Remote device diagnostics

• US 20020188741A1
• Filed: 01/29/2002
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mayer, Matthias, Szucs, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• 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 12/2821 Avoiding conflicts related to the use of home appliances cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40097 Interconnection with other networks LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; single bridge functionality H04L12/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A method for diagnosing an IEEE1394 home network device (6, 7) from remote is proposed. The communication between a remote testing device (2) and the IEEE1394 home network device (6, 7) is split into two parts: between the remote testing device (2) and a gateway (4) of the home network (5) preferably TCP/IP is used as communication protocol. Inside the home network (5), i. e. between the gateway (4) and the IEEE1394 home network device (6, 7), an IEEE1394 low level communication protocol is used. As this IEEE1394 low level communication protocol is common to all home network protocols employed by IEEE1394 home network devices (6, 7), this communication method is independent of the home network protocol used by the IEEE1394 home network devices (6, 7).

Claims

1. Method for communicating between a remote testing device (2) and an IEEE1394 home network device (6, 7) being located in a home network (5), wherein said remote testing device (2) is connected with said home network (5) via a remote communication network (3), characterized by

communicating on a remote communication protocol basis between said remote testing device (2) and a communication protocol interface (14) which is part of said home network (5),

communicating on an IEEE1394 low level communication protocol basis between said communication protocol interface (14) and said IEEE1394 home network device (2).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized by

encapsulating/decapsulating communication information in/from a communication protocol frame, before/after

transporting said communication protocol frame between said remote testing device (2) and said communication protocol interface (14) on said remote communication protocol basis.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized by

encapsulating/decapsulating said communication information in/from a home network communication protocol frame.

4. Method according to claim 2, characterized by

encapsulating/decapsulating said communication information in/from an IEEE1394 low level communication protocol frame.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized by

encapsulating/decapsulating said IEEE1394 low level communication protocol frame in/from a home network communication protocol frame.

6. Method according to claim 3 or 5, characterized by transporting a home network communication protocol frame decapsulated/generated by said communication protocol interface (14) within said communication protocol interface (14) before transferring communication information contained within said home network communication protocol frame into an IEEE1394 low level communication protocol frame or before transporting said communication protocol frame between said remote testing device (2) and said communication protocol interface (14) on said remote communication protocol basis.

7. Method according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized by sending commands as communication information via said remote communication network (3) from said remote testing device (2) to said communication protocol interface to instruct said communication protocol interface (14) how to communicate with said home network device (6, 7) on said IEEE1394 low level communication protocol basis.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized by extracting device status information from said home network device (6, 7) on the basis of said IEEE1394 low level communication process between said home network device (6, 7) and said communication protocol interface (14) according to said commands sent by said remote testing device (2).

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized by sending extracted device status information as communication information via said remote communication network (3) from said communication protocol interface (14) to said remote testing device (2), wherein said sending process of said extracted device status information is executed only after said device status information extracting process has been completed according to said instructions of said remote testing device (2).

10. Method according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized by using a TCP/IP protocol as said remote communication protocol.

11. Method according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized by using a Quadlet read/write protocol as said IEEE1394 low level communication protocol.

12. Method according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized by using a AV/C protocol or a HAVi protocol as said home network communication protocol.

14. Communication protocol interface (14) according to claim 13, characterized by being divided into a first unit (15) and a second unit (16), wherein

said first unit (15) comprises said remote communication protocol interface (18), a second IEEE1394 interface (19) and functionality for extracting/encapsulating a home network communication protocol frame from/into said second communication protocol frame, and

said second unit (16) comprises said first IEEE1394 interface (20) and functionality for extracting/encapsulating an IEEE1394 low level communication protocol frame from/into a home network communication protocol frame, said first and said second unit (15, 16) being connected via a home network connection (17) to communicate between each other via said first (20) and said second IEEE1394 interface (19) by using said home network communication protocol frame.

15. Communication protocol interface (14) according to claim 14, characterized in that said first unit (15) comprises a gateway (4) connecting said home network (5) to a remote communication network (3).

16. Communication protocol interface (14) according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that said second unit (16) comprises a proxy (8).

20. Service diagnostic system (1), comprising

a remote testing device (2) according to claim 19,

an IEEE1394 supporting home network device (6, 7),

a communication protocol interface (14) according to anyone of the claims 13 to 18,

an IEEE1394 home network (5) connecting said IEEE1394 supporting home network device (6, 7) to said communication protocol interface (14),

a remote communication network (3) linking said remote testing device (2) to said home network (5), wherein said communication protocol interface (14) controls a device status information extraction process of said IEEE1394 supporting home network device (6, 7) according to instructions received by said remote testing device (2), and controls a sending process of said extracted device status information to said remote testing device (2),

wherein said device status information extraction process is executed on an IEEE1394 low level communication protocol basis.

21. Service diagnostic system (1) according to claim 20, characterized in that said remote communication network (3) comprises the internet.

13. Communication protocol interface (14) being a part of a home network (5) for transferring communication information encapsulated within a first/second communication protocol frame into a second/first communication protocol frame, characterized by

a first IEEE1394 interface (20),

functionality for extracting device status information from an IEEE1394 supporting home network device (6, 7) via said first IEEE1394 interface (20) and an IEEE1394 connection (10, 11) linking said IEEE1394 supporting home network device (6, 7) to said first IEEE1394 interface (20) by using a low level communication protocol frame of said first IEEE1394 interface (20) as said first communication protocol frame,

a remote communication protocol interface (18) and functionality for communicating with a remote testing device (2) via said remote communication protocol interface (18) and a remote communication network (3) linking said remote testing device (2) to said remote communication protocol interface (14) by using said second communication protocol frame.

17. Communication protocol interface (14) according to anyone of the claims 13 to 16, characterized in that said remote communication protocol interface (14) supports TCP/IP.

18. Communication protocol interface (14) according to anyone of the claims 13 to 17, characterized in that said home network communication protocol interface (14) supports AV/C and/or HAVi.

19. Remote testing device (2) for extracting device status information of an IEEE1394 home network device (6, 7) being located in a home network (5), wherein said remote testing device (2) is connected with said home network (5) via a remote communication network (3), characterized by

means for encapsulating/decapsulating communication information from/into a communication protocol frame,

means for sending/receiving said communication protocol frame via said remote communication network (3) to/from said IEEE1394 home network device (6, 7) by using a remote communication protocol.