JP2005339174A - Information processing system, information processing method, and computer program therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To grasp surplus throughput in each appliance composing a system, and to perform the suitably distributed processing of a function whose processing is ordered on one certain appliance. <P>SOLUTION: A plurality of CE (Consumer Electronic) appliances are connected to a home network at each room in a home and cooperation action is possible. A user maps the arrangement of physical rooms, setting the place of each appliance, and functions of each appliance through the specialized GUI screen. This system decentralizes a noise generation space by the function supplementation of distributed appliances, selecting automatically appliances whose noise become small for the user considering the physical position information of the user when the system obtains the function requested by the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and a computer program for coordinating operations between two or more devices connected via a network, and in particular, a plurality of devices connected to a network perform distributed processing by cooperative operation. Thus, the present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and a computer program that virtually operate as one device.

  More specifically, the present invention grasps the surplus processing capability in one virtual device composed of a plurality of devices connected to the network, and distributes the functions instructed to be processed on one device. The present invention relates to an information processing system and an information processing method for performing processing, and a computer program.In particular, in an environment where a plurality of devices installed in each room in a home operate in cooperation with each other, considering the physical position of the user, The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and a computer program that perform distributed processing of functions instructed by a user.

  It is known that information resources can be shared, hardware resources can be shared, and collaboration among a plurality of users can be realized by interconnecting a plurality of computers via a network. As connection media between computers, there are various types such as a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), and the Internet.

  Recently, in particular, technologies such as computers and networks have deeply penetrated into ordinary homes. Information devices such as personal computers and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) in the home, AV devices such as television receivers and video playback devices, various information appliances, and CE (Consumer Electronics) devices are mutually connected via the home network. It is connected. Such home networks are often interconnected to external wide area networks such as the Internet via routers.

  In this way, a usage form in which a plurality of AV devices are connected to the home network is assumed, but there has been a problem that until now, the AV devices have not been sufficiently linked.

  Recently, research and development related to grid computing technology that realizes high computing performance by cooperative operation of devices in order to link devices on a network in order to cooperate with each other (for example, patent documents) 1-5).

  According to this grid computing technology, a plurality of information processing apparatuses on the network perform an emphasis operation to perform distributed processing, and can operate virtually as one information processing apparatus from the user.

  For example, when a plurality of information processing apparatuses having a recording reservation function are connected to a network, a recording reservation cooperation operation can be realized. In other words, when a plurality of information processing apparatuses link recording reservation operations via a home network, the information processing devices virtually operate as one recording device on the home network. Then, the user can make a recording reservation using any device connected to the home network using the user interface of any device. In addition, by exchanging schedule information such as recording reservations between information processing apparatuses and displaying the entire recording reservation program information in a merged form from the GUI of any information processing apparatus, Improves operability when setting recording reservation.

  Furthermore, by cooperation of such a recording reservation function, it is possible to simultaneously record programs with overlapping reservation times (so-called back programs). For example, if you want to schedule recording of multiple programs during the same time period, check the recording reservation status of another information processing device or the availability of an external recording unit on the GUI of a specific information processing device, Set recording reservation for the device.

  Similarly, the playback operation of the recorded content can be linked between a plurality of devices, and simultaneous and synchronous content playback can be realized. By cooperating with the content reproduction function, the concept of channel switching can be introduced in content reproduction by simultaneously and synchronously reproducing the content recorded by different devices.

  According to such a single virtual device, even if the hardware resource and processing capability of the single device cannot meet the request from the user, they cooperate and operate on the network. By utilizing the surplus processing capacity of other devices, it is possible to meet the user's request and to realize a service that is not realistic with one normal device.

  By the way, the information processing apparatus affects the indoor environment and atmosphere during operation. For example, in a disk-type storage device such as a hard disk or a CD / DVD, noise is generated by rotation of a drive motor during access operation to the recording surface, and silence is hindered. Further, during the arithmetic processing, as the operating rate of the processor in the apparatus increases, the amount of heat generation increases and the room temperature increases. At this time, if a semiconductor device composed of, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) or the like is placed in a high temperature environment, the failure rate increases or the operation decreases. Although it must operate, noise such as a blowing sound impairs the quietness of the room in which the information processing apparatus is operating.

  In general, coupled with higher performance of information processing devices, noise generated from the devices becomes difficult to ignore. For example, this problem becomes serious also in AV equipment installed in the home due to high performance, high functionality or multi-function by a multiprocessor configuration, and high image quality of a display device.

  For this reason, when an information processing apparatus such as a PC or AV device is arranged and used in each room of a general home, it is necessary to consider environmental problems, that is, the influence on the user who operates and uses the information processing apparatus. .

  In addition, when using the above-mentioned system that performs inter-device cooperative operation, when selecting an information processing device that actually implements the function, the physical location such as the room where the user is currently located, such as silence and room temperature changes, etc. We believe that this should be fully considered.

  Conventionally, many proposals have been made as means for solving the problem of noise given to users by information processing apparatuses. For example, a system (for example, see Patent Document 6) for eliminating and reducing sound signal noise generated from an electrical or electromagnetic noise source such as an AC-DC power converter used in a computer, headphones, A method for reducing ambient noise for use with boom headphones attached to a boom microphone device or the like (see, for example, Patent Document 7), and improving the access performance so as not to increase the rotation speed of the spindle motor more than necessary. Therefore, an information reproduction apparatus (for example, see Patent Document 8) recommended by rotational noise and vibration, a system for performing automatic volume adjustment control with respect to fluctuations in the signal level on the broadcast side such as CM (for example, Patent Document 9). For example).

  However, these are related to noise prevention that occurs in a single device. In a system in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses operate in cooperation via a network, the influence of noise generated by each apparatus on the user, that is, each room in the home When realizing a function in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses installed in the system cooperate with each other, a noise generation space composed of noise generated from each apparatus and a physical arrangement of users are not discussed.

JP 2002-342165 A JP 2002-351850 A JP 2002-358289 A JP 2002-366533 A JP 2002-366534 A Special Table 2002-537586 Japanese translation of PCT publication No. 2002-501623 WO00 / 74052 JP 2003-304590 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the technical problems as described above, and the main object of the present invention is to virtually perform a distributed process by a plurality of devices connected to the network through cooperative operation, thereby virtually as a single device. It is an object to provide an excellent information processing system, information processing method, and computer program that can operate suitably.

  A further object of the present invention is to identify a surplus processing capacity of each device constituting the system in a system that constitutes a virtual one device composed of a plurality of devices connected to the network, An object is to provide an excellent information processing system, information processing method, and computer program capable of suitably performing distributed processing of functions instructed to be processed on a device.

  A further object of the present invention is to provide a relationship between a noise generation space or heat generation space formed by device operation and a physical position of a user in an environment where a plurality of devices installed in each room in the home operate in a coordinated manner. In view of the above, it is an object to provide an excellent information processing system, information processing method, and computer program capable of performing distributed processing of functions instructed by a user.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and a first aspect thereof is an information processing system configured by a cooperative operation of a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to a network, and each information processing apparatus Has at least one executable function and holds attribute information.
Physical placement setting means for setting a physical placement for each information processing device connected to the network;
Information processing device information acquisition means for acquiring executable functions and attribute information from each information processing device connected to the network;
Functional unit management means for extracting functions that can be provided by using an information processing apparatus connected to the network and managing them as functional units;
It is an information processing system characterized by comprising.

  However, “system” here refers to a logical collection of a plurality of devices (or functional modules that realize specific functions), and each device or functional module is in a single housing. It does not matter whether or not.

  According to the information processing system according to the present invention, a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to the network can perform a distributed process through a cooperative operation, thereby virtually operating as one device.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, a system configuration in which information processing devices installed in each room in a home are connected via a home network and operate in cooperation with each other, each information processing device installed and each information processing device is configured. It is possible to present a GUI screen that maps the physical location of the device and the function units obtained by extracting functions that can be provided using any of the information processing devices into three layers and visually displays them.

  Therefore, the user can set the information processing apparatus and select functions via the GUI screen. When a function is selected, an information processing apparatus that can execute the function can be automatically selected for the user.

  Here, in a system environment in which each information processing device is installed in each room in the home, the physical arrangement setting means is for setting the number of floors and rooms in which each information processing device is installed. Provides a GUI screen.

  In addition, the information processing system according to the present invention includes a function presentation unit that presents a function icon for each functional unit, mapping each information processing device capable of executing the corresponding function, and a user operation for each function icon. User operation processing means for starting the corresponding processing may be further provided.

  The user operation processing means can acquire the physical arrangement of the user based on the place where the user operation is performed.

  Further, the user operation processing means responds to selection of the function icon based on the physical arrangement of the user and the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing apparatus capable of executing the instructed function. The information processing apparatus that actually executes the function is searched for. For example, by treating the noise level as attribute information, it is possible to automatically select the information processing apparatus having the lowest noise level, that is, the quietness in the room farthest from the room where the user is located.

  Further, the user operation processing means establishes a connection between information processing apparatuses that actually execute the function corresponding to each function icon in response to the application of the user operation for connecting the function icon. Good. In this case, the function presenting means displays a logical connection path between the function icons to which the information processing apparatuses to which the connection is established are mapped.

A second aspect of the present invention is an information processing system configured by a cooperative operation of a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network, and each information processing device has one or more executable functions,
Information processing device management means for managing physical arrangement, executable functions, and attribute information for each information processing device,
Functional unit management means for extracting functions that can be provided using information processing apparatuses connected to the network and managing them as functional units;
A function presentation means for presenting a functional unit to a user and receiving a function execution instruction;
An information processing device selecting means for searching for an information processing device that actually executes the function based on the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing device capable of executing the function instructed by the user;
It is an information processing system characterized by comprising.

  The information processing apparatus affects the indoor environment and atmosphere during operation. For example, during a hard disk access operation, noise is generated by the rotation of the drive motor, impairing silence.

  On the other hand, according to the second aspect of the present invention, when selecting an information processing apparatus that actually performs a function from among networked information processing apparatuses, the noise level of the apparatus operation and the room where the user is currently located By considering the above, it is possible to reduce the influence such as silence on the user who operates and uses the system at the time of operation.

  That is, the function presentation unit acquires the physical arrangement of the user when receiving a function execution instruction from the user, and the information processing device selection unit executes the physical arrangement of the user and the instructed function. Based on the physical arrangement and attribute information of each possible information processing device, an information processing device that actually executes the function is searched. Specifically, the information processing apparatus selection unit treats a noise level generated during function execution as attribute information of the information processing apparatus, and is quiet for a user among information processing apparatuses capable of executing the instructed function. Search for something expensive.

  The information processing apparatus selection unit searches for an information processing apparatus installed in a room different from the user and having the lowest noise level. If there are a plurality of information processing devices having the lowest noise level, the information processing device installed in the room farthest from the user is selected.

The third aspect of the present invention is an information processing system configured by a cooperative operation of a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network, and each information processing device has one or more executable functions,
In the first information processing apparatus that is executing the function, at least for realizing the function in the second information processing apparatus that can execute the same function in response to the temperature rise exceeding the predetermined threshold value. Entrust some processing,
An information processing system characterized by this.

  According to the information processing system of the present invention, a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to the network can perform virtual processing as a single device by performing distributed processing through cooperative operation. However, each information processing apparatus has a problem that during operation processing, the operating rate of the processor in the apparatus increases, so that the amount of heat generation increases and the room temperature increases. If the semiconductor is placed in a high temperature environment, the failure rate will increase or the operation will be reduced. Therefore, the fan motor must be operated for heat dissipation and cooling. The quietness of the room in operation is impeded.

