JP2014225812A - Terminal connection system and gateway device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow for simpler setting when setting the information of a terminal apparatus to be connected in a gateway device for providing a service, in a home network, by using a standard function mounted on an existing cellular phone or a smart phone, a tablet terminal, and the like.SOLUTION: A gateway device can extract the information of an apparatus to be connected from the DNS query (name resolution request) from a cellular phone or a smart phone from which a QR code (registered trade mark) stuck to an apparatus to be connected is read, and can store that information. Consequently, the user can set the information of a connection terminal apparatus easily for a gateway apparatus.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology that enables easy setting of information of a terminal connected to a gateway device and a gateway device in a system that controls a terminal device connected to the gateway device in a home.

  In recent years, home appliances that can be set and controlled via the Internet have appeared, and cases in which home devices are controlled from the outside via a gateway device installed in the home are increasing. Further, the spread of HEMS (Home Energy Management System) that connects home appliances via a home network and optimizes power in the home in conjunction with a solar power generation system or a storage battery system is expected.

  In addition, demand response is expected to be introduced by electric power companies, and home appliances corresponding to services are being studied. It is expected that home appliances that can be controlled by the home network will increase in the future.

  Communication technologies for realizing HEMS and demand response include IEEE802.15.4 / g / e, which uses the 920MHz frequency band, which has excellent radio wave interference and wall transparency in the home, The use of PLC (Power Line Communication) that performs communication using a wired power line and IEEE802.11a / b / g / n using a frequency band of 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz is being studied.

  In these communication technologies, it is necessary to set information for authentication and security on the terminal device or gateway device side when starting communication, but home appliances etc. are like a keyboard for inputting such information. There are many devices that cannot be equipped with an interface, and a technique for registering terminal device information in the gateway device by a simpler method is required.

  As such a technology, Wi-Fi Alliance, a standardization organization for wireless LAN communication technology, has standardized WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup). There are two types of WPS: a PBC (Push Button Configuration) method using buttons and a PIN (Personal Identification Number) method using 4 to 9 digits.

  On the other hand, mobile phone technology has become more advanced, enabling higher-speed data communication, and a large amount of data communication using high-definition screens such as smartphones and tablet terminals has been performed. Under such circumstances, an environment in which data communication using a smartphone or a tablet terminal at home is performed by a wireless LAN built in a home is becoming common. Smartphones and tablet terminals are automatically connected to a wireless LAN in an environment where a wireless LAN can be used. If there is no wireless LAN that can be used, communication is performed by connecting to a mobile phone network represented by W-CDMA, CDWA2000, or LTE. The function to perform is common.

  In addition, these smart phones and tablet terminals often have a built-in digital camera and often have a camera function. In addition, a function as a reader for reading a QR code (registered trademark) using this built-in camera is generally installed, and a URL (Uniform Resource) read by reading a QR code described in a magazine or a newspaper is read. Locator) is accessed using a browser to obtain detailed information.

  In such an environment, a technology for easily connecting information for accessing a wireless LAN network built in a home to a terminal to be connected is necessary. .

  In Patent Document 1, as a solving means, a QR code in which configuration information for automatically setting a wireless LAN in the mobile phone 8 is recorded as a two-dimensional code in the housing 204 of the home communication device 2 is a mobile phone 8. It is attached in a form that can be read by a QR code reader provided on the mobile phone. ”As described in the above, by reading the wireless LAN access information described by the QR code, the wireless LAN compatible telephone can be easily read. The contents to be set are described.

JP 2006-157814 A

  However, in the technique of the above-mentioned patent document 1, setting to a terminal (for example, a smartphone) that can read a QR code can be easily performed by reading the QR code. It cannot be set.

  An object of the present invention is to be installed in an existing mobile phone, smart phone, tablet terminal or the like when setting information on a terminal device to be connected to a gateway device that provides a service in a home network. It is an object of the present invention to provide a technology and a gateway device that enable simple setting by using a standard function.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the gateway device of the present invention detects a domain name included in the DNS name resolution request message received from the first terminal device from among the domain names. A DNS function unit that extracts identification information of the second terminal device and a storage unit that stores the identification information of the second terminal device extracted by the DNS function unit are configured.

