KR100542945B1 - User interface system for home network system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a home network system, and more particularly, to a user interface system of a home network system that enables a user to easily grasp the state information of the home network system and to easily operate the home network system.

The user interface system of the home network system of the present invention has a form corresponding to each of the home appliances connected to the home network system, and includes a home appliance icon indicating the state of the corresponding home appliance and is displayed through a predetermined display device. A frame means and a storage means for storing the home network list of the home appliance, and the stored home network list is read and transmitted to the frame means to control the frame means to indicate the state of the home appliance through the display apparatus. It consists of a user interface controller.

Home network system, user interface

Description

User interface system of home network system {USER INTERFACE SYSTEM FOR HOME NETWORK SYSTEM}             

1 is a block diagram of a general overall home network system.

2 is a block diagram of a home network system according to the present invention.

3 is a configuration diagram of a user interface system according to the present invention.

4A is a first embodiment of a home network list.

4B is a display screen of FIG. 4A.

5A is a second embodiment of a home network list.

5B is a display screen of FIG. 5A.

6A is a third embodiment of a home network list.

FIG. 6B is a display screen of FIG. 6A.

7A is a fourth embodiment of a home network list.

FIG. 7B is a display screen of FIG. 7A.

8 is a display screen of a reservation schedule.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

1: home network system 10: network manager

20: bus network 30: master device

40, 42: slave device 50: user interface system

52: display device 54: frame means

56: storage means 58: control means

200: operation status display means 220: home appliance icon

240: reservation scheduling means 260: detailed control means

280: operation start display means

The present invention relates to a home network system, and more particularly, to a user interface system of a home network system that enables a user to easily grasp the state information of the home network system and to easily operate the home network system.

At present, home automation for automatic control of home appliances in each home or remote is almost commercialized. In the early home automation system, each device was controlled separately by telephone or infrared ray, and there was no connection between each device, but now it is possible to build a network between home appliances using communication means to control the controller. In other words, a method of integrated management is used.

1 is a block diagram of a general home network system. As shown, a home network means that various digital home appliances can be connected to each other to enjoy convenient, safe and economical living services at home and at any time.

In the background of the appearance of the home network, refrigerators and washing machines, which have been called white household appliances, have been gradually digitized due to the development of digital signal processing technology. Also, due to the rapid development of home appliance operating system technology and high-speed multimedia communication technology, This is because these technologies are emerging as a form of integrated new information appliances.

Here, the IT network refers to a network type established for exchanging data or providing Internet services between a personal computer and peripheral devices, and the AV network refers to a network type between home appliances that handle audio or video information. And, the living network is a network constructed for the purpose of simple control of home appliances, such as home automation or remote meter reading, and may include a refrigerator, a washing machine, a microwave oven, a light gas alarm, an air conditioner, a telephone, and the like.

A home network system configured in such a home is a master device, which is a home appliance that can control or monitor the operation of other home appliances, and the ability to respond to the needs of the master device based on the characteristics or other factors of the home appliance, and its status. It consists of a slave device, which is a home appliance with the function of informing about the change. As used herein, a home appliance (or a new device) is meant to include not only home appliances for living network services described above, such as a washing machine and a refrigerator, but also home appliances for IT network services and AV network services.

In such a home network system, a user interface system for allowing a user to easily recognize information about a home appliance connected to the current system is required. There is also a need for a user interface system that allows a user to easily control a home appliance connected to a home network system.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a user interface system of a home network system that enables a user to easily recognize information about a home appliance connected to a home network system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a user interface system of a home network system that enables a user to easily control a home appliance connected to a home network system.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a user interface system of a home network system that enables reservation setting for a home appliance connected to a home network system.

The user interface system of the home network system of the present invention has a form corresponding to each of the home appliances connected to the home network system, and includes a home appliance icon indicating the state of the corresponding home appliance and is displayed through a predetermined display device. A frame means and a storage means for storing the home network list of the home appliance, and the stored home network list is read and transmitted to the frame means to control the frame means to indicate the state of the home appliance through the display apparatus. It consists of a user interface controller.

