JP2003309882A - Remote control, home server, control device, and wireless connection method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To simplify the input of an authentication ID from a user for a terminal that performs authentication at the time of wireless connection by exchanging an authentication ID,
Reduce user burden. The remote control includes a remote control, a home server, and a controlled device. The remote control transmits an authentication ID to the home server as data, and the home server transmits an authentication ID received from the remote control to the controlled device. By sharing the ID, the processing unit of the remote controller and the processing unit of the electric appliance use the shared authentication ID as the authentication ID used for the authentication work at the time of wireless connection, thereby simplifying the input of the authentication ID from the user. , Reduce the burden on the user.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connection method using authentication, which includes a remote controller, a home server, and a control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently, Echonet and IEEE1394
There are many home network technologies that connect home appliances with a network. For the spread of this home network, it is important to eliminate the trouble of wiring work even in an existing house, and it is considered that one solution is to use a power line or wireless as a communication medium. But,
Applying wireless to the communication medium eliminates the trouble of wiring but raises a security problem. For example, if the wireless connection is easily made, it becomes possible to control the electric appliances in the house from terminals that are not related to each other outside the house. For this reason, it is important to perform authentication work during wireless connection between devices, and as one authentication work, connecting terminals exchange mutual authentication IDs and start communication only when the authentication IDs match. There is a method of using the authentication work to do.

[0003]

However, a washing machine, an air conditioner, and a refrigerator, which are called white goods, are not suitable for inputting an authentication ID because they do not have excellent input means. In addition, inputting the authentication ID each time each device is connected becomes a troublesome task for the user.

[0004]

Therefore, in the present invention, the home server has a remote controller and means for communicating with home appliances, and the home server obtains from the remote controller an authentication ID stored in advance by the remote controller. Then, the authentication ID is transmitted to the electric appliance, and the electric appliance stores the authentication ID, and when the authentication ID is required when connecting the remote controller and the electric appliance, the processing unit of the remote controller and the electric appliance stores this authentication ID. A connection including authentication is realized by using the stored authentication ID. With the method described above, it is possible to handle a connection including authentication even for a device such as a white goods that does not have an excellent input means, and it is not necessary for the user to input the authentication ID each time the connection is made.

Further, the electric appliance stores product information indicating its own product, transmits the unique ID of the wireless communication means and the stored product information to the home server, and the home server transmits the product information and the unique ID to the remote controller. Then, the remote controller displays the product information on the display unit, and when the user selects one product information via the input means, the user connects to the unique ID received together with this product information, so that the user can obtain the unique ID.
It is possible to connect to an electric appliance from the remote control based on the product information without being aware of.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a home network in a home. Reference numeral 11 is a remote controller that remotely controls the electrical appliances in the house via wireless communication. Reference numeral 12 is a home server that manages electrical appliances in the house. The home server 12 has a function of performing wireless communication with the remote controller 11 and a function of performing power line communication with the washing machine 13 and the air conditioner 14 described later. 13 is a washing machine. 14 is an air conditioner. The washing machine 13 and the air conditioner 14 have a function of performing wireless communication with the remote controller 11 and a function of performing communication with the home server 12 by a power line. A power line 15 is used to supply electric power to the electric appliances, and also serves as a communication medium between the home server 12, the washing machine 13, and the air conditioner 14.

