KR20040066439A - Remote control method for internet home appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for remotely managing Internet home appliances is provided to realize control or monitoring between heterogeneous home appliances. CONSTITUTION: A washing machine which initially operates transmits a message asking a master of a home network(S71,S72). The master, digital television responses to the message transmitted from the washing machine to notify that the master is the digital television, and receives home appliance information base from the washing machine(S73-S75). The washing machine transmits a message to the digital television to ask a user to put a detergent(S76-S83). If the digital television stops operating, another home appliance becomes a master and the new master receives home appliance information base(S84,S85).

Description

How to remotely manage Internet appliances {REMOTE CONTROL METHOD FOR INTERNET HOME APPLIANCE}

The present invention relates to a method for remotely managing an Internet home appliance, and in particular, to maximize the utilization of each home appliance by interworking with the Internet home appliance period in a next-generation home network environment, including the remote control and management functions. The present invention relates to a method for remotely managing an internet home appliance that can be managed.

In recent years, the concept of home network has developed considerably in our lives, and in accordance with the national policy to activate high speed networks, high speed internet companies have established internet-only networks in their homes at low prices, and most apartments have only computers. You can easily enjoy the Internet. Even this movement is applied to home appliances, and the functions of existing home appliances are equipped with Internet access functions so that the home appliances can be easily accessed from the Internet.

All these movements make human life more convenient and profitable.

Home network refers to all the underlying technologies and devices that make the Internet possible at home. In addition, the home network is a device that allows the user to live more conveniently at home and is slightly different from the device that enables the Internet at home. A person uses several home appliances at home. Therefore, if a home appliance also has a function to communicate with each other, the user may conveniently use it.

Most home network technologies incorporate this concept. However, the home appliance industry needs to set these standards because there are no specific functions or any standards for home appliances. Although home appliances produced as Internet home appliances have internet access functions, in most cases, only remotely connected home computers can be connected to the home appliance through the Internet. You need to be able to control this or carry around with you.

As mentioned earlier, home networks are proposing various standard specifications by various organizations. However, the application is delayed because no standard is currently set. Some of the technologies in which home network standardization is being made are briefly described. Home networks can be divided into two types. The criteria can be divided into three types: whether there is a transmission line and whether a new transmission line is needed. These groups are operated by their own sponsors.

1. The transmission line is mainly based on the UTP cable, which is an Ethernet cable, and there is a cost problem in the existing building because it is necessary to establish a traditional network line such as a telephone line at home so that each room can access the home network. 2. The new transmission line does not require a network structure using a power line that is attracting attention in the telephone line or consumer electronics industry. The home appliance industry considers the power line as a high possibility, and the advantage is that it allows Internet access without additional connecting connectors. Telephone lines and power lines are already open at home, so they can be used without difficulty. 3. The absence of a transmission line refers to the wireless access to the Internet without a line, mainly Bluetooth or home RF standards. Home RF is a low-cost standard that can transmit voice and data freely. Instead, an additional access point must be provided and the access point must be connected to a wired or wireless network that can access the Internet.

In most cases, these technologies must maintain compatibility with traditional network protocols. All other layers except the physical and link layers of the network protocol ISO 7 layer are the same and it is essential to maintain compatibility with higher layers.

As an example, a simple network architecture and protocol stack for home RF is introduced.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional home RF network. As shown in FIG. 1, an access point 11 exists and neighboring RF devices may access the access point 11 to communicate with each other organically. Make a passage. The laptop 12 accesses the access point 11 to receive music from the Internet and transmits the music back to the speaker through the access point 11 to listen to the sound, or to store music on the mobile phone 15 or send mail to the laptop. Can be. In this way, if each device is able to access the Internet, when devices that need to be used for each other communicate with each other, the user can effectively use the functions of the devices.

Next is the home RF communication protocol stack, as shown in FIG. 2, to allow communication software to communicate with each device. As mentioned above, the protocol stack has a structure similar to that of the ISO 7 layer, which is a classic Internet protocol, except for the physical layer 21 and the link layer 22, according to the standards of the home network, so that the communication protocol is highly compatible.

The protocol supports an additional protocol, which considers a multimedia device, audio and laptop, as a protocol for transmitting voice. The above example is merely an example of a home network and corresponds to the underlying technology of the present invention.

The present invention defines an upper layer protocol that is independent of the physical layer and the link layer and that can be used regardless of which home network standard is adopted.

The present invention assumes that the home has a structure capable of acting as a repeater or the equivalent for enabling the Internet. In addition, there is a need for a home appliance that is designed for such an environment, rather than the existing limited Internet home appliances. But these conditions will soon be satisfied according to the needs of the user. Home appliances without Internet access will not be competitive in the future.

Most consumer electronics companies are looking at home network standards and are preparing for when they're set.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above necessity, and when the home network technology is practically applied, an Internet home appliance protocol capable of communicating with each standard home appliance can be defined to allow heterogeneous or third-party Internet access. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for remotely managing Internet home appliances that can increase communication compatibility with possible products and provide convenience for users by communicating organically with home appliances.