  According to the present invention, in a system such as a HEMS, by using a camera mounted on an existing mobile phone, smartphone, tablet terminal, etc., various information on devices installed in the home is set in the gateway device.・ Easy to register.

System configuration diagram in the embodiment Functional block diagram of the gateway device in the first embodiment In the embodiment, a sequence diagram when the smartphone connects to the gateway device via wireless LAN In Example 1, the information content included in the QR code displayed on the terminal device Communication sequence diagram when the content described in the QR code displayed on the terminal device is read out by the smartphone and registered in the gateway device in the first embodiment and the registration notification screen is displayed on the smartphone. Operation sequence diagram of DNS-Proxy function installed in the gateway device in the first embodiment Connection terminal specific information management table managed in the gateway device in the embodiment In Example 1, a display example of a terminal connection completion screen sent from the gateway device to the smartphone FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for determining whether or not a connection terminal can be accessed in the gateway device in the embodiment. Functional block diagram of gateway device in embodiment 2 In Example 2, the information content included in the QR code displayed on the terminal device In Example 2, the communication sequence diagram when the description content of the QR code displayed on the terminal device is read out by the smartphone and registered in the gateway device, and the registration notification screen is displayed on the smartphone. Operation sequence diagram of DNS-Proxy function installed in the gateway device in the second embodiment Device type code correspondence table managed in the gateway device in the second embodiment In Example 2, a terminal connection completion screen display example sent from the gateway device to the smartphone

  In this embodiment, in a home network system such as HEMS, using a QR code reader function and a browser access function installed in a smartphone, a communication method for easily setting connection terminal information to a gateway device that provides a service, and An example of the gateway device will be described. It should be noted that the present embodiment can be implemented with codes other than QR codes as long as the information can be read by a camera of a portable terminal such as a smartphone and information can be generated from the code pattern.

FIG. 1 is an example of a system configuration diagram of this embodiment. The gateway device 102 installed in the house has a WAN interface and is connected to an external network 101. In a system such as HEMS or demand response, there are cases where control is performed via a gateway device 102 on a terminal device in a house from a server or the like installed in the external network 101. The gateway device 102 has a function as a wireless LAN access point, and is connected to the smartphone 103 via the wireless LAN. The smartphone 103 may be a mobile terminal having a camera imaging function and a function capable of communicating with the gateway apparatus 102 wirelessly, for example, a portable computer such as a tablet terminal, and is not limited to a smartphone (telephone apparatus). Is connected to the home network 106 by a technique represented by a wireless LAN, extra-small radio, or PLC. The connection terminal 104 and the connection terminal 105 are connected to the gateway device 102 via the above-described home network 106. The connection terminal 104 and the connection terminal 105 are devices connected to the home network 106, such as home appliances such as an air conditioner and a refrigerator.

  Note that the smartphone 103 does not necessarily have to go through the home network 106 when communicating with the gateway device 102. For example, when the home network 106 is a PLC, the smartphone 103 may separately communicate with the gateway device 102 via the wireless LAN 107. When the home network 106 is a wireless LAN, the smartphone 103 may communicate with the gateway device 102 via the home network 106.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the gateway apparatus 102 in the present embodiment. The WAN interface 201 is an interface connected to the external network 101 (Internet). Generally, there are Ethernet (registered trademark), a mobile phone line, a WiMAX line, and the like. The WAN interface 201 is connected to a WAN-side packet transmission / reception control unit 202 that performs WAN-side transmission / reception protocol processing and the like. The WAN side packet transmission / reception control unit 202 is connected to a packet processing unit 204 that performs packet transmission / reception control for each of the wireless LAN interface 210, the WAN interface 201, and the home network interface 206.

  The DHCP server function unit 203 is a function unit that distributes a subnet mask, an IP address, a default gateway, and a DNS server address to the wireless LAN interface 210 using the DHCP protocol, and a packet that performs relay processing with the wireless LAN interface 210. Connected to the processing unit 204.