Next, the configurations of the remote controller 11, the home server 12, the washing machine 13 and the air conditioner 14 will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the remote controller 11. Reference numeral 21 denotes a remote controller processing unit that performs processing of transmission / reception data and input / output processing in the remote controller 11. A wireless communication unit 22 is used to perform wireless communication with another wireless communication unit 22. A unique ID 23 is used to identify the wireless communication unit 22. In the present embodiment, the wireless communication unit included in the remote controller is 22a (unique ID 23a), and the wireless communication unit included in the home server 12 is 22b.
(Unique ID 23b), the wireless communication unit provided in the washing machine 13 is 22c (Unique ID 23c), and the wireless communication unit provided in the air conditioner is 22d (Unique ID 23d). 24
Is a remote controller storage unit that stores data received wirelessly, a unique ID 23a, and an authentication ID 27 described later. Two
Reference numeral 5 denotes a remote controller input unit used by the user to control the remote controller 11. Reference numeral 26 denotes a remote control display section for displaying data stored in the remote control storage section 24. Two
Reference numeral 7 is an authentication ID used for authentication when the wireless communication unit 22a connects to another wireless communication unit 22. The authentication ID 27 is input by the user through the remote control input unit 25.
Can be rewritten. 28 is product information indicating the category of electrical appliances. In this embodiment, 28b is a "home server", 28c is a "washing machine", and 28d is an "air conditioner". Note that 28a is not used in this embodiment. Reference numeral 29 is a washing machine control signal for remotely controlling the washing machine. Reference numeral 30 is an air conditioner control signal for remotely controlling the air conditioner.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the home server 12. Reference numeral 31 is a server processing unit that performs processing and input / output processing of data transmitted and received from the wireless communication unit 22b and the power line communication unit 32 described below. Reference numeral 32 is a power line communication unit that transmits and receives data via the power line 15. A server storage unit 33 stores the unique ID 23, the authentication ID 27, the product information 28, and the like. 34 is the user's remote control 1
1 is a server input unit for inputting an authentication ID 27 used for connecting with 1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the structure of the washing machine 13. Reference numeral 41 is a household electrical appliance processing unit that processes data transmitted and received by the wireless communication unit 22c and the power line communication unit 32.
42 is the unique ID 23, the authentication ID 27, and the product information 28.
Is a home appliance storage unit that stores Reference numeral 43 is a main body of a washing machine that executes conventional washing machine operations such as washing / rinsing / dehydration.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner 14. Reference numeral 51 denotes an air conditioner main body that executes operations of a conventional air conditioner such as heating / cooling. The configuration other than the air conditioner main body 51 is the same as the configuration of the washing machine 13 shown in FIG.

Next, based on the devices described in FIGS. 2 to 5, the flow until the remote controller controls the devices in the house will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 1.
It will be described using 0.

FIG. 6 shows that the washing machine 13 has its own unique ID2.
3 is a flowchart showing a flow of notifying home server 12 of 3c and product information 28c. First, the home appliance processing unit 41 of the washing machine 13 periodically receives the unique I of the wireless communication unit 23c.
D23c and product information 28c (“washing machine”) are transmitted via the power line communication unit 32 (ST61). Then, when the power line communication unit 32 of the home server 12 receives the unique ID 23c and the product information 28c, the server processing unit 31 causes the unique ID 23.
c and product information 28c are stored in the server storage unit 33.
(ST62). Here, the washing machine 13 has a unique ID 23.
c and the product information 28c are periodically transmitted, but the unique ID 23c is generated by the fact that the washing machine 13 is connected to the power line 15 or by a request from the home server 12.
A method of transmitting the product information 28c is also conceivable. In the same manner, the unique ID 23d of the wireless communication unit 22d included in the air conditioner 14 and the product information 28d (“air conditioner”) are also stored in the server storage unit 33 of the home server 12. Through the above flow, the home server is the unique ID of the home appliance.
23 and product information 28 can be stored.

