JP2002055895A - Communication system of computer network - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance security to personal information, etc., by preventing an illegal access to a gateway such as a home server of a user. SOLUTION: This communication system is provided with the gateway 3 to collect terminal information acquired by a terminal 14 and a center server 6 to receive the terminal information from the gateway via the Internet 4. The system is provided with a call back connecting means to enable access only in one direction to access the center server 6 from the gateway via the Internet, on the other hand, to transmit a call back request signal to request call back from the center server to the gateway via a second electric communication line 16 such as a beeper telephone line, etc., except the Internet, to perform the call back via the Internet by the gateway to receive the call back request signal, to receive the request from the center server and to transmit the terminal information according to the request from the gateway to the center server in the case of the call back when the gateway is accessed from the center server.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer network communication system suitable for various online services such as an online home control system, home banking, home trading, and home shopping. The present invention relates to a communication system of a computer network for improving the convenience of daily life.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of online service, there are a home control system, a home banking, a home trading, a home (online) shopping, etc. These are dedicated terminals and personal computers provided in a user's house or the like. To information terminals such as
It is connected to a business server such as a bank via a telecommunication line such as a public telephone line or the Internet.

In a conventional home control system, electric equipment such as a temperature sensor and a CCD (charge-coupled device) camera and lighting equipment for a building are installed in various buildings such as a user's private house, factory, office, and sales office. A controlled device such as an electric lock or an electric lock, and a control terminal for controlling the controlled device are provided, and the controlled device is controlled to an optimum state to improve the convenience of the user's comfortable life. I'm trying.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional online system, an information terminal of a third party other than a business server is directly and illegally accessed by a user's control terminal, and personal information of the user is not obtained. The information stored in the control terminal may be stolen.

Further, the user cannot access the control terminal of his / her own building to collect information collected by his / her own control terminal, for example, information indicating the state of his / her house or office. There is a problem that.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to prevent unauthorized access to a gateway, such as a user's home server, to improve security for personal information and the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a communication system of a computer network which can be achieved.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer network communication system in which a user can appropriately acquire information collected by a gateway (home server) of his / her own building and authenticate each user's household by each gateway. It is in.

[0008]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In a computer network communication system having a gateway for collecting terminal information obtained by a terminal device and a server for receiving the terminal information from the gateway via a telecommunication line, the telecommunication line is transmitted from the gateway to the telecommunication line. While allowing only one-way access to the server through the server, when accessing the gateway from the server, the server can access the gateway from the server via a second telecommunication line other than the telecommunication line. Sending a callback request signal requesting a callback, the gateway receiving the callback request signal calls back via the telecommunications line, and upon this callback, receiving a request from the server, The above terminal information according to the request is sent from the gateway Callback connection means for transmitting the over server, a communication system of a computer network, characterized in that it comprises.

According to the present invention, since the server cannot directly access the gateway, it is possible to prevent unauthorized access to the gateway by a third party. That is, by accessing the gateway from the server, it is possible to prevent the terminal information of the user collected through the terminal device by the gateway, in particular, the personal information of the user and the information relating to the private from being illegally acquired.

When a router is interposed between the gateway and the server, the server does not know the IP address of the gateway. Therefore, the server cannot access the gateway, or the IP address is changed to the DHCP (D
dynamic Host Configuration
In this case, the server cannot access the server directly because the IP address of the gateway is not known on the server side.

However, according to the present invention, the server is connected to the server via the second telecommunication line such as a pager (registered trademark) line or a portable telephone line different from the telecommunication line such as the Internet by the callback connection means. Since the gateway accesses the gateway and communicates by transmitting a callback request signal requesting the gateway to call back the server, the gateway can always be accessed from the server, and a processing instruction from the server is given to the gateway. Thus, necessary information can be collected from the gateway by the server.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the data format for storing the contents of the server request is not returned from the gateway within a predetermined time after the transmission of the first callback request, the server performs the callback a predetermined number of times. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising means for retransmitting the request to the gateway.

According to the present invention, after the first callback request signal is transmitted from the server to the gateway, if a callback including a data format for storing the contents of the server request is not returned from the gateway within a predetermined time, the server transmits the callback request signal to the gateway. Retransmit the callback request communication to the gateway a predetermined number of times.

For this reason, the reliability of access from the server to the gateway can be improved.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the server and the gateway each have an authentication means for authenticating each communication destination at the time of communication between the two. 2 is a communication system of the computer network according to 2.

According to the present invention, at the time of communication between the server and the gateway, each communication destination is mutually authenticated by the authentication means each time the communication is performed, so that unauthorized access to these servers and the gateway can be prevented. It is possible to improve communication security between the two.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of gateways for collecting terminal information acquired by terminal equipment, and a telecommunications line provided by a business operator using the terminal information to carry out the business. And a carrier server for receiving the terminal information from the gateway to the carrier server by interposing between the gateways and the carrier server. And a relay server that distributes the terminal information of the user in response to access from the information terminal of the user.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of gateways for collecting terminal information acquired by terminal equipment, and a plurality of gateways provided by a business operator using the terminal information to transmit the terminal information to a telecommunication line. In the communication system of the computer network having the above, the terminal information from each of the gateways is interposed between the two so that the terminal information is not directly received by the provider server, A communication system for a computer network, comprising: a relay server that relays terminal information to a business server while delivering the terminal information of the user in response to access from the information terminal of the user. .

