JP2006196956A - Terminal unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a terminal unit capable of starting a series of control instructions corresponding to an event to a plurality of network apparatuses. <P>SOLUTION: The terminal unit includes: a scenario storage means 5 for storing scenarios described with operation instructions for cooperatively operating a plurality of the network apparatuses; a command storage means 7 for storing a series of control instructions for terminating the operation instructions; a communication means 9 for carrying out communication with the network apparatuses and a user terminal; a scenario start means 6 for detecting the occurrence of an event and reading and starting the scenario associated with this event from the scenario storage means; and a connection apparatus control means 11 for reading a series of the control instructions from the command storage means 7 on the basis of the scenario started by the scenario start means 6 and transmitting the control instructions to the network apparatuses via the communication means 9. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a terminal device connected to a user terminal and one or more network devices via a network.

In recent years, a number of products in a category called “Internet home appliances” that can be connected to a network have been released by various companies. Such home appliances include not only home appliances such as air conditioners, lighting, televisions, and stereos, but also security sensors, shutters, shutters, locking devices, and the like. Internet home appliances are mainly installed in homes, and a user can remotely operate via a network using a PC (Personal Computer), a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, or the like from outside. As one method for controlling network devices typified by such network home appliances, conventionally, an operation control device capable of controlling a plurality of network home appliances at a time has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .
JP 2003-284161 A

  However, in the conventional motion control device proposed in the above (Patent Document 1), for example, a series of events corresponding to an event generated by a reaction of a human sensor connected to the device, a timer, or the like. There is an unsolved problem that it is not possible to control the event that triggers the control command as a trigger. Furthermore, there is an unsolved problem of controlling a plurality of network devices at a time using a certain event as a trigger.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal device capable of starting a series of control commands corresponding to an event for a plurality of network devices.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a terminal device of the present invention stores scenario storage means for storing a scenario in which an operation command for operating a plurality of network devices is described, and a series of control commands for completing the operation command. A command storage means, a communication means for communicating with a network device and a user terminal, a scenario start means for detecting the occurrence of an event, reading a scenario associated with the event from the scenario storage means, and starting the scenario, and a scenario start means It has a connection device control means for reading a series of control commands from the command storage means based on the activated scenario and transmitting the control commands to the network device via the communication means.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of network devices connected to a terminal device can be controlled at a time in response to a certain event, and convenience can be improved.

  The terminal device according to claim 1 of the present invention is a terminal device connected to a user terminal and one or more network devices via a network, and includes a scenario in which an operation instruction for operating a plurality of network devices is described. Scenario storage means for storing, command storage means for storing a series of control instructions for completing an operation instruction, communication means for communicating with a network device and a user terminal, detection of occurrence of an event, and association with the event Based on the scenario activated by the scenario activation means that reads the scenario from the scenario storage means and reads the series of control instructions from the command storage means, and transmits the control instructions to the network device via the communication means Connected device control means. Accordingly, an effect that a series of control instructions are transmitted to a plurality of network devices a predetermined event as a trigger.

  The terminal device according to claim 2 of the present invention is the terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising a connection device information management means for managing network connection information of the network device, wherein the communication means is based on the network connection information. The communication device is characterized in that it communicates with a network device. With this configuration, the communication means establishes communication with the network device by network connection information such as an IP address managed by the connection device information management means. Have

  The terminal device according to claim 3 of the present invention further comprises user data input / output means for inputting / outputting communication data to / from the user terminal via the communication means in the terminal device according to claim 1 or 2, and the scenario Is characterized in that it can be created and changed via user data input / output means, and this configuration allows the user to act on and change scenarios via the user data input / output means. In addition, the terminal device and the network device can be set and the status of the network device can be displayed via the user data input / output means.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the terminal device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the communication means encrypts and decrypts the communication data. With this configuration, when the communication means communicates with the user terminal or the network device, communication data to be transmitted / received is protected from eavesdropping or eavesdropping by a third party, and security is ensured.

  A terminal device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the terminal device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the user data input / output means has a function of an HTTP server. With this configuration, it is possible to activate a Web browser and set a terminal device or a network device or display a status of the network device on this screen. In addition, data can be input / output to / from a terminal device from various network terminals equipped with a Web browser such as a personal computer, a mobile phone, and a mobile terminal device.

  A terminal device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the terminal device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the user data input / output means has a function of determining a connection environment of the user terminal and is determined. This configuration is characterized in that communication data suitable for a connection environment is created. With this configuration, when a user operates a terminal device, an appropriate user interface is provided according to the environment used by the user for the user. It has the effect that it can be provided.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the terminal device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, when the scenario is activated, the terminal device has a user notification means for notifying the user of the activation of the scenario. This configuration has the effect that the user can recognize that the scenario has been activated.

