Communication system, information terminal apparatus, communication method, and program thereof

• US 20060192686A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishii, Kazunari, Hashimoto, Kazuhiko, Yoshimura, Yasuo, Miki, Tadashi
• Application Number:
  US10/547,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20060192686A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/00 Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• 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 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A communication system includes an information terminal apparatus having at least a data collecting portion for collecting appliance information of an appliance, a data processing server apparatus and a communication device which can be communicated with the information terminal apparatus, and first and second communication networks for connection between the information terminal apparatus and the data processing server apparatus. The first communication network is a communication configuration with a high speed digital transmission technique, and the second communication network is another communication configuration providing service for telephone subscribers. The information terminal apparatus communicates the appliance information with the data processing server apparatus through the first communication network, and uses the second communication network for communicating a particular appliance information with the communication device.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

an information terminal apparatus having at least a data collecting portion for collecting appliance information of an appliance;

a data processing server apparatus and a communication device which can be communicated with said information terminal apparatus;

first and second communication networks for connection between said information terminal apparatus and said data processing server apparatus;

said first communication network being a communication configuration with a high speed digital transmission technique; and

said second communication network being another communication configuration providing service for telephone subscribers;

wherein said information terminal apparatus communicates the appliance information with said data processing server apparatus through said first communication network, and uses said second communication network for communicating a particular appliance information with said communication device.

3. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein if said first or second communication network is busy at the time just before the particular appliance information is being transmitted to the communication device through the second communication network, said information terminal apparatus disconnects or interrupts said first or second communication network.

4. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein said information terminal apparatus makes connection with said data processing server apparatus through said second communication network and transmits a first portion of the particular appliance information through said second communication network;

and

wherein said information terminal apparatus makes connection with said data processing server apparatus through said first communication network and transmits a second portion of the particular appliance information through said first communication network.

5. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the particular appliance information is information from a sensor appliance indicting an accident which requires an emergent response;

and

wherein the particular appliance information is transmitted to said data processing server apparatus or said communication device.

6. The communication system according to claim 5,

wherein if the information from the sensor appliance indicting the accident which requires the emergent response is a pressed button signal output from an emergent call button, the information terminal apparatus assigns the highest priority to transmit the pressed button signal of the emergent call button through the second communication network.

7. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein a data relating to connection of a plurality of communication devices is stored with a priority sequence in a memory of said information terminal apparatus;

and

wherein said information terminal apparatus tries to communicate with the communication devices in accordance with the priority sequence, and if connection with one of the communication devices in the priority sequence is not completed, then said information terminal apparatus tries to communicate with the next one of the communication devices in the priority sequence.

2. A communication system, comprising:

an information terminal apparatus having at least a data collecting portion for collecting appliance information of an appliance;

a data processing server apparatus and a communication device which can be communicated with said information terminal apparatus;

a first communication network for connection between said information terminal apparatus and said data processing server apparatus;

a second communication network for connection between said information terminal apparatus and said communication device;

said first communication network being a communication configuration with a high speed digital transmission technique; and

said second communication network being another communication configuration providing service for telephone subscribers;

wherein said information terminal apparatus communicates the appliance information with said data processing server apparatus through said first communication network, and uses said second communication network for communicating a particular appliance information with said communication device.

8. An information terminal apparatus, comprising:

a data collecting portion for collecting appliance information of an appliance;

first and second transceivers connected with first and second communication networks for communicating the collected appliance information with a data processing server apparatus or a communication device;

a data processing portion switching to the second communication network only in case where particular appliance information is transmitted to the communication device;

said first communication network being a communication configuration with a high speed digital transmission technique; and

said second communication network being another communication configuration providing service for telephone subscribers.

9. The information terminal apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein if said first or second communication network is busy at the time just before the particular appliance information is being transmitted to the communication device through the second communication network, said information terminal apparatus disconnects or interrupts said first or second communication network.

10. The information terminal apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein connection with said data processing server apparatus is made through said second communication network and a first portion of the particular appliance information is transmitted to said data processing server apparatus through said second network;

and

wherein connection with said data processing server apparatus is made through said first communication network, and a second portion of the particular appliance information is transmitted to said data processing server apparatus through said first network.

11. The information terminal apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the particular appliance information is information from a sensor appliance indicting an accident which requires an emergent response;

and

wherein the particular appliance information is transmitted to said data processing server apparatus or said communication device.

12. The information terminal apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein if the information from the sensor appliance indicting the accident which requires the emergent response is a pressed button signal output from an emergent call button, the information terminal apparatus assigns the highest priority to transmit the pressed button signal of the emergent call button through the second communication network.

13. The information terminal apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein a data relating to connection of a plurality of communication devices is stored with a priority sequence in a memory of said information terminal apparatus;

and

wherein said information terminal apparatus tries to communicate with the communication devices in accordance with the priority sequence, and if connection with one of the communication devices in the priority sequence is not completed, then said information terminal apparatus tries to communicate with the next one of the communication devices in the priority sequence.

14. A communication process, comprising:

a collecting step for collecting appliance information of an appliance by means of an information terminal apparatus;

a first transmitting step for transmitting the collected appliance information to a data processing server apparatus through a first communication network of a communication configuration with a high speed digital transmission technique; and

a second transmitting step for transmitting the collected appliance information to the communication device through a second communication network of another communication configuration providing service for telephone subscribers, only if the collected appliance information includes particular appliance information.

15. The communication process according to claim 14, further comprising:

a disconnecting step for disconnecting or interrupting existing communication through the first or second network, if the first or second communication network is busy at the time just before the second transmitting step in which the particular appliance information is being transmitted to the communication device through the second communication network.

16. The communication process according to claim 14, further comprising:

a first reporting step for making connection with the data processing server apparatus and transmitting a first portion of the particular appliance information to the data processing server apparatus through the second communication network;

a second reporting step for making connection with the data processing server apparatus and transmitting a second portion of the particular appliance information to the data processing server apparatus through the first communication network.

17. A communication process, comprising:

a storing step for storing data relating to connection of a plurality of communication devices with a priority sequence in a memory of an information terminal apparatus;

a collecting step for collecting appliance information of an appliance by means of an information terminal apparatus;

a first transmitting step for transmitting the collected appliance information to a data processing server apparatus through a first communication network of a communication configuration with a high speed digital transmission technique;

a second transmitting step for transmitting the collected appliance information to the communication device through a second communication network of another communication configuration providing service for telephone subscribers, only if the collected appliance information includes particular appliance information, and trying to communicate with the next one of the communication devices in the priority sequence; and

a third transmitting step for trying to communicate with the next one of the communication devices in the priority sequence if connection with one of the communication devices in the priority sequence is not completed.

18. A computer program for an information terminal apparatus, the information terminal apparatus comprising:

a data collecting portion for collecting appliance information of an appliance;

a first transceiver connected with a first communication network of a communication configuration with a high speed digital transmission technique for communicating the collected appliance information with a data processing server apparatus or a communication device;

a second transceiver connected with a second communication network of another communication configuration providing service for telephone subscribers for communicating the collected appliance information with a data processing server apparatus or a communication device; and

a data processing portion switching to the second communication network only in case where particular appliance information is transmitted to the communication device;

wherein the computer program is used for implementing each of functions of the components of the information terminal apparatus.