JP2000308154A - Domestic information communication network system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the profitability of a user and to easily deal with a non- domestic network as well by optimizing the transmission line of information signals between every equipment/facility in home and a personal computer. SOLUTION: A repeating converter is provided between a personal computer 2 in home and various kinds of equipment/facilities 3. Then, an information signal 8 is respectively transmitted by a cable between the personal computer 2 and the repeating converter 1 and by a radio wave between various kinds of equipment/facilities 3 and the repeating converter 1. Besides, a peculiar equipment code 7 for discriminating or sorting various kinds of equipment/facilities 3, and a home code 9 for discriminating or sorting every home are added to the information signal 8, and bidirectional communication is performed between various kinds of equipment/facilities 3 and the non-domestic network.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a home information communication network system, and more particularly to a home information communication network system connected to a network outside the home via a telephone line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, the trend and current state of multimedia which is the background of the present invention will be described. As the structural transformation toward a highly information-oriented society is rapidly developing near the 21st century, the direction of technological transformation can be summarized into the three points shown in Figure 7 as the direction of information and communication networks. . The first is "digitalization", which is the core technology. Behind the advancement of information is the revolutionary advance in digital signal processing technology. Information transmission in digital signals
The information processing function of a computer is changed from a configuration of a discrete semiconductor element such as a diode or a transistor to an integrated circuit (IC), and further increased in density to a large scale integrated circuit (LSI) or a very large scale integrated circuit (VLSI).
The information processing technology has rapidly evolved while further promoting the miniaturization and higher speed of the device.

[0003] The second is "two-way" for improving communicability in information communication. Information communication means in ordinary households include one-way communication such as radio and television that selectively receives from many broadcasts from ground stations and satellites, as well as telephone using telephone lines (including mobile phones) and There are two-way communication such as personal computer communication and mobile communication using radio waves. Further, by connecting a personal computer to the Internet, it is possible to easily obtain real-time information on a worldwide scale.

[0004] Third, there is "widening" which promotes an increase in information processing speed. In all fields, users of personal computers, such as municipalities, corporations, and local residents, now use a wide variety of applications. As described above, “wide-area” includes both nuances in the field and nuances in the region.

[0005] As a configuration example 1 of a home information communication network according to the prior art, there is a home network system which the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications intends to research and develop via a communication and broadcasting mechanism. As shown in FIG. 8, each home is equipped with a central control device 4 as shown in FIG. 8, and as a minimum unit constituting an information communication network system with local governments and organizations outside the home. This is a new communication method that aims to build a networked two-way advanced information communication system, such as home medical care in Japan and home education linked to schools. The digitization of video, text, and audio information has been supported by technologies for compressing and densifying information signals and increasing the speed of information signals, and aims to enhance the home information communication network and widen the area. In FIG. 8, various devices / equipment 3 in the home are connected to the central control unit 4 by an information signal transmission path enabling two-way communication by wire. It is intended to connect using a transmission path such as an antenna or CATV.

The function of the central control unit 4 is to mainly perform a data conversion function. The central control unit 4 includes a gateway unit 5 as shown in FIG. 9 to perform a function of discriminating and sorting information signals connecting various devices and equipment 3 in the home. This is a concept in which the home server 6 manages input / output data.

[0007] A configuration example 2 of a home information communication network as shown in FIG. 10 has also been proposed. In this home information communication network, an information signal of a power device 10 such as an air conditioner is superimposed on a commercial power supply using a power line, and the information signal of a control panel / wattmeter 11 and an out-of-home information communication network are connected via a power line. , And bidirectional information communication inside and outside the home is possible. In addition, gas appliances 1 such as water heaters
3 and the information signal of the gas meter 16 can also be transmitted wirelessly to the transmission device 14 installed in the home, and further transmitted to the gas company 15 via the telephone line, enabling two-way information communication inside and outside the home. It has become.

