JP2018182513A - Communication device and communication setting method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication device that can realize a reduction of a work load of a user and shortening time required for work.SOLUTION: A master unit 1 being a communication device comprises: a storage unit 15 that stores a first communication setting information 15A required to operate in a normal mode and a second communication setting information 15B required to operate in a setting mode; and an operation reception unit 12 that receives operation from a user, and performs a process for setting the first communication setting information 15A between itself and other communication device of a request source during operation in the setting mode, every time when a request for setting the first communication setting information 15A is received from other communication device, starts the operation in the setting mode when the operation reception unit 12 receives the operation to request the start of the setting mode, and finishes the operation in the setting mode when the operation reception unit 12 receives the operation to request an end of the setting mode, or when constant time has elapsed since the operation in the setting mode is started.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and a communication setting method that constitute a wireless communication system.

  In a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) system, a handset as a terminal searches for a parent, which is an access point present around its own terminal, sets information acquired from the found parent, and connects to the parent. Do. This setting is called connection setting. When a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) -compatible master unit and a slave unit perform connection settings, generally, the master unit and the slave unit follow the procedure according to WPS (registered trademark) (Wi-Fi Protected Setup). Necessary information is exchanged to perform connection setting (see, for example, Patent Document 1). There are also masters and slaves that can perform connection settings in a procedure different from WPS.

JP, 2014-236326, A

  When following the above-mentioned conventional procedure including WPS, the parent machine starts the connection setting operation when accepting the operation instructing the start of the operation from the user, and when the connection setting with one child machine is completed End the connection setting operation and return to the normal operation. Therefore, when there are a plurality of handsets that require connection settings, the user needs to perform the operation of the base unit again each time the setting of one handset is completed, which increases the workload of the user. There was a problem that. In addition, there is a problem that the time required to complete the connection setting of all the slaves becomes long.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a communication device capable of realizing reduction of a user's work load and shortening of the time required for work.

  In order to solve the problems described above and to achieve the object, the communication device according to the present invention comprises first communication setting information necessary for operating in the normal mode and a second necessary for operating in the setting mode. A storage unit that holds communication setting information, and an operation reception unit that receives an operation from a user. While operating in the setting mode, the communication device transmits the first communication setting information to another communication device as a request source every time a request for setting the first communication setting information is received from the other communication device. Execute processing for setting. Further, the communication apparatus starts the operation in the setting mode when the operation receiving unit receives the operation requesting the start of the setting mode, and the operation receiving unit receives the operation requesting the end of the setting mode, or The operation in the setting mode is ended when a predetermined time has elapsed since the operation in the setting mode was started.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize the reduction of the work load of the user and the shortening of the time required for the work.

The figure which shows an example of the radio | wireless communications system comprised including the communication apparatus concerning embodiment. Diagram showing a configuration example of the parent machine Diagram showing configuration example of slave unit Diagram showing an example of a sequence in which a slave unit connects to a master unit Flow chart showing an example of the operation executed by the parent machine Diagram showing an example of hardware configuration that realizes the parent machine

  Hereinafter, a communication apparatus and a communication setting method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the embodiment.

Embodiment.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a wireless communication system configured to include the communication device according to the embodiment of the present invention. The wireless communication system shown in FIG. 1 is configured to include a base unit 1 and a plurality of handsets 2. The parent device 1 is a communication device according to the present invention. For base unit 1, handset 2 corresponds to another communication device.

  The parent device 1 is an access point of a wireless LAN system. When the base unit 1 receives a connection request from the slave unit 2 which has executed the operation in the setting mode to be described later and exchange of necessary information is completed, communication with the slave unit 2 of the request source is started. . The handset 2 is a device having a function of connecting to a wireless LAN, and devices such as a personal computer, a tablet terminal and a smartphone correspond, but the handset 2 is not limited to these devices. Further, the wireless communication system according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 can be used to realize a home energy management system (HEMS). When the HEMS is realized using the wireless communication system according to the present embodiment, the base unit 1 is a HEMS controller having a function of operating as an access point of the wireless LAN system. The handset 2 is a home appliance having a function of operating as a client of the wireless LAN system, or an HEMS adapter for connecting the home appliance to a network.

  FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of the configuration of the base unit 1 shown in FIG. The base unit 1 includes a control unit 11, an operation receiving unit 12, a mode switching unit 13, a child device information database (DB: Data Base) 14, a storage unit 15, and a wireless communication unit 16.

  The control unit 11 controls each unit constituting the master unit 1, and transmits and receives information necessary for performing wireless communication with the slave unit 2 with the slave unit 2. The operation accepting unit 12 accepts an operation on the parent device 1 from the user. The mode switching unit 13 switches the operation mode of the base unit 1 when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The conditions determined in advance include, for example, a case where it is detected that a specific operation has been performed, and a case where a predetermined time has elapsed since a certain operation was started. The child device information DB 14 holds information of the child device 2 that permits connection to the parent device 1.

  The storage unit 15 holds the first communication setting information 15A and the second communication setting information 15B. The first communication setting information 15A is communication setting information necessary for the parent device 1 to perform communication in the normal operation. The communication setting information includes information such as a network ID (Identification), a password, and a channel to be used. The password is used to determine whether or not to permit connection of the slave unit. The second communication setting information 15B is communication setting information necessary for the parent device 1 to perform communication in the setting operation. The second communication setting information 15B includes the same type of information as the information included in the first communication setting information 15A. In the wireless LAN, ESSID (Extended Service Set ID) corresponds to the network ID. Therefore, the ESSID is used in the following description.

  The wireless communication unit 16 performs wireless communication by transmitting and receiving wireless signals to and from the handset 2. The wireless communication unit 16 enables the wireless communication in the normal operation performed in accordance with the first communication setting information 15A and the wireless communication in the setting operation performed in accordance with the second communication setting information 15B in parallel. Different ESSIDs are used for wireless communication in normal operation and wireless communication in setting operation.

  FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of the configuration of the slave unit 2 shown in FIG. The slave unit 2 includes a control unit 21, a display unit 22, an operation reception unit 23, a communication setting switching unit 24, a storage unit 25, and a wireless communication unit 26.

  The control unit 21 controls each unit constituting the handset 2, and transmits and receives information necessary for wireless communication with the base unit 1 with the base unit 1. The display unit 22 displays the operation state and the operation result of the handset 2, the connection state between the handset 2 and the base unit 1, the content of the operation accepted from the user, the content of the information held by the handset 2, and the like. And notify the user. The operation accepting unit 23 accepts an operation on the handset 2 from the user. The communication setting switching unit 24 switches between communication setting when the handset 2 operates in the normal mode and communication setting when the handset 2 operates in the setting mode.

  The storage unit 25 includes first communication setting information 25A and second communication setting information 25B. The first communication setting information 25A is communication setting information necessary for the handset 2 to perform communication in the normal operation. The first communication setting information 25A is the same information as the first communication setting information 15A held by the storage unit 15 of the above-described base unit 1. The second communication setting information 25B is communication setting information necessary for the slave 2 to perform communication in the setting operation. The second communication setting information 25B is the same information as the second communication setting information 15B held by the storage unit 15 of the above-described base unit 1. In an initial state, the storage unit 25 does not hold the first communication setting information 25A, and when the handset 2 executes the setting operation with the base unit 1 and acquires the communication setting information from the base unit 1, This is held as the first communication setting information 25A. When the storage unit 25 holds the first communication setting information 25A, the handset 2 can communicate with the base unit 1 in the normal operation. It is assumed that the storage unit 25 holds in advance the second communication setting information 25B. That is, it is assumed that the slave unit 2 is in a state in which communication can be performed in the setting mode from the initial state.

  The wireless communication unit 26 performs wireless communication by transmitting and receiving a wireless signal to and from the base unit 1. The wireless communication unit 26 implements either one of wireless communication in the normal operation and wireless communication in the setting operation.

  Subsequently, an operation of connecting the slave 2 to the master 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a sequence in which the slave unit 2 connects to the master unit 1. It is assumed that, at the start of the operation, the handset 2 shown in FIG. 4 has not acquired the communication setting information necessary for performing communication with the base unit 1 shown in FIG. 4 in the normal operation. That is, it is assumed that handset 2 shown in FIG. 4 does not hold first communication setting information 25A at the start of operation.

  When the base unit 1 receives a setting start request from the user by switch operation or the like, the base unit 1 validates the second communication setting and starts operation in the setting mode (step S1). To enable the second communication setting means to enable the wireless communication using the second communication setting information 15B. The base unit 1 performs the operation in the normal mode before receiving the setting start request, and continues the operation in the normal mode even after receiving the setting start request. That is, upon receiving the setting start request, base unit 1 performs the operation in the normal mode and the operation in the setting mode in parallel. The normal mode is an operation mode in which wireless communication using the first communication setting information 15A is possible, and the setting mode is an operation mode in which wireless communication using the second communication setting information 15B is possible. The wireless communication in the setting mode uses an ESSID different from the wireless communication in the normal mode. Similarly, when receiving the setting start request from the user by the switch operation or the like, the slave unit 2 validates the second communication setting and starts the operation in the setting mode (step S2). It is assumed that the ESSID included in the second communication setting information 15B held by the master unit 1 and the ESSID included in the second communication setting information 25B held by the slave unit 2 are the same. In the setting mode, the base unit 1 uses the ESSID included in the second communication setting information 15B, and the handset 2 uses the ESSID included in the second communication setting information 25B.

  When base unit 1 and base unit 2 start operation in the setting mode, base unit 2 and base unit 1 execute the series of sequences shown in step S3. Communication setting information is notified. In the sequence shown in step S3, first, the slave unit 2 transmits a search request to the master unit 1. At this time, the handset 2 includes the ESSID included in the second communication setting information 25B in the search request. The parent device 1 having received the search request transmits the search response to the child device 2. Upon receiving the search response, the slave 2 then transmits a connection request to the master 1. At this time, the handset 2 may include the password included in the second communication setting information 25B in the connection request. Whether it is necessary to include a password in the connection request depends on the setting of the master 1 of the transmission destination of the connection request. The base unit 1 having received the connection request determines whether or not to permit the connection, and in the case of permitting the connection, transmits a connection response indicating that effect to the handset 2. If the received connection request includes a password, base unit 1 determines whether to permit connection based on the password. Upon receipt of the connection response indicating permission of connection, handset 2 transmits a setting information request to base unit 1, and base unit 1 having received this transmits the first communication held in storage unit 15 The setting information 15A is sent to the handset 2. Further, base unit 1 registers information of handset 2 for which connection is permitted in handset information DB 14. The identification information of the slave 2 corresponds to the information of the slave 2. When a different password is assigned to each handset 2, base unit 1 registers the association of the identification information of the handset 2 with the password in handset unit information DB 14 as information on handset 2. The information registered in the slave device information DB 14 is not limited to these pieces of information.

  The slave unit 2 stores the first communication setting information 15A from the master unit 1 in the storage unit 25 (step S4). As a result, the storage unit 25 of the handset 2 holds the first communication setting information 25A, and the operation in the normal mode becomes possible. Next, handset 2 switches to the first communication setting (step S5), and starts an operation according to the first communication setting. The operation according to the first communication setting is an operation in the normal mode in which wireless communication using the first communication setting information 25A is performed. When the switching to the first communication setting is completed, the slave unit 2 starts the operation in the first communication setting and executes the series of sequences shown in step S6 with the master unit 1 to execute the master unit Connect to 1. In the sequence shown in step S6, as in the sequence of step S3 described above, handset 2 transmits a search request, and upon receiving a search response, transmits a connection request. At this time, the handset 2 includes the ESSID included in the first communication setting information 25A in the search request. The handset 2 also includes the password included in the first communication setting information 25A in the connection request. When receiving the connection response indicating permission of connection, the mobile unit 2 completes the setting (step S7), and notifies the user of the setting completion (step S8). The slave unit 2 notifies the user of the setting completion using, for example, the display unit 22.

