DEVICE CONTROLLER, COMMUNICATION TERMINAL, DEVICE CONTROL METHOD, COMPENSATION CALCULATION METHOD, AND DEVICE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20190068791A1
• Filed: 02/23/2017
• Published: 02/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KDDI Corporation
• Original Assignee: KDDI Corporation
• Inventors: OKAMOTO, Toshiyuki, IWANAGA, Mitsumasa, KURITA, Sakiko
• Granted Patent: US 10,447,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• 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 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A device controller connected to a communication terminal and a plurality of devices via a network includes an acquisition unit configured to receive first control information for controlling a plurality of devices of predetermined type from the communication terminal, the first control information including specific information for identifying a control target device selected from the plurality of devices, a device identification unit configured to identify the control target device on the basis of the specific information included in the first control information, a generation unit configured to generate second control information for causing the control target device to execute control details indicated by the first control information, the second control information being different from the first control information, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the second control information.

Claims

1-41. -41. (canceled)

42. A device controller connected to a communication terminal and a plurality of devices via a network, the device controller comprising:

a storage unit configured to store the number of controllable devices to be controlled by the communication terminal among the plurality of devices in association with identification information of the communication terminal;

an acquisition unit configured to receive first control information for controlling the plurality of devices from the communication terminal, the first control information including specific information for identifying a control target device selected from the controllable device;

a device identification unit configured to identify the control target device on the basis of the specific information included in the first control information;

a generation unit configured to generate second control information for causing the control target device to execute control details indicated by the first control information, the second control information being different from the first control information; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit the second control information to the control target device.

54. The device controller according to claim 42,

wherein the device controller is further configured to obtain the number of times the acquisition unit has acquired a response from the control target device receiving the second control information.

55. The device controller according to claim 42,

wherein the device controller is further configured to obtain the number of times the transmission unit has transmitted the second control information.

56. The device controller according to claim 54,

wherein the device controller is further configured to obtain the number of times the transmission unit has transmitted the second control information.

57. The device controller according to claim 42,

wherein the acquisition unit is further configured to acquire a registration request for requesting registration of the controllable device to be set to a controllable status.

58. The device controller according to claim 42, wherein the controllable devices include a device that is constantly activated.

59. The device controller according to claim 42, wherein the controllable devices include a device that is used by performing activation at a fixed timing.

60. The device controller according to claim 42, wherein the controllable devices include a device that performs one operation every time a user operates the communication terminal.

61. The device controller according to claim 42 further comprising, a compensation output unit configured to output compensation according to the number of controllable devices stored in the storage unit.

62. The device controller according to claim 54 further comprising, a compensation output unit configured to output compensation according to the number of controllable devices stored in the storage unit and the number of times the acquisition unit has acquired the response from the device receiving the second control information.

63. The device controller according to claim 55 further comprising, a compensation output unit configured to output compensation according to the number of controllable devices stored in the storage unit and the number of times the transmission unit has transmitted the second control information.

64. The device controller according to claim 61, wherein the compensation output unit configured to change the compensation in accordance with acquisition of setting information for changing control availability of the device.

65. The device controller according to claim 62, wherein the compensation output unit configured to change the compensation in accordance with acquisition of setting information for changing control availability of the device.

43-53. -53. (canceled)

66. A method for operating device controller connected to a communication terminal and a plurality of devices via a network, the method comprising:

storing the number of controllable devices to be controlled by the communication terminal among the plurality of devices in association with identification information of the communication terminal;

receiving first control information for controlling the plurality of devices from the communication terminal, the first control information including specific information for identifying a control target device selected from the controllable device;

identifying the control target device on the basis of the specific information included in the first control information;

generating second control information for causing the control target device to execute control details indicated by the first control information, the second control information being different from the first control information; and

transmitting the second control information to the control target device.

67. The method according to claim 66 further comprising, outputting compensation according to the stored number of controllable devices.