Further, a configuration example 3 with strong regional nuance as shown in FIG. 11 has been proposed. This case is an example in which a local social network such as a local government is configured as a small-scale wireless system. In this example, the Shikoku Telecommunications Bureau is configured as an out-of-home telecommunications network to conduct research and research as a regional promotion project. It is. At the center of the local community, there is a government office 17 connected to the Internet, and a low-power data communication system used for a wireless LAN is used to build a network with each home 20 via a relay station 18. This is a network system for connecting to another home 20 or transmitting information to a remote place by a digital dedicated line, and wirelessly transmitting the information from the remote station 19 to the home 20 in the area.

[0009] Among information communication networks in the midst of the above-mentioned social trends, examples of the system configuration of a home information network currently proposed and studied are shown in FIGS.
As described in Section 1, when looking at home electrical appliances, system products such as telephone, facsimile, television, video, and audio exchange information signals within a closed system. A system capable of constructing an information communication network with a local computer has not yet escaped from a local and small area, and a personal computer has formed an information communication network outside the home using a telephone line as an information signal transmission path. It is not found in electric appliances.

In electrical appliances which are said to be white,
Against the background of the culture of “food and housing”, the reality is that the benefits of information and communication outside the home cannot be created because the way of life differs from home to home. In addition, in the field of electrical appliances, there are no common formats and formats in the world such as video equipment, audio equipment, and information equipment.
Equipment is also commercialized according to the manufacturer's concept. These electric appliances have different needs for each user depending on the user, and there is no merit to be able to control and communicate information between the appliances. Also, even if you look at the products on the market, there is no product with information communication function or equipment with the function of systematically exchanging individual device information except for trial use. .

Although there is a method of using a personal computer as a control device for information communication in the home and functioning as a center of information communication including outside the home, as shown in FIGS. There is no specific proposal with high possibility, and the actual situation is that the actual operation is at a standstill. The proposals for the configuration of home information networks including electric appliances that are currently proposed do not fall outside the scope of traditional home automation and home security. In terms of strategic feasibility.

[0012]

The reason why it is difficult to introduce an electric appliance as a system component of a home information network is that a specific proposal based on user benefits has not been made. However, the amount of information that can be communicated between devices has been proposed. As mentioned earlier, as described earlier, there is no common method or format for electrical appliances, and manufacturers offer different proposals. Because they are different. Measures to overcome this challenge include:
The first is that the benefits of users when a home information network can be established can be clearly presented, the second is that the configuration method can be shared among manufacturers, and the third is that it can be used outside the home. User benefits by enabling two-way information communication can be clearly presented. The following describes the above problem.

[0013] First, user benefit, which is the first major issue, is the key to the present invention. Discard simple interpretations such as "New value will be created by networking" and find value only in the culture of "clothing, food and housing" that humanity has built since its birth, and in life proposals rooted in the actual situation and changes in life. Must be something. As a specific example, a description will be given of a cooling / heating / air-conditioning device at home. In a home, there are a plurality of cooling / heating / air-conditioning devices of different manufacturers and types. In order to maintain a comfortable living environment, modern air-conditioning and air-conditioning equipment incorporates environmental factors, including room temperature, humidity and airflow, as well as control of various bacteria and removal of odors, to create a comfortable living environment. Controls the operation of the device. Some products incorporate, as a control element, the radiation temperature from the wall, which greatly affects the body temperature and the perceived temperature of the person in the room.

[0014] However, the room is not one place, and the people move, the number of people varies, the people go in and out, and the equipment is used in combination. When they return home alone, they have to put up with the equipment after they enter the room. On the other hand, ordinary people interpret this as a matter of course in conventional habits and do not feel dissatisfied even if they are individually forced to set or adjust the equipment. Normally, you should be able to complain,
Although they have not experienced the automatic control more comfortably and more economically by connecting information of individual devices, they are in a situation where complaints do not appear on the surface.

