JP2001346278A - System for remotely controlling household electric appliance by using internet terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system that utilizes an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal to remotely control household electric appliances, can provide a terminal with a household remote control function at a lower cost than that of a conventional terminal and control the household electric appliances in response immediately to an input of remote control. SOLUTION: In the system that utilizes an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal to remotely control household electric appliances, a server side collates a password and uses an automatic access download function of a router having a remote control function to automatically download remote control information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for remotely controlling home appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal. The present invention relates to a system having a function of

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of portable telephones and portable information terminals, information data transmission and reception outdoors have been widely performed. Along with this, a technology for remotely controlling household appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal has been devised.

[0003] There is also a technology for remotely controlling home appliances directly by e-mail, such as Patent Publication 2000-59867 using e-mail via the Internet.

[0004]

An object of the present invention is to solve mainly the following problems.

In the prior art, a terminal with a remote control function for home use must be provided with a password identification function, and the cost of installing one home terminal by itself increases.

In the related art, a system provided in a home terminal with a remote control function receives an e-mail at a predetermined reception time using a timer. The operation of the household appliance is not performed until the set reception time is reached.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a system for remotely controlling home appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal. It is characterized by having an address identification function, an automatic access download function, a memory for storing downloaded data, and a function for operating a household appliance with the stored data.

According to the present invention, in the above remote control system, after accessing the Web server, remote control is input to the CGI interface by CGI, and at the time of the input of the remote control, information on the user who is eligible for use is recorded. And a function of collating the user who is performing the input with the personal identification number and the remote operation destination mail address or the remote operation destination telephone number.

According to the present invention, the server is not equipped with a personal identification number identification function in a home terminal with a remote control function in order to collate the information on the qualified user with the qualified user who is inputting. It is possible to provide a terminal with a remote control function at a lower cost than before.

[0010] In addition, since the home router with the remote operation function has the automatic access download function, the home appliance can be remotely operated immediately by the input of a qualified user.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram conceptually showing a configuration of a remote control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 and 3 are flowcharts showing the flow of processing of the remote operation information, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display of the input screen of the information for remote operation by CGI.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an Internet communication network, 2 is a user who uses the system of the present invention, and 2a is an Internet terminal used by the user 2. 3 is
Web server 3a, CGI interface 3b,
The content management server according to the present invention includes a host computer 3c and a database server 3d.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 4 denotes a home-use router having a remote control function. The home-use router is provided with a sender e-mail address identification function 4a, an automatic access download function 4b, and a memory 4c for storing downloaded data. And an appliance operation function 4d for operating the household appliances 5 (5a to 5c) based on the data stored in the memory 4c.

In FIG. 2, when the user 2 uses the present invention, the user 2 accesses the web server 3a of the web content management server 3 with an Internet terminal (step 7a).

After step 7a, a password, an electric appliance 5 (5a to 5c) to be operated, contents of operation, and the like are input and transmitted along the displayed input screen (FIG. 4) (step). 7b).

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 8 denotes a list display screen of home electric appliances (5a to 5e) to be remotely operated.

As an example, 5a in FIG. 4 is a video deck. When the video deck 5 a is selected on the list display screen 8, the screen changes to a video operation input screen 9. On the video operation input screen 9, the operation item 91, the start time 92, the stop time 93, and the channel 94 are respectively input, and when ending the input, the end 95 is clicked. Various other functions, display screens, and the like are also conceivable.

When the input on the video operation input screen 9 is completed, the screen changes to a display screen 10. On the display screen 10, if you want to redo the operation input, select the redo 101 again to return to the video operation input screen 9, and select 102 to perform other operations. If you select 102, return to the list display screen 8 and display other than the video deck. The user can also select the operation of the home electric appliances in the terminal, input the personal identification number, select transmission 103, and the input data is transmitted to the operation server 3 (step 7b).

Transmission of Data by CGI (Step 7)
The CGI interface 3b receiving b) receives the transmission data, and the host computer 3c and the database server 3d collate the personal identification numbers (step 7c).

When the password is not approved in step 7c, the screen returns to the input screen in step 7b or informs the user by email that the password is not approved (step 7d).

