JP2008033429A - Home network system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the inconvenience of a home network system wherein the time of an electrical household appliance newly connected to LAN is not automatically set, the system having a timepiece device always keeping precise time information and an electrical household appliance having a timepiece function, connected to the LAN. <P>SOLUTION: An electrical household appliance newly connected to LAN sends a time information request signal and an IP address onto the LAN as broadcast (S22) when recognizing connection to the LAN (S21). In accordance with the time information request signal, a radio-controlled clock sends precise time information to the household appliance. The appliance obtains the precise time information (S23) and sets the time of the timepiece function based on the time information obtained (S24). Thereafter, when detecting that there is time information on the LAN (S25), the appliance obtains this time information and corrects time (S26). The time information in S25 is sent by the radio controlled clock onto the LAN in a predetermined cycle (e.g., 24 hours). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a home network system, and more particularly, to a home network system in which a clock device that always holds accurate time information and a home appliance having a clock function are connected to a LAN.

  A radio-controlled timepiece that has the function of always measuring an accurate standard time and a home appliance are connected to a LAN (Local Area Network), and the time of the clock built in the home appliance is corrected based on the standard time information transmitted by the radio-controlled clock A home appliance control system is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Also, in order to ensure that accurate time information is always transmitted to home appliances such as video decks and air conditioners in the home, a terminal device wirelessly connected to each home appliance in the home is provided, and the terminal device is connected to the Internet. There is known a time management system configured to transmit accurate time information acquired via a home appliance to each home appliance (for example, see Patent Document 2).

Furthermore, the wireless communication system includes a parent device that wirelessly transmits time information, and a plurality of child devices that receive time information from the parent device and correct the time of its own clocking means. In addition, a wireless communication system is known in which time information received by a higher rank child device from a parent device is sequentially transmitted to a lower rank child device (see, for example, Patent Document 3).
JP 2004-56384 A JP 2005-265759 A JP 2006-52946 A

  In the home appliance control system described in Patent Document 1, each home appliance connected to the LAN corrects the time of the clock built in each home appliance based on time information transmitted from the radio clock every 6 hours. To do. Therefore, the possibility that a time lag occurs in each household electrical appliance already connected to the LAN and the start of the operation of the video deck in which the recording reservation is set is delayed, for example, is eliminated.

  However, for home appliances newly connected to the LAN by the user, the time during which the time information cannot be obtained for up to 6 hours until the periodic time information is transmitted from the radio clock (hereinafter referred to as waiting time). May occur. During the waiting time, there is a problem that, for example, if the video recorder is a video recorder, scheduled recording cannot be executed. To solve this problem, the user must manually set the time after connecting the home appliance, but if the user sets the time manually, the user may set an incorrect time. In such a case, there arises a problem that the reserved recording is not started at the correct time. In addition, it is troublesome for the user to manually set the time of the home appliance.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a home network system in which a clock device that always holds accurate time information and a home appliance having a clock function is connected to a LAN, and the clock function of a newly connected home appliance is The correct time is automatically set within a short time, and the user himself / herself has to manually set the time for a newly connected home appliance, for example, so-called scheduled recording in a video recorder. An object of the present invention is to provide a home network system that does not cause inconvenience that it is difficult to operate a timer operation at an accurate time.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a timepiece device having a standard timepiece function that obtains time information by receiving radio waves from an external time information source and always holds accurate time information. In a home network system in which a home appliance having a clock function is connected to a LAN (Local Area Network), the clock device has accurate time information held by the clock device itself at a predetermined time interval. Time information periodic transmission means for broadcasting on the LAN, and time information anytime transmission means for transmitting accurate time information to the home appliance when newly requested from the home appliance connected to the LAN And the home appliance captures accurate time information that the time information periodic transmission means of the timepiece device transmits on the LAN. And a time correction means for correcting the time of the clock function possessed by the home appliance to an accurate time, and a request signal for the IP address and time information of the home appliance on the LAN when newly connected to the LAN. Time information requesting means for transmitting the time information by broadcasting, and the time of the clock function possessed by the home appliance by taking in the accurate time information sent by the timepiece device after the time information requesting means sends the time information request signal Time setting means for setting the time to a correct time, and when the home appliance is newly connected to the LAN, it broadcasts the IP address and the request signal for the time information on the LAN. In response to this, the clock function held by the home appliance by taking in the accurate time information sent to the home appliance by the time information occasional transmission means of the watch device accordingly The time is set to an accurate time, and then the time information periodic transmission means of the clock device captures the accurate time information that is periodically transmitted by broadcast, and the time of the clock function possessed by the home appliance is set to the accurate time It is characterized by correction.