[0015] The same applies to lighting equipment, which is also explained concretely. In the situation where women are becoming more occupied and late marriage is progressing as a social trend, in the Tokyo metropolitan area, living alone in condominiums Women are increasing. When you turn on the lights when you return home, you know where you live, but you know from the outside, and there are cases where they are attached to a stalker, so after entering the room you spend a while without turning on the lights. When living alone, there is a concern about empty nests when leaving home for a long time,
Sometimes there is a need to turn it on at night. In such a case, it is desired to turn on / off the specified lighting only by some means from a place where he / she is away from home.

[0016] The above two cases are just examples, and when observing the actual use of electric appliances in connection with the field of living, such cases appear as many as possible. The bottom line is that the lack of an appeal that leads to customer benefits for building the software used is a major factor in the lack of a home information network. Therefore, regarding the first problem, the enhancement of the software used is the key, and the study of the countermeasures by hardware is positioned as an additional study subject.

Next, the second configuration method cannot be shared among manufacturers, but this is not a problem on the side of using home electric appliances, but a major problem on the manufacturer side. It is. The solution is described in the next section.However, the problem is how to categorize a number of devices in different households of different manufacturers and types in a common language.There have been many proposals for home information networks, but there are still many proposals. This is a major factor in the fact that there is no way to find a solution.

It is pointed out that the problem is to be solved by using the system configuration example 1 of the home information communication network shown in FIG. 8 cited as a conventional technique. The point is that a path is formed between the central control device 4 and the road. According to this method, the input / output ports of the various devices / equipment 3 and the central control device 4 are one-to-one.
Therefore, the function of specifying the equipment or facility to be controlled can be easily formed. However, it is necessary to provide input / output ports in the central controller 4 as many as the number of various equipment / facility 3 in the home. Occurs. Further, in forming a transmission path, various devices / equipment 3 arranged in each room in the home are to be wired to the input / output port of the central control device 4. I can imagine that there is nothing.

Observing from the same point of view also in the configuration example 2 of FIG. 10, in the related equipment of the gas company 15,
Since a wireless transmission path is formed between the gas appliance 13 such as a water heater and the gas meter 16 to the transmission device 14, a new transmission path is not required. Similarly, in the related equipment of the power company 12, since a transmission path for an information signal by a power line is formed between the power equipment 10 such as an air conditioner and the control panel / wattmeter 11, a new transmission path is required. It is unnecessary. However, the challenge is how to deal with the use of multiple units of the same device at home, such as air conditioners, and how to control and control many devices and facilities from different manufacturers. .

In the presence of such problems, even if a personal computer in the home is used for processing and controlling information, it is a proposal that is not very feasible unless a medium that is a language to be bound is interposed.

To summarize the second problem, in particular, in the case of electric appliances, which are said to be white goods, since they are implemented as independently controlled products, information cannot be exchanged with the central personal computer. Therefore, even if only control information is extracted from each home appliance and connected to a personal computer via an interface circuit, the formation of an enormous information signal transmission path is forced, and the balance with the above-mentioned user benefit is also required. There is, however, a significant amount of effort or expense. Further, when an information network in a home is to be constructed, it is necessary to add not only the above-mentioned control information but also new information, which is a major obstacle to networking.

Therefore, new means for facilitating the transmission of information to the personal computer, which is the control center, is required. The point to be considered here is not the method of capturing information data that differs depending on each device / equipment, but the identification of each target device / equipment. This is a method that considers how to determine in a closed system, such as at home, for cases where a plurality of devices are used. At the same time, a method of forming a transmission path for two-way communication of information signals has become a major issue, and software / hardware matching means in a personal computer on the controlling side with various devices / equipments is a problem for both. Has become.

Next, the third problem is to enable two-way information communication outside the home. Even if a home network is completed, the two-way information communication outside the home is not possible. Failure to do so will greatly reduce the benefits of the employer. This means that information is not only processed at home.
For example, if information on abnormal operation is transmitted from a refrigerator built into the home network to a central personal computer, it is only necessary to analyze the cause of the abnormality in the refrigerator and automatically repair it, but in the unlikely event that it cannot be repaired If a situation arises, perform the minimum processing required for the refrigerator and immediately transmit the analysis data as information to the specified service department, and contact the department in charge of service and maintenance. Have to wait for diagnosis and repair,
A certain amount of time and effort is required. In the case of the refrigerator of this example, it is a necessity in life,
This is a particularly serious problem for the user, and if measures are delayed when the temperature stops getting cold, it becomes easy for all stored foods to become unusable. For housewives who take care of their households, it can be a huge pain. In addition, there are devices and facilities in the home that do not have a reservation or remote control function by two-way communication, thereby greatly reducing user benefits. Examples include air conditioning and air conditioning equipment, lighting equipment, bath water heaters, rice cookers, washing machines, videos, telephones, faxes, and other security-related equipment and facilities. The operation cannot be operated or confirmed. As described above, there are many devices that have not yet improved (impaired) the beneficiary performance even with the current home devices and equipment alone.

As a specific example, referring to the system configuration diagram of the home information communication network shown in FIGS. 8, 10 and 11, it will be pointed out that a problem is pointed out. In such a case, first, it is necessary to specify a home which is a minimum unit constituting an information communication network system. FIG. 8 using a telephone line as a transmission line of a telecommunications network outside the home
In the case of the gas company 15 shown in FIG. 10 and the home, which is the minimum unit constituting the system, can be specified by the telephone number. In the case of the power company 12 and the case shown in FIG. Since a transmission path to the outside of the home is formed, it is necessary to devise some way to specify the home, which is the minimum unit constituting the system.

[0025] An object of the present invention is to optimize the transmission path of information signals between each device / equipment in a home and a personal computer, to increase the user's profitability, and to easily connect to a network outside the home. It is an object of the present invention to provide a home information communication network system that can be handled.

[0026]

Means for Solving the Problems The issues to be considered in configuring a home information communication network can be summarized as follows: (a) The benefits to users when a home information communication network can be formed can be clarified; (b) And (c) enabling two-way information communication outside the home. However, clarifying the benefits of users when a home information communication network can be configured in (a) means that the enhancement of the software used is the key as described above, and the configuration method in (b) However, it can be considered as a factor that can be shared among manufacturers, and that (c) two-way information communication outside the home is also possible. In addition, (c) enabling two-way information communication outside the home is positioned as an indispensable solution to be taken into account when constructing an in-home information communication network.

Here, the subject of (b) is to be able to share information between manufacturers outside the home, and the problem of (c) is to enable two-way information communication outside the home. Will be described as means for solving the problem.

First, in the present invention, as a device for specifying various devices and facilities installed in the home, an information signal including a signal necessary for control and the like is individually provided for all various devices and facilities to be controlled. By adding a device code and further adding a home (individual) code for specifying a home which is a constituent unit of the minimum system to be targeted when forming an information communication network outside the home, This method employs a method of converting the information signal into an information signal which can be easily controlled by a personal computer which is the center of control of the communication network. As a means for realizing this, a relay for discriminating and sorting input / output signals to / from various devices / equipments is provided between information signal transmission paths between various devices / equipments installed in the home and a personal computer. By interposing a converter, the burden of controlling the information signal in the personal computer is reduced.

When a relay converter is installed in a home, a practical problem is a method of forming a transmission path for an information signal between various devices / equipment and the relay converter. As described in the above problem, a great deal of labor or expense is required. Therefore, a method of forming a transmission path of an information signal between various devices / equipment and a relay converter by a radio wave is used.

