JP2004304709A - Network apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain physical connection of each household appliance in a home network without the need for a user to make troublesome registration. <P>SOLUTION: A network apparatus can directly or indirectly make communication with a public network 001. Then the network apparatus 007 includes at least a primary port whereby the public communication network 001 can make communication; a plurality of secondary ports whereby household electric appliances can make communication; and a connection control section 007A for making connection with the ports including the primary port and a plurality of the secondary ports on the basis of an instruction of a user. The connection control section 007A has a particular function for particularizing a household electric appliance independently of the prescribed setting processing of the household electric appliance arranged to each port in the case of making connection among the ports on the basis of the instruction of the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a network device, and more particularly, to a network device related to an Internet technology such as a home network and a home appliance control technology.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a home network using an IP network (for example, the Internet), a form in which a user watches a video reproduced by a recording device having a network communication function such as a hard disk recorder or a DVD recorder from a television set in a living room. Therefore, if there is a need to connect and view the stream played as it is on another TV set in the user's private room, control the connection between each device on the home network, and furthermore, It is conceivable to dynamically switch and control the connection between the recording device and the television by using a home controller that controls the individual control and the like.
[0003]
In addition, refer to Patent Document 1.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-340065
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in order for home electric appliances connected to the home network to perform communication without being limited to the above-described recording apparatus, it is necessary to solve a problem concerning acquisition of an IP address.
[0006]
A device connected to the home network obtains an IP address from a device name of a communication destination such as NetBIOS (Network Basic Input Output System) or a domain name of a communication destination such as DNS (Domain Name System). If all devices on the home network are equipped with a unit for acquiring an IP address, etc., each device will acquire the IP address of the communication partner almost automatically by registering the device name and domain name. Can be.
[0007]
However, even such simple registration is a difficult operation for some general users with a wide range of age groups, and does not adopt the above-mentioned unified protocol or is not compatible. When a device that does not use a protocol exists in the home network, the IP address of the communication destination must be set directly to the device, and the first problem is that the user needs more advanced network skills. is there.
[0008]
In the first place, it is considered that it takes much more years to establish and penetrate the unified standard for home electric appliances adopting the unified protocol as described above.
[0009]
The fact that the unified standard has not been established means that not only the protocol for obtaining the IP address for each device but also the setting of the destination address from the external device required by the home controller to each device, the ON / OFF of the power supply, etc. Is not mounted, or a standard unique to each company is adopted. This has led to the background that products such as home controllers that can control each other beyond the manufacturer's wall are not feasible.
[0010]
Further, as a second problem common to home networks centering on high-rate transmission of high-definition video and DVD audio, there is a concern about an increase in traffic.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an invention according to claim 1 is a network device provided in a network to which a plurality of communication terminals are connected, wherein the network device has at least a public network for communication. A possible primary port, a plurality of secondary ports with which the communication terminal can communicate, and a connection control unit, wherein the connection control unit identifies a communication terminal connected to each secondary port. Storage means for storing identification information, a connection circuit for referring to the identification information and connecting at the physical layer level so that communication can be performed only between the specified ports, and a connection circuit arranged between the specified ports Means for reading packet data output by the communication terminal of the communication terminal, and a communication means for trying to communicate packet data read from the one port to all ports. It has the door is only the network device through which the packet data to the communication terminal which is arranged to the connected other port at the physical layer level by the connection circuit.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the MAC address (media access control address) and the IP address (Internet protocol address) in the packet data output from one of the communication terminals are unicast, While the data is input to one port where the one communication terminal is arranged and output from the other port where the other communication terminal is arranged, a process of replacing the MAC address and the IP address with broadcast is performed. A network device according to claim 1.
[0013]
This makes it possible for each home appliance to dynamically switch the port to which the connector is connected, regardless of whether the home appliances connected to the home network adopt the unified protocol. Allows selection.
[0014]
Further, since this means controls the connection of the path for each port, the effect of reducing the influence of traffic can be obtained.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
2 shows the network configuration of FIG. In the following description, the use of the network device will be described assuming a home network constructed in a home.
[0016]
A wireless LAN compatible PDA (personal digital assistance) 002 and a wireless LAN compatible digital camera 003 are linked to a public network 001 including the Internet (public IP network) and a public wireless LAN network.
[0017]
In the home 004, a network termination device 005 that terminates the public network is connected. The network termination connection device 005 differs in termination method such as ADSL (Asymmetric: Digital: Subscriber: Line) and FTTH (Fiber: To: The: Home) depending on the type of the physical line that the user has drawn into the house. In addition, a function such as a broadband router may be included.