  The invention of claim 2 is a timepiece device having a standard timepiece function that obtains time information by receiving radio waves from an external time information source and always holds accurate time information, and a home appliance having a timepiece function. In a home network system connected to a LAN (Local Area Network), the timepiece device sends accurate time information to the LAN when a request is made from a home appliance newly connected to the LAN. And a time information requesting means for sending a request signal for time information on the LAN when the home appliance is newly connected to the LAN, and the time information requesting means The accurate time information transmitted by the timepiece device after sending the information request signal is taken in, and the time of the clock function possessed by the home appliance is accurately A time setting means for setting the time, and when the home appliance is newly connected to the LAN, the home appliance transmits a request signal for the time information on the LAN, and accordingly the time of the timepiece device It is characterized in that accurate time information transmitted by the information occasional transmission means is taken in and the time of the clock function possessed by the home appliance is set to the accurate time.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the invention, the time information requesting means of the home appliance sends out the IP address of the home appliance together with a request signal of the time information, and the time information occasional sending means of the clock device is Based on the IP address transmitted by the time information requesting means, accurate time information is transmitted to a specific home appliance that has transmitted the request signal for the time information.

  According to the present invention, accurate time information transmission to the home appliance newly connected to the LAN by the user is executed following the connection of the home appliance to the LAN, and the time setting based on the accurate time information is connected. Since it is performed within a short period of time, the user must manually set the time for the newly connected home appliance, or the so-called timer operation such as reserved recording in a video recorder is performed accurately. There is no inconvenience that it is difficult to operate at the time.

  An embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a home network system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a radio clock 4 connected to a bus 3 constituting a LAN (Local Area Network) 2 and a television receiver (home appliance). (Hereinafter referred to as TV) 5, CD player 6, air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as air conditioner) 7, and video tape recorder 8.

  The TV 5, the air conditioner 7, and the video tape recorder 8 each have a clock function inside, but the CD player 6 does not have a clock function.

  LAN 2 is a so-called normal LAN, and the protocol is TCP / IP. The radio timepiece 4 has a standard timepiece function that obtains standard time information by receiving a radio wave W from an external time information source (for example, a standard radio wave transmission station) and always holds accurate time information. Yes.

  The radio clock 4, the TV 5, the DVD player 6, the air conditioner 7, and the video tape recorder 8 each include a microprocessor 4a, 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a, and the microprocessor 4a of the radio clock 4 includes time information to be described later. The microprocessors 5a, 7a, and 8a of the home appliances 5, 7, and 8 execute a time information request procedure that will be described later.

  Further, the radio timepiece 4 in the present embodiment receives radio waves from an external time information source every 24 hours, corrects time information held by the own device, and always holds accurate time information.

  Hereinafter, the video tape recorder 8 is taken up as a home appliance having a clock function inside, and the time setting process executed when newly connected to the LAN 2 and the time correction process executed thereafter are shown in FIG. This will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the video tape recorder 8 is connected to the LAN 2 by the user, the microprocessor 8a of the video tape recorder 8 recognizes that it is connected to the LAN 2 (YES in S21), and the IP address and time information of the video tape recorder 8 itself. Request signal is broadcasted to the LAN 2 (S22).

