KR20020053991A - Appliance control system and method using dynamic software downloading - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A home appliance control system and method using a dynamic software downloading are provided to effectively control a plurality of home appliances with one remote controller by detecting a connection relation between home appliance and a remote controller, dynamically downloading a controlling software, executing the downloaded software by the remote controller to communication with the home appliance. CONSTITUTION: A home appliance is initiated for operation(300). An event receiving mode is set to react on an interrupt request from a remote controller and it is determined whether an interrupt of the remote controller has occurred(302). If no interrupt has occurred, a remote controller access detector detects an access of the remote controller(304) and determines whether there is an access of the remote controller(306). If there is an access of the remote controller, a controlling response unit provides information of the home appliance to the remote controller through the first network communication unit(308) and determines whether there is a response from the remote controller within a certain time(310). If there is a response from the remote controller, the first network communication unit sets a network connection with the remote controller(312). A controlling software client unit of a home appliance controller dynamically transmits a home appliance controlling client software to the remote controller through the first network communication unit(314), is changed into a message receiving mode from the remote controller(316), and determines whether a message has been received from the remote controller(320). If a message has been received, a message interpreter of the home appliance controller interprets the received message and transmits it to a home appliance performing controller(322), and the controlling response unit transmits the message execution result to the remote controller through the first network communication unit(324).

Description

Home appliance control system using dynamic software downloading and its method {Appliance control system and method using dynamic software downloading}

The present invention relates to a home appliance control system using dynamic software downloading, a method thereof, and a recording medium having recorded thereon a program for realizing the method.

Conventional home appliance control method is a fixed button that sends a constant key value to provide a function of the home appliance from a remote controller (remote controller) is built in the remote control can be used only for a limited use is a remote control for a specific device There exists a problem that requires a plurality of remote control in a normal home by being present separately.

In addition, the home appliance and the remote control is equipped with a simple controller (or microcomputer), and supports only one-way communication, and supports only a simple function of passively controlling the home appliance by interpreting the key value sent from the remote control.

In addition, it is not easy to add advanced functions because there is no software processing function, and there are remote controllers that support common functions by inputting key code values of various companies in advance to control popular general-purpose appliances such as TV or video. The range of devices that can be used as a method of controlling key values by specifying a predetermined code value in advance for each country or company is limited, and there is a problem in that new devices or products of other manufacturers are incompatible and cannot be used.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and establishes a connection relationship by detecting the access of the remote control in the home appliance, and uses the dynamic software downloading and execution technology in the home appliance to control the client software for the home appliance. It transmits to the remote control, and the remote control executes the dynamically downloaded software to configure the control screen, and communicates with the home appliance using the control screen of the remote control to control the home appliance to control multiple devices using a single remote control. It is an object of the present invention to provide a home appliance control system using dynamic software downloading, and a method thereof and a computer readable recording medium storing a program for realizing the method.

1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a home appliance control system using dynamic software downloading to which the present invention is applied.

Figure 2 is an embodiment configuration example of a home appliance to which the present invention is applied.

Figure 3 is a detailed configuration diagram of one embodiment of a home appliance control unit according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a detailed configuration diagram of one embodiment of a remote controller according to the present invention.

5 is a detailed configuration diagram of a remote controller software module according to the present invention.

6 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method for controlling a home appliance of a home appliance control unit according to the present invention;

7 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method of controlling a home appliance of a remote controller according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

100a to 100n: home appliance 110: home appliance control unit

111: home appliance performance control unit 112: remote controller access detection unit

113: message analysis unit 114: control software client unit

115: control response unit 116: first network communication unit

200: remote controller 210: input and output port

220: screen output unit 230: graphic control unit

240: central processing unit 250: auxiliary storage unit

260: main memory 261: remote input and output control unit

262: software execution unit 263: control screen configuration unit

264: message analysis unit 265: dynamic software downloading processing unit

266: second network communication unit

An apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object is a home appliance control system using dynamic software downloading, comprising: a home appliance for dynamically providing control client software for home appliance control; And remote control means for remotely controlling the home appliance and dynamically receiving control client software for controlling the home appliance.

