WO2005036821A1

WO2005036821A1 - Distributed control of different domestic network devices

Info

Publication number: WO2005036821A1
Application number: PCT/DE2004/000473
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jörg ARNOLD
Original assignee: Ip2H Ag
Priority date: 2003-09-16
Filing date: 2004-03-10
Publication date: 2005-04-21
Also published as: DE112004002282D2

Abstract

The invention relates to a network comprising electronic devices (1), whereby every device (1) comprises an interface for communication with an electronic functional unit (2). The inventive network is adapted and improved in such a manner that every device (1) is associated with a functional unit (2) via an interface and that every functional unit (2) has a direct communication link with any other functional unit (2) in the network, thereby allowing for secure data transmission and versatile communication.

Description

DISTRIBUTED CONTROL OF DIFFERENT HOME MAINS

The invention relates to a network with electronic devices, each device having an interface for communication with an electronic functional unit.

In particular, the invention relates to a network of home electronic devices such as entertainment devices and household appliances or home office devices. Nowadays, the inventory of home electronic devices and in particular entertainment devices such as television sets, home cinema projectors, video devices, DVD devices, hi-fi devices, game consoles, camcorders, mobile phones, device remote controls, home computers and home servers is increasing. Device remote controls and mobile phones are considered to be fully-fledged home devices. Most of such devices have an interface for communication with an electronic functional unit. Such a functional unit could, for example, provide an adaptation to a network server.

Many households already have several TV sets, video devices and HiFi devices, which are distributed over several rooms or floors in apartments or apartment buildings, for example. There is often a need to operate or control the devices for linked operations at different locations. For this purpose, infrared remote controls are currently mostly available, which are supplied with the devices by the manufacturers, but which do not have an effect beyond the room in which the user is staying. As a result, the user has a large number of different remote controls that can be operated or used simultaneously or in combination with one another if necessary.

This is particularly difficult if these devices to be combined are arranged in a very scattered manner, ie at different locations, for example at different positions or in different rooms or on different floors in a building. The simultaneous operation of a distributed combined group of home devices is therefore increasingly The number of these devices is becoming increasingly difficult. Central, uniform and simple control of combined and dispersed different home devices is therefore desirable.

So far, with regard to central control, home networks are known in which the home device management and the home device control is carried out centrally by or via a home server. In the known cases, the network architecture always consists of a star-shaped structure in which each home device only communicates with the server. A data flow always runs centrally via the server. In the known home networks, the activation of a specific home device can only be carried out directly on the affected home device or it can only take place via the central server to the affected home device. In this regard, it is known that home devices in home networks are equipped with additional devices or functional units which essentially only have the task of establishing the connection to a central server. Infrared adapters, radio cards for Bluetooth or WLL cards in the case of wireless networks or Ethernet converters or adapters or powerline modules in the case of cable connections are known as additional devices.

In the known star-shaped network structure, it is also problematic that, in the case of large data flows from, for example, a plurality of video or DVD devices to a plurality of TV devices arranged in the network, all the data flows must run via the central server. A bottleneck effect then often occurs on this server, which can worsen or even interrupt the data transmissions.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a network of the type mentioned at the beginning, in which a secure data transmission and versatile communication between the devices is made possible in a simple manner.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved by a network having the features of patent claim 1. The network is then designed and developed in such a way that each device has a functional unit via the interface is assigned and that each functional unit has a direct communication link with every other functional unit in the network.

In the manner according to the invention, it was first recognized that it is possible to deviate from a customary star-shaped network structure in order to achieve the above object. In a further inventive manner, a functional unit is then assigned to each device via the interface. In a further inventive manner, each functional unit has a direct communication link with every other functional unit in the network. In the network according to the invention, it is now possible, on the one hand, to control the respectively assigned device and, on the other hand, other devices via the network via the functional units assigned to the individual devices. Until now, this was only possible with the device itself or from a central server. It is now possible to control all devices from all different device locations. In other words, one or more devices can be controlled directly from another device - without control via a central server.

In addition, larger and / or different data flows can be transmitted over different routes in the network. For example, the individual data flows can be transmitted from different video devices over different distances to the desired TV devices without overlaps or bottleneck effects.

Consequently, the network according to the invention enables secure data transmission and versatile communication between the devices in a simple manner.