  The wireless LAN interface 210 is connected to a packet processing unit 204 that performs packet transmission / reception control such as routing and bridging between the interfaces via a wireless LAN transmission / reception control unit 207 that performs transmission / reception control of the wireless LAN protocol.

  The home network interface 206 is an interface for connecting to the home network 106 such as a PLC, and is connected to a home packet transmission / reception control unit 205 that performs various protocol processing of the home network. The home packet transmission / reception control unit 205 is connected to a connection terminal 104 connected via the home network 106 and a terminal device control unit 209 that performs information management and protocol processing for controlling the connection terminal 105.

  The DNS-Proxy function unit 208 provides a DNS server function (resolver) to a terminal connected to the wireless LAN interface 210, and operates as a client (querier) to a higher DNS server on the WAN interface 201 side. Further, when the DNS-Proxy function unit 208 detects that a specific character string is included in the domain name included in the DNS query (name resolution request) received from the wireless LAN interface 210, a specific character string other than the specific character string is specified. It has a function of storing the information included in the portion in the connected terminal information storage unit 211 as terminal specific information.

  The connection terminal information storage unit 211 stores terminal-specific information from the DNS-Proxy function unit, and information for the terminal device control unit 209 to control the connection terminal 104 and the connection terminal 105 connected via the home network 106. Remember.

  The HTTP server function unit 214 is a functional unit that generates a registration completion screen including terminal-specific information from the domain name included in the HTTP connection request received from the wireless LAN interface 210 and makes an HTTP connection response. Are connected to a packet processing unit 204 that performs relay processing.

  The configuration information storage unit 212 stores information for the gateway device 102 to connect to an external network (Internet), control information used by the terminal device control unit 209, and the like.

  FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram until the smartphone 103 in the system configuration of FIG. 1 is connected to the gateway apparatus 102 via the wireless LAN 106 and can communicate with the external network 101 (Internet).

  As a precondition, it is assumed that the gateway device 102 is connected to the external network 101 (Internet) and is communicable as shown in the Internet communication 301 (IP communication) in the figure. In the smartphone 103, information for connecting to the gateway device 102 via the wireless LAN 106 is set by wireless LAN information setting (302). There are a plurality of wireless LAN connection methods such as WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), but the description is omitted because they are existing technologies.

  When information for connecting to the wireless LAN 106 is set in the smartphone 103, the smartphone 103 makes a wireless LAN connection request 303 to the gateway device 102. In response to the request, the gateway device 102 and the smartphone 103 perform authentication, exchange of encryption keys, etc. 304, and wireless LAN communication becomes possible.

  When the smartphone 103 and the gateway device 102 are in a state where wireless LAN communication is possible, the smartphone 103 is connected to the external network 101 such as the Internet, and therefore the gateway device 102 is connected to the IP via communication 305 according to DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Setting information such as address, subnet mask, default gateway, DNS server address, etc. is obtained (306). At this time, the gateway device 102 resolves the DNS address of the smartphone 103 via the DNS-Proxy installed in the gateway device 102 by paying out its own LAN side address as the DNS server address, that is, the address of the gateway device 102. To make a notification. Thereafter, the smartphone 103 performs IP communication 307 including DNS address resolution by using various information paid out from the gateway device 102.

  Here, taking the case of IPv4 address as an example, IP address acquisition by DHCP is performed, but IPv6 may be used. In that case, there are a method of generating an IPv6 address by receiving distribution of an IPv6 prefix by RA (Router Advertisement), a case of receiving information distribution of various addresses by DHCPv6 or DHCPv6-Lite, and the like.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of contents described in the QR code 401 to be pasted on the terminal device 104 that is desired to be connected to the gateway apparatus 102. It is assumed that the QR code 401 is affixed to an easy-to-see location on the connection terminal 104 and can be read by a QR code reader mounted on the smartphone 103. There are a plurality of types of QR codes 401 depending on the amount of information and the degree of error correction. However, here, it is assumed that necessary information is entered, and the types and the like are not specified. The content of the QR code 401 describes a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for access by a browser.