  On the other hand, according to the third aspect of the present invention, when a temperature value of a processor in a device exceeds a predetermined threshold during execution of a function in a certain information processing device, the other information processing device performs at least processing. Some executions can be outsourced to suppress temperature rise. As a result, in a network environment in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses operate in a coordinated manner, the heat source is also distributed with the distribution of processing, so that a local high temperature state can be avoided. In addition, since the operation of the cooling fan can be suppressed, it is not necessary to bother the user with the blowing sound.

  Further, in each information processing apparatus, it is possible to avoid a decrease in operation due to a temperature increase of a semiconductor device such as a processor chip, or it is possible to avoid a decrease in performance by decreasing the clock speed of the processor due to the temperature decrease. In addition, the constraints on thermal design can be relaxed.

  In addition, when outsourcing processing, by selecting an information processing device installed in a low-temperature environment that requires heating as the outsourcer, the heat generated by the device is used as heating energy, and effective use of energy is achieved. Can be planned.

  Such system operation can be realized only by exchanging processor operating temperature data between information processing apparatuses in addition to distributed processing at the time of load distribution.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program written in a computer-readable format so as to execute processing for performing a cooperative operation by a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network on a computer system, Each information processing apparatus has one or more executable functions and holds attribute information.
A physical arrangement setting step for setting a physical arrangement for each information processing apparatus connected to the network;
Information processing device information acquisition step for acquiring executable functions and attribute information from each information processing device connected to the network;
A function unit management step of extracting a function that can be provided by using an information processing apparatus connected to the network and managing the function as a function unit;
A computer program characterized by comprising:

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program written in a computer-readable format so as to execute processing for performing a cooperative operation by a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network on a computer system. Each information processing device has one or more executable functions,
An information processing device management step for managing physical arrangement, executable functions, and attribute information for each information processing device;
A function unit management step for extracting a function that can be provided by using any one of the information processing apparatuses connected to the network and managing the function as a function unit;
A function presentation step of presenting a functional unit to the user and receiving an instruction to execute the function;
An information processing device selection step of searching for an information processing device that actually executes the function based on the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing device capable of executing the function instructed by the user;
A computer program characterized by comprising:

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program written in a computer-readable format so as to execute a process for performing a cooperative operation by a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network on a computer system. Each information processing device has one or more executable functions,
A device temperature comparison step for comparing operating temperatures of the respective information processing devices;
A process consignment step of entrusting the processing being executed in the information processing apparatus having a high operating temperature to the information processing apparatus having a low operating temperature;
A computer program characterized by comprising:

  The computer program according to each of the fourth to sixth aspects of the present invention defines a computer program described in a computer-readable format so as to realize predetermined processing on a computer system. In other words, by installing the computer program according to each of the fourth to sixth aspects of the present invention in the computer system, a cooperative action is exhibited on the computer system, and each of the first to third aspects of the present invention. The same effect as the information processing system according to the aspect can be obtained.

  Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present invention, an excellent information processing system and information processing method capable of suitably operating virtually as one device by performing distributed processing by a plurality of devices connected via a network through cooperative operation, In addition, a computer program can be provided.

  Further, according to the present invention, in a system that constitutes one virtual device constituted by a plurality of devices connected to the network, the surplus processing capacity of each device constituting the system is grasped, and one It is possible to provide an excellent information processing system, information processing method, and computer program capable of suitably performing distributed processing of functions instructed to be processed on the device.

  In addition, according to the present invention, in an environment in which a plurality of devices installed in each room in the home operate in cooperation, the noise generation space and heat generation space formed by the device operation and the physical position of the user In consideration of the relationship, it is possible to provide an excellent information processing system, information processing method, and computer program capable of performing distributed processing of functions instructed by a user.

  According to the present invention, the configuration of a system in which information processing apparatuses installed in each room in a home are connected via a home network and operate virtually as one information processing apparatus by a cooperative operation is provided. A GUI screen that maps information processing apparatuses, physical locations of the respective information processing apparatuses, and functional units obtained by extracting functions that can be provided using any of the information processing apparatuses into three layers and visually displays them. Can be presented. The user can perform setting operations such as setting of the information processing apparatus and function selection through the GUI screen by operating the cursor. When a function is selected, an information processing apparatus that can execute the function can be automatically selected for the user.

  In addition, according to the present invention, when the temperature value of the processor in the apparatus exceeds a predetermined threshold during execution of the function in a certain information processing apparatus, the execution of at least a part of the processing is entrusted to another information processing apparatus. Thus, the temperature rise can be suppressed. As a result, in a network environment in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses operate in a coordinated manner, the heat sources are also distributed along with the distribution of processing, so that a local high temperature state can be avoided. Further, in the original information processing apparatus, it is possible to avoid a decrease in operation due to a temperature increase of a semiconductor device such as a processor chip, or it is possible to avoid a decrease in performance by reducing the clock speed of the processor due to the temperature decrease. In addition, since the operation of the cooling fan can be suppressed, it is not necessary to bother the user with the blowing sound. In addition, when outsourcing processing, by selecting an information processing device installed in a low-temperature environment that requires heating as the outsourcer, the heat generated by the device is used as heating energy, and effective use of energy is achieved. Can be planned. Such system operation can be realized only by exchanging processor operating temperature data between information processing apparatuses in addition to distributed processing at the time of load distribution. In addition, since heat generation can be distributed along with load distribution, it is possible to relax the constraints on thermal design in individual information processing apparatuses.

  Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from more detailed descriptions based on embodiments of the present invention described later and the accompanying drawings.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

A. System configuration The present invention makes it easy and efficient to perform a recording reservation operation in each device set in different places by suitably linking operations between two or more information processing apparatuses via a home network. is there. In order to link devices on the network, grid computing technology is used to achieve high computing performance through cooperative operation of devices.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of a network system configured by applying grid computing.

  The network includes the Internet and other wide area networks, and private networks such as a LAN (Local Area Network) and a home network connected to the wide area network via a gateway or the like. The home network can be physically configured with a standard network interface such as 10BaseT, 100BaseTX, or Gigaether. Also, Upnp (Universal Plug and Play) can be used as a mechanism for finding other devices on the home network. According to Upnp, definition files described in XML (eXtended Markup Language) format are exchanged between devices connected to a network, and mutual authentication is performed through addressing processing, discovery processing, and service request processing. Alternatively, it can also be realized by broadcasting a packet describing prescribed device information in the same segment.

  A plurality of information processing apparatuses are connected on the network. Examples of information processing devices include AV devices equipped with recording media and having a recording reservation function, such as DVD recorders and HD recorders, or playback-only AV devices that do not have a recording function, such as compact discs, and other information A processing apparatus is mentioned. Another example of the information processing apparatus is a computer processing system such as a PDA or a personal computer. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, a plurality of information processing apparatuses 1, 2, 3, and 4 are connected via a network 9.

A-1. Information processing apparatus and information processing controller Information processing apparatuses 1, 2, 3, and 4 are, for example, various AV (Audio and Visual) devices and portable devices (described later).

  As illustrated, the information processing apparatus 1 includes an information processing controller 11 as a computer function unit. The information processing controller 11 includes a main processor 21-1, sub processors 23-1, 23-2, and 23-3, a DMAC (direct memory access controller) 25-1, and a DC (disk controller) 27-1. . The information processing controller 11 is preferably configured as a one-chip IC (integrated circuit).

  The main processor 21-1 performs schedule management of program execution (data processing) by the sub processors 23-1, 23-2, and 23-3, and general management of the information processing controller 11 (information processing apparatus 1). . However, a program other than the program for performing management in the main processor 21-1 can be configured to operate. In this case, the main processor 21-1 also functions as a sub processor. The main processor 21-1 includes an LS (local storage) 22-1.

  One information processing controller may include one sub-processor, but preferably a plurality of sub-processors. In the illustrated example, there are a plurality of cases. Each sub-processor 23-1, 23-2, 23-3 executes a program in parallel and independently under the control of the main processor 21-1, and processes data. Further, in some cases, the program in the main processor 21-1 can operate in cooperation with the programs in the sub processors 23-1, 23-2, and 23-3. The sub-processors 23-1, 23-2, and 23-3 also include LS (local storage) 24-1, 24-2, and 24-3, respectively.

  The DMAC (direct memory access controller) 25-1 accesses a program and data stored in a main memory 26-1 including a DRAM (dynamic RAM) connected to the information processing controller 11 without the intervention of a processor. It is. The DC (disk controller) 27-1 controls access operations to the external recording units 28-1 and 28-2 connected to the information processing controller 11.

  The external recording units 28-1 and 28-2 may be either a fixed disk (hard disk) or a removable disk. As the removable disk, various recording media such as MO (magnetic disk), CD ± RW, DVD ± RW and other optical disks, memory disks, SRAM (static RAM), ROM and the like can be used. The DC 27-1 is called a disk controller, but in short, is an external recording unit controller. As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing controller 11 can be configured so that a plurality of external recording units 28 can be connected.

  The main processor 21-1, the sub processors 23-1, 23-2, 23-3, the DMAC 25-1, and the DC 27-1 are interconnected by a bus 29-1.

  An identifier capable of uniquely identifying the information processing apparatus 1 on which the information processing controller 11 is mounted is assigned as an information processing apparatus ID to the information processing controller 11. Similarly, identifiers that can specify the main processor 21-1 and the sub processors 23-1, 23-2, and 23-3 are assigned as the main processor ID and the sub processor ID.

  Since the other information processing apparatuses 2, 3, and 4 are configured in the same manner, description thereof is omitted here. Here, even if the unit having the same parent number has a different branch number, the same function is assumed unless otherwise noted. In the following description, when the branch number is omitted, it is assumed that no difference due to the difference in the branch number occurs.

A-2. Access to Main Memory from Each Sub-Processor As described above, each sub-processor 23 in one information processing controller independently executes a program and processes data, but different sub-processors are the same in main memory 26. If data is read from or written to the area at the same time, data mismatch may occur. Therefore, the access from the sub processor 23 to the main memory 26 is performed according to the following procedure.

  FIG. 2A shows a location in the main memory 26. As shown in the figure, the main memory 26 is composed of memory locations that can specify a plurality of addresses, and an additional segment for storing information indicating the state of data is allocated to each memory location. The additional segment includes an F / E bit, a sub processor ID, and an LS address (local storage address). Each memory location is also assigned an access key to be described later. The F / E bit is defined as follows.

  The F / E bit = 0 indicates that the data being processed being read by the sub-processor 23 or invalid data that is not the latest data because it is empty, and cannot be read. The F / E bit = 0 indicates that data can be written to the memory location, and is set to 1 after writing.

  The F / E bit = 1 indicates that the data at the memory location has not been read by the sub-processor 23 and is the latest unprocessed data. The data in the memory location can be read and set to 0 after being read by the sub-processor 23. Further, the F / E bit = 1 indicates that the memory location cannot write data.

  Furthermore, it is possible to set a read reservation for the memory location in the state where the F / E bit = 0 (reading impossible / writing possible). When a read reservation is made for a memory location with the F / E bit = 0, the sub-processor 23 adds the sub-processor ID and LS of the sub-processor 23 as read reservation information to an additional segment of the memory location where the read reservation is made. Write the address.

  Thereafter, when data is written to the memory location reserved for reading by the sub-processor 23 on the data writing side and the F / E bit is set to 1 (readable / not writable), an additional segment is set in advance as read reservation information. Is read into the sub processor ID and LS address written in.

  When it is necessary to process data in multiple stages by a plurality of sub-processors, the sub-processor 23 that performs the process in the previous stage controls the processed data by controlling the reading / writing of data in each memory location in this way. Immediately after writing to a predetermined address on the main memory 26, it becomes possible for another sub-processor 23, which performs the subsequent processing, to read the pre-processed data.