  When the radio clock 4 receives the IP address and time information request signal transmitted on the LAN 2, the radio clock 4 transmits accurate time information to the IP address, and the microprocessor 8a of the video tape recorder 8 Is acquired (YES in S23), and the time of the clock function of the video tape recorder 8 itself is set based on the acquired time information (S24). The operation of the radio timepiece 4 will be described in detail later.

  Thereafter, when the microprocessor 8a of the video tape recorder 8 detects that the time information is transmitted on the LAN 2 (YES in S25), the time information is taken in and the time of the clock function of the video tape recorder 8 itself is acquired. Is corrected (S26).

  The time information detected by the microprocessor 8a of the video tape recorder 8 in S25 is the time information that the radio timepiece 4 sends periodically (every 24 hours) onto the LAN 2. Accordingly, the time interval from the time setting by the microprocessor 8a of the video tape recorder 8 in S24 to the time correction in S26 is an indefinite interval from approximately zero to 24 hours.

  As will be described in detail later, the radio timepiece 4 sends accurate time information on the LAN 2 in accordance with a period (24 hours) for correcting the time of the radio timepiece 4 itself. Is corrected every 24 hours thereafter.

  As for the television 5 and the air conditioner 7 as well, the time setting process is performed when connected to the LAN 2 by the microprocessors 5a and 7a included therein, and then the time adjustment process is periodically performed thereafter.

  Next, time information transmission processing of the radio timepiece 4 will be described with reference to FIG. The microprocessor 4a of the radio-controlled timepiece 4 determines whether or not the request signal for the time information and the IP address transmitted by broadcast from the newly connected home appliance (video tape recorder 8 in the above example) are on the LAN 2. If there is a time information request signal and an IP address (YES in S31), the time information request signal and the IP address are acquired, and the time information request signal is transmitted based on the acquired IP address. Accurate time information is transmitted to the home appliance (video tape recorder 8) (S32).

  When the request signal for the time information and the IP address are not on the LAN 2 (NO in S31), the microprocessor 4a of the radio timepiece 4 acquires the time information from an external time information source that is performed in a 24-hour cycle. It is determined whether or not (S33). If it is determined that the acquisition has been performed (YES in S33), the time of the radio timepiece 4 itself is corrected based on the acquired time information (S34), and the time information based on the corrected time is broadcast on the LAN 2. (S35).

  Note that the time information transmitted to the LAN 2 by the radio timepiece 4 in S35 is broadcast and is acquired by all home appliances including the CD player 6 that does not have a clock function connected to the bus 3, The microprocessor 6a of the player 6 temporarily stores the acquired time information in the buffer, and then determines that it is unnecessary information and deletes it.

  In addition, the time information request signal transmitted to the LAN 2 by the newly connected home appliance in S22 is transmitted by broadcast, so that it is reliably acquired by the radio clock 4 connected to the LAN 2. The microprocessors 5a, 6a, and 7a of home appliances other than the home appliance that transmitted the time information request signal (in the above example, the television 5, the CD player 6, and the air conditioner 7) temporarily buffer the broadcast-transmitted time information request signal. After it is stored in, it is judged as unnecessary information and deleted.

  As described above, the time of the clock function possessed by the home appliances (the TV 5, the air conditioner 7 and the video tape recorder 8) connected to the LAN 2 is the time information transmitted from the radio clock 4 within a short time after connection. Therefore, it is not necessary to set the time manually by the user. For example, in the case of the video tape recorder 8, a so-called timer function such as setting of reserved recording can be used immediately. it can. Moreover, since the time set for the clock function of each home appliance 5, 7, 8 is an accurate time transmitted from the radio clock 4, for example, an inaccurate operation such as a shift in the scheduled recording start time is performed. There is no fear.

