JP2008287560A - Home network system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To hasten starting of a server to reduce a waiting time on a client side, in a home network system wherein the server is automatically started by the client. <P>SOLUTION: In this home network system, the client and the server are connected by a LAN. When a communication part becomes communicable in a level of a data link layer (YES at S3) by initialization of the client (S2), a CPU of the client transmits a start command signal for starting the server to the server (S5). The server is in a standby state (S11), and a communication control part of the server turns on a main power source of the server based on the start command signal (S13) when detecting the start command signal from the client (S12). Thereby, because starting the server simultaneously with the initialization of the client to hasten the starting, the waiting time of server use viewed from the client side can be reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a home network system in which a client and a server are connected. Specifically, the present invention relates to a home network system that can turn on a server by turning on the client.

  Conventionally, as this type of home network system, a DLNA guideline (Digital Living), which is a technical specification for connecting AV devices, personal computers, and information appliances to each other using a home LAN (home network) and using them in cooperation with each other. There is known a network system conforming to Network Alliance guideline (hereinafter referred to as DLNA). In this DLNA, a DMS (Digital Media Server) that records, stores, and provides content is defined on the server side, and a DMP (Digital Media Player) that plays back DMS content is defined on the client side, both of which are connected to the network. The DMP searches for DMS existing in the network and automatically obtains a list of available contents. Therefore, this DLNA-compatible device can automatically use content from other devices simply by connecting to the network. As the DMS, for example, a network attached storage of a file service dedicated machine, a personal computer, a DVD / HDD recorder, and the like can be used. As a DMP, an AV device such as a television receiver, a notebook personal computer, a PDA, etc. It is also possible to use both of the functions of DMS and DMP.

  However, in the home network system, when the DMS server and the DMP are arranged in different rooms, it is very complicated to turn on and off the power for each of the DMS server and the DMP. On the other hand, as a method for turning the server on and off more easily (without going to the room where the server is located), the technology allows the client and the server to start each other via a network. Wake on Lan (hereinafter referred to as WOL) is known.

  In a network system using WOL, when a client device is started up, the client device transmits a server activation packet signal (magic packet (registered trademark)) to the server side to activate the server via the network. At this time, the client device normally transmits a packet signal after its own operation system (OS) has completely started up. Therefore, since the server side activation is delayed from the rise of the client device, when accessing the server from the client device, it is necessary to wait until the server side startup is completed on the client device side. For this reason, for example, in a home network system, when it is desired to view the contents of a DMS-compatible DVD recorder (server apparatus) on a DMP-compatible TV receiver (client device), the TV receiver receives the contents of the DVD recorder from the power on There was a problem that it took a long time to watch.

  By the way, as shown in Patent Document 1, in a client / server type network system in which one or more clients and one or more servers are connected, the server is turned on by turning on one client in the group. A network system is known in which when the power of all clients in a group is turned off, the power of the server is also turned off. Also, as shown in Patent Document 2, an off condition registration request including an off condition when the client turns off the server is transmitted to the server, and the server is turned off when the server satisfies the off condition. Network type content playback systems are known.

However, in the techniques as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the server can be powered on from the client device, but the server is not always in parallel with the startup of the client device. Cannot be accelerated, and no disclosure is made to solve the above problem.
JP-A-5-165552 JP 2006-155122 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem. In a home network system, the server is automatically started up when the client device is turned on, and the server is started quickly so that the client device can wait. An object is to provide a home network system capable of reducing time.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 includes a home network system including at least one client and a server to which the client is connected, each having a communication device for communication between the client and the server. The client includes a startup memory for storing an initialization program for enabling the communication device on the client side to communicate at a data link layer level when the client is turned on, and a power source for the server. A startup command issuing means for sending a startup command signal to start the server to the server, and a client side control means for controlling the processing on the client side including execution of the initialization program, the server Communication control means for controlling the communication device of the server, and A sub-power supply unit that supplies power so that the communication device of the server can always communicate at the level of the data link layer, a main power supply unit that supplies power to each unit of the server during normal use of the server, A startup command detection means for detecting a startup command signal transmitted by the startup command issuing means, and the client-side control means stores the initial stored in the startup memory when the client is powered on. After the communication program on the client side is made communicable at the data link layer level, the start command issuing means sends a start command signal for starting the server to the server. The server communication control means detects the start command signal by the start command detection means. Occasionally, it is obtained so as to turn on the main power supply unit.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the home network system of the first aspect, the activation memory stores server identification information for identifying a server to which the activation command signal is transmitted.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the home network system according to the second aspect, the client is a server detection unit that detects a server on a home network, and the activation command signal is selected from the servers detected by the server detection unit. Server determining means for determining a destination server of the client, and the client-side control means stores server identification information for identifying the destination server determined by the server determining means in the activation memory. To do.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the home network system of the second aspect, the client further includes a graphic user interface (GUI) capable of selecting a server to which the activation command signal is transmitted, and the client side The control means stores, in the activation memory, server identification information selected in advance on the GUI by the user.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the client executes the initialization program and becomes communicable, the server can be automatically started immediately by turning on the main power supply of the server. As a result, the user can reduce the time and labor required to start the server at the time of starting the client, and can reduce the time to wait for the server to start up after the client starts up. It can be used sooner. Therefore, in a home network system, for example, when the client side is a DMP-compatible television receiver and the server side is a DMS server, the user turns on the power on the television receiver side to view content. Since the time waiting for the rise of the DMS server can be substantially eliminated, the content can be enjoyed immediately.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the startup memory stores the identification information of the server to be started together with the client initialization program, the client obtains the server identification information from the startup memory simultaneously with the startup. The server identification information can be immediately transmitted to the server to be started, and the server can be started at an early stage.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the client can detect all the identification information of the server connected to the network, determine the server identification information of the transmission destination, and automatically store the identification information of the server in the startup memory. Can be remembered. As a result, server identification information can be easily obtained when the client is activated, and the labor of inputting the server identification information into the activation memory can be saved.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the user can arbitrarily select a server on the GUI screen, it is possible to easily and reliably select a server.