With regard to a particularly secure connection between the devices and the functional units, the communication between each device and its assigned functional unit could be carried out optically and / or electronically. More specifically, the communication between the device and its functional unit could take place via a cable connection, a radio connection, an optical connection or an infrared connection. All existing connection standards can be used, whereby here, for example, the standard hardware standards Chen plug standards video, Scart, BNC, SUB-D, USB, Fire Wire, Western, RJ-11, RJ-45 etc. or interface standards RS232, RS422, RS485, IEEE, USB, Fire Wire etc. are mentioned. Furthermore, cable-based or radio-based transmission standards or transmission technologies such as Ethernet, USB 1.0, USB 2.0, Bluetooth, WLL, GSM, UMTS, etc. come into question. The combination of an Ethemet interface, infrared interface and an RJ-45 connector for connecting the functional unit to the device is particularly promising, since the majority of communication-capable or externally controllable devices are equipped with this combination.

With regard to a particularly safe control of the devices, each device could be controllable via its assigned functional unit. With regard to a particularly great versatility of the network, each functional unit could be assignable to any device. In other words, each functional unit could be designed such that it fits every device or can be adapted to each device, so that problem-free communication between the functional unit and the assigned device is made possible.

To ensure problem-free communication between the device and the functional unit, the functional units could have means for understanding the device-specific command set or control codes of the respectively associated device. As an alternative or in addition to this, the functional units could have means for converting the device-specific command set or control code of the respectively associated device into a uniform command set or control code. This ensures secure communication between the functional units and other devices or functional units in the network.

With a view to secure communication and data transmission between the functional unit and the device, the functional units could have means for converting a uniform command set or control code into a device-specific command set or control code of the respective associated device. This enables the secure transmission of uniform command sets or control codes from the network to a specific device. For secure transmission, the functional units could have means for transmitting a device-specific command set or control codes of the respective associated device to the device. Alternatively or in addition to this, the functional units could have means for transmitting a device-specific command set or control codes of the respective associated device to other functional units and / or devices. The device-specific command set or control code of the respective associated device could preferably be transmitted in the form of a converted uniform command set or control code.

In a further advantageous manner, the functional units could have means for transmitting uniform or arbitrary command sets or control codes to other functional units and / or devices. As an alternative or in addition to this, the functional units could have means for transmitting uniform or arbitrary command sets or control codes between other functional units and / or devices. In the latter case, the functional units could serve as transmission relays. In this case, command sets or control codes that are uniform across the group could be transmitted further.

Furthermore, with regard to particularly versatile communication between the device and its assigned functional unit, the functional units could be controllable and / or controllable by their respective associated devices. To further increase the versatility of the network, the functional units could alternatively or additionally be controlled and / or controlled by other devices. This could easily enable remote control of devices that are not arranged in the same room or floor in a house, for example.

In a further convenient and versatile manner, the functional units could be controllable and / or controllable by at least one other functional unit. This also ensures a high level of versatility with regard to remote control.

For secure communication and data transmission, the functional units could have means for establishing a communication connection to each device in the network. have factory. Alternatively or in addition to this, the functional units could have means for establishing a communication connection to any other functional unit of the network.

For even further remote control of the devices of the network, at least one functional unit and preferably all functional units could have means for establishing a communication connection to at least one other network. This would enable communication with another network and / or control over another network. For example, a connection to a telephone network could take place.

In view of the high versatility of the network, at least one functional unit and preferably all functional units could be assignable to several devices in parallel or simultaneously. This would allow multiple devices to be operated using just one functional unit.

The functional unit could advantageously combine the functions of a control device, a transmission device and a network interface. However, this does not result in a classic central network server, since the functions of the router and a data memory or a database that are typical of a network server may be missing.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the functional units, the entirety of the functional units or at least some of the functional units could jointly form a conventional network server. This could also be used to implement conventional network server functions. However, this is virtually a server distributed over the entire network, which is in contrast to a conventional central server. The classic network server tasks could be separated and partially assigned to the functional units, which in turn do not need and have all the classic server properties and functions and therefore cannot be understood as individual servers. With regard to a specific embodiment of a functional unit, at least one functional unit could have a WLAN chip and / or an Ethernet chip and / or an infrared module. This ensures that the functional unit functions and communicates safely. The WLAN chip and / or the Ethernet chip and / or the infrared module could be controlled by a CPU. This CPU could use a MOTERAN-ROM, a DRAM and a FRAM.

In principle, different devices can be coupled in the network according to the invention. The devices could be formed in particular by home electronics devices and / or device remote controls and / or mobile phones.

To explain the present invention, essential aspects of the invention are explained again below:

In principle, the network according to the invention could be an information and / or control network. Any device, in particular a mobile home device, could access any electronic functional unit that is connected to a preferably stationary home device. Each functional unit could thus operate more than just a home device or device.

