MOBILE HOME NETWORK SYSTEM
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a mobile home network system, and more particularly to, a mobile home network system which allows a user to communicate with a home network system including different kinds of networks by using a user mobile terminal.
BACKGROUND ART Home automation for automatically controlling home appliances at home or remotely has almost reached a commercial use stage. At its early stage, the home automation separately controlled each home appliance by using a telephone or infrared rays, and did not connect the home appliances one another. However, there has been suggested a method for building a network of home appliances by using a communication means, and collectively managing the network by using a controller. In general, a home network connects various digital home appliances so that a user can always enjoy convenient, safe and economic life services inside or outside the house. As factors of the advent of the home network, refrigerators or washing machines called white home appliances have been gradually digitalized due to development of digital signal processing techniques, and new information home appliances have been made due to rapid development of home appliance operating system techniques and high speed multimedia communication techniques. Here, an IT network is built to exchange data between a personal computer
and peripheral devices or provide internet services, and an AV network is built between home appliances using audio or video information. In addition, a living network is built to simply control home appliances, such as home automation or remote meter reading, and may be comprised of a refrigerator, washing machine, microwave oven, electric lamp, gas alarm, air conditioner and telephone. The home network system includes a master device which is a home appliance for controlling an operation of the other home appliances or monitoring a status thereof, and a slave device which is a home appliance having a function of responding to the request of the master device and a function of notifying a status change according to properties of the home appliances or other factors. Here, the home appliances (or new devices) include home appliances for the living network service such as a washing machine and a refrigerator as well as home appliances for the IT network service and the A V network service.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile home network system which allows a user to control and monitor a home network system anytime anywhere by communicating with the home network system by using a user mobile terminal. Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile home network system which can easily connect a user mobile terminal to a home network system by enabling different kinds of networks to communicate with each other. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile home network system which can efficiently transmit and process control information and non-control information between a user mobile terminal and a home network system.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile home network system which can automatically connect a home network system to the mobile home network system for communication. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile home network system which can improve authentication efficiency and reliability and reduce data throughput of a mobile service server by using an authentication server for authenticating access of a user mobile terminal to a home network system. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile home network system which can improve authentication reliability by using a plurality of processes for authenticating access of a user mobile terminal to a home network system. In order to achieve the above-described objects of the invention, there is provided a mobile home network system including: a home master terminal being connected to an external mobile service server for access to a user mobile terminal through a first network based on a predetermined protocol for transmitting and receiving a first packet, being connected to at least one home appliance through a second network separated from the first network for transmitting and receiving a second packet different from the first packet, mutually converting the first and second packets, and transmitting the converted packets respectively to the mobile service server and the home appliance; a mobile sen/ice server connected to the user mobile terminal through a wireless communication network, and connected to the home master terminal through the first network, for transmitting and receiving the first packet to/from the user mobile terminal and the home master terminal; and a user mobile terminal for inputting and outputting the first packet, and transmitting and receiving the first packet to/from the mobile service server.