  A terminal device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the terminal device according to the seventh aspect, further comprising a notification destination storage unit that stores a notification destination, and the user notification unit notifies the notification destination. With this configuration, the user notification means can communicate using the notification destination even when the notification destination is a remote place. Therefore, even when the user is in a remote place, the user can recognize the event that has occurred and the content (type) of the activated scenario through the user terminal.

  A terminal device according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is the terminal device according to the eighth aspect, wherein the user notification means notifies the notification by e-mail. The received event and the contents (type) of the activated scenario are received by e-mail.

  A terminal device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the terminal device according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the command storage means stores a command downloaded from a command database connected to a network. With this configuration, by acquiring command information of the network device from the command database existing on the network outside the terminal device, only necessary command information may be stored in the command storage means, The storage device of the terminal device can be saved, and at the same time, it can easily cope with new network home appliances.

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

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram for explaining a terminal device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and is a system configuration diagram illustrating a state in which a terminal device and a network device, and a terminal device and a user terminal are connected to each other. In FIG. 1, a terminal device 1 is connected to a plurality of network devices 2 such as network home appliances. A user terminal 4 is connected to the terminal device 1 via a network 3 constituted by the Internet, an intranet, or the like. Specifically, the user terminal 4 is a device such as a personal computer, a mobile phone, or a portable information terminal that can transmit and receive data via the network 3. The user can operate and set the terminal device 1 and the network device 2 using the user terminal 4.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the terminal device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the terminal device 1 includes a scenario storage unit 5 that stores a scenario in which an operation command for interlocking operation of network devices is stored, and a command storage unit that stores a series of control commands necessary for completing the operation command. 7, a communication unit 9 that communicates with the network device 2 and the user terminal 4, a scenario activation unit 6 that detects the occurrence of an event, reads a scenario associated with the event from the scenario storage unit 5, and activates the scenario. Based on the scenario activated by the activation means 6, it has a connected device control means 11 that reads a series of control commands from the command storage means 7 and transmits the control commands to the network device 2 via the communication means 9. .

  The terminal device 1 includes connected device information management means 8 that manages network connection information of the network device 2. The communication means 9 communicates with the network device 2 based on this network connection information. The terminal device 1 further includes user data input / output means 10 for inputting / outputting communication data to / from the user terminal 4 via the communication means 9, and the scenario is created via the user data input / output means 10. It can be changed.

  A series of control commands are instructed to the network device 2 when an event occurs. This series of control commands is generated based on the scenario. This scenario is stored in the scenario storage means 5. The scenario storage unit 5 stores an event type and a scenario when the event occurs, that is, a series of control commands for the network device 2 in association with each other. This scenario can be input by the user using the user data input / output means 10, and the input scenario is stored in the scenario storage means 5. The user can create a plurality of scenarios corresponding to one event.

  The scenario activation means 6 detects the occurrence of an event and activates a scenario associated with the event in advance. Regarding the occurrence of an event, there are certain conditions such as those that occur based on external factors from the sensor that inputs a signal to the terminal device 1 or the network device 2, for example, those that occur at a certain time. Some of them occur based on internal factors such as those that occur.

  The command storage means 7 stores a command group describing a model name of the network device 2 and a control command for controlling the device. The connected device information management means 8 stores and manages network connection information necessary for establishing the communication state of the network device 2 connected to the terminal device 1, such as the device ID, model name, and IP address of the network device 2. .

  The communication means 9 communicates with the user terminal 4 and the connected network device 2 by network connection. At this time, the communication unit 9 establishes communication using the network connection information managed by the connected device information management unit 8. The communication unit 9 encrypts and decrypts communication data. Thereby, when the user terminal 4 or the network device 2 communicates with the terminal device 1, it is possible to protect communication data transmitted and received from interception and wiretapping by a third party. For encryption, for example, protocols such as SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and IPSec (IP Security Protocol) can be used, and in the case of wireless, WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) can be used. . However, the encryption is not necessarily limited to these.

  The user data input / output means 10 provides the user with a user interface for displaying various settings and statuses from the user terminal 4 to the terminal device 1 and the network device 2. The user data input / output means 10 has an HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) server function (Web server function), starts a Web browser on the user terminal 4, and displays the terminal device 1 and network device 2 on the screen. You can make settings and display the status.

