JP2008048225A - Home electrical appliance network system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a home electrical appliance network system capable of confirming whether or not a home electrical appliance actually operates under remote control. <P>SOLUTION: When an electric lock is locked under remote control, closing operation confirmation information is transmitted in a wait time of three seconds after closure information is transmitted, and the electric lock 28 transmits information showing whether the electric lock 28 is actually locked to a mobile phone 18 of a user through a home gateway 12 and a server 16 after receiving the closing operation confirmation information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a home appliance network system in which home appliances of houses and apartments are connected to a network system.

  Recently, a network system has been developed in which home appliances such as a microwave oven and a refrigerator are connected wirelessly to a home gateway, and the home gateway is connected to a server via the Internet (for example, see Patent Document 1).

In such a home appliance network system, a home computer such as an air conditioner is turned on or off by remote control from a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) installed in a house or apartment house or a mobile phone outside the home. can do.
JP 2004-128532 A

  When home appliances are remotely controlled by a PC or mobile phone as described above, the home gateway only transmits control information for performing the control to the home appliances, so that the home appliances are based on the control information. Whether it worked or not was unknown. For example, when on-information is sent to an air conditioner from a mobile phone outside the home, the home gateway sends on-information to the air conditioner, but it was unknown whether the air conditioner was actually turned on. .

  Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention provides a home appliance network system that can confirm whether a home appliance has actually operated by remote control.

  The present invention relates to a home appliance network system comprising a control device, a home gateway connected to the control device, and a home appliance connected to the home gateway by wire or wirelessly, wherein the control device includes the home appliance First transmission means for transmitting device control information to the home appliance via the home gateway, and operation confirmation for confirming whether the home appliance has been operated based on the control information after transmitting the control information. Second transmission means for transmitting information to the home appliance via the home gateway, and receiving information about whether or not the operation confirmation information has been received from the home appliance via the home gateway for display. And a response information receiving means.

  The present invention also provides a server, a mobile phone connected to the server via the Internet, a home gateway connected to the server via the Internet, and a home appliance connected to the home gateway by wire or wirelessly. In the home appliance network system provided with a device, the server includes control information receiving means for receiving control information of the home appliance from the mobile phone, control information of the home appliance, and the home appliance includes the control information. Transmission means for sequentially transmitting operation confirmation information for confirming whether or not the operation has been performed to the home appliance via the home gateway, and reply information on whether or not the operation has been performed with respect to the operation confirmation information. Response information receiving means for receiving from the device via the home gateway; and It is a home appliance network system, characterized by having a response information transmitting means for transmitting to the telephone.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can be confirmed whether the household appliances actually operate | moved based on the reply information from a household appliance.

  Hereinafter, the household appliance network system 10 of one Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated based on drawing.

  Hereinafter, a home appliance network system (hereinafter simply referred to as a system) 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

(1) Configuration of System 10 The system 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The system 10 includes a home gateway (HGW) 12 in a condominium or a house, a server 16 outside the home via the home gateway 12 and the Internet 14, and a mobile phone 18 connected via the Internet 14. And have.

  The home gateway 12 is connected to home appliances arranged in the house. In FIG. 1, an air conditioner 20, a television 22, and a house information board 24 are connected. A PC 26 for controlling the home gateway 12 is also connected.

  Connected to the house information board 24 are an electric lock 28 for opening and closing the front door of the house, a delivery box 30 and an interphone handset 32. Further, sensors are connected to the house information board 24, and specifically, a window security sensor 34, an emergency push button 36, a fire alarm 38, and a gas leak alarm 40 are connected.

  Note that although not shown, as a home appliance, a microwave oven, an IH cooking heater, a rice cooker, a refrigerator, a washing machine, a dryer, and a washing and drying machine are connected in addition to the above.

(2) Configuration of Home Gateway 12 The home gateway 12 includes a control unit 121, a storage unit 122, a communication unit 123, and an operation unit 124.

  In the home gateway 12, the communication unit 123 communicates with the server 16 via the Internet 14, and communicates with home appliances such as the air conditioner 20 in a wired or wireless manner.

(3) Configuration of Housing Information Panel 24 The housing information panel 24 includes a control unit 240, a storage unit 241, a communication unit 242, an operation unit 243, a display unit 244, a microphone 245, and a speaker 246. The communication unit 242 communicates with the home gateway 12, the electric lock 28, the delivery box 30, the intercom slave device 32, and the sensors 34 to 40.

