WO2003084142A1

WO2003084142A1 - Network system and method for communicating the same

Info

Publication number: WO2003084142A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/000648
Authority: WO
Inventors: Koon Seok Lee
Original assignee: Lg Electronics Inc.
Priority date: 2002-03-29
Filing date: 2002-04-10
Publication date: 2003-10-09
Also published as: CN1623297A; AU2002307704A1; KR20030078360A; KR100459178B1

Abstract

A network system and a method for communicating the same are disclosed. The network system includes a step for determining a data type transmitted from one apparatus among at least two apparatuses; and a step for determining a performance order of a response signal according to the data type received in the data receiver.

Description

NETWORK SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING THE SAME

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a network system, and more particularly, to a network system and a method for making communication in the network system. Background Art

Though an early home automation, for automatic control of home appliances from within home or far from home, is at a control level in which the appliances are controlled individually by means of telephone, or an infrared ray without interface between the appliances, a current home automation is at a stage of putting into commercial use of a home network system in which a network of the appliances are constructed, and a controller is provided for controlling the network, for unified management of the network.

The foregoing related art home automation will be reviewed briefly. Referring to FIG. 1 , the related art home automation has a plurality of home appliances, such as a refrigerator, an air conditioner, a microwave oven, a washing machine, a personal computer (PC), and the like, connected together to form a home network.

FIG. 1 illustrates a case when microcomputers built in the home appliances provided with communication functions are connected to a communication bus directly, and a case when no microcomputers built in the home appliances are provided, or power lines are employed as communication lines, separate communication modules are provided to the home appliances for construction of the home network. There may be a controller designated for controlling the home network constructed thus, whereas a personal computer in most of home presently may be made operative as the controller without providing separate controller just by installing an application program for controlling the network.

A method for making communication in the related art home network system will be explained with reference to FIG. 2. It is assumed that a number of the appliances are 'N' in the network, and a communication is made between an appliance 'A' and an appliance 'B'.

At first, a user applies an order for controlling the appliance 'B' by using the appliance 'A' (S21). That is, an order for controlling the appliance 'B', for an example, an order for starting washing of a washing machine, is applied to a GUI (Graphic User Interface) of the appliance 'A', provided with a monitor or a display connected to the personal computer, through application means, such as a key board, a mouse, a key panel, or the like.

Then, the appliance 'A' transfers the control order the user applied thereto to the appliance 'B' (S22). That is, control means in the appliance 'B' controls transmitting means of its own (for an example, LAN/RS 232-C), or transmitting means connected to exterior (for an example, a power line communication modem ), for modulating the control order proper to the communication line, and transmits the control order.

Then, the appliance 'B' receives the control order transferred from the appliance 'A' (S23), and carries out an operation for the control order (S24). That is, the control means in the appliance 'B' recognizes a code of the control order according to an algorithm programmed in fabrication, and carries out required operation.

The appliance 'B' transmits a responsive data informing that the control order is carried out to the appliance 'A' (S25). Then, the appliance 'A' receives the responsive data from the appliance 'B', and, understanding the control order is carried out regularly, carries out the next operation.

In the meantime, if the responsive data is not received for a preset time period Tw, an operation, such as re-providing the control order again, or terminating the communication, or the like, is carried out.

Therefore, when a time period required for carrying out the control order is longer than the preset time period Tw, such that the appliance 'B' is required to make response before carrying out the control order, the preset time period Tw is set longer adequately, so that the response is made without restriction from the preset time period Tw. When doing so, there is disadvantage in that a waiting time period of the appliance having the order transmitted for the response is too long.

Moreover, there are orders that require a comparatively short time period for carrying out the order, and orders that require a comparatively long time period for carrying out the order.