Preferably, the first packet and the second packet include at least home appliance related control information, the control information contained in the first packet and the second packet includes at least one of a control command for the home appliance, and a control response of the home appliance according to the control command, the control command is transmitted from the user mobile terminal to the home master terminal through the mobile sen/ice server, and the control response is transmitted from the home appliance to the home master terminal, and then transmitted to the user mobile terminal through the mobile service server. Preferably, the mobile home network system further includes an authentication server connected to the mobile service server and the home master terminal through the first network, for authenticating access of the user mobile terminal to the home master terminal. Preferably, the home master terminal includes a user interface means for receiving a data, and a memory for storing the data, the home master terminal receives an authentication data through the user interface means, stores the data in the memory, and transmits a first packet containing the previously-stored authentication data to the authentication server through the first network, and the authentication server registers the authentication data. Preferably, the home master terminal transmits a first packet containing an access request data to the mobile service server, and the mobile service server decides accessibility of the home master terminal, and transmits a first packet containing an access ACK data to the home master terminal to allow communication, or transmits a first packet containing an access NAK data. Preferably, the home master terminal receives an ID number of the accessible user mobile terminal through the user interface means, stores the ID
number in the memory, receives the first packet containing the access ACK data from the mobile service sever, and transmits a first packet containing the ID number stored in the memory to the mobile service server. Preferably, the home master terminal transmits a dummy signal for confirming an access status of the mobile service server to the mobile service server at an interval of a predetermined time. Preferably, in order to decide accessibility of the user mobile terminal to the home master terminal, when the mobile service server receives the first packet containing the authentication request data including at least the authentication data from the user mobile terminal, the mobile service server transmits the first packet containing the authentication data to the authentication server, and the authentication server compares the transmitted authentication data with the registered authentication data, and transmits the first packet containing the authentication ACK data or authentication NAK data to the mobile service server according to the comparison result. Preferably, when the mobile service server receives the first packet containing the authentication ACK data, the mobile service server allows the user mobile terminal to access the home master terminal, and when the mobile service server receives the first packet containing the authentication NAK data, the mobile service server retransmits the first packet to the user mobile terminal. Preferably, in order to decide accessibility of the user mobile terminal to the home master terminal before transmitting the authentication data to the authentication server, the mobile service server compares the ID number of the user mobile terminal included in the authentication request data with the registered ID number, and transmits the first packet containing the authentication data to the authentication server, or the first packet containing the authentication rejection data
to the user mobile terminal according to the comparison result. Preferably, the home master terminal transmits and receives a first packet containing non-control information to/from the mobile service server. Preferably, the home master terminal further includes an external input means, receives an external input data from the external input means, and stores the data in the memory. Preferably, the home master terminal receives the external input data stored in the memory, converts the data into a mobile format, adds the mobile format data to the first packet, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server. According to another aspect of the invention, a home master terminal includes: a mobile agent module being connected to an external mobile service server for access to a user mobile terminal through a first network based on a predetermined protocol for transmitting and receiving a first packet, being connected to a home appliance control module for transmitting and receiving a second packet different from the first packet, mutually converting the first and second packets, and transmitting the converted packets respectively to the mobile service server and the home appliance control module; and a home appliance control module connected to a plurality of home appliances through a second network separated from the first network, for transmitting and receiving the second packet. Preferably, the first packet and the second packet include at least home appliance related control information, the control information contained in the first packet and the second packet includes at least one of a control command for the home appliance, and a control response of the home appliance according to the control command, the control command is transmitted from the mobile service
server to the home appliance control module through the mobile agent module, and the control response is transmitted from the home appliance control module to the mobile service server through the mobile agent module. Preferably, the home master terminal further includes a user interface means for receiving a data for mobile home networking, and a memory for storing the data. Preferably, the mobile agent module transmits a first packet containing an access request data to the mobile service server, and waits for reception of a first packet containing an access ACK data from the mobile service server. Preferably, the home master terminal receives an ID number of the accessible user mobile terminal through the user interface means, and stores the
