JP6372377B2 - Communication system, home appliance, control device - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a communication system, a home appliance, and a control device.

  There is a communication system that controls home appliances via communication means.

JP 2014-087012 A

  In Patent Literature 1, a device control application program having a function of transmitting an HTTP request is installed in a terminal, and a home server that receives the HTTP request executes control of the control target device.

However, in order to send a control command to the device, it is necessary to start the aforementioned application program.

The communication system of the present embodiment includes: a home appliance; a communication unit that receives a request; an analysis unit that analyzes a request received by the communication unit based on WebAPI; and a request that the analysis unit receives A control unit that controls the household electrical appliance according to the control instruction when the identifier of the household electrical appliance is described and a control command defined in the WebAPI is described in the terminal; A shortcut providing unit that transmits to the terminal shortcut information for executing a request that is displayed on the display unit and that describes the identifier of the home appliance and the control instruction of the home appliance.

According to this embodiment, it can be expected to provide shortcut information including a control command for controlling a home appliance.

1 is a configuration diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Example of home screen of terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention Example of Web API according to an embodiment of the present invention Example of shortcut information according to an embodiment of the present invention Example of home screen in which shortcuts according to embodiments of the present invention are registered The operation | movement sequence diagram of the communication system concerning embodiment of this invention Configuration diagram of a communication system according to a modification of the present invention The operation | movement sequence diagram of the communication system concerning the modification of this invention

A communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a home appliance; a communication unit that receives a request; an analysis unit that analyzes a request received by the communication unit based on WebAPI; the analysis unit, the communication unit A control unit that controls the home appliance according to the control command when it is analyzed that an identifier of the home device and a control command defined in the WebAPI are described in the received request; A shortcut providing unit that transmits to the terminal shortcut information for executing a request that is displayed on the display unit of the terminal and that describes the identifier of the home appliance and a control instruction of the home appliance. And

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating functional configurations of a terminal 2 and a home appliance 3 as an example of a communication system according to the present embodiment.

In the communication system 1, the terminal 2 and the home appliance 3 are connected by a network constructed by wired or wireless communication means. In the present embodiment, a case where there is one home appliance 3 and one terminal 2 will be described as an example, but a plurality of home appliances 3 and terminals 2 may exist in the communication system 1.

  The terminal 2 is a terminal having a browser function such as a personal computer, a tablet, or a mobile phone having the display unit 21. In addition, the terminal 2 illustrated in FIG. 2 is provided with a display unit 21 on the front, and the display unit 2 is configured to display various information such as a shortcut image for starting an application program and a shortcut image for a homepage. These shortcut images can be operated by a touch panel, for example. In addition, a function of registering a URI of a “favorite” site and a function of displaying a list of images related to the “favorite” on the display unit 21 are provided. The user can operate a function such as transmitting a registered URI or character string as a request and browsing a page via a Web browser by manipulating an image displayed on the display unit 21. For example, if the display unit 21 is a touch panel, the image operation may be configured such that a predetermined request is transmitted from the terminal 2 by touching an image displayed on the display unit 21.

  In the above-described image list, a title related to the URI registered as “favorite” may be displayed simultaneously with the shortcut image. Further, the position where each shortcut image is displayed may be freely arranged by the user. In the case of having a plurality of home screens, if the home screens are arranged on different home screens for each favorite category, the home screens can be easily accessed.

These functions are standardly installed in general smartphones in recent years, and normally a shortcut image list can be displayed without starting a special application from the home screen of the smartphone.

  The household electrical appliance 3 is a household electrical appliance such as an air conditioner, a refrigerator, lighting, or a television that can transmit and receive information to and from other communication devices via a network constructed by wired or wireless communication means.

The home appliance 3 includes a communication unit 31, an analysis unit 32, a control unit 33, a movable unit controlled by the control unit 33, and a shortcut providing unit 35.

  In addition, it is preferable that the household electrical appliance 3 has a unique identifier in the network in advance, and has an mDNS (Multicast Domain Name System) or LLMNR (Link-Local Multicast Name Resolution) function. When a device having an mDNS or LLMNR function does not require a separate special server, for example, a DNS server, when an identifier is inquired from the terminal 3 in the network by multicast, the IP address of the device is received from a desired target device by unicast. it can.

Specifically, for example, when the terminal 3 tries to access the URI “http://home.aircon.net/” including the identifier “home.aircon.net” of the air conditioner to be the home appliance 3, first, the terminal 3 Multicasts an mDNS or LLMNR request in which the identifier “home.aircon.net” is described in the home network. The air conditioner that has received the request transmits its own IP address to the terminal 3 by unicast. The terminal 3 that has received it transmits an HTTP request to the IP address and establishes a connection.

When receiving the HTTP request, the communication unit 31 passes the HTTP request to the analysis unit 32.

  The analysis unit 32 analyzes the HTTP request. When the URI described in the HTTP request matches the own URI, the analysis unit 32 makes a response including its own IP address returned via the communication unit 31. For example, when the URI of the air conditioner as the home appliance 3 is “home.aircon.net” and the IP address is “192.168.126.10”, the identifier “home.aircon.net” is included from the terminal 2. When the mDNS or LLMNR request is received, a response including its own IP address information “192.168.126.10” is transmitted to the terminal 2.

  In addition, the home appliance 3 includes a Web API that enables control of its own function from the outside. FIG. 3 shows an example of the Web API in this embodiment.

  When the URI described in the HTTP request received by the communication unit 31 matches the own URI and the control command defined by WebAPI is described in the HTTP request, the analysis unit 32 Accordingly, the control unit 33 controls the movable unit 34.

In order to associate the control command with the operation content of the control unit 33, the home electric appliance 3 may have a correspondence relationship between the HTTP request and the control operation in advance as illustrated in FIG. For example, when the communication unit 31 receives an HTTP request “http://home.aircon.net/set/off”, the analysis unit 32 sets the character string “/ set / off” other than the URI or the entire HTTP request “http”. //Home.aircon.net/set/off "and causes the control unit 33 to stop operating the air conditioner according to the operation corresponding to the HTTP request shown in FIG. Alternatively, parameters that can be recognized by the control unit 33 may be directly described in the HTTP request. For example, each value of ESV (ECHONET Service), EOJ (ECHONET Object), EPC (ECHONET Property), and EDT (ECHONET Data) defined in ECHONET or ECHONET Lite is described in the character string of the HTTP request. Good. Specifically, when an HTTP request “http://home.aircon.net/0x62/0x013001/0x80/0x31” is received, the analysis unit 32 sets “ESV = 0x62 (control), EOJ = 0x013001 (air conditioner 1 ), EPC = 0x80 (operating state), EDT = 0x31 (stop) ”, and the control command is transferred to the control unit 33. The control unit 33 stops the operation of the air conditioner according to the control command.

  The shortcut providing unit 35 can analyze at least one shortcut information including an HTTP request including a control command that can be analyzed by the analyzing unit 32 and causing the control unit 33 to control the movable unit 34 and an image related to the HTTP request. Store one. The shortcut information may include a character string related to the HTTP request together with the HTTP request and the image.

For example, when the shortcut information of the control command for turning off the operation of the air conditioner is the HTML information shown in FIG. 4, the character string “stop” is specified by the <title> tag, and <link rel = “shortcut icon”> The “off.ico” image is designated by the tag. Then, when the terminal 2 registers “http://home.aircon.net/set/off” as “favorite”, the image “off.ico” and the character string “stop” as the title are as shown in FIG. Is displayed on the display unit 21 as a shortcut.

Registration of the HTTP request may be performed by the user inputting a character string of the HTTP request via the browser of the terminal 2, but an unnecessary control command is transmitted by transmitting the HTTP request. May be accepted. Also, it takes effort for the user to directly input an HTTP request. For this reason, for example, a web page (a file described in HTML, CSS, Javascript (registered trademark), etc.) that separately lists a link list of HTTP requests is prepared, and a user can register without sending an HTTP request. Is preferred. At this time, if an image and a character string related to each HTTP request are posted on the Web page, the user can easily recognize the contents of the control command. Further, a script that can register all HTTP requests at once may be executed.