In addition, another apparatus of the present invention, in a home appliance using dynamic software downloading, dynamically provides a control client software to a remote control means, and receives a message generated by executing the control client software from the remote control means. It characterized in that it comprises a home appliance control means for executing.

Further, another apparatus of the present invention is a remote controller using dynamic software downloading, comprising: central processing means for software processing; Control means for interpreting and executing the control client software received from the household electrical appliance and constructing a control screen; Auxiliary storage means for providing a storage space for downloading and executing a control client program from the home appliance; Screen output means for outputting the control screen; And graphic control means for receiving an output result for showing the home appliance control result from the central processing means and transmitting the result to the screen output means.

On the other hand, the method of the present invention, the home appliance control method using dynamic software downloading, the home appliance is operated, the home appliance control unit waiting for the interrupt or access from the remote controller; A second step of the home appliance control unit detecting an interrupt or an access from the remote controller to establish a connection relationship and providing information of the home appliance to the remote controller; A third step of the home appliance control unit dynamically receiving the response from the remote control unit and providing the client software for controlling the home appliance; And controlling the home appliance by receiving the control message generated by executing the control client software from the remote controller, and controlling the home appliance, and transmitting the result to the remote controller. .

Another method of the present invention provides a method of controlling a home appliance using dynamic software downloading, comprising: a first step of receiving information of the home appliance after the remote controller is connected to the home appliance through a second network communication unit; A second step of, after the remote controller receives the information of the home appliance, transmitting a request signal to the home appliance and dynamically receiving the client software for controlling the home appliance from the home appliance through the second network communication unit; And a result of the remote controller executing the received control client software through a software execution unit to configure the home appliance control screen, transmitting a control message to the home appliance through the second network communication unit, and performing the result in the home appliance. And receiving a third step of outputting the notification.

On the other hand, the present invention, the home appliance having a microprocessor, the home appliance operates a first function that the home appliance control unit waits for interrupt or access from the remote controller; A second function of the home appliance control unit detecting an interrupt or an access from the remote controller to establish a connection relationship and providing information of the home appliance to the remote controller; A third function of the home appliance control unit dynamically receiving the response from the remote control unit and providing the client software for controlling the home appliance; And a program for the home appliance control unit to receive a control message generated by executing the control client software from the remote controller to control the home appliance, and to transmit a result to the remote controller. Provide a computer readable recording medium.

The present invention also provides a remote controller having a microprocessor, comprising: a first function of receiving information of the home appliance after the remote controller is connected to the home appliance through a second network communication unit; A second function of receiving, by the remote controller, information of the home appliance, and transmitting a request signal to the home appliance to dynamically receive the client software for controlling the home appliance from the home appliance through the second network communication unit; And a result of the remote controller executing the received control client software through a software execution unit to configure the home appliance control screen, transmitting a control message to the home appliance through the second network communication unit, and performing the result in the home appliance. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for realizing a third function of receiving and outputting the information is provided.

The present invention incorporates dynamic software downloading technology into home appliances, and embeds response software for controlling home appliances for each home appliance, and when the remote controller is connected, dynamically transmits home appliance control client software to the remote control, and downloads the home appliance from the remote control. It is a technology belonging to the field of home appliance control for effectively controlling the home appliance while executing the device control software to communicate with the control response software of the home appliance via a network.

Existing home appliance control technology can control only a limited range of home appliances using a remote control having a fixed function, it is impossible to support the development of new home appliances, and only supports one-way communication from the remote control to home appliances There is a limitation of the control function.