Next, the remote controller 11 sends from the home server 12 a unique ID of an electric appliance in the house including the home server 12.
23 and the product information 28, and the flow in which the home server 12 acquires the unique ID 23a and the authentication ID 27 of the remote controller 11 will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the user inputs the unique ID 23b through the remote controller input section 25, and starts a wireless connection process from the remote controller 11 to the home server 12 (ST7).
1). And as the authentication work at the time of connection, the authentication ID 27
Are exchanged (ST72). Here, the authentication ID of the remote controller 11 is the authentication ID 27 stored in the remote controller storage unit 24.
Is used. On the other hand, the authentication ID of the home server 12 is
The server input unit 34 of the user is determined by input. Next, the wireless communication unit 22a and the wireless communication unit 22c determine whether or not the authentication IDs 27 match (ST73). Here, if the authentication IDs 27 match each other, the connection succeeds, assuming that the authentication is performed correctly (ST74). On the other hand, if the authentication IDs 27 do not match with each other, the authentication fails and the connection fails (ST75). When the authentication is successful, the remote controller 11 sends the unique ID 23a and the authentication ID 27 to the home server 12 via the wireless communication unit 22a.
(ST76). When the wireless communication unit 22b of the home server 12 receives the unique ID 23a and the authentication ID 27, the server processing unit 31 uses the unique ID as remote control information.
23a and the authentication ID 27 are stored in the server storage unit 33 (ST77).

Next, the server processing unit 33 causes the server storage unit 3 to operate.
3 to unique IDs 23b, 23c, 23d and product information 2
8b, 28c, 28d are transmitted to the remote controller 11 via the wireless communication means 22b (ST78). Then, the wireless communication unit 22a of the remote controller 11 makes the unique IDs 23b, 23c, 2
When 3d and the product information 28b, 28c, 28d are received, the remote controller processing unit 21 receives the unique IDs 23b, 2
3c, 23d and product information 28b, 28c, 28d are stored (ST79). Through the above flow, the home server 12 causes the remote controller 11 to have the unique ID 23a and the authentication ID 27.
The remote controller 11 can know the unique ID 23 and the product information 28 of the electric appliance in the house.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flowchart in which the washing machine 13 acquires the unique ID 23a and the authentication ID 27 of the remote controller 11 from the home server 12. First, the home server 12 transmits the unique ID 23a and the authentication ID 27 via the power line 15 (ST81). Then, the home appliance processing unit 41 of the washing machine 13 uses the remote controller 11 that controls the washing machine 13.
Information of the received unique ID 23a and authentication ID 27
Is stored in the home appliance storage unit 42 (ST82).

Through the above flow, the washing machine 13 can know the unique ID 23a and the authentication ID 27 of the remote controller 11. The air conditioner 14 similarly acquires the unique ID 23a and the authentication ID 27 from the home server 12.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of connection between the remote controller 11 and the washing machine 13. First, the remote controller processing unit 21 displays the product information 28 acquired from the home server 11 on the remote controller display unit 26 as a control partner,
The remote controller 11 receives the product information 28 acquired from the home server 12 by the user's input via the remote controller input unit 25.
A device to be connected is selected based on (ST91, see FIG. 10). When the user selects "washing machine" (product information 28c), the remote controller processing unit 21 causes the wireless communication unit 22a to start connection to the unique ID 23c stored together with the product information 28c (ST92). Then remote control 1
The wireless communication unit 22a of No. 1 and the wireless communication unit 22c of the washing machine 13 exchange the authentication ID 27 (ST93).

Next, the wireless communication means 22a and the wireless communication means 22c determine whether the authentication IDs 27 match (S).
T94). When the mutual authentication IDs 27 match, the connection succeeds (ST95), and the mutual authentication IDs 27
If they do not match, the connection fails (ST96).
Here, the authentication ID 27 exchanged by each other is the remote control 1
The authentication ID 27 stored in the remote controller storage unit 24 is used on the side 1 and the authentication ID 27 stored in the home appliance storage unit 41 together with the unique ID 23a is used on the side of the washing machine 13 because the connection is from the unique ID 23a acquired from the home server 12. Therefore, the same authentication ID 27 can be exchanged without requiring the user to input the authentication ID 27. When the wireless connection between the remote controller 11 and the washing machine 13 is successful, the remote controller 11 can control the washing machine using the washing machine control signal 29 wirelessly (ST97). In the same flow as above, the remote controller 11 and the air conditioner 14 also establish a wireless connection including authentication work, and the remote controller 11 sends an air conditioner control signal 30.
Can be used to control the air conditioner.