That is, according to the present invention, a personal computer and various devices and equipment are provided in a home, a transmission path is formed between the personal computer and the various devices and equipment, and the personal computer is connected to a network outside the home. In a home information communication network system connected via a telephone line, a relay converter is provided between the personal computer and the various devices and equipment, and the personal computer and the relay converter are wired, An information signal is transmitted between the various devices / equipment and the relay converter by radio waves, and the information signal has a unique device code for discriminating or sorting the various devices / equipment, and discriminating each home. A home code for sorting is added,
Two-way communication is performed between the various devices / equipment and the external network.

Further, a configuration may be employed in which a personal computer and various devices and equipment are directly connected without installing a relay converter. In this case, the control and processing relating to the discrimination and sorting of the two-way information signals by the radio waves of the home information communication network, which were performed by the relay converter, are collectively performed by the personal computer. The point of adding a device code and a home (individual) code to an information signal including a signal necessary for control or the like is the same as the above-described case.

That is, according to the present invention, a personal computer and various devices and equipment are provided in a home, a transmission path is formed between the personal computer and the various devices and equipment, and the personal computer is connected to a network outside the home. In a home information communication network system connected via a telephone line, an information signal is transmitted by radio waves between the personal computer and the various devices / equipment, and the various devices / equipment are transmitted to the information signal. A unique device code for discriminating or sorting and a home code for discriminating or sorting each home are added, and two-way communication is performed between the various devices and equipment and the external network. And As the home code, an existing identification number such as a telephone number or a bank account number is used.

[0033]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 shows a home information communication network system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a personal computer 2 and various devices / equipment 3 are provided in a home network, and a relay converter 1 is provided between the personal computer 2 and various devices / equipment 3. The personal computer 2 is connected to a network outside the home via a telephone line.

In the home network, the relay converter 1 and the various devices / equipment 3 are configured so that bidirectional communication of radio waves can be performed. That is, the various devices / equipment 3 are provided with a transmission / reception device that enables bidirectional information communication by radio waves with the relay converter 1 that mediates the information signal. A transmission / reception device that enables bidirectional information communication by radio waves with the communication device 3 is provided. Also, the personal computer 2 and the relay converter 1
Are connected by wire, so that wired communication between the personal computer 2 and the relay converter 1 can be performed. Further, bidirectional communication can be performed between the personal computer 2 and the network outside the home via a telephone line.

The personal computer 2 controls and processes information as a center of the home information communication network.
The relay converter 1 is arranged near the personal computer 2. Information signals are randomly transmitted by radio waves from various devices and equipment 3 at home, and received by the relay converter 1 and transmitted to the personal computer 2. On the other hand, information signals from the personal computer 2 to the various devices / equipment 3 are transmitted to the relay converter 1, and are transmitted to the various devices / equipment 3 by radio waves.

One of the problems that must be processed at this time is that the relay converter 1 plays a role of reducing the processing load on the personal computer 2 by discriminating information signals sent from various devices / equipment 3. It pre-processes information signals from various devices and equipment 3. Personal computer 2
The relay converter 1 also plays a role in reducing the processing load on the personal computer 2 for sorting information signals sent to various devices / equipment 3 from the server.

Here, the method of discriminating and sorting the information signals 8 carried by the relay converter 1 is as follows. As shown as a signal configuration in FIG. Similarly, a multi-digit device code 7 for discriminating the various devices / equipment 3 is added to the information signal 8 sent from the personal computer 2 to the various devices / equipment 3. In setting the multi-digit device code 7 for discriminating and sorting the various devices / equipment 3, a method of registering the unique device code 7 at the time of manufacturing the various devices / equipment 3, Although it is conceivable to set each device / facility 3 independently after purchasing the various devices / facilities 3, the present invention provides a system for registering and managing each device code 7 in the personal computer 2 in advance when the various devices / facilities 3 are installed. I have.

Further, various devices / equipment 3 and relay converter 1
2 is formed by radio waves, an effect such as leakage of information outside the home can be considered. Therefore, similarly to the equipment code 7, the home information communication network system shown in FIG. Home code 9 for each minimum unit constituting
Is registered and the home code 9 is added to the information signal 8 together with the device code 7, thereby coping with discrimination and sorting.