Therefore, in the present invention, the dynamic software downloading technology is used to control home appliances, thereby supporting the two-way reception function between the home appliance and the remote controller, thereby overcoming the limitation of a simple control function supporting only one-way communication and reinforcing the communication function between the home appliance and the remote controller. It provides inter-device compatibility, and by adding a processor and memory to the remote control, dynamically downloads client software for control from various home appliances when needed, runs on the remote control itself, communicates with each other, and remotely controls the home appliance. In addition, the present invention provides a method for controlling a home appliance comprising a method of recycling a memory through a process of automatically deleting a corresponding program from a memory when the control of the home appliance is terminated by the remote controller. You can control the device.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a home appliance control system using dynamic software downloading to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in the figure, a home appliance control system using dynamic software downloading to which the present invention is applied includes a TV (TV) having a response software for controlling home appliances and control client software for transmitting a control message to a remote controller. Portable terminals such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and portable computers (HPCs) equipped with home appliances (100a to 100n) such as TVs, audio and microwave ovens, embedded processors such as SA1110, MIPS, MPC860, and X86; It includes a remote controller 200 such as a cellular phone, a personal communication terminal (PCS), etc. that supports data transmission and reception functions.

The home appliance control program may be installed and operated in a system having various operating systems such as VxWorks, VRTX, Windows CE, and Linux.

2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a home appliance to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in the figure, the home appliance 100a to which the present invention is applied includes a home appliance 100a and a home appliance control unit 110 for controlling the home appliance.

3 is a detailed block diagram of an embodiment of a home appliance control unit according to the present invention.

The home appliance control unit 110 detects the access of the first network communication unit 116 and the remote controller 200 to support message exchange and data communication with the remote controller 200 and the first network communication unit. Remote controller access detection unit 112 for establishing a connection relationship with the connection, and the control client software to be transmitted to the remote controller 200 after being connected to the remote controller 200 and received from the remote controller 200 A control response unit 115 for processing a home appliance control message, a message analysis unit 113 for analyzing a message received from the remote control unit 200 and transmitting the message to the corresponding software module, and the control response unit 115. A control software client 114 for providing control client software to be transmitted to the remote controller 200 and a control message from the remote controller 200. Processing by operating the home appliances (100a) comprises an image, and the first communication network 116, home appliances perform control section 111 to transmit to the remote controller 200 through the results.

4 is a detailed configuration diagram of an embodiment of a remote controller according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the remote controller 200 interprets and executes a central processing unit (CPU) 240 for software processing and control client software received from the home appliance 200a, and configures a control screen. Screen output for outputting the main memory unit 260, which includes a system software module necessary for the purpose, the auxiliary memory unit 250 required for downloading and executing the control client program from the home appliance (100a), and the control screen And a graphic controller 230 for receiving an output result for showing the home appliance control result from the central processing unit 220 and transmitting the output result to the screen output unit 220.

The input of the remote controller 200 uses a touch screen method, and the communication with the home appliance 100a uses a wireless communication method.

5 is a detailed configuration diagram of a remote controller software module according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the remote controller software module according to the present invention is mounted in the main memory unit 260, the detailed configuration of which is as follows.

A second network communication unit 266 for supporting message exchange and data communication with the home appliance 100a, and the home appliance 100a after being connected to the home appliance 100a through the second network communication unit 266 A dynamic software downloading processing unit 265 for dynamically receiving and mounting the control client software from the software, a software execution unit 262 for executing the downloaded control client software, and a control executed in the software execution unit 262. A control screen configuration unit 263 constituting a control screen for operating the home appliance 100a remotely through a client software, and a message for interpreting a message received from the home appliance 100a and transmitting the message to the corresponding software module. Input / output such as message transmission status and result message input to the analysis unit 264 and the home appliance 100a And a remote input-output control unit 261 is responsible for Li.

Now, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a method for controlling home appliances using dynamic software downloading according to the present invention.

6 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method of controlling a home appliance of the home appliance control unit according to the present invention.