  On the other hand, even if master device 1 completes the series of processes shown in step S3 and connection setting of slave device 2 shown in FIG. 4 is completed, operation in the setting mode is continued. That is, after transmitting the first communication setting information to handset 2 in step S3, base unit 1 starts waiting for requests from other handsets (step S9). The request from the other child device is the search request shown in step S3, and the search request corresponds to a request for setting the first communication setting information. After that, when base unit 1 receives a search request from another slave operating in the setting mode, base unit 1 executes the process of transmitting the search response shown in step S3 and the subsequent processing, and for other slaves. And transmits the first communication setting information. As described above, while the base unit 1 is operating in the setting mode, each time a request for setting of the first communication setting information is received from the handset 2, the first communication setting for the handset 2 of the request source is performed. Execute processing to set information.

  Master device 1 accepts a setting termination request for instructing the termination of the setting mode from the user, or when a predetermined time which has been determined in advance after starting the operation in the setting mode (step S10), the setting mode The operation in step S11 ends (step S11), and the operation returns to the state in which only the normal mode operation is performed.

  If the connection to the base unit 1 fails because the search response or the connection response can not be received in the above-described sequence of step S6, handset 2 displays setting failure and returns to the unset state. You may do so. In this way, communication can be performed using the first communication setting information used in the normal operation mode for a certain child device 2 in a state where continuous setting of a plurality of child devices 2 is possible. After confirming that, the communication setting of handset 2 can be completed.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation performed by the parent device 1. The flowchart shown in FIG. 5 corresponds to the sequence shown in FIG.

  The base unit 1 repeatedly checks whether or not the setting start request, which is the first request, is received from the user (step S21: No), and when the setting start request is received (step S21: Yes), The communication setting of 2 is made effective, and the operation in the setting mode is started (step S22). That is, when operation accepting unit 12 receives an operation requesting start of operation in the setting mode from the user, in base unit 1, mode switching unit 13 performs the operation in the setting mode in addition to the operation in the normal mode. Switch to the running mode and start the operation in the setting mode.

  Next, base unit 1 confirms whether a request for starting communication in the setting mode has been received from handset 2 (step S23), and when the request for starting communication is received, that is, the steps shown in FIG. 4 When the search request of S3 is received (step S23: Yes), the communication setting operation is performed with the slave 2 (step S24). The communication setting operation is processing from the reception of the search response shown in step S3 of FIG. 4 to the transmission of the first communication setting information. The request to start communication in the setting mode can be said to be a request to set communication setting information. The control unit 11 generates a message indicating a search response, a message indicating a connection response, and a message including the first communication setting information, and the control unit 11 transmits each of the generated messages to the child via the wireless communication unit 16. Send to Machine 2

  If the base unit 1 has not received a request to start communication in the setting mode (step S23: No), or after the operation shown in step S24 ends, the setting end being the second request from the user is completed It is checked whether a request has been accepted (step S25). If the setting termination request has not been received (step S25: No), the base unit 1 checks whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the operation in the setting mode (step S26). If the predetermined time has not elapsed (step S26: No), the base unit 1 returns to step S23 and continues the operation. If a setting end request has been received (step S25: Yes), or if a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the operation in the setting mode (step S26: Yes), the base unit 1 performs the operation in the setting mode. The process ends (step S27), and returns to step S21 to continue the operation. The control unit 11 performs each process shown in steps S23 to S26, and the mode switching unit 13 ends the operation in the setting mode in step S27. The operation accepting unit 12 receives the setting end request shown in step S25.

  As described above, after the base unit 1 according to the present embodiment starts the operation in the setting mode, the operation in the setting mode ends even if the setting operation with one slave unit 2 is completed. If there is a request from another handset 2, the setting operation is performed with the other handset. In addition, the operation in the normal mode is continued even during the operation in the setting mode, and communication is performed with the slave 2 operating in the normal mode. In addition, base device 1 ends the operation in the setting mode when a predetermined time which has been determined in advance after starting the operation in the setting mode or when an instruction to end the operation is received from the user. As a result, when setting of the handset 2 needs to be performed continuously, there is no need to perform an operation to start the setting mode on the base unit 1 for each handset 2 to be set, thereby reducing the workload of the user. As well as being able to reduce the time required for work. In addition, since base unit 1 operates in the normal mode even while operating in the setting mode, the setting operation is completed and handset 2 operating in the normal mode operates with base unit 1 operating in the setting mode. Even after the start, wireless communication can be continued while maintaining the state of being connected to the parent device 1. Further, since the base unit 1 ends the operation in the setting mode when requested by the user, the period in which the setting mode is valid is limited to a specific time, and connection can be set securely.