With regard to the order that requires a comparatively short time period for carrying out the order, if the communication is made in a fashion that the response is made after the order is carried out, the communication itself may not be done. Referring to FIG. 3, a case of an order of a transmission rate change will be explained as a typical example of the order that requires such a short carrying out time period. If the appliance 'A' transmits an order to the appliance 'B' that the appliance 'B' is required to change a transmission rate to 9600bps in a state the data transmission rate of the appliance 'A' is set to be 2400bps, the appliance 'B' receives the order from the appliance 'A', changes own data transmission rate to 9600bps, and transmits a responsive data at a changed rate of 9600bps that the data transmission rate of the appliance 'B' itself is changed to 9600bps.

However, the appliance 'A' can not receive the responsive data from the appliance ^ςB', leading to failure of the communication, because the appliance 'A' is set to be 2400bps, presently.

Referring to FIG. 4, a case of an order of a communication address change will be explained as another example of the order that requires a short carrying out time period. If the appliance 'A' requests the appliance 'B' that the appliance 'B' is required to change an address of the appliance 'B' to '2' in a state a transmitter address of the appliance 'A' is set to be '0' and a receiver address of the appliance 'A' is set to be '1', the appliance 'B' receives the order of address change from the appliance 'A', and changes own address to '2'. Then, the appliance 'B' transmits a responsive data to appliance 'A', with the transmitter address set to be '2' and the receiver address set to be '0'.

However, the appliance 'A' disregards the responsive data from the appliance 'B', leading to failure of the communication, because the address of the appliance having the order transmitted is ' 1 ' .

Thus, the related art network system has the following problems. First, the setting of excessively long time period required for carrying out an order results in a too long response waiting time period of an appliance that transmits the order. Second, the fashion of transmission of a response after carrying out an order may result in failure of the communication due to setting change caused by the order in a case the order has a short carrying out time period. Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a network system and a method for making communication in the network system that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a network system and a method for making communication in the network system, which can reduce a response waiting time period, and prevent failure of communication in advance. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the method for making communication in a network system having at least more than two appliances connected thereto, includes the steps of (a) determining a type of data transmitted from at least one of the more than two appliances, and (b) determining an order of making responsive signals according to the type of the data received from a reception side of the data.

The data transmitted from a transmission side is a data for operation to be made by the reception side of the data, and the data transmitted from the transmission side includes control information representing the order of making response to the data.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for making communication in a network system, including the steps of (a) transmitting a data containing preset required control information from a transmission side to a reception side, (b) receiving the data, and determining a type of the data by using predetermined control information, and (c) determining a processing order of making response to the data transmission and executing an operation required by the data according to a result of the determination.

The response to the data transmission is made at first, and the operation required by the data is executed later if the data is a first type as a result of the determination, and the operation required by the data is executed at first, and the response to the data transmission is made later if the data is a second type as the result of the determination.

In further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for making communication in a network system, including the steps of (a) transmitting a data from a transmission side to a reception side, (b) receiving the data, and determining a type of the data by using a preset control information table, and (c) determining a processing order of making response to the data transmission and executing an operation required by the data according to a result of the determination.

In still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network system including at least one transmission side appliance having transmission means for determining a type of data to be transmitted, and at least one reception side appliance in a network of at least more than one appliances inclusive of the transmission side appliance having transmission means for determining a order of response according to the type of data transmitted from the transmission side appliance, and transmitting a responsive signal according to the determined order of response.

The transmission means in the transmission side appliance includes a transmission part for transmission of the data, and a controlling part for controlling the transmission part so that a type of data is defined, or a data of which type is defined is transmitted to the reception side appliance.

The transmission means in the reception side appliance includes a transmission part for transmission of the responsive signal, and a controlling part for controlling the transmission part so that an order of making response is determined according to a type of data transmitted from the transmission side appliance, and the responsive signal is transmitted to the transmission side according to the determined order of making response.

In still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a network system including at least one transmission side appliance having transmission means for transmission of data, and at least one reception side appliance in a network of at least more than one appliances inclusive of the transmission side appliance, for determining a type of data transmitted from the transmission side appliance, determining an order of making response according to the type, and transmitting an responsive signal according to the determined order of making response.

