Remote monitoring system, remote monitoring method for electronic apparatus, low order monitoring apparatus, notification method of apparatus monitoring information, high order monitoring apparatus, communication method of maintenance data, program and recording medium

• US 20050198278A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Setogawa, Toshiaki, Sato, Yozo
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

A technique is disclosed which makes it possible to remotely monitor electronic apparatus which do not exist on a wide area network. Electronic apparatus which are used in a non-connected state to a wide area network are remotely monitored using a plurality of low order monitoring apparatus and a high order monitoring apparatus. Each of the low order monitoring apparatus issues, when a particular one of the electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring is connected thereto or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus is connected thereto, a notification of apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus to the high order monitoring apparatus. The high order monitoring apparatus unitarily monitors the apparatus management information acquired through the low order monitoring apparatus.

Claims

1. A remote monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network;

a plurality of low order monitoring apparatus each for issuing, when a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring of the low order monitoring apparatus is connected to the low order monitoring apparatus or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus is connected to the low order monitoring apparatus, a notification of apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus through said wide area network; and

one or more high order monitoring apparatus for unitarily monitoring the apparatus management information acquired through said low order monitoring apparatus.

2. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus management information is an operation log.

3. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus management information is dynamic setting information.

4. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus management information is static setting information.

5. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein each of said low order monitoring apparatus calls a self-diagnosis program in the particular electronic apparatus and acquires a result of the diagnosis as the apparatus management information.

6. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein each of said low order monitoring apparatus interprets a destination of reception data and performs rereading of a communication port depending upon whether the destination is the low order monitoring apparatus itself or one of said high order monitoring apparatus.

7. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein, while any of said low order monitoring apparatus is not connected to said wide area network, if a particular electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring of the low order monitoring apparatus is connected or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus is connected to the lower order monitoring apparatus, then the low order monitoring apparatus retains apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus until after communication with said wide area network is enabled.

8. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein each of said low order monitoring apparatus has a coordination table which coordinates those of said electronic apparatus which are under the direct monitoring by the low order monitoring apparatus and connection confirmation information of the electronic apparatus with each other.

9. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein each of said low order monitoring apparatus has directory information which describes to which one of said high order monitoring apparatus the apparatus management information of any of said electronic apparatus should be repeated.

10. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein each of said high order monitoring apparatus has a coordination table which coordinates those of said electronic apparatus which are recognized as an object of monitoring and connection confirmation information of the electronic apparatus.

11. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein each of said electronic apparatus is a broadcasting apparatus.

12. The remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic apparatus do not have a communication function with said wide area network.

13. A remote monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network;

one or more high order monitoring apparatus each for transmitting maintenance data unique to a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring of the high order monitoring apparatus; and

a plurality of low order monitoring apparatus each for retaining, when the low order monitoring apparatus receives the maintenance data through said wide area network from that one of said high order monitoring apparatus which has the low order monitoring apparatus placed under the direct monitoring thereof, the maintenance data received from the high order monitoring apparatus until after the particular electronic apparatus which is the monitoring object of the high order monitoring apparatus is connected to the low order monitoring apparatus or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus is connected to the low order monitoring apparatus.

14. The remote monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the maintenance data are a firmware program or a correction program.

15. The remote monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein the maintenance data are dynamic setting information.

16. The remote monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein each of said high order monitoring apparatus has a coordination table which coordinates those of said electronic apparatus which make an object of monitoring of the high order monitoring apparatus and wide area network addresses of those of said low order monitoring apparatus which have the electronic apparatus placed under the direct monitoring thereof.

17. The remote monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein each of said low order monitoring apparatus interprets a destination of reception data and performs rereading of a communication port depending upon whether the destination is the low order monitoring apparatus itself or one of said electronic apparatus.

18. The remote monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein each of said electronic apparatus is a broadcasting apparatus.

19. The remote monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein said electronic apparatus do not have a communication function with said wide area network.

20. A remote controlling method for electronic apparatus included in a remote monitoring system and each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network, said remote monitoring system further including a plurality of low order monitoring apparatus each for issuing a notification of apparatus management information acquired from any of said electronic apparatus and one or more high order monitoring apparatus each for unitarily monitoring the apparatus management information of the electronic apparatus acquired from the notification from any of said low order monitoring apparatus through said wide area network, comprising:

a step executed by any of said low order monitoring apparatus of issuing a request for apparatus management information to a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus; and

a step executed by any of said high order monitoring apparatus of issuing a request for transmission of the apparatus management information acquired by the low order monitoring apparatus to the low order monitoring apparatus.

21. The remote monitoring method for electronic apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a step executed by any of said low order monitoring apparatus of voluntarily transmitting, when the low order monitoring apparatus finds an abnormal state of the particular electronic apparatus from the apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus, the apparatus management information of the electronic apparatus with regard to which the abnormal state is found to a corresponding one of said high order monitoring apparatus.

22. The remote monitoring method for electronic apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a step executed by any of said low order monitoring apparatus of retaining, when, while the low order monitoring apparatus is not connected to said wide area network, a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus is connected to the low order monitoring apparatus, the apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus or the recording medium until after communication with said wide area network is enabled.