  FIG. 2B shows the memory location in the LS 24 in each sub processor 23. As shown in the figure, the LS 24 in each sub-processor 23 is also composed of memory locations that can specify a plurality of addresses. An additional segment is similarly allocated for each memory location. The additional segment includes a busy bit.

  When the sub-processor 23 reads the data in the main memory 26 to the memory location of its own LS 24, it reserves by setting the corresponding busy bit to 1. No other data can be stored in the memory location where the busy bit is 1. After reading to the memory location of the LS 24, the busy bit becomes 0 and can be used for any purpose.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the main memory 26 connected to each information processing controller further includes a plurality of sandboxes that define areas in the main memory 26. The main memory 26 is composed of a plurality of memory locations, and the sandbox is a set of these memory locations. Each sandbox is assigned to each sub-processor 23 and can be used exclusively by the corresponding sub-processor. That is, each sub-processor 23 can use the sandbox assigned to itself, but cannot access data beyond this area.

  Further, in order to realize exclusive control of the main memory 26, a key management table as shown in FIG. The key management table is stored in a relatively high-speed memory such as SRAM in the information processing controller, and is associated with the DMAC 25. Each entry in the key management table includes a sub processor ID, a sub processor key, and a key mask.

  The process when the sub processor 23 uses the main memory 26 is as follows. First, the sub processor 23 outputs a read or write command to the DMAC 25. This command includes its own sub-processor ID and the address of the main memory 26 that is the use request destination.

  Before executing this command, the DMAC 25 refers to the key management table and checks the sub processor key of the sub processor of the use request source. Next, the DMAC 25 compares the checked sub-processor key of the use request source with the access key allocated to the memory location shown in FIG. Execute the above command only when two keys match.

  In the key mask on the key management table shown in FIG. 2C, when the arbitrary bit becomes 1, the corresponding bit of the sub-processor key associated with the key mask may become 0 or 1. it can.

  For example, assume that the sub-processor key is 1010. Normally, this sub-processor key only allows access to a sandbox with 1010 access keys. However, if the key mask associated with this sub-processor key is set to 0001, the match determination between the sub-processor key and the access key is masked only for the digit whose key mask bit is set to 1. The sub processor key 1010 enables access to a sandbox having an access key whose access key is either 1010 or 1011.

  As described above, the sandbox exclusivity of the main memory 26 is realized. That is, when it is necessary to process data in multiple stages by a plurality of sub-processors arranged in one information processing controller, only the sub-processor that performs the previous stage process and the sub-processor that performs the subsequent stage process, It becomes possible to access a predetermined address of the main memory 26, and data can be protected.

  Such exclusive memory control can be used as follows, for example. First, immediately after the information processing apparatus is activated, the key mask values are all zero. It is assumed that a program in the main processor is executed and operates in cooperation with a program in the sub processor. When the processing result data output by the first sub-processor is temporarily stored in the main memory and desired to be input to the second sub-processor, the corresponding main memory area must naturally be accessible from either sub-processor. is there. In such a case, the program in the main processor appropriately changes the value of the key mask and provides a main memory area that can be accessed from a plurality of sub processors, thereby enabling multi-stage processing by the sub processors. .

  More specifically, it is a multi-step process in the order of data from another information processing apparatus → processing by the first sub processor → first main memory area → processing by the second sub processor → second main memory area. When processing is performed, the second sub-processor cannot access the first main memory area with the following settings.

Sub-processor key of the first sub-processor: 0100
First main memory area access key: 0100,
Sub-processor key of the second sub-processor: 0101,
Second main memory area access key: 0101

  Therefore, by setting the key mask of the second sub processor to 0001, it is possible to allow the second sub processor to access the first main memory area.

A-3. 1. Generation and configuration of software cell In the network system of FIG. 1, a software cell is transmitted between information processing apparatuses 1, 2, 3, and 4 for distributed processing between information processing apparatuses 1, 2, 3, and 4. . That is, the main processor 21 included in the information processing controller in a certain information processing apparatus generates a software cell including a command, a program, and data, and transmits it to another information processing apparatus via the network 9 to perform processing. Can be dispersed.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of the software cell. The illustrated software cell includes a transmission source ID, a transmission destination ID, a response destination ID, a cell interface, a DMA command, a program, and data.

  The transmission source ID includes the network address of the information processing apparatus that is the transmission source of the software cell, the information processing apparatus ID of the information processing controller in the information processing apparatus, and the main processor included in the information processing controller in the information processing apparatus 21 and the identifiers (main processor ID and sub processor ID) of each sub processor 23 are included.

  The transmission destination ID and the response destination ID respectively include the same information about the information processing apparatus that is the transmission destination of the software cell and the information processing apparatus that is the response destination of the execution result of the software cell.

  The cell interface is information necessary for using the software cell, and includes a global ID, necessary sub-processor information, a sandbox size, and a previous software cell ID.

  The global ID uniquely identifies the software cell throughout the network, and is created based on the transmission source ID and the date and time (date and time) of creation or transmission of the software cell.

  In the necessary sub-processor information, the number of sub-processors necessary for executing the software cell is set. As the sandbox size, the amount of memory in the main memory 26 and the LS 24 of the sub processor 23 necessary for executing the software cell is set.

  The previous software cell ID is an identifier of the previous software cell in a group of software cells that request sequential execution of streaming data or the like.

  The execution section of the software cell is composed of DMA commands, programs, and data. The DMA command includes a series of DMA commands necessary for starting the program, and the program includes a sub processor program executed by the sub processor 23. The data here is data processed by a program including the sub processor program.

  Further, the DMA command includes a load command, a kick command, a function program execution command, a status request command, and a status return command.

  The load command is a command for loading information in the main memory 26 into the LS 24 in the sub processor 23, and includes a main memory address, a sub processor ID, and an LS address in addition to the load command itself. The main memory address indicates an address of a predetermined area in the main memory 26 from which information is loaded. The sub processor ID and the LS address indicate the identifier of the sub processor 23 to which the information is loaded and the address of the LS 24.

  The kick command is a command for starting execution of the program, and includes a sub processor ID and a program counter in addition to the kick command itself. The sub processor ID identifies the sub processor 23 to be kicked, and the program counter gives an address for the program execution program counter.

  The function program execution command is a command for requesting execution of a function program from another information processing apparatus to another information processing apparatus (described later). The information processing controller in the information processing apparatus that has received the function program execution command identifies a function program to be activated by a function program ID (described later).

  The status request command is a command for requesting transmission of device information related to the current operation state (situation) of the information processing device indicated by the transmission destination ID to the information processing device indicated by the response destination ID. Although the function program will be described later, it is a program categorized into the function program in the software configuration diagram stored in the main memory 26 of the information processing controller shown in FIG. The function program is loaded into the main memory 26 and executed by the main processor 21.

  The status reply command is a command in which the information processing apparatus that has received the status request command responds to the information processing apparatus indicated by the response destination ID included in the status request command with its own apparatus information. The status reply command stores device information in the data area of the execution section.

  FIG. 4 shows the structure of the data area of the software cell when the DMA command is a status return command.

  The information processing device ID is an identifier for identifying the information processing device including the information processing controller, and indicates the ID of the information processing device that transmits the status reply command. The information processing apparatus ID is included in the information processing controller in the information processing apparatus by the main processor 21 included in the information processing controller in the information processing apparatus when the power is turned on. It is generated based on the number of sub processors 23 to be processed.

  The information processing device type ID includes a value representing the characteristics of the information processing device. The features of the information processing apparatus mentioned here include, for example, a hard disk recorder (described later), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants), a portable CD (Compact Disc) player, and the like. The information processing device type ID may represent a function of the information processing device such as video / audio recording or video / audio reproduction. Values representing the characteristics and functions of the information processing device are predetermined. By calling the information processing device type ID, it is possible to grasp the characteristics and functions of the information processing device.

  The MS (master / slave) status indicates whether the information processing apparatus is operating as a master apparatus or a slave apparatus, as will be described later. When this is set to 0, it operates as a master apparatus. If it is set to 1, it indicates that it is operating as a slave device.

  The main processor operating frequency represents the operating frequency of the main processor 21 in the information processing controller. The main processor usage rate represents the usage rate in the main processor 21 for all programs currently running on the main processor 21. The main processor usage rate is a value representing the ratio of the processing capacity in use to the total processing capacity of the target main processor. For example, MIPS [Million Instructions Per Second], which is a unit for evaluating the processor processing capacity, is calculated as a unit. Or based on the processor usage time per unit time. The same applies to the sub-processor usage rate described later.

  The number of sub-processors represents the number of sub-processors 23 included in the information processing controller. The sub processor ID is an identifier for identifying each sub processor 23 in the information processing controller.

  The sub processor status represents the state of each sub processor 23, and there are states such as “unused”, “reserved”, and “busy”. “unused” indicates that the sub-processor is not currently used and is not reserved for use. “reserved” indicates a reserved state that is not currently used. Busy indicates that it is currently in use.

  The sub-processor usage rate represents the usage rate in the sub-processor for a program that is currently being executed in the sub-processor or that is reserved for execution in the sub-processor. That is, the sub processor usage rate indicates the current usage rate when the sub processor status is busy, and indicates the estimated usage rate that is to be used later when the sub processor status is reserved.

  One set of sub processor ID, sub processor status, and sub processor usage rate is set for one sub processor 23, and the number of sets corresponding to the sub processor 23 in one information processing controller is set.

  The total main memory capacity and the main memory usage represent the total capacity and the currently used capacity of the main memory 26 connected to the information processing controller, respectively.

  The number of external recording units represents the number of external recording units 28 connected to the information processing controller. The external recording unit ID is information that uniquely identifies the external recording unit 28 connected to the information processing controller. The external recording unit type ID represents the type of the external recording unit (for example, hard disk, CD ± RW, DVD ± RW, memory disk, SRAM, ROM, etc.).

  The external recording unit total capacity and the external recording unit usage amount represent the total capacity and the currently used capacity of the external recording unit 28 identified by the external recording unit ID, respectively.

  The external recording unit ID, the external recording unit type ID, the external recording unit total capacity, and the external recording unit usage amount are set for one external recording unit 28 and connected to the information processing controller. The number of sets is equal to the number of external recording units 28. That is, when a plurality of external recording units are connected to one information processing controller, different external recording unit IDs are assigned to the respective external recording units, the external recording unit type ID, the external recording unit total capacity, and the external recording unit. Department usage is also managed separately.

A-4 The main processor 21 included in the information processing controller in the information processing apparatus that executes the software cell generates the software cell having the above-described configuration, and the other information processing apparatus and the inside of the apparatus via the network 9 To the information processing controller. The transmission source information processing device, the transmission destination information processing device, the response destination information processing device, and the information processing controller in each device are identified by the transmission source ID, the transmission destination ID, and the response destination ID, respectively. .

  The main processor 21 included in the information processing controller in the information processing apparatus that has received the software cell stores the software cell in the main memory 26. Furthermore, the transmission destination main processor 21 reads the software cell and processes the DMA command included therein.

  Specifically, the transmission destination main processor 21 first executes a load command. As a result, information is loaded from the main memory address instructed by the load command into a predetermined area of the LS 24 in the sub processor identified by the sub processor ID and LS address included in the load command. The information loaded here is a sub-processor program or data included in the received software cell, or other designated data.

  Next, the main processor 21 outputs the kick command together with the program counter included in the kick command to the sub processor indicated by the sub processor ID included therein.

  The instructed sub processor executes the sub processor program according to the kick command and the program counter. After the execution result is stored in the main memory 26, the main processor 21 is notified that the execution has been completed.

  Note that the processor that executes the software cell in the information processing controller in the information processing apparatus of the transmission destination is not limited to the sub-processor 23, and the main processor 21 stores a program for main memory such as a function program included in the software cell. It can also be specified to execute.

