Device controller, communication terminal, device control method, compensation calculation method, and device control system

• US 10,447,863 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KDDI Corporation
• Original Assignee: KDDI Corporation
• Inventors: Okamoto, Toshiyuki, Iwanaga, Mitsumasa, Kurita, Sakiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US16/079,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20190068791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 37910601, 37910203, 37910201, 37910202, 340 125
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A device controller connected to a communication terminal and a plurality of devices via a network includes an acquisition unit configured to receive first control information for controlling a plurality of devices of predetermined type from the communication terminal, the first control information including specific information for identifying a control target device selected from the plurality of devices, a device identification unit configured to identify the control target device on the basis of the specific information included in the first control information, a generation unit configured to generate second control information for causing the control target device to execute control details indicated by the first control information, the second control information being different from the first control information, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the second control information.

Claims

1. A device controller connected to a communication terminal and a plurality of devices via a network, the device controller comprising:

a storage unit configured to store the number of controllable devices to be controlled by the communication terminal among the plurality of devices in association with identification information of the communication terminal;

an acquisition unit configured to receive first control information for controlling the plurality of devices from the communication terminal, the first control information including specific information for identifying a control target device selected from the controllable devices;

a device identification unit configured to identify the control target device on the basis of the specific information included in the first control information;

a generation unit configured to generate second control information for causing the control target device to execute control details indicated by the first control information, the second control information being different from the first control information;

a transmission unit configured to transmit the second control information to the control target device; and

a compensation output unit configured to output compensation obtained by adding a first compensation according to the number of controllable devices stored in the storage unit and a second compensation according to the transmission of the second control information which the transmission unit has transmitted.

2. The device controller according to claim 1,

wherein the device controller is further configured to obtain the number of times the transmission unit has transmitted the second control information, and

the compensation output unit is further configured to obtain the second compensation according to the obtained number of times.

3. The device controller according to claim 1,

wherein the compensation output unit is further configured to obtain the first compensation by multiplying a unit price by the number of controllable devices.

4. The device controller according to claim 3,

wherein the compensation output unit is further configured to obtain the first compensation on the basis of a different unit price in each of a plurality of types of the controllable devices.

5. The device controller according to claim 4,

wherein the plurality of types include a first type of the controllable devices that is constantly activated.

6. The device controller according to claim 4,

wherein the plurality of types include a second type of the controllable devices that is used by performing activation at a fixed timing.

7. The device controller according to claim 4,

wherein the plurality of types include a third type of the controllable devices that performs one operation every time a user operates the communication terminal.

8. The device controller according to claim 1,

wherein the first compensation includes compensation according to the number of controllable devices that include a controllable device that has not been controlled for a period of calculating the compensation.

9. The device controller according to claim 8,

wherein the controllable device that has not been controlled for the period of calculating the compensation is registered and associated with a user of the communication terminal.

10. The device controller according to claim 1,

wherein the compensation output unit is further configured to output the compensation in association with a user of the communication terminal.

11. The device controller according to claim 1,

wherein the compensation output unit is further configured to output the compensation in association with application software to be used in control of the control target device by the communication terminal.

12. A method for operating device controller connected to a communication terminal and a plurality of devices via a network, the method comprising:

storing the number of controllable devices to be controlled by the communication terminal among the plurality of devices in association with identification information of the communication terminal;

receiving first control information for controlling the plurality of devices from the communication terminal, the first control information including specific information for identifying a control target device selected from the controllable devices;

identifying the control target device on the basis of the specific information included in the first control information;

generating second control information for causing the control target device to execute control details indicated by the first control information, the second control information being different from the first control information;

transmitting the second control information to the control target device; and

outputting compensation obtained by adding a first compensation according to the number of controllable devices and a second compensation according to the transmission of the second control information which the transmitting has transmitted.

13. The method according to claim 12,

wherein the outputting the compensation comprises:

obtaining the number of times the transmission unit has transmitted the second control information; and

obtaining the second compensation according to the obtained number of times.

14. The method according to claim 12,

wherein the outputting the compensation comprises:

obtaining the first compensation by multiplying a unit price by the number of controllable devices.

15. The method according to claim 14,

wherein the outputting the compensation comprises:

obtaining the first compensation on the basis of a different unit price in each of a plurality of types of the controllable devices.

16. The method according to claim 12,

wherein the first compensation includes compensation according to the number of controllable devices that include a controllable device that has not been controlled for a period of calculating the compensation.

17. The method according to claim 16,

wherein the controllable device that has not been controlled for the period of calculating the compensation is registered and associated with a user of the communication terminal.

18. The method according to claim 12,

wherein the outputting the compensation comprises:

outputting the compensation in association with a user of the communication terminal.

19. The method according to claim 12,

wherein the outputting the compensation comprises:

outputting the compensation in association with application software to be used in control of the control target device by the communication terminal.