Network device control system, network interconnection apparatus and network device

• US 6,775,374 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Youichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US10/233,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 379/102.03, 379/102.05, 713/201, 713/310
• US Class Current: 379/221.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 2012/2845 Telephone line
• 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 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network device included in a local area network is controlled with an outside telephone. A telephone line 2 is directly connected to a router 3 incorporated in a local area network 7 including a computer 8. A server 5 is connected to the telephone line 2, and the telephone line 2 is also used as the Internet 9. The outside telephone 4 makes a call to the router 3 through the telephone line 2 while the router 3 detects the phone call to send a packet for activation to the computer 8 to activate the device in the wait state. The computer 8 after the activation requests the server 5 to allow its connection to the Internet 9, obtains a network address in the Internet 9, and notifies the network address to the outside telephone 4. Thereafter, data is exchanged between the telephone 4 and the computer 8.

Claims

1. A network device control system for controlling an operation of a network device included in a local area network having a network interconnection apparatus via the network interconnection apparatus with a communications apparatus outside the local area network, wherein the network interconnection apparatus comprises:

a connection unit connected to a telephone line;

a detection unit for detecting a calling state generated by the communications apparatus via the telephone line; and

a signal sending unit for sending a signal to the network device when the calling state is detected.

2. The network device control system according to claim 1, wherein the signal is a packet signal for activating the network device which is in a wait state.

3. The network device control system according to claim 2, wherein

the network interconnection apparatus connects the local area network and another local area network,

the another local area network includes a network management apparatus,

the network device is capable of performing operations of:

requesting the network management apparatus to give an address for identifying a location of the network device based on the another local area network, when the network device is activated; and

sending the notified address to the communications apparatus, and

the network interconnection apparatus further comprises an address notification unit for notifying the given address from the network management apparatus to the network device.

4. A network device control system for controlling an operation of a network device included in a local area network having a network interconnection apparatus via the network interconnection apparatus with a communications apparatus outside the local area network, wherein the network interconnection apparatus comprises:

a connection unit connected to a telephone line;

a detection unit for detecting a calling state generated by the communications apparatus via the telephone line;

a display instruction unit for displaying on the communications apparatus a menu screen on which the network device is displayed when the calling state is detected, so that a network device can be selected as a control target out of displayed network devices; and

a signal sending unit for sending a signal to the selected network device when the network device is selected.

5. The network device control system according to claim 4, wherein

the network interconnection apparatus connects the local area network and another local area network,

the another local area network includes a network management apparatus, and

the network interconnection apparatus further comprises:

an address requesting unit for requesting the network management apparatus to give an address for specifying a location of the network interconnection apparatus based on the another local area network when the calling state is detected;

an address receiving unit for receiving the given address from the network management apparatus; and

an address sending unit for sending the received address to the communications apparatus.

6. A network device control system for controlling an operation of a network device included in a local area network having a network interconnection apparatus via the network interconnection apparatus with a communications apparatus outside the local area network, wherein the network interconnection apparatus comprises:

a connection unit connected to a telephone line;

a detection unit for detecting a calling state generated by the communications apparatus via the telephone line;

a storing unit for storing a set calling state;

a comparison unit for comparing the calling state detected by the detection unit and the calling state stored in the storing unit; and

a signal sending unit for sending a signal to the network device when the comparison result indicates that the two calling states are identical.

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

the network interconnection apparatus connects the local area network and another local area network,

the another local area network includes a network management apparatus, and

the network interconnection apparatus further comprises:

an address requesting unit for requesting the network management apparatus to give an address for identifying a location of the network interconnection apparatus based on the another local area network when the comparison result indicates that the two calling states are identical;

an address receiving unit for receiving the given address from the network management apparatus; and

an address sending unit for sending the received address to the communications apparatus.

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

a plurality of network devices are provided,

the storing unit can store calling states which are stored in a different manner for each of the network devices, and

the signal sending unit sends the signal to a network device, for which a calling state identical with the detected calling state is set, when the comparison result indicates that the two calling states are identical.

9. A network device control system for activating a network device connected to a telephone line with an outside communications apparatus, wherein the network device comprises:

a detection unit for detecting a calling state generated by the communications apparatus;

a storing unit for storing a set calling state;

a comparison unit for comparing the calling state detected by the detection unit and the calling state stored in the storing unit; and

an activation unit for activating the network device when the comparison result indicates that the two calling states are identical.