  In this case, the transmission source information processing apparatus includes a main memory program and data processed by the main memory program instead of the sub processor program, and the DMA command is sent to the transmission destination information processing apparatus. A software cell as a load command is transmitted, and the main memory 26 stores the main memory program and data processed thereby.

  Next, the transmission source information processing apparatus identifies the main processor ID, the main memory address, and the main memory program for the information processing controller in the transmission destination information processing apparatus to the transmission destination information processing apparatus. And a software cell in which the DMA command is a kick command or a function program execution command, and causes the main processor 21 to execute the main memory program.

  As described above, in the network system according to the present embodiment, the transmission source information processing apparatus transmits the sub processor program or the main memory program to the transmission destination information processing apparatus using software cells, and the sub processor program is The sub processor 23 included in the information processing controller in the information processing apparatus of the transmission destination can be loaded, and the information processing apparatus of the transmission destination can execute the sub processor program or the main memory program.

  When the program included in the received software cell is a sub processor program, the information processing controller in the transmission destination information processing apparatus loads the sub processor program to the designated sub processor. Then, the sub processor program or the main memory program included in the software cell is executed.

  Therefore, even if the user does not operate the transmission destination information processing apparatus, the sub processor program or the main memory program can be automatically executed by the information processing controller in the transmission destination information processing apparatus.

  In this way, when the information processing controller in its own device does not have a main memory program such as a sub processor program or a function program, the information processing device receives them from another information processing device connected to the network. Can be acquired. Furthermore, data is transferred between each sub-processor by the DMA method, and the above-described sandbox is used, so that even if it is necessary to process data in multiple stages within one information processing controller, high speed and high security are achieved. The process can be executed.

A-5. Distributed Processing as Network System FIG. 5 shows a state in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses operate as one virtual information processing apparatus. As a result of distributed processing using software cells, as shown in the upper part of the figure, a plurality of information processing devices 1, 2, 3, and 4 connected to the network 9 It operates as one typical information processing apparatus 7. However, in order to realize such a virtual operation, the following processing needs to be executed with the following configuration.

A-6. System Software Configuration and Program Loading FIG. 6 shows the software configuration stored in the main memory 26 of each information processing controller. These software (programs) are recorded in the external recording unit 28 connected to the information processing controller before the information processing apparatus is turned on. Each program is classified into a control program, a function program, and a device driver according to functions or features.

  The control program is the same for each information processing controller, and is executed by the main processor 21 of each information processing controller, and includes an MS (master / slave) manager and a capacity exchange program described later.

  The function program is executed by the main processor 21, and a function program corresponding to the information processing apparatus is provided for each information processing controller such as recording, reproduction, and material search.

  A device driver is used for input / output (transmission / reception) of an information processing controller (information processing apparatus), such as broadcast reception, monitor output, bit stream input / output, network input / output, etc. Provided.

  When the information processing apparatus is physically connected to the network 9 by plugging in a cable or the like, the main power supply is turned on and the information processing apparatus is electrically and functionally connected to the network 9. The main processor 21 of the information processing controller of the information processing apparatus loads each program belonging to the control program and each program belonging to the device driver into the main memory 26.

  As a program loading procedure, the main processor 21 first reads the program from the external recording unit 28 by causing the DC 27 to execute a read command, and then causes the DMAC 25 to execute the write command to Write to memory 26.

  As for each program belonging to the function program, it may be configured to load only the necessary program into the memory when necessary, or, like programs belonging to other categories, each program is loaded immediately after the main power is turned on. You may comprise.

  Each program belonging to the function program does not need to be recorded in the external recording unit 28 of all information processing apparatuses connected to the network, but may be recorded in the external recording unit 28 of any one information processing apparatus. Since it can be loaded from another information processing apparatus by the above-described method, the function program can be executed as a single virtual information processing apparatus 7 as a result as shown in the lower part of FIG.

  Here, as described above, the function program processed by the main processor 21 may operate in cooperation with the sub processor program processed by the sub processor 23. Therefore, when there is a sub processor program that operates in cooperation with the target function program when the main processor 21 reads the function program from the external recording unit 28 and writes it to the main memory 26, the sub processor program also includes the same main program. It is assumed that data is written in the memory 26. In this case, there may be one or more sub-processor programs that operate in cooperation with each other. If there are a plurality of sub-processor programs, all sub-processor programs that operate in cooperation are written in the main memory 26. The sub processor program written in the main memory 26 is then written in the LS 24 in the sub processor 23 and operates in cooperation with the function program processed by the main processor 21.

  A sub processor program ID is also assigned to the sub processor program, whereby the sub processor program can be uniquely identified. The assigned sub-processor program ID is an identifier related to the function program ID of the function program that is the partner of the cooperative operation, for example, the function program ID as a parent number and a branch number added at the end. There may be an identifier that is not related to the function program ID of the function program that is the partner of the cooperative operation. In any case, when the function program and the sub processor program operate in cooperation, it is necessary to store the program ID which is the identifier of the other party in the own program. Even when the function program operates in cooperation with a plurality of sub processor programs, the function program stores the sub processor program IDs of all the sub processor programs.

  As shown in the software cell of FIG. 3, an identifier that can uniquely identify the program is assigned to the function program as the function program ID for each program. The function program ID is determined from the creation date and time, the information processing apparatus ID, and the like at the stage of creating the function program.

  The main processor 21 secures an area for storing device information (information regarding the operation state) of the information processing device on which the main processor 21 operates in the main memory 26, and records the information as a device information table of the own device. The device information referred to here is each information below the information processing device ID in the data area of the status reply command shown in FIG.

A-7. Determination of Master / Slave in the System In the above-described network system, when the main power supply to a certain information processing apparatus is turned on, the main processor 21 of the information processing controller of the information processing apparatus mains the master / slave manager (hereinafter referred to as MS manager). It is loaded into the memory 26 and executed.

  When the MS manager detects that the information processing apparatus on which it operates is connected to the network 9, it confirms the existence of another information processing apparatus connected to the same network 9. As used herein, “connection” or “presence” means that the information processing apparatus is not only physically connected to the network 9 but also electrically and functionally connected to the network 9. Indicates.

  In addition, an information processing apparatus in which the device operates is referred to as a self device, and another information processing device is referred to as another device. The apparatus also indicates the information processing apparatus.

  A method in which the MS manager confirms the presence of another information processing apparatus connected to the same network 9 will be described below.

  The MS manager generates a software cell in which the DMA command is a status request command, the transmission source ID and the response destination ID are the information processing apparatus, and the transmission destination ID is not specified, and the information processing apparatus is connected to the network. Send and set a timer for network connection confirmation. The timeout time of the timer is, for example, 10 minutes.

  When another information processing apparatus is connected to the network system, the other apparatus receives the software cell of the status request command, and sends it to the information processing apparatus that has issued the status request command specified by the response destination ID. On the other hand, the DMA command is a status return command, and a software cell including device information of itself (other device) is transmitted as data. The software cell of this status reply command includes at least information for identifying the other device (information processing device ID, information on the main processor, information on the sub processor, etc.) and the MS status of the other device.

  The MS manager of the information processing apparatus that has issued the status request command monitors the reception of the software cell of the status reply command transmitted from another apparatus on the network until the timer for network connection confirmation times out. As a result, when the status reply command indicating the MS status = 0 (master device) is received, the MS status in the device information table of the own device is set to 1. As a result, the device becomes a slave device.

  On the other hand, when no status reply command is received before the network connection confirmation timer times out, or when no status reply command indicating MS status = 0 (master device) is received, The MS status in the device information table of the own device is set to 0. This makes the device a master device.

  That is, if no information processing apparatus is connected to the network 9 in a state in which no apparatus is connected to the network 9 or a master apparatus does not exist on the network 9, the apparatus automatically becomes the master apparatus. Set as On the other hand, when a new information processing apparatus is connected to the network 9 in a state where a master apparatus already exists on the network 9, the apparatus is automatically set as a slave apparatus.

  For both the master device and the slave device, the MS manager periodically monitors the status of the other device by sending a status request command to the other device on the network 9 and inquiring status information. As a result, the main power source of the information processing apparatus connected to the network 9 is cut off or the information processing apparatus is disconnected from the network 9, so that the status from a specific other apparatus is determined within a predetermined period set in advance for determination. When there is a change in the connection state of the network 9, such as when a reply command is not returned or when a new information processing apparatus is connected to the network 9, the information is notified to the ability exchange program described later. .

A-8. Acquisition of device information in the master device and slave device When the main processor 21 receives an inquiry from another MS information processing device connected to the network 9 and a notification of completion of setting of the MS status of its own device, the capability exchange program Execute.

  When the own device is the master device, the capability exchange program acquires device information about all other information processing devices connected to the network 9, that is, device information of each slave device.

  As described above, the device information of the other device is obtained by generating a software cell in which the DMA command is a status request command and transmitting it to the other device, and then the DMA command is a status return command and as data. This is possible by receiving a software cell containing device information from another device.

  The capability exchange program sets an area for storing device information about all other devices (each slave device) connected to the network 9 in the same manner as the device information table of the device that is the master device. This information is secured in the main memory 26 and recorded as a device information table of another device (slave device). That is, the device information of all information processing devices connected to the network 9 including the device itself is recorded in the main memory 26 of the master device as a device information table.

  On the other hand, when the own device is a slave device, the capability exchange program obtains device information about all other devices connected to the network 9, that is, device information of each slave device other than the master device and the own device. The information processing apparatus ID and the MS status included in the apparatus information are acquired and recorded in the main memory 26 of the own apparatus. That is, the device information of the own device is recorded as a device information table in the main memory 26 of the slave device, and the master device connected to the network 9 other than the own device and the information processing device ID for each slave device. And the MS status are recorded as another device information table.

  Further, in both the master device and the slave device, when the capability exchange program is notified from the MS manager that the information processing device is newly connected to the network 9 as described above, the device of the information processing device Information is acquired and recorded in the main memory 26 as described above.

  Note that the MS manager and the capability exchange program are not limited to being executed by the main processor 21, but may be executed by any of the sub processors 23. The MS manager and the capability exchange program are preferably resident programs that always operate while the main power supply of the information processing apparatus is turned on.

A-9. When the information processing device is disconnected from the network , for both the master device and the slave device, the mains power of the information processing device connected to the network 9 is shut off from the MS manager as described above. Alternatively, when it is notified from the network 9 that the information processing apparatus has been disconnected, the apparatus information table of the information processing apparatus is deleted from the main memory 26 of the own apparatus.

  Further, when the information processing apparatus disconnected from the network 9 is a master apparatus, a new master apparatus is determined by the following method.

  For example, each of the information processing devices that are not disconnected from the network 9 replaces the information processing device ID of the own device and the other device with a numerical value, compares the information processing device ID of the own device with the information processing device ID of the other device, and When the information processing device ID of the own device is the smallest among the information processing devices that are not disconnected from the network 9, the slave device moves to the master device, sets the MS status to 0, and is described above as the master device. As described above, device information is acquired from all other information processing devices (each slave device) connected to the network 9 and recorded in the main memory 26.

A-10. Distributed processing based on device information To operate a plurality of information processing devices 1, 2, 3, 4 connected to the network 9 as a single virtual information processing device 7 as shown in the lower part of FIG. The master device needs to grasp the user operation and the operation state of the slave device.

  FIG. 7 shows a state in which four information processing apparatuses operate as one virtual information processing apparatus 7. In the illustrated example, it is assumed that the information processing apparatus 1 operates as a master apparatus, and the information processing apparatuses 2, 3, and 4 operate as slave apparatuses A, B, and C, respectively.

  When a user operates an information processing apparatus connected to the network 9, if the operation target is the master apparatus 1, the operation information is directly grasped by the master apparatus 1. If the operation target is a slave device, the operation information is transmitted from the operated slave device to the master device 1. That is, regardless of whether the user's operation target is the master device 1 or the slave device, the operation information is always grasped by the master device 1. The operation information is transmitted, for example, by a software cell whose DMA command is an operation information transmission command.