According to the fourth and fifth aspects of the present invention, the gateway cannot be directly accessed by the user's information terminal, but by accessing the relay server, the user's own terminal transmitted from the gateway to the relay server can be obtained. Information can be obtained.

Further, by connecting the servers of a plurality of businesses to the relay server for data communication freely, a computer network from a plurality of gateways to the relay server can be shared by the plurality of business servers, respectively. Reduction can be achieved.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the business server has a plurality of servers, and the relay server determines a destination to be distributed from the relay server to the plurality of business servers, in an event indicated by the terminal information. 6. The communication system according to claim 4, further comprising a distribution destination selecting means for selecting a distribution destination set in advance according to the information.

According to the present invention, a plurality of company servers are provided in accordance with various businesses such as a banking business such as a banking business and a home electric appliance service business, so that the terminal information acquired by the terminal device of each user is provided. If the event is a home appliance service related event such as a home appliance failure, the terminal information is distributed from the relay server to the home appliance service business company server handling the event. Alternatively, if the terminal information is a bank finance-related event such as a payment request, the bank finance-related information is distributed from a relay server to a bank finance-related business server.

Therefore, it is not necessary for each business operator to provide an online system for connecting each of the business servers to the gateways of a large number of users via a network or the like. By connecting to the relay server via the gateway, it is possible to connect to the gateways of a large number of users, so that it is possible to reduce the facility costs and operation costs of each business operator.

Further, since the terminal information is distributed to the carrier server in accordance with the event of the terminal information, errors such as erroneous transmission of the distribution destination can be prevented or reduced. .

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the relay server selects a distribution content of the terminal information distributed from the relay server to the plurality of business servers according to an event of the terminal information. The communication system according to claim 4, further comprising a selection unit.

According to the present invention, if the terminal information is, for example, information such as overcurrent detection by an ammeter in an indoor power distribution system, the server selects, for example, an event of occurrence of a ground leakage in the building by the selection means, and The event is distributed to a business server such as a power company that handles the event. That is, since the information is distributed to the business server in the form of terminal information events rather than raw terminal information, the amount of information distribution data can be reduced, and the receiver can directly know the occurrence of an event in real time. be able to.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the relay server selects a distribution medium such as a voice, an image, a sentence or the like set in advance according to an event of the terminal information and distributes the distribution medium to a distribution destination. The communication system of a computer network according to any one of claims 4 to 7, further comprising means.

According to the present invention, the relay server distributes to each business server by at least one of voice, image, and mail (text) according to the event of the terminal information, while mail (text), voice, image Can be distributed to the user's information terminal.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, when the event specified in advance by the user occurs, the relay server automatically transmits the event to a destination of the mail address specified in advance by the user. The communication system of a computer network according to any one of claims 4 to 8, further comprising:

According to the present invention, when an event of terminal information specified by the user in advance occurs, an overcurrent is detected by, for example, an ammeter of an indoor power distribution system which is a type of terminal device.
When it is detected that an event at the time of electric leakage has occurred at the user's home or the like, the event of the electric leakage is automatically delivered to the information terminal of the mail address designated in advance by the user.

Therefore, even when the user is away from home or the like, it is possible to know in real time the occurrence of a serious event such as the occurrence of electric leakage at the user's home or the like by using an information terminal such as a portable telephone.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the communication system for a computer network, the relay server includes a distribution data processing means for changing a distribution amount and contents of distribution data according to a distribution destination. is there.

According to the present invention, if the information distribution destination is a portable telephone, for example, the distribution data can be processed by the distribution data processing means into the distribution amount and the outline display which can be sufficiently displayed on the small display.

[0034] The invention according to claim 11 enables one-way access from the gateway to the relay server via the telecommunication line, while allowing the relay server to access the gateway. A relay request signal is transmitted from the relay server to the gateway via a second telecommunication line other than the telecommunication line, and the gateway receiving the callback request signal transmits the callback signal to the telecommunication line. Callback callback means for receiving a request from the relay server at the time of the callback, and transmitting the terminal information corresponding to the request from the gateway to the relay server. The communication of the computer network according to any one of claims 4 to 10, wherein It is a system.

According to the present invention, even when the relay server is interposed between the gateway provided with the terminal device and the business server, the gateway is accessed from the relay server by the callback connection means as in the first aspect. Thus, a processing instruction or the like can be given to the gateway, so that unauthorized access to the gateway can be prevented.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer network communication system comprising: a gateway for collecting terminal information obtained by a terminal device; and a server for receiving the terminal information from the gateway via a telecommunication line. In the system, the terminal device is an electrical device at least part of which is installed in a building such as a user's house or office, in which the gateway and the controlled device controlled by the gateway are installed, The gateway is a communication system of a computer network including means for controlling the controlled device in accordance with a control request input to the website of the server by an information terminal accessing the website. .