1 is an exemplary view showing the configuration of a conventional home RF network.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a protocol layer of the home RF network of FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is an exemplary view showing a communication environment of a home network to which the present invention is applied.

4 is an exemplary view showing an Internet home appliance protocol layer according to the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of notifying a user by receiving an event generated in a washing machine according to the present invention.

6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in which the digital television according to the present invention commands the washing machine to increase the washing time.

7 is a message flow diagram of a method for remotely managing an Internet home appliance according to the present invention.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention transmits a message that asks which device the master is to all other home appliances from the first home appliance to recognize the master and determine whether the master can be a master. If the other home appliances to send a message indicating that the master has been the self home appliance information base from the other home appliances; Delivering the home appliance information base from the home appliance that is not the master to the home appliance that is the master; If an event occurs while operating in a slave home appliance, transmitting a home appliance information base containing information about the home appliance to a master and displaying a message on a screen to notify a user; Transmitting, by a home appliance, which is a master, a command given by a user who recognizes the event to a corresponding home appliance by carrying a command in a home appliance information base; When the home appliance, which is a master, is stopped, the home appliance, which was previously a master, becomes a master again and maintains a home network again.

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

3 is an exemplary view showing a communication environment of a home network to which the present invention is applied, and the present invention is based on such a communication environment. Each home appliance includes a device that can connect to the home RF, powerline, or other standardized network described earlier.

Since the general trend is the powerline network being promoted by the power corporation, assume that it is connected to this network. Several home appliances 31 to 39 form a home network and a ramtop 38 is also connected.

Each home appliance must include the Internet Home Appliance Control Protocol (IAHACP) 45 shown in FIG. The Internet appliance control protocol 45 operates on top of the classical networking protocol.

The Internet home appliance control protocol 45 defines the functions that can be controlled by each home appliance maker, and the variable coefficients that can be monitored. This data structure is defined as a Home Appliance Informaion Base (HAIB). In addition, the Internet home appliance control protocol 45 allows a home appliance to function as a master and a slave in a home. In other words, each home appliance must operate as a master or a slave by itself.

The master is able to collect and relay various information from various home appliances, and there is only one in a home. The slave has a function of informing the master and informs the function that the master can set. In addition, there may be more than one slave in a household, and automatically become a master according to the user's use.

If a user uses another home appliance without using a home appliance that operates as a master, the home appliance previously operated as a master automatically operates as a slave.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of informing a user by receiving an event generated in a washing machine according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, a digital television may request a washing machine to set a specific function and receive information. It informs the user. A user is watching a digital television with laundry in a washing machine. When the washing machine performs the washing operation and transmits a message of 'put rinse agent' to the digital television, the digital television is received and displayed at the bottom of the screen (S51 and S52). The user recognizes this and instructs the washing machine to pause to pause the operation of the washing machine (S53).

Washing machine has the information and function of the following structure and shown in the table as follows.

monitoring Power, quantity, remaining time Setting function Washing time, rinsing time, dehydration time, cold / hot water time, washing course, reservation time

Although the user cannot know the state of the washing machine, the digital television displays the operating state of the washing machine on the screen. At this time, the user may control the washing machine.

For example, if the user wants to pause the washing machine for a while, pressing the 'enter' key on the remote controller key of the digital television will pause the washing machine.

To do this, the product designer must define an appropriate consumer information base to do this function in the washing machine, and make sure that the washing machine calls the corresponding function when a protocol packet that makes this request on the digital television is delivered to the washing machine.

At this time, the digital television operates as a master having a control right according to the definition of the Internet home appliance control protocol and the washing machine operates as a slave.

In the Internet appliance control protocol, the master and slave are determined by the following rules. 1. Home appliances that can be masters are digital televisions, refrigerators, microwave ovens, laptops, and telephones. Other home appliances can also be masters, but display devices for displaying information are required. 2. When the home appliance is turned on, the home network sends a packet requesting who the master is. If there is no response, the home appliance is a master, and if it is designed as a home appliance, it becomes a master, otherwise it acts as a slave. If the master exists, the currently requested home appliance may determine and become a master. 3. When the master is powered off, the previous appliance is the master.

Hereinafter, the home appliance information base of the washing machine will be described.

The example in Table 2 below is arbitrary and should be formatted as follows:

Household appliances information base of washing machine 1.Manufacture: LG (0x0021) 2.Model: LG-TROM01 (0x02210) 3.Serial Number: LG1234567 (0x00211234567) 4.Production Date: 20020930 5.Type: SEW (0x03) 6.INFO: <String> <OPT> <"Please add a rinse agent"> <OPT = "Pause"> <"Laundry is done"> <OPT = "stop"> <"Can't be drained"> <OPT = "Pause"> <"There is too much laundry or out of balance"> <OPT = "Pause"> <"Cold water doesn't come out. Please check faucet"> <"There is no hot water. Please check the hot water"> <"Automatic power off to save power"> <"Settings have been applied"> <"Incorrect setting"> <"Can't do the normal thing"> 7.Function: Power (0x00), Course Name (0x01), Wash Time (0x02), Rinse Time (0x30), Dehydration Time (0x40), Water (0x05), Reserve Time (0x06) 8.Monitor: Total Time (0x00), Left Time (0x01)

Among the contents described above, there are items that must be present and items that are not. The manufacturer is the vendor's unique ID as defined by the protocol, and the model and serial number are set by the vendor ID in a series of numbers.

