JP2000209675A - Individual information distribution system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a portable information device having conventionally only received notice information to provide a new job instruction to an information source even when an operator is at a place remote from the information source by adding an entry means to instruct a new job to the information source to the portable information device. SOLUTION: An operator uses an entry means 35 provided to the portable information device 30 to select an instruction to the information source or to directly enter the instruction. The entered instruction information is converted into a radio signal by a radio communication means 32 via an interface means 33. The converted radio signal is sent to an antenna group of an in-house communication network installed closest to its own device by a portable set antenna 31. The radio signal sent from the portable set antenna 31 is received by an in-house antenna installed closest to the portable information device 30. The received radio signal passes through a wire means and is given to a management means, which converts the radio signal into instruction information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information distribution system capable of two-way information transmission.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, most of electric appliances which are widely used in homes use physical means represented by electronic sounds or the like as means for notifying the end of work. However, in a modern society that is often overwhelmed by time, it is common to work on several tasks at the same time instead of focusing on one thing. Therefore, even if work is performed simultaneously and in parallel, it is necessary to promptly notify the operator without confusing the work end notification information.

[0003] However, if a plurality of electrical equipment products are working at the same time, noise generated by performing other work or a notice of completion of work due to being distracted by another work is given to the operator. Often it is hard to hear. For example, even if the operation of the washing machine is completed, if the operator is vacuuming in another room or shutting down in the room and watching TV while turning on the air conditioner, the completion notification sound is almost heard by the operator. Never reach. In addition, the water level detector used when storing hot water in the bath and the end notification sound of the microwave oven,
The same applies to the ringing tone of the telephone, the door phone, etc. In such a case, there are several methods for detecting information from the information source and notifying the operator even if the user is away from the place or performing another task. Or is known. As a typical example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 48-79515, a weak signal which does not require a license application for a radio station by detecting a switch provided in a transmitter or a voice signal by a microphone. Is transmitted by a receiver carried by the receiver and transmitted to a display device such as a vibration or a lamp, or as disclosed in JP-A-10-164246. There is a method of displaying management and control of devices and facilities on a homepage.

[0004]

However, the means described in the prior art have the following problems.

[0005] 1. It is possible to receive notification information from an information source, but it is not possible to give a new instruction to perform work. For example, it is possible to confirm the status of video recording reservation at a remote location, but not to set a video recording reservation. Even if you want to start recording a video right away, you have to go to the video, which is extremely inconvenient if you can't get away with it.

2. In the conventional example, if the public telephone line is used, the state of the home can be grasped even when going out.
It is not possible to know what is happening in another room while at home. Even if the information is displayed on the homepage, it is impossible to always work only at the place where the homepage is displayed, and it is extremely difficult to grasp the status of each information source. If you connect to a public telephone line using a mobile phone at home, you can grasp it, but it is not practical because it costs communication costs.

[0007] (3) Since the notification information issued from the information source is notified to all the portable devices, even the notification information unnecessary for the user is received. For this reason, unnecessary information is distracted and the work efficiency is reduced.

[0010] 4. Since it is not possible to record information, work, and the like, it is inconvenient that a work to be performed at the same time every day must be set each time. For example, storing hot water in a bath is performed almost every day in any home, and is performed at about the same time. If the operator makes the setting himself at the same time every day, there are many cases in which the bath may become empty at night due to unexpected visitors or inadvertently.

[0009]

Therefore, according to the present invention, first, an input means and a wireless communication means are added to the portable information device.

[0010] This makes it possible to give a new work instruction to the information source even if the operator is away from the information source, from the portable information device which has only received the notification information until now. Become. Further, as with other information sources, it is possible to transmit and receive information to and from the control means using an antenna by using a radio signal, so that it is not necessary to use a public telephone line to grasp the state of the home, and communication is not required. Saves money.

Next, a notification information management function is added to the control means.