According to the present invention, the terminal device is an electric device such as an ammeter, a voltmeter, a CCD camera, or the like of a power distribution system in a building, and the computer network is configured as an online home control system. For this reason, since the server itself can monitor changes in the housing itself, stores, offices, factories, etc., or changes in conditions inside and outside of the terminal device, the server can be used to prevent disasters caused by electricity and the like related to the building. Can be.

Further, by accessing the server website using the information terminal of the user and inputting a required control request, for example, the ON-O of the lighting device at the user's home or the like can be performed.
Remote control of controlled equipment such as FF or brightness control and ON / OFF of a bath heater can be performed.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer network communication system according to the twelfth aspect, further comprising the callback connection means according to the first aspect.

According to the present invention, the so-called online home control system according to the twelfth aspect is also provided with the callback connection means according to the first aspect, so that the information relating to the electric leakage relating to the user building and the personal information of the user are stored in the second place. It is possible to effectively prevent acquisition by unauthorized access by three parties.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the gateway includes a transmitting means for transmitting terminal information collected from the terminal device to a server at all times, or at any time or at a regular time. Or a communication system for a computer network according to item 13.

According to the present invention, detection information (terminal information) detected by a terminal device such as a watt-hour integrator or a flow detector.
Can be transmitted from the gateway, for example, to the server at a regular time, so that the server or the business server can remotely perform automatic automatic meter reading of the power amount and the flow rate. Further, when the detected values of these terminal devices fluctuate abnormally, it is possible to detect a failure of the terminal device, and conversely, when no abnormality is detected, it is possible to detect the soundness of the detected device.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, at least one of the terminal devices is an image pickup means, and the gateway is provided with an image transmission means for automatically transmitting an image picked up by the image pickup means to a relay server. A communication system for a computer network according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein:

According to the present invention, the image captured by the image capturing means such as a CCD camera is transmitted to the relay server by the video transmitting means of the gateway, and is stored in the image database or the like. It can be read from the relay server by the terminal.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, at least one of the terminal devices is an image pickup means, and the relay server is
Video receiving means for receiving and storing the video imaged by the imaging means via the gateway, and distributing the video to the information terminal in response to a search / browsing request from the information terminal of the user. Claims 12-1 characterized by the above-mentioned.
6. A communication system for a computer network according to claim 5.

According to the present invention, while the image picked up by the image pickup means of the terminal device is stored by the server, the image can be searched and browsed by the user's information terminal.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, the image pickup means includes means for starting an image pickup operation when a preset terminal device is driven or a user's information terminal requests an image pickup to the relay server. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein
Or a communication system of a computer network according to item 16.

According to the present invention, the imaging means such as the CCD camera drives another preset terminal device such as an operation of turning on the intercom at the entrance, or receives an imaging request from the user's information terminal to the relay server. Then, when these are triggered, the imaging operation is started, so that there is no need to constantly capture an image, transmit the captured image data to the gateway, and further transmit the data from the gateway to the relay server. For this,
In addition to saving power for driving the imaging unit, the amount of traffic for transmitting image data from the gateway to the relay server can be suppressed.

The invention according to claim 18 is the communication according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein at least one of the controlled devices is an electric lock whose opening and closing is controlled by a gateway. System.

According to the present invention, the opening and closing of the electric lock of the building can be remotely controlled in real time by the user's information terminal via the server and the gateway.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, at least one of the controlled devices is a lighting device whose brightness is controlled by a gateway to be turned on / off.
19. A communication system for a computer network according to any one of 2 to 18.

According to the present invention, the user's information terminal can remotely control on / off and brightness of the lighting device of the building in real time via the server and the gateway.

According to a twentieth aspect of the invention, at least one of the controlled devices is an audio output means controlled by a gateway. System.

According to the present invention, the user's information terminal can remotely control the audio output means such as the speaker of the building in real time via the server and the gateway. For this reason, it is possible to output sound from the speaker in real time while watching the display of the information terminal of the user.
The sound output means may be configured to output a fixed sound from a sound ROM, for example.

According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the electric device is a current sensor and a voltage sensor which respectively detect a current and a voltage of an indoor power distribution system of a building and transmit the respective detected values to the gateway as terminal information. A communication system for a computer network according to any one of claims 12 to 20, wherein:

According to the present invention, an overcurrent in the indoor power distribution system of the building can be detected by the current sensor, and therefore, it is possible to detect the occurrence of an event such as a short circuit or a short circuit fire in the building and the possibility of the occurrence. it can.

[0057]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
Explanation will be given based on FIG. In these drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, but only the circled numbers in each drawing indicate the processing procedure of each drawing without being common in each drawing, and the processing procedures are shown in ascending order. Is done.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an online system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the online system 1 is constituted by, for example, an online home control system, a home banking, a home trading, a home shopping system, and the like.
, A gateway 3 which is an example of a home server installed in each of the servers, a public telephone line such as a router or ISDN (not shown) and the Internet 4 which is a first telecommunication line.
Are connected to a server of the home network center 5 and a center server 6 which is an example of a relay server via a data communication system.