  The home appliance 3 may have a function of storing in advance a web page that lists the above-described HTTP requests as its own operation screen and transmitting the operation screen in response to a request from the terminal 2. For example, the shortcut providing unit 35 includes a Web server, and control commands defined in the Web API owned by the shortcut providing unit 35, for example, images indicating “stop”, “heating”, “cooling”, “setting temperature change”, “air flow change”, and the like are arranged. Each image stores a Web page configured to transmit a predetermined HTTP request when operated by the user, and returns the Web page in response to a request from the terminal 2. The web page that lists the HTTP requests may be prepared on the home appliance 3 or on a server installed in an arbitrary location, and by describing the access method in the operation manual of the device, the user A method of inducing this is conceivable. The Web page provided from the shortcut providing unit 35 can be used as an operation screen as it is.

Specifically, when “http://home.aircon.net/” is input using the Web browser function installed in the terminal 2, the terminal 2 multicasts the mDNS or LLMNR request to find the discovered device An HTTP request is unicast transmitted to the IP address. When the air conditioner, which is the home appliance 3 whose “home.aircon.net” is its own URI, receives the HTTP request, it transmits the operation screen described above to the terminal 2. The user can transmit an HTTP request corresponding to the desired control from the terminal 2 by operating an image representing the desired control content on the operation screen displayed on the display unit 21 of the terminal 2.

The user can operate the home screen on which the shortcut image list is displayed according to the above-described procedure, with the remote control of the conventional air conditioner. More preferably, after the HTTP request corresponding to the control command is registered as a “favorite”, the displayed image can be arranged at a user's favorite position. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when the operation screen of the home appliance 3 is a Web page for the user to register the HTTP request as “favorite”, there is an effect that a preferable arrangement can be presented. A preferable arrangement is an arrangement in consideration of user operability, such as an arrangement according to a remote control attached to a conventional home appliance.

An example of the operation of the communication system 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG. Here, it is assumed that the air conditioner 3 serving as the home appliance 3 has the Web API of FIG. 3, and the shortcut information of the control command for turning off the operation of the air conditioner is HTML information shown in FIG.

The user who wants to operate the air conditioner 3 first inputs the access destination URI “http://home.aircon.net/” in the Web browser of the terminal 2, multicasts the mDNS or LLMNR request, and finds the discovered device An HTTP request is unicast transmitted to the IP address. The URI of the access destination may be described in an operation manual or the like of the air conditioner 3, or a Web API URL list is posted on the homepage of a server installed at an arbitrary location, for example, a home appliance manufacturing company. You may access it once to acquire each URI.

The terminal 2 multicasts and searches for the air conditioner 3 whose URI is “home.aircon.net” using mDNS or LLMNR. When the communication unit 31 of the air conditioner 3 (not shown) receives the mDNS or LLMNR request, the analysis unit 32 determines that the URI matches its own URI, and sets its own IP address “192.168.126.10” to the terminal. Return to 2. The terminal 2 accesses the shortcut providing unit 35 having the Web server function using the acquired IP address. The shortcut providing unit 35 returns a Web page on which shortcut information related to the control of the air conditioner 3 is described or a Web page of the operation screen. It should be noted that these exchanges are not visible to the user, and the operation screen appears to be opened when “http://home.aircon.net/” is input to the Web browser.

On the Web page provided by the shortcut providing unit 35, an image indicating a control command defined in the Web API held by the air conditioner 3, for example, “stop”, “heating”, “cooling”, “setting temperature change”, “air volume change”, and the like. Have been described. The Web page may present a preferred arrangement of images as shown in FIG. 5, and it is preferable to display a character string displayed when a shortcut is registered. The user registers an image representing a necessary control command and an HTTP request associated with the image on the home screen using the “favorite” function of the Web browser. Then, the image and title shown in FIG. 5 are displayed on the home screen, respectively, and can be arranged according to the user's preference.