  URLs are roughly classified into three blocks. The first “http: //” is a browser access identification code 402 for identifying access by the browser, and is a portion for identifying a http protocol by a general browser for browsing the Internet. The “hitachi_ems_setup.jp” part that follows is a connection terminal information identification code 403 for the gateway apparatus 102 to identify that this URL information includes the connection terminal identification code. Next, “−001f6731AAA” is the connection terminal specific information 404 that is the information part specific to the connection terminal to be notified. Here, the MAC (Media Access Control) address of the connection terminal 104 is described as an example, but the type and amount of information are not limited as long as the information is unique to the terminal such as a serial number.

  In the example of FIG. 4, the connection terminal information identification code 403 is arranged so as to be immediately after the browser access identification code 402 “http: //”, but the location is not limited. The gateway apparatus 102 stores the connection terminal information identification code 403 in advance, and checks whether or not the connection terminal information identification code 403 is included in the URL of the QR code 401.

  FIG. 5 is a sequence when the MAC address information of the connection terminal 104 is registered in the gateway device 102 using the smartphone 103 in this embodiment. The smartphone 103 reads the QR code 401 pasted on the connection terminal 104 with a QR code reader built in (501). When the read information includes the information of the browser access identification code 402 (“http: //”), the smartphone 103 starts the browser (502) and accesses the URL described in the QR code. Start.

  The smartphone 103 recognizes the domain name because the “hitachi_ems_setup.jp-001f6731AAAA” portion following “http: //” is not in the IPv4 address format, and performs a domain name name resolution operation before access by the browser. Since the address of the gateway device 102 is distributed from the gateway device 102 as the DNS server address, the smartphone 103 sends a DNS query for name resolution to the address of the gateway device 102 (503).

  The DNS-Proxy function unit 208 of the gateway apparatus 102 extracts the connection terminal specific information 404 of the connection terminal 104 from the domain name included in the DNS query 503 by the process described later with reference to FIG. 6 and stores it in the connection terminal information storage unit 211. The learning is performed in a connection permission table 701 described later in FIG. 7 (504). Further, the DNS-Proxy function unit 208 of the gateway device 102 transmits a DNS query response in which the address of the gateway device 104 is set as an IPv4 address corresponding to “hitachi_ems_setup.jp-001f6731AAA” as a response to the DNS query 503 (505). ).

  The smartphone 103 that has received the DNS query response 505 performs browser access to the address of the gateway device 102 obtained as the name resolution of “hitachi_ems_setup.jp-001f6731AAA” (506). The HTTP server function unit 214 of the gateway apparatus 102 that has received the browser access 506 using the http protocol determines that the browser access is associated with the registration of the connection terminal 104 from the information included in the browser access request message 506 (http connection request), and the connection is made. A registration completion screen including the connection terminal specific information 404 of the terminal 104 is generated (507), and an http connection response is returned (508). The smartphone 103 that has received the http connection response 508 displays a registration screen and informs the user that registration has been performed normally (509). The information included in the browser access request message (http connection request) is, for example, the HOST name that is the domain name of the access destination included in the HTTP header (“hitachi_ems_setup.jp-001f6731AAA” in this embodiment) Can be considered.

  Thereafter, the terminal device control unit 209 of the gateway apparatus 102 receives the connection request from the connection terminal 104 (510), and the MAC address that is the connection terminal unique identification information 404 of the connection terminal 104 included in the connection request is the connection permission table. It confirms that it exists in 701 (511), and permits the connection (512). Thereafter, control communication of the connection terminal 104 via the gateway 102 becomes possible (513).

  Here, the operation of the connection terminal 104 will be described. It is assumed that the connection terminal 104 continuously makes a connection request 510 to the gateway device 102 via the home network 106 after the power is turned on. However, when there is no response or permission from the gateway device 102, control regarding the gateway device 102 and device control cannot be performed. When the power of the connection terminal 104 is turned on before the sequence shown in FIG. 5, the connection terminal 104 continuously executes the connection request 510 to the gateway apparatus 102 via the home network 106. Since there is no terminal-specific information of the connection terminal 104 in the connection permission table stored in the connection terminal information storage unit 211 to be connected, the connection request 510 is ignored or rejected.

