Controller, program product, and storage medium
First Claim
1. A controller for controlling an appliance connected to a network, comprising:
- a rule format database for storing a rule format that is a description form of a control rule that can be set for the appliance;
control rule generation means for setting correspondence information in the rule format in accordance with input control information, and generating the control rule for controlling the appliance;
a control rule database for storing the control rule generated by the control rule generation means;
rule execution means for, when state data from the appliance connected to the network satisfies a condition of any one of the control rules stored in the control rule database, transmitting a control command in accordance with the control rule to an appliance to be controlled by the control rule; and
rule format acquisition means for determining whether or not the rule format for the appliance connected to the network is stored in the rule format database, when the rule format in accordance with the appliance is not stored in the rule format database, sending a request for acquisition of the rule format for the appliance to an external network, and storing the rule format acquired from the external network in accordance with the request in the rule format database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object of the present invention is to realize an in-home network system that is capable of smoothly controlling an appliance even when a new kind of appliance that has not been obtained conventionally is connected to an in-home network or even when an unusual, special use form is set in a network. A controller of the present invention compares a device type of an appliance connected to an in-home network with a skeleton stored in a skeleton DB. When a skeleton rule in accordance with the appliance type is not stored in the skeleton DB, a request for acquisition of the skeleton rule of the appliance is transmitted to a service agent. In addition, when the location of an appliance is moved, the controller sends a request for transmission of a new rule format to be added due to the movement to the service agent.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A controller for controlling an appliance connected to a network, comprising:
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a rule format database for storing a rule format that is a description form of a control rule that can be set for the appliance; control rule generation means for setting correspondence information in the rule format in accordance with input control information, and generating the control rule for controlling the appliance; a control rule database for storing the control rule generated by the control rule generation means; rule execution means for, when state data from the appliance connected to the network satisfies a condition of any one of the control rules stored in the control rule database, transmitting a control command in accordance with the control rule to an appliance to be controlled by the control rule; and rule format acquisition means for determining whether or not the rule format for the appliance connected to the network is stored in the rule format database, when the rule format in accordance with the appliance is not stored in the rule format database, sending a request for acquisition of the rule format for the appliance to an external network, and storing the rule format acquired from the external network in accordance with the request in the rule format database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A controller for controlling an appliance connected to a network, comprising:
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a rule format database for storing a format that is a description form of a control rule that can be set for the appliance; control rule generation means for setting correspondence information in the rule format in accordance with input control information, and generating the control rule for controlling the appliance; a control rule database for storing the control rule generated by the control rule generation means; rule execution means for, when state data from the appliance connected to the network satisfies a condition of any one of the control rules stored in the control rule database, transmitting a control command in accordance with the control rule to an appliance to be controlled by the control rule; and rule format acquisition means for, when information on a setting position of an appliance is newly registered with respect to the appliance, or when information on the setting position set with respect to the appliance is changed, sending a request for transmission of a new rule format to be added due to the change in the setting position to an external network, and storing the rule format acquired from the external network in accordance with the request in the rule format database. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A program product including a computer readable medium bearing a computer program for controlling an appliance connected to a network, the program comprising:
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a processing portion for configuring a rule format database for storing a format that is a description form of a control rule that can be set for the appliance; a processing portion for setting correspondence information in the rule format in accordance with input control information, and generating the control rule for controlling the appliance; a processing portion for configuring a control rule database for storing the control rule generated by operating the processing portion for generating the control rule; a processing portion for, when state data from the appliance connected to the network satisfies a condition of any one of the control rules stored in the control rule database, transmitting a control command in accordance with the control rule to an appliance to be controlled by the control rule; a processing portion for determining whether or not the rule format for the appliance connected to the network is stored in the rule format database, and when the rule format in accordance with the appliance is not stored in the rule format database, sending a request for acquisition of the rule format for the appliance to an external network; and a processing portion for storing the rule format obtained from the external network in accordance with the request for acquisition in the rule format database. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A program product including a computer readable medium bearing a computer program for controlling an appliance connected to a network, the program comprising:
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a processing portion for configuring a rule format database for storing a format that is a description form of a control rule that can be set for the appliance; a processing portion for setting correspondence information in the rule format in accordance with input control information, and generating the control rule for controlling the appliance; a processing portion for configuring a control rule database for storing the control rule generated by operating the processing portion for generating the control rule; a processing portion for, when state data from the appliance connected to the network satisfies a condition of any one of the control rules stored in the control rule database, transmitting a control command in accordance with the control rule to an appliance to be controlled by the control rule; a processing portion for, when information on a setting position of an appliance is newly registered with respect to the appliance, or when information on the setting position set with respect to the appliance is changed, sending a request for transmission of a new rule format to be added due to the change in the setting position to an external network; and a processing portion for storing the rule format acquired from the external network in accordance with the request for transmission in the rule format database. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A computer readable storage medium, which stores a program for of controlling an appliance connected to a network, the program including:
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a processing portion for configuring a rule format database for storing a format that is a description form of a control rule that can be set for the appliance; a processing portion for setting correspondence information in the rule format in accordance with input control information, and generating the control rule for controlling the appliance; a processing portion for configuring a control rule database for storing the control rule generated by operating the processing portion for generating the control rule; a processing portion for, when state data from the appliance connected to the network satisfies a condition of any one of the control rules stored in the control rule database, transmitting a control command in accordance with the control rule to an appliance to be controlled by the control rule; a processing portion for determining whether or not the rule format for the appliance connected to the network is stored in the rule format database, and when the rule format in accordance with the appliance is not stored in the rule format database, sending a request for acquisition of the rule format for the appliance to an external network; and a processing portion for storing the rule format acquired from the external network in accordance with the request for acquisition in the rule format database. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer readable storage medium, which stores a program for of controlling an appliance connected to a network, the program including:
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a processing portion for configuring a rule format database for storing a format that is a description form of a control rule that can be set for the appliance; a processing portion for setting correspondence information in the rule format in accordance with input control information, and generating the control rule for controlling the appliance; a processing portion for configuring a control rule database for storing the control rule generated by operating the processing portion for generating the control rule; a processing portion for, when state data from the appliance connected to the network satisfies a condition of any one of the control rules stored in the control rule database, transmitting a control command in accordance with the control rule to an appliance to be controlled by the control rule; a processing portion for, when information on a setting position of an appliance is newly registered with respect to the appliance, or when information on the setting position set with respect to the appliance is changed, sending a request for transmission of a new rule format to be added due to the change in the setting position to an external network; and a processing portion for storing the rule format acquired from the external network in accordance with the request for transmission in the rule format database. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification