KR100626587B1 - Adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

(Problem) In home appliances, it is difficult to expand the function.

(Solution means) The additional function unit 102 performs a process for realizing additional functions not originally possessed by the air conditioner 14 based on the state information acquired by the first sensor 104a and the second sensor 104b. To generate an operation instruction for the air conditioner 14. The additional function unit 102 outputs the generated operation instruction to the air conditioner 14. Thereby, the air conditioner 14 can be handled via the home network 3 as if the air conditioner 14 has an additional function.

Home Appliances, Home Network

Description

Adapter {ADAPTER}

1 is a configuration diagram of a home network system according to an embodiment.

2 is an internal configuration diagram of the adapter of FIG. 1 and an internal configuration diagram of the air conditioner.

3 is a sequence diagram showing processing between the adapter, the air conditioner, and the soft library server of FIG.

4 is a sequence diagram showing processing between the adapter, the air conditioner, and the soft library server of FIG.

5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting screen of an air conditioner connected to a home network through the adapter of FIG. 1.

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

1: home network system

2: home server

3: home network

7: home appliances

10: network

12: Soft Library Server

13: Index server

14: air conditioning

15: mobile terminal

16: base station

50: home appliance side communication unit

52: identification code storage unit

54: air conditioning unit

100: adapter

102: additional features

104: sensor

106: connection

108: output unit

110: control unit

112: program acquisition unit

114: additional program storage unit

116: conversion program storage unit

118: net communication unit

120: converter

122: adapter side device communication unit

124: setting part

150: air conditioner setting screen

152: Preferences area

154: additional settings area

The present invention relates to network technology, and more particularly, to an apparatus for connecting a home appliance to a home appliance network.

With advances in network technology, networks such as the Internet are rapidly spreading. Attempts have been made in various places to connect household electrical appliances (hereinafter simply referred to as "home appliances") to such networks and to operate home appliances through the network. Generally, a home appliance corresponding to a network receives a command instructing a predetermined operation via the network, and executes an operation corresponding to the command. In order to join a home appliance that does not have a function of receiving such a command to the network, there is a method of installing an adapter between the network and the home appliance and enabling participation in the network through the adapter (for example, a patent document) 1).

(Patent Document 1) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-283503

The function of home appliances is improving day by day. These advances are making home appliances more convenient and easier to use. Functions newly added to home appliances are generally available only by the home appliances corresponding to the functions, and the functions cannot be used in the home appliances that do not correspond to such functions. For example, if there is an air conditioner in the home that has only a temperature sensor and operates based on information from the temperature sensor, it is impossible for the user to use the human detection sensor function in the air conditioner, so that the user has a human detection sensor function. We had to either buy a new air conditioner or give up the human sensor function.

This invention is made | formed in view of such a point, and the objective is to provide the technique which can implement the function which a user wants even in the home appliance which does not have the function originally.

One aspect of the present invention is an adapter device for connecting a home appliance to a home network. The adapter connects with a net communication unit that communicates using first control information through a first communication line, and a home appliance having a first function through a second communication line, and uses the second control information to connect with the home appliance. A communication unit for communicating, a conversion unit for converting the first control information and the second control information to each other to enable communication between the device connected to the first communication line and the home appliance, and a second function different from the first function. An input device for acquiring information necessary for realization, and a control unit for determining second control information for realizing the second function based on the information acquired by the input device, and outputting the second control information to the home appliance through the device communication unit. do. As a result, the adapter can actively control the home appliance based on the information acquired by the input device. It is also possible to treat the home appliance as if the home appliance connected to the adapter has the additional function. The "first communication line" may be a communication line for connecting to a network which can be interconnected with a plurality of devices such as a home network, for example. The "second communication line" may be a communication line for directly connecting with a single home appliance.

The adapter acquires, via a first communication line, a device information acquisition unit for acquiring device information for identifying a home appliance, and an additional program for realizing a second function according to the home appliance, based on the device information. The acquisition unit may be further provided, and the control unit may determine control information for realizing the second function by executing the additional program.

The program acquisition unit may specify the type of the input device, and may acquire an additional program corresponding to the type of the input device while corresponding to the home appliance specified by the device information. The program acquiring unit may also acquire, via the first communication line, a conversion program for realizing the conversion processing in the conversion unit based on the device information.

The input device can be formed detachably. In addition, the input device may be a sensor for collecting a state of the external environment.

The adapter may further include an output unit for distributing information acquired by the input device to the control unit and the net communication unit. As a result, the adapter can also function as a sensor node in the home network.