  The home information board 24 sends information from the electric lock 28 and the like to the home gateway 12, but in addition, it also serves as an interphone master unit. That is, the speaker 246, the microphone 245, the display unit 244, and the operation unit 243 are devices for playing the role of an interphone master unit.

  The intercom handset 32 includes a camera 320, a button 321, a microphone 322, and a speaker 323.

  When the customer presses the button 321, the microphone 322 and the camera 320 are activated, and the customer's voice is uttered from the speaker 246 of the house information board 24. Further, the customer image taken by the camera 320 is displayed on the display unit 244 of the house information board 24. On the other hand, a user in the house utters correspondingly to the microphone 245 and outputs it from the speaker 323 of the intercom handset 32.

(4) First Remote Control Method Next, remote control for turning on a home appliance, for example, the air conditioner 20 in the system 10 having the above-described configuration will be described based on the operation sequence of FIG.

  Note that, in the first remote control method, a case where the user turns on using the PC 26 will be described as an example. .

  First, the user downloads and starts up a screen for remote control from the server 16 using the browser display function as shown in FIG.

  Next, an air conditioner icon is clicked on this screen, and an icon for turning on the air conditioner 20 is clicked on the next screen. Then, the PC 26 transmits a control code for turning on the air conditioner 20.

  Next, the home gateway 12 transfers a control code for turning on the air conditioner 20.

  Next, the air conditioner 20 transmits to the home gateway 12 on confirmation information indicating that it has received the control code for turning it on.

  Next, the home gateway 12 transfers the on confirmation information to the PC 26.

  Next, since the on confirmation information is received, the PC 26 transmits a control code for confirming whether or not the air conditioner 20 is actually turned on to the home gateway 12.

  Next, the home gateway 12 transfers the control code of the on operation confirmation information to the air conditioner 20.

  Next, since the air conditioner 20 has received the on operation confirmation information, the air conditioner 20 transmits to the home gateway 12 reply information indicating whether or not the air conditioner has actually been turned on, for example, a control code of on operation OK information. If it is not in the on state, off operation information is transmitted as answer information.

  Next, the home gateway 12 transfers the on-operation OK information to the PC 26.

  When the on-operation OK information is received, the PC 26 indicates on the screen that the air conditioner 20 has been turned on.

  Thus, the user can surely confirm whether or not the air conditioner 20 is actually turned on only by operating the PC 26.

  Note that this can be executed in the same manner in other home appliances, and for example, it can be confirmed whether or not the electric lock 28 is locked.

  In the embodiment described above, the remote control is performed by the PC 26, but the remote control may be performed using the remote controller of the television 22 instead.

(5) Second Remote Control Method Next, the second remote control method will be described based on the operation sequence of FIG.

  In the second operation sequence, a case will be described in which the user has gone out and the air conditioner 20 is turned on using the mobile phone 18 at the outside.

  First, the user connects to the server 16 using the mobile phone 18. In this case, a home page is called at a specific address designated by the server 16, and a user code and a password are input on the home page, and the user's own home page is called. Note that the cellular phone 18 in the present specification includes a notebook computer and a PDA as long as they are portable communication terminals.

  Next, the user instructs the home air conditioner 20 to be turned on through the home page.

  Next, the server 16 receives the on-information, and simultaneously transmits the on-information control code to the home gateway 12 and the on-operation confirmation information control code for confirming whether the air conditioner 20 has been turned on. .

  Next, the home gateway 12 transmits ON information to the air conditioner 20.

  Next, the air conditioner 20 transmits to the home gateway 12 on confirmation information indicating that the on information has been received.

  Next, since the home gateway 12 has received the on-confirmation information, the home gateway 12 continuously transmits the on-operation confirmation information sent from the server 16 to the air conditioner 20.

  Next, since the air conditioner 20 has received the on-operation confirmation information, the air conditioner 20 transmits response information indicating whether or not the air conditioner 20 is actually operating. For example, if it is in the on state, the on operation OK information is transmitted to the home gateway 12.

  Next, the home gateway 12 transfers the received on-operation OK information to the server 16.

  When the on-operation OK information is received, the server 16 transmits the on-operation OK information indicating that the air conditioner 20 has actually operated to the mobile phone 18.

  Next, the mobile phone 18 displays information indicating that the air conditioner 20 has been operated and notifies the user.

  With the second remote control method, it is easy to confirm whether the air conditioner 20 actually operates even when using a mobile phone from outside the house.

