Communication method, communication system and computer readable recording medium recording communication program

• US 6,167,046 A
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Takashi, Terada, Satoshi, Ueda, Toru, Wakai, Hirohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VANDERPUYE, KENNETH N
• Application Number:
  US09/004,861
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825, 340/825.07, 364/140, 364/141, 370/389, 709/203, 709/221, 709/220
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In a communication network in which a plurality of equipments each having a function implementing unit having a plurality of functions and a communication control unit having communication function communicating with each other, the communication control unit includes a recording medium and stores on the recording medium in advance a plurality of pieces of function information related to at least one function held by the corresponding function implementing unit, and inquires function information of each of other equipments at the time of communication. Therefore, management of various equipments and function information of various equipments in correspondence with each other becomes unnecessary, load in processing including communication is relieved and functions of respective equipments can be controlled efficiently.

Claims

1. A communication method in a communication network including a plurality of equipments communicating with each other by at least one of transmitting, receiving and processing a packet, each of said plurality of equipments having a communication unit implementing communication function for said communication and a function unit for implementing at least one function other than said communication function,

said communication unit having a function information storage for storing a plurality of pieces of function information related to said at least one function of said function unit, wherein

said communication method includes inquiring, in said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments, whether said plurality of pieces of function information are stored in said function information storage, of each of said plurality of equipments using said packet;

wherein said packet stores transmission source information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a source of transmission of said packet, transmission destination information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a destination of transmission of said packet, instruction information for implementing said communication function or any of said at least one function of said function unit and related information related to said instruction information, said communication method comprising a step of receiving an external request, and said method further comprising at least one of;

(a) an inquiry packet transmission step for transmitting, in response to received said external request, said packet storing an inquiry as to whether a prescribed function information is present in said plurality of pieces of function information, as said instruction information and said related information, to each of said plurality of equipments; and

(b) an answer packet transmission step responsive to reception of said packet transmitted in said inquiry packet transmission step (a), for transmitting said packet storing an answer indicating whether inquired said prescribed function information is present in said function information storage, as said instruction information and said related information;

said steps (a) and (b) being performed in said communication unit;

and further comprising at least one of the following steps (c) and (d);

(c) a step of transmitting said packet storing any of said plurality of pieces of function information as said transmission destination information;

(d) (d1) a determination step receiving said packet transmitted in said step (c) of transmission for determining whether or not said transmission destination information in the received packet matches any of said plurality of pieces of function information in said function information storage; and

(d2) a process execution step for executing a process in accordance with said instruction information and said related information in the received packet, in accordance with result of determination in said determination step (d1) that the information matches;

said steps (c), (d1) and (d2) being performed in said communication unit.

2. The communication method according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of pieces of function information include function specifying information for specifying each of at least one function implemented by said function unit or control object information indicating an object to be controlled by implementation of the function.

3. The communication method according to claim 2, wherein

said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments further includes an ability information storage storing ability information corresponding to respective ones of said function specifying information, indicating relative ability level of said plurality of equipments when a function corresponding to one same function specifying information is implemented by said plurality of equipments;

said answer packet transmission step (b) includes (b1) a step of transmitting an ability information answer packet, responsive to reception of said packet transmitted in said inquiry packet transmission step (a) for generating and transmitting said packet storing said ability information in said ability information storage corresponding to the inquired prescribed function specifying information as said related information;

said communication method further comprising;

(e) a first step of selecting an equipment for receiving said packet transmitted in said step (b1) of transmitting said ability information answer packet, and selecting a specific equipment among said plurality of equipments based on said ability information in the received packet; and

(f) a first transmission step for generating and transmitting said packet storing information designating the equipment selected in said first step (e) of selecting an equipment as said transmission destination information;

said steps (e) and (f) being performed in said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments.

4. The communication method according to claim 2, wherein

said communication unit of any of said plurality of equipments further includes a priority storage storing priority information corresponding to respective ones of said function specifying information, indicating relative priority of said plurality of equipments when a function corresponding to one same function specifying information is implemented by said plurality of equipments;

said answer packet transmission step (b) further includes

(b2) a step of transmitting a priority answer packet responsive to reception of said packet transmitted in said inquiry packet transmission step (a) for generating and transmitting said packet storing as said related information, said priority information in said priority storage corresponding to the inquired prescribed function specifying information;

said communication method further comprising;

(g) a second step of selecting an equipment for receiving said packet transmitted in said step (b2) of transmitting priority answer packet and selecting a specific equipment among said plurality of equipments based on said priority information in the received packet; and

(h) a second transmission step for generating and transmitting said packet storing information designating the equipment selected in said second step (g) of selecting an equipment as said transmission destination information;

said steps (g) and (h) being performed in said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments.

5. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein

said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments further includes a second output section;

said communication method further comprising of at least one of the following steps (j) and (k);

(j)(j1) a state determination step for receiving said packet and determining whether or not said function unit is in a busy state in which a prescribed function is being implemented and implementation of a function in accordance with said instruction information in said received packet is impossible;

(j2) a busy packet transmission step for generating and transmitting, in response to determination in said state determination step (j1) that the function unit is in a busy state, said packet as a busy packet, storing busy information indicating the busy state as an answer in said instruction information and said related information; and

(k) a second output step of receiving said busy packet transmitted in said busy packet transmission step (j2) for outputting and reporting content of said received busy packet to said second output section;

said steps (j) and (k) being performed in said communication unit.

