power is turned on. 11. Only when a password is entered,
2. The Internet server device with a peripheral information collecting function according to claim 1, which can access said server device.