First, the operation of the home appliance 100a is started (300), the event reception mode for responding to the interrupt request from the remote controller 200 is set, and it is determined whether the interrupt of the remote controller 200 has occurred ( 302).

If the determination result 302, the interrupt does not occur, after the remote controller access detection unit 112 checks the access of the remote controller 200 (304), according to the inspection result 304 remote controller ( It is determined whether there is an approach of 200 (306).

If there is no access of the remote controller 200, the determination result 306 proceeds to step 302 of determining whether an interrupt of the remote controller 200 has occurred, and if there is an access of the remote controller 200, The control response unit 115 provides information of the home appliance 100a to the remote controller 200 through the first network communication unit 116 (308), and the control response unit 115 controls the remote within a predetermined time. It is determined whether there is a response from the controller 200 (310).

If the determination result 302, the interrupt from the remote controller 200 occurs, the process proceeds to the step 308 of providing information of the home appliance (100a) to the remote controller 200.

If there is no response from the remote controller 200, the remote controller approach detection unit 112 releases the connection with the remote controller 200 (318), and then the remote controller 200. In step 302 of determining whether an interrupt is generated from the remote controller 200, if there is a response from the remote controller 200, the first network communication unit 116 establishes a network connection relationship with the remote controller 200 ( 312).

The control software client unit 114 of the home appliance control unit 110 dynamically transmits the client software for controlling the home appliance to the remote controller 200 through the first network communication unit 116 (314). In operation 316, a message is received from the remote controller 200, and it is determined whether a message is received from the remote controller 200.

As a result of the determination 320, if the message is not received, the message reception mode is maintained. If the message is received, the message analysis unit 113 of the home appliance controller 110 interprets the received message. The control response unit 115 transmits the message execution result to the remote controller through the first network communication unit 116 (324). .

7 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method of controlling a home appliance of a remote controller according to the present invention.

First, operation of the remote controller 200 starts (400), and the remote input / output controller 261 of the main memory unit 260 determines whether an interrupt has occurred (402).

As a result of the determination 402, if no interruption occurs, the remote controller 200 approaches the home appliance 100a (404), and the second network communication unit 266 transmits the home appliance control unit 110 from the home appliance control unit 110. Information of the home appliance 100a is received (406), and the remote input / output controller 261 determines whether there is a reaction (408).

In response to the determination result 402, if an interrupt occurs, the process proceeds to step 406 of receiving information of the home appliance 100a through the second network communication unit 266.

In response to the determination result 408, if there is no response, the remote input / output control unit 261 releases the connection relationship with the home appliance 100a (422), and proceeds to step 402 of determining whether the interrupt has occurred. If there is a response, the remote input / output controller 261 establishes a connection relationship for data communication with the home appliance 100a through the second network communication unit 266 (410), and the main memory unit 260 The dynamic software downloading processing unit 265 dynamically receives the control client software from the home appliance 100a through the second network communication unit 266 (412).

When the software execution unit 262 executes the received control client software and transmits the execution result to the control screen configuration unit 263, the control screen configuration unit 263 controls the home appliance 100a. A control screen can be configured (414).

The remote input / output controller 261 receives a control message from the control screen configuration unit 263 and transmits a control message to the home appliance 100a through the second network communication unit 266 (416). 2 When the network communication unit 266 receives the result message from the home appliance 100a (418) and transmits the result message to the message analysis unit 264, the message analysis unit 264 sends the result message to the control screen configuration unit. The control screen configuration unit 264 outputs the result screen to the screen output unit 220 through the graphic control unit 230 (420).

As described above, the method of the present invention may be implemented as a program and stored in a recording medium (CD-ROM, RAM, ROM, floppy disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, etc.) in a computer-readable form.

The present invention described above is capable of various substitutions, modifications, and changes without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention for those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. It is not limited to the drawing.