In a home-only information communication network system, the method of adding the home code 9 and the equipment code 7 to the information signal 8 not only prevents the leakage of home information but also at the level of various equipment and facilities 3. The present invention creates a merit that can be used as a code for specifying a communication target home or a device / equipment when performing two-way communication with outside the home. In setting the home code 9, it is ideal to apply an existing identification number instead of setting a new identification system. For example, if a telephone number is applied, the telephone owner can use the information communication network. Is a minimum unit constituting the system of the information communication network, and if a bank account number is applied, an individual can be a minimum unit constituting the system of the information communication network. In addition, although the government has not yet escaped from the concept area, when a system such as the gross national number system was introduced, household codes that could be identified on an individual basis 9
It can be applied as

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 3 shows a home information communication network system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a transmission path between the relay converter 1 and various devices / equipment 3 is formed by wire. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, since a transmission path using radio waves is not formed in the home network, measures against leakage of home information using radio waves can be eliminated. That is, in a closed information communication system such as at home, information communication between the personal computer 2 and the relay converter 1 and information communication between the relay converter 1 and various devices / equipment 3 are as shown in FIG. In addition, it is possible to operate with a signal configuration in which the device code 7 is added to the information signal 8, and it is not necessary to add the home code 9 unlike information communication using radio waves. In addition, bidirectional communication is performed between the personal computer 2 and the network outside the home by a signal having a configuration in which the equipment code 7 and the home code are added to the information signal 8.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 5 shows a home information communication network system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a relay converter is not provided, and the personal computer 2
Are connected directly to the personal computer 2 and bidirectional communication of radio waves is performed between the personal computer 2 and the various devices / equipment 3. The personal computer 2 collectively performs control and processing relating to discrimination and sorting of bidirectional information signals by radio waves of the home information communication network, which were performed by the relay converter.

In the present embodiment, since the communication between the personal computer 2 and the various devices / equipment 3 is performed by radio waves, the information signal is transmitted in consideration of leakage of information outside the home.
A signal having a configuration obtained by adding a device code and a home code (FIG.
), Two-way communication is performed. Similarly, between the personal computer 2 and the network outside the home, two-way communication is performed by a signal having a configuration in which the device code and the home code are added.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 6 shows a home information communication network system according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of personal computers 2 which are the center of the home information communication network are installed. Wired two-way communication can be performed between each personal computer 2 and the relay converter 1, and two-way radio communication can be performed between the relay converter 1 and various devices / equipment 3.

In the present embodiment, two-way communication by wire is used between each personal computer 2 and the relay converter 1, and two-way communication is performed between the relay converter 1 and various devices / equipment 3 by radio waves. As in the case of the first embodiment, between each personal computer 2 and the relay converter 1 and between the relay converter 1 and the various devices / equipment 3, a signal having a configuration in which a device code and a home code are added to an information signal (FIG. 1) ), Two-way communication is performed.

In each of the above embodiments, the effect is to be reflected as a benefit to the user in any case.
This will be specifically described in some cases. The effects of each embodiment are as follows. First, various devices and facilities in the home are managed by the device code, and the correspondence with the outdoor or outside network system is managed by the home (individual) code. Another advantage is that various devices and equipment incorporated in the home information communication network system can be easily accessed from an information communication network system outside the home. Various equipment and facilities in the home can be operated systematically by forming a transmission path for two-way information communication only with the equipment and facilities specified by the equipment code, and It is possible to form the optimal operating environment of the equipment, and it is expected that power saving and energy saving by improving the operating efficiency can be expected. For example, if you want to make your living environment a comfortable environment with air conditioning and air conditioning equipment,
Considering not only indoor temperature and humidity and air flow, but also occupant's clothing conditions, room composition conditions, external fluctuation factors such as temperature and humidity surrounding the room, etc., multiple devices with different heat sources
The goal is to make the equipment operate automatically with an efficient balance. The efficiency described here refers to the formation of an optimal living environment through economical automatic driving that suppresses excessive operation of cooling and heating / air-conditioning equipment. It can be controlled by a command.