  FIG. 6 is an operation sequence of the DNS-Proxy function unit 208 in the gateway apparatus 102. Upon receiving the DNS query 503 (name resolution request) (601), the DNS-Proxy function unit 208 checks the domain name included in the DNS query 503 (602). When the domain name starts with the connection terminal information identification code 403 (“hitachi_ems_setup.jp”), it is determined that the corresponding DNS query 503 is a DNS query for registering the connection terminal specific information 404 of the connection terminal 104, and “hitachi_ems_setup.jp”. The information following “jp” is determined as the connection terminal specific information 404 and learned in the connection permission table 109 shown in FIG. 7 (603). In the case of an embodiment in which the domain name does not start with the connection terminal information identification code 403, the domain name may be searched for whether or not the connection terminal information identification code 403 is included in the domain name.

  Further, as the DNS query response 505 to the DNS query 503, the address of itself, that is, the gateway device 102 is returned as the IP address for name resolution (604). If the domain name included in the DNS query is not a domain name starting with “hitachi_ems_setup.jp”, or if the domain name does not include “hitachi_ems_setup.jp”, it operates as a normal DNS-Proxy and is necessary In response to this, an operation to return a DNS response with reference to a query (DNS query transmission) to the upper DNS server, cache information, etc. is performed (605).

  FIG. 7 is an example of a connection permission table 701 managed by the connection terminal information storage unit 211 of the gateway device 102. A plurality of connection terminal specific information 404 of connection terminals that are permitted to be connected can be managed. In this example, a MAC address is adopted as the connection terminal specific information 404, but the information to be managed may be different for the system. For example, when management is performed using the serial number of the connection terminal instead of the MAC address, the serial number is managed in the connection permission table. In this case, it is necessary to include the serial number in the connection request 510 from the connection terminal.

  FIG. 8 is an example of a screen generated to notify the registration completion 508 in response to the browser access request 506 from the smartphone 103 by the gateway device 102. By notifying the browser activated on the smartphone 103 that the corresponding connection terminal has been registered, the user is notified. In this example, the MAC address that is the connection terminal specific information 404 is displayed as “terminal specific information”. However, when registering with a manufacturing number or the like, a screen on which such information is displayed is generated.

  FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram in the gateway device 102 for determining connection permission / non-permission of the connection terminal according to the connection permission table 701 of FIG. 6 stored in the connection terminal information storage unit 211. When the terminal device control unit 209 of the gateway apparatus 102 receives the connection request 510 from the home network 106 (901), the terminal device control unit 209 determines whether or not connection is possible according to the connection permission table 701 (902). When the terminal device control unit 209 of the gateway apparatus 102 receives the connection request 510 from the connection terminal via the home network 106, the terminal device control unit 209 confirms whether the connection terminal specific information 404 included in the connection request 510 is included in the connection permission table 701. (902) If it is included, the connection is permitted (903). If not included, the terminal device control unit 209 ignores the connection request 510 or returns a connection failure response (904).

  In this embodiment, a description will be given of a gateway device that manages not only the connection terminal specific information 404 but also device type information as information managed in the gateway device. Since the system configuration is the same as that of FIG. The sequence in which the smartphone 103 connects to the gateway device is the same as that in FIG.

  FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of the gateway device 1020 in the present embodiment. 2, functional blocks other than the DNS-Proxy function unit 2080, the HTTP server function unit 2140, and the added device type code information storage unit 213 are the same as those in FIG.

  The DNS-Proxy function unit 208 provides a DNS server function (resolver) to a terminal connected to the wireless LAN interface 210, and operates as a client (querier) to a higher DNS server on the WAN interface 201 side. Further, when the DNS-Proxy function unit 2080 detects that a specific character string is included in the domain name included in the DNS query (name resolution request) received from the wireless LAN interface 210, a specific character string other than the specific character string is specified. The information included in the part is identified as a device type code, and the model is identified with reference to the device type code correspondence table 702 stored in the device type code information storage unit 213. Similarly, other than the specific character string It has a function of storing information included in a specific part in the connection terminal information storage unit 211 as connection terminal specific information.