Specifically, the notification information management function includes a transmission destination selection function, an automatic setting function for repetitive operations, and prioritization of notification information. These are functions with the following contents.

The destination selection function is to register the required notification information in the control means in advance, so that no matter what notification information is issued, only the notification information registered by itself is selected and sent. Therefore, the user can concentrate on other tasks without being distracted. The automatic setting function of the repetitive work is to store the contents of the work to be performed at the same time every day, so that the control device changes the operator and automatically performs the work according to the stored contents.

This eliminates a mistake such as an unexpected schedule or accidental forgetting. The prioritization of the notification information takes into account the possibility of the work being completed at the same time, and the control means assigns a priority according to the urgency of the notification information, and sends the notification information according to the order. Thus, the operator can accurately confirm the end of the information source by following the order specified by the portable information device.

By adding these functions, it is possible to reliably inform the operator of the end of work regardless of where and what the operator is doing, thereby improving work efficiency by reducing work time. Furthermore, not only information on work completion notification, but also information such as telephone calls, interphones, delivery of luggage, security information such as forgetting to close or erase when going out, etc.
It can be applied to various information generated in the home.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a home communication network for performing an individual information distribution system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 10 denotes management means for managing information in the information distribution system, 11 denotes control means for controlling transmission / reception of information to / from each information source and each portable information device, and 12 denotes a radio signal to / from each information source and each portable information device. Wireless communication means for transmitting and receiving data by using; 13 is a home antenna for transmitting and receiving to and from each information source and each portable information device; 14 is wiring means for connecting the management means 10 and the home antenna 13; 15 is each information source; It comprises a storage means for storing information sent from each portable information device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information source for performing an individual information distribution system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 20 denotes an information source antenna for transmitting / receiving data to / from the home communication network side;
2 is a detecting means for detecting information emitted from the information source, 2
Reference numeral 3 denotes an information source for issuing various notification information, and reference numeral 24 denotes an operation means for giving an instruction to the information source 24 by remote control.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration diagram of a portable information device for performing an individual information distribution system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 30 is a portable information device, 31 is a portable device antenna for transmitting and receiving with the home communication network side, 32
Is a wireless communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from the home communication network side by using a wireless signal, 33 is an interface means for determining whether the information is notification information sent to its own device, and 34 is a physical means for the operator. The notifying means for notifying the notifying information by the notification means 35 comprises input means for inputting an instruction given to the information source.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of an information distribution system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a destination selecting function of a notification information managing function according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Shows a list of setting conditions to be registered in advance. The operator uses the input means 35 of the portable information device 30 in advance,
Or, when a device having a function equivalent to a personal computer is used as the management means 10, the input means is used to
These conditions are input to the control means 11.

FIG. 6 shows the automatic setting function of the repetitive work of the notification information management function according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
A list of setting conditions registered in advance in the management unit 10 is shown. The setting of these conditions is also input to the control means 11 using the same method as the setting method of the destination selection function.

FIG. 7 shows a notification information management function according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
A list of setting conditions registered in advance in the management unit 10 is shown. The setting of these conditions is also input to the control means 11 using the same method as the setting method of the destination selection function.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described.

First, a method of notifying an operator of information issued from an information source will be described.

Notification information is issued from an information source 23 located in the home. This notification information is detected by the detection unit 22 and sent to the wireless communication unit 21. The wireless communication unit 21 converts the detected notification information into a wireless signal, and transmits the wireless signal from the information source antenna 20 to the antenna group of the home communication network.

The radio signal transmitted from the information source antenna 20 is received by the home antenna 13 installed closest to the information source 23. The received wireless signal passes through the wiring means 14 and is input to the management means 10. Management means 1
At 0, the wireless signal is first input to the wireless communication means 12 to obtain the notification information transmitted by inversely converting the wireless signal. The content of the notification information is taken into the control means 11 and is temporarily stored in the storage means 15.