6. The communication method according to claim 5, wherein

said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments further includes a second input section for external data input;

said communication method further comprising at least one of;

(l) an interruption packet transmission step for generating and transmitting an interruption packet using data input, input in accordance with content reported by said second output section through said second input section; and

(m) a control step responsive to reception of said interruption packet transmitted in said interruption packet transmission step (l) causing said function unit to execute processing in accordance with content of the received said interruption packet;

said steps (l) and (m) being performed in said communication unit;

wherein said interruption packet stores information designating an equipment of transmission source of said busy packet as said transmission destination information, and a command for interrupting and stopping implementation of said prescribed function causing said busy state and to start implementation of a desired function, as said instruction information.

7. The communication method according to claim 6, further comprising:

(n) a busy cancellation determination step for determining whether said busy state is canceled in said function unit; and

(o) a busy cancellation packet transmission step responsive to determination in said busy cancellation determination step (n) that said busy state is canceled, for generating and transmitting said packet storing information designating said equipment of said busy packet transmission source as said transmission destination information, and a command indicating that busy state is canceled as said instruction information;

said steps (n) and (o) being performed in said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments.

8. A communication method in a communication network including a plurality of equipments communicating with each other by at least one of transmitting, receiving and processing a packet, each of said plurality of equipments having a communication unit implementing communication function for said communication and a function unit for implementing at least one function other than said communication function,

said communication unit having a function information storage for storing a plurality of pieces of function information related to said at least one function of said function unit, wherein

said communication method includes inquiring, in said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments, whether said plurality of pieces of function information are stored in said function information storage, of each of said plurality of equipments using said packet;

wherein said packet stores transmission source information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a source of transmission of said packet, transmission destination information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a destination of transmission of said packet, instruction information for implementing said communication function or any of said at least one function of said function unit and related information related to said instruction information, said communication method comprising a step of receiving an external request, and said method further comprising at least one of;

(a) an inquiry packet transmission step for transmitting, in response to received said external request, said packet storing an inquiry as to whether a prescribed function information is present in said plurality of pieces of function information, as said instruction information and said related information, to each of said plurality of equipments; and

(b) an answer packet transmission step responsive to reception of said packet transmitted in said inquiry packet transmission step (a), for transmitting said packet storing an answer indicating whether inquired said prescribed function information is present in said function information storage, as said instruction information and said related information;

said steps (a) and (b) being performed in said communication unit;

wherein

said communication unit of any of said plurality of equipments further includes identification information storage for storing identification information for facilitating recognition of respective ones of said plurality of pieces of function information, and

a first output section;

said answer packet transmission step (b) further includes

(b-3) identification information answer packet transmission step responsive to reception of said packet transmitted in said inquiry packet transmission step (a), for transmitting said packet storing as said related information, said identification information in said identification information storage corresponding to inquired

said prescribed function information;

said communication method further comprising (p) a first output step for receiving said packet transmitted in said identification information answer packet transmission step (b-3) for outputting and reporting content of said received packet to said first output section, said step (p) being performed in said communication unit.

9. The communication method according to claim 8, wherein said communication unit of any of said plurality of equipments further includes

a first input section for external data input;

said communication method further comprising

(q) packet generation and transmission step for generating and transmitting said packet using data input through said first input section in accordance with content reported by said first output section, said step (q) being performed in said communication unit.

10. A communication method in a communication network including a plurality of equipments communicating with each other by at least one of transmitting, receiving and processing a packet, each of said plurality of equipments having a communication unit implementing communication function for said communication and a function unit for implementing at least one function other than said communication function,

said communication unit having a function information storage for storing a plurality of pieces of function information related to said at least one function of said function unit, wherein

said communication method includes inquiring, in said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments, whether said plurality of pieces of function information are stored in said function information storage, of each of said plurality of equipments using said packet;

wherein said packet stores transmission source information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a source of transmission of said packet, transmission destination information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a destination of transmission of said packet, instruction information for implementing said communication function or any of said at least one function of said function unit and related information related to said instruction information, said communication method comprising a step of receiving an external request, and said method further comprising at least one of;

(a) an inquiry packet transmission step for transmitting, in response to received said external request, said packet storing an inquiry as to whether a prescribed function information is present in said plurality of pieces of function information, as said instruction information and said related information, to each of said plurality of equipments; and

(b) an answer packet transmission step responsive to reception of said packet transmitted in said inquiry packet transmission step (a), for transmitting said packet storing an answer indicating whether inquired said prescribed function information is present in said function information storage, as said instruction information and said related information;

said steps (a) and (b) being performed in said communication unit;

wherein

said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments further includes

a second output section;

said communication method further comprising at least one of the following steps (r) and (s);

(r)(r1) a state determination step for receiving said packet and determining whether said function unit is in a busy state in which a prescribed function is being implemented and implementation of a function in accordance with said instruction information in said received packet is not possible;

(r2) a busy packet transmission step response to determination by said state determination step that the function unit is in the busy state, for generating and transmitting as a busy packet, said packet storing busy information indicating the busy state as an answer, in said instruction information and said related information; and

(s) a second output step for receiving said busy packet transmitted in said buy packet transmission step (r2) for outputting and reporting content of the received said busy packet to said second output section;

said steps (r) and (s) being performed in said communication unit.