The adapter may further include a setting unit that sets whether or not to process the additional function unit. The setting unit may also set whether or not the processing in the control unit is valid according to the operating state of the home appliance.

When the first control information relates to the first function, the converting unit converts the first control information into second control information and provides it to the device communication unit. When the first control information relates to the second function, the converting unit The first control information may be provided to the controller.

In addition, any combination of the above components, and the expression of the present invention converted between a method, an apparatus, a system, a recording medium, a computer program, and the like, are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

1 is a configuration diagram of a home network system 1 according to an embodiment. In the home network system 1 in each home, for example, a home network 3 formed by using a light line is formed, and includes a home server 2, a washing machine 5, a microwave oven that performs communication control in the home, etc. 6) and an air conditioner 14 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "air conditioner 14") are connected to the home network 3, respectively. Here, the washing machine 5, the microwave oven 6, and the air conditioner 14 are connected to the home network 3 via the first adapter 100a, the second adapter 100b, and the third adapter 100c, respectively. Connected. Hereinafter, the 1st adapter 100a, the 2nd adapter 100b, and the 3rd adapter 100c are collectively called the adapter 100, and the washing machine 5, the microwave oven 6, the air conditioner 14, and Home electric appliances such as a video (not shown) are collectively referred to as home appliances 7. In other words, the adapter 100 is connected between the home network 3 and the home appliance 7.

The adapter 100 is connected to control information (hereinafter, simply referred to as "first control information"), such as a command that conforms to, for example, a communication standard such as an air conditioner received through the home network 3, and a connected home appliance ( 7) Control information such as a command conforming to the original communication standard (hereinafter, simply referred to as "second control information") is converted to each other so that the home appliance 7 is joined to the home network 3. By such a conversion function, even in the situation where the several communication standards anticipated in the transition period until household appliances networks are spread | disappeared, the some home appliance 7 with a different communication standard coexists in the home network 3, for example. You can.

In addition, although it mentions later, the adapter 100 is equipped with input devices, such as a human detection sensor, for example, and controls the household electrical appliance 7 in connection based on the information acquired by the input device. In other words, the adapter 100 supplements a function not originally provided by the home appliance 7 during connection, and acts on the home network 3 as if the home appliance 7 has the function. Thereby, the home appliance 7 which does not have the function which a user wants can be made to function as if it has the function. Hereinafter, the function supplemented by the adapter 100 is called "additional function." For example, the adapter 100 realizes the function of automatically operating the air conditioner 14 when there is a person indoors as an additional function. That is, the adapter 100 includes a human detection sensor as an input device, and outputs second control information for instructing operation to the air conditioner 14 when a person is detected. Thereby, even the air conditioner 14 which is not equipped with the human detection sensor can be handled as the air conditioner 14 with which a human detection sensor was attached.

The home server 2 is connected to a network 10 such as the Internet via a provider server 9. The provider server 9 and the home server 2 are connected by communication lines, such as a telephone line and an optical fiber, for example.

The soft library server 12 stores the conversion program and the additional program used in the adapter 100. The "conversion program" is a program for converting the first control information based on the predetermined communication standard used in the home network 3 and the second control information based on the predetermined communication standard for the home appliance 7 to each other. Various setting data used by the program. The "additional program" is a program for realizing additional functions in the adapter 100 and various setting data used by the program.

The soft library server 12 provides the adapter 100 with the conversion program and the additional program in storage. Although details will be described later, the adapter 100 obtains the conversion program according to the home appliance 7 during connection from the soft library server 12. The conversion function is realized by executing the conversion program. In addition, the adapter 100 obtains an additional program from the soft library server 12, and implements the additional program by executing the additional program. In this way, by implementing the conversion function and the additional function by the program, the adapter 100 having the same hardware can cope with the plurality of kinds of home appliances 7.

The index server 13 holds the information specifying the conversion program and the additional program available in the adapter 100 for each household electrical appliance 7, and instructs the conversion program and the additional program that the adapter 100 should acquire. . For example, the index server 13 corresponds to a device identification code for identifying the home appliance 7 and holds information for specifying a storage location of the conversion program and the additional program. For example, the storage location is maintained as an address such as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). Further, the additional program corresponds to sensor information for specifying a sensor required for the execution of the additional program. That is, an additional program is prepared for each sensor used. And when there is a query from the adapter 100, the index server 13 answers the address of the storage location of the conversion program and the additional program corresponding to the device identification code. The adapter 100 specifies the soft library server 12 from the network 10 based on the address, and acquires the necessary conversion program and additional program.