  Hereinafter, a home network system (hereinafter referred to as an HNW system) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the HNW system of this embodiment. The HNW system includes at least one client device (three client devices 10, 20, and 30 in the present embodiment) and at least one server (server 40 in the present embodiment). The server 40 and the client devices 10, 20, 30 are connected via a LAN network 50. In this HNW system, each client device 10, 20, 30 requests content from the server 40, and the server 40 transmits content in response to a request from each client device, and each client device 10, 20, 30 receives the content from the server 40 and plays it.

  FIG. 2 is an electrical block diagram of each of the client device 10 and the server 40 connected via the network 50. Here, in the HNW system, for example, when the client device 10 is a DMP-compliant TV receiver compliant with DLNA and the server 40 is a DMS server compliant with DLNA, the contents of the DMS server are received from the DMP-compliant TV receiver side. It can be called and displayed on the TV receiver.

  The client device 10 includes a CPU 11, a memory 12, a communication unit (communication device) 13, a flash ROM (startup memory) 14, a display unit 15, a power supply unit 16, and a power supply SW 17.

  The CPU 11 controls the entire client device 10, performs protocol processing of input / output data, and issues a start command signal for starting the power supply of the server 40 (start command issuing means) ). In addition, the CPU 11 determines a server that determines a server to which the activation command signal is transmitted from a server detection unit 11b (server detection unit) that detects a server on the network 50 and the server detected by the server detection unit 11b. A server 11c (server determining means), and server identification information for identifying the destination server determined by the server determining unit 11c is stored in the flash ROM 14 in advance. For example, when the client device 10 and the server 40 are DLNA-compliant DMP-compatible devices and DMS-compatible servers, respectively, the server identification information on the network 50 is detected by a protocol defined by the UPnP Device Architecture standard used in DLNA. Can be performed by automatically recognizing. The determination of the transmission destination by the server determination unit 11c is determined, for example, by detecting server identification information that matches the server desired by the user registered in the flash ROM 14 in advance. The memory 12 includes a ROM and a RAM that store programs necessary for various control operations executed by the CPU 11.

  The communication unit 13 is a communication device that transmits and receives signals between the client device 10 and the server 40, and includes a communication control unit 13 a that controls the communication unit 13. The communication control unit 13a is a LAN controller that controls a LAN network constituting the home network. As such a communication device, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark) (Ethenet), Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) of wireless LAN standards, power line communication (Power Line Communications), or the like can be used. These can be used as a network interface card.

  The flash ROM 14 is an initialization program including a boot loader and a BIOS (Basic Input Output System) including a program that enables the communication unit 13 on the client side to communicate at the data link layer level when the client device 10 is powered on. And server identification information for identifying the server. The initialization program is an initial setting program for controlling various devices such as communication devices and disks connected to the personal computer when starting up a normal personal computer, etc., and at least the data link layer startup program of the communication protocol Is included. This data link layer is located in the second layer of the OSI (Open system interconnection) reference model of the communication protocol.

  The display unit 15 displays television image information including content supplied from the server 40 and a graphic user interface (displaying a server list of destinations of activation command signals registered in the memory 12 or the flash ROM 14 in advance). GUI). The user can select a server in advance using this GUI and store the identification information of the desired server selected on the GUI in the flash ROM 14.

  The power supply unit 16 is a power supply that supplies power to each unit of the client device 10, and the power supply SW 17 is a power switch that turns on the power supply unit 16 when the user powers on the client device 10.