11. The communication method according to claim 10, wherein

said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments further includes a second input section for external data input;

said communication method further comprising at least one of;

(t) an interruption packet transmission step for generating and transmitting an interruption packet by using data input through said second input section in accordance with the content reported by said second output section; and

(u) a control step responsive to reception of said interruption packet transmitted in said interruption packet transmission step (t), causing said function unit to execute a process in accordance with the content of the received said interruption packet;

said steps (t) and (u) being performed in said communication unit;

said interruption packet stores information designating an equipment of said busy packet transmission source as said transmission destination information, and a command for interrupting and stopping implementation of said prescribed function causing said busy state and to start implementation of a desired function as said instruction information.

12. The communication method according to claim 10, further comprising

(v) a busy cancellation determination step for determining whether said busy state is canceled or not in said function unit;

and

(w) a busy cancellation packet transmission step responsive to determination in said busy cancellation determination step that said busy state is canceled, for generating and transmitting said packet storing information designating said equipment of said busy packet transmission source as said transmission destination information and a command indicating that busy state is canceled as said instruction information;

said steps (v) and (w) being performed in said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments.

13. A communication system in a communication network including a plurality of equipments communicating with each other by at least one of transmitting, receiving and processing a packet, each of said plurality of equipments having a communication unit for implementing communication function for said communication and a function unit for implementing at least one function different from said communication function,

said communication unit having a function information storage for storing a plurality of pieces of function information related to said at least one function of said function unit, wherein

said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments inquires whether said plurality of pieces of function information are stored in said function information storage of respective ones of said plurality of equipments using said packet;

wherein said packet stores transmission source information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a source of transmission of said packet, transmission destination information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a transmission destination of said packet, instruction information for implementing said communication function or any of said at least one function of said function unit and related information related to said instruction information;

said communication unit includes means for receiving an external request;

and said communication unit further includes at least one of

inquiry packet transmission means response to received said external request, for transmitting said packet storing an inquiry as to whether a prescribed function information is present among said plurality of pieces of function information as said instruction information and said related information, to each of said plurality of equipments and

answer packet transmission means responsive to reception of said packet transmitted by said inquiry packet transmission means, for transmitting said packet storing an answer indicting whether said inquired said prescribed function information is present in said function information storage, as said instruction information and said related information;

wherein said communication unit further includes at least one of the following means (a) and (b);

(a) transmission means for transmitting said packet storing any of said plurality of pieces of function information as said transmission destination information;

(b)(b1) determining means, receiving said packet transmitted by said transmission means, for determining whether or not said transmission destination information in the received packet matches any of said plurality of pieces of function information in said function information storage, and

(b2) process executing means responsive to result of determination of matching by said determining means, for executing a process in accordance with said instruction information and said related information in said received packet.

14. A computer readable recording medium for recording a communication program for executing a communication method by a computer in a communication network including a plurality of equipments communication with each other by at least one of transmitting, receiving and processing a packet, each of said plurality of equipments having a communication unit implementing communication function for said communication and a function unit implementing at least one function different from said communication function, wherein

said communication unit has a function information storage for storing a plurality of pieces of function information related to said at least one function of corresponding said function unit, and

said communication method including inquiring in said communication unit of at least one of said plurality of equipments, whether said plurality of pieces of function information are stored in said function information storage of respective ones of said plurality of equipments using said packet;

wherein said packet stores transmission source information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a source of transmission of said packet, transmission destination information for uniquely designating that one of said equipments which is a destination of transmission of said packet, instruction information for implementing said communication function or any of said at least one function of said function unit and related information related to said instruction information, said communication method comprising a step of receiving an external request, and said method further comprising at least one of;

(a) an inquiry packet transmission step for transmitting, in response to received said external request, said packet storing an inquiry as to whether a prescribed function information is present in said plurality of pieces of function information, as said instruction information and said related information, to each of said plurality of equipments; and

(b) an answer packet transmission step responsive to reception of said packet transmitted in said inquiry packet transmission step (a), for transmitting said packet storing an answer indicating whether inquired said prescribed function information is present in said function information storage, as said instruction information and said related information;

said steps (a) and (b) being performed in said communication unit;

and further comprising at least one of the following steps (c) and (d);

(c) a step of transmitting said packet storing any of said plurality of pieces of function information as said transmission destination information;

(d) (d1) a determination step receiving said packet transmitted in said step (c) of transmission for determining whether or not said transmission destination information in the received packet matches any of said plurality of pieces of function information in said function information storage; and

(d2) a process execution step for executing a process in accordance with said instruction information and said related information in the received packet, in accordance with result of determination in said determination step (d1) that the information matches;

said steps (c), (d1) and (d2) being performed in said communication unit.