In this case, when there is a change in the home network list stored in the storage means, the user interface controller reads the home network list from the storage means and transmits the frame means.

In addition, the frame means is preferably displayed so that the home appliance icon is distinguished according to the state of the home appliance.

In addition, the state of the home appliance preferably includes a state registered and operating in the home network system, and a state registered in the home network system but stopped.

In addition, the state of the home appliance preferably further includes a state registered in the home network system but temporarily suspended.

In addition, the frame means preferably includes a home appliance icon for a home appliance not registered in the home network system.

In addition, the frame means may be displayed so that a home appliance icon corresponding to the registered home appliance and a home appliance icon corresponding to the unregistered home appliance are distinguished.

In addition, it is preferable that each of the home appliance icons display a plurality of home appliances of the same type.

In addition, the home network list preferably includes at least the type and current status of the home appliance.

In addition, the home network list preferably includes the installation location of the home appliance.

In addition, the frame means preferably further includes an operation state display means for displaying the state of the home appliance currently in operation according to the home network list in text.

In addition, the operation state display means preferably displays a state in which the home appliance is an operation error.

In addition, the frame means preferably further includes an operation start display means indicating that the home appliance starts a predetermined operation.

In addition, the frame means preferably includes detailed control means for creating a detailed control command for the displayed home appliance.

In addition, the frame means preferably further comprises a reservation scheduling means for pre-setting the operation of the home appliance.

The present invention has been described in detail by taking a user interface system of a home network system as an example based on embodiments of the present invention and the accompanying drawings. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited by the following embodiments and drawings, and the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the contents described in the claims below.

2 is a block diagram of a home network system according to the present invention. As shown, the home network system 1 formed in the home consists of at least one master device 30 and slave devices 40 and 42 connected by the bus network 20. In addition, a gateway 2 for connecting to the external Internet, and a network manager 10 connected to the gateway 2 to provide Internet services and to perform configuration and initialization functions of home appliances in the home network system 1. ) May be additionally provided.

Here, the master device 30 may perform the same function as the above-described master device, and the network manager 10 may perform a function similar to that of the master device 30 except for an internet service. However, for convenience of explanation below, it is assumed that the network manager 10 performs a function such as a bridge for an Internet service, etc., and only one master device 30 exists in the home network system 1. It is assumed that the explanation is made.

Here, the bus network 20 may be a wired medium such as a power line or a telephone line already installed in a separate line or installed in each home, or may also be a wireless-based transmission medium. However, as shown, the home network system 1 according to the present invention constitutes a closed network that connects home appliances in an independent home with a wired or wireless transmission medium. In this case, the closed network includes physically connected but logically separated networks.

3 is a configuration diagram of a user interface system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the user interface system 50 includes a predetermined display device 52 for displaying as a user, an entire home appliance (network device 10, master device connected to the home network system 1). A home network list including information on all home appliances connected to the home network system 1 is received, including a home appliance icon having a form corresponding to the device 30 and the slave devices 40 and 42. A storage means (54) for displaying this home appliance icon according to the home network list via the device (52) and a storage for storing a home network list containing information about the entire home appliance connected to this home network system (1) The means 56 and the home network list from the storage means 56 and transmitted to the frame means 54 for the frame means. Control means 58 for controlling 54 to display the home network list via the display apparatus 52;

In detail, the frame means 54 causes the home appliance icon to be displayed differently according to the state of the home appliance included in the home network list. At this time, the state of the home appliance includes, for example, a state registered in the home network system 1 and currently operating, and a state registered in the home network system 1 but currently stopped. The state of the home appliance also includes a state registered with the home network system 1 but which is temporarily suspended in operation.

In addition, the frame means 54 may further include not only home appliance icons registered and connected to the home network system 1, but also icons for home appliances not registered in the home network system 1. In addition, the frame means 54 may display the home appliance icon corresponding to the home appliance registered in the home network system 1 and the preliminary icon for the home appliance not registered in the home network system 1 differently from each other. do.