The control means 11 compares the information source code registered in advance with the information source code of the received notification information to identify which information source the notification information originated from. After specifying the information source, the control means 11 selects the content to be displayed on the portable information device and the notification means using physical phenomena such as sound, light, vibration, etc., in order to notify the operator of the received notification information. After being converted into a wireless signal by the wireless communication unit 12, the wireless signal is transmitted from the home antenna 13 to the portable information device 30.

In the portable information device 30, the wireless signal transmitted from the home antenna 13 closest to the own device is received by the portable device antenna 31. The received wireless signal is again inverse-converted by the wireless communication means 32, and the interface means 33 obtains display contents created by the control means 11 and information on the physical notification means. The information obtained here is transmitted to the notifying means 34.
The notification means 34 notifies the operator of notification information from the information source.

Next, a method in which the operator gives an instruction to the information source will be described.

The operator selects or directly inputs an instruction to the information source using the input means 35 provided in the portable information device 30. The input instruction information is converted into a wireless signal by the wireless communication means 32 via the interface means 33. The converted wireless signal is transmitted to the portable device antenna 31.
Thus, the signal is transmitted to the antenna group of the home communication network installed closest to the own device.

The radio signal transmitted from portable device antenna 31 is received by home antenna 13 installed closest to portable information device 30. The received wireless signal passes through the wiring means 14 and is input to the management means 10. The radio signal is first transmitted to the radio communication unit 12 by the management unit 10.
And inversely transform the wireless signal to obtain the transmitted instruction information. The content of the instruction information is taken into the control means 11,
The information is temporarily stored in the storage unit 15. The control means 11 compares the information source code for sending the instruction from the received information with the code of the information source registered in advance, and the information source 2 for sending the instruction.
3 is specified. When the information source is specified, the instruction information is again converted into a wireless signal by the wireless communication unit 12, and the wireless signal is transmitted from the home antenna 13 to the information source 23.

The information source antenna 20 receives a radio signal transmitted from the home antenna 13 installed closest to the information source 23, and is inversely converted by the radio communication means 21,
Obtain instruction information. In response to the instruction information, the operation means 24 sends an instruction to the information source 23, and the information source 23 executes a new instruction intended by the operator.

Next, the notification information management function will be described.

First, the notification information issued from the information source is
A transmission destination selection function for notifying only a required portable information device among a plurality of registered portable information devices will be described. The contents to be registered here are the information source code, the notification method, and the portable information device information of the notification destination shown in the notification destination specification list in FIG.

The notification information emitted from the information source 23 is detected by the detection means 22 and sent to the wireless communication means 21. The wireless communication unit 21 converts the detected notification information into a wireless signal, and transmits the wireless signal from the information source antenna 20 to an antenna group on the home communication network side.

The radio signal transmitted from the information source antenna 20 is received by the home antenna 13 installed closest to the information source 23. The received wireless signal passes through the wiring means 14 and is input to the management means 10. Management means 1
At 0, the wireless signal is first input to the wireless communication means 12 to obtain the notification information transmitted by inversely converting the wireless signal. The content of the notification information is taken into the control means 11 and is temporarily stored in the storage means 15. The control means 11 compares the information source code registered in advance with the information source code of the received notification information, and identifies from which information source the notification information is issued.

When the information source is specified, the code of the portable information device to be notified is confirmed from the notification destination designation list shown in FIG. 5, and the notification information is transmitted. The notification method can be set in the notification destination designation list, and there is a method of notifying all members at once, individually, or sequentially at a certain time interval. Then, in order to notify the operator of the notification information, the content to be displayed on the portable information device, and a sound,
A notification unit using physical phenomena such as light and vibration is selected, converted into a wireless signal again by the wireless communication unit 12, and then a wireless signal is transmitted from the home antenna 13 to the portable information device 30.

