Electronic apparatus and service providing method used in the electronic apparatus

• US 7,096,011 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tamura, Masafumi, Kanazawa, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US10/805,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20040214617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412- 413, 455/3.01, 455/74, 455/3.03, 455/567, 455/67.11, 455/67.7, 455/417, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/412.2, 455418-421, 455/422.1, 455423-425, 455/462, 455/466, 455/550.1, 455557-558, 4555541-5542, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/574, 455/561, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 370/395.52, 370/395.53, 340/500, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 340/539.23, 340/539.19, 340/539.15, 340/286.07, 340/539.21, 340/686.6, 340/573.1, 340/573.4
• US Class Current: 455/421
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes a communication device that communicates with a mobile device and a plurality of devices via a network. The mobile device is wirelessly connectable to the network. The electronic apparatus further includes a control unit configured to determine whether the mobile device is disconnected from the network, and a message sending unit configured to send an alarm message to one of the devices by communication between the one of the devices and the communication device when the mobile device is disconnected from the network, the one of the devices being currently powered on.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a communication device which communicates with a mobile device and a plurality of devices via a network, the mobile device being adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network;

a control unit configured to determine whether the mobile device is disconnected from the network;

a message sending unit configured to send an alarm message to one of the plurality of devices by communication between the one of the plurality of devices and the communication device when the mobile device is disconnected from the network, the one of the plurality of devices being currently powered on;

means for monitoring whether a power state of each of the plurality of devices is a power-on state or a power-off state by communication between the communication device and each of the plurality of devices; and

means for detecting a power-on device among the plurality of devices based on a result of monitoring the power state of each of the plurality of devices when the mobile device is disconnected from the network,

wherein the message sending unit includes means for sending the alarm message to the detected power-on device by communication between the detected power-on device and the communication device.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the message sending unit includes means for, when a plurality of power-on devices among the plurality of devices are detected, sending the alarm message to all of the detected power-on devices by communication between each of the detected power-on devices and the communication device.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the alarm message includes a message to make a notification that the mobile device moves outside a wireless communication area of the network.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for sending electronic mail including the alarm message to a predesignated mobile phone when the mobile device is disconnected from the network.

5. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a communication device which communicates with a first mobile device and a plurality of devices via a network, the first mobile device being adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network;

a control unit configured to determine whether the first mobile device is disconnected from the network;

a message sending unit configured to send an alarm message to one of the plurality of devices by communication between the one of the plurality of devices and the communication device when the first mobile device is disconnected from the network, the one of the plurality of devices being currently powered on;

means for monitoring whether a power state of each of the plurality of devices is a power-on state or a power-off state by communication between the communication device and each of the plurality of devices; and

means for sending information indicative of the power state of each of the plurality of devices to a second mobile device adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network by communication between said second mobile device and the communication device.

6. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a communication device which communicates with a first mobile device and a plurality of devices via a network, the first mobile device being adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network;

a control unit configured to determine whether the first mobile device is disconnected from the network;

a message sending unit configured to send an alarm message to one of the plurality of devices by communication between the one of the plurality of devices and the communication device when the first mobile device is disconnected from the network, the one of the plurality of devices being currently powered on;

means for monitoring whether a power state of each of the plurality of devices is a power-on state or a power-off state by communication between the communication device and each of the plurality of devices;

means for determining whether a second mobile device adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network is disconnected from the network; and

means for turning off a power-on device among the plurality of devices on the network when said second mobile device is disconnected from the network.

7. A method of providing a service to a plurality of devices by an electronic apparatus that communicates with the devices via a network, the method comprising:

determining whether a mobile device adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network is disconnected from the network;

sending an alarm message to one of the plurality of devices on the network by communication between the one of the plurality of devices and the electronic apparatus when it is determined that the mobile device is disconnected from the network, the one of the plurality of devices being currently powered on;

monitoring whether a power state of each of the plurality of devices is a power-on state or a power-off state by communication between the electronic apparatus and each of the of devices; and

detecting a power-on device among the plurality of devices on the network based on a result of monitoring the power state of each of the plurality of devices when it is determined that the mobile device is disconnected from the network,

wherein the alarm message sending includes sending the alarm message to the detected power-on device by communication between the detected power-on device and the electronic apparatus.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the alarm message sending includes sending the alarm message to all of a plurality of power-on devices by communication between each of the power-on devices and the electronic apparatus when the power-on devices are detected.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising sending electronic mail including the alarm message to a predesignated mobile phone when it is determined that the mobile device is disconnected from the network.

10. A method of providing a service to a plurality of devices by an electronic apparatus that communicates with the plurality of devices via a network, the method comprising:

determining whether a first mobile device adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network is disconnected from the network;

sending an alarm message to a power-on device among the plurality of devices on the network by communication between the power-on device and the electronic apparatus when it is determined that the first mobile device is disconnected from the network;

monitoring whether a power state of each of the plurality of devices is a power-on state or a power-off state by communication between the electronic apparatus and each of the plurality of devices; and

sending information indicative of the power state of each of the plurality of devices to a second mobile device adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network by communication between said second mobile device and the electronic apparatus.

11. A method of providing a service to a plurality of devices by an electronic apparatus that communicates with the plurality of devices via a network, the method comprising:

determining whether a first mobile device adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network is disconnected from the network;

sending an alarm message to one of the plurality of devices by communication between the one of the plurality of devices and the electronic apparatus when it is determined that the first mobile device is disconnected from the network, the one of the plurality of devices being currently powered on;

monitoring whether a power state of each of the plurality of devices is a power-on state or a power-off state by communication between the electronic apparatus and each of the plurality of devices;

determining whether a second mobile device adapted to be wirelessly connected to the network is disconnected from the network; and

turning off a power-on device among the plurality of devices on the network when it is determined that said second mobile device is disconnected from the network.