[0018]
A personal computer 006 is directly connected to the network terminating device 005, and a primary port of the network device 007 is connected to the other.
[0019]
The network device 007 has at least a primary port capable of communicating with a public network, a plurality of secondary ports capable of communicating with the communication terminal, and a connection control unit 007A.
[0020]
The connection control unit 007A has a storage unit for storing identification information for identifying a communication terminal (in this example, a home electric appliance) connected to each secondary port. Here, the identification information is, for example, a serial number or the like that can specify the maker, model, and the like of the information terminal. This identification information can be automatically acquired when, for example, the user connects the information terminal to the above-described primary port. Further, the user may directly input the identification information to the network device (this input is simply performed by inputting a number, so that the identification information can be easily performed without knowledge such as network setting). This eliminates the need for the user to make settings for each home appliance. Further, the information on the connection between each communication terminal (home electric appliance or the like) once set and the network device 007 is retained even when the power is turned off, for example.
[0021]
Then, there is provided a connection circuit that refers to the identification information and connects at the physical layer level so that only the specified ports can communicate. That is, for example, when the user operates to transmit data from the A port to the B port, the connection circuit switches the circuit so that the physical wiring through which the data flows flows only from the A port to the B port. Switch. In other words, the connection relationship other than the port A and the port B is interrupted. Since it is possible to know which information terminal is connected to each port from the identification information, it is possible to easily switch the connection between the ports.
[0022]
And means for reading packet data output from one communication terminal disposed between the specified ports, and communication means for attempting to communicate packet data read from the one port to all ports. are doing.
[0023]
Thereby, the packet data flows only to the communication terminal arranged at the other port connected at the physical layer level by the connection circuit. Thereby, packet data can be transmitted to a specific communication terminal without performing the setting process of each communication terminal.
[0024]
Here, an example of the operation of the communication means when receiving packet data from the Internet will be described. Each packet data received from the Internet includes an IP address and a MAC address. For example, a MAC address (media access control address) and an IP address (Internet protocol address) in packet data output from one communication terminal are included. In the case of unicast, while the packet data is input to one port where the one communication terminal is arranged and output from the other port where the other communication terminal is arranged, the MAC address, A process for replacing the IP address with a broadcast is performed.
[0025]
Thus, even when the IP address and the MAC address are included in the packet data captured from the Internet (when the primary port is designated as the capture destination), the packet data can be transmitted to a specific communication terminal.
[0026]
The above-described IP address and MAC address will be described. An IP address (Internet protocol address) refers to an identification number assigned to each computer connected to an IP network such as the Internet or an intranet. The MAC address (media access control address) refers to an ID number unique to each Ethernet (registered trademark) card. A unique number is assigned to each Ethernet card in the world, and data is transmitted and received between the cards based on the number. Also, the number is represented by a combination of a number unique to each manufacturer and a number uniquely assigned to each card by the manufacturer.
[0027]
The above-mentioned broadcast and unicast will be described. That is, broadcast refers to communicating data to an unspecified number of partners in a network. This is done by specifying a special address that means the entire network. Thus, when data is distributed by broadcast, the data is distributed to all communication terminals connected to the network registered in the network device in advance. Unicast refers to transmitting data to a specific destination by designating a single address in a network.
[0028]
The secondary port of the network device 007 has a plurality of wired port connectors and a wireless LAN access point function.
[0029]
In FIG. 1, a television (1) 008 is connected to a wired port A, a television (2) 009 is connected to a port B, a recording device 010 is connected to a port C, and a slave that operates in conjunction with the network device 007 is connected to a port D. The television (3) 012 is connected to the port E and the refrigerator 013 is connected to the port F via the hub device 011.
[0030]
The wireless camera 014 and the wireless remote controller 015 are linked to the wireless LAN access point function of the network device 007.
[0031]
The type of the home network in the example of FIG. 1 is an IP network.
[0032]
Next, referring to FIG. 2, the user remotely operates the network device 007 via the wireless remote controller 015, reproduces the video recorded on the recording device 010 and views it on the television (1) 008, and thereafter, the user An example of a sequence in a case where the television (1) 008 is switched to the television (2) 009 for viewing by operating the wireless remote controller 015 again will be described.
[0033]
FIG. 2 is a sequence example schematically showing control between devices and exchange of data, and a protocol in a lower layer such as a link layer is omitted.