In the portable information device 30, the wireless signal transmitted from the home antenna 13 closest to the own device is received by the portable device antenna 31. The received wireless signal is again inversely converted by the wireless communication unit 32, and the interface unit 33 obtains the display content created by the control unit 11, the information on the physical notification unit, and the notification destination designation information code. It is determined whether the obtained code is the information transmitted to the own information source by the interface means 33, and when the code is recognized as the information transmitted to the own information source, the display content and the information on the physical notification means are notified. The notification means 34 notifies the operator of the notification information from the information source 23. If it is not the information transmitted to the own information source, the notification information is discarded.

Next, a description will be given of an automatic setting function of a repetitive operation for causing the control means 11 to automatically give an instruction registered in advance to the information source. The contents to be registered here are
It is an information source code, an execution date and time, a work content, and execution permission information of the registered content shown in the repetition condition setting list of FIG.

The control means 11 recognizes the repetition setting work information for which the execution permission information is permitted, compares the information of the date item and the time item, and, when the set date and time comes, sequentially according to the registered work contents. Send setting information to the information source.

A more detailed description will be given by taking registration No. 1 in the repetitive work setting list shown in FIG. 6 as an example.

Suppose today's date is 00:00:00 on August 27.
Set to 0. First, it is determined whether registration No. 1 is permitted to be executed. After confirming that the permission is granted, it is determined whether the date item and the time item match. Since the date item matches, but the time item does not match, it stops and waits until the time item matches. When the time reaches 06:30, the time items match, so the instruction information of the power supply On is sent to the wireless communication unit 12 to the air conditioner 23e in the first-floor living room serving as the information source according to the work content. The signal is converted into a wireless signal by the wireless communication unit 12 and transmitted from the home antenna 13 to the information source 23.

On the information source side, the information source antenna 20 receives the radio signal transmitted from the nearest home antenna 13f and inversely transforms it by the radio communication means 21 to obtain instruction information. Upon receiving the instruction information, the operation unit 2
Reference numeral 4 causes the air conditioner 23e in the living room on the first floor, which is an information source, to execute an instruction to turn on the power.

Upon receiving the instruction information, the air conditioner 23e in the living room on the first floor turns on the power according to the instruction. When the detecting unit 22 detects that the air conditioner 23e in the living room on the first floor is turned on, the information that the power is turned on is converted into a wireless signal by the wireless communication unit 21 in order to inform the management unit 10 that the air conditioner 23e has been executed as instructed. The information is transmitted from the information source antenna 20 to the home communication network. The management means 10
Is received, 2 of the work contents of the repetitive work setting list
The instruction information to execute the cooling in the second item is sent to the wireless communication means 12. The same processing is repeated until all the setting contents of the work contents in the repetitive work setting list are executed.

Next, a description will be given of the prioritization of the notification information in which the notification information sent from a plurality of information sources is prioritized and notified to the operator. The contents registered here are the priority and the information source code information shown in the notification information priority list in FIG.

A plurality of information sources 23 located in the home
Respectively, notification information is issued. This notification information is detected by the respective detecting means 22 and sent to the wireless communication means 21. The wireless communication unit 21 converts the detected notification information into a wireless signal, and transmits the wireless signal from the information source antenna 20 to the antenna group of the home communication network.

The radio signals transmitted from the plurality of information source antennas 20 are received by the home antenna 13 installed closest to the information source 23, respectively. The received wireless signal passes through the wiring means 14 and is input to the management means 10. The wireless signal is first input to the wireless communication unit 12 in the management unit 10, and the wireless signal is inversely converted to obtain notification information sent. The content of the notification information is taken into the control means 11 and is temporarily stored in the storage means 15. The control means 11 compares the information source code registered in advance with the information source code of the received notification information, and identifies from which information source the notification information is issued.

Further, the information source codes of a plurality of pieces of notification information input at the same time are compared with each other, and the order of sending to the operator is determined according to the notification information priority order list shown in FIG. Then, in order to notify the notification information to the operator, the content displayed on the portable information device and the notification means using physical phenomena such as sound, light, vibration, etc. were selected, and converted to a wireless signal again by the wireless communication means 12. Thereafter, a wireless signal is transmitted from the home antenna 13 to the portable information device 30 in accordance with the notification information priority.