In another example, the soft library server 12 and index server 13 may be formed as a single server. In short, the network 10 should just be provided with the structure which specifies the conversion program which the adapter 100 should acquire, and the additional program based on a device identification code and sensor information, and provides it to the adapter 100. FIG.

The base station 16 receives information for controlling the home appliance 7 wirelessly from a portable terminal 15 such as a cellular phone. The operation instruction from the mobile terminal 15 is transmitted to the home server 2 via the network 10. In this way, the operation instruction to the home appliance 7 can be instructed not only from the device directly connected to the home network 3, but also from a device external to the home network 3.

2 is an internal configuration diagram of the adapter 100 of FIG. 1 and an internal configuration diagram of the air conditioner 14. The net communication unit 118 connects to and communicates with the home network 3 by, for example, a first communication line such as a light line or 100 base-T. The adapter side device communication unit 122 connects and communicates with the home appliance side device communication unit 50 of the air conditioner 14 via a second communication line different from the first communication line. The adapter-side device communication unit 122 may communicate by wire using, for example, RS-232C or the like, or may communicate using wireless or the like.

The conversion unit 120 converts the first control information received from the home network 3 through the net communication unit 118 into second control information and outputs it to the adapter side device communication unit 122. In addition, the conversion unit 120 converts the second control information received from the air conditioner 14 through the adapter-side device communication unit 122 into first control information and outputs it to the net communication unit 118. The conversion unit 120 realizes this conversion processing by executing a conversion program held in the conversion program storage unit 116. For example, the conversion program forms a table in which the first control information and the second control information corresponding to the first control information are associated with each other, and the first control information and the second control information are mutually referred to with reference to the table. You can also convert.

In addition, the conversion unit 120 determines whether the first control information received via the net communication unit 118 is the first control information to be processed in the additional function unit 102 described later. And when it determines with the additional control part 102 as 1st control information to be processed, the conversion part 120 supplies the 1st control information to the additional function part 102. FIG. When the additional function unit 102 determines that it is not the first control information to be processed, the conversion unit 120 converts the first control information into second control information and outputs it to the adapter side device communication unit 122. . For example, in the conversion program, when the first control information to be output to the additional function unit 102 is set as a table, and the conversion unit 120 receives the first control information included in the table, 1 control information may also be output to the additional function part 102. FIG. Thereby, since the adapter 100 can process the control signal with respect to the additional function which the air conditioner 14 does not have in the additional function part 102 suitably, the air conditioner 14 completes the additional function. It can work like you have.

The additional function unit 102 is a unit for realizing the additional function. The additional function unit 102 includes a first sensor 104a and a second sensor 104b (hereinafter, simply referred to as the "sensor 104"), a connecting portion 106 detachably connected to the sensor 104, An output unit 108 for outputting the detected value obtained by the sensor 104, an additional program storage unit 114 for storing the additional program, and a control unit 110 for performing processing for realizing the additional function based on the additional program. Have The sensor 104 is an input device for acquiring the state of an external environment, such as a human detection sensor, a temperature sensor, a camera, an infrared sensor, a microphone, a barcode reader, for example. The sensor 104 outputs state information indicating the state of the acquired external environment to the output unit 108 via the connection unit 106.

The output unit 108 outputs the state information to the control unit 110 and broadcasts it to the home network 3 via the net communication unit 118. That is, the output unit 108 broadcasts the state information to the home network 3 so that the adapter 100 can also function as a sensor node in the home network 3.

The control unit 110 generates the second control information for realizing the additional function based on the state information supplied from the output unit 108 by executing the additional program stored in the additional program storage unit 114. The control unit 110 then outputs the second control information to the air conditioner 14 via the adapter side device communication unit 122. When a plurality of sensors 104 are mounted, the additional program storage unit 114 holds a plurality of additional programs corresponding to these sensors 104, and the control unit 110 may execute these additional programs in parallel. . In addition, the control unit 110 may realize a single additional function by using the state information from the plurality of sensors 104.

The connection part 106 may be connectable with the some sensor 104, and may be connectable with the single sensor 104. FIG. Moreover, the connection part 106 identifies the sensor 104 connected, and outputs the sensor information which identifies the sensor 104 to the program acquisition part 112. FIG. In addition, in another example, a predetermined sensor may be fixedly connected to the connecting portion 106.