  The above-described base unit 1 can be realized by the hardware having the configuration shown in FIG. 6, specifically, the processor 101, the memory 102, the input device 103, the transmitter 104, and the receiver 105.

  The processor 101 is a central processing unit (CPU) (also referred to as a central processing unit, processing unit, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, processor, or DSP (digital signal processor)). The memory 102 is, for example, non-volatile or volatile, such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory, erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM). Semiconductor memory, magnetic disk, flexible disk, optical disk, compact disk, mini disk, DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), etc. correspond.

  The input device 103 is a device for receiving various operations including an operation for the user to instruct the parent device 1 to start the operation in the setting mode, and corresponds to a button, a switch, or the like. The transmitter 104 is a transmitter that transmits a wireless signal, and the receiver 105 is a receiver that receives a wireless signal.

  Control unit 11 and mode switching unit 13 of base unit 1 are realized by processor 101 and memory 102. Specifically, the memory 102 holds a program in which a process executed by each of the control unit 11 and the mode switching unit 13 of the parent device 1 is stored, and the processor 101 reads out and executes the program to control the control unit. 11 and the mode switching unit 13 are realized. The operation accepting unit 12 of the master unit 1 is realized by the input device 103, and the slave unit information DB 14 and the storage unit 15 are realized by the memory 102. The wireless communication unit 16 is realized by the transmitter 104 and the receiver 105. Note that both or one of the control unit 11 and the mode switching unit 13 may be realized by a processing circuit as dedicated hardware. In this case, the processing circuit is a single circuit, a complex circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a combination thereof.

  The slave unit 2 can also be realized by the same hardware as the master unit 1. However, in the case of the slave 2, in addition to the processor 101, the memory 102, the input device 103, the transmitter 104, and the receiver 105 shown in FIG. 6, a display device for realizing the display unit 22 is required.

  The configuration shown in the above embodiment shows an example of the contents of the present invention, and can be combined with another known technique, and one of the configurations is possible within the scope of the present invention. Parts can be omitted or changed.

  1 master unit, 2 slave units, 11, 21 control unit, 12, 23 operation reception unit, 14 slave unit information database, 15, 25 storage unit, 15A first communication setting information, 15B second communication setting information, 16 , 26 Wireless communication unit.

Claims (4)

A communication apparatus constituting a wireless communication system,
A storage unit configured to hold first communication setting information necessary for operating in the normal mode and second communication setting information necessary for operating in the setting mode;
And an operation receiving unit for receiving an operation from the user,
While operating in the setting mode, each time a request for setting of the first communication setting information is received from another communication device, the first communication setting information is set with the other communication device of the request source. Execute the process to
When the operation receiving unit receives an operation requesting the start of the setting mode, the operation in the setting mode is started, and the operation receiving unit receives the operation requesting the end of the setting mode, or A communication apparatus, which ends the operation in the setting mode when a predetermined time has elapsed since the operation in the setting mode is started.   The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the operation in the normal mode is continued also when the operation in the setting mode is started during the operation in the normal mode.   The communication apparatus according to claim 1, which is a master of a wireless LAN system. A communication setting method in the case where a communication apparatus configuring a wireless communication system sets communication setting information used in communication with the apparatus itself to another communication apparatus,
Starting a setting mode for performing the setting when receiving a first request from a user;
While operating in the setting mode, a process for setting the communication setting information with another communication device as a request source each time a request for setting the communication setting information is received from the other communication device Step of performing
Terminating the setting mode when receiving a second request from the user or when a predetermined time has elapsed since the setting mode was started;
Communication setting method including.

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