The present invention as described above, by detecting the connection relationship between the home appliance and the remote control, by dynamically downloading the control software and running the software downloaded from the remote control to communicate with the home appliance, freeing the limits of the simple remote control fixed function Dynamically run software to configure control screens and expand functionality to enable two-way communication with home appliances, effectively controlling multiple home appliances with a single remote control, and efficiently There is a corresponding effect.

Claims (16)

In the home appliance control system using dynamic software downloading, A home appliance dynamically providing control client software for controlling the home appliance; And Remote control means for remotely controlling the home appliance and dynamically receiving the control client software for controlling the home appliance Home appliance control system comprising a. The method of claim 1, The home appliance, And a home appliance control means for dynamically providing control client software to the remote control means, and receiving and executing a message generated by executing the control client software from the remote control means. The method of claim 2, The home appliance control means, First network communication means for supporting message exchange and data communication with said remote control means; Remote controller access detection means for detecting an access of the remote control means and establishing a connection relationship through the first network communication means; Control response software for controlling the client software to be transmitted to the remote control means after being connected with the remote control means and for controlling the home appliance control message received from the remote control means; First message analyzing means for interpreting the message received from the remote control means and transmitting the same to the software module; Control software providing means for providing control client software to be transmitted to said remote control means to said control response means; And Home appliance performance control means for processing the control message from the remote control means to operate the home appliance and transmit the result to the remote control means via the first network communication means. Home appliance control system comprising a. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The remote control means, Central processing means for software processing; Control means for interpreting and executing the control client software received from the home appliance and constructing a control screen; Auxiliary storage means for providing a storage space for downloading and executing a control client program from the home appliance; Screen output means for outputting the control screen; And Graphic control means for receiving an output result for showing the home appliance control results from the central processing means and transmitting to the screen output means Home appliance control system comprising a. The method of claim 4, wherein The control means, Second network communication means for supporting message exchange and data communication with the home appliance; Dynamic software downloading processing means for dynamically receiving and mounting the control client software from the home appliance after being connected to the home appliance via the second network communication means; Software execution means for executing the downloaded control client software; Control screen configuration means for constructing a control screen for operating the home appliance remotely through control client software executed in the software execution means; Second message analyzing means for interpreting the message received from the home appliance and transmitting the same to the software module; And Remote input / output control means for performing input / output processing such as message transmission status and result message input to the home appliance Home appliance control system comprising a. In a home appliance using dynamic software downloading, Home appliance control means for dynamically providing control client software to a remote control means, the home appliance control means receiving and executing a message generated by executing the control client software from the remote control means. The method of claim 6, The home appliance control means, Network communication means for supporting message exchange and data communication with the remote control means; Remote controller access detection means for detecting an access of the remote control means and establishing a connection relationship through the network communication means; Control response software for controlling the client software to be transmitted to the remote control means after being connected with the remote control means and for controlling the home appliance control message received from the remote control means; Message interpretation means for interpreting the message received from the remote control means and transmitting the message to the corresponding software module; Control software providing means for providing control client software to be transmitted to said remote control means to said control response means; And Home appliance performance control means for processing the control message from the remote control means to operate the home appliance and transmit the result to the remote control means via the network communication means. Home appliances comprising a. In the remote controller using dynamic software downloading, Central processing means for software processing; Control means for interpreting and executing the control client software received from the household electrical appliance and constructing a control screen; Auxiliary storage means for providing a storage space for downloading and executing a control client program from the home appliance; Screen output means for outputting the control screen; And Graphic control means for receiving the output result for showing the home appliance control results from the central processing means and transmits to the screen output means Remote controller comprising a. The method of claim 8, The control means, Network communication means for supporting message exchange and data communication with the home appliance; Dynamic software downloading processing means for dynamically receiving and mounting the control client software from the home appliance after being connected to the home appliance