The center server 6 is connected to the company server 7 for data communication via the Internet 4 and a public telephone line or a dedicated electric communication line so that the company server 7 and each gateway 3 can communicate with each other. Center server 6 in between
The center server 6 is configured as an example of a relay server. If the online system 1 is, for example, home banking, the company server 7 is a server that is owned and managed by a company that is a financial institution such as a bank.

The center server 6 has a personal computer 9 as an information terminal 8 of the user via the Internet 4 or a public telephone line, and an i-mode (a trademark of NTT Corporation) which is a kind of Internet connection service mode.
Phone 10 or PHS (Personal)
A portable information terminal 11 such as a mobile computer such as a Handyphone System or a Zaurus (trademark of Sharp Corporation) can be accessed at any time to perform two-way communication.

Each of the gateways 3 is installed in a building 2 such as an office, a factory, or the like of a user's private house or store. The data input side of each gateway 3 is an example of a temperature sensor 12, a room temperature sensor (not shown), a lock sensor for detecting opening / closing of various electric locks in the building 2, and an imaging unit for photographing various images in the building 2. Some CCD
(Charge Coupled Device) A terminal device 14 such as an image capturing device 13 such as a camera is connected for data communication.

Further, on the data input side of each gateway 3, for example, one or more lighting devices installed in the building 2, a control device for automatically controlling ON / OFF control of the operation of the bathtub, an electric lock, and the like. , A current sensor and a voltage sensor for detecting a current and a voltage of an indoor power distribution system of the building 2, an air conditioner and a television,
Various home electric appliances such as a video deck, a personal computer, and the like are connected as a controlled device 15 for controlling the gateway 3 so as to be able to perform data communication, and the gateway 3 is controlled according to a control request inputted thereto. Control means for appropriately controlling the operation of the device 15 is provided.

Then, the center server 6 and the gateway 3
Is provided with callback connection means. This callback connection means enables only one-way access from the gateway 3 to the center server 6 via the Internet 4 while prohibiting direct access from the center server 6 to the gateway 3 via the Internet 4. This prevents unauthorized access to the gateway 3 by a third party.

That is, when a router (not shown) is interposed between the gateway 3 and the Internet 4 or when an IP address is specified by DHCP, the IP address of the gateway 3 cannot be determined on the center server 6 side. The gateway 3 cannot be directly accessed.

Therefore, the callback connection means, when accessing the gateway 3 from the center server 6,
A callback request signal for requesting a callback from the center server 6 to the gateway 3 via a second electric communication line 16 different from the Internet 4, for example, a pager communication line, a PHS communication line, a mobile telephone communication line, or the like. Is provided in the center server 6 for transmitting a callback request signal to the gateway 3.

Also, the center server 6
After sending the callback request signal to the gateway 3
When a data set (data format) for storing the processing request contents to be given to the gateway 3 from the center server 6 is returned from the gateway 3 together with the callback from the server 3, the processing request contents of the center server 6 are added to this data set. Means for transmitting the callback request signal to the gateway 3 and transmitting the callback request signal to the gateway 3 when the data set is not returned from the gateway 3 within a predetermined time. The gateway 3 sends the callback request signal the number of times
Means for resending the request to request the callback again.

On the other hand, the gateway 3 is connected to the center server 6
Means for receiving a callback request signal from the second telecommunication line 16 via the second telecommunication line 16, and means for transmitting the data set to the center server 6 for callback when receiving the callback request signal. Means for transmitting a reception confirmation notification signal to the center server 6 when it is confirmed that there is no communication error in the received data set.

The gateway 3 and the center server 6
When communicating between these two, each time it sends and receives,
An authentication unit for authenticating the communication destination is provided. Hereinafter, in each case of transmission and reception, the communication for authenticating the communication destination may be hereinafter referred to as secure communication. Gateway 3
Has an authentication means for authenticating the user.

Next, the operation of the online system 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the user's building 2, sensor information obtained by various sensors such as a temperature sensor 12, a current sensor, and a voltage sensor, which are examples of terminal devices, and image information captured by the image capturing device 13 are obtained by the terminal device 14. Various signals of the obtained terminal information are collected by the gateway 3, and the terminal information is transmitted to the center server 6 of the home network center 5 via the Internet 4 or a public telephone line, where the signals are classified according to a predetermined standard. And stored in a database (not shown).

Then, the center server 6 further transmits the various terminal information received from the gateway 3 to the company server 7. The company server 7 constantly monitors the received various terminal information on the user building 2 with a plurality of displays and monitoring devices, and can detect, for example, occurrence of an abnormal event such as a short circuit.

On the other hand, when the user is away from the user building 2 such as a workplace, the customer of the website of the center server 6 of the home network center 5 is operated by the information terminal 8 such as the personal computer 9, the mobile phone 10, and the mobile computer 11. When the user accesses the customer site for the service and inputs a request for a report on the current state of the building 2 itself, for example, an image transfer request, to the center server 6, the center server 6 is communicably connected to the gateway 3 by callback connection means. 3 and receives the image or the completion of the image capture by e-mail to the information terminal 8 such as the personal computer 9 or the mobile phone 10 or the mobile computer 11 according to the e-mail address previously specified by the user. .