23. A remote monitoring method for electronic apparatus included in a remote monitoring system and each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network, said remote monitoring system further including one or more high order monitoring apparatus each for transmitting maintenance data unique to a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring of the high order monitoring apparatus and a plurality of low order monitoring apparatus each for receiving the maintenance data from any of said high order monitoring apparatus through said wide area network and transmitting the received maintenance data to the particular electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring of the low order monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a step executed by any of said low order monitoring apparatus of retaining the maintenance data received from any of said high order monitoring apparatus until after the particular electronic apparatus which is the monitoring object of the high order monitoring apparatus is connected to the low order monitoring apparatus or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus is connected to the low order monitoring apparatus; and

a step executed by the low order monitoring apparatus of transmitting, after the connection is detected, the maintenance data to the electronic apparatus or the recording medium.

24. A low order monitoring apparatus for a remote monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network, comprising:

a first connection terminal for connecting to any of said electronic apparatus or a recording medium removed from the electronic apparatus; and

a second connection terminal for issuing a notification of apparatus management information of the electronic apparatus received from the electronic apparatus or the recording medium connected to said first connection terminal to a high order monitoring apparatus through said wide area network.

25. The low order monitoring apparatus for a remote monitoring system according to claim 24, further comprising a reception buffer for retaining, when, while said low order monitoring apparatus is not connected to said wide area network, a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring or a recording medium removed from the electronic apparatus is connected to said low order monitoring apparatus, the apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus or the recording medium until after communication with said wide area network is enabled.

26. A notification method of apparatus management information by a low order monitoring apparatus for notifying a high order monitoring apparatus of apparatus management information of any of a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network and controlled by said low order monitoring apparatus, comprising:

a step of issuing a request for apparatus management information to a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus; and

a step of retaining the apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus or the recording medium into a storage apparatus.

27. The notification method of apparatus management information according to claim 26, further comprising a step of retaining, when, while said low order monitoring apparatus is not connected to said wide area network, a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring or a recording medium removed from the electronic apparatus is connected to said low order monitoring apparatus, the apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus or the recording medium into and in a transmission buffer until after communication with said wide area network is enabled.

28. A program for causing a computer, which is incorporated in a low order monitoring apparatus for notifying a high order monitoring apparatus of apparatus management information acquired from any of a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network and controlled by said low order monitoring apparatus through said wide area, to execute:

a function of causing a request for apparatus management information to be issued to a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus; and

a function of causing the apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus or the recording medium to be retained into a storage apparatus.

29. A recording medium on which a program is recorded for causing a computer, which is incorporated in a low order monitoring apparatus for notifying a high order monitoring apparatus of apparatus management information acquired from any of a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network and controlled by said low order monitoring apparatus, to execute:

a function of causing a request for apparatus management information to be issued to a particular one of said electronic apparatus which makes an object of monitoring or a recording medium removed from the particular electronic apparatus; and

a function of causing the apparatus management information acquired from the particular electronic apparatus or the recording medium to be retained into a storage apparatus.

30. A high order monitoring apparatus for a remote monitoring system for indirectly monitoring a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network through one of a plurality of low order monitoring apparatus connected to said high order monitoring apparatus through said wide area network, comprising:

an information collection section for issuing a request for transmission of apparatus management information acquired by said low order monitoring apparatus to said low order monitoring apparatus; and

a storage apparatus for unitarily retaining the apparatus management information of said electronic apparatus included in said remote monitoring system.

31. The high order monitoring system for a remote monitoring system according to claim 30, wherein said storage apparatus retains a coordination table which coordinates those of said electronic apparatus which make an object of monitoring and wide area network addresses of those of said low order monitoring apparatus which monitor the electronic apparatus with each other.

32. A communication method of maintenance data by a high order monitoring apparatus which indirectly monitors a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network through one of a plurality of low order monitoring apparatus connected to said high order monitoring apparatus through said wide area network, comprising:

a step of reading out, upon transmission of maintenance data to a particular one of said electronic apparatus, a wide area network address of one of said low order monitoring apparatus, which has the particular electronic apparatus placed under the direct monitoring thereof, from a storage apparatus; and

a step of transmitting the maintenance data destined for the particular electronic apparatus to the wide area network address read out from said storage apparatus.

33. A program for causing a computer incorporated in a high order monitoring apparatus, which indirectly monitors a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network through one of a plurality of low order monitoring apparatus connected to said high order monitoring apparatus through said wide area network, to execute:

a function of causing, upon transmission of maintenance data to a particular one of said electronic apparatus, a wide area network address of one of said low order monitoring apparatus, which has the particular electronic apparatus placed under the direct monitoring thereof, to be read out from a storage apparatus; and

a function of causing the maintenance data destined for the particular electronic apparatus to be transmitted to the wide area network address read out from said storage apparatus.

34. A recording medium on which a program is recorded for causing a computer incorporated in a high order monitoring apparatus, which indirectly monitors a plurality of electronic apparatus each used in a non-connected state to a wide area network through one of a plurality of low order monitoring apparatus connected to said high order monitoring apparatus through said wide area network, to execute:

a function of causing, upon transmission of maintenance data to a particular one of said electronic apparatus, a wide area network address of one of said low order monitoring apparatus, which has the particular electronic apparatus placed under the direct monitoring thereof, to be read out from a storage apparatus; and

a function of causing the maintenance data destined for the particular electronic apparatus to be transmitted to the wide area network address read out from said storage apparatus.