ID number in the memory, and the mobile agent module receives the first packet containing the access ACK data from the mobile service sever, and transmits a first packet containing the ID number stored in the memory to the mobile service server. Preferably, the mobile agent module transmits a dummy signal for confirming a current access status of the mobile service server to the mobile service server at an interval of a predetermined time. Preferably, the home master terminal receives an authentication data through the user interface means, stores the data in the memory, and is connected to an authentication server through the first network, for transmitting a first packet containing the authentication data previously stored in the memory to the authentication server to register the authentication data. Preferably, the mobile agent module is connected to the authentication server. Preferably, the first packet includes non-control information as well as the home appliance related control information, and the mobile agent module decides
whether the information contained in the first packet is the home appliance related control information, and transmits the information to the home appliance control module. Preferably, the home master terminal further includes a data processing module for transmitting and receiving a first packet containing the non-control information to/from the mobile agent module. Preferably, the data processing module is additionally connected to an external input means installed in the home master terminal, for receiving an external input data and storing the data in the memory. Preferably, the mobile agent module receives the external input data stored in the memory from the data processing module, converts the data into a mobile format, adds the mobile format data to the first packet, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server. According to another aspect of the invention, a mobile service server includes: a network connection means connected to a user mobile terminal through a wireless communication network for transmitting and receiving a packet, and connected to a home master terminal connected to a plurality of home appliances through a network based on a predetermined protocol for transmitting and receiving the packet to/from the home master terminal; and a decision means for deciding accessibility of the user mobile terminal to the home master terminal, and transmitting the packet respectively to the user mobile terminal and the home master terminal through the network connection means. Preferably, the mobile service server further includes an access status confirmation means for receiving a packet containing an access request data from the home master terminal, deciding accessibility, and transmitting a packet containing an access ACK data to the home master terminal through the network
connection means to allow communication, or transmitting a packet containing an access NAK data. Preferably, the mobile service server further includes a registration means for receiving an ID number of the accessible user mobile terminal from the home master terminal through the network connection means, and registering the ID number. Preferably, the network connection means is connected to an authentication server for authenticating access of the user mobile terminal to the home master terminal through the network. Preferably, in order to decide accessibility of the user mobile terminal to the home master terminal, when the decision means receives a packet containing an authentication request data including an authentication data from the user mobile terminal, the decision means transmits the packet containing the authentication data to the authentication server. Preferably, when the decision means receives a packet containing an authentication ACK data from the authentication server according to the authentication result, the decision means allows the user mobile terminal to access the home master terminal, and when the decision means receives a packet containing an authentication NAK data, the decision means retransmits the packet to the user mobile terminal. Preferably, the decision means compares the ID number of the user mobile terminal included in the authentication request data with the registered ID number, and transmits a packet containing an authentication data to the authentication server or a packet containing an authentication rejection data to the user mobile terminal according to the comparison result. Preferably, the access status confirmation means confirms a current access
status by receiving a dummy signal from the home master terminal at an interval of a predetermined time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a structure view illustrating a mobile home network system in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing operations of the mobile home network system of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a structure view illustrating a mobile service server of Fig. 1 ; and Fig. 4 is a structure view illustrating a home master terminal of Fig. 1.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A mobile home network system in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a structure view illustrating the mobile home network system in accordance with the present invention. Referring to Fig. 1, the mobile home network system 1 is comprised of a mobile terminal 10 of a user, a wireless communication network 20 including a base station 22 for a wireless data service of the mobile terminal 10 and a mobile communication company server 24, an internet network 30 based on a predetermined protocol, a mobile service server 40 for communication between the mobile terminal 10 and a home network system 60, an authentication server 50 for authentication of the mobile terminal 10 to the home network system 60, and the home network system 60 including a home master terminal 70 connected to a plurality of home appliances (washing machine 91, refrigerator 92, window 93, microwave oven 94 and television 95) through a bus network 90 based on a predetermined protocol for controlling and/or monitoring the
home appliances, and connected to external input means such as a camera 62 and a microphone 64. Here, the mobile terminal 10 includes a cellular phone, mobile phone (for example, wireless internet mobile phone) or personal digital assistant (PDA) which can access through a wireless application protocol (WAP) or wireless hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and transmit wireless packets. The wireless communication network 20 for wireless data communication has the base station 22 for general calls and the mobile communication company server 24 for providing an internet service. The internet network 30 pursues to a predetermined protocol (for example,