Next, the processing procedure of the callback connection means will be described with reference to FIG. Note that, as described above, in FIG. 1, circled numbers indicate the processing procedure of FIG. 1 only, irrespective of other figures, and are processed in ascending order.

First, when the center server 6 receives a request for a desired image transfer in its own building 2 from the user's mobile phone 10 or the like via the customer site, the center server 6 directly receives the request from the center server 6 via the Internet 4. Since the gateway 3 cannot be accessed, the center server 6 transmits a callback request signal to the gateway 3 via the second telecommunication line 16 other than the Internet 4 such as a pager communication line or a mobile phone line.

Next, upon receiving the callback request signal, the gateway 3 authenticates whether or not the communication has been made by the center server 6 of the predetermined home network center 5. Call back to the server 6 and return the data set. In addition,
If the data set is not returned from the gateway 3 within a predetermined period after the callback request signal is transmitted from the center server 6 to the gateway 3, the callback request signal is retransmitted a predetermined number of times, and the callback request is transmitted. repeat.

Thereafter, when the center server 6 receives this data set, it authenticates that the destination gateway 3 is the predetermined gateway 3, and then the center server 6 performs processing such as an image return request. The request content is written in the data set and returned to the gateway 3.

Next, the gateway 3 receiving this data set authenticates that the destination center server 6 is the predetermined center server 6, and then confirms the request content in the data set, and then Then, after confirming that there is no communication error in the data set, a reception confirmation notice is returned to the center server 6.

Thereafter, the gateway 3 decodes the contents of the request of the received data set, reads information corresponding to the request, for example, an image from the image capturing device 13, and returns the image information to the center server 6.

Next, the center server 6 stores the received image information, for example, in a predetermined database or the like, and informs the information terminal 8 such as the portable telephone 10 of the request that the image or the image capture is completed by mail. To deliver.

Therefore, according to the online system 1, the security and convenience against electric accidents and the like in the user building 2 can be improved, and the user can use the information terminal 8 such as the mobile phone 10 from a location. The home appliance information about the own building 2 can be obtained in real time at any time by mail distribution.

Since the center server 6 cannot directly access the gateway 3 of the user building 2 from the center server 6 via the Internet 4 by the callback connection means, unauthorized access to the gateway 3 of each user building 2 can be prevented, and communication can be prevented. Security can be improved.

FIG. 2 shows that in the online system 1, the distribution destination of the terminal information from the gateway 3 is determined by a plurality of business servers 7a, 7b,.
7n, a distribution destination selecting means of the center server 6 for selecting from the following:
The processing procedure by the distribution destination selection means of the center server 6 for selecting the distribution destination of the data or information from the business servers 7a to 7n from the plurality of gateways 3a, 3b,.

That is, the center server 6 uses the terminal information received from the gateways 3a to 3n and the correspondence table (data table) in which the distribution destination is set in advance based on the data received from the gateways 3a to 3n. Means for selecting an information distribution destination.

Therefore, first, when data obtained by various terminal devices 14 such as the temperature sensor 12 provided in the user building 2 is received by the gateway, for example, 3b, the data is transmitted from the gateway 3 to the center server 6 To the center server 6
The terminal information is authenticated by the central server 6 to determine what the event of the terminal information is, and according to a correspondence table (data table) that associates the event with its distribution destination, the terminal information is determined by a predetermined business server. 7a.

When it is determined from the correspondence table that the event of the data received from the gateways 3a to 3n by the center server 6 is an event to be delivered to a financial institution such as a bank such as a payment request, the terminal information is transferred to the bank or the like. Of the financial industry via the Internet 4.

Further, when the center server 6 determines that the event of the data received from the gateways 3a to 3n is, for example, a failure of a device such as a home appliance, the terminal information is transmitted to a device service (maintenance, repair) company such as a home appliance. It is distributed to the business server 7n. As described above, the center server 6 selects the distribution destination of the terminal information according to the event of the terminal information received from the gateways 3a to 3n.

On the other hand, the center server 6 is a business server 7a
To the business server 7a.
To gateways 3a to 3 of IP addresses designated by
n can be transferred or distributed by the callback connection means.

That is, when the center server 6 receives data or information from a required business server, for example, 7n, the destination is authenticated and then the transfer or distribution destination is selected and the designated destination is specified. gateway,
For example, it transmits to 3b.

The center server 6, each of the gateways 3a to 3n, and each of the business servers 7a to 7n
When communication is performed between the parties, authentication means for authenticating the communication destination is provided to improve the security of the communication between the three parties.

Therefore, according to the online system 1, by connecting the plurality of business servers 7a to 7n to the center server 6 as the business server 7, an online home control system, home banking, home trading, and home shopping can be achieved. In addition to providing various online services such as a repair service for home appliances and the like, the gateways 3a to 3n
Since the online from the Internet to the center server 6 via the public telephone line is shared by a plurality of operators, the cost can be reduced.

FIG. 3 shows that when an event indicated by the information detected by the terminal device 14 of the user building 2 occurs, the event is transmitted to a mail address designated in advance by the user in the form of at least one of image, voice and text. The processing procedure in the case of distribution from the server 6 is indicated by circled numbers.

