DEVICE CONTROL APPARATUS, DEVICE CONTROL SYSTEM, DEVICE CONTROL METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20190319818A1
• Filed: 10/30/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Laboratories Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Laboratory Corp.
• Inventors: KONOMI, Kosuke, YAMASAKI, Yasunori
• Granted Patent: US 11,050,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities 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 H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5614 User Network Interface

Abstract

A control apparatus is connected to another control apparatus that is connected to a network. The control apparatus acquires control information of another device controlled by the other control apparatus. The control apparatus, during control of the other device connected to the other control apparatus, executes a predetermined command having a format that is a same as that of an interface in the control apparatus and to which an identifier other than that of the control apparatus is appended, the control apparatus using a response from the other control apparatus as a result for the executed command.

Claims

1. A device control apparatus comprising:

an object creating unit that creates an object to control a device connected to a control apparatus, or another device connected to another control device through a network;

a communication processing unit that refers to a communication parameter of the device or the other device included in information related to the network and acquires information to access the object;

a packet processing unit that converts the object into a predetermined packet, selects a port supporting a communication scheme, and outputs the packet; and

a communicating unit that transmits the packet to the device or the other control apparatus to which the other device connected.

2. The device control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the object creating unit creates an object constituted by a name, a function name, and argument information to control the device or the other device to be controlled,

the communication processing unit refers to the communication scheme and the communication parameter of the device or the other device included in the information related to the network set in advance and acquires the information to access the object, and

the packet processing unit converts the object name, the function name, and the argument information into a predetermined packet, selects a port that supports the communication scheme, and outputs the packet to the communicating unit.

3. The device control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the communicating unit distributes on the network, the object name of the communicating unit when the control apparatus of the communicating unit participates on the network.

4. The device control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the communicating unit, when the object desired by the control apparatus of the communicating unit is created, makes an inquiry to the other control apparatus about the object name through the network and acquires information related to the network from the other control apparatus that has the object name.

5. The device control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the communicating unit distributes a name of a new object on the network when the control apparatus of the communicating unit adds the new object.

6. A device control system that controls a device connected to a control apparatus, or another device connected to another control apparatus, wherein

the control apparatus comprises:

an object creating unit that creates an object constituting a name, a function name, and argument information to control the device or the other device to be controlled;

a communication processing unit that refers to a communication scheme and a communication parameter of the device or the other device included in information that is preset and related to the network, the communication processing unit acquiring information to access the object;

a packet processing unit that converts the object name, the function name, and the argument information into a predetermined packet, selects a port that supports the communication scheme, and delivers the packet; and

a communicating unit that transmits the packet to the device or the other control apparatus to which the other device is connected.

7. The device control system according to claim 6, wherein

the control apparatus is connected to the other control apparatus through a network.

8. The device control system according to claim 6, wherein

the control apparatus and the other control apparatus are connected between CPUs in a single apparatus.

9. A device control system in which a control apparatus controls another device connected by communication to another control apparatus, wherein

the control apparatus comprises:

an acquiring unit that is connected to the other control apparatus and that acquires control information of the other device controlled by the other control apparatus;

an executing unit that, during predetermined control for the other device connected to the other control apparatus, executes a predetermined command having a format same as that of an interface in the control apparatus and an identifier other than that of the control apparatus attached thereto,

the executing unit referring to the control information and transmitting to the other control apparatus, a request corresponding to the predetermined command,

the executing unit using a response from the other control apparatus as a result for the executed command; and

a communicating unit that transmits the request and receives a response to the request.

10. The device control system according to claim 9, wherein

the control apparatus is connected to the other control apparatus through a network.

11. The device control system according to claim 9, wherein

the control apparatus and the other control apparatus are connected between CPUs in a single apparatus.

12. A device control method executed by a computer and comprising:

creating an object constituted by a name, a function name, and argument information to control a device connected to a control apparatus, or another device connected to another control apparatus through a network;

referring to a communication scheme and a communication parameter of the device or the other device included in information related to the network and acquiring information to access the object;

converting the object name, the function name, and the argument information into a predetermined packet, selecting a port that supports the communication scheme, and delivering the packet; and

transmitting the packet to the device or the other control apparatus to which the other device is connected.

13. The device control method according to claim 12, wherein

the other control apparatus:

recovers the object name, the function name, and the argument information from the received packet, executes a control process, and

converts a return value of an execution result into a predetermined packet, and transmits the predetermined packet to the control apparatus, and

the control apparatus receives the return value transmitted by the other control apparatus.

14. The device control method according to claim 12, wherein

a server is disposed between the control apparatus and the other control apparatus,

the control apparatus or the other control apparatus registers into the server, information related to a position of the object on the network, and

the control apparatus or the other control apparatus accessing the object makes an inquiry to the server about information related to a position of a control apparatus to be an access destination on the network and uses the information related to the position on the network to access the object of the desired control apparatus based on the information related to the position on the network acquired by the inquiry.

15. A device control method in which a control apparatus controls another device connected to another control apparatus, the device control method being executed by a computer of the control apparatus and comprising:

connecting to the other control apparatus and acquiring control information of the other device controlled by the other control apparatus;

executing, during predetermined control for the other device connected to the other control apparatus, a predetermined command having a format same as that of an interface in the control apparatus and an identifier other than that of the control apparatus attached thereto;

referring to the control information and transmitting to the other control apparatus, a request corresponding to the predetermined command; and

using a response from the other control apparatus as a result for the executed command.

16. The device control method according to claim 15, wherein

control of the device connected to the control apparatus includes designating a connection port of the control apparatus, and

control of the other device connected to the other control apparatus includes setting a port of a predetermined command corresponding to the control, as a port other than that of the control apparatus.

17. The device control method according to claim 15, wherein

the control information includes functions of the other device and identifiers of the functions, and

the control apparatus refers to the control information and transmits to the other control apparatus, information of an identifier corresponding to control of a desired function.

18. The device control method according to claim 15, wherein

the control apparatus acquires in advance control information related to the other device and stores and retains therein the control information.

19. The device control method according to claim 15, wherein

the control apparatus acquires control information related to the other device from the other control apparatus.

20. The device control method according to claim 15, further comprising

collecting control information of the other control apparatus by a server to which the other control apparatus is connected, wherein

the control apparatus acquires the control information of the other device from the server.

21. The device control method according to claim 15, wherein

the other control apparatus, when a request is issued from the control apparatus, designates a connection port to which the other device is connected, the other control apparatus designating the connection port based on the control information of the other device and controlling the other device.

22. A non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium storing therein a device control program that causes a computer to execute a process comprising:

creating an object constituted by a name, a function name, and argument information to control a device connected to a control apparatus, or another device connected to another control apparatus through a network;

referring to a communication scheme and a communication parameter of the device or the other device included in information that is preset and related to the network, and acquiring information to access the object;

converting the object name, the function name, and the argument information into a predetermined packet, selecting a port that supports the communication scheme, and delivering the packet; and

transmitting the packet to the device connected to the control apparatus or to the other control apparatus to which the other device is connected.