TCP/IP). The mobile terminal 10, the mobile service server 40, the authentication server 50 and the home network system 60 access through the internet network 30 to communicate with each other. Hereinafter, a packet transmitted through the internet network 30 is defined as a first packet based on a predetermined protocol. A packet transmitted or received by the mobile terminal 10 is also defined as a first packet. The mobile service server 40 includes a mobile server, a media server and a push server, and decides whether the home network system 60 is accessible to itself through the internet network 30, and communicates with the home network system 60. In addition, the mobile service server 40 decides whether the mobile terminal 10 is accessible to the home network system 60, and connects the mobile terminal 10 and the home network system 60 to communicate with each other according to the decision result. A method for receiving a first packet containing an authentication request data including an authentication data (for example, ID and password) from the mobile terminal 10, and transmitting the authentication data to the authentication server 50 for authentication, and a method for comparing an ID
number (for example, telephone number) of the mobile terminal 10 contained in the authentication request data with a previously-stored ID number (discussed later in detail), and authenticating the mobile terminal 10 according to the comparison result can be used at the same time to decide accessibility, which will later be explained in detail. The authentication server 50 receives a first packet containing an authentication data thorough the home network system 60 and the internet network 30, and stores the authentication data. When the mobile service server 40 transmits a first packet containing an authentication data from the mobile terminal 10, the authentication server 50 compares the transmitted authentication data with the previously-stored authentication data, transmits a first packet containing an authentication ACK data to the mobile service server 40 when the data are identical, and transmits a first packet containing an authentication NAK data to the mobile service server 40 when the data are not identical. In the case that a plurality of mobile terminals 10 access the mobile service server 40 at the same time, it takes a long time for the mobile service server 40 to simultaneously authenticate the mobile terminals 10. Accordingly, the authentication server 40 authenticates the mobile terminals 10 to reduce data throughput of the mobile service server 40, and increase the whole data throughput. Moreover, the authentication server 50 stores the authentication data from the home network system 60, and thus the mobile service server 40 needs not to directly access the home network system 60 to receive and process the authentication data. In addition, the home network system 60 includes the home appliances, and the bus network 90 different from the internet network 30. The bus network 90 is based on a different protocol from the internet network 30, for transmitting a second packet different from the first packet of the internet network 30. The first
and second packets pursue to different protocols, but may have the same data or message. The bus network 90 can be a power line communication (PLC), IrDA, Bluetooth or RF network. The bus network 90 and the internet network 30 are physically and/or logically separated, and connected to each other by the home master terminal 70. The separated networks of the internet network 30 transmitting the first packet and the bus network 90 transmitting the second packet allow the home master terminal 70 to control the whole first and second packets and protect the home appliances from the external environment. The home appliances connected to the bus network 90 are actually control means (not shown) of each home appliance. The home master terminal 70 is connected to the home appliances through the bus network 90, and also connected to the external input means such as the camera 62 and the microphone 64. The home master terminal 70 converts a data obtained by the external input means into a predetermined mobile format to be displayed on the mobile terminal 10, and transmits the mobile format data to the mobile service server 40 (or mobile terminal 10). In addition, the home master terminal 70 can receive information from the mobile terminal 10 and store the information for the user. The home master terminal 70 includes a user interface means (not shown). Therefore, the home master terminal 70 can receive the authentication data for authentication of the authentication server 50, and the ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 through the mobile home network service for authentication using the ID number in the mobile service server 40, and store the authentication data and the ID number. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing operations of the mobile home network system of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the operations include an access step (S21), an
authentication step (S22) and a processing step (S23). In detail, in the access step (S21), the home network system 60 (specifically the home master terminal 70) accesses the mobile service server 40 through the internet network 30 for communication. The home master terminal 70 transmits a first packet containing an access request data through the internet network 30 for access to the mobile service server 40. When the home master terminal 70 receives a first packet containing an access ACK data according to the decision of the mobile service server 40, the home master terminal 70 is connected to communicate with the mobile service server 40. When the home master terminal 70 receives a first packet containing an access NAK data, the home master terminal 70 retransmits the first packet containing the access request data for access to the mobile service server 40. When the home master terminal 70 is connected to communicate with the mobile service server 40, the home master terminal 70 transmits a first packet containing the previously-stored ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 to the mobile service server 40, and the mobile service server 40 stores the ID number. The home master terminal 70 transmits a first packet containing a dummy signal to the mobile service server 40 at an interval of a predetermined time in order to confirm a current access status of the mobile service server 40. When disconnected from the mobile service server 40, the home master terminal 70 can retransmit the first packet containing the access request data to the mobile service server 40. In addition, the home master terminal 70 transmits the first packet containing the previously-stored authentication data to the authentication server 50 through the internet network 30, and thus the authentication server 50 stores the authentication data.