That is, the gateway 3 reads the operating state such as ON / OFF of various sensors of the various terminal devices 14, and when the operating sensor is, for example, a current sensor, the building 3 leaks electric current. It is determined that an abnormal event such as the above has occurred, and the result of the determination is transmitted to the center server 6 as an event occurrence.

The center server 6 stores the received event in a database, distributes the received event to a business server 7 that handles the event, and transmits the received event to a user such as a portable telephone 10 whose mail address is specified in advance by the user. To the information terminal 8. At the time of the distribution, the server 6 appropriately controls the distribution data to a data amount and contents sufficiently displayed on the small display if the distribution destination is a portable telephone having a small display, for example. For example, the distribution data is processed and distributed so that an outline is displayed without displaying the details on the small display. It should be noted that the figure shows a step in which a reception confirmation notification is transmitted from the business server 7 to the center server 6 when the business server 7 receives information from the center server 6.

For this reason, when an event such as a short circuit occurs in the user building 2 by the information terminal 8 such as the portable telephone 10, the user always receives the event even at a place away from the building 2. be able to.

FIG. 4 shows the temperature sensors 12 and C of the user building 2.
The procedure for changing various setting values for driving the terminal device 14 such as the CD camera 13, the lighting device, the electric lock, the speaker as the sound output means, and the air conditioner by the user's information terminal 8 is indicated by circled numbers. .

That is, when the user accesses the customer site of the center server 6 with the information terminal 8 such as the mobile phone 10 to change the set value for the driving force of the terminal device 14, the center server 6 After authenticating whether or not this user is a legitimate setting change authority, and authenticating that the user is a legitimate authority, the user inputs a required setting change of the terminal device 14 on the customer site of the center server 6. I do. For example, when a change in the operation start time of the air conditioner of the controlled device 15 or a change in the set room temperature is input,
After the center server 6 records the setting change contents,
To send it to the predetermined gateway 3 directly or by the callback connection means.

Thus, the gateway 3 changes the setting of the predetermined controlled device 15 or the terminal device 14.
For example, the operation start time and the set room temperature of the air conditioner are changed, and a reception confirmation notification for confirming that a setting change request has been received from the center server 6 is transmitted to the center server 6 in the next step.

The center server 6 receives this acknowledgment notice, judges that the set value has been changed, and thereafter,
Then, the mail address of the setting changer is read, and the contents of the setting change are mailed to the information terminal 8 of the setting changer.

FIG. 5 shows a processing procedure in a case where the controlled device 15 which is a kind of the terminal device 14 is controlled at regular time or immediately, by circled numbers.

First, the user accesses the customer site of the center server 6 and registers a controlled device 15 to be controlled at a fixed time or immediately by menu selection or the like in advance.

Thereafter, the user accesses the customer site of the center server 6 with the information terminal 8. Then, the center server 6 authenticates, based on the user's ID number and password, whether or not the user is a user who has valid authority to control the controlled device 15,
After the authentication, the user sets on the customer site control contents including a control start time for controlling the controlled device 15 in a regular or immediate manner, which is registered in advance, by selecting a menu on the customer site.

Next, the center server 6 directly accesses the gateway 3 or transmits a callback request signal immediately or when the set time (regular time) is reached.

When the gateway 3 receives the callback request signal, the gateway 3 calls back to the center server 6 to return a data set, and receives the control content written in the data set from the center server 6. Therefore, the center server 6 requests the gateway 3 to control the controlled device 15.

Thereafter, the gateway 3 immediately or periodically controls the controlled device 15 with the contents according to the control request from the center server 6.

Next, the gateway 3 is controlled by the controlled device 1
The control server 5 transmits a control result such as a normal end or an abnormal end to the center server 6, and the center server 6 having received the control result transmits a reception confirmation notification to the gateway 3.

[0107] Thereafter, the center server 6 publishes it on a required page in the website, for example, my homepage, and searches for the mail address of the distributor based on the judgment of the control content set by the user. The result is mailed to the mail address distributor, that is, the user.

As a result, the user can appropriately select the controlled device 15 and can appropriately select the control content including the control start time, and also obtain the control result from the destination or the like by using the information terminal 8. Can be.

Further, since the detection information (terminal information) detected by the terminal device 14 such as an electric power integrator or a flow rate detector can be transmitted from the gateway 3 to the center server 6 at a fixed time, for example, the center server 6 or the business server On the side 7, periodic automatic meter reading of the electric energy and flow rate can be performed remotely. Further, when the detected values of the terminal devices 14 fluctuate abnormally, a failure of the terminal devices 14 can be detected, and conversely, when no abnormalities can be detected, the soundness of the detector can be detected. .

The controlled device 1 is controlled by the gateway 3.
5 is controlled, the state of the controlled device 15 is
Monitoring is performed from the output data and the like, and if an abnormality occurs, fail-safe control such as emergency stop of the operation of the controlled device 15 is performed, and the control process or result is mailed to the user's mail address. May be configured.

FIG. 6 shows the processing procedure of the center server 6 for recording (saving) a required image picked up by the user with the image capturing device 13 such as a CCD camera in the center server 6 by circled numbers. Next, this processing procedure will be described.

First, when there is an image that the user wants to record (save) in the center server 6, for example, when an image of a visitor who visits the user building 2 on a specified date is to be recorded, the building Various conditions, such as taking a picture for a predetermined time after the picture is started triggered by the operation of pressing the intercom at the entrance 2 as a trigger, are registered in advance in the center server 6 by the user through the customer site.

Thereafter, when the trigger registered by the user operates, for example, when the intercom at the entrance is pressed, the image capturing device 13 starts photographing the visitor and photographs for a predetermined period of time. Send to gateway 3.

Then, the gateway 3 determines the registered contents of the image and the like to be transmitted to the center server 6, and transmits image data corresponding to the registered contents to the center server 6 via the Internet 4.

Next, when the center server 6 receives the image data, the center server 6 performs data identification to determine what the data is. Thereafter, the center server 6 confirms the reception directly to the gateway 3 or by the callback connection means. On the other hand, while transmitting the notification signal, the center server 6 posts the image data received from the gateway 3 on the customer site, determines the registered contents registered by the user in advance, and according to the registered contents, An image capture completion notification for notifying that the capture of the desired image has been completed by searching the distributor mail address is delivered to the user's information terminal 8 by mail.

Next, when the user who has received the image capture completion notification by e-mail from the information terminal 8 accesses the customer site of the center server 6, the center server 6 has authority to view the image. When the user is authenticated as having the viewing authority, the user can view the image with the information terminal 8.

Therefore, according to this image recording and browsing method, a desired image can be recorded in advance in the center server 6 by the user, and the user can copy the image to the information terminal 8 even when the user is away from the user building 2. , And the user can know who the visitor is and so on.

Moreover, since the image desired by the user is captured by the image capturing device 13 and a notification to the effect that the recording to the center server 6 is completed is transmitted to the user, the user can capture or record the image. You can know when it is completed.

The image browsing service is described below.
By registering an ID number specifying the image capturing device 13 in the center server 6 in advance, an image photographed by the registered image capturing device 13 is recorded in the center server 6 and the information terminal 8 of the user You may comprise so that it may be browsed at any time.

[0120]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the server cannot directly access the gateway, unauthorized access to the gateway by a third party can be prevented. That is, by accessing the gateway from the server, it is possible to prevent the terminal information of the user collected through the terminal device by the gateway, in particular, the personal information of the user and the information relating to the private from being illegally acquired.

When a router is interposed between the server and the gateway, the server does not know the IP address of the gateway, so that the server cannot access the gateway or the IP address is DHCP (D
dynamic Host Configuration
In this case, the server cannot access the server directly because the IP address of the gateway is not known.

However, according to the present invention, the server accesses the gateway via the second telecommunication line such as a pager line or a portable telephone line different from the telecommunication line such as the Internet by the callback connection means. hand,
Since the gateway sends a callback request signal requesting that the server be called back, the server can always access the gateway from the server,
By giving a processing instruction or the like from the server to the gateway, necessary information from the gateway can be collected by the server.

Further, according to the present invention, the gateway cannot be directly accessed by the information terminal of the user, but the terminal information of the user transmitted from the gateway to the relay server is obtained by accessing the relay server. be able to.

Further, by connecting the servers of a plurality of businesses to the relay server for data communication freely, a computer network from a plurality of gateways to the relay server can be shared by the plurality of business servers, thereby reducing costs. Reduction can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram mainly showing an overall configuration of an online system and a procedure of a callback connection method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for mainly explaining a procedure for distributing terminal information about a user building to a plurality of business servers by a center server in accordance with an event of the information in the online system shown in FIG. 1; .

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for mainly explaining a procedure for distributing terminal information on a user building from a center server to a business server when an event of the information occurs in the online system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for mainly explaining a procedure in a case where various setting values for driving terminal information on a user building are changed by a user information terminal in the online system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram for mainly explaining a procedure in a case where a controlled device in a user building is controlled immediately or at a regular time in the online system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 mainly describes a procedure for recording (storing) an image taken by an image capturing device of a user building in a center server and searching and browsing by a user in the online system shown in FIG. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Online system 2 User building 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3n Gateway 4 Internet 5 Home network center 6 Home network center center server 7, 7a, 7b, 7n Business server 8 Information terminal 12 Smoke detection sensor 13 Image capture Device 14 Terminal equipment 15 Controlled device 16 Second telecommunication line

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04M 11/00 302 H04L 11/20 102A 5K101 (72) Inventor Yoshihiro Shimoda 1-1-1 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. 3 Tokyo Electric Power Company (72) Inventor Sou Suwa 1-3-1 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Tokyo Electric Power Company (72) Inventor Tomoki Yaguchi 1-1-3 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. F term (reference) 5K101 KK13 LL01 LL02 MM07 NN13 NN18 NN21 PP04 QQ11 RR15

Claims (21)

