Controlled device, controller, information control center, initialization-allowing communication system, and communication control system and medium

• US 7,092,769 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwamoto, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Sunray
• Application Number:
  US10/408,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 700/20, 700/2, 700/11, 700/275, 713/200, 713/1, 710/9, 709/222, 340/825.22
• US Class Current: 700/20
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An initialization-allowing communication system is constituted with devices 70 and 80, a controller 400 for controlling the devices 70 and 80 through communication, and so on. Each device and the controller 400 are provided with communication means 31, a house code showing a setting place, a subsystem ID showing the ID of a subsystem in a set system, a device ID showing the type of device, and self-address setting-holding means 11 for holding a self-address constituted with a device number showing a device number and the controller 400 is further provided with system structure holding means 301 for holding the information concerned with the system structure to be controlled and a communication-counterpart-address setting-holding means 401 for setting and holding the address of a counterpart to be communication-controlled obtained from the information concerned with the system structure.

Claims

1. A controlled device to be controlled by a controller, wherein

an information control center having a data base storing a plurality of pieces of combined information between said controller and the controlled device corresponding to said controller transmits said combined information to controllers included in the combined information at predetermined timing.

2. A medium wherein a program for making a computer execute functions of all or some of means of claim 1 is recorded.

3. A controller for controlling a controlled device, wherein

an information control center having a data base storing a plurality of pieces of combined information between said controller and the controlled device corresponding to said controller transmits said combined information to controllers included in the combined information at predetermined timing.

4. A medium wherein a program for making a computer execute functions of all or some of means of claim 3 is recorded.

5. An information control center having a data base storing a plurality of pieces of combined information between a controller and a controlled device corresponding to said controller, wherein

said information control center transmits said combined information to controllers included in said combined information at predetermined timing.

6. A medium wherein a program for making a computer execute functions of all or some of means of claim 5 is recorded.

7. An initialization-allowing communication system comprising:

a controlled device to be controlled;

a controller for controlling said controlled device; and

an information control center having a data base storing a plurality of pieces of combined information between said controller and the controlled device corresponding to said controller, wherein

said information control center transmits said combined information to controllers included in said combined information at predetermined timing.

8. The initialization-allowing communication system according to claim 7, wherein

said data base includes a self-address constituted with a setting ID code for distinguishing between at least setting places of said controller and said controlled device and a type and number ID code for distinguishing between the types and/or numbers of said controller or controlled device.

9. The initialization-allowing communication system according to claim 7, wherein

terminal certification means for effectuating the communication on said communication medium only between proper terminals is provided for said controlled device and/or said controller connected to said communication medium.

10. A medium wherein a program for making a computer execute functions of all or some of means of claim 7 is recorded.

11. A method of initializing a controller at a user'"'"'s site for controlling the operation of a device purchased by the user from a supplier'"'"'s site, comprising the steps of:

a) identifying the device at the supplier'"'"'s site with an address and an ID code, in which

i) the address establishes the device is to be controlled at the user'"'"'s site with the controller, and

ii) the ID code establishes the operation of the device,

b) inputting the address and the ID code into a remote data base,

c) accessing the remote data base from the user'"'"'s site with the controller to obtain the address and the ID code of the device, and

d) storing the address and the ID code of the device in the controller,

wherein the controller is used by the user to control the operation of the device.