  Then, the main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the master device 1 selects a function program to be executed according to the operation information. At that time, if necessary, the main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the master device 1 may transfer the main memory 26-1 from the external recording units 28-1 and 28-2 of the own device by the above method. However, another information processing device (slave device) may transmit the function program to the master device 1.

  In the function program, required specifications related to the device such as information processing device type ID, main processor or sub-processor processing capacity, main memory usage, and conditions related to the external recording unit required for each execution unit (see FIG. 4) Is defined).

  The main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the master device 1 reads out the above required specifications necessary for each function program. Also, the device information table of each information processing device is read by referring to the device information table recorded in the main memory 26-1 by the capability exchange program in advance. The device information here is information related to the main processor, sub-processor, main memory, and external recording unit.

  The main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the master device 1 sequentially compares the device information of each information processing device connected on the network 9 with the required specifications necessary for executing the function program. To do.

  For example, when the function program requires a recording function, only the information processing apparatus having the recording function is specified and extracted based on the information processing apparatus type ID. Furthermore, a slave device that can ensure the conditions regarding the processing capability of the main processor or sub processor, the amount of main memory used, and the external recording unit necessary for executing the function program is specified as an execution request candidate device. Here, when a plurality of execution request candidate devices are specified, one execution request candidate device is specified and selected from the candidate devices.

  When the slave device to be executed is specified, the main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the master device 1 sets the main memory included in the information processing controller 11 in the own device for the specified slave device. The device information table of the slave device recorded in 26-1 is updated.

  Further, the main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the master device 1 generates a software cell whose DMA command is a function program execution command, and the cell interface of the software cell needs a function program related to the function program. Sub-processor information and sandbox size (see FIG. 3) are set and transmitted to the slave device requested to execute.

  The slave device requested to execute the function program executes the function program and updates the device information table of the own device. At that time, if necessary, the main processor 21 included in the information processing controller in the slave device, from the external recording unit 28 of the own device to the main memory 26 by the above method, the function program and the sub-operation that operates in cooperation with the function program Load the processor program.

  When the necessary function program or the sub processor program that operates in cooperation with the function program is not recorded in the external recording unit 28 of the slave device requested to execute the function program, the other information processing apparatus The system may be configured to transmit the sub-processor program to the functional program execution request destination slave device.

  The sub-processor program can be executed by another information processing apparatus using the aforementioned load command and kick command.

  After the execution of the function program, the main processor 21 included in the information processing controller in the slave device that has executed the function program transmits an end notification to the main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the master device 1. At the same time, the device information table of the own device is updated. The main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the master device 1 receives the end notification and updates the device information table of the slave device that has executed the function program.

  The main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the master device 1 identifies itself as an information processing device that can execute the function program from the reference result of the device information table of the own device and the other device. There is also a case of selecting. In that case, the master device 1 executes the function program.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, distributed processing when the user operates slave device A (information processing device 2) and another slave device B (information processing device 3) executes a function program corresponding to the operation. This will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 8, when the user operates the slave device A, distributed processing of the entire network system including the slave device A starts. First, the slave device A transmits the operation information to the master device 1. (Step 81).

  The master device 1 receives the operation information (step 72), and further checks the operation state of each information processing device from the device information table of the own device and other devices recorded in the main memory 26-1 of the own device. An information processing apparatus capable of executing a function program corresponding to the received operation information is selected (step 73). In the illustrated example, the case where the slave device B is selected is shown.

  Next, the master device 1 requests the selected slave device B to execute the function program (step 74).

  The slave device B receives the execution request (step 95), and further executes the function program requested to be executed (step 96).

  As described above, by operating only one information processing apparatus, the user operates a plurality of information processing apparatuses 1, 2, 3, and 4 without operating other information processing apparatuses. The information processing apparatus 7 can be operated.

A-11. Specific examples of information processing apparatuses and systems Information processing apparatuses 1, 2, 3, 4 connected to each other via a network 9 perform information processing by the information processing controllers 11, 12, 13, 14 as described above. So long as it is basically any configuration. FIG. 9 shows a configuration example of the information processing apparatus.

  An example of the information processing apparatus 1 including the information processing controller 11 is a hard disk recorder. 10 and 11 show the hardware configuration and software configuration of the hard disk recorder shown in FIG. As a hardware configuration of the hard disk recorder, a hard disk is built in as the external recording unit 28-1 shown in FIG. 1, and DVD ± R / RW, CD ± R / RW, and the external recording unit 28-2 shown in FIG. The optical disc such as Bluray-Disc (registered trademark) is configured to be mounted, and the broadcast receiving unit 32-1 and the video input unit 33 are connected to the bus 31-1 connected to the bus 29-1 of the information processing controller 11. -1, an audio input unit 34-1, a video output unit 35-1, an audio output unit 36-1, an operation panel unit 37-1, a remote control light receiving unit 38-1, and a network connection unit 39-1.

  The broadcast receiving unit 32-1, the video input unit 33-1 and the audio input unit 34-1 receive a broadcast signal or input a video signal and an audio signal from the outside of the information processing apparatus 1, and each has a digital format of a predetermined format. Data is converted and sent to the bus 31-1 for processing by the information processing controller 11. The video output unit 35-1 and the audio output unit 36-1 process the video data and audio data sent from the information processing controller 11 to the bus 31-1, and convert them into digital data or analog signals. The remote control light receiving unit 38-1 receives a remote control (remote operation) infrared signal from the remote control transmitter 43-1.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a monitor display device 41 and a speaker device 42 are connected to the video output unit 35-1 and the audio output unit 36-1 of the information processing apparatus (hard disk recorder) 1.

  The information processing apparatus 2 including the information processing controller 12 illustrated in FIG. 9 is also a hard disk recorder, and is configured in the same manner as the information processing apparatus 1 as indicated by reference numerals in parentheses in FIG. However, as shown in FIG. 9, the monitor display device and the speaker device are not connected to the information processing device (hard disk recorder) 2.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the software configuration of the information processing apparatuses (hard disk recorders) 1 and 2, that is, the information processing controllers 11 and 12, includes an MS manager and a capability exchange program as control programs, and video and audio as function programs. A program for recording, video / audio reproduction, material search and program recording reservation is provided, and a program for broadcast reception, video output, audio output, external recording unit input / output and network input / output is provided as a device driver.

  Another example of the information processing apparatus 3 including the information processing controller 13 is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). FIG. 12 shows a hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus 3 configured as a PDA. In the example shown in the figure, the external recording unit 28-5 shown in FIG. 1 is configured so that a memory card disk can be mounted, and a liquid crystal display is provided on a bus 51 connected to the bus 29-3 of the information processing controller 13. The unit 52, the audio output unit 53, the camera unit 54, the audio input unit 55, the keyboard unit 56, and the network connection unit 57 are connected.

  Note that the information processing controller 13 omitted in FIG. 1 includes a main processor 21-3, sub processors 23-7, 23-8, 23-9, a DMAC (direct memory access controller) 25-3, and a DC (disk controller). 27-3 and the bus 29-3, the main processor 21-3 has an LS (local storage) 22-3, and the sub processors 23-7, 23-8, 23-9 are LS (Local storage) 24-7, 24-8, 24-9 are provided.

  FIG. 13 shows a software configuration of the information processing apparatus (PDA) 3, that is, the information processing controller 13. As shown in the figure, the control program includes an MS manager and a capability exchange program, and the function program includes a video / audio recording, video / audio reproduction, a phone book, a word processor, a spreadsheet program, and a web browser, As device drivers, programs for video output, audio output, camera video input, microphone audio input, and network input / output are provided.

  The information processing apparatus 4 including the information processing controller 14 is a portable CD player. FIG. 14 shows a hardware configuration of the portable CD player. In the illustrated example, the portable CD player is configured such that a CD (Compact Disc) can be mounted as the external recording unit 28-6 shown in FIG. 1 and is connected to the bus 29-4 of the information processing controller 14. 61, a liquid crystal display unit 62, an audio output unit 63, an operation button unit 64, and a network connection unit 65 are connected.

  Note that the information processing controller 14 omitted in FIG. 1 includes a main processor 21-4, sub processors 23-10, 23-11, 23-12, DMAC 25-4, DC 27-4, and a bus 29-4. The main processor 21-4 has an LS 22-4, and each of the sub processors 23-10, 23-11, 23-12 has an LS 24-10, 24-11, 24-12.

  FIG. 15 shows a software configuration of the information processing apparatus (portable CD player) 4, that is, the information processing controller 14. As shown in the figure, the control program includes an MS manager and a capability exchange program, the function program includes a program for music playback, and the device driver includes a program for audio output, CD control, and network input / output. .

  In the network system illustrated in FIG. 9, the information processing apparatuses 1, 3, and 4 are connected to the network 9, the information processing apparatus 1 is a master device (MS status = 0), and the information processing apparatuses 3 and 4 are slaves. Assume that the device (MS status = 1) is set.

  In this state, when the information processing apparatus 2 is newly connected to the network 9, the MS manager executed by the main processor 21-2 included in the information processing controller 12 in the information processing apparatus 2 is The other information processing devices 1, 3 and 4 are inquired about the MS status, recognizes that the information processing device 1 already exists as a master device, and sets its own device (information processing device 2) as a slave device (MS status = Set to 1). Further, the information processing device 1 set as the master device collects device information of each device including the newly added information processing device 2 and updates the device information table in the main memory 26-1.

  In this state, a case where an operation for making a recording reservation for a 2-hour broadcast program is performed by the information processing apparatus (PDA) 3 as a slave apparatus by the user will be described below.

  In this case, the information processing apparatus (PDA) 3 which is a slave apparatus receives input of recording reservation information including information such as a recording start time, a recording end time, a recording target broadcast channel, and recording quality from the user, and the recording reservation information A software cell including a recording reservation command as a DMA command is generated and transmitted to the information processing apparatus 1 which is a master apparatus.

  The main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the information processing apparatus 1 that has received the software cell whose DMA command is the recording reservation command reads out the recording reservation command and also stores the apparatus information table in the main memory 26-1. The information processing apparatus that can execute the recording reservation command is specified.

  First, the main processor 21-1 reads information processing device type IDs of the information processing devices 1, 2, 3, and 4 included in the device information table and can execute a function program corresponding to the recording reservation command. Extract the device. Here, the information processing apparatuses 1 and 2 having the information processing apparatus type ID indicating the recording function are identified as candidate apparatuses, and the information processing apparatuses 3 and 4 are excluded from the candidate apparatuses.

  Next, the main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the information processing apparatus 1 that is the master apparatus refers to the apparatus information table, and the processing capability of the main processor or sub-processor of the information processing apparatuses 1 and 2 Then, information related to the apparatus such as information related to the main memory is read, and it is determined whether or not the information processing apparatuses 1 and 2 satisfy the required specifications necessary for executing the function program corresponding to the recording reservation command. Here, it is assumed that the information processing apparatuses 1 and 2 satisfy the required specifications necessary for executing the function program corresponding to the recording reservation command.

  Further, the main processor 21-1 refers to the device information table, reads out information related to the external recording unit of the information processing devices 1 and 2, and determines that the free capacity of the external recording unit is sufficient for executing the recording reservation command. Determine if you are satisfied. Since the information processing apparatuses 1 and 2 are hard disk recorders, the difference between the total capacity and the usage amount of the hard disks 28-1 and 28-3 corresponds to the respective free capacity.

