Apparatus and method for network integrated management

• US 6,449,514 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Zettsu, Tatsuya, Takahashi, Toshiya, Natsubori, Shigeyasu, Imai, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): CABRERA, ZOILA E
• Application Number:
  US09/395,611
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19, 700/17, 700/83, 340/825
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• 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

Abstract

An integrated network management and apparatus for managing devices connected to a network which have the same function. Control modules prepare local management tables by reading information regarding recordings made on respective recording media of the devices, and an integrated control module communicates with the control modules to prepare an integrated management table by reading the local management tables. The integrated management table enables the integrated control module to recognize a correlation between a recorded program and the control module, recording medium and recording position. The integrated control module also controls the control modules in the respective devices in an integrated manner using the integrated management table.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing a plurality of devices connected together via a network, comprising:

a plurality of control units respectively provided in the plurality of devices, and configured to perform functions of the device and acquire information necessary to perform the functions; and

at least one integrated control device provided on the network and configured to control the plurality of control units in devices having a same function in an integrated manner based on integrated management information read from the information acquired from the plurality of control units,

wherein the at least one integrated control device includes a plurality of integrated control devices, and the plurality of integrated control devices mutually communicate with each other to decide which one of the plurality of integrated control devices will function as a main management unit, the main management unit being solely responsible for controlling the plurality of control units.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanism configured to determine that a number of the plurality of integrated control devices has increased when a new device is added to the network, and one of the plurality of integrated control devices, including an integrated control device provided in the newly added device, is designated as the main management unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein management information held by the main management unit prior to the new device being added to the network is transferred to the newly designated integrated control device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanism configured to determine that a number of the plurality of integrated control devices has decreased when a device is removed from the network, and one of the plurality of integrated control devices, excluding the integrated control device removed from the network, is designated as the main management unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein management information held by the main management unit is updated to reflect that the device has been removed from the network.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the integrated management information comprises a table including information corresponding to data transferred over the network and physical components of the devices on the network to which the data is to be transferred.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the table includes 1) at least one program ID, and 2) pointer variables corresponding to positions of the physical components.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the table includes information regarding positions in a recording medium for which recording is controlled by the plurality of control units.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of devices having the same function is a VCR.

10. A method for managing a plurality of devices connected together via a network, comprising:

acquiring information, by a plurality of control units respectively provided in the plurality of devices, for operating the plurality of devices;

reading, by at least one integrated control device provided on the network, the acquired information to prepare integrated management information; and

controlling the plurality of control units based on the integrated management information read from the information acquired from the plurality of control units so as to control the operations of the devices in an integrated manner,

wherein the at least one integrated control device includes a plurality of integrated control devices, and the plurality of integrated control devices mutually communicate with each other to decide which one of the plurality of integrated control devices will function as a main management unit, the main management unit being solely responsible for controlling the plurality of control units.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising:

determining a number of the plurality of integrated control devices to have increased when a new device is added to the network; and

designating one of the plurality of integrated control devices, including an integrated control device provided in the newly added device, as the main management unit.

12. The method according to claim 11, comprising:

transferring management information held by the main management unit prior to the new device being added to the network to the newly designated integrated control device.

13. The method according to claim 10, comprising:

determining a number of the plurality of integrated control devices to have decreased when a device is removed from the network; and

designating one of the plurality of integrated control devices, excluding the integrated control device removed from the network, as the main management unit.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising:

updating management information held by the main management unit to reflect that the device has been removed the network.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the integrated management information comprises a table including information corresponding to data transferred over the network and physical components of the devices on the network to which the data is to be transferred.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the table includes 1) at least one program ID, and 2) pointer variables corresponding to positions of the physical components.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the table includes information regarding positions in a recording medium for which recording is controlled by the plurality of control units.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of devices having the same function is a VCR.

19. A system for managing a plurality of devices connected together via a network, comprising:

means for acquiring information, by a plurality of control units respectively provided in the plurality of devices, for operating the plurality of devices;

means for reading, by at least one integrated control device provided on the network, the acquired information to prepare integrated management information; and

means for controlling the plurality of control units based on the integrated management information read from the information acquired from the plurality of control units so as to control the operations of the devices in an integrated manner,

wherein the at least one integrated control device includes a plurality of integrated control devices, and the plurality of integrated control devices mutually communicate with each other to decide which one of the plurality of integrated control devices will function as a main management unit, the main management unit being solely responsible for controlling the plurality of control units.

20. The system according to claim 19, comprising:

means for determining a number of the plurality of integrated control devices to have increased when a new device is added to the network; and

means for designating one of the plurality of integrated control devices, including an integrated control device provided in the newly added device, as the main management unit.

21. The system according to claim 20, comprising:

means for transferring management information held by the main management unit prior to the new device being added to the network to the newly designated integrated control device.

22. The system according to claim 19, comprising:

means for determining a number of the plurality of integrated control devices to have decreased when a device is removed from the network; and

means for designating one of the plurality of integrated control devices, excluding the integrated control device removed from the network, as the main management unit.

23. The system according to claim 22, comprising:

means for updating management information held by the main management unit to reflect that the device has been removed from the network.

24. The system according to claim 19, wherein the integrated management information comprises a table including information corresponding to data transferred over the network and physical components of the devices on the network to which the data is to be transferred.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the table includes 1) at least one program ID, and 2) pointer variables corresponding to positions of the physical components.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the table includes information regarding positions in a recording medium for which recording is controlled by the plurality of control units.

27. The system according to claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of devices having the same function is a VCR.