SYSTEM, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR MANAGING AND CONTROLLING A LOCAL NETWORK OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20050249169A1
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Fong, Avery
• Granted Patent: US 7,197,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product including providing a main server including software for managing network resources from a single point of administration, wirelessly connecting a plurality of electronic devices to the main server to create a wireless local area network (LAN), and managing the electronic devices using the software. The electronic devices include at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device and may be monitored by monitoring management initiating parameters for the electronic devices, determining a management action to be performed on an electronic device to be managed based on the management initiating parameters, and transmitting a management action data packet to the electronic device to be managed. The monitoring management initiating parameters monitored may include monitoring at least one of a system clock and sensed parameters. An adjustable transmission power may be provided for the main server to provide an adjustable signal area for the wireless LAN.

Claims

1. A method of managing electronic devices comprising:

providing a main server including software for managing network resources from a single point of administration;

wirelessly connecting a plurality of electronic devices to said main server to create a wireless local area network (LAN); and

managing said electronic devices using said software, wherein said electronic devices include at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device, wherein said step of managing said electronic devices comprises;

monitoring management initiating parameters including at least one of a system clock and sensed parameters, for said electronic devices;

determining a management action to be performed on an electronic device to be managed based on said management initiating parameters; and

transmitting a management action data packet to said electronic device to be managed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a main server comprises providing one of a desktop computer and a portable computer as said main server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of wirelessly connecting comprises:

wirelessly transmitting an identification request from said main server;

wirelessly receiving a response from responding electronic devices within the wireless range of said main server; and

maintaining said wireless LAN including the main server and the responding electronic devices.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing an adjustable transmission power for said main server thereby providing an adjustable signal area for said wireless LAN.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising periodically updating information on the electronic devices connected to said wireless LAN.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising adding and dropping electronic devices from said wireless LAN as necessary.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of maintaining said wireless LAN comprises using a media access control (MAC) protocol.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said management action data packet at said electronic device to be managed; and

performing said management action at said electronic device to be managed based on said management action data packet.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a management action report at said electronic device to be managed;

transmitting a report data packet including said management action report from said electronic device to be managed, said management action report containing information about whether said management action was completed by the electronic device to be managed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of wirelessly connecting a plurality of electronic devices comprises wirelessly connecting at least one of an office equipment device and a mobile terminal device to said main server.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of creating a wireless LAN comprises creating a wireless home network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of creating a wireless LAN comprises creating a wireless workplace network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of wirelessly connecting said electronic devices comprises wirelessly connecting said electronic devices to said main server such that said electronic devices can share the software and hardware resources of the main server.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing Internet connectivity to said electronic devices through said main server.

8-9. -9. (canceled)

17. A system for managing electronic devices comprising:

a main server including software for managing network resources from a single point of administration;

a communications device configured to wirelessly connect a plurality of electronic devices to said main server to create a wireless local area network (LAN);

a processor configured to manage said electronic devices using said software, wherein said electronic devices include at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device;

monitoring management initiating parameters including at least one of a system clock and sensed parameters, for said electronic devices;

determining a management action to be performed on an electronic device to be managed based on said management initiating parameters; and

transmitting a management action data packet to said electronic device to be managed via said communications device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said main server comprises one of a desktop computer and a portable computer.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said communications device is configured to wirelessly connect by:

wirelessly transmitting an identification request from said main server;

wirelessly receiving a response from responding electronic devices within the wireless range of said main server; and

maintaining said wireless LAN including the main server and the responding electronic devices.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a power adjustment device configured to adjust transmission power of the communications device thereby providing an adjustable signal area for said wireless LAN.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a communications protocol configured to periodically update information on the electronic devices connected to said wireless LAN.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said communications protocol is configured to add and drop electronic devices from said wireless LAN as necessary.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein said communications device is configured to maintain said wireless LAN by using a media access control (MAC) protocol.

26. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

another communications device configured to receive said management action data packet at said electronic device to be managed; and

another processor configured to perform said management action at said electronic device to be managed based on said management action data packet.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said another processor is further configured to:

generate a management action report at said electronic device to be managed;

transmit a report data packet including said management action report from said electronic device to be managed via said another communications device, said management action report containing information about whether said management action was completed by the electronic device to be managed.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein said communications device is configured to wirelessly connect a plurality of electronic devices by wirelessly connecting at least one of an office equipment device and a mobile terminal device to said main server.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein said communications device creates a wireless LAN by creating a wireless home network.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein said communications device creates a wireless LAN by creating a wireless workplace network.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein said communications device is configured to wirelessly connect said electronic devices by wirelessly connecting said electronic devices to said main server such that said electronic devices can share the software and hardware resources of the main server.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein said communications device is configured to provide Internet connectivity to said electronic devices through said main server.

24-25. -25. (canceled)

33. A system for managing electronic devices comprising:

main server means for providing software for managing network resources from a single point of administration;

means for wirelessly connecting a plurality of electronic devices to said main server means to create a wireless local area network (LAN);

means for managing said electronic devices using said software, wherein said electronic devices include at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device;

means for monitoring management initiating parameters including at least one of a system clock and sensed parameters for said electronic devices;

determining a management action to be performed on an electronic device to be managed based on said management initiating parameters;

transmitting a management action data packet to said electronic device to be managed;

means for determining means for receiving said management action data packet at said electronic device to be managed; and

means for performing said management action at said electronic device to be managed based on said management action data packet.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for providing an adjustable signal area for said wireless LAN.

35. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for periodically updating information on the electronic devices connected to said wireless LAN.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising means for adding and dropping electronic devices from said wireless LAN as necessary.

38. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

means for generating a management action report at said electronic device to be managed;

means for transmitting a report data packet including said management action report from said electronic device to be managed, said management action report containing information about whether said management action was completed by the electronic device to be managed.

37. (canceled)

39. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a main server, which when executed by the main server, cause the main server to perform steps comprising:

wirelessly connecting a plurality of electronic devices to said main server to create a wireless local area network (LAN); and

managing said electronic devices using said software, wherein said electronic devices include at least one of an appliance, an environmental control device, and an entertainment device, wherein said step of managing said electronic devices comprises;

monitoring management initiating parameters including at least one of a system clock and sensed parameters, for said electronic devices;

determining a management action to be performed on an electronic device to be managed based on said management initiating parameters; and

transmitting a management action data packet to said electronic device to be managed.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein said program instructions are executable on one of a desktop computer and a portable computer.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein said step of wirelessly connecting comprises:

wirelessly transmitting an identification request from said main server;

wirelessly receiving a response from responding electronic devices within the wireless range of said main server; and

maintaining said wireless LAN including the main server and the responding electronic devices.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein said main server is further caused to perform a step of providing an adjustable transmission power for said main server thereby providing an adjustable signal area for said wireless LAN.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein said main server is further caused to perform a step of periodically updating information on the electronic devices connected to said wireless LAN.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein said main server is further caused to perform a step of adding and dropping electronic devices from said wireless LAN as necessary.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein said step of maintaining said wireless LAN comprises using a media access control (MAC) protocol.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein said main server is further caused to perform the steps of:

receiving said management action data packet at said electronic device to be managed; and

performing said management action at said electronic device to be managed based on said management action data packet.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 46, wherein said main server is further caused to perform the steps of:

generating a management action report at said electronic device to be managed;

transmitting a report data packet including said management action report from said electronic device to be managed, said management action report containing information about whether said management action was completed by the electronic device to be managed.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein said step of wirelessly connecting a plurality of electronic devices comprises wirelessly connecting at least one of an office equipment device and a mobile terminal device to said main server.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein said step of creating a wireless LAN comprises creating a wireless home network.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein said step of creating a wireless LAN comprises creating a wireless workplace network.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein said step of wirelessly connecting said electronic devices comprises wirelessly connecting said electronic devices to said main server such that said electronic devices can share the software and hardware resources of the main server.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein said main server is further caused to perform a step of providing Internet connectivity to said electronic devices through said main server.