The transmission means in the reception side appliance includes a transmission part for transmission of a data, and a controlling part for controlling the transmission part so that the type of the data is compared and determined according to a preset reference, the order of making response is determined according to the determination, and the responsive signal is transmitted according to the order.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Brief Description of Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram showing a related art home network system; FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart showing a related art method for making communication in a home network system;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary communication by the method in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 illustrates another exemplary communication by the method in FIG. 2; FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram showing a home network system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart showing a method for making communication in a home network system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram showing a home network system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a flow chart showing a method for making communication in a home network system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram showing a home network system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart showing a method for making communication in a home network system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram showing a home network system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 illustrates a flow chart showing a method for making communication in a home network system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIRST EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 5, the network system includes transceivers 12, and 22 each for data transmission and reception of a data in a case of appliances 'A' 10 and

'B' 20 which can receive and transmit signals, and control other appliances, excluding appliances that only can transmit or receive a signal, programs of making separate processing for different kinds of orders, each for determining an order of processing for different kinds of responses and order executions separately, and controlling parts 12, and 23 each for controlling the transceivers 12, or 22 so that a received data is processed according to the program of making separate processing for different kinds of orders.

Referring to FIG. 5, for convenience of explanation of the present invention, it is assumed that the appliance 'A' 10 is a transmission side appliance, and the appliance 'B' 20 is a reception side appliance in a network having appliances A 10,

B 20, and C 30, among which communication is made directly or through power lines (power line communication modem).

The network system of the present invention includes the appliance 'A' having transmission means for determining kinds of data to be transmitted, and the appliance 'B' 20 in a network of more than one appliances inclusive of the appliance 'A', for determining an order of making response according to kinds of data transmitted from the appliance 'A', and transmitting a response signal according to the determined order of making response.

The transmission means of the appliance 'A' 10 includes the transceiver 12 for transmission/reception of a data, and the controlling part 13 for controlling the transceiver 12 such that kinds of orders contained in the data are defined, or the data containing the order of which kind is defined is transmitted to the appliance B 20.

The transmission means of the appliance 'B' 20 includes the transceiver 22 for transmission of a response signal, and the controlling part 23 for controlling the transceiver 22 such that an order of making response is determined according to kinds of data transmitted from the appliance 'B' 20, and response signals are transmitted to the appliance 'A' 10 according to the determined order of making response.

A method for making communication in the foregoing network system of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 6.

At first, a user applies a control order to the appliance 'B' 20 by using the appliance 'A' 10 (S61). That is, an order for changing an address of the appliance 'B', for an example, a washing machine, is applied to a product control GUI (Graphic User Interface) screen of the appliance 'A', for an example, an electronic product having a monitor or display connected to a PC through application means, such as a keyboard, or a mouse key panel, and the like.

Then, the appliance 'A' 10 transfers a control order and data containing kind information the user applied to the appliance 'A' to the appliance 'B' 20 (S62). That is, the controlling part 13 of the appliance A 10 controls own transceiver 12 (for an example, LAN/RS 232-C) or a transmitting part connected to an outside of the appliance 'A' (for an example, a power line communication modem) for demodulating the control order and the data containing the kind information the user applied to the appliance 'A' to suit to a communication line, and transmitting the control order and the data to the appliance 'B' .

The kind information for sorting orders that require response before execution of the order, is programmed in an operation algorithm of the controlling part of the appliance, and may be changed as the case demands. There are first kind and second kind in the kind information. The first kind is defined so that a reception side receives a data from a transmission side, executes a required control order at first, and transmits a responsive data to the transmission side, and the second kind is defined so that the reception side receives a data from the transmission side, transmits a responsive data to the transmission side at first, and executes a required control order. Then, the appliance 'B' 20 receives a data transmitted from the appliance 'A'

10 (S63), and determines the kind of the data by using the kind information contained in the data (S64). If the kind of data is the first kind as a result of the determination (S64), the appliance 'B' 20 executes the order contained in the data (S65), and transmits the responsive data to the appliance 'A' 10 (S66). If the kind of data is the second kind as a result of the determination (S64), the appliance 'B' 20 transmits the responsive data informing that the data is received to the appliance 'A' 10 (S67), and executes the order contained in the data (S68).