  Next, the server 40 includes a CPU 41, a memory 42, a communication unit (communication device) 43, a display unit 44, a hard disk 45, a main power supply unit 46, and a sub power supply unit 47. The main power supply unit 46 supplies power to the CPU 41, the memory 42, the display unit 44, and the hard disk 45, and the sub power supply unit 47 supplies power to the communication unit (communication device) 43.

  The CPU 41 controls the entire server 40, and includes protocol processing of data input / output by the server 40, database management for selecting content in response to a request from the client device 10, and reading of content stored in the hard disk 45. Perform system control. The memory 42 includes a ROM and a RAM that store programs necessary for various control operations executed by the CPU 41.

  The communication unit 43 is a communication device that transmits and receives signals between the client device 10 and the server 40, and includes a communication control unit 43 a that controls the communication unit 43. The communication control unit 43a includes an initial setting unit 43b and an activation command detection unit 43c, and has a function of a LAN controller that controls the LAN network. The initial setting unit 43b has a nonvolatile memory (not shown), and stores an initialization program for initial setting at the data link layer level when the server 40 is started up, server identification information, and the like. The activation command detection unit 43c detects the activation command signal transmitted from the activation command issuing unit 11a of the client device 10.

  The communication unit 43 is always supplied with power from the sub power supply unit 47, and the communication control unit 43a performs initialization processing of the communication control unit 43a itself by the initialization program of the initial setting unit 43b when the sub power supply unit 47 is activated. It is in a standby state in which communication is always possible at the data link layer level. The communication control unit 43a transmits a power control signal for controlling the main power supply unit 46 when the activation command detecting unit 43c detects the activation command signal transmitted from the activation command issuing unit 11a of the client device 10. The main power supply unit 46 is turned on. As a result, power is supplied to each part of the server 40, and the entire server such as the CPU 41 and the hard disk 45 is activated.

  The display unit 44 displays control information of the CPU 41, content information of the hard disk 45, and the like. The hard disk 45 records content such as music, video, and / or still images, and is system-controlled by the CPU 41 to supply the recorded content to the client device 10.

  In the above configuration, the CPU 11 executes the initialization program stored in the initial setting unit 14 a of the flash ROM 14 when the power supply unit 16 is turned on by the power supply SW 17 of the client device 10. Then, after enabling the communication unit 13 of the client device 10 to communicate at the data link layer level, the CPU 11 transmits a start command signal for starting the power source of the server 40 to the server 40 by the start command issuing unit 11a. To control. This activation command signal includes server identification information of the server 40. The communication control unit 43a of the server 40 turns on the main power supply unit 46 when the activation command detection unit 43c detects an activation command signal including its own server identification information from the client device 10.

  The operation procedure of the home network system will be described with reference to FIG. First, on the client device 10 side, when the user turns on the power SW 17 to activate the power supply unit 16 (S1), the CPU 11 starts to rise. First, the CPU 11 starts up an initial program for starting the client device 10 stored in the initial setting unit 14a of the flash ROM 14 (S2). When the communication unit 13 becomes communicable in the data link layer by starting the initial program (YES in S3), the CPU 11 reads the identification information of the server 40 to be activated from the initial setting unit 14a of the flash ROM 14 (S4), and reads A predetermined start command signal for starting the server is transmitted to the network 50 from the start command issuing unit 11a together with the server identification information thus obtained (S5). Thereafter, on the client device 10 side, the CPU 11 performs all initialization settings for the remaining devices (eg, disk, keyboard, graphics, etc.) that have not yet been initialized (S6), and starts up the OS of the client device 10 Is completed (S7).

  On the server 40 side, when the communication unit 43 is driven by the sub power supply unit 47 and the initialization of the communication unit 43 itself is completed by the communication control unit 43a of the communication unit 43 (S11), the communication unit 43 becomes the data link layer. The server 40 can be communicated at this level, and the server 40 is kept in a standby state. In this standby state, the communication control unit 43a activates the main power supply unit 46 when the activation command detection unit 43c detects an activation command signal including server identification information transmitted on the client side in step S5 (S12). A power control signal is generated to turn on the main power supply unit 46 (S13). When the main power supply unit 46 is turned on, the CPU 41, the display unit 44, the hard disk 45, etc. connected to the main power supply unit 46 are activated. Then, the OS of the server 40 starts up (S14), and the CPU 11 controls the entire server 40. As a result, the server 40 can be automatically activated from the client device 10 side via the network 50.