[0034]
The network device 007 in this example allows a user to remotely control the network device 007 by using a wireless remote controller 015 linked to the network device 007 via a wireless LAN.
[0035]
This operation allows the user to control the connection between the devices on the home network through the network device 007.
[0036]
In FIG. 2, when the user operates the wireless remote controller 015, the user operates the user through the user interface means of the application executed by the wireless remote controller 015 (050).
[0037]
The user operates the user interface to establish a connection between the recording device 010 and the television (1) 008 in order to view the video source recorded on the recording device 010 on the television (1) 008. I do.
[0038]
In response to this setting, a “connection establishment request” 051 is transmitted from the wireless remote controller 015 to the network device 007. Upon receiving the request packet, the connection control unit 007A sets a connection between the port C to which the recording device 010 is connected and the port A to which the television (1) 008 is connected, among the secondary ports of the network device 007. (052).
[0039]
The connection control unit 007A controls the establishment / release of the connection including the port E and the port F by controlling the secondary hub port A to the port D and the slave hub device 011 connected via the network. I do.
[0040]
The recording device 010 connected to the port C, which is requested by the “connection establishment request” 051 among the connectors from the port A to the port F, reproduces the recorded video and receives the television (1) 008 connected to the port A. The method of establishing a connection for realizing the connection realizes electrical connection by hardware bypass at the physical layer level between the port C and the port A.
[0041]
If the ports are hardware-bypass-coupled, the destination MAC address (media access control address) of the data link level format from the recording device 010 should normally be received by the other device to receive the data output of the recording device 010. And the destination IP address (Internet protocol address; the same applies hereinafter) in the IP packet format.
[0042]
In this example, since the destination MAC address and the destination IP address in the packet output from the recording device 010 are unicast, the recording is not dependent on the communication protocol installed in each home appliance. While the data packet of the device 010 is input to the port C and output from the port A, the connection control unit 007A replaces both the destination MAC address and the destination IP address with the broadcast. As a result, the packet data is transmitted to all the home appliances, but only the electrically connected television (1) 008 can receive the packet data.
[0043]
In detail, the packet data is transmitted to all the home appliances connected to the network device 007. It is premised that the user uses the controller to send the home appliance to the transmission side and the home appliance to the reception side. Is specified, the home appliances specified by the user are electrically connected to each other in a one-to-one manner. As a result, data flows only to the home appliances in a connection relationship, so that the home appliances can be specified without performing a predetermined setting for the home appliances. .
[0044]
This process is similarly performed on a packet output from the television (1) 008 to the recording device 010.
[0045]
When the connection between the port C and the port A is established, the wireless remote controller 015 is notified that the connection between the recording device 010 and the television (1) 008 has been established by "connection establishment notification" 053.
[0046]
Next, only when the television (1) 008 has a control interface that can be controlled by the network device 007, the control sequence 054 turns on the power if the power is off, and sets the video display channel to the network. Perform a series of automatic operations such as matching.
[0047]
If the television (1) 008 does not have a control interface that can be controlled by the network device 007, the control sequence 054 is not executed and the user manually operates the television (1) 008 by using a dedicated remote controller. I do.
[0048]
Similarly, when the recording device 010 has a control interface that can be controlled by the network device 007, a control sequence 055 is executed to perform automatic operations such as cueing and playback of video from power-on.
[0049]
If the recording device 010 does not have a control interface that can be controlled by the network device 007, the control sequence 055 is not executed, and the user manually operates the recording device 010 as usual using a dedicated remote controller for the recording device 010.
[0050]
The playback stream, which is video data, is output from the recording device 010 to the television (1) 008 by the automatic control or the manual operation by the user as described above. Note that transmission and reception of control packets in the process up to this point use the TCP protocol, and transmission and reception of data of the reproduction stream use the UDP protocol.
[0051]
The playback stream 056 is output from the recording device 010 and input to the port C of the network device 007. Next, as described above, the address processing 057 by the connection control unit 007A outputs the destination MAC address and the destination IP address as broadcast. The stream is output from the port A as the reproduction stream 058, and the television (1) 008 receives the stream.
[0052]
Next, the user operates the wireless remote controller 015, and the user sets the application to switch the television being viewed from the television (1) 008 to the television (2) 009 while keeping the playback stream output from the recording device 010 as it is. This is performed by operation 059.
[0053]
In response to this setting, a “connection establishment request” 060 is transmitted from the wireless remote controller 015 to the network device 007. Upon receiving the request packet, the connection control unit 007A sets a connection between the port C to which the recording device 010 is connected and the port B to which the television (2) 009 is connected, among the secondary ports of the network device 007. (061), and notifies the wireless remote controller 015 by "connection establishment notification" 062.
