Controller, program product, and storage medium

• US 7,197,365 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hori, Yoshihiro, Hatayama, Yoshinori, Takemura, Hiroshi, Ogawa, Kazuya, Sugimoto, Etsuko
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US11/042,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 706/20, 706/47, 706/61, 700/48, 700/49, 700/19, 700/20, 700/86, 700/87, 707/3, 707/100, 707/200, 715/800, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25011 Domotique, I-O bus, home automation, building automation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25168 Domotique, access through internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

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.

Claims

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.

2. A controller according to claim 1, wherein:

the rule format database stores the rule format while classifying the rule format based on an appliance type; and

the rule format acquisition means compares an appliance type of the appliance connected to the network with the rule format stored in the rule format database, and when a rule format corresponding to the appliance type is not stored in the rule format database, sends a request for acquisition of the rule format for the appliance to the external network.

3. A controller according to claim 1, wherein the rule format acquisition means sends a request for transmission of a rule format to the appliance, prior to sending of the request for acquisition of the rule format with respect to the external network or in a case where the rule format for the appliance cannot be acquired from the external network even when the request for acquisition with respect to the external network is made.

4. A controller according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 3, wherein, 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, the rule format acquisition means further sends a request for transmission of a new rule format to be added due to a change in the setting position to the external network.

5. The controller according to claim 4, wherein, upon sending the request for transmission of the rule format, the rule format acquisition means transmits at least appliance type information and setting position information of each appliance connected to the network to the external network, and causes the external network to transmit a rule format regarding new cooperation control among the appliances caused by the change in the setting position.

6. A controller for controlling an appliance connected to a network, comprising:

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.

7. A controller according to claim 6, wherein, upon sending the request for transmission of the rule format, the rule format acquisition means transmits at least appliance type information and setting position information of each appliance connected to the network to the external network, and causes the external network to transmit a rule format regarding new cooperation control among the appliances caused by the change in the setting position.

8. A program product including a computer readable medium bearing a computer program for controlling an appliance connected to a network, the program comprising:

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.

9. A program product according to claim 8, wherein:

the rule format database is configured to store the rule format while classifying the rule format based on an appliance type; and

the processing portion for sending a request for acquisition of the rule format to the external network compares an appliance type of the appliance connected to the network with the rule format stored in the rule format database, and when a rule format corresponding to the appliance type is not stored in the rule format database, sends a request for acquisition of the rule format for the appliance to the external network.

10. A program product according to claim 8, wherein the processing portion for sending a request for acquisition of the rule format to the external network includes a processing portion for sending a request for transmission of a rule format to the appliance, prior to sending of the request for acquisition of the rule format with respect to the external network or in a case where the rule format for the appliance cannot be obtained from the external network even when the request for acquisition with respect to the external network is made.

11. A program product according to any one of claims 8, 9, and 10, wherein the processing portion for sending a request for acquisition of the rule format to the external network further includes 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 a change in the setting position to the external network.

12. A program product according to claim 11, wherein the processing portion for transmitting a request for acquisition of the rule format to the external network includes a processing portion for, upon sending the request for transmission of the rule format, transmitting at least appliance type information and setting position information of each appliance connected to the network to the external network, and causing the external network to transmit a rule format regarding new cooperation control among the appliances caused by the change in the setting position.

13. A program product including a computer readable medium bearing a computer program for controlling an appliance connected to a network, the program comprising:

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.

14. A program product according to claim 13, wherein the processing portion for sending a request for transmission of the rule format to the external network includes a processing portion for, upon sending the request for transmission of the rule format, transmitting at least appliance type information and setting position information of each appliance connected to the network to the external network, and causing the external network to transmit a rule format regarding new cooperation control among the appliances caused by the change in the setting position.

15. A computer readable storage medium, which stores a program for of controlling an appliance connected to a network, the program including:

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.

16. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein:

the rule format database is configured to store the rule format while classifying the rule format based on an appliance type; and

the processing portion for sending a request for acquisition of the rule format to the external network compares an appliance type of the appliance connected to the network with the rule format stored in the rule format database, and when a rule format corresponding to the appliance type is not stored in the rule format database, sends a request for acquisition of the rule format for the appliance to the external network.

17. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the processing portion for sending a request for acquisition of the rule format to the external network includes a processing portion for sending a request for transmission of a rule format to the appliance, prior to sending of the request for acquisition of the rule format with respect to the external network or in a case where the rule format for the appliance cannot be acquired from the external network even when the request for acquisition with respect to the external network is made.

18. A computer readable storage medium according to any one of claims 15, 16, and 17, wherein the processing portion for sending a request for acquisition of the rule format to the external network further includes 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 a change in the setting position to the external network.

19. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the processing portion for sending a request for acquisition of the rule format to the external network includes a processing portion for, upon sending the request for transmission of the rule format, transmitting at least appliance type information and setting position information of each appliance connected to the network to the external network, and causing the external network to transmit a rule format regarding new cooperation control among the appliances caused by the change in the setting position.

20. A computer readable storage medium, which stores a program for of controlling an appliance connected to a network, the program including:

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.

21. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 20, wherein the processing portion for sending a request for transmission of the rule format to the external network includes a processing portion for, upon sending the request for transmission of the rule format, transmitting at least appliance type information and setting position information of each appliance connected to the network to the external network, and causing the external network to transmit a rule format regarding new cooperation control among the appliances caused by the change in the setting position.