via the network communication means; Software execution means for executing the downloaded control client software; Control screen configuration means for constructing a control screen for operating the home appliance remotely through control client software executed by the software execution means; Message analyzing means for interpreting the message received from the home appliance and transmitting the same to the software module; And Remote input / output control means for performing input / output processing such as message transmission status and result message input to the home appliance Remote controller comprising a. In the home appliance control method using dynamic software downloading, A first step in which the home appliance operates to wait for an interrupt or an access from the remote controller; A second step of the home appliance control unit detecting an interrupt or an access from the remote controller to establish a connection relationship and providing information of the home appliance to the remote controller; A third step of the home appliance control unit dynamically receiving the response from the remote control unit and providing the client software for controlling the home appliance; And A fourth step of controlling the home appliance by receiving the control message generated by executing the control client software from the remote controller, and transmitting the result to the remote controller; Home appliance control method comprising a. The method of claim 10, The third step, A fifth step of confirming whether the control response unit of the control unit of the home appliance responds to the provision of information from the remote controller within a predetermined time, and setting a network connection relationship with the remote controller by a first network communication unit; And A sixth step of dynamically transmitting, by the control software client of the home appliance control unit, client software for controlling home appliance to the remote controller through the first network communication unit; Home appliance control method comprising a. The method according to claim 11 or 12, The fourth step, The home appliance control unit may switch to a message reception mode from the remote controller; An eighth step of receiving, by the first network communication unit, a control message generated by executing the controlling client software from the remote controller; A ninth step of interpreting the received message by the message analyzing unit of the home appliance control unit and transmitting the processed message to the home appliance performing control unit; And A tenth step of transmitting, by the control response unit, the message execution result to the remote controller through the first network communication unit; Home appliance control method comprising a. In home appliances provided with a microprocessor, A first function in which the home appliance operates to wait for an interrupt or access from the remote controller; A second function of the home appliance control unit detecting an interrupt or an access from the remote controller to establish a connection relationship and providing information of the home appliance to the remote controller; A third function of the home appliance control unit dynamically receiving the response from the remote control unit and providing the client software for controlling the home appliance; And A fourth function of controlling the home appliance by receiving the control message generated by executing the controlling client software from the remote controller, and transmitting the result to the remote controller; A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for realizing this. In the home appliance control method using dynamic software downloading, A first step of receiving information of the home appliance after the remote controller is connected to the home appliance through a second network communication unit; A second step of, after the remote controller receives the information of the home appliance, transmitting a request signal to the home appliance and dynamically receiving the client software for controlling the home appliance from the home appliance through the second network communication unit; And The remote controller executes the received control client software through a software execution unit to configure the home appliance control screen, transmits a control message to the home appliance through the second network communication unit, and displays the result performed by the home appliance. 3rd step to be notified and output Home appliance control method comprising a. The method of claim 14, The third step, A fourth step of executing, by the software execution unit, the received control client software and transmitting the execution result to the control screen configuration unit; A fifth step of forming, by the control screen configuration unit, a control screen capable of controlling the home appliance; A sixth step of receiving, by the remote input / output control unit, a control message from the control screen configuration unit and transmitting a control message to the home appliance through the second network communication unit; A seventh step of receiving, by the second network communication unit, a result message from the home appliance, and transmitting the result message to a message analyzing unit; And An eighth step in which the message analyzing unit transmits the result message to the control screen forming unit, and the control screen forming unit outputs a result screen to a screen output unit through a graphic control unit. Home appliance control method comprising a. In a remote device with a microprocessor, A first function of receiving information of the home appliance after the remote controller is connected to the home appliance through a second network communication unit; A second function of receiving, by the remote controller, information of the home appliance, and transmitting a request signal to the home appliance to dynamically receive the client software for controlling the home appliance from the home appliance through the second network communication unit; And The remote controller executes the received control client software through a software execution unit to configure the home appliance control screen, transmits a control message to the home appliance through the second network communication unit, and displays the result performed by the home appliance. 3rd function to be notified and output A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for realizing this.