Equipment control command processing system and method thereof

• US 6,442,621 B1
• Filed: 04/09/1999
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Jiro, Kondo, Satoshi, Muraki, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US09/288,825
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 710/5.6, 710/19, 710/52, 710/55, 710/62, 710/64, 710/65, 709/213, 711/100, 455/410
• US Class Current: 710/5
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24

Abstract

In a command processing system for processing a command sent from an external controller (111) to an equipment (100, 200) via a digital interface (112), a status/command storage unit (103) stores the last executed commands to inform the external controller (111) of contents thereof in response to the command. Meanwhile, a management information storage unit stores the management information just before and just after execution of the received command, wherein upon receipt of a command (Z) for inquiring contents of the previously executed commands, the commands (X, Y) stored in the status/command storage unit (103) are read out to produce a response data to the inquiring command. Thus, the user can easily know the content of the last control command provided for controlling equipment.

Claims

1. A command processing system operable to process a plurality of commands sent from an external controller to equipment via a digital interface, said command processing system comprising:

a system controller being operable to receive the commands, execute the commands, and process management information of main data based on the commands;

a status/command storage unit being operable to store executed commands; and

a management information storage unit being operable to store management information just before execution of a received command that is received by said system controller and management information just after execution of the received command,

wherein said system controller is operable to inform the external controller of content of a predetermined number of executed commands stored by said status/command storage unit in response to an inquiring command from the external controller,

wherein upon receipt of a canceling command for canceling a most recently executed command, said system controller judges whether the most recently executed command is present in said status/command storage unit, and

wherein when said system controller judges that the most recently executed command is present in said status/command storage unit, management information stored in said management storage unit just before execution of the most recently executed command is read out as prior management information and management information just after the execution of the most recently executed command is replaced with the prior management information while the most recently executed command is deleted from the executed commands stored in said status/command storage unit.

2. The command processing system of claim 1, wherein, upon receipt of an inquiring command for inquiring as to contents of the executed commands, the executed commands stored in said status/command storage unit are read out as response data.

3. The command processing system of claim 1, wherein said status/command storage unit is operable to store status information indicative of a present operation status of the equipment together with the most recently executed command, and

wherein said command processing system further comprises a list generator operable to produce a list of the status information including the most recently executed command.

4. The command processing system of claim 3, further comprising a table of ID codes,

wherein the status information includes a plurality of items,

wherein each ID code in said table of ID codes is assigned to a corresponding item in the plurality of items,

wherein said list generator is operable to produce the list by appending each ID code to its corresponding item to thereby access content of a desired item in the list with reference to the ID code appended thereto.

5. The command processing system of claim 4, wherein an access command for accessing a desired item and obtaining content of the desired item includes an ID-code field, indicating an ID code of the desired item for which content is to be obtained, and

wherein the ID code identifies an address position of the desired item in the list.

6. The command processing system of claim 4, wherein the list includes a data structure having continuous plural pairs of items of status information content and corresponding ID codes added thereto.

7. The command processing system of claim 3, wherein, upon receipt from the external controller of an inquiring command that requests the list and content therein, a response is produced in response to the inquiring command,

wherein the inquiring command comprises a command name field indicative of a command name and a list designation field for designating a list of the items, and

wherein the response comprises the list and includes a data format of a combination of the status information added to the inquiring command.

8. A command processing system operable to process a plurality of commands sent from an external controller to equipment via a digital interface, said command processing system comprising:

a system controller being operable to receive the commands, execute the commands, and process management information of main data based on the commands;

a status/command storage unit being operable to store executed commands; and

a management information storage unit being operable to store management information just before execution of a received command that is received by said system controller and management information just after execution of the received command,

wherein said system controller is operable to inform the external controller of content of a predetermined number of executed commands stored by said status/command storage unit in response to an inquiring command from the external controller,

wherein upon receipt of a canceling command for canceling a most recently executed command, said system controller judges whether the most recently executed command is present in said status/command storage unit, and

wherein when said system controller judges that the most recently executed command is present in said status/command storage unit, management information stored in said management storage unit just before execution of the most recently executed command is read out as prior management information and management information just after the execution of the most recently executed command is replaced with the prior management information, and the most recently executed command is deleted from the executed commands stored in said status/command storage unit.