In addition, the frame means 54 allows a plurality of home appliances (for example, five light bulbs, three air conditioners, etc.) to be displayed as one home appliance icon, such that the display device 52 in which the home appliance icons are displayed to the user is shown. To occupy the screen appropriately.

In addition, the frame means 54 further includes an operation state display means (not shown) for displaying, in text, the state of the currently operating home appliance. In addition, the frame means 54 provides detailed control commands (e.g., operates the microwave for 5 minutes) for the selected home appliance when the home appliance icon is selected by a predetermined input means (not shown). Channel and / or volume control, etc.). The detailed control commands inputted through the detailed control means are transmitted to the user interface controller 58 and again by the user interface controller 58 to the network manager 10 or the master device 30. The process in which these detailed control commands are performed is excluded in the present specification.

In addition, the frame means 54 schedules an operation for the home appliance, and schedule scheduling means for setting the operation and start time (for example, washing the washing machine for 5 minutes after 1 hour). And not). The reservation operations input through the reservation scheduling means are transmitted to the user interface controller 58 and again by the user interface controller 58 to the network manager 10 or the master device 30. The process in which these reservation operations are performed is excluded herein.

Next, the storage means 56 is not only connected with the user interface controller 58 but also with the network manager 10 or the master device 30. The network manager 10 or the master device 30 stores the home stored in the storage means 56 when a state change (for example, operation change, deletion, or addition of home appliances) of the home network system 1 occurs. Update and save the network list.

Here, the home network list includes names, addresses, installation locations, and current statuses of all home appliances connected to the home network system 1. At this time, the address is a unique value within the home network system 1 defined by the network manager 10 or the master device 30 to identify the home appliance, and the installation place is the network manager 10 or the master device 30. Or, it is related to the installation location in the home defined by the user.

In addition, when a change occurs in the home network list stored in the storage means 56 (i.e., when it is updated), the user interface controller 58 reads the home network list and transmits it to the frame means 54 to transmit the frame. The means 54 allows the user to provide information on all home appliances via the display device 52 based on this home network list.

4A is a first embodiment of a home network list. As shown in FIG. 4A, only a master device (or a network manager) and a refrigerator are registered as components (address (or place code) is set) in a home network system. However, since it is clear that the master device manages this home network system, and the installation location is not a major problem, the installation location and status are not displayed. The refrigerator is installed in the kitchen (0x03), connected to the home network system, and the power is turned on and in operation, and is recorded in this home network list. Other home appliances are components that have never been registered by being connected to a home network system.

4B is a display screen of FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 4B, the frame means 54 includes a plurality of home appliance icons, and receives the home network list of FIG. 4A from the user interface controller 58 to cause the display device 52 to receive a home network. The registered home appliance connected to the system is displayed in a solid line, and a dot is displayed inside the icon of the home appliance in operation. That is, since the refrigerator is connected to the home network system and registered and is operating, the icon 220 is displayed with a solid line including a dot display. Here, for convenience, the icon of the master device (or network manager) is omitted. In addition, icons (preliminary icons) of home appliances not registered in the home network system are indicated by dotted lines.

In addition, the frame means 54 includes an operation state display means 200 for displaying the state of the home appliance using text based on the home network list. The operation state display means 200 indicates that the refrigerator is installed and operated in the kitchen.

In addition, the frame means 54 includes detailed control means (not shown) which are displayed when the home appliance icon 220 of the refrigerator is selected by a predetermined input means, and such detailed control means connect only to the home network system. It is linked with the icon of the registered home appliance.

The frame means 54 also includes a reservation scheduling means 240 for reserving operation for home appliances.

5A is a second embodiment of a home network list. As shown in FIG. 5A, besides a refrigerator, a washing machine and a microwave oven, air conditioners 1 and 2, a drum washing machine, a gas oven range, and a television are connected to a home network system and registered, and the other home appliances are connected to the home network system. The connection is not registered.

When updated to the home network list shown in FIG. 5B which differs from FIG. 4A, the UI controller 58 transmits the updated home network list to the frame means 54.

5B is a display screen of FIG. 5A. As shown in Fig. 5B, home appliances registered and operated by the home appliance icon of the frame means 54 are displayed, and by the operation state display means 200, seven home appliances are in operation, and their installation The place is indicated by text.