  The connected device control unit 11 transmits and receives communication data such as a control command to the network device 2 using the communication unit 9 in accordance with the command written in the scenario based on the scenario activated by the scenario activation unit 6. Thus, the network device 2 is controlled.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a scenario creation screen of the terminal device according to the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention. In the scenario creation screen shown in FIG. 3, “alert scenario” is input as the scenario name, and “entrance sensor” is selected as an event that causes the scenario to be activated. Furthermore, “ON kitchen power” and “Turn on living room TV” are input as operations performed in this scenario. In other words, the scenario “warning scenario” is triggered by the event “entrance sensor” for the network device “kitchen electricity” and the control command “ON” for the network device “living room TV”. The scenario is that a control command “ON” is output.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in the scenario storage unit of the terminal device according to the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention. The scenario stored in the scenario storage means 5 is described by associating the scenario name and the event causing the start with the operation on the network device 2 using a description language such as XML (extensible Markup Language). However, the description is not necessarily limited to this.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of data stored in the command storage unit of the terminal device according to the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention. The command group stored in the command storage means 7 is described in association with an operation on the network device 2 and a command necessary for the operation using a description language such as XML, for example. The command is composed of a series of data that is transmitted when the status acquisition or control of the network device 2 is performed.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of data in the connected device information management means of the terminal device according to the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention. This is an example in which lighting, a key, a television, and a sensor are connected as the network device 2 to the terminal device 1. In this example, the device ID uniquely assigned to the network device 2 connected to the terminal device 1, the model name defined by the manufacturer, and the set IP address are managed.

  Next, the operation will be described along the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure until the network device of the terminal device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is controlled. Here, it is assumed that the scenario is previously input by the user from the user terminal 4 using the user data input / output unit 10 and stored in the scenario storage unit 5.

  First, in step S1, the scenario starting means 6 detects an event. As an event, in addition to an external event from the sensor connected to the terminal device 1 or the network device 2, for example, it occurs when a certain time comes or when a predetermined condition is met. There are also events.

  In step S2, the scenario activation unit 6 identifies the type of event that occurred in step S1. In step S3, the scenario starting unit 6 reads the scenario previously associated with the event specified in step S2 from the scenario storage unit 5.

  In step S4, the connected device control means 11 determines whether or not there is a network device 2 that is not yet controlled in the scenario read in step S3. If there is a network device 2 that has not yet been controlled, the process proceeds to step 5. If the control of all the network devices 2 in the scenario is completed, the process is terminated.

  In step S5, the connected device control unit 11 reads information on the network device 2 to be operated from the connected device information management unit 8 according to the scenario read in step S3. Information read here includes a model name, an IP address, and the like. At the same time, an operation command for the device is read.

  In step S6, the connected device control unit 11 reads from the command storage unit 7 a control command corresponding to the model name and operation command of the network device 2 read in step S5.

  In step S7, the control command read in step S6 is transmitted to the network device 2 to be controlled using the communication means 9. For example, HTTP or SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) can be considered as a protocol used for this control command transmission, but it is not limited to this.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, a plurality of network devices connected to a terminal device can be controlled at a time in response to a certain event. In addition, since the user data input / output means 10 has the function of an HTTP server (Web server), the user can connect a terminal from various user terminals equipped with a Web browser such as a personal computer, a mobile phone, and a mobile terminal device. Data can be input / output to / from the apparatus 1.

  The user data input / output means 10 has a function of determining the connection environment (access source connected device information) of the user terminal, and output data is created based on the determined connection environment. Thereby, when a user operates toward the terminal device 1, an appropriate user interface (for example, a portable information terminal) is used according to an environment (for example, a personal computer, a portable information terminal, or a cellular phone) used for the operation by the user. In the case of access from a mobile phone, HTML data with a reduced screen size can be output, and in the case of access from a mobile phone, a content description language corresponding to the carrier can be provided to the user.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the terminal device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the terminal device according to the present embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment, user notification means 19 is newly provided. The user notifying unit 19 notifies the user that the scenario has been started when the scenario is started by the scenario starting unit 6. As a notification method to the user, for example, notification by light emission using light composed of an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like, or notification by sound using sound can be considered. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  Next, the operation will be described along the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure up to notification to the user of the terminal device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 9, steps S1 to S3 and steps S5 to S7 operate in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, in step S4-1, the connected device control unit 11 determines whether or not there is a network device 2 that is not yet controlled in the scenario read in step S3. If there is a network device 2 that is not yet controlled, the process proceeds to step 5. On the other hand, when the control of all the network devices in the scenario is completed, the process proceeds to step S4-2.