9. A system comprising:

an external controller;

a digital interface;

a system controller being operable to receive the commands, execute the commands, and process management information of main data based on the commands;

a status/command storage unit being operable to store executed commands;

a management information storage unit being operable to store management information just before execution of a received command that is received by said system controller and management information just after execution of the received command; and

a data recording and reproducing apparatus having a recording medium in which the main data and management information are recordable thereon and reproduceable therefrom,

wherein said system controller is operable to inform the external controller of content of a predetermined number of executed commands stored by said status/command storage unit in response to an inquiring command from the external controller,

wherein upon receipt of a canceling command for canceling a most recently executed command, said system controller judges whether the most recently executed command is present in said status/command storage unit,

wherein when said system controller judges that the most recently executed command is present in said status/command storage unit, management information stored in said management storage unit just before execution of the most recently executed command is read out as prior management information and management information just after the execution of the most recently executed command is replaced with the prior management information while the most recently executed command is deleted from the executed commands stored in said status/command storage unit, and

wherein said command processing system is operable to process a plurality of commands sent from said external controller to said data recording and reproducing apparatus via said digital interface.

10. A command processing system operable to process a plurality of commands sent from an external controller to equipment via a digital interface, said command processing system comprising:

a system controller being operable to receive the commands, execute the commands, and process management information of main data based on the commands;

a status/command storage unit being operable to store executed commands; and

a management information storage unit being operable to store management information just before execution of a received command that is received by said system controller and management information just after execution of the received command,

wherein said system controller is operable to inform the external controller of content of a predetermined number of executed commands stored by said status/command storage unit in response to an inquiring command from the external controller,

wherein upon receipt of a canceling command for canceling the most recently executed command, said system controller judges whether the most recently executed command is present in said status/command storage unit, and

wherein when said system controller judges that the most recently executed command is absent from said status/command storage unit, said system controller produces a reject response to reject the canceling command.

11. The command processing system of claim 10, wherein, upon receipt of an inquiring command for inquiring as to contents of the executed commands, the executed commands stored in said status/command storage unit are read out as response data.

12. The command processing system of claim 10, wherein said status/command storage unit is operable to store status information indicative of a present operation status of the equipment together with the most recently executed command, and

wherein said command processing system further comprises a list generator operable to produce a list of the status information including the most recently executed command.

13. The command processing system of claim 12, further comprising a table of ID codes,

wherein the status information includes a plurality of items,

wherein each ID code in said table of ID codes is assigned to a corresponding item in the plurality of items,

wherein said list generator is operable to produce the list by appending each ID code to its corresponding item to thereby access content of a desired item in the list with reference to the ID code appended thereto.

14. The command processing system of claim 13, wherein an access command for accessing a desired item and obtaining content of the desired item includes an ID-code field, indicating an ID code of the desired item for which content is to be obtained, and

wherein the ID code identifies an address position of the desired item in the list.

15. The command processing system of claim 13, wherein the list includes a data structure having continuous plural pairs of items of status information content and corresponding ID) codes added thereto.

16. The command processing system of claim 12, wherein, upon receipt from the external controller of an inquiring command that requests the list and content therein, a response is produced in response to the inquiring command,

wherein the inquiring command comprises a command name field indicative of a command name and a list designation field for designating a list of the items, and

wherein the response comprises the list and includes a data format of a combination of the status information added to the inquiring command.

17. A system comprising:

an external controller;

a digital interface;

a system controller being operable to receive the commands, execute the commands, and process management information of main data based on the commands;

a status/command storage unit being operable to store executed commands;

a management information storage unit being operable to store management information just before execution of a received command that is received by said system controller and management information just after execution of the received command; and

a data recording and reproducing apparatus having a recording medium in which the main data and management information are recordable thereon and reproduceable therefrom,

wherein said system controller is operable to inform the external controller of content of a predetermined number of executed commands stored by said status/command storage unit in response to an inquiring command from the external controller,

wherein upon receipt of a canceling command for canceling the most recently executed command, said system controller judges whether the most recently executed command is present in said status/command storage unit,

wherein when said system controller judges that the most recently executed command is absent from said status/command storage unit, said system controller produces a reject response to reject the canceling command, and

wherein said command processing system is operable to process a plurality of commands sent from said external controller to said data recording and reproducing apparatus via said digital interface.

18. A command processing system operable to process a plurality of commands sent from an external controller to equipment via a digital interface, said command processing system comprising:

a system controller being operable to receive the commands, execute the commands, and process management information of main data based on the commands;

a status/command storage unit being operable to store executed commands; and

a management information storage unit being operable to store management information just before execution of a received command that is received by said system controller and management information just after execution of the received command,

wherein said system controller is operable to inform the external controller of content of a predetermined number of executed commands stored by said status/command storage unit in response to an inquiring command from the external controller, and

wherein upon receipt of a rewriting command for rewriting a most recently executed command, said system controller produces a reject response to reject the rewriting command.

19. The command processing system of claim 18, wherein, upon receipt of an inquiring command for inquiring as to contents of the executed commands, the executed commands stored in said status/command storage unit are read out as response data.