  In this case, the free capacity of the hard disk 28-1 of the information processing apparatus 1 is 10 minutes in terms of recording time, and the free capacity of the hard disk 28-3 of the information processing apparatus 2 is 20 hours in terms of recording time. Suppose that

  At this time, the main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the information processing apparatus 1 that is the master apparatus is an information processing apparatus that can secure a free space for two hours necessary for execution of the recording reservation command. Identifies as an execution request destination slave device.

  As a result, only the information processing device 2 is selected as the execution request destination slave device, and the main processor 21-1 included in the information processing controller 11 in the information processing device 1 that is the master device receives the information processing device operated by the user. The recording reservation command including the recording reservation information transmitted from 3 is transmitted to the information processing device 2 to request execution of the recording reservation of the broadcast program for 2 hours.

  Then, the main processor 21-2 included in the information processing controller 12 in the information processing apparatus 2 analyzes the recording reservation command and sends a function program necessary for recording from the hard disk 28-3 as an external recording unit to the main memory. 26-2, and recording is performed according to the recording reservation information. As a result, the video / audio data of the 2-hour broadcast program reserved for recording is recorded in the hard disk 28-3 of the information processing apparatus 2.

  As described above, also in the network system of the example of FIG. 9, the user operates only one information processing apparatus, and operates a plurality of information processing apparatuses 1, 2, 2 without operating other information processing apparatuses. 3 and 4 can be operated as one virtual information processing apparatus 7.

B. As system described above to automatically select the high quietness device from the location information of the user, the grid computing system, by multiple networked information processing apparatus performs a distributed processing by cooperative operation, virtual Operate as a single device.

  Here, the information processing apparatus affects the indoor environment and atmosphere during operation. For example, during a hard disk access operation, noise is generated by the rotation of the drive motor, impairing silence.

  In the system that performs the inter-device cooperation operation described in the previous section A, the information processing apparatus that performs the function instructed based on the surplus processing capability of each device that constitutes the system is dynamically selected to perform distributed processing. However, at the time of this selection, by taking into consideration the noise level of the apparatus operation and the room where the user is currently present, it is possible to reduce the influence of quietness on the user who operates and uses the system at the time of operation.

  In the present embodiment, in a system configuration in which CE devices such as DVD players, HDD recorders, and game players are connected to a home network in each room in a home and can perform cooperative operation, quietness is used as an index for device selection. In addition to introducing a mechanism for selecting a higher one (that is, a device with less noise), a display device for displaying the GUI is provided.

  Therefore, the user can map the physical room layout, the installation location of each device, and the functions of each device via a dedicated GUI screen. Furthermore, when realizing the function requested by the user, the noise generated by complementing the functions of the distributed devices is selected by automatically selecting a device that reduces noise for the user in consideration of the physical location information of the user. It is designed to decentralize the generation space.

  FIG. 16 schematically shows a network configuration example according to this embodiment. As illustrated, a plurality of information processing apparatuses such as a DVD player, an HDD recorder, and a game player are disposed in each room in the home and are spatially separated but are interconnected via a home network. Each information processing apparatus includes, for example, an information processing controller having a multiprocessor configuration including a main processor and a plurality of sub-processors having a dedicated local storage, as illustrated in FIGS. 10, 12, and 14. Via the mutual cooperation operation, it can operate virtually as one information processing apparatus.

  In each of the rooms # 1 to # 4, an information display device or a sound generation device (for example, a TV, an LCD monitor, a speaker) capable of displaying and generating sound and video, and recording / playback of video / audio, etc. An information recording / reproducing apparatus (for example, a DVD recorder, a game player, an HDD / MS reproducing apparatus, etc.) that can be installed is installed.

  These devices installed in each room are connected by a single network (for example, a home network constructed by a LAN, IEEE1394, or the like). Each device is provided with a circuit of a plurality of input / output channels (for example, in the case of a TV, video and audio input 1, input 2, etc.), but data exchange between devices is performed only by a connected network. .

  In addition to the devices as described above, a home server that centrally or centrally manages information on the status and attributes of each device is connected to the network.

  The information that the device has here is, for example, whether the device is on or off (or in operation), what type of device, or device can be provided Various functions (for example, content recording function, playback function, type of media that can be recorded or played back, display output function, tuner equipment, etc.), when using the function (for example, accessing the recording surface of the disc, etc.) Noise level generated in the middle). The noise level is measured in advance, for example. Since the noise level differs depending on the type of device and the function executed by the device, the noise level is described with these pieces of information attached. A description example of the noise level is shown below.

DVD disc playback: 10 dB
When recording on hard disk: 40 dB
DVD writing: 1x: 20 dB, 12x: 30 dB

  The device installed in each room holds the information as described above as the profile information of the device. For example, each manufacturer that manufactures equipment writes these pieces of information as static information in a memory in the equipment.

  The home server acquires information held by each device via the network and transmits the information to a remote controller disposed in each room. The remote controller visually displays the connection status on the indoor display screen based on the received information.

  As an initial setting of the home network, the user performs mapping between the physical position of each room and the device for each room using a dedicated GUI. FIG. 17 shows a configuration example of a GUI screen for performing mapping between devices and physical rooms.

  The illustrated GUI screen has a work area as a main window for displaying a home network. As a basic function of the GUI screen, each device installed in the home is displayed as an icon to indicate its physical arrangement. The logical connection path between devices can be displayed.

  The user who performs the initial setting can perform cursor operations equivalent to those in a general GUI environment on a PC, such as selecting an icon and dragging and dropping the selected icon, using the cursor in the GUI screen.

  In the work area, tool buttons or icons for designating a physical layout such as a floor number and a room in the work area are arranged. The user can map a room and a device in the work area by selecting a desired icon from the toolbar using the cursor icon and dragging and dropping the icon.

  For example, after selecting the “Room” icon with a cursor, a room can be set by drawing a square frame in the work area. Therefore, the user can draw a square frame as if drawing a drawing of commercially available drawing software. In addition, by enclosing the device icon with the rectangular frame, the physical arrangement of the device can be set. Also, set the floor number of the device by dropping the floor number icon into the square frame and pasting the icon indicating the floor number of the room in the section separated by “Room”. be able to.

  Further, by operating the View icon at the upper right in the figure, the display form in the work area can be set / changed to either one of two dimensions or three dimensions.

  The user performs the initial setting procedure as described above, for example, when the home network is first constructed or when a device is added or removed in any room and the device configuration in the room changes.

  For each device for which physical layout is set, the location information of the device set by the user through the initial setting procedure, the information about the functions and attributes held for each device, such as the noise information that each device has for each function, and Are also managed as profile information. A description example of profile information is shown below.

□ ID: 001
□ Product category (Category): DVD / HDD recording / reproducing apparatus □ Product name (Name): DESR-7000
□ Power supply state (Power): ON □ Input port # 1: Available (Available)
□ Input port # 2: In use (Used [connected to ID002 OUTPUT # 1])
□ Location (Location): Room # 1
□ Noise level ■ DVD playback: 20dB
■ DVD recording: standard speed 10 dB, maximum speed 40 dB
■ During HDD playback: 30 dB
■ When recording on HDD: 50 dB

  In the above example, the profile information includes identification information ID on the home network, device category and product name, current operation status such as power on / off, connection status for each input port, location, and noise level for each operation status. Consists of. The noise level for each device category, product name, and operation state is given in advance by the manufacturer before shipment, and is written in, for example, a nonvolatile memory in the information processing apparatus. Further, the identification information ID, the connection state of the input port, the connection destination, and the arrangement location are assigned by the initial setting.

  Each device transmits such profile information to the home server periodically, for example. In addition, when the information processing apparatus is turned on or when the profile information is changed, the information is immediately transmitted to the home server.

  On the home server side, the profile information sent from each information processing device is aggregated, a predetermined function extraction program is executed, category items in each profile information are scanned, and functional units are sequentially extracted. Thus, the devices on the home network are classified into functions or categories, and are registered and managed in the functional unit management table. A configuration example of the functional unit management table is shown below.

  In the example in the above table, an entry is provided for each functional unit, that is, a category, and each entry describes a functional unit or category name and an identification information ID of an information processing apparatus equipped with the functional unit or category. Here, an information processing apparatus including a plurality of functional units or categories is registered across a plurality of corresponding entries on the functional unit management table. For example, the device with ID001 is registered in both entries because it has functional units for both DVD recording and playback and HDD recording and playback.

  FIG. 18 shows an operation sequence on the home network between the devices installed in each room and the home server.

  When the home server and each device receive an inquiry from the MS manager for another information processing apparatus connected to the home network and a notification of completion of setting of the MS status of the own apparatus, the capacity exchange program is executed.

  When the own device is the master device, the capability exchange program acquires device information about all other information processing devices connected to the network 9, that is, device information of each slave device. In the illustrated example, the home server is the master device, and the devices arranged in each room operate as slave devices, and each slave device transfers the profile information.

  As described above, the home server obtains the profile information of the other device by generating a software cell in which the DMA command is a status request command and transmitting it to the other device. Thereafter, the DMA command is a status return command and data. This is possible by receiving a software cell containing profile information of another device from another device.

  In addition, it is only an example that each device includes the location information input by the initial setting and transmits it to the home server in the profile information. For example, as indicated by * 1 in FIG. 18, the position information of the device input by the GUI screen operation shown in FIG. 17 may be directly transmitted to the home server. On the other hand, the home server returns an initial setting completion notification to the transmission source device.

  Then, on the home server side, the profile information sent from each device is totaled, a predetermined function extraction program is executed, category items in each profile information are scanned, and functional units are sequentially extracted, The devices on the home network are classified into functions or categories, and the above-described functional unit management table is generated.

  FIG. 19 shows a processing procedure for extracting functions provided on the network by the function extraction program in the form of a flowchart.

  First, all the category items of profile information received from each device are referred to, and a functional unit list in which all the items are extracted is created (step S101). For example, the function unit list is created such as {TV, TV, DVD play & rec, HDD play & rec, Game Player, HDD Play & rec}.

  Next, the duplicated functional unit list is deleted (step S102). In the above example, duplicate category items are deleted, and the functional unit list becomes {TV, DVD play & rec, HDD play & rec, Game Player}.

  Here, the attribute of the profile information of each device, that is, the category item is referred to and compared with the created function unit list item (step S103). Then, an ID corresponding to an item that matches in the functional unit list is assigned (step S104). Such processing is repeated until all profile information is referred to (step S5). As a result, for example, a functional unit list such as {TV (001, 003), DVD play & rec (002, 004), HDD play & rec (002, 004), Game Player (004)} is extracted.

  The user may want to know the functional units available to him / her on the home network. In such a case, a device installed in the room where the user is present is operated with a remote controller, and a function unit management table is requested from the home server via the home network. In response to this, the home server returns a functional unit management table. On the device side, a predetermined GUI display program is executed on the received functional unit management table to generate a GUI screen for displaying functions available on the home network and present it to the user.

  FIG. 20 shows a configuration example of a GUI screen that displays functions available on the home network. The GUI screen shown in the figure is provided with an area for displaying an information display / output device and an area for displaying an information recording / reproducing device.

  The remote controller scans the corresponding item from the functional unit management table received from the home server. If there is such an item, the information display / output device (for example, TV, speaker, etc.) for the user is output to the display area.

  In the area for displaying the information display / output device, a function icon that abstracts the function of the information display / output device is displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 20, TV icons are arranged. Actually, there are cases where a plurality of devices (identification information IDs) are mapped to this icon by the functional unit management table, but only one icon is displayed. Even if there are two or more TVs in the room (that is, two or more devices are mapped to the TV on the functional unit management table), only one function icon is displayed.

  In the area for displaying the information recording / reproducing device, a function icon of a device for recording or reproducing information such as a DVD player or a game player is displayed. As described above, the remote controller scans the corresponding item from the functional unit management table received from the home server. If there is such an item, the information display / output device (for example, TV, speaker, etc.) for the user is output to the display area.