  According to the above operation procedure, the HNW system of the present embodiment can automatically start the server 40 immediately after the client device 10 is turned on when communication is possible in the data link layer. Accordingly, the user can eliminate the trouble of starting up the server 40 to be used when the client device 10 is started up, and can reduce the waiting time until the server 40 is started up after the client device 10 is started up. The content on the server 40 side can be used more quickly. Therefore, for example, in an HNW system in which the client device 10 is a DMP-compatible TV receiver and the server 40 is a DMS-compatible DVD recorder, the user turns on the power on the DMP-compatible TV receiver side to view content. At this stage, there is a high possibility that the content of the DMS-compatible DVD recorder can be viewed immediately. In the client device 10, the start command issuing unit 11 a, the server detection unit 11 b, and the server determination unit 11 c provided in the CPU 11 may be provided in the communication control unit 13 a of the communication unit 13.

  As described above, according to the HNW system of the present embodiment, when the client device 10 is turned on, the communication unit 13 is immediately connected to the network 50 when communication is possible at the data link layer level. The server 40 in the standby state can be automatically started up. This reduces the time and labor required to start the server by the user, and the user can start the server 40 after starting the client device 10 as compared to the case where the server 40 is started after the conventional client device 10 has completely started up. The time to wait for the rise can be shortened, and the server can be used more quickly. Therefore, for example, in an HNW system in which the client device 10 side is a DMP compatible TV receiver and the server 40 side is a DPS compatible DVD recorder as an HNW system using PLNA-compliant AV equipment, the user must be on the TV receiver side. It becomes possible to enjoy the contents of the DVD recorder immediately after the startup.

  Further, in the client device 10, the flash ROM 14 stores the identification information of the server to be activated together with the initialization program of the client device 10, so that the client device 10 obtains the server identification information from the flash ROM 14 simultaneously with the activation. The server identification information can be immediately transmitted to the server 40 to be started, and the server 40 can be started at an early stage.

  Furthermore, the client can detect all the identification information of the server connected to the network, determine the server identification information of the transmission destination, and automatically store the identification information of the server in the flash ROM. . As a result, server identification information can be easily obtained when the client is activated, and the time and labor for inputting the server identification information can be saved.

  In addition, since the client has a graphic user interface capable of selecting a server to which the start command signal is transmitted, the user can arbitrarily select a server on the GUI screen, and can easily select a necessary server. The server identification information can be reliably selected and stored in advance.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the structure of the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible suitably in the range which does not change the meaning of invention. For example, when there are multiple servers, when the client is powered on, it is possible to automatically start up by sending a startup command signal including the server identification information to all of the servers that you want to use It is. It is also possible to automatically start up a plurality of clients. Also, the client can be started from the server by providing the server with a function of starting the client.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a home network system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electric block diagram of the client and server in a home network system same as the above. The flowchart for demonstrating the operation | movement procedure in a home network system same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

10, 20, 30 Client device 11 CPU (client-side control means)
11a Start command issuing unit (start command issuing means)
11b Server detection unit (server detection means)
11c Server determination unit (server determination means)
13 Communication unit (communication device)
13a Communication control unit (communication device)
14 Flash ROM (startup memory)
15 Display (GUI)
40 server 43 communication unit (communication device)
43a Communication control unit (communication control means)
43c Activation command detection unit (activation command detection means)
46 Main power supply 47 Sub power supply

Claims (4)

In a home network system including at least one client and a server to which the client is connected, each having a communication device for communication between the client and the server,
The client
A startup memory that stores an initialization program for enabling communication on the client side communication device at the data link layer level when the client is powered on;
An activation command issuing means for transmitting an activation command signal for activating the power supply of the server to the server;
Client-side control means for controlling the processing on the client side, including execution of the initialization program,
The server
Communication control means for controlling the communication device of the server;
A sub-power supply unit that supplies power so that the communication device of the server can always communicate at the data link layer level;
A main power supply for supplying power to each part of the server during normal use of the server;
A start command detecting means for detecting a start command signal transmitted by the start command issuing means,
When the client-side control means is powered on to the client,
After executing the initialization program stored in the startup memory and enabling the communication device on the client side to communicate at the data link layer level,
The start command issuing means controls to send a start command signal for starting the power supply of the server to the server,
The home network system characterized in that the communication control means of the server turns on the main power supply unit when the activation command signal is detected by the activation command detection means.   2. The home network system according to claim 1, wherein the activation memory stores server identification information for identifying a transmission destination server of the activation command signal. The client
Server detection means for detecting a server on the home network;
Server determination means for determining a server to which the start command signal is transmitted from among the servers detected by the server detection means;
The home network system according to claim 2, wherein the client-side control unit stores server identification information for identifying a destination server determined by the server determination unit in the activation memory. The client further includes a graphic user interface (GUI) capable of selecting a server to which the activation command signal is transmitted,
The home network system according to claim 2, wherein the client-side control unit stores, in the activation memory, server identification information previously selected by the user on the GUI.

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