In order to respond to the increasing number of household electrical appliances in the home, it has been necessary to use high-power appliances and equipment while keeping them within the contract frame because of the amount of contract power. . By constructing the information communication network according to each of the above-described embodiments, it is possible to manage the operation status of various devices and facilities by two-way communication, and to make it possible to perform priority operation or automatically avoid operation in an overloaded state. Is what you do. Although different, mobile phones and mobile computers, which are elemental devices of a home information communication network, are elements that will produce great effects in the future. Move away from the fixed place of the home,
The benefits of having access to the equipment are immeasurable. For example, by accessing a personal computer in the home from outside the home before returning home, it is possible to start up the air-conditioning and air-conditioning atmosphere of the room when returning home to a comfortable environment, to issue a hot water supply instruction to the bath, Control, confirmation of the answering machine contents, and furthermore, when the broadcast start time is changed due to extension of baseball broadcasting, etc., it is possible to expect benefits such as correction of video recording start time by reservation is possible,
Outdoor access related to security can be greatly expected.

For information and communication networks outside the home, there is a high degree of commonality between electricity, gas, water, telephone, broadcasting, and banks, etc., related to services and maintenance of various types of equipment and facilities in the home that have been conventionally proposed. Enabling two-way communication with business organizations at the level of individual devices and equipment,
Ward offices, city offices, hospitals, police stations, fire departments,
Supports two-way communication with highly public institutions such as schools, telecommuting, e-mail, e-newspaper, e-money, home shopping, e-library, museums, museums, etc. The response to is also promising. In particular, it can be effectively used as a network for information communication related to disaster prevention with high urgency, and can be an information communication network serving as a foundation for a highly information-oriented society in the 21st century.

The greatest benefit of the information communication network outside the home is, above all, the response to the widening of the information area and the increase in the speed, and the promotion of advanced information through the use of optical cables and broadcasting / communication satellites. Have been. The information management method according to each embodiment includes adding a home code specifying as a minimum unit constituting a home information communication network system and a device code specifying various home devices and equipment to an information signal. Thus, even when a plurality of devices of the same type are present, or even when they are placed adjacent to each other, a system capable of reliably transmitting and receiving information signals can be configured without causing confusion. In the past, there was no proposal for a specific method to identify individual devices and equipment,
Most of the information communication networks had a concept of directly transmitting information signals between a personal computer in the home and various devices and equipment. However, the information signal has a configuration of “home code + device code + information signal” according to the present invention, thereby enabling easy and reliable information communication. Since the home code is a code that is discriminated as a minimum unit constituting the home information communication network system, the individual code of the personal computer itself can be used instead. Therefore,
The contents of the home information exchange of the individual user can be safely managed without any influence such as leakage from the information communication network to an adjacent information communication network.

Next, as a second effect, discrimination / sorting of information signals is performed on an information signal transmission line connecting various devices / equipment in the home and a personal computer which is a center of processing and control of information signals. The interposition of a relay converter for performing the operation makes it a single point of contact for passing information signals to the personal computer, thereby reducing the processing load on the personal computer and making full use of the control function. For access to various devices / equipment from a personal computer, the device code attached to the information signal from the personal computer is read, and discrimination and sorting for opening / closing the transmission path with the personal computer corresponding to the device / equipment are performed. For access to the personal computer from various devices / equipment, the device code attached to the information signal from the various devices / equipment is read, and discrimination or opening / closing of the transmission path to the personal computer corresponding to the device / equipment is performed. As a result of the sorting function, the burden of control and processing on the personal computer is reduced, and the effect on the processing speed and additional functions of the personal computer can be reduced.