For example, when the user wants to stop the operation of the air conditioner 3, an HTTP request “http://home.aircon.net/set/off” is transmitted by operating a “stop” image displayed on the home screen. The When the communication unit 31 of the air conditioner 3 (not shown) receives the above-described HTTP request, the analysis unit 32 determines that the URI matches its own URI, and the control command “/ set / off” included in the HTTP request or the entire HTTP request “Http://home.aircon.net/set/off” is analyzed using WebAPI. According to the Web API of FIG. 3, since the operation corresponding to the HTTP request is “operation OFF”, the control unit 33 controls “operation OFF”.

In a general smartphone, a web browser is launched when a shortcut image is operated. For example, based on the control result of the control unit 33, a Web page on which “the air conditioner has been turned off” may be returned from the Web server (not shown) of the air conditioner 3 to the terminal 2, or a process of closing the page is described. The returned web page may be returned.

(Effects of the first embodiment)

  According to the present embodiment, only with a general personal computer or tablet and home appliances having mDNS or LLMNR and a Web browser function, discovery of home appliances, provision of operation screens of home appliances, device control according to user operations By providing shortcut information including a control command for controlling the home appliance, it is possible to easily operate the home appliance from the home screen of the terminal without requiring an application with a special communication protocol.

In addition, since the position at which the shortcut image is displayed on the terminal can be changed according to the user's preference, the remote control button can be customized. Furthermore, by placing shortcut images representing control instructions for different home appliances on different home screens and switching between multiple home screens, it is possible to easily switch between a single terminal and multiple remote controls. It is.

(Modification)

  In addition, this invention is not limited to above-described embodiment, Many deformation | transformation are possible within the range of the summary.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, in the communication system 1 in which the terminal 2 and the home appliance 3 communicate via the control device 4 having a home network gateway function, the communication unit 31 and the analysis unit 32 described in the first embodiment. The control device 4 may include the control unit 33 and the shortcut providing unit 35. That is, the control device 4 may temporarily receive an HTTP request from the terminal 2 and provide a shortcut or control the home appliance 3 according to a result analyzed by the Web API installed in the control device 4.

  FIG. 8 shows an operation sequence diagram of the communication system 1 according to the modification. In this case, the URI of the home appliance 3 may be specified in the HTTP request, or the URI of the control device 4 may be specified and the control target home appliance 3 may be separately described. Moreover, in this modification, it is preferable to analyze the control content after determining whether or not the home electric appliance 3 to be controlled specified by the HTTP request is connected to the home network.

Here, it is assumed that the control device 4 is equipped with the Web API of FIG. 3 and the shortcut information of the control command for turning off the operation of the air conditioner as the home appliance 3 is the HTML information shown in FIG.

A user who wants to operate the air conditioner 3 first inputs the access destination URI “http://home.aircon.net/” in the Web browser of the terminal 2 and transmits the http request to the home network. The URI of the access destination may be described in an operation manual or the like of the air conditioner 3, or a Web API URL list is posted on the homepage of a server installed at an arbitrary location, for example, a home appliance manufacturing company. You may access it once to acquire each URI.

  When the communication unit 41 of the control device 4 (not shown) receives the above HTTP request, the analysis unit 42 determines whether or not the home appliance 3 indicated by the URI exists on the home network. The determination of the presence of the home appliance 3 may be performed by, for example, storing a connection list of the home appliance 3 in the control device 4 and confirming whether the home appliance 3 exists in the list or receiving the above-described HTTP request. You may search when you do.

When it is determined that the home appliance 3 specified by the HTTP request exists, the control device 4 displays the IP address “192.168.” On which the Web page on which the shortcut information related to the control of the air conditioner 3 is described or the Web page of the operation screen exists. .126.1 ”to the terminal 2. The terminal 2 uses the acquired IP address to access the shortcut providing unit 45 having a Web server function, and acquires the above-described Web page. Note that these exchanges are not visible to the user, and when “http://home.aircon.net/” is input to the Web browser, the operation screen of the air conditioner 3 appears to have opened.

