JP2020067824A - Network system and electric device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of easily registering an electric device in various services.SOLUTION: There is provided a network system 1 including an electric device 100X that broadcasts a service ID request via a router 400, acquires a service ID from another device 100A, and transmits the service ID to a server 300, and the server 300 that authenticates the electric device 100X based on the service ID.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for registering various services of electric devices via a network.

  2. Description of the Related Art Techniques for registering electrical devices to various services via networks have been known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-32917 (Patent Document 1) discloses a network system, an information processing method, a server, an electric device, a communication terminal, and a program. According to Patent Document 1, at least one electrical device connected to a LAN, a communication terminal for selectively displaying at least one electrical device connected to the LAN, and selection of at least one electrical device for the communication terminal. A network system is provided that includes a server for performing a predetermined process regarding a selected electric device and a communication terminal based on an instruction.

JP, 2018-32917, A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that allows an electric device to be easily registered in various services.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, an electric device for broadcasting a request for a service ID through a router, acquiring a service ID from another device and transmitting the service ID to a server, and an electric device based on the service ID There is provided a network system including a server for authenticating an electric device.

  As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a technique capable of easily registering an electric device in various services.

It is a 1st image figure which shows the whole structure and operation | movement outline of the network system 1 concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a 2nd image figure which shows the whole structure and operation outline of the network system 1 concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a 3rd image figure which shows the whole structure and operation outline of the network system 1 concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a 4th image figure showing the whole network system 1 composition and operation outline concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a 5th image figure showing the whole network system 1 composition and operation outline concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a 6th image figure showing the whole network system 1 composition and operation outline concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram showing the structure of the electric equipment 100 concerning 1st Embodiment. 3 is a flowchart showing information processing of the electric device 100 according to the first embodiment. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication terminal 200 according to the first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server 300 according to the first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing information processing of the server 300 according to the first embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.
<First Embodiment>
<Overall configuration of network system>

  First, the overall configuration of the network system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The network system 1 mainly includes a server 300 for providing various services via a network such as the Internet, electric devices such as a television 100A and an air conditioner 100C capable of communicating with the server 300 via a router 400, and the like. It includes communication terminals such as smartphones 200A and 200B.

  The electric devices are not limited to the television 100A and the air conditioner 100C, and home appliances such as microwave ovens, refrigerators, washing machines, and self-propelled cleaners, hard disk recorders, music players, projectors, speakers, robots, and other AV (audio / visual) audio equipment ) It may be a device, a solar power generator, an intercom, a housing facility such as a water heater, or the like. Hereinafter, these devices are also collectively referred to as an electric device 100.

The communication terminal is not limited to the smartphones 200A and 200B, but may be a tablet, a personal computer, a speaker, a robot, a game machine, an electronic book terminal, or the like, and these devices are collectively referred to as the communication terminal 200.
<Outline of network system operation>

  Next, an outline of the operation of the network system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Referring to FIG. 1, first, a user of a certain home is registered in the first service in advance. Then, it is assumed that the identification information (device ID) of the user's smartphone 200A, 200B or the television 100A is also registered in association with the user's account regarding the first service (steps S002 and S004). It is assumed that the television 100B and the air conditioner 100C are registered in a second service different from each other.

  In this state, when the user purchases a new electric device, the network system 1 according to the present embodiment executes the following processing in order to register the electric device in the first service. Referring to FIG. 2, the user purchases microwave oven 100X and arranges it at home. The user connects the microwave oven 100X to the router 400 by WiFi (registered trademark) communication (step S006). When connected to the router 400, the microwave oven 100X searches for another electric device that can communicate with the router 400 (step S008).

  In the present embodiment, microwave oven 100X stores information about the first service that can be registered by itself and access destination information, etc., at the time of shipment. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the microwave oven 100X searches for another electric device, the microwave oven 100X requests the other electric device for the ID of the device used in the already registered first service. (Step S010). The microwave oven 100X acquires, from the television 100A, a device ID for the service assigned to the television 100A.

  Referring to FIG. 4, microwave oven 100X requests server 300, which operates a preset first service, to register with the first service together with the device ID of television 100A (step S012). The server 300 issues a device ID for service to the microwave oven 100X and associates the device ID with the user account of the television 100A (step S014).

