JP2002111887A - Home automation centralized control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To operate a home automation system from a remote place with simple facility. SOLUTION: The controller 1 and the control application 2 of an intra-home unit are separated. The control application 2 is loaded on a home automation service provider (ASP server) on the Internet. They are connected by a data communication public line, and access and control are realized by using a terminal having a browser function.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in home automation in which switches for lighting equipment, home electric appliances, bathroom hot water supply equipment and the like can be operated from a remote place.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the development of automation systems for home appliances has been remarkable, and lighting equipment, home appliances, hot water supply equipment in bathrooms, and various sensors can be controlled with a single telephone even in remote locations. .

[0003] In Japan, such a facility is generally introduced as follows. When a customer intends to build a house having a home automation system, as shown in FIG. 8, the customer places an order with a house maker (a house sales company or an architectural design office), and the house maker performs concrete construction work. Order from the store. The contractor works with related carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and equipment stores, and the home automation home appliance manufacturers are affiliated with house makers and even contractors, and are often affiliated. . Therefore, as for the home automation system, the customer's request is not satisfied, and only the equipment of the above-mentioned house maker or home appliance maker affiliated with the construction company can be installed.

[0004] Moreover, each home appliance manufacturer has an independent system, and it is impossible for customers to integrate and use these systems unless they make duplicate investments.

[0005] In addition, home automation equipment dedicated to each company is still expensive, and its installation can only be performed by a specialized contractor.

[0006]

Conventional home automation equipment is not only expensive, but also SI (Sys).
However, there is a problem that the number of contractors having the “tem integration” technology is insufficient. In particular, in the case of home automation, the number of objects to be installed is expected to increase more and more, so the shortage of SI engineers is a serious problem.

[0007] That is, in order to carry out construction that meets customer needs, it is necessary to first design an order-made system. Then, construction is performed based on the design, and the system is set there. After that, you have to be ready for maintenance and even respond to system upgrades. In order to do this for every single home, a company with many SI technologies is required, and since it is difficult to secure the number, it becomes a hindrance factor for the development of home automation.

In addition, it is difficult to introduce a system that differs from the customs of the existing affiliated distribution industry.
There seems to be room for subtle issues in relation to laws and regulations.

Therefore, the present invention uses an inexpensive terminal,
The control application system that controls it is located as a server on the Internet and has a terminal (i-mode, WAP, PDA,
The above-mentioned problems are intended to be solved at once by making the PC accessible from anywhere.

[0010]

According to the present invention, in a home automation system, a controller for home equipment and a control application are separated, the control application is mounted on a home automation service provider on the Internet, and data communication is performed between the two. This is a centralized home automation management system that is connected via a line and accessed and controlled using a terminal having a browser function.

The home appliances to be controlled in the present invention include lighting equipment, home electric appliances (water heater, floor heating, etc.),
TVs, security devices, electric locks, electric shutters,
Not only devices that are subject to conventional home automation, such as curtains, AV devices, environmental sensors, and nursing equipment, but also devices that will be developed in the future are, of course, targets.

A control application for controlling these devices is mounted on a home automation service provider on the Internet separately from the above controller, and can be connected at any time by using a data communication public line such as an NTT line. It has become.

The user accesses the control application using a terminal having a browser function, and controls various target devices in the home via a controller in each home using a data communication public line.
Conversely, information such as an alarm generated in the home is sent to a terminal having a browser function by following a course reverse to the above.

The controller installed in each home has a very compact structure because the control application part is separated, and is almost maintenance-free. In addition, telephone lines and multiple I / O ports (sensors,
(Infrared, wireless, network adapter, etc.) is simply plugged into a predetermined location, so that the user can purchase the controller at, for example, a home appliance store and install it by himself.

Further, since control applications that require advanced technology for system design and setting are mounted on servers at each site on the Internet, the number of control applications can be extremely small, and correction and addition, etc. are performed using a small number of technologies. Can be fully managed by the person.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described specifically with reference to embodiments. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the concept of the system of the present invention. Controller 1 and control application 2
And the controllers 1 are attached to the contract homes 4 respectively. The controller 1 is connected to a home network 5 such as an illuminator, a water heater, an air conditioner, a strobe, and an alarm, and is connected as a data communication public line 3 to an NTT line or the like. The control application 2 is mounted on an ASP server on the Internet. The management and maintenance of the software of the control application 2 is performed by the entire management company. The user can use a terminal 6 having a browser function (a mobile phone, a personal computer,
The control application 2 on the Internet is accessed using a car navigation system. When a command is input to the ASP server, a necessary function is selected, and the controller of the registered member home is accessed via the controller 1 installed in the contract home 4 using the data communication public line 3 and the command is issued. Make a phone call to let you know you have entered. Thereafter, the line is disconnected once, a telephone number for accessing the ASP server set in advance for each controller of each user is called, and a user command programmed by the ASP server is downloaded. This prevents a malicious third party from accessing and controlling the controller. Of course, it is also possible to make settings directly on the main unit when at home.

When an alarm device on the home network 5 is activated, for example, the signal reaches the control application 2 using the data communication public line 3 via the controller 1 and the user's browser function via the Internet. Is sent to the terminal 6 having. If the user catches the signal, the number 110 as needed,
Notify security companies, home administrators, etc.

Once the line is disconnected, a call is made to a telephone number for accessing the ASP server, which is set in advance in each user's controller, and the user command is sent to the ASP.
It is a mechanism to download what is programmed on the server. This prevents a malicious third party from accessing and controlling the controller.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the surface of the controller 1. In addition to the power supply, the status display function includes an alarm that blinks in an emergency, and the program mode includes a home mode, an absence mode, a night mode, and a connection mode. Set an automation pattern on the Internet based on each mode. Automation of home appliance control, timer control, alarm transfer conditions, etc. are set as needed. Each mode can be set at home or when going out. The settings can be made directly on the main unit or turned on and off via an ASP server.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the back surface of the controller 1. A home network connection interface is provided in addition to the power jack. Users can purchase a commercially available controller, plug in a telephone line or the like to the connector, and then use a terminal with a normal browser function to receive the service. The control application is programmed by an expert on the net, and the user can select and receive an appropriate service therein.

The above functions are shown in the figure below. 4 is a conceptual diagram of the basic connection, FIG. 5 is an example of remote operation of the browser, FIG. 6 is an example of remote monitoring of the browser, and FIG. 7 is an example of an emergency or automatic notification connection.

[0022]

According to the present invention, in a home automation centralized management system, since a controller and a control application are separated from each other, only a compactly arranged controller is installed in the home, and the initial investment is low for the user. There are benefits.
In addition, since the control application is placed on a server on the Internet, the management company can easily perform batch management, and there is an advantage that software maintenance and version upgrade can be performed by a small number of engineers. In addition, since the controller can be purchased from an ordinary electronics store and can be easily installed by an amateur, a professional engineer is not required here. In addition, a terminal having a browser function such as an i-mode or a personal computer can easily access a server on the Internet, which is as simple as access using a conventional telephone line.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory front view of an example of a controller installed in a user's home in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory back view of the controller.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a basic connection of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a remote operation example of a browser.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an example of remote monitoring of a browser.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an emergency or automatic notification connection.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional house construction system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Controller 2 Control application 3 Data communication public line 4 Contract home 5 Home network 6 Terminal with browser function

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Claims (1)

[Claims] In a home automation system, a controller of a device in a home is separated from a control application, and the control application is connected to a home automation service provider (A) on the Internet.
A centralized home automation management system that is mounted on an SP server), connected between them via a data communication public line, and accessed and controlled using a terminal with a browser function.