The program acquisition unit 112 acquires a device identification code from the air conditioner 14 when connected to the air conditioner 14 via the adapter side device communication unit 122. Next, the program acquisition unit 112 acquires the conversion program corresponding to the device identification code from the soft library server 12 of FIG. 1 via the net communication unit 118. Then, the program acquisition unit 112 stores the obtained conversion program in the conversion program storage unit 116. In this way, the conversion unit 120 performs conversion processing using the conversion program stored in the conversion program storage unit 116.

The program acquisition unit 112 also obtains an additional program for realizing the additional function from the soft library server 12 and stores it in the additional program storage unit 114. The program acquisition part 112 acquires the additional program which implements the additional function corresponding to the air conditioner 14 in connection using the sensor 104 in connection based on the sensor information and the device identification code. The program acquisition unit 112 then stores the acquired additional program in the additional program storage unit 114. The control unit 110 implements the additional function by using the additional program stored in the additional program storage unit 114 in this way. The program acquisition part 112 acquires a conversion program, and starts acquiring the additional program based on the confirmation that the air conditioner 14 can be connected to the home network 3 by the conversion program.

The setting unit 124 sets whether or not to enable the additional function in the additional function unit 102. The setting unit 124 detects an operating state of the air conditioner 14 and determines whether to activate the additional function in the additional function unit 102 based on the detected operating state. Specifically, the setting unit 124 inquires of the air conditioner 14 via the adapter side device communication unit 122 in an operation state. When the acquired operation state indicates the operation, the setting unit 124 allows the control unit 110 to output the second control information for the air conditioner 14. That is, the control unit 110 outputs the second control information for realizing the additional function to the air conditioner 14. In addition, when the acquired operation state indicates stopping, or when there is no response from the air conditioner 14, the setting unit 124 does not allow the control unit 110 to output second control information to the air conditioner 14. Do not. That is, the control unit 110 does not output the second control information for realizing the additional function to the air conditioner 14.

In another example, the setting unit 124 provides the setting screen to the operation terminal of the user's computer or the like via the net communication unit 118, and uses the setting screen to determine whether to enable additional functions from the user. You can also accept settings. The setting unit 124 also has an operation panel such as a switch, and can accept a setting of whether or not to enable additional functions from the user via the operation panel. In other words, the setting unit 124 may accept an instruction of whether or not to enable the additional function from the user through a predetermined user interface.

When it is set to enable the additional function, the control unit 110 processes based on the additional program, and outputs second control information as the processing result. In addition, when it is set that the additional function is not valid, the control unit 110 does not perform processing based on the additional program. That is, since the additional function unit 102 can actively command the air conditioner 14 based on the state information obtained from the sensor 104, the air conditioner 14 operates in response to the user's will. There can be. Thus, by forming the setting unit 124, it is possible to prevent the air conditioner 14 from being operated against the user's will.

Further, the additional function unit 102 may be realized as an additional function, such as a function that the air conditioner 14 has in advance, such as a function of automatically setting the room temperature using, for example, a temperature sensor. In this case, for example, when the first control information for setting the room temperature is received from the home network 3, the control signal can be interpreted by the control unit 110 and the air conditioner 14 side. For this reason, when the function similar to the function which the air conditioner 14 has beforehand is made into the additional function, the process in the additional function part 102 is used preferentially, or the process in the air conditioner 14 is given priority. You need to decide whether to use it. In this way, in the case where the air conditioner 14 has a function similar to the function which has in advance an additional function, the setting unit 124 can cause the air conditioner 14 and the additional function unit 102 to perform processing. Whether the air conditioner 14 side or the additional function unit 102 side is selected by the user. Then, the setting unit 124 causes the processing to be performed on the selected air conditioner 14 or the additional function unit 102 side.

Specifically, the setting unit 124 instructs the conversion unit 120 to preferentially process the first control information received from the home network 3 to the designated side. For example, when the processing on the additional function unit 102 side is specified, the converter 120 outputs the first control information to the controller 110. In addition, when the processing on the air conditioner 14 side is specified, the converter 120 outputs second control information corresponding to the first control information to the air conditioner 14 via the adapter-side device communication unit 122.

In another example, the setting unit 124 may automatically set the air conditioner 14 side or the additional function unit 102 side. Specifically, for example, when a flag specifying that the additional function unit 102 is preferentially used is added to the additional program, and the flag is detected, the control unit 110 adds a function to the setting unit 124. It may be instructed to use the unit 102.