10. The network device control system according to claim 9, wherein each of the calling states includes a calling frequency, a calling interval and a calling sound frequency per each calling.

11. The network device control system according to claim 10, wherein

the network device is connected to the telephone line via one of an answering machine provided telephone, a facsimile machine and a telephone line connection apparatus, and

the calling sound frequency stored in the storing unit is set at a frequency smaller than a calling sound frequency for allowing a function for a call of the one of the answering machine provided telephone, facsimile machine and telephone line connection apparatus to start operating.

12. The network device control system according to claim 9, wherein the network device further comprises an activation notification unit for notifying activation to the communications apparatus when the network device is activated by a call from the communications apparatus.

13. The network device control system according to claim 9, wherein

a plurality of network devices are provided,

the plurality of network devices are connected to a line of an identical calling system of the telephone line, and

the calling state of each network device is set in different manners respectively.

14. A network interconnection apparatus which enables connection of a plurality of networks, comprising:

a connection unit connected to a telephone line;

a detection unit for detecting a calling state generated by a communications apparatus via the telephone line; and

a signal output unit for outputting a signal to the outside via the network when the calling state is detected.

15. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an address output unit for outputting an address for identifying a location of an output target of the signal based on the network to the output target of the signal via the network.

16. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

an address requesting unit for requesting the network to give an address for identifying a location thereof based on the network when the calling state is detected;

an address receiving unit for receiving the given address from the network; and

an address output unit for outputting the received address to a calling device of the calling state via the network.

17. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a display instruction unit for displaying on a calling device of the calling state a menu screen on which an output target of the signal is displayed when the calling state is detected so that an output target can be selected out of displayed output targets,

wherein the signal output unit, when an output target is selected, outputs the signal to the selected output target.

18. A network interconnection apparatus which enables connection of a plurality of networks, comprising:

a connection unit connected to a telephone line;

a detection unit for detecting a calling state generated from the outside via the telephone line;

a storing unit for storing a set calling state;

a comparison unit for comparing the calling state detected by the detection unit and the calling state stored in the storing unit; and

a signal output unit for outputting a signal to the outside via the network when the comparison result indicates that the two calling states are identical.

19. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

an address requesting unit for requesting the network to give an address for identifying a location thereof based on the network when the comparison result indicates that the two calling states are identical;

an address receiving unit for receiving the given address from the network; and

an address output unit for outputting the received address to a calling device of the calling state via the network.

20. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the storing unit can store a calling state set in different manners for each of the plurality of output targets to which signals are outputted, and

the signal output unit outputs the signal to an output target, for which a calling state identical with the detected calling state is set, when the comparison result indicates that the two calling states are identical.

21. A network device which can be connected to a telephone line, comprising:

a detection unit for detecting a calling state generated by an outside communications apparatus via the telephone line;

a storing unit for storing a set calling state;

a comparison unit for comparing the calling state detected by the detection unit and the calling sate stored in the storing unit; and

an activation instruction unit for activating the network device when the comparison result indicates that the two calling states are identical.

22. The network device according to claim 21, wherein each of the calling states includes a calling frequency, a calling interval, and a calling sound frequency per each calling.

23. The network device according to claim 21, further comprising an activation notification unit for notifying activation to a communications apparatus when the network device is activated by a call from the communications apparatus.

24. A network device control system for controlling an operation of a network device included in a local area network having a network interconnection apparatus via the network interconnection apparatus with a communications apparatus outside the local area network, wherein the network interconnection apparatus comprises:

connection means connected to a telephone line;

means for detecting a calling state generated by the communications apparatus via the telephone line; and

means for sending a signal to the network device when the calling state is detected.

25. A network interconnection apparatus which enables connection of a plurality of networks, comprising:

connection means connected to a telephone line;

means for detecting a calling state generated by a communications apparatus via the telephone line; and

means for outputting a signal to the outside via the network when the calling state is detected.

26. A network device which can be connected to a telephone line, comprising:

detection means for detecting a calling state generated by an outside communications apparatus via the telephone line;

storing means for storing a set calling state;

means for comparing the calling state detected by the detection means and the calling sate stored in the storing means; and

means for activating the network device when the comparison result indicates that the two calling states are identical.