  More specifically, at this time, the server 300 refers to the registration information 321 regarding the first service to determine whether or not the television 100A is registered in the first service. When the television 100A is registered in the first service, the server 300 tentatively associates the device ID of the microwave oven 100X with the account of the user of the television 100A.

  With reference to FIG. 5, the server 300 may register the microwave oven 100X in association with the account of the same user in the electric device 100 and the communication terminal 200 that are already associated with the account of the user of the television 100A. It is inquired whether or not (step S016). More specifically, the server 300 inquires of the electric device 100 associated with the account of the user of the television 100A, a device in the same house as the microwave oven 100X or a device communicable with the same router 400. You can Alternatively, the server 300 can make an inquiry to a device in the same home as the microwave oven 100X or a device capable of communicating with the same router 400 among the communication terminals 200 associated with the account of the user of the television 100A. Alternatively, the server 300 can make an inquiry to a device that is not in the same home as the microwave oven 100X or a device that cannot communicate with the same router 400 among the communication terminals 200 associated with the user account of the television 100A.

  Note that the electric device 100 and the communication terminal 200 display a screen for obtaining confirmation as to whether or not the microwave oven 100X may be registered in association with the same user account based on the data from the server 300. Or output a voice message. At this time, the server 300 preferably causes the new electric device 100 to output a voice so as to activate the other electric device 100 or the communication terminal 200 to authenticate the device.

With reference to FIG. 6, the server 300 associates the microwave oven 100X with the account of the user of the electric device 100 or the communication terminal 200 when the user's permission is obtained via the electric device 100 or the communication terminal 200. Register (step S018).
<Structure of electric device 100>

  Next, the configuration of the electric device 100 that constitutes the network system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Referring to FIG. 7, electric device 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment has a CPU 110, a memory 120, a display 130, an operation unit 140, a communication interface 160, a speaker 170, and a microphone 180 as main components. , And a device driving unit 190.

  The CPU 110 controls each unit of the electric device 100 by executing a program stored in the memory 120 or an external storage medium. For example, the processing of the electric device 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and the processing shown in FIG. 8 are realized.

  The memory 120 may be realized by various types of RAM (Random Access Memory), various types of ROM (Read-Only Memory), etc., and may be included in the electric device 100, or may be used as various interfaces of the electric device 100. It may be removable, or may be a recording medium of another device accessible from the electric device 100. The memory 120 is a program executed by the CPU 110, data generated by the execution of the program by the CPU 110, data input via the operation unit 140, data received from a remote controller, and from the server 300 via the router 400 or the Internet. The received data, the address of the server corresponding to the electric device 100, and other information necessary for using various services are stored.

  The display 130 outputs characters, images, etc. based on the signal from the CPU 210. The display 130 may simply be an LED light or the like.

  The operation unit 140 is realized by buttons, a touch panel, and the like, receives an instruction from the user, and inputs the instruction to the CPU 110. The display 130 and the operation unit 140 may configure the touch panel 150.

  The communication interface 160 is realized by a communication module such as a wireless LAN or a wired LAN. The communication interface 160 exchanges data with other devices such as the server 300, the communication terminal 200, and the router 400 by wire communication or wireless communication. That is, the CPU 110 transmits various kinds of information to other devices via the communication interface 160, and conversely receives various kinds of information from other devices.

  The speaker 170 outputs a voice message or the like based on the voice data from the CPU 110. The microphone 180 acquires a user's voice or the like and inputs voice data to the CPU 110.

The device drive unit 190 controls each unit (motor, heater, antenna, etc.) of the electric device 100 based on a signal from the CPU 110. For example, with respect to the microwave oven 100X, the device driving unit 190 may be an antenna or a rotary table for heating and cooking, and with respect to the air conditioner 100C, it may be a compressor or a wind direction changing mechanism.
<Information processing of electric device 100>

  Next, information processing of the electric device 100 will be described. Referring to FIG. 8, CPU 110 of electric device 100 executes the following processing according to the program of memory 120 when executing the connection processing with router 400 for the first time.

  First, the CPU 110 executes a connection process with the router 400 via the communication interface 160 (step S102). After the connection, the CPU 110 uses the communication interface 160 to broadcast the data for confirming whether or not there is the electric device 100 already registered in the service corresponding to the electric device 100 through the router 400 in the house. (Step S104).