[Claims] 1. A communication system for a computer network, comprising: a gateway for collecting terminal information obtained by a terminal device; and a server for receiving the terminal information from the gateway via a telecommunication line. While allowing only one-way access to access the server via the telecommunication line, when accessing the gateway from the server, the server is accessed via a second telecommunication line other than the telecommunication line. A server sends a callback request signal for requesting a callback to the gateway, and the gateway receiving the callback request signal calls back via the telecommunications line. Receives the request and obtains the terminal information according to the request. Computer network communication system, characterized in that the call-back connection means for transmitting to the server from the gateways are provided. 2. The server retransmits the callback request to the gateway a predetermined number of times when the data format storing the request content of the server is not returned from the gateway within a predetermined time after transmitting the first callback request. 2. The communication system according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. A server according to claim 1, wherein said server and said gateway each have an authentication means for authenticating each communication destination at the time of communication between them.
Or a communication system for a computer network according to 2. 4. A plurality of gateways for collecting terminal information obtained by a terminal device, and a business provided by a business operator using the terminal information and receiving the terminal information via a telecommunication line. In a communication system of a computer network having a server, interposed between each of the gateways and the business server, relaying the terminal information from the gateway to the business server, while from the user information terminal A communication system for a computer network, comprising: a relay server that distributes the terminal information of the user in response to the access. 5. A plurality of gateways for collecting terminal information acquired by terminal equipment, and a business provided by a business operator using the terminal information and receiving the terminal information via a telecommunication line. In a communication system of a computer network having a terminal server, the terminal information from each of the gateways is interposed between the two so that the terminal information is not directly received by the carrier server, and the terminal information from the gateway is transmitted to the carrier server. A relay server that relays the terminal information of the user in response to the access from the information terminal of the user, while relaying the information to the user. 6. The relay server has a plurality of servers, and the relay server presets distribution destinations to be distributed from the relay server to the plurality of provider servers according to the event of the terminal information. The communication system according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising a distribution destination selecting means for selecting a distribution destination. 7. The relay server further includes a distribution content selection unit that selects a distribution content of the terminal information distributed from the relay server to the plurality of business servers according to an event of the terminal information. 4. The method according to claim 4, wherein
7. A communication system according to claim 6, wherein the communication system is a computer network. 8. The relay server includes a distribution medium selecting unit that selects a distribution medium such as a voice, an image, a text, or the like set in advance according to an event of the terminal information and distributes the distribution medium to a distribution destination. The communication system for a computer network according to claim 4, wherein: 9. The relay server according to claim 1, further comprising means for automatically distributing, when an event specified by a user occurs in advance, the event to a delivery destination of a mail address specified by the user in advance. The communication system of a computer network according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein 10. The computer network communication system according to claim 1, wherein said relay server includes a distribution data processing unit that changes a distribution amount and contents of distribution data according to a distribution destination. 11. The one-way access from the gateway to the relay server via the telecommunication line is enabled, while the relay server accesses the gateway when the gateway other than the telecommunication line is used. Transmitting a callback request signal for requesting a callback from the relay server to the gateway via the second telecommunication line, the gateway receiving the callback request signal calling back via the telecommunication line, The method according to claim 1, further comprising: callback connection means for receiving a request from the relay server at the time of the callback and transmitting the terminal information corresponding to the request from the gateway to the relay server. The communication system of a computer network according to any one of claims 4 to 10. 12. A communication system for a computer network, comprising: a gateway for collecting terminal information acquired by a terminal device; and a server for receiving the terminal information from the gateway via a telecommunication line. Is at least a part of electrical equipment installed in a building such as a user's house or office, in which the gateway and a controlled device controlled by the gateway are installed, and the gateway is the server A communication system for a computer network, comprising: means for controlling the controlled device in accordance with a control request input to the website by an information terminal accessing the website. 13. A communication system for a computer network according to claim 12, comprising the callback connection means according to claim 1. 14. The computer network according to claim 12, wherein said gateway includes transmission means for transmitting terminal information collected from said terminal device to a server at any time, at any time, or at a regular time. Communication system. 15. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein at least one of said terminal devices is an image capturing means, and said gateway includes a video transmitting means for automatically transmitting a video image captured by said image capturing means to a relay server. Item 15. A communication system for a computer network according to any one of Items 12 to 14. 16. At least one type of the terminal device is an imaging unit, and the relay server receives and stores the video imaged by the imaging unit via a gateway,
The computer network according to any one of claims 12 to 15, further comprising video distribution means for distributing the video to the information terminal in response to a search / browsing request from a user's information terminal. Communications system. 17. The image pickup means includes means for starting an image pickup operation when a preset drive of a terminal device or an image pickup request from a user's information terminal to a relay server is made. A communication system for a computer network according to claim 15. 18. The communication system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the controlled devices is an electric lock that is controlled to be opened and closed by a gateway. 19. The lighting device according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the controlled devices is a lighting device whose brightness is controlled on / off by a gateway.
A communication system for a computer network according to claim 1. 20. The communication system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the controlled devices is audio output means controlled by a gateway. 21. The electric equipment according to claim 12, wherein the electric equipment is a current sensor and a voltage sensor which respectively detect a current and a voltage of an indoor power distribution system of the building and transmit the respective detected values to the gateway as terminal information. 21. The communication system for a computer network according to any one of items 20 to 20.