Here, the air conditioners 1 and 2 are two slave devices constituting the home network system, but one icon thereof is displayed. This means that even if a plurality of home appliances, which are the same product, are connected to the home network system, the user can easily grasp the information by displaying one icon, and to provide information on the plurality, the operation status display means 200 Provide information about multiple home appliances, the same product.

6A is a third embodiment of a home network list. As shown in FIG. 6A, the washing machine, the microwave oven, the air conditioners 1 and 2, and the gas oven range are in a stopped state, and only the refrigerator and the television are in operation.

FIG. 6B is a display screen of FIG. 6A. As shown in FIG. 6B, the frame means 54 displays the home appliance in a stationary state with a solid home appliance icon, and the home appliance in an operational state with a solid home appliance icon including a dot.

Further, when the television icon is selected by the predetermined input means, the detailed control means 260 shown is displayed. The detailed control means 260 receives a detailed control command for the home appliance selected by the user and transmits the detailed control command to the user interface controller 58, whereby the user interface controller 58 receives the network manager 10 or the master device. Send to (30). For example, it becomes possible to control channel and volume settings for the television.

7A is a fourth embodiment of a home network list. As shown in FIG. 7A, unlike the home network list of FIG. 6A, the home network list in which the gas oven range has been operated is displayed.

FIG. 7B is a display screen of FIG. 7A. As shown in Fig. 7B, when the gas oven range that has been stopped is changed to in operation, the operation start display means 280 is displayed. The operation start display means 280 simply displays information about the home appliance which has started operation for a predetermined time or in response to a user input.

8 is a display screen of a reservation schedule. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the reservation scheduling means 240 transmits the set contents to the user interface controller 58 when a control operation, a start time, and the like of a specific home appliance are set by the user.

The present invention having such a configuration has an effect of allowing a user to easily recognize information about a home appliance connected to a home network system.

In addition, the present invention has the effect of allowing a user to easily control a home appliance connected to a home network system.

In addition, the present invention has the effect of enabling the reservation setting for the home appliance connected to the home network system.

Claims (15)

A home appliance icon having a shape corresponding to each of the home appliances connected to the home network system, the home appliance icon indicating a state of the corresponding home appliance, and detailed control means for creating a detailed control command for the home appliance; Frame means displayed through a predetermined display device; Read the stored home network list from the storage means for storing the home network list of the home appliance and transmit the stored home network list to the frame means to control the frame means to indicate the state of the home appliance through the display device. And a user interface controller for receiving the detailed control command from the detailed control means of the home network system. The method of claim 1, The frame means further comprises a reservation scheduling means for pre-set the operation of the home appliance. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The frame means further comprises operation state display means for displaying the state of the home appliance currently in operation according to the home network list in text. The method of claim 3, The operation status display means is a user interface system of a home network system, characterized in that for displaying the status that the home appliance operation error. 4. The user interface system of claim 3, wherein the frame means further includes operation initiation display means indicating that the home appliance initiates a predetermined operation. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the user interface controller reads the home network list from the storage means and transmits the frame means when there is a change in the home network list stored in the storage means. The method of claim 6, The frame means is a user interface system of a home network system, characterized in that for displaying the home appliance icon to distinguish according to the state of the home appliance. The method of claim 7, wherein The state of the home appliance includes a state registered and operating in the home network system, and a state registered in the home network system but in a stop state. The method of claim 8, The state of the home appliance further includes a state registered in the home network system but temporarily stopping operation. The method of claim 8, And the framing means preliminarily includes a home appliance icon for a home appliance not registered in the home network system. The method of claim 10, And the framing means displays the home appliance icon corresponding to the registered home appliance and the home appliance icon corresponding to the unregistered home appliance so as to be distinguished from each other. The method of claim 1, Wherein each of the home appliance icons represents a plurality of home appliances of the same type. The method of claim 1, And the home network list includes at least the type and current state of the home appliance. The method of claim 13, And the home network list includes an installation place of the home appliance. delete

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