[0054]
Next, a control sequence 063 for setting the television (2) 009 to the reception mode from the network is performed as necessary. As described above, when the television (2) 009 does not have an appropriate control sequence, the user manually performs the same setting and operation.
[0055]
Here, the user does not perform an operation of stopping the reproduction by pausing the recording apparatus 010, and the reproduction stream is being output. Therefore, the control sequence to the recording apparatus 010 is not performed here.
[0056]
The playback stream 064 output from the recording device 010 is input to the port C of the network device 007 in the same manner as when the user was watching on the television (1) 008, and the destination MAC address and the destination IP Since the address is replaced with the broadcast, it is output to all the home appliances, but only the electrically connected television (2) 009 receives.
[0057]
That is, the output reproduction stream 066 becomes the port B, and the television (2) 009 receives and displays the video.
[0058]
Further, in the present invention, the connection control unit 007A also performs connection control on the ports E and F in the slave hub device 011 in the same manner.
[0059]
The network device 007 and the slave hub device 011 are connected by an IP network like other home appliances, but have a control interface for distributing connection control from the network device 007 using a plurality of slave hub devices.
[0060]
Further, in the present invention, a similar connection can be established to a linked device even in a wireless LAN network constructed by the network device 007.
[0061]
In the example of FIG. 1, the images taken by the wireless camera 014 attached outside the entrance or the like can be viewed from the television (1) 008 to the television (3) 012 on the television in the current room and the primary side. The output to the port can also be controlled, and the image of the wireless camera can be monitored by the wireless LAN compatible PDA 002 at a destination.
[0062]
Although the independent network device 007 has been illustrated as a device realizing the present invention, the network device 007 may be incorporated in a home electric appliance such as a television or a recording device incorporating the connection control unit 007A. Furthermore, the concept of the slave hub device is introduced for the main control unit of the connection control, and the purpose is to absorb the problem of the physical cable length by the dispersed slave hub devices, and directly to the main control unit. The same effect as connecting to is obtained.
[0063]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be embodied in other modes by making appropriate changes.
[0064]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the application of the means for controlling the connection of the home network is performed in a state where the unified standard of the home network is not realized or in a transitional period in which unification is progressing. Can establish a network connection between devices without requiring the user to perform a complicated registration operation even if there is no means for automatically acquiring the IP address of the opposite home device. This has the effect of not requiring the implementation of a protocol.
[0065]
For example, due to the problem of the unified standard of the home network, etc., there is no means for automatically acquiring the IP address of the communication partner device. Even if it is required to manually register the IP address, device name, etc., if this is set to the temporary address setting such as broadcast or the default setting, the connection control device will input from the port and the connection will be established. The address is automatically converted in the process of outputting from the other port.
[0066]
In addition, the present invention realizes a one-to-one connection while belonging to a home network by means of a port-to-port hardware connection by means of connection control, so that unnecessary packets do not flow to the network. Is obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a configuration of an entire network according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a sequence between devices.
[Explanation of symbols]
001 Public network 002 Wireless LAN compatible PDA
003 Digital camera for wireless LAN 004 In-home 005 Network termination device 006 Personal computer 007 Network device 007A Connection control unit 008 Television (1)
009 TV (2)
010 Recording device 011 Slave hub 012 TV (3)
013 Refrigerator 014 Wireless camera 015 Wireless remote control

Claims (2)

In a network device provided in a network to which a plurality of communication terminals are connected,
The network device has at least a primary port capable of communicating with a public network, a plurality of secondary ports capable of communicating with the communication terminal, and a connection control unit,
The connection control unit,
Storage means for storing identification information for identifying a communication terminal connected to each secondary port;
With reference to the identification information, a connection circuit that connects at the physical layer level so that only the specified ports can communicate,
Means for reading packet data output by one of the communication terminals disposed between the specified ports,
Communication means for attempting to communicate packet data read from said one port to all ports,
A network device, wherein packet data flows only to a communication terminal arranged at the other port connected at the physical layer level by the connection circuit. When the MAC address (media access control address) and the IP address (Internet protocol address) in the packet data output from one communication terminal are unicast, the communication means transmits the packet data to the one communication terminal. 2. A process for changing the MAC address and the IP address to broadcast while inputting to one of the arranged ports and outputting from the other port to which the other communication terminal is arranged. The network device as described.

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