Also, since it also has a role of a selector that can collectively manage the discrimination and sorting of a number of cables formed as transmission paths of information signals from various devices and equipment in the home to a personal computer, New construction or abolition is possible without affecting other equipment and facilities,
It also has the effect of simplifying the connection.

The third effect is that various devices in the home
The information signal transmission path between the equipment and the relay converter is transmitted by radio waves, eliminating many information signal lines and easily responding to changes (including new installations or abolition) in individual devices and equipment. The simplification was made so that it could be done. By arranging the relay converter, the transmission path of the information signal between various devices / equipment and the relay converter can be made wireless by wire, and the transmission path by radio waves can be formed, in addition to the adoption effect of the device code and the home code. System. As a benefit to the user, locating the relay converter near the personal computer can reduce the enormous labor and expense involved in laying the transmission line, and greatly reduce the wired transmission line from individual devices and equipment. Since the transmission path can be reduced, the transmission path can be simplified. Further, when forming a transmission path using radio waves, there is a concern about the influence of information signal leakage, but this can be easily prevented by adding a device code and a home code to the information signal.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By adding the device code and the home code to the information signal, various devices and equipment incorporated in the home information communication network system can be easily accessed from a network outside the home.

Further, since the relay converter is provided between the personal computer and various devices / equipment, the information signal transfer window to the personal computer can be unified, thereby enabling the processing by the personal computer. The burden can be reduced.

Further, since various devices / equipments in the home and the relay converter are bidirectionally communicated by radio waves, it is possible to easily cope with a change in each device / equipment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a home information communication network according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a signal in a home network according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a home information communication network according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a signal in a home network according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a home information communication network according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a home information communication network according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a direction of an information communication network.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a configuration example (1) of a home information communication network according to the related art.

9 is a diagram showing a control unit in the home information communication network of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a configuration example (2) of a home information communication network according to the related art.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a configuration example (3) of a home information communication network according to the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 relay converter 2 personal computer 3 various devices and equipment 4 central control unit 7 device code 8 information signal 9 home (individual) code

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kanako Yamada 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Multimedia Systems Development Division of Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Akiko Hayase Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 292 Hitachi Multimedia Systems Development Division, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Kayo Hisamura 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Multimedia Systems Development Division, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Ryoichi Seike, Kanagawa Prefecture 292, Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Japan Multimedia System Development Division, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazue Miyashita 292, Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Multimedia System Development Division, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Narumi Mikawa Nagawa Prefecture Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi Yoshida-cho, 292 address Co., Ltd., Hitachi multimedia system development headquarters in the F-term (reference) 5K033 AA09 BA01 BA08 CB01 CB08 CC01 DA01 DA06 DA17 DB18 EC03 5K048 AA15 BA12 BA13 DC01 DC03 DC07 EA11 5K101 KK11 LL01

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A personal computer and various devices and equipment are provided in a home, a transmission line is formed between the personal computer and the various devices and equipment, and the personal computer connects a telephone line to a network outside the home. In the home information communication network system connected via the, a relay converter is provided between the personal computer and the various devices and equipment, between the personal computer and the relay converter by wire, the various devices An information signal is transmitted by radio waves between the equipment and the relay converter, and the information signal has a unique equipment code for discriminating or sorting the various devices and equipment, and a code for discriminating or sorting each home. A home code is added, and the various devices / equipment and the network outside the home are added. An in-home information communication network system wherein two-way communication is performed with a work. 2. A personal computer and various devices and equipment are provided in a home, a transmission line is formed between the personal computer and the various devices and equipment, and the personal computer connects a telephone line to a network outside the home. An information signal is transmitted between the personal computer and the various devices / equipment by radio waves, and the various devices / equipment is discriminated or sorted into the information signal. A home device code for discriminating or sorting each home, and a two-way communication is performed between the various devices / equipment and the outside network. Information communication network system. 3. The in-home information communication system according to claim 1, wherein an existing identification number such as a telephone number or a bank account number is used as the home code. Network system.