When the password is approved in step 7c (step 7e), the remote operation data is recorded in the database server 3d (step 7f), and the fact that the remote operation data is recorded is transmitted to the router 4 with the home remote operation function. Notification is made by e-mail (step 7g).

In FIG. 3, when the home router 4 with remote control function receives an e-mail, the sender e-mail address identification function 4a identifies the sender e-mail address (step 7h).

When the e-mail address identified in step 7h is other than the server 3 that has recorded the remote operation information data (step 7i), the reception of the e-mail is displayed as in the ordinary router (step 7j).

When the e-mail address identified in Step 7h is the server 3 that has recorded the remote operation information data (Step 7k), the automatic access download function 4b automatically accesses the Web server 3a (Step 7).
1) Automatically download the remote operation information recorded in the database server 3d (step 7m).

The remote control information downloaded in step 7m is stored in the memory 4c (step 7n),
The electric appliance operation function 4d operates the electric appliance 5 (5a to 5c) based on the remote operation information stored in the memory 4c (step 7o), and when the operation of the electric appliance is completed (step 7p), the operation of the system of the present invention is started. Ends.

The number of the electric appliances 5 operated by the electric appliance operation function is not limited to three from 5a to 5c, but may be more. In addition, the number of eligible users 2 and the number of Internet terminals 2a are not one but may be more.

As an example, in the input screen 9, the recording reservation is set to 91, 22:00 to 92, 23:00 to 93, 15 to 94,
, A video reservation can be made to record channel 15 from 10 pm to 11 pm.

[0029]

According to the present invention, in a system for remotely controlling home appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal, a server side collates information on eligible users with inputting qualified users. It is not necessary to equip a home-use router with a remote control function with a password identification function, and a router with a remote control function can be provided at a lower cost than before. In addition, since the home-use router with the remote control function has the automatic access download function, the home appliance can be remotely controlled immediately by the input of the remote control by a qualified user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a remote operation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of a remote control process;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of a remote control process;

FIG. 4 is an example of a remote operation information input screen

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 Internet communication network 2 Eligible user of the present invention 2a Internet terminal used by eligible user 3 Content management server in the present invention 3a Web server 3b CGI interface 3c Host computer 3d Database server 4 Router with remote control function 4a Email address Recognition function 4b Automatic access download function 4c Memory 4d Electric appliance operation function 5 Electric appliances group 5a Electric appliance operated by electric appliance operation function 5b Electric appliance operated by electric appliance operation function 5c Electric appliance operated by electric appliance operation function Product 8 Example of home appliance list display screen 8 Example of video operation input screen 81 Operation item 92 Start time 93 Stop time 94 Channel 95 End 10 Example of display screen 101 Try again 102 Perform other operations 103 Send

Claims (6)

[Claims] In a system for remotely controlling home appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal, a remote operation input is performed by a CGI after accessing a Web server by remote operation input communication from the Internet terminal. A remote control system characterized by performing. 2. A system for remotely controlling home appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal, wherein the remote control data input to the CGI interface by the CGI is temporarily recorded in a database server. Remote control system. 3. In a system for remotely controlling home appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal, the fact that data has been recorded in the database server is automatically notified by mail to a router with a home remote control function. A remote control system having a function of automatically accessing a Web server by a router that has received the notification and automatically downloading remote control data. 4. A system for remotely controlling home appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal, wherein the router with a home remote control function transmits a normal mail and a mail for notifying the recording of remote control data. It has a function to determine based on the source email address,
A remote operation system having a function of automatically accessing a Web server only when an e-mail notifying of storage of remote operation data is sent. 5. In a system for remotely controlling home appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal, a router with a home remote control function includes a normal home router and a sender e-mail address identification function; 5. The remote control system according to claim 1, further comprising an automatic access download function, a memory for storing downloaded data, and a function for operating a household appliance with the stored data. . 6. In a system for remotely controlling home appliances using an Internet communication network and an Internet terminal, information about eligible users is recorded in a database server, and the qualified users are identified by a password and a remote operation destination mail address or a remote operation destination mail address. 6. The remote operation system according to claim 1, further comprising a function of performing collation based on a remote operation destination telephone number.