According to this, the appliance 'A' receives the responsive data from the appliance 'B' (S69), to note that the transmitted order is executed in an orderly fashion. SECOND EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 7, the network system includes transceivers 43, and 53 each for data transmission and reception of a data in a case of appliances 'A' 40 and 'B' 50 which can receive and transmit signals, and control other appliances, excluding appliances that only can transmit or receive a signal, programs of making separate processing for different kinds of orders, each for determining an order of processing for different kinds of responses and order executions separately, order/kind tables 42, and 52 each having kinds for different orders defined thereon, and controlling parts 44, and 54 each for controlling the transceivers 43, or 53 such that a received data is compared to the order/kind table 42, or 52 to determine a kind, and processed according to the program of making separate processing for different kinds of orders.

For convenience of explanation of the present invention, it is assumed that the appliance 'A' 40 is a transmission side appliance, and the appliance 'B' 50 is a reception side appliance in a network having appliances A 40, B 50, and C 60, among which communication is made directly or through power lines (power line communication modem).

The network system of the present invention includes the appliance 'A' 40 having transmission means for transmission of data, and the appliance 'B' 50 in a network of more than one appliances inclusive of the appliance 'A' 40, for determining a kind of data transmitted from the appliance 40, an order of making response according to the determined the kind, and transmitting a response signal according to the determined order of making response.

The transmission means of the appliance 'B' 50 includes the transceiver 53 for transmission/reception of a data, and the controlling part 54 for controlling the transceiver 53 such that a kind of data is compared and determined according to a preset reference, an order of making response is determined according to a determined kind, and a response signal is transmitted to the appliance 'A' 40 according to the order.

A method for making communication in the foregoing network system of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 8.

At first, a user applies a control order to the appliance 'B' 50 by using the appliance 'A' 40 (S81). That is, an order for changing an address of the appliance 'B', for an example, a washing machine, is applied to a product control GUI (Graphic

User Interface) screen of the appliance 'A', for an example, an electronic product having a monitor or display connected to a PC through application means, such as a keyboard, or a mouse key panel, and the like. Then, the appliance 'A' 40 transfers a data containing a control order the user applied thereto to the appliance 'B' 50 (S82). That is, the controlling part 44 of the appliance A 40 controls an own transceiver 43 (for an example, LAN/RS 232-C) or a transmitting part connected to an outside of the appliance 'A' (for an example, a power line communication modem) for demodulating the data containing the control order the user applied to the appliance 'A' to suit to a communication line, and transmitting the data to the appliance 'B'.

Then, the appliance Ε' 50 receives a data transmitted from the appliance 'A' 40 (S83).

Table 1

Then, the appliance 'B' 50 compares the order in the received data to an order/kind table like the table 1 to determine a kind of order of the data (S84).

The order/kind table is stored in the controlling part, or a separate memory of the appliance, for identifying an order that requires a response before order execution. The first kind is defined so that a reception side receives a data from a transmission side, executes a required control order at first, and transmits a responsive data to the transmission side, and the second kind is defined so that the reception side receives a data from the transmission side, transmits a responsive data to the transmission side at first, and executes a required control order.

If the kind of data is the first kind as a result of the determination (S84), the appliance 'B' 50 executes the order contained in the data (S85), and transmits the responsive data to the appliance 'A' 40 (S86). If the kind of data is the second kind as a result of the determination (S84), the appliance 'B' 50 transmits the responsive data informing that the data is received to the appliance 'A' 40 (S87), and executes the order contained in the data (S88).

According to this, the appliance 'A' 40 receives the responsive data from the appliance 'B' 50 (S89), to note that the transmitted order is executed in an orderly fashion. Industrial Applicability

As has been explained, the network system and a method for making communication in the network system have the following advantages.

First, an overall system efficiency can be improved by making a response at first and order execution at the next, that reduces a waiting time period.