The air conditioner 14 includes a home appliance side device communication unit 50 for connecting with the adapter 100, an identification code storage unit 52 for storing a device identification code for identifying the air conditioner 14, for example, a compressor, or the like. And an air conditioner 54 for realizing a function as an air conditioner. The home appliance side device communication unit 50 analyzes the second control information to operate the air conditioner processing unit 54. In addition, when the device identification code is requested, the home appliance side device communication unit 50 reads the device identification code from the identification code storage unit 52 and provides it to the adapter side device communication unit 122.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating processing between the adapter 100, the air conditioner 14, and the soft library server 12 of FIG. 1. This figure is a sequence diagram when the sensor 104 is fixedly connected to the adapter 100. The adapter 100 operates as a human sensing sensor node in the home network 3 of FIG. 1 (S10). On the other hand, the air conditioner 14 starts a function as the air conditioner operating based on the second control information (S12). The air conditioner 14 is connected to the adapter 100 (S14). When the connection of the air conditioner 14 is confirmed (Y in S16), the adapter 100 requests the soft library server 12 for the conversion program corresponding to the air conditioner 14 (S18). The soft library server 12 provides the corresponding conversion program to the adapter 100 (S20).

The adapter 100 executes the conversion program to join the air conditioner 14 to the home network 3. When the air conditioner 14 can be connected to the home network 3 (Y in S22), the adapter 100 converts the first control information received from the home network 3 into second control information to convert the air conditioner 14 into a second control information. A predetermined operation is instructed at step S24. Thereby, the air conditioner 14 operates as a net air conditioner logically conforming to the communication standard in the home network 3 (S26).

In addition, after acquiring the conversion program, the adapter 100 requests the soft library server 12 for an additional program (S28). The soft library server 12 provides the corresponding additional program to the adapter 100 (S30). And the adapter 100 implements an additional function by executing an additional program (S32). The adapter 100 performs a predetermined calculation process based on the state information by the human detection sensor and generates an operation instruction as necessary. When there is an operation instruction (Y in S34), the adapter 100 gives an operation instruction to the air conditioner 14 (S36). As a result, the air conditioner 14 operates as a net air conditioner equipped with a human detection sensor (S38).

In step 16, when not connecting with the air conditioner 14 (N in S16), the adapter 100 continues to operate as a human detection sensor node (S10). In step 22, when the air conditioner 14 cannot be connected to the home network 3 (N in S22), the adapter 100 continues to operate as a human sensing sensor node (S10). Further, in step 34, when there is no operation instruction (N in S34), the adapter 100 continues to operate as a human sensing sensor node (S10).

4 is a sequence diagram illustrating processing between the adapter 100, the air conditioner 14, and the soft library server 12 of FIG. 1. This figure is a sequence diagram when the sensor 104 can be attached or detached to the adapter 100. The steps denoted by the same reference numerals as the steps described in FIG. 3 are substantially the same as the steps already described. The following description focuses on the differences from the above-described steps. First, the adapter 100 detects whether the sensor 104 is connected to the connection part 106 of FIG. 2 (S40). When the sensor 104 is connected (Y in S40), the sensor 104 functions as a node providing the function of the sensor (S10). If the sensor 104 is not connected (N in S40), the process proceeds to step 16.

In step 22, when the air conditioner 14 can be connected to the home network 3 (Y in S22), the adapter 100 detects again whether or not the sensor 104 is connected to the connecting portion 106 ( S42). And when the sensor 104 is connected (Y of S42), the soft library server 12 requests an additional program (S28). In addition, when the sensor 104 is not connected (N of S42), it progresses to step 16.

FIG. 5: is a figure which shows an example of the air conditioner setting screen 150 of the air conditioner 14 connected to the home network 3 via the adapter 100 of FIG. In the basic setting area 152, a graphical user interface (GUI) is used that is used for various settings for the functions that the air conditioner 14 has in advance. The additional setting area 154 is provided with a GUI used for various settings for additional functions realized by the additional function unit 102 in FIG. The user sets whether or not to enable the additional function by using the GUI displayed in the additional setting area 154. The GUI formed in the additional setting area 154 is dynamically formed according to the additional function in the adapter 100. In this way, the additional setting area 154 is formed on the same screen as the basic setting area 152, and is displayed as if the air conditioner 14 has the additional function. By doing this, the user can make various settings without being aware of the existence of the adapter 100, and can provide a convenient user interface.