20. The command processing system of claim 18, wherein said status/command storage unit is operable to store status information indicative of a present operation status of the equipment together with the most recently executed command, and

wherein said command processing system further comprises a list generator operable to produce a list of the status information including the most recently executed command.

21. The command processing system of claim 20, further comprising a table of ID codes,

wherein the status information includes a plurality of items,

wherein each ID code in said table of ID codes is assigned to a corresponding item in the plurality of items,

wherein said list generator is operable to produce the list by appending each ID code to its corresponding item to thereby access content of a desired item in the list with reference to the ID code appended thereto.

22. The command processing system of claim 21, wherein an access command for accessing a desired item and obtaining content of the desired item includes an ID-code field, indicating an ID code of the desired item for which content is to be obtained, and

wherein the ID code identifies an address position of the desired item in the list.

23. The command processing system of claim 21, wherein the list includes a data structure having continuous plural pairs of items of status information content and corresponding ID codes added thereto.

24. The command processing system of claim 20, wherein, upon receipt from the external controller of an inquiring command that requests the list and content therein, a response is produced in response to the inquiring command,

wherein the inquiring command comprises a command name field indicative of a command name and a list designation field for designating a list of the items, and

wherein the response comprises the list and includes a data format of a combination of the status information added to the inquiring command.

25. A system comprising:

an external controller;

a digital interface;

a system controller being operable to receive the commands, execute the commands, and process management information of main data based on the commands;

a status/command storage unit being operable to store executed commands;

a management information storage unit being operable to store management information just before execution of a received command that is received by said system controller and management information just after execution of the received command; and

a data recording and reproducing apparatus having a recording medium in which the main data and management information are recordable thereon and reproduceable therefrom,

wherein said system controller is operable to inform the external controller of content of a predetermined number of executed commands stored by said status/command storage unit in response to an inquiring command from the external controller,

wherein upon receipt of a rewriting command for rewriting a most recently executed command, said system controller produces a reject response to reject the rewriting command, and

wherein said command processing system is operable to process a plurality of commands sent from said external controller to said data recording and reproducing apparatus via said digital interface.

26. A command processing method for processing a plurality of commands sent from an external controller to equipment via a digital interface, said method comprising:

receiving the commands and execute the commands to process management information of main data based on the commands;

storing the executed commands;

storing management information just before execution of a received command and management information just after execution of the received command;

informing the external controller of the content of a predetermined number of stored executed commands in response to an inquiring command from the external controller;

judging whether the most recently executed command is present upon receipt of a canceling command for canceling a most recently executed command; and

reading out the stored management information just before execution of the most recently executed command as prior management information and replacing management information just after the execution of the most recently executed command with the prior management information, and deleting the most recently executed command from the stored executed commands when the most recently executed command is present.

27. The command processing method of claim 26, further comprising reading out the stored commands as response data to the inquiring command upon receipt of an inquiring command for inquiring as to contents of the executed commands.

28. The command processing method of claim 26, further comprising:

storing status information indicative of a present operation status of the equipment together with the most recently executed command; and

producing a list of the status information including the most recently executed command.

29. A command processing method for processing a plurality of commands sent from an external controller to equipment via a digital interface, said method comprising:

receiving the commands and execute the commands to process management information of main data based on the commands;

storing the executed commands;

storing management information just before execution of a received command and management information just after execution of the received command;

informing the external controller of the content of a predetermined number of stored executed commands in response to an inquiring command from the external controller;

judging whether the most recently executed command is absent upon receipt of a canceling command for canceling a most recently executed command; and

producing a reject response to reject the canceling command when the most recently executed command is absent.

30. The command processing method of claim 29, further comprising reading out the stored commands as response data to the inquiring command upon receipt of an inquiring command for inquiring as to contents of the executed commands.

31. The command processing method of claim 29, further comprising:

storing status information indicative of a present operation status of the equipment together with the most recently executed command; and

producing a list of the status information including the most recently executed command.

33. The command processing method of claim 30, further comprising reading out the stored commands as response data to the inquiring command upon receipt of an inquiring command for inquiring as to contents of the executed commands.

32. A command processing method for processing a plurality of commands sent from an external controller to equipment via a digital interface, said method comprising:

receiving the commands and execute the commands to process management information of main data based on the commands;

storing the executed commands;

storing management information just before execution of a received command and management information just after execution of the received command;

informing the external controller of the content of a predetermined number of stored executed commands in response to an inquiring command from the external controller; and

producing a reject response to reject the rewriting command upon receipt of a rewriting command for rewriting a most recently executed command.

34. The command processing method of claim 32, further comprising:

storing status information indicative of a present operation status of the equipment together with the most recently executed command; and

producing a list of the status information including the most recently executed command.