  The HTTP server function unit 2140 is a function unit that generates a registration completion screen including model information and terminal-specific information from the domain name included in the HTTP connection request received from the wireless LAN interface 210, and makes an HTTP connection response. It is connected to a packet processing unit 204 that performs relay processing with the LAN interface 210.

  FIG. 11 is a description example when the information described in the QR code 4010 includes not only the connection terminal specific information 404 but also the type code 405 of the connected device. As in FIG. 4, the QR code 401 is pasted at an easily viewable location on the connection terminal 104 and can be read by a QR code reader mounted on the smartphone 103. Similarly to FIG. 4, any code that can be read by the camera may be used, and other types of codes other than QR codes may be used.

  The content of the QR code describes a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for access by a browser. URLs are roughly classified into four blocks. The first “http: //” portion is a browser access identification code 402 for identifying access by the browser. The subsequent “hitachi_ems_setup.jp” portion is a connection terminal information identification code 403 for the gateway device 1020 to identify that this URL information includes connection terminal specific information and a device type code. “−0001” thereafter is a device type code 405, and the gateway device 1020 is a device type code 405 for referring to a device type code correspondence table 702 described later with reference to FIG. Next, “−001f6731AAAAA” is connection terminal specific information 404 to be notified, as in FIG. Here, the MAC (Media Access Control) address of the connected terminal is described as an example, but the type and amount of information are not limited as long as the information is unique to the terminal such as a serial number. Here, the connection terminal information identification code is arranged to be immediately after the browser access identification code “http: //”, but the location is not limited. Further, the device type code 405 and the connection terminal specific information 404 only have to be included in the URL, and the storage location in the URL is arbitrary. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, if the start position and end position of the device type code 405 and the connection terminal specific information 404 can be specified by a symbol such as a hyphen, the gateway device 1020 can specify the device type code 405 from the URL. And the connection terminal specific information 404 can be extracted.

FIG. 12 shows a sequence for registering the model information (air conditioner) and MAC address information of the connection terminal 104 to the gateway apparatus 1020 using the smartphone 103 in this embodiment. The smartphone 103 is pasted on the terminal device 104. 501 is read by a QR code reader having a built-in QR code 401. If the read information includes the information “http: //”, the smartphone 103 activates the browser (502) and starts accessing the URL described in the QR code.

  The smartphone 103 recognizes it as a domain name because the “hitachi_ems_setup.jp-0001-001f6731AAAA” portion following “http: //” is not in the IPv4 address format, and performs name resolution operation of the domain name before access by the browser . As in FIG. 5, since the address of the gateway device 1020 is distributed as the DNS server address to the smartphone 103, a DNS query for name resolution is sent to the address of the gateway device 1020 (5030). The DNS-Proxy function unit 208 of the gateway device 1020 extracts the device type code 405 of the connection terminal 104 from the domain name included in the DNS query 5030 by the process described later with reference to FIG. 13 and stores it in the device type code information storage unit 213. The device type code correspondence table 702 in FIG. 14 is identified, and terminal specific information is extracted and learned in the connection permission table 701 in FIG. 7 stored in the connection terminal information storage unit 211 (504). Further, the DNS-Proxy function unit 2080 of the gateway device 1020 transmits a DNS query response in which the address of the gateway device 104 is set as an IPv4 address corresponding to “hitachi_ems_setup.jp-0001-001f6731AAA” as a response to the DNS query 5030. (505).

  The smartphone 103 that has received the DNS query response 505 performs browser access to the address of the gateway device 1020 obtained as the name resolution of “hitachi_ems_setup.jp-0001-001f6731AAA” (506). The HTTP server function unit 2140 of the gateway apparatus 1020 that has received browser access using the http protocol determines that the browser access is associated with registration of the connection terminal 104 from the information included in the browser access request message 506 (http connection request), and the connection terminal A registration completion screen including the model information 104 and the terminal specific information is generated (5070), and an http connection response is returned (5080). Upon receiving the http connection response, the smartphone 103 displays a registration screen including the registered model and terminal-specific information of the corresponding model, and notifies the user that registration has been performed normally (5090). As the information included in the browser access request message 506 (http connection request), for example, the HOST name included in the HTTP header can be considered.