The air conditioner setting screen 150 is, for example, a file for forming the air conditioner setting screen 150 generated according to a document description language such as HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) (hereinafter, simply referred to as "screen information file"). Based on the user's computer. This screen information file may be generated, for example, by the setting unit 124 of FIG. 2, may be generated by the home server 2 of FIG. 1, and may be generated by each home appliance 7 on the home network 3. It may also be generated by the device for generating a setting screen. In short, in addition to the function that the air conditioner 14 has in advance, a screen information file for forming a setting screen having a user interface for operating the additional function may be generated in any one device.

As an example, the form in which the home server 2 of FIG. 1 generates the screen information file will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG. In the case where the air conditioner 14 can be connected to the home network 3 in step 22 of FIG. 3, the net communication unit 118 of FIG. 2 includes a code indicating that the air conditioner 14 has participated in the home network 3 and the air conditioner ( 14) Broadcast the GUI request code for. The home server 2 starts the process of receiving these codes and generating the screen information file.

Specifically, the home server 2 includes individual elements such as buttons and input fields for forming a GUI necessary for generating the screen information file of the air conditioner 14, and data indicating the arrangement of these elements (hereinafter, simply “ Batch data ”), for example, from the network 10 of FIG. And the home server 2 arrange | positions each element based on layout data, and produces | generates the screen information file. At this stage, there are no elements for manipulating the additional function.

When the additional function is realized in step 32 of FIG. 3, the net communication unit 118 broadcasts the GUI request code when the additional function is added to the air conditioner 14. The GUI request code may be stored in an additional program. The home server 2 starts the process of generating the screen information file based on the newly received GUI request code. Here, the batch data corresponding to the newly received GUI request code is distributed by the provider of the additional program, for example. The home server 2 arranges each element based on the new layout data and generates a screen information file. Thereby, screen information for forming the setting screen according to the additional function can be dynamically generated.

In another example, arrangement data of elements necessary for setting an additional function is prepared on the network 10, and the home server 2 adds the placement data as difference information to the original arrangement data. It is also possible to generate screen information.

In yet another example, the net communication unit 118 broadcasts the information specifying the function that the air conditioner 14 has in advance and the information specifying the additional function to the home network 3 as object information. Casting, the home server 2 may obtain necessary elements from the network 10 based on this object information, and generate a screen information file.

When the screen information file is provided from a device other than the adapter 100, the setting value input via the air conditioner setting screen 150 displayed based on the screen information file is transmitted to the adapter 100 by the transmission unit. The transmission unit is formed by executing a predetermined program on the home server 2, for example.

In the above, this invention was demonstrated based on embodiment. This embodiment is an example, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible for each of these components or the combination of each processing process, and such modifications are also included in the scope of the present invention.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the home appliance which does not have a predetermined function can be handled as if it has the function, and the convenient adapter with high versatility can be provided.

Claims (11)

A net communication unit communicating with the first control information via the first communication line, A device communication unit which connects to a home appliance having a first function via a second communication line and communicates with the home appliance using second control information; A conversion unit converting the first control information and the second control information to each other to enable communication between the device connected to the first communication line and the home appliance; An input device for acquiring information necessary for realizing a second function different from the first function; And a control unit for determining second control information for realizing the second function based on the information acquired by the input device and outputting the second control information to the home appliance via the device communication unit. The method of claim 1, A device information acquisition unit for acquiring device information specifying the home appliance; On the basis of the device information, a program acquiring unit is further provided for acquiring, via the first communication line, an additional program for realizing the second function according to the household electrical appliance, and the control unit executes the additional program. And determining the second control information for realizing the second function. The method of claim 2, And the program acquisition unit specifies a type of the input device and acquires an additional program corresponding to the type of the input device while corresponding to the home appliance specified by the device information. The method of claim 2, And the program acquisition unit acquires, through the first communication line, a conversion program for realizing the conversion processing in the conversion unit based on the device information. The method of claim 3, wherein And the program acquisition unit acquires, through the first communication line, a conversion program for realizing the conversion processing in the conversion unit based on the device information. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, And the input device is detachably formed. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, And the input device is a sensor for collecting a state of an external environment. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, And an output unit for distributing information acquired by the input device to the control unit and the net communication unit. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, And a setting unit for setting whether or not to effect the processing in the control unit. The method of claim 9, And the setting unit sets whether or not the processing in the control unit is valid according to the operation state of the home appliance. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, When the first control information relates to the first function, the converting unit converts the first control information into second control information and provides the same to the device communication unit, wherein the first control information relates to the second function. If so, the conversion unit provides the first control information to the control unit.

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