  In the area for displaying the information recording / reproducing apparatus, an icon that abstracts only the function of the information recording / reproducing apparatus is represented. This function icon actually has a case where a plurality of information recording / reproducing devices are mapped, but one icon is not displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 20, one icon for each of the game player, DVD player / recorder, and HDD player / recorder is displayed. This means that there is at least one icon on the home network. Multiple corresponding devices may be mapped to one icon.

  On the GUI screen shown in FIG. 20, a cursor operation equivalent to that of a GUI environment in a general PC, such as selecting an icon using a cursor and dragging and dropping the selected icon, can be performed.

  Also, on the GUI screen shown in the figure, the input / output channel path of each device is set by drawing a line between the icons of the function to be used using the cursor, and the physical between the devices realizing the function is set. A connection is established. In the illustrated example, a logical connection path indicating that an information display device such as a television is connected to a functional unit of an information recording / reproducing device such as a DVD player is displayed. A route has also been established. The user can easily link the functions with the display device by selecting icons using the cursor.

  On the GUI screen shown in FIG. 20, by applying a cursor operation to the function icon, an operation command can be issued to the corresponding device. For example, in response to selection of a TV icon, when a TV placed in a room receives a command by infrared communication from a remote controller, the TV switch is turned on.

  At this time, profile information describing power-on is transferred from the TV to the home server. Even when two or more TVs are installed, the home server can determine which TV is activated, so that the user's location can be grasped.

  Each of the devices connected to the home network through the above-described processing steps of initial setting, collection of profile information, and extraction of functional units from the profile information are logical levels of devices, physical locations, and functional units. Can be mapped to three different hierarchies.

  FIG. 21 shows a state where devices on the home network are mapped to each layer of devices, physical locations, and functional units.

  The uppermost layer constitutes the GUI screen shown in FIG. 20 that is used for operation after the user performs initial setting or the like. On this GUI screen, an information display device icon is displayed on the left side, and an information recording / reproducing device function icon is displayed on the right side. The user can use the function of the device by connecting the left icon and the right icon with a line using a cursor.

  As shown in FIG. 21, each icon arranged in the upper layer is actually mapped to a plurality of logical device icons. In the example shown in the figure, the TV icon in the uppermost layer is mapped to two of TV # 1 in Room # 1 and TV # 2 in Room # 2. This mapping is realized by a functional unit management table.

  In the subsequent second layer, each device, its position, and noise level are mapped. In the second hierarchy, each device is mapped to a corresponding position by the user by the initial setting. After the position of the device is mapped by the user, the second layer is mapped by exchanging the position information and information unique to each device as profile information.

  The uppermost layer and the second layer above logically map devices, and a plurality of objects are mapped to a single object. On the other hand, in the second layer and the lowest layer, a logical object and a physical device have a one-to-one correspondence.

  After the initial setting is completed, when the user selects a device to be used using a display device, in this embodiment, a device with a low noise level is automatically selected. Explained.

  First, the user connects the icon (for example, TV) of the information display / output device and the function icon (for example, DVD player) with a line using the GUI screen (uppermost layer) for which the initial setting has been completed.

  When the user clicks the TV icon on the GUI screen using the cursor, a command is issued from the infrared interface of the display device (remote controller). When this command is received on the TV side, the power is turned on. At this time, the TV profile information is changed and transmitted to the home server. Therefore, in the home server, it is possible to determine in which room the TV mapped is activated, and thereby the user's position can be specified.

  The home server automatically selects a display device designated by the user and a recording / reproducing device having a usable function and having a low noise level. Then, the profile information for setting the route of the input / output channel is transmitted to the corresponding device.

  Hereinafter, a processing procedure for automatically selecting a device that realizes a function selected by the user will be described.

  If the selected function can only be used by a single device, that is, if only a single ID is assigned to the entry of the selected functional unit in the functional unit management table, that ID The selected function is realized by using the device identified by (1).

  On the other hand, when the selected function can be used by a plurality of devices, that is, when a plurality of IDs are assigned in the entry of the selected functional unit in the functional unit management table, the following indicators Select according to.

(1) If there is one or more devices having the selected function and they are in a place different from the room where the user is located, the device having the lowest noise level is selected from the devices in another room. .
(2) If the noise level of a device in another room having the selected function is the same, the device farthest from the user's room is selected. Here, the index for selecting the distance of the room is: Number of floors, 2. Determined by the number of walls in the room.

(3) If all of the devices having the selected function are in the same place as the room where the user is, select the device with the lowest noise level from among the devices.
(4) If all the devices having the selected function are the same as the room in which the user is present and the noise level is the same, either one is selected at random.

C. As the temperature was systems described above for automatically selecting the equipment to be leveled, the grid computing system, by multiple networked information processing apparatus performs a distributed processing by cooperative operation, virtually 1 Operates as a single device.

  Here, during operation processing, as the operating rate of the processor in the apparatus increases, the amount of heat generation increases and the room temperature increases. At this time, if the semiconductor is placed in a high temperature environment, the failure rate will increase or the operation will be reduced, so the fan motor must be operated for heat dissipation and cooling. The quietness of the room where the processing apparatus is operating is hindered.

  In the system that performs the inter-device cooperative operation described in the preceding paragraph A, distributed processing is performed by dynamically selecting an information processing device that executes a function instructed based on the surplus processing capability of each device constituting the system. However, when this selection is made, the reliability of the entire system is improved and the performance is reduced by considering that the temperature that causes the restriction of the operation of the semiconductor elements between the devices on the network is leveled. Can be avoided. Further, it is possible to reduce the influence of quietness and the like without operating the cooling fans for the semiconductor and the apparatus housing unnecessarily.

  FIG. 22 schematically shows a network configuration example according to this embodiment. As illustrated, a plurality of information processing apparatuses such as a DVD player, an HDD recorder, and a game player are disposed in each room in the home and are spatially separated but are interconnected via a home network. Each information processing apparatus includes, for example, an information processing controller having a multiprocessor configuration including a main processor and a plurality of sub-processors having a dedicated local storage, as illustrated in FIGS. 10, 12, and 14. In FIG. 22, for the sake of convenience of explanation, the drawing is simplified. The information processing controller of each device, the main processor and sub-processor in the information processing controller are each assigned a unique ID when they are connected via a network, and distributed processing is performed by exchanging software cells. (Communication between devices) is realized, and virtually operates as a single information processing apparatus through mutual cooperation via a network.

  In the present embodiment, each information processing apparatus is equipped with a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of a processor in the apparatus, which is a main heat source, and a cooling fan that cools the inside of the processor or the apparatus casing. The processor referred to here may refer to an information processing controller or may refer to another information processing unit in the apparatus.

  Each information processing device acquires its own processor temperature at regular intervals, and if that value exceeds any threshold of cooling fan operation, the cooling fan is operated at the number of rotations corresponding to the temperature to avoid temperature rise To do. The threshold value for operating the cooling fan is divided into several stages, and the fan rotation speed [rpm] corresponding to each is defined.

  As already described with reference to FIG. 3, in the system according to the present embodiment, the main processor included in the information processing controller in a certain information processing apparatus generates software cells including commands, programs, and data, and The processing can be distributed by transmitting to other information processing apparatuses via 9.

  The execution section of this software cell is composed of DMA commands, programs and data. The DMA command includes a series of DMA commands necessary for starting the program, and the program includes a sub processor program executed by the sub processor. The data included in the execution section is data processed by a program including this sub processor program. The DMA command includes a load command, a kick command, a function program execution command, a status request command, and a status return command.

  Among these, the status command is a command for acquiring the current state (device information) of the device designated as the destination ID. The device that has received the status command generates a software cell, stores its device information in the data area of the execution section, sets a status return command in the DMA command, and transmits the software cell to the status request source.

  In the present embodiment, a mechanism for exchanging processor temperatures between information processing apparatuses using a status request and a reply sequence is introduced. FIG. 23 shows the structure of the data area of the software cell when the DMA command is a status return command. The illustrated data area is substantially the same as that shown in FIG. 4, but is characterized in that it has a field for writing the processor temperature.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected via a network operate virtually as one information processing apparatus through a cooperative operation. Here, when the temperature value of a processor exceeds a predetermined threshold during execution of a function in a certain information processing device, the temperature increase is controlled by entrusting another information processing device to execute at least part of the processing. To.

  As a result, in a network environment in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses operate in a coordinated manner, the heat sources are also distributed along with the distribution of processing, so that a local high temperature state can be avoided. Further, in the original information processing apparatus, it is possible to avoid a decrease in operation due to a temperature increase of a semiconductor device such as a processor chip, or it is possible to avoid a decrease in performance by reducing the clock speed of the processor due to the temperature decrease. In addition, since the operation of the cooling fan can be suppressed, it is not necessary to bother the user with the blowing sound. In addition, since heat generation can be distributed along with load distribution, it is possible to relax the constraints on thermal design in individual information processing apparatuses.

  In addition, when an information processing device entrusts processing to another information processing device, by selecting an information processing device installed in a low-temperature environment that requires heating as a consignee, the heat generated by the device is used for heating. It can be used for energy and can be used effectively.

  Such system operation can be realized only by exchanging processor operating temperature data between information processing apparatuses in addition to distributed processing at the time of load distribution. The temperature data can be obtained by exchanging status commands as described above.

  The information processing apparatus in which the temperature rise has occurred is roughly classified into two types, that is, an open loop system and a closed loop system, for entrusting execution of processing to another information processing apparatus. Hereinafter, each method will be described. However, in the following, the side entrusting processing is referred to as information processing apparatus A, and the side entrusting processing is referred to as information processing apparatus B.

C-1. Heat Dispersion by Open Loop Method FIG. 24 shows, in the form of a flowchart, a processing procedure for an information processing device that has risen in temperature by the open loop method to entrust execution of processing to another information processing device.

  The information processing apparatus A acquires its processor temperature from the temperature sensor in the apparatus housing before starting the processing of the sub processor in the information processing controller (step S111). And it is discriminate | determined whether the temperature value exceeded "failure threshold value" (step S112).

  Here, when the processor temperature exceeds the failure threshold, the information processing apparatus B is requested to perform processing. In response to this, the information processing apparatus B accepts the process in response to the process entrustment (step S121) and executes the process (step S122). When the processing requested by the information processing apparatus A is completed, the result is returned to the information processing apparatus A (step S123).

  When the information processing apparatus A receives the processing result from the information processing apparatus B (step S114), the information processing apparatus A merges it with the main process (step S115).

  On the other hand, when the processor temperature of the information processing apparatus A is equal to or lower than the failure threshold (step S112), the information processing apparatus A does not request the information processing apparatus B to perform the process and performs the process itself (step S113). , Fan control suitable for your processor temperature.

C-2. Heat Dispersion by Closed Loop Method FIG. 25 shows a processing procedure in the form of a flowchart for an information processing device that has caused a temperature rise by the closed loop method to entrust execution of processing to another information processing device.

  The information processing apparatus A issues a status command to the apparatus B before starting the processing of the sub processor in the information processing controller (step S131). When the information processing apparatus B receives the status command from the apparatus A (step S141), the information processing apparatus B issues a status reply command to the apparatus A (step S142).

  When the information processing apparatus A receives the status data from the information processing apparatus B (step S132), the information processing apparatus A acquires the processor temperature of the information processing apparatus B and the availability of the sub processor (step S133). Thereafter, the processor temperature is acquired from the temperature sensor in the apparatus housing and compared with the processor temperature of the information processing apparatus B (step S134).

  Here, when the processor temperature of the information processing apparatus B is lower, the number of open processors is further compared with that of the information processing apparatus B (step S135). Only when the processor temperature of the information processing apparatus B is low and there is an empty subprocessor, the information processing apparatus A requests the information processing apparatus B to perform processing.