  In step S4-2, the user is notified that the scenario has been activated. As a notification method, a method using light composed of an LED or the like or a method using sound is conceivable, but it is not limited to this.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a scenario is activated by the scenario activation means 6, the user recognizes that the scenario has been activated by notifying the user that the scenario has been activated. It becomes possible to do.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the terminal device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the second embodiment, a notification destination storage unit 27 is newly provided. The notification destination storage unit 27 stores a notification destination for notifying the user that the scenario has been activated when the scenario is activated by the scenario activation unit 6. Examples of the notification destination to be stored include a user's e-mail address and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) address, but are not limited thereto. The user notification means 28 has an electronic mail function in addition to the function of the user notification means 19 of the second embodiment. Other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the notification destination storage unit 27 that stores the notification destination is provided, and the user notification unit 19 notifies the notification destination. Therefore, even when the user is in a remote place, the user can recognize the event that has occurred through the user terminal and the content (type) of the activated scenario. Further, when the user notification means 28 has an e-mail function, when the user terminal 4 can receive an e-mail, the user can indicate the event that has occurred and the content (type) of the activated scenario, It can be received by e-mail. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of an electronic mail received by the user terminal of the terminal device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Here, the user notification means 28 may notify the user not only with a standard protocol such as SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) or SIP but also with a unique protocol.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the terminal device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, a command database 29 is provided on the network. The command database 29 is a command database in a storage device on a network outside the terminal device 1, and is a database of command information of network devices shipped from each company for each model. The command information is described in association with an operation on the network device 2 (see FIG. 1) and a command necessary for the operation using a description language such as XML as shown in FIG. The command is composed of a series of data to be transmitted when an operation is performed on the network device 2.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the command storage unit 7 acquires the command information of the network device 2 from the command database 29 existing on the network outside the terminal device 1. As a result, only necessary command information needs to be stored in the command storage means 7, and the storage device of the terminal device 1 can be saved, and at the same time, it becomes easy to deal with new network home appliances.

  In addition, regarding the said Embodiment 1-4, the network apparatus 2 connected to the terminal device 1 does not ask | require singular and plural. In addition, the terminal device 1 is configured to be connected to the network device 2 and the network 3, but the connection form may be either wired or wireless. Further, it is obvious that each embodiment is effective even when the user terminal 4 exists in the same network as the network device 2.

  In addition, what expresses each embodiment using a method, an apparatus, a system, a recording medium, a program, software, and the like is also effective as an aspect of this embodiment.

  The terminal device of the present invention can control a plurality of network devices connected to the terminal device at a time in response to a certain event. Therefore, it can be used for home gateways and server devices that operate and manage various network devices such as network home appliances.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a system block diagram for demonstrating the terminal device of Embodiment 1 of this invention, and a system block diagram which shows a mode that the terminal device and the network equipment, and the terminal device and the user terminal were each connected. The functional block diagram which shows the function of the terminal device of Embodiment 1 of this invention The figure which shows an example of the scenario creation screen of the terminal device of Embodiment 1-4 of this invention The figure which shows an example of the data stored in the scenario memory | storage means of the terminal device of Embodiment 1-4 of this invention The figure which shows an example of the data stored in the command memory | storage means of the terminal device of Embodiment 1-4 of this invention The figure which shows an example of the data in the connection apparatus information management means of the terminal device of Embodiment 1-4 of this invention The flowchart which shows the procedure until it controls the network apparatus of the terminal device of Embodiment 1 of this invention. Functional block diagram showing functions of the terminal device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart which shows the procedure until it reaches to the user of the terminal device of Embodiment 2 of this invention. Functional block diagram showing functions of the terminal device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the email received by the user terminal of the terminal device of Embodiment 3 of this invention Functional block diagram showing functions of the terminal device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Terminal device 2 Network equipment 3 Network 4 User terminal 5 Scenario storage means 6 Scenario starting means 7 Command storage means 8 Connected device information management means 9 Communication means 10 User data input / output means 11 Connected equipment control means 19, 28 User notification means 27 Notification destination storage means 29 Command database

Claims (10)

A terminal device connected to a user terminal and one or more network devices via a network,
Scenario storage means for storing a scenario in which operation instructions for operating the network devices in an interlocked manner are described;
Command storage means for storing a series of control instructions for completing the operation instructions;
A communication means for communicating with the network device and the user terminal;
A scenario activation unit that detects the occurrence of an event, reads the scenario associated with the event from the scenario storage unit, and activates the scenario;
Connection device control means for reading the series of control instructions from the command storage means based on the scenario activated by the scenario activation means and transmitting the control instructions to the network device via the communication means. A terminal device characterized by the above. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a connected device information managing unit that manages network connection information of the network device, wherein the communication unit communicates with the network device based on the network connection information. Terminal device. It further comprises user data input / output means for inputting / outputting communication data to / from a user terminal via the communication means, and that the scenario can be created and changed via the user data input / output means. The terminal device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit performs encryption and decryption of communication data. The terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the user data input / output means has a function of an HTTP server. 6. The user data input / output unit has a function of determining a connection environment of the user terminal, and creates communication data suitable for the determined connection environment. The terminal device described. 7. The terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising: a user notification unit that notifies a user of activation of the scenario when the scenario is activated. The terminal device according to claim 7, further comprising a notification destination storage unit that stores a notification destination of the notification, wherein the user notification unit notifies the notification destination. The terminal device according to claim 8, wherein the user notification unit notifies the notification by electronic mail. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the command storage unit stores a command downloaded from a command database connected to the network.

Images