In the authentication step (S22), when the first packet containing the authentication request data including the authentication data generated by the user through a predetermined input means (not shown) is transmitted from the mobile terminal 10 to the mobile service server 40 through the wireless communication network 20, the mobile service server 40 performs two authentication processes as follows. First, the mobile service server 40 reads the ID number of the mobile terminal 10 contained in the authentication request data, and compares the ID number with the previously-stored ID number. When the ID numbers are identical, the mobile service server 40 transmits the first packet containing the authentication data to the authentication server 50, and when the ID numbers are not identical, the mobile service server 40 transmits a first packet containing an authentication rejection data to the mobile terminal 10. The authentication rejection data is generated without requiring authentication of the authentication server 50. The authentication process using the ID number can be selectively performed. That is, when the mobile service server 40 receives the authentication request data, the mobile service server 40 can directly transmit the authentication data contained in the authentication request data to the authentication server 50 through the first packet. Secondly, the authentication server 50 receiving the authentication data performs the authentication process as described above, and transmits the first packet containing the authentication ACK data or authentication NAK data to the mobile service server 40. In the processing step (S23), when the mobile terminal 10 is connected to communicate with the home network system 60, the user generates a control command for the home appliance by using the mobile terminal 10 and transmits
the control command to the mobile service server 40 through the first packet. The mobile service server 40 transmits the first packet to the home network system 60, the home network system 60 receives the first packet, and the home master terminal 70 converts the first packet into the second packet and transmits the second packet to the home appliance corresponding to the control command through the bus network 90. The home appliance performing the control operation transmits a second packet containing a control response to the home master terminal 70, the home master terminal 70 converts the second packet into the first packet and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server 40, and the mobile service server 40 transmits the first packet to the mobile terminal 10, so that the user can confirm the control response to the control command. The control command and the control response are referred to as control information. The control information is transmitted in the form of the first packet and/or second packet, and includes data relating to controlling (or monitoring ) of the home appliances. In accordance with the present invention, the mobile home network system 1 transmits non-control information (for example, images and texts which do not relate to control information) as well as the control information. For example, a first packet containing the non-control information from the mobile terminal 10 is transmitted to the home master terminal 70 by the mobile service server 40. The home master terminal 70 decides whether the first packet is control information. When the first packet is the control information, the home master terminal 70 transmits the first packet to the home appliances, and when the first packet is the non-control information, the home master terminal 70 stores the first packet in a predetermined memory (not shown), or processes and stores the first packet, so that the user can confirm and use the packet.
Moreover, the non-control information obtained by the camera 62 and the microphone 64 connected to the home master terminal 70 is converted into a mobile format, transmitted to the mobile service server 40, and retransmitted to the mobile terminal 10. Fig. 3 is a structure view illustrating the mobile service server of Fig. 1. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the mobile service server 40 includes a network connection means 42 connected to the internet network 30, a decision means 44 for deciding accessibility of the mobile terminal 10 to the home network system 60, an access status confirmation means 46 for confirming access of the home network system 60 to the mobile service server 40, and a registration means 48 for receiving the ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 from the home network system 60 and storing the ID number. In detail, the decision means 44 receives the first packet containing the authentication request data including the authentication data from the mobile terminal 10 through the network connection means 42, performs the authentication process for comparing the ID number of the mobile terminal 10 contained in the authentication request data with the ID number previously stored in the registration means 48, and/or transmits the authentication data to the authentication server 50 through the first packet, receives the first packet containing an authentication result data from the authentication server 50, and decides authentication of the mobile terminal 10 to the home network system 60. The authentication result data includes an authentication ACK data or authentication NAK data. When receiving the authentication ACK data from the authentication server 50, the decision means 44 decides that the mobile terminal 10 has a right to use the home network system 60, and transmits the first packet containing the control information and/or non-control information from the mobile terminal 10 to the home network system 60. In the