  When a device ID for the service is received from another electric device 100 already registered for the service (YES in step S106), a server for providing the service via the communication interface 160. The device ID of the other electric device 100 is transmitted to 300 (step S108). As a result, the electric device 100 is linked to the account of the user of the service.

If there is no reply to the broadcast (NO in step S106), CPU 110 ends the automatic registration process. That is, the user needs to manually register the electric device 100 in the service (step S110).
<Structure of communication terminal 200>

  Next, the configuration of the communication terminal 200 configuring the network system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Referring to FIG. 9, communication terminal 200 according to the present exemplary embodiment has, as main components, CPU 210, memory 220, display 230, operation unit 240, communication interface 260, speaker 270, and microphone 280. Including and

  The CPU 210 controls each unit of the communication terminal 200 by executing the program stored in the memory 220. For example, the processing of the communication terminal 200 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 is realized.

  The memory 220 is realized by various RAMs, various ROMs, and the like. The memory 220 identifies application programs for various services, data generated by execution of programs by the CPU 210, data received from the server 300, data input via the operation unit 240, and a user of the communication terminal 200. The information for storing is stored.

  The display 230 displays an image or text based on the data from the CPU 210. The operation unit 240 includes a pointing device, a switch, and the like, and inputs various commands from the user to the CPU 210. The user terminal may have the touch panel 250 including the display 230 and the operation unit 240.

  The communication interface 260 transmits / receives data to / from other devices such as the server 300 and the electric device 100 via the Internet, a carrier network, the router 400, or the like.

For example, the CPU 210 receives via the communication interface 260 data from the server 300 for inquiring whether or not the newly installed electric device 100 may be registered in association with the user's account, The inquiry may be output to the display 230 or the speaker 270. Then, the CPU 210 receives a permission command or a prohibition command from the user via the operation unit 240, and transmits the permission or prohibition information to the server 300 via the communication interface 260.
<Hardware configuration of server 300>

  Next, one aspect of the configuration of the server 300 that constitutes the network system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Referring to FIG. 10, server 300 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 310, a memory 320, an operation unit 340, and a communication interface 360 as main components.

  The CPU 310 controls each unit of the server 300 by executing the program stored in the memory 320. For example, the CPU 310 executes a program stored in the memory 320 and refers to various data to implement the processing of the electric device 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and the processing shown in FIG. 11.

  The memory 320 is realized by various types of RAM, various types of ROM, and the like, and may be included in the server 300, removable from various interfaces of the server 300, or the server 300. It may be a recording medium of another device accessible from. The memory 320 is a program executed by the CPU 310, data generated by the execution of the program by the CPU 310, input data, registration information 321 such as users and devices registered in the service and their correspondence, and other books. A database used for the processes and services according to the embodiment is stored.

  The operation unit 340 receives a command from a service manager or the like and inputs the command to the CPU 310.

The communication interface 360 transmits data from the CPU 310 to other devices such as the electric device 100 and the communication terminal 200 via the Internet, carrier network, router 400, and the like. Conversely, the communication interface 160 receives data from other devices such as the electric device 100 and the communication terminal 200 via the Internet, a carrier network, a router, etc., and transfers the data to the CPU 310.
<Information processing by the server 300>

  Next, information processing in the server 300 according to the present embodiment will be described. Referring to FIG. 11, when CPU 310 of server 300 receives data from electrical device 100 via communication interface 360, CPU 310 executes the following process according to the program in memory 320.

  First, the CPU 310 determines whether or not the data from the electric device 100 includes a registration request for the electric device 100 for a service (step S202). If the data from electric device 100 includes a registration request for electric device 100 for the service (YES in step S202), CPU 310 temporarily registers electric device 100 in the service (step S204). . That is, the CPU 310 issues a new device ID and stores it in the registration information 321.

  The CPU 310 determines whether the data from the electric device 100 includes a device ID used for a service of another electric device 100 (step S206). When the device ID for the service of the other electric device 100 is included, the CPU 310 searches the registration information 321 (step S208) to determine whether the device ID is already associated with any user's account. It is determined whether or not (step S210).

  When the device ID is already associated with any user's account (YES in step S210), CPU 310 causes electrical device already associated with the user's account via communication interface 360. An inquiry as to whether or not the new electric device 100 may be associated with the user's account is transmitted to the communication terminal 100 or the communication terminal 200 (step S212). At this time, the CPU 310 causes the new electric device 100 to output a voice via the communication interface 360 so as to activate the other electric device 100 or the communication terminal 200 that has already been registered in order to authenticate the device. Preferably.