Second, a reliability of a network system can be enhanced by making a response at first for an order that may cause a communication error if the order is executed at first.

Third, since the system of the present invention can be constructed by a simple programming and memory writing, the network system and method for making communication in the network system of the present invention have wide application fields, particularly, the network system and method for making communication in the network system of the present invention can maximize an effect when applied to a home network system in which an amount of data communication is small in comparison to a general large size communication network.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the network system and method for making communication in the network system of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

What is Claimed is:

1. A method for making communication in a network system having at least more than two appliances connected thereto, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a type of data transmitted from at least one of the more than two appliances; and

(b) determining an order of making responsive signals according to the type of the data received from a reception side of the data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data transmitted from a transmission side is a data for operation to be made by the reception side of the data.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the type of the data transmitted from the transmission side is determined at the transmission side of the data.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data transmitted from the transmission side includes control information representing the order of making response to the data.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the type of the data transmitted from the transmission side is determined at the reception side of the data.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, when the data type is determined at the data reception side, a response to the data transmission is made at first, and an operation required by the data is executed later, or vice versa.

7. A method for making communication in a network system, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a data containing preset required control information from a transmission side to a reception side;

(b) receiving the data, and determining a type of the data by using predetermined control information, and

(c) determining a processing order of making response to the data transmission and executing an operation required by the data according to a result of the determination.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein, the response to the data transmission is made at first, and the operation required by the data is executed later if the data is a first type as a result of the determination, and the operation required by the data is executed at first, and the response to the data transmission is made later if the data is a second type as the result of the determination.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first type of the data is defined such that a priority of a responsive signal transmission is higher than a priority of an order execution, and the second type of the data is defined such that the priority of the order execution is higher than the priority of the responsive signal transmission.

10. A method for making communication in a network system, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a data from a transmission side to a reception side; (b) receiving the data, and determining a type of the data by using a preset control information table, and (c) determining a processing order of making response to the data transmission and executing an operation required by the data according to a result of the determination.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein, the response to the data transmission is made at first, and the operation required by the data is executed later if the data is a first type as a result of the determination, and the operation required by the data is executed at first, and the response to the data transmission is made later if the data is a second type as the result of the determination.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first type of the data is defined such that a priority of a responsive signal transmission is higher than a priority of an order execution, and the second type of the data is defined such that the priority of the order execution is higher than the priority of the responsive signal transmission.

13. A network system comprising: at least one transmission side appliance having transmission means for determining a type of data to be transmitted; and at least one reception side appliance in a network of at least more than one appliances inclusive of the transmission side appliance having transmission means for determining a order of response according to the type of data transmitted from the transmission side appliance, and transmitting a responsive signal according to the determined order of response.

14. A network system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the data transmitted from the transmission side appliance is a data for operation of the data reception side appliance.

15. A network system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the data transmitted from the transmission side appliance includes control information on the order of response for the data.

16. A network system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the transmission means in the transmission side appliance includes; a transmission part for transmission of the data, and a controlling part for controlling the transmission part so that a type of data is defined, or a data of which type is defined is transmitted to the reception side appliance.

17. A network system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the transmission means in the reception side appliance includes; a transmission part for transmission of the responsive signal, and a controlling part for controlling the transmission part so that an order of making response is determined according to a type of data transmitted from the transmission side appliance, and the responsive signal is transmitted to the transmission side according to the determined order of making response.

18. A network system comprising: at least one transmission side appliance having transmission means for transmission of data; and at least one reception side appliance in a network of at least more than one appliances inclusive of the transmission side appliance, for determining a type of data transmitted from the transmission side appliance, determining an order of making response according to the type, and transmitting an responsive signal according to the determined order of making response.

19. A network system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the transmission means in the reception side appliance includes; a transmission part for transmission of a data, and a controlling part for controlling the transmission part so that the type of the data is compared and determined according to a preset reference, the order of making response is determined according to the determination, and the responsive signal is transmitted according to the order.

20. A network system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the preset reference is a table having control information of data defined thereon, and the table is stored in the controlling part or a separate memory.