  On the other hand, in response to the processing commission, the information processing apparatus B entrusts the process (step S143) and executes the process (step S144). When the processing requested by the information processing apparatus A is completed, the result is returned to the information processing apparatus A (step S145).

  When the information processing apparatus A receives the processing result from the information processing apparatus B (step S137), the information processing apparatus A merges it with the main process (step S138).

  On the other hand, if the processor temperature of the information processing apparatus B is higher than the processor temperature of the information processing apparatus A, or if there is no free sub-processor, the information processing apparatus A does not request the information processing apparatus B to process itself. Processing is performed (step S136), and fan control suitable for its own processor temperature is performed.

  As described above, the information processing apparatus A as the processing consignment side exchanges temperature data with the information processing apparatus B as the processing consignment side, so that it is difficult to create a high temperature environment, and as a result, the life of the semiconductor is shortened. Can be long. In conjunction with this, it becomes easier to avoid the operation of the fan or to operate at a low speed, and the trouble of noise due to the blowing sound is eliminated.

  The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it is obvious that those skilled in the art can make modifications and substitutions of the embodiment without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  In this specification, a plurality of information processing devices such as information home appliances installed in each room in a home are connected via a home network, and these devices operate cooperatively to perform distributed processing. In the case of operating as a single device as an example, the configuration and operational effects of the present invention have been specifically described by taking as an example the influence of the information processing system on the home environment such as silence and heat generation or on the user. However, the gist of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the information processing system is installed in a place other than the home, or within factors that affect the environment other than silence and heat generated by the information processing system, the present invention similarly solves the problem. can do.

  In short, the present invention has been disclosed in the form of exemplification, and the description of the present specification should not be interpreted in a limited manner. In order to determine the gist of the present invention, the claims section described at the beginning should be considered.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an access procedure from the sub processor 23 to the main memory 24. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the software cell. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a data area of the software cell when the DMA command is a status return command. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a plurality of information processing apparatuses operate as one virtual information processing apparatus. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the information processing controller. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which four information processing apparatuses operate as one virtual information processing apparatus. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of distributed processing in the system shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of each information processing apparatus and system. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the hard disk recorder in FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a software configuration of the hard disk recorder in FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the PDA in FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a software configuration of the PDA in FIG. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of the portable CD player in FIG. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a software configuration of the portable CD player in FIG. FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically showing a network configuration example according to the present invention. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a GUI screen for mapping a device to each physical room. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an operation sequence on a home network between a device installed in each room and a home server. FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the function extraction program. FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a GUI screen that displays functions available on the home network. FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a state in which devices on the home network are mapped to each layer of devices, physical locations, and functional units. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a network configuration example according to the present invention. FIG. 23 is a diagram showing the structure of the data area of the software cell when the DMA command is a status return command. FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for an information processing apparatus in which a temperature increase has occurred to another information processing apparatus by the open loop method. FIG. 25 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for an information processing apparatus in which a temperature increase has occurred to another information processing apparatus by the closed loop method.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 11, 12 ... Information processing apparatus 20 ... Virtual information processing apparatus 30 ... Local network 40 ... Communication network 50 ... Server 60 ... Function information database 61 ... Software database 71 ... Information processing apparatus function database 72 ... Function database 73 ... Cooperation function The database

Claims (35)

An information processing system configured by a cooperative operation of a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network, each information processing device having one or more executable functions and holding attribute information,
Physical placement setting means for setting a physical placement for each information processing device connected to the network;
Information processing device information acquisition means for acquiring executable functions and attribute information from each information processing device connected to the network;
Functional unit management means for extracting functions that can be provided by using an information processing apparatus connected to the network and managing them as functional units;
An information processing system comprising: Each information processing device is installed in each room in the home,
The physical arrangement setting means sets the number of floors and rooms where each information processing device is installed,
The information processing system according to claim 1. Function presentation means for presenting a function icon for each functional unit, mapping each information processing device capable of executing the corresponding function;
User operation processing means for activating corresponding processing in response to a user operation on each function icon;
The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising: The user operation processing means acquires a physical arrangement of the user based on a place where the user operation is performed;
The information processing system according to claim 3. In response to the selection of the function icon, the user operation processing means, based on the physical arrangement of the user and the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing apparatus capable of executing the instructed function, Search for an information processing device that actually performs the function,
The information processing system according to claim 3. The user operation processing means establishes a connection between information processing apparatuses that actually execute a function corresponding to each function icon in response to application of a user operation for connecting the function icon.
The information processing system according to claim 5. The function presenting means displays a logical connection path between function icons to which information processing apparatuses having established connections are mapped,
The information processing system according to claim 6. An information processing system configured by a cooperative operation of a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network, each information processing device having one or more executable functions,
Information processing device management means for managing physical arrangement, executable functions, and attribute information for each information processing device,
Functional unit management means for extracting functions that can be provided using information processing apparatuses connected to the network and managing them as functional units;
A function presentation means for presenting a functional unit to a user and receiving a function execution instruction;
An information processing device selecting means for searching for an information processing device that actually executes the function based on the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing device capable of executing the function instructed by the user;
An information processing system comprising: The function presenting means obtains a physical arrangement of the user when receiving an instruction to execute the function from the user,
The information processing apparatus selection unit is configured to determine an information processing apparatus that actually executes the function based on the physical arrangement of the user and the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing apparatus that can execute the instructed function. Explore,
The information processing system according to claim 8. The information processing device selection means handles a noise level generated during function execution as attribute information of the information processing device.
The information processing system according to claim 8. The information processing device selection means handles the calorific value or temperature at the time of function execution as attribute information of the information processing device.
The information processing system according to claim 8. The information processing device selection means handles noise levels generated during function execution as attribute information of the information processing device, and searches for information processing devices capable of executing the instructed function that are highly quiet for the user. ,
The information processing system according to claim 8. Each information processing device is installed in each room in the home,
The information processing device selection means searches for the lowest noise level among the information processing devices installed in a room different from the user;
The information processing system according to claim 12. When there are a plurality of information processing devices with the lowest noise level, the information processing device selection means selects an information processing device installed in a room farthest from the user.
The information processing system according to claim 13. An information processing system configured by a cooperative operation of a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network, each information processing device having one or more executable functions,
In the first information processing apparatus that is executing the function, at least for realizing the function in the second information processing apparatus that can execute the same function in response to the temperature rise exceeding the predetermined threshold value. Entrust some processing,
An information processing system characterized by this. A device temperature comparing means for comparing operating temperatures of the respective information processing devices;
Processing consignment means for entrusting the processing being executed in the information processing apparatus having a high operating temperature to the information processing apparatus having a low operating temperature;
The information processing system according to claim 15, comprising: An information processing method for processing a cooperative operation by a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network, each information processing device having one or more executable functions and holding attribute information,
A physical arrangement setting step for setting a physical arrangement for each information processing apparatus connected to the network;
Information processing device information acquisition step for acquiring executable functions and attribute information from each information processing device connected to the network;
A function unit management step of extracting a function that can be provided by using an information processing apparatus connected to the network and managing the function as a function unit;
An information processing method comprising: Each information processing device is installed in each room in the home,
In the physical arrangement setting step, the number of floors and rooms where each information processing apparatus is installed are set.
The information processing method according to claim 17. A function presentation step of presenting a function icon for each functional unit, mapping each information processing device capable of executing the corresponding function;
A user operation processing step for starting a corresponding process in response to a user operation for each function icon;
The information processing method according to claim 17, further comprising: In the user operation processing step, the physical arrangement of the user is acquired based on a place where the user operation is performed.
The information processing method according to claim 19. In the user operation processing step, in response to selection of the function icon, based on the physical arrangement of the user and the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing apparatus capable of executing the instructed function. Search for an information processing device that actually performs the function,
The information processing method according to claim 19. In the user operation processing step, in response to application of a user operation for connecting a function icon, a connection between information processing apparatuses that actually execute a function corresponding to each function icon is established.
The information processing method according to claim 21. In the function presentation step, a logical connection path between the function icons to which the information processing apparatus with which the connection has been established is mapped is displayed.
The information processing method according to claim 22. An information processing method for processing a cooperative operation by a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network, each information processing device having one or more executable functions,
An information processing device management step for managing physical arrangement, executable functions, and attribute information for each information processing device;
A function unit management step for extracting functions that can be provided using a network-connected information processing apparatus and managing the functions as a function unit;
A function presentation step of presenting a functional unit to the user and receiving an instruction to execute the function;
An information processing device selection step of searching for an information processing device that actually executes the function based on the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing device capable of executing the function instructed by the user;
An information processing method comprising: In the function presentation step, when a function execution instruction is received from the user, the physical arrangement of the user is acquired,
In the information processing apparatus selection step, an information processing apparatus that actually executes the function based on the physical arrangement of the user and the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing apparatus that can execute the instructed function. Explore,
26. The information processing method according to claim 25. In the information processing apparatus selection step, as the attribute information of the information processing apparatus, a noise level generated at the time of function execution is handled.
26. The information processing method according to claim 25. In the information processing device selection step, as the attribute information of the information processing device, the heat generation amount or temperature at the time of function execution is handled.
26. The information processing method according to claim 25. In the information processing apparatus selection step, a noise level generated at the time of function execution is handled as attribute information of the information processing apparatus, and an information processing apparatus capable of executing the instructed function is searched for one that is highly quiet for the user. ,
26. The information processing method according to claim 25. Each information processing device is installed in each room in the home,
In the information processing device selection step, the information processing device installed in a room different from the user is searched for the lowest noise level.
The information processing method according to claim 28. In the information processing apparatus selection step, when there are a plurality of information processing apparatuses having the lowest noise level, an information processing apparatus installed in a room farthest from the user is selected.
The information processing method according to claim 28. An information processing method for processing a cooperative operation by a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network, each information processing device having one or more executable functions,
In the first information processing apparatus that is executing the function, at least for realizing the function in the second information processing apparatus that can execute the same function in response to the temperature rise exceeding the predetermined threshold value. Entrust some processing,
An information processing method characterized by the above. A device temperature comparison step for comparing operating temperatures of the respective information processing devices;
A process consignment step of entrusting the processing being executed in the information processing apparatus having a high operating temperature to the information processing apparatus having a low operating temperature;
32. The information processing method according to claim 31, further comprising: A computer program described in a computer-readable format so that a process for performing a cooperative operation by a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network is executed on a computer system, and each information processing device can execute at least one It has a function and holds attribute information.
A physical arrangement setting step for setting a physical arrangement for each information processing apparatus connected to the network;
Information processing device information acquisition step for acquiring executable functions and attribute information from each information processing device connected to the network;
A function unit management step of extracting a function that can be provided by using an information processing apparatus connected to the network and managing the function as a function unit;
A computer program comprising: A computer program described in a computer-readable format so that a process for performing a cooperative operation by a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network is executed on a computer system, and each information processing device can execute at least one With functionality,
An information processing device management step for managing physical arrangement, executable functions, and attribute information for each information processing device;
A function unit management step for extracting functions that can be provided using a network-connected information processing apparatus and managing the functions as a function unit;
A function presentation step of presenting a functional unit to the user and receiving an instruction to execute the function;
An information processing device selection step of searching for an information processing device that actually executes the function based on the physical arrangement and attribute information of each information processing device capable of executing the function instructed by the user;
A computer program comprising: A computer program described in a computer-readable format so that a process for performing a cooperative operation by a plurality of information processing devices connected to a network is executed on a computer system, and each information processing device can execute at least one With functionality,
A device temperature comparison step for comparing operating temperatures of the respective information processing devices;
A process consignment step of entrusting the processing being executed in the information processing apparatus having a high operating temperature to the information processing apparatus having a low operating temperature;
A computer program comprising:

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