In the portable information device 30, the radio signal transmitted from the home antenna 13 closest to the own device is received by the portable device antenna 31. The received wireless signal is again inverse-converted by the wireless communication means 32, and the interface means 33 obtains display contents created by the control means 11 and information on the physical notification means. The information obtained here is transmitted to the notifying means 34.
The notification means 34 notifies the operator of notification information from the information source. When the operator confirms the first notification information, the control means 11 transmits the next notification information to the operator by using a similar method.

Here, if newer notification information is received while the first notification information is being sent, the information source code of the notification information waiting to be transmitted is compared with the newly received information source code, and again shown in FIG. The transmission order is updated according to the notification information priority table.

[0052]

As described above, by using the present invention, notification information issued from various information sources in the home can be notified in real time from the terminal device regardless of where the operator is in the home. An information distribution system capable of transmitting an instruction to an information source even when the terminal device does not perform the next operation from the terminal device. Also,
By adding new notification information management functions, such as a function to select the notification information to be received, an automatic setting function for daily work, and a priority setting function according to the urgency of the notification information, this information distribution system Is further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a home communication network of an information distribution system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an information source side of the information distribution system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a portable information device of the information distribution system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual perspective view of the information distribution system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a notification destination specification list in a transmission destination selection function according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a list of repetition condition settings in an automatic setting function for repetitive work according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a list of notification information priorities in a prioritization function according to a fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Management means, 11 ... Control means, 12 ... Wireless communication means on the control device side, 13a-13d ... Home antenna, 14
... wiring means, 15 ... storage means, 20 ... information source antenna,
21: wireless communication means on the information source side, 22: detection means, 23
a to 23g: information source, 24: operation means, 30a to 30c
... portable information device, 31 ... portable device antenna, 32 ... portable device side wireless communication means, 33 ... interface means, 3
4 ... notification means, 35 ... input means.

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yukinori Asada 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture F-term in the multimedia system development headquarters, Hitachi, Ltd. 5K024 AA78 BB04 BB09 CC11 DD01 EE00 FF00 GG01 GG03 HH01 HH02 5K048 AA04 BA01 CA08 DA03 DA05 DB01 DC01 EA16 EB01 EB02 EB06 EB07 EB12 FB05 FB15 FC01 HA01 HA02 HA05 HA07 5K067 AA34 BB08 BB21 BB45 EE02 5K101 KK11 LL05 LL14 MM04 MM06 MM07 NN16 NN16 NN11 NN11 NN11 NN16 DD13

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An information source existing in a home, means for detecting notification information issued from the information source, operation means for giving an instruction to the information source, and the detected notification information converted into a radio signal. Wireless communication means for converting and transmitting and receiving, an antenna for transmitting and receiving the wireless signal by the information source, an antenna installed so as to be able to receive the whole area of the home including each room and garden, and The portable information device includes control means for controlling notification information transmitted and received by the antenna, wiring means for connecting the control means and the antenna, and notification means for causing an operator to recognize the notification information. A personal information distribution system, further comprising an input unit for instructing the information source to perform a new operation in the home information communication network. 2. An individual information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said notification information required by said control means is registered in advance in said control means, and only the registered notification information is selected and transmitted. An information distribution system for individuals, further comprising the control means to which a notification information management function is added. 3. The personal information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the content of the work to be repeatedly performed is stored in said control means, and said information source is automatically sent to said information source in accordance with the stored content. An individual information distribution system, further comprising the control unit having a notification information management function for performing a task. 4. The individual information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pieces of notification information are input to said control means by registering priorities in said control means in advance based on the urgency of said notification information. The personal information distribution system further comprising the control unit having a notification information management function for transmitting the notification information to the portable information device without delay.