  Thereafter, the gateway device 1020 receives the connection request 510 from the connection terminal 104 and becomes capable of control communication. However, the operation is the same as in FIG.

  FIG. 13 is an operation sequence of the DNS-Proxy function unit 2080 in the gateway apparatus 1020 of this embodiment. When receiving the DNS query 5030 (name resolution request) (601), the DNS-Proxy function unit 2080 confirms the domain name included in the DNS query 5030 (602). When the domain name starts with “hitachi_ems_setup.jp”, or when the domain name includes “hitachi_ems_setup.jp”, the DNS query 5030 is a DNS query for registering the connection terminal specific information of the connection terminal 104. The information following “hitachi_ems_setup.jp” is extracted as a model type code, and the model of the connected terminal is identified with reference to the device type code correspondence table 702 of FIG. 14 described later (606). Further, the information following the model type code is determined as terminal-specific information and learned in the connection permission table (109) shown in FIG. 6 (607).

  As described above, when the connection terminal information identification code 403, the device type code 405, and the connection terminal specific information 404 are not sequentially arranged in the URL, each code and information can be distinguished by a symbol such as a hyphen. If the URL is configured, the gateway device 1020 can extract each code and information.

  As the DNS query response 505 for the DNS query 5030, the address of itself, that is, the address of the gateway device 1020 is returned as the name resolution IP address (604). If the domain name included in the DNS query 5030 is not a domain name starting with “hitachi_ems_setup.jp” or if the domain name does not include “hitachi_ems_setup.jp”, the DNS-Proxy function unit 2080 It operates as a DNS-Proxy, and performs an operation to return a DNS response by referring to an inquiry (DNS query transmission) to the upper DNS server, cache information, etc. as necessary (605).

  FIG. 14 is an example of a device type code correspondence table 702 managed by the gateway device 1020. A plurality of device type codes 405 that can be identified by the gateway device 1020 can be managed. In this example, “air conditioner” is associated with the device type code “0001”, and “refrigerator” is associated with the device type code “0002”. Here, a 4-character number is used as the device type code, but the code character string to be used is arbitrary.

  FIG. 15 is an example of a screen generated to notify the registration completion 5070 in response to the browser access request 506 from the smartphone 103 by the gateway device 1020. The user is notified by notifying that the corresponding terminal is registered in the browser activated on the smartphone 103. In the second embodiment, not only the MAC address is displayed as “terminal-specific information”, but an air conditioner is added as model information.

  As described above, the gateway device described in the first embodiment or the second embodiment detects a specific character string included in the domain name in the DNS query (name resolution request) received from the terminal connected to the subordinate. Information contained in the domain name can be extracted and stored as configuration information. The information included in the domain name may be arbitrary various information such as the terminal device information to be connected and the operation mode information of the gateway device.

  In addition, the gateway device according to the present embodiment can extract unique information of a terminal to be connected, such as a MAC address or a serial number, as information included in the domain name, and store it as configuration information. The gateway device permits connection of the subordinate terminal based on the stored terminal specific information.

  The gateway device of the present embodiment can include a device type code included in the domain name in addition to the unique information of the terminal to be connected. By identifying not only the unique information such as the MAC address but also the model according to the domain name, individual control for each model becomes possible after connection.

  The gateway device according to the present embodiment extracts and stores information on a device to be connected from a DNS query (name resolution request) from a mobile phone, a smartphone, or the like that has read a QR code attached to the device to be connected. Can do. Therefore, the user can easily set the information of the connected terminal device for the gateway device. Furthermore, this gateway device can respond to the user by generating a screen in which the information of the set connection terminal has been successfully registered in response to an HTTP connection request from a browser of a mobile phone or a smartphone. You can easily confirm that it is complete.

  As described above, according to the QR code and the gateway device of the present embodiment, when setting the information of the connected device for the gateway device that provides services such as HEMS, it is installed in an existing mobile phone, smartphone, tablet terminal or the like. Standard functions are available.