opposite case, the decision means 44 transmits the first packet. When the access status confirmation means 46 receives the first packet containing the access request data from the home master terminal 70 of the home network system 60 through the network connection means 42, the access status confirmation means 46 confirms an access status between the home master terminal 70 and the mobile service server 40 for communication, and transmits the first packet containing the access ACK data or access NAK data to the home master terminal 70. In addition, the access status confirmation means 46 receives the first packet containing the dummy signal from the home master terminal 70 at an interval of a predetermined time, and confirms the access status between the home master terminal 70 and the mobile service server 40. Fig. 4 is a structure view illustrating the home master terminal of Fig. 1. Referring to Fig. 4, the home master terminal 70 includes a home appliance control module 72 for processing the second packet for controlling and monitoring the home appliances through the bus network 90, a memory 74, a user interface means 76 for processing input/output by the user, a data processing module 78 for receiving a data from an external input means 66 and processing the data, and a mobile agent module 80 for accessing the internet network 30, receiving and transmitting the first packet, and converting the first packet into the second packet. In detail, the home appliance control module 72 is connected to the mobile agent module 80 for transmitting or receiving the second packet. The second packet includes a control command or control response. The home appliance control module 72 transmits the control command to the corresponding home appliance through the bus network 90, receives, the control response from the home appliance, and transmits the control response to the mobile agent module 80.
The memory 74 is connected to the user interface means 76 for receiving the authentication data and the ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 and storing the authentication data and the ID number, and also connected to the mobile agent module 80 and the data processing module 78 for storing the non-control information. The user interface means 76 is an input means such as a keyboard, touch pad or mouse. The data processing module 78 is connected to the external input means 66, for receiving the data, and storing the data in the memory 74 or transmitting the data to the mobile agent module 80, and for receiving the first packet containing the non-control information from the mobile agent module 80, and processing the first packet or storing the non-control information in the memory 74. The mobile agent module 80 generates the first packet containing the access request data to access the mobile service server 40, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server 40. When the mobile agent module 80 receives the first packet containing the access ACK data from the mobile service server 40, the mobile agent module 80 is connected to communicate with the mobile service server 40, for adding the ID number stored in the memory 74 to the first packet, and transmitting the first packet to register the ID number. When the mobile agent module 80 receives the first packet containing the access NAK data from the mobile service server 40, the mobile agent module 80 retransmits the first packet containing the access request data to access the mobile service server 40. The access step is executed when power is supplied to the home master terminal 70 or when a command is inputted by the user. In addition, the mobile agent module 80 accesses the authentication server
50 through the internet network 30, and transmits the first packet containing the
authentication data stored in the memory 74 to register the authentication data. The mobile agent module 80 accesses the mobile service server 40, and transmits and receives the first packet through the internet network 30. When the information of the first packet is control information, the mobile agent module 80 converts the first packet into the second packet and transmits the second packet to the home appliance control module 72. When the information of the first packet is non-control information, the mobile agent module 80 stores the first packet in the memory 74 or transmits the first packet to the data processing module 78. In addition, the mobile agent module 80 receives the second packet containing the control information from the home appliance control module 72, converts the second packet into the first packet, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server 40. When the mobile agent module 80 receives the data from the data processing module 78, the mobile agent module 80 converts the data into a mobile format, and transmits the mobile format data to the mobile service server 40 or stores the data in the memory 74. The mobile agent module 80 accesses the mobile service server 40, and transmits the first packet containing the dummy signal for confirming the current access status to the mobile service server 40 through the internet network 30 at an interval of a predetermined time, to continuously maintain the access to the mobile service server 40. When the mobile agent module 80 is disconnected from the mobile service server 40, the mobile agent module 80 retransmits the first packet containing the access request data to the mobile service server 40, and repeats the access procedure. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is understood that the present invention should not be limited to these preferred embodiments but various changes and modifications can be made by
one skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention as hereinafter claimed.