Even when a new electric appliance is installed in the house, the home server 12 obtains the unique ID 23 and the product information 28 from the new electric appliance via the power line 15.
The remote controller 11 acquires the unique ID 23 and the product information 28 of the new electric appliance from the home server 12 wirelessly, so that the remote controller 11 can grasp the electric appliance in the house. On the other hand, even if a new remote control is introduced,
The home server 12 acquires the unique ID 23, the authentication ID 27, and the product information 28 of the new remote controller, and the acquired unique ID
By notifying 23, the authentication ID 27, and the product information 28 to the electric appliances in the home through the power line 15, the electric appliances in the home can perform the connection process including the new remote control and the authentication work.

Further, in this embodiment, the communication medium between the remote controller 11 and the home server 12 is wireless, but the remote controller 11
Is equipped with a power line communication unit 32, and the remote controller 11
A method of using the power line 15 as a communication medium between the home server 12 and the home server 12 is also conceivable.

Further, in the present embodiment, the washing machine 13 and the air conditioner 14 previously acquired the authentication ID 27 from the home server 12 before connecting to the remote controller 11, but the remote controller 1
A method of acquiring the authentication ID 27 from the home server when the authentication ID is required during the connection process with the server 1 is also conceivable.

[0025]

As described above, according to the wireless connection method of the present invention, the unique ID 23a and the authentication ID 27 of the remote controller 11 are stored in the server storage unit 33 of the home server 12, and the home server 12 is unique as necessary. ID23a and authentication ID
27 is sent to the washing machine 13 and the air conditioner 14, and the remote controller 1
Authentication ID2 for authentication work when 1 and electric appliances are wirelessly connected
By using 7, it is possible to authenticate each device without the user having to input the same authentication ID.

Further, the server storage unit 33 stores the unique ID 23 and the product information 28 of the washing machine 13 and the air conditioner 14,
The home server 12 transmits the unique ID 23 and the product information 28 to the remote controller 11 as necessary, displays the product information 28 on the remote controller display unit 26, and when the user selects the product information 28 to be connected from the input unit 25, the Peculiar I according to
By connecting to the wireless communication unit 22 including the D23, the user can connect to the electric appliance to be controlled without the need to input the unique ID 23 included in the wireless communication unit 22 of the home electric appliance.

The home server 12 uses the remote controller 11
By managing the unique ID 23a, the authentication ID 27, the unique ID 23 and the product information 28 of the in-home electric appliances, the remote controller 11 and the electric appliances can be connected to the home even if the remote controller or the in-home electric appliances is newly added or replaced. Server 1
The information can be easily updated via 2.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a home network

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a remote controller.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a home server.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a washing machine.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of an air conditioner.

FIG. 6: The home server sends the washing machine's unique ID
And a flowchart showing the flow of acquiring product information.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow in which the home server acquires a remote controller's unique ID and authentication ID from the remote controller, and the remote controller acquires an electrical appliance's unique ID and product information from the home server.

FIG. 8: The washing machine sends a unique I
The flowchart which shows the flow which acquires D and authentication ID.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of wireless connection including authentication work between the remote controller and the washing machine.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a remote control display unit that displays product information for selecting a connection partner.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Remote control, 12 ... Home server, 13 ... Washing machine,
14 ... Air conditioner, 15 ... Power line, 21 ... Remote control processing section, 22a-22d ... Wireless communication section, 23a-23d ... Unique ID, 24 ... Remote control storage section, 25 ... Remote control input section, 26 ... Remote control display section, 27 ... Authentication ID, 28b-
28d ... Product information, 29 ... Washing machine control signal, 30 ... Air conditioner control signal, 31 ... Server processing unit, 32 ... Power line communication unit, 33 ... Server storage unit, 34 ... Server input unit, 41 ...
Home appliance processing section, 42 ... Home appliance storage section, 43 ... Washing machine body, 5
1 ... Air conditioner body