  Note that the period in which the radio timepiece 4 receives radio waves from an external time information source and corrects the time of the radio timepiece 4 itself is not limited to 24 hours and can be variously changed, and is configured to be set by the user as appropriate. May be. Further, the timing at which the radio timepiece 4 broadcasts the time information on the LAN 2 in S35 may be after a predetermined time has elapsed since the radio timepiece 4 corrected the time of the radio timepiece 4 itself in S34.

  Furthermore, the signal that each home appliance 5, 7, 8 newly connected to LAN 2 sends to LAN 2 may be a time information request signal that does not include an IP address. In this case, the radio timepiece 4 broadcasts accurate time information on the LAN 2 according to the time information request signal.

  The radio timepiece 4 can be replaced with another timepiece device having a function of acquiring time information by receiving radio waves from an external time information source and always holding accurate time information. For example, it may be a digital television receiver that receives a digital television broadcast including time information and corrects the time of a built-in standard clock based on the time information.

1 is a block diagram showing a home network system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the time setting process after the household appliances which comprise the home network system are connected to LAN, and a time correction process. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the time information transmission process of the radio timepiece which comprises the home network system.

Explanation of symbols

1 Home network system 2 LAN
4 Radio clock (clock equipment)
4a Microprocessor of radio timepiece (time information regular transmission means, time information occasional transmission means)
5 TV (home appliances)
7 Air conditioners (home appliances)
8 Video tape recorder (home appliances)
5a, 7a, 8a Home appliance microprocessor (time correction means, time information request means, time setting means)
W radio wave

Claims (3)

A clock device having a standard clock function that acquires time information by receiving radio waves from an external time information source and always holds accurate time information, and a home appliance having a clock function are connected to a LAN (Local Area Network). In the home network system connected to
The watch device is
A time information periodic transmission means for broadcasting the accurate time information held by the timepiece device itself on the LAN at a preset time interval;
When there is a request from a home appliance newly connected to the LAN, time information anytime transmission means for sending accurate time information to the home appliance, and
The home appliance is
Time correction means for taking in the accurate time information that the time information periodic transmission means of the clock device sends out on the LAN and correcting the time of the clock function held by the home appliance to an accurate time;
Time information requesting means for broadcasting a request signal of the IP address and time information of the home appliance on the LAN when newly connected to the LAN;
Time setting means for taking in accurate time information sent by the timepiece device after the time information requesting means sends out a request signal for time information, and setting the time of the clock function held by the home appliance to the correct time; With
When the home appliance is newly connected to the LAN, it broadcasts the IP address and the time information request signal on the LAN, and the time information occasional transmission means of the clock device accordingly Takes accurate time information sent to home appliances, sets the time of the clock function held by the home appliance to the correct time, and then periodically sends the time information periodically sending means of the watch device by broadcast The home network system is characterized in that it takes accurate time information and corrects the time of the clock function possessed by the home appliance to an accurate time. A clock device having a standard clock function that acquires time information by receiving radio waves from an external time information source and always holds accurate time information, and a home appliance having a clock function are connected to a LAN (Local Area Network). In the home network system connected to
The watch device is
When there is a request from a home appliance newly connected to the LAN, it includes time information anytime transmission means for transmitting accurate time information on the LAN,
The home appliance is
Time information requesting means for sending a request signal for time information on the LAN when newly connected to the LAN;
Time setting means for taking in accurate time information sent by the timepiece device after the time information requesting means sends out a request signal for time information, and setting the time of the clock function held by the home appliance to the correct time; With
When the home appliance is newly connected to the LAN, the home appliance transmits a request signal for the time information on the LAN, and accordingly, accurate time information transmitted by the time information on-time transmission means of the timepiece device is transmitted. A home network system characterized in that the time of the clock function possessed by the home appliance is acquired and set to an accurate time. The time information request means of the home appliance sends out the IP address of the home appliance together with a request signal for time information,
Based on the IP address sent by the time information requesting means, the time information occasional sending means of the timepiece device sends accurate time information to the specific home appliance that sent the time information request signal. The home network system according to claim 2.

Images