When the information permitting the association of the new electric device 100 with the user's account is received from the electric device 100 or the communication terminal 200 already associated with the user's account (when YES in step S214), The CPU 310 completes the main registration by associating the new electric device 100 with the user's account in the registration information 321 (step S216).
<Second Embodiment>

In the above embodiment, after the temporary registration (step S204 in FIG. 11), the main registration permission is obtained through the electric device 100 or the communication terminal 200 already associated with the user's account. However (step S212 in FIG. 11), a form may be used in which main registration is performed without permission. That is, the mode in which steps S212 and S214 of FIG. 11 are not executed may be adopted.
<Third Embodiment>

Further, in step S104 and step S108 of FIG. 8, the CPU 110 of the electric device 100 acquires the device ID of the other electric device 100 and transmits the device ID of the other electric device 100 to the server 300. Alternatively, when the device IDs of the other plurality of electric devices 100 can be acquired, the device IDs of the other plurality of electric devices 100 may be transmitted to the server 300.
<Fourth Embodiment>

  In the above embodiment, the electric device 100 is associated with the user's account in the registration information 321, but the electric device 100 may be associated with the family or group account.

Alternatively, when the correspondence relationship between the user and the group is registered and the CPU 310 of the server 300 receives the registration request from the new electric device 100, the CPU 310 is presented by the electric device 100 in step S212 of FIG. 11, for example. The electric device 100 or the communication terminal 200 already associated with the accounts of all the users belonging to the same group as the account of the user associated with the device ID may be inquired as to whether or not the main registration is possible.
<Fifth Embodiment>

Other devices may perform part or all of the roles of the respective devices of the network system 1 of the above embodiment. For example, even if another device plays a part or all of each role of the electric device 100, the communication terminal 200, the server 300, and the router 400, or a part or all of each role is played by a plurality of devices. Good.
<Summary>

  In the above embodiment, an electric device for broadcasting a service ID request via a router, acquiring a service ID from another device and transmitting the service ID to a server, and an electric device based on the service ID There is provided a network system including a server for authenticating an electric device.

  Preferably, after the authentication, the server inquires the other device or the communication terminal associated with the other device for permission to register the electric device.

  Preferably, after the authentication, the server temporarily registers the electric device and inquires the other device or a communication terminal associated with the other device for permission to register the electric device.

  Preferably, the electric device acquires the service ID from each of the plurality of other devices and transmits the service ID to the server. Based on the service ID, the server inquires of a plurality of other devices or a plurality of communication terminals associated with the plurality of other devices for permission to register an electric device.

  In the above embodiment, the communication interface and the communication interface are used to broadcast the service ID request via the router, acquire the service ID from another device, and transmit the service ID to the server. An electric device is provided, which comprises:

  The embodiments disclosed this time are to be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description but by the claims, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope.

1: Network system 100: Electric device 100A: Television 100B: Television 100C: Air conditioner 100X: Microwave oven 110: CPU
120: Memory 130: Display 140: Operation part 150: Touch panel 160: Communication interface 170: Speaker 180: Microphone 190: Device drive part 200: Communication terminal 200A: Smartphone 200B: Smartphone 210: CPU
220: Memory 230: Display 240: Operation part 250: Touch panel 260: Communication interface 270: Speaker 280: Microphone 300: Server 310: CPU
320: memory 321: registration information 340: operation unit 360: communication interface 400: router

Claims (5)

An electrical device for broadcasting a service ID request via a router, acquiring the service ID from another device, and transmitting the service ID to a server.
A network system, comprising: a server for authenticating the electric device based on the service ID.   The network system according to claim 1, wherein after the authentication, the server inquires of the other device or a communication terminal associated with the other device for permission to register the electric device.   After the authentication, the server performs temporary registration of the electric device, and inquires of the other device or a communication terminal associated with the other device for permission to register the electric device. The described network system. The electric device acquires a service ID from each of a plurality of other devices and transmits the service ID to the server,
3. The server inquires of the plurality of other devices or a plurality of communication terminals associated with the plurality of other devices for permission to register the electric device based on the service ID. Alternatively, the network system according to item 3. Communication interface,
An electric device, comprising: a processor for broadcasting a request for a service ID through a router using the communication interface, acquiring the service ID from another device, and transmitting the service ID to a server.