Control system and method for controlling system

• US 6,919,790 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kanazawa, Ritsuko
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BANGACHON, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US10/417,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20030210126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.21, 340/5.61, 340/5.8, 340/7.29, 340/3.7, 340/825.22, 340/825.49, 340/825.72, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202, 235/375, 709/223, 379/102.01, 379/102.03, 379/93.01, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 340/5.21
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

A controller has a unit that stores therein a password specified by a user for each home electric appliance connected to a home network; a unit that, when a home-electric-appliance operation-request message is received, determines whether the message entry location is inside or outside the home; a unit that sends a password request message if it is determined as a result of the determination that the message entry location is outside the home; and a unit that, upon receiving a password in response to the request, determines if the received password matches the password of the controlled home electric appliance that is stored. The controller executes the operation of the home electric appliance connected to the home network only when the passwords match, thus preventing an unauthorized user outside the home from operating the home electric appliances at home.

Claims

1. A control system wherein home electric appliances installed inside a home and a controller controlling the home electric appliances are connected via a local network built inside the home, wherein said controller has a gateway function that allows said controller to connect to a network outside the home to connect the network outside the home to the local network in the home, and wherein the home electric appliances connected to the network system inside the home can be remotely controlled from outside the home via said controller,

wherein said controller comprises:

a password setting unit that stores a password specified by a user for each home electric appliance connected to the network in the home;

a source determination unit that, when a home-electric-appliance operation-request message is received over the network, determines whether a source of the message is inside or outside the home;

a password acquisition unit that, if said source determination unit has determined that the source of the message is outside the home, sends a password request message to the source of the message and receives a message, which includes a password, returned in response to the request; and

a password authentication unit that determines if the received password matches a password of the home electric appliance that is stored, and

wherein said controller executes a control operation of the home electric appliance connected to the network in the home when the passwords match.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises a log storing unit that writes the home-electric-appliance operation-request message that is received and a content of the operation executed by the controller for the received message.

3. A controlling method for use by a controller that controls home electric appliances installed inside a home and that is connected to a local network built inside the home, wherein said controller has a gateway function that allows said controller to connect to a network outside the home to connect the network outside the home to the local network in the home and wherein the home electric appliances connected to the network system inside the home can be remotely controlled from outside the home via said controller, said controlling method comprising the steps, by said controller, of:

storing a password specified by a user for each home electric appliance connected to the network in the home;

when a home-electric-appliance operation-request message is received over the network, determining whether a source of the message is inside or outside the home;

if it is determined, as a result of said step of determining a source, that the source of the message is outside the home, sending a password request message to the source of the message and receiving a message, which includes a password, returned in response to the request; and

determining if the received password matches a password of the home electric appliance that is stored,

wherein said controller executes a control operation of the home electric appliance connected to the network in the home when the passwords match.

4. A control system wherein appliances and a controller controlling the appliances are connected via a network built inside the home, wherein said controller has a gateway function that allows said controller to connect to a network outside the home to connect the network outside the home to the network in the home, and wherein the appliances connected to the network system inside the home can be remotely controlled from outside the home via said controller,

wherein said controller comprises:

a password setting unit that stores a password specified by a user for each appliance connected to the network in the home;

a source determination unit that, when an appliance operation request message is received over the network, determines whether a source of the message is inside or outside the home;

a password acquisition unit that, if said source determination unit has determined that the source of the message is outside the home, sends a password request message to the source of the message and receives a message, which includes a password, returned in response to the request; and

a password authentication unit that determines if the received password matches a password of the appliance that is stored, and

wherein said controller executes a control operation of the appliance connected to the network in the home when the passwords match.

5. A controlling method for use by a controller that controls appliances and that is connected to a network built inside a home, wherein said controller has a gateway function that allows said controller to connect to a network outside the home to connect the network outside the home to the network in the home and wherein the appliances connected to the network system inside the home can be remotely controlled from outside the home via said controller, said controlling method comprising the steps, by said controller, of:

storing a password specified by a user for each appliance connected to the network in the home;

when an appliance operation request message is received over the network, determining whether a source of the message is inside or outside the home;

if it is determined, as a result of said step of determining a source, that the source of the message is outside the home, sending a password request message to the source of the message and receiving a message, which includes a password, returned in response to the request; and

determining if the received password matches a password of the appliance that is stored,

wherein said controller executes a control operation of the appliance connected to the network in the home when the passwords match.