  In the present embodiment, the URL is included in the QR code, and the smartphone that has read the code uses an existing process for accessing the URL, so that when the connection terminal information is registered in the gateway device, the smartphone side There is no need to add special functions. Here, since the domain name of the URL includes a connection terminal information identification code 403 that is a specific code indicating that the name resolution request for the domain name is information registration processing of the connection terminal, the name resolution request is received from the smartphone. The gateway device that has received the process performs the processing of this embodiment when the specific code is included in the domain name. In this way, the present embodiment uses the smartphone access processing to the URL included in the QR code, and does not require a large function addition / change on the smartphone side, and executes the registration processing of the connection terminal to the gateway device. can do.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the connection terminal specific information 404 and the device type code 405 are exemplified as the connection terminal information registered in the gateway device, but other information may be registered. For example, communication parameters such as encryption information used for communication between the connection terminal and the gateway, or between the connection terminal and other devices may be registered, and the connection terminal such as the power consumption and operation schedule of the connection terminal These characteristics and information may be registered by the method of this embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 External network 102, 1020 Gateway apparatus 103 Smart phone 104 Connection terminal 105 Connection terminal 106 In-home network 107 Wireless LAN connection 401, 4010 QR code 701 Connection permission table 702 Device type code correspondence table 201 WAN interface 202 WAN side packet transmission / reception control unit 203 DHCP Server function unit 204 Packet processing unit 205 Home-side packet transmission / reception control unit 206 Home network interface 207 Wireless LAN transmission / reception control unit 208, 2080 DNS-Proxy function unit 209 Terminal device control unit 210 Wireless LAN interface 211 Connection terminal information storage unit 212 Configuration information Storage unit 213 Device type code information storage unit 214, 2140 HTTP server function unit

Claims (10)

A first device having a code applied to the device surface;
A second device that captures the code with a camera and resolves a domain name included in the code;
When receiving a name resolution request for the domain name from the second device and the domain name that is the target of the name resolution request includes specific information, the domain name of the first device is selected from the domain names. And a gateway device that extracts and registers identification information. The communication system according to claim 1,
The code given to the surface of the first device is a URL including the specific information that triggers the gateway device to execute registration processing of the first device. A communication system according to claim 2,
The gateway device checks whether or not the identification information of the first device included in the connection request message from the first device is stored, and if so, connects the first device. A communication system characterized by permitting and rejecting connection of the first device when not stored. A communication system according to claim 3,
In response to the name resolution request, the gateway device returns a name resolution response message including an address of the own device as an address corresponding to the domain name to the second device. The communication system according to claim 4,
The second device makes an HTTP connection request to the address of the gateway device included in the name resolution response message,
In response to an HTTP connection request from the second device, the gateway device displays screen information indicating that the identification information of the first terminal device and the identification information of the first device have been registered. Reply to
The communication system, wherein the second device displays screen information from the gateway device. A DNS function for extracting identification information of the second terminal device from the domain name when it is detected that a specific code is included in the domain name included in the DNS name resolution request message received from the first terminal device And
And a storage unit that stores identification information of the second terminal device extracted by the DNS function unit. The gateway device according to claim 6,
It is checked whether or not the identification information of the second terminal device included in the connection request message from the second terminal device is stored in the storage unit. A gateway apparatus comprising: a terminal apparatus control unit that permits connection and rejects connection of the second terminal apparatus when the connection is not stored. The gateway device according to claim 7,
In response to the name resolution request message, the DNS function unit returns a name resolution response message including an address of the own device as an address corresponding to the domain name to the first terminal device. The gateway device according to claim 8, wherein
The identification information of the second terminal and the identification information of the second terminal are registered in response to the access request from the first terminal device using the address of the own device included in the name resolution response message. The gateway apparatus characterized by having a server function part which returns the message to show to the said 1st terminal device. The gateway device according to claim 9,
The DNS function unit extracts type information indicating the type of the second terminal device from the domain name included in the name resolution request message,
The gateway device, wherein the storage unit stores type information of the second terminal device extracted by the DNS function unit.

Images