On the Web page provided by the shortcut providing unit 35, an image indicating a control command defined in the Web API held by the air conditioner 3, for example, “stop”, “heating”, “cooling”, “setting temperature change”, “air volume change”, and the like. Have been described. The web page may present a preferable arrangement of images as shown in FIG. 5, and is preferably displayed together with a character string displayed when a shortcut is registered. The user registers an image representing a necessary control command and an HTTP request associated with the image on the home screen using the “favorite” function of the Web browser. Then, the image and title shown in FIG. 5 are displayed on the home screen, respectively, and can be arranged according to the user's preference.

For example, when the user wants to stop the operation of the air conditioner 3, an HTTP request “http://home.aircon.net/set/off” is transmitted by operating a “stop” image displayed on the home screen. The When the communication unit 41 of the control device 4 (not shown) receives the above HTTP request, the analysis unit 42 determines whether or not the air conditioner 3 specified by the HTTP request exists in the network, and the air conditioner 3 exists. In this case, the control command “/ set / off” included in the HTTP request or the entire HTTP request “http://home.aircon.net/set/off” is analyzed using WebAPI. According to the Web API of FIG. 3, since the operation corresponding to the HTTP request is “operation OFF”, the control unit 43 controls the air conditioner 3 to “operation OFF”.

In a general smartphone, a web browser is launched when a shortcut image is operated. For example, on the basis of the control result of the control unit 43, a Web page on which “the air conditioner has been turned off” may be returned from the Web server (not shown) of the air conditioner 3 to the terminal 2 or a process of closing the page is described. The returned web page may be returned.

(Effect of modification)

In the modified example, an application having a special communication protocol is provided by providing shortcut information including a control command for controlling the home appliance without installing a function such as a Web API, a shortcut providing unit, or a web server in the home appliance. Can be easily operated from the home screen of the terminal.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above-described embodiment. In addition, it is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

2 ... Terminal 3 ... Home appliance 31 ... Communication unit 32 ... Analysis unit 33 ... Control unit 35 ... Shortcut providing unit

Claims (5)

With household appliances;
A communication unit that receives the request;
An analysis unit that analyzes a request received by the communication unit based on WebAPI; the analysis unit describes an identifier of the home appliance and a control command defined in the WebAPI in the request received by the communication unit And a control unit that controls the home appliance according to the control instruction;
Provide a shortcut for transmitting to the terminal shortcut information for executing a request displayed on the display unit of the terminal and describing the identifier of the home appliance and the control instruction of the home appliance for a terminal capable of transmitting a request Part;
A communication system comprising:
The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the shortcut information includes an image and a character string related to the request, and the character string is displayed together with the image on the display unit.
The said shortcut provision part further stores the operation screen which enables the said shortcut information to be downloaded, and transmits the said operation screen according to the request | requirement from the said terminal. Communications system.
A communication unit that receives the request;
An analysis unit that analyzes a request received by the communication unit based on WebAPI;
A control unit that performs control according to the control command when the analysis unit analyzes that the request received by the communication unit includes a self-identifier and a control command defined in the WebAPI;
A shortcut providing unit that transmits, to the terminal, shortcut information for executing a request that is displayed on the display unit of the terminal and that describes its own identifier and a control command;
A home appliance characterized by comprising:
A communication unit that receives the request;
An analysis unit that analyzes a request received by the communication unit based on WebAPI;
A control unit that controls the home appliance according to the control command when the analysis unit includes an identifier indicating the home appliance and a control command defined in the WebAPI in the request received by the communication unit;
A shortcut providing unit that transmits, to the terminal, shortcut information for executing a request that is displayed on the display unit of the terminal and that describes its own identifier and a control command;
A control device comprising:

Images