The function issues a command from the master, passing the code and option values for that function to the slave. The slave analyzes the received packet and executes the command.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation in which the digital television according to the present invention commands the washing machine to increase the washing time. As shown in FIG. 6, the digital television commands the washing machine to set the rinsing time to 60 (S61). One washing machine transmits the result of the command to the digital television (S62), and a message is displayed at the bottom of the screen so that the user can check it (S63).

7 is a message flow diagram of a method for remotely managing an Internet home appliance according to the present invention, and as shown therein, a step (S71, S72) of transmitting a message inquiring which device is a master of a home network in a washing machine operating for the first time; In response to the message transmitted by the washing machine in a digital television serving as a master, notifying that the washing machine is a master and receiving a home appliance information base from the washing machine (S73 to S75); Transmitting a message requesting a rinsing agent to be put in the washing machine to the digital television to allow the user to put the rinsing agent in the washing machine (S76 to S83); In operation S84 and S85, the digital television is stopped and the refrigerator, which was previously a master, becomes a master again and informs other home appliances to receive the home appliance information base.

The message flow chart describes the message transmission procedure of the Internet home appliance control protocol. Here, the washing machine operates for the first time to explain that messages are exchanged between the master digital television and the slave washing machine.

Earlier, digital television was initially turned on by the user and acquired master qualification from the refrigerator, which is the master. Digital television demands that the master be told to all home appliances and that the master is informed. This information refers to the home appliance information base that each home appliance has.

Apart from this operation, the user turns on the washing machine for washing. When the washing machine is turned on, it transmits a message to all home appliances asking who the master is (S71, S72). At this time, since the digital television is the master, the digital television announces that it is the master (S73).

Recognizing that the master is a digital television, the washing machine may be a master, but if the washing machine is not designed to be a master, it connects as a slave and sends its home appliance information base to the master (S74 and S75).

In the case of becoming a master, the washing machine receives the master qualification from the digital television and again informs all the home appliances that they are the master and requests the home appliance information base.

When the user sets up the work in the washing machine and turns the channel to watch digital television again, the digital television informs other household appliances that it is a master and receives and updates the home appliance information base.

While the user continues to watch television, the washing machine notifies the master to add a rinsing agent (S76). The digital television that is the master outputs a message received from the washing machine at the bottom of the screen. Accordingly, the user can know when to add the rinsing agent.

The user pauses the operation of the washing machine by pressing the 'enter' key of the remote controller to pause the operation of the washing machine before adding the rinsing agent (S78, S79).

When the user puts the rinsing agent in the washing machine and presses the operation button, the washing machine starts washing again. The digital television receives the message 'Start washing' from the washing machine and outputs the message at the bottom of the screen (S82).

Then, when the user stops watching digital television and turns off the power, the refrigerator, which is a home appliance previously used as a master, becomes the master (S84). The refrigerator informs the other home appliance that it is the master and receives the home appliance information base to prepare for the next operation (S85).

As described in detail above, the present invention connects Internet home appliances in one master and slave structure and communicates in a standardized manner, thereby controlling or monitoring home appliances between different types or between different types.

In addition, it is possible to provide convenience to the user, so that the user can use the Internet home appliance more conveniently. In the case of a refrigerator as well as a washing machine, if the door is open, it can be displayed to the user by text so that it is very useful for the hearing impaired and there is no need to uncomfortably set the information required for the gas oven or microwave in the device. .

Claims (2)

A home network composed of home appliances having an internet home appliance control protocol located at a higher layer of a universal network protocol, The first home appliance sends a message to all other appliances asking which device the master is, to recognize the master and determine if it can be a master. Receiving a home appliance information base from another home appliance by sending a message; Delivering the home appliance information base from the home appliance that is not the master to the home appliance that is the master; If an event occurs while operating in a slave home appliance, transmitting a home appliance information base containing information about the home appliance to a master and displaying a message on a screen to notify a user; Transmitting, by a home appliance, which is a master, a command given by a user who recognizes the event to a corresponding home appliance by carrying a command in a home appliance information base; The home appliance remote management method, characterized in that the home appliance is a master once the home appliance is stopped, the master is again made to maintain the home network again. The home appliance information base of claim 1, further comprising: a production information field indicating a make, a model, a product number, and a production year of the home appliance; An operation state field indicating an operation state according to the type of home appliance; A function field for controlling an operation according to the type of home appliance; Internet home appliance remote management method comprising a monitoring field for monitoring the operation status according to the type of home appliances.