(6) Third Remote Control Method Next, a third remote control method will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the air conditioner 20 as described above, since it is possible to confirm whether the air conditioner 20 is in an on state immediately after receiving the on information, the on information and the on operation confirmation information are sequentially transmitted in order. Even so, the operation can be confirmed. However, even if the electric lock 28 is transmitted (closed information) like the electric lock 28, a predetermined time is required until the motor inside the electric lock 28 operates and is closed. Therefore, even if the operation confirmation information is transmitted immediately after that, since the electric lock 28 is actually locked, the operation cannot be confirmed. Therefore, the third remote control method is characterized in that it waits for the electric lock 28 to transmit the operation confirmation information until the lock is actually completed.

  The operation sequence of the third remote control method will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, in the same manner as described above, the user transmits the closing information from the mobile phone 18 so that the electric lock 28 is locked (closed state).

  When the server 16 receives the closing information, the server 16 transmits the closing information, the standby time information, and the closing operation confirmation information to the home gateway 12.

  Next, the home gateway 12 first transmits closing information to the electric lock 28.

  Next, the electric lock 28 transmits closing confirmation information indicating that the closing information has been received to the home gateway 12.

  Upon receiving the closing confirmation information, the home gateway 12 waits for 3 seconds, for example, based on the waiting time information. This 3 seconds corresponds to the time until the electric lock 28 finishes locking.

  Next, when the standby time elapses, the home gateway 12 transmits closing operation confirmation information to the electric lock 28.

  Next, the electric lock 28 receives the closing operation confirmation information. Since the time for locking is completed, it can be confirmed whether or not the locking is successful. Therefore, the answer information is transmitted to the home gateway 12. For example, if the locking is successful, the closing operation OK information is transmitted to the home gateway 12.

  Next, the home gateway 12 transfers the received closing operation OK information to the server 16.

  Next, the server 16 transmits the closing operation OK information to the mobile phone 18.

  Next, the mobile phone 18 displays that the electric lock 28 is locked.

  This makes it possible to confirm whether or not the operation (locking) has been performed reliably even if the operation has a predetermined time for the operation like the electric lock 28.

  The electric lock 28 can be unlocked in addition to locking, but it is not preferable for the crime prevention to unlock the electric lock 28, so that the process of unlocking by remote control is not performed. Yes.

It is a block diagram of the household appliance network system which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement sequence of a 1st remote control method. It is an operation | movement sequence of a 2nd remote control method. It is an operation | movement sequence of a 3rd remote control method. It is drawing of the screen for performing remote control.

Explanation of symbols

10 Home Appliance Network System 12 Home Gateway 14 Internet 16 Server 18 Mobile Phone 20 Air Conditioner 24 Housing Information Panel 26 PC
28 Electric lock

Claims (5)

A control device;
A home gateway connected to the control device;
Household appliances connected to the home gateway by wire or wirelessly;
In the home appliance network system equipped with
The controller is
First transmission means for transmitting control information of the home appliance to the home appliance via the home gateway;
Second transmission means for transmitting operation confirmation information for confirming whether or not the home appliance has been operated based on the control information after transmission of the control information to the home appliance via the home gateway;
Response information receiving means for receiving and displaying the response information on whether or not the operation is confirmed from the home appliance via the home gateway;
A home appliance network system characterized by comprising: Server,
A mobile phone connected to the server via the Internet;
A home gateway connected to the server via the Internet;
Household appliances connected to the home gateway by wire or wirelessly;
In the home appliance network system equipped with
The server
Control information receiving means for receiving control information of the home appliance from the mobile phone;
Control means for transmitting the home appliance control information and operation confirmation information for confirming whether or not the home appliance has been operated based on the control information to the home appliance in order via the home gateway,
Response information receiving means for receiving response information as to whether the operation has been performed with respect to the operation confirmation information from the home appliance via the home gateway;
Answer information transmitting means for transmitting the answer information to the mobile phone;
A home appliance network system characterized by comprising: The transmission means of the server includes
The standby instruction information for controlling the home gateway to transmit the operation confirmation information to the home appliance after an arbitrary standby time after the home gateway transmits the control information to the home appliance. 2. Home appliance network system according to 2. The household electrical appliance network system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the household electrical appliance is a microwave oven, an IH cooking heater, a rice cooker, a refrigerator, an intercom, an air conditioner, a washing machine, a dryer, or a washing dryer. 4. The home appliance network system according to claim 1, wherein the home appliance is an electric lock, and the control information is information for closing the electric lock. 5.

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