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Tatsu Yokozawa             292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Ceremony Hitachi Digital Media Development Book             Department (72) Inventor Hiromichi Ito             292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Ceremony Hitachi Digital Media Development Book             Department F term (reference) 5K033 AA08 BA01 BA08 DA17 DB23                 5K048 AA04 BA12 DA02 DA07 DB04                       DC06 EB01 EB06 FB10 GC02

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A remote controller for controlling a device, comprising a unique ID used by the device to identify the remote controller,
The remote control wireless communication includes remote control wireless communication means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data to and from the device, remote control storage means for storing data transmitted and received by the remote control wireless communication means, and remote control input means for a user to input information. The means has an authentication function of exchanging the authentication ID with the device and establishing a connection when the authentication IDs match, the user inputs the authentication ID from the remote controller input means, and the authentication ID
Is stored in the remote control storage means, and the stored authentication I
It has a remote control processing means for processing D as an authentication ID when connecting to the device, and the remote control processing means transmits the authentication ID and the unique ID of the remote control wireless communication means as data to the device. Characteristic remote control. 2. A home server for managing device information, a server wireless communication unit for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data to and from another device, a server storage unit for storing data transmitted and received by the server wireless communication unit, Server communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from the device using a communication medium other than that used by the server wireless communication means, and server processing means for transmitting data received from the server wireless communication means from the server communication means to the device. A home server characterized by having. 3. A device controlled by a remote controller, a control device wireless communication means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data to and from the remote controller, a control device storing means for storing data transmitted and received by the control device wireless communication means, It has a control device communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from the device using a communication medium other than that used by the control device wireless communication means, and the control device wireless communication means exchanges the authentication ID with the device and the authentication IDs match When the remote controller makes a connection request to the control device wireless communication means, it recognizes the connection partner from the data received from the control device communication means, and receives the received data. A control device comprising: a control device processing unit that uses as the authentication ID. 4. The remote controller according to claim 1, the home server according to claim 2, and the control device according to claim 3, wherein when the remote controller and the home server are wirelessly connected, the remote controller is connected. The processing unit transmits the authentication ID stored in the remote controller storage unit and the unique ID of the remote controller wireless communication unit, and the server processing unit controls the received authentication ID and unique ID via the server communication unit. When the control device wireless communication means is connected from the remote controller having the unique ID, the control device processing means uses the authentication ID as an authentication ID for wireless connection. Wireless connection method. 5. The remote controller according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying data received from said remote controller wireless means, and selecting said displayed data by an input from said remote controller input means. A remote controller characterized in that the communication means makes a wireless connection to the unique ID received together with the selected data. 6. The home server according to claim 2, wherein the data received from the device via the server communication unit is transmitted to another device via the server wireless communication unit. 7. The control device according to claim 3, further comprising storage means for storing product information for identifying the control device itself to a user, wherein the control device wireless communication means has the remote controller as the control device. A control device comprising a unique ID used for identifying the product information, and transmitting the product information and the unique ID via the control communication means. 8. The wireless connection method according to claim 4, comprising the remote controller according to claim 5, the home server according to claim 6, and the control device according to claim 7. The product information and the unique ID are transmitted to the home server via the control device communication unit, the home server transmits the received product information and the unique ID to the remote controller, and the remote controller receives the product information and the unique ID. A wireless connection method, wherein the product information is displayed on the display unit, and when the user selects the product information from the remote controller input means, the product ID is wirelessly connected to the unique ID received together with the product information. 9. The remote controller according to claim 1 or 5, further comprising remote controller communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from a device by using a communication medium other than wireless communication, and the unique ID and the unique ID via the remote controller communication means. A remote controller characterized in that the authentication ID is transmitted to a device, and the remote controller storing means stores the data received via the remote controller communication means. 10. The wireless connection method according to claim 4 or 8, wherein the remote controller according to claim 9 is used in place of the remote controller, and the remote controller and the home server include the remote controller communication means and the server communication means. A wireless connection method, characterized in that communication is performed via a network.