Communication setting support method and communication setting support system

• US 20020156766A1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ozawa, Yoshio, Nakamura, Yoshinobu
• Application Number:
  US10/108,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20020156766A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2821 Avoiding conflicts related to the use of home appliances cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/365 Application layer names, e.g. buddy names, unstructured names chosen by a user or home appliance name
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation

Abstract

A controller 1 reads first identification information preset for devices 2, and stores the read first identification information. Each device 2 accepts unique second identification information for identifying the device, and outputs the accepted second identification information to the controller 1. The controller 1 stores the outputted second identification information in association with the stored corresponding first identification information. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent errors in setting device names for the devices and reduce the administrator'"'"'s burden.

Claims

1. A communication setting support method for supporting setting of a communication characteristic between a plurality of devices and a controller which controls the devices, by storing information for identifying each device in the controller, comprising the steps of:

reading, by the controller, first identification information stored in each of the devices;

storing the read first identification information in the controller;

accepting, by the devices, unique second identification information for identifying each of the devices;

outputting the accepted second identification information from the devices to the controller; and

storing the outputted second identification information in association with the stored corresponding first identification information in the controller.

2. A communication setting support method for supporting setting of a communication characteristic between a plurality of devices and a controller which controls the devices, by storing information for identifying each device in the controller, comprising the steps of:

reading, by the controller, first identification information stored in each of the devices;

storing the read first identification information in the controller;

accepting unique second identification information for identifying each of the devices by a portable terminal apparatus connected to the controller through a communicating network;

accepting, by one device, third identification information for distinguishing said one device from other devices;

outputting the accepted third identification information from the one device to the controller;

transmitting the accepted second identification information from the portable terminal apparatus to the controller after outputting the third identification information; and

storing the transmitted second identification information in association with the stored corresponding first identification information in the controller.

3. A communication setting support system including a plurality of devices and a controller which controls the devices, for supporting setting of a communication characteristic between the devices and the controller by storing information for identifying each device in the controller,

the controller being capable of performing the operations of:

reading first identification information stored in each of the devices;

storing the read first identification information; and

storing unique second identification information for identifying each of the devices in association with the stored corresponding first identification information,

the devices being capable of performing the operations of;

accepting the second identification information; and

outputting the accepted second identification information to the controller.

4. A communication setting support system including a plurality of devices, a controller which controls the devices, and a portable information terminal connected to the controller through a communicating network, for supporting setting of a communication characteristic between the devices and the controller by storing information for identifying each device in the controller,

the controller being capable of performing the operations of:

reading first identification information stored in each of the devices;

storing the read first identification information; and

storing unique second identification information for identifying each of the devices in association with the stored corresponding first identification information,

the devices being capable of performing the operations of;

accepting third identification information for distinguishing one device from other devices; and

outputting the accepted third identification information to the controller,

the portable information terminal being capable of performing the operations of;

accepting the second identification information; and

transmitting the accepted second identification information to the controller after the output of the third identification information from the devices to the controller.

5. A communication setting support system including a plurality of devices and a controller which controls the devices, for supporting setting of a communication characteristic between the devices and the controller by storing information for identifying each device in the controller,

the controller comprising:

means for reading first identification information stored in each of the devices;

means for storing the read first identification information; and

means for storing unique second identification information for identifying each of the devices in association with the stored corresponding first identification information,

the devices comprising;

means for accepting the second identification information; and

means for outputting the accepted second identification information to the controller.

6. A communication setting support system including a plurality of devices, a controller which controls the devices, and a portable information terminal connected to the controller through a communicating network, for supporting setting of a communication characteristic between the devices and the controller by storing information for identifying each device in the controller,

the controller comprising:

means for reading first identification information stored in each of the devices;

means for storing the read first identification information; and

means for storing unique second identification information for identifying each of the devices in association with the stored corresponding first identification information,

the devices comprising;

means for accepting third identification information for distinguishing one device from other devices; and

third identification information output means for outputting the accepted third identification information to the controller,

the portable information terminal comprising;

means for accepting the second identification information; and

means for transmitting the accepted second identification information to the controller after the output of the third identification information from the third identification information output means to the controller.