The combination of each device with an electronic functional unit automatically leads to the establishment of a network or home network. It is essential that information or data flows in connections between any two devices can be transmitted directly, or that data flows can take place over several steps via the functional units as a transmission relay or transmission chain between two or more devices. In principle, these communication connections can take place via any relay paths or functional unit connections. This has the essential and great advantage that, in the network according to the invention, large data flows within the scope of, for example, different but simultaneous video transmissions between, for example, video or DVD devices and TV / beamer devices or interactive computer game transmissions between several different game consoles and TV devices are possible are. In the case of a classic network architecture with a star-shaped structure and a central server, such would be simultaneous and complex Applications inevitably experience a data flow bottleneck or bottleneck at the central server. The invention therefore enables home networks with a data stream distributed over the network, as a result of which a significantly higher throughput capacity for network data and thereby the simultaneous use of different home network applications with a very high data flow volume is made possible.

A further essential property of the invention is that various distributed devices or home devices that are to be operated in a connected manner can be controlled or operated from any point in the network via the functional units. For example, from a second or third-party TV set that is on a different floor, for example, from the video DVD device, from which a video film is to be played via the second or third-party TV set, The video DVD device on the other floor can be controlled via the assigned functional unit of the second or third-party TV set. For this purpose, the user only has to use the necessary manufacturer remote controls on the functional unit of the TV set. The TV functional unit in question can then load the driver software for the device remote controls necessary for it via the built-up home network from the functional unit of the video DVD device. Device remote controls can thus be treated like home devices and integrated into the network.

Likewise, mobile telephones and telephones can be integrated into the network or home network as devices with an assigned functional unit. In this case, an electronic functional unit could be assigned to a landline telephone, and a direct connection could be made. A mobile phone, on the other hand, could be arranged at the location of any functional unit and connected to it, for example, via a connection cable or an infrared adapter. As a result, connection points or access points to other networks such as, for example, a fixed telephone network or a mobile radio network or further via these networks to other or local networks or to the Internet are created. Conversely, the home network can be contacted via the in-house telephones from another network and tasks in the home network can be carried out via this connection. There are now various possibilities for advantageously designing and developing the teaching of the present invention. For this purpose, reference is made to the subordinate claims, on the one hand, and to the following explanation of an exemplary embodiment of the network according to the invention with reference to the drawing. In connection with the explanation of the preferred embodiment of the network according to the invention with reference to the drawing, generally preferred refinements and developments of the teaching are also explained. Show in the drawing

1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a network according to the invention with electronic devices,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 1, an “Mlulti-Hop” between individual devices being additionally indicated by arrows,

Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of the hardware structure of a functional unit and

4 shows a schematic illustration of the software structure of a functional unit.

1 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a network according to the invention with electronic devices 1. Each device 1 has an interface for communication with an electronic functional unit 2. With regard to secure data transmission and versatile communication between devices 1, each device 1 is assigned a functional unit 2 via the interface. Furthermore, each functional unit 2 has a direct communication link with every other functional unit 2 in the network.

The direct communication connections between the functional units 2 enable the control of individual devices 1 from different positions. It is no longer necessary for the user to be in the immediate vicinity of the device 1 to be controlled. Rather, it is sufficient that the User is in the area of any functional unit 2 or in the area of any device 1 in order to control another device 1 via another functional unit 2. Furthermore, data flows can be routed over different routes, so that data overload with transmission delays to, for example, a conventional central network server is avoided.

FIG. 2 essentially shows the exemplary embodiment of a network from FIG. 1, wherein the possibility of successive transmission of data via the individual devices 1 is additionally represented by arrows. It is a "multi-hop" process.

The devices 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are specifically a DVD / video device, a TV set, a home computer, a surveillance camera, a washing machine and a home server. A mobile phone with an associated functional unit 2 is also shown in FIG. 2.

In the network shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each functional unit can communicate with each functional unit 2. The network can be designed as a MOTERAN network with MOTERAN devices as functional units 2, each interface between the devices 1 and the functional units 2 being an Ethernet interface. Irrespective of complicated building structures or obstacles, each device 1 can be connected or integrated into the network.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of the hardware structure of a functional unit 2. The functional unit 2 has, among other things, a WLAN chip, an Ethernet chip and an infrared module, which are controlled by a central CPU, which is based on a MOTERAN -ROM, a DRAM and a FRAM. An RJ-45 connector is also integrated.

4 shows a schematic representation of the software structure of a functional unit 2. The software structure is based on an embedded Linux operating system on which MOTERAN functions run as an application. The operating system can be used to communicate with other functional units 2, for which purpose TCP / IP Protocols and MOTERAN WLAN drivers, Ethernet drivers and IR module drivers can be used.

The use of the MOTERAN functionalities or functions enables the functional units 2 to jointly carry out the routing task in the network.

No central network server is required in the network according to the invention.

With regard to further advantageous refinements of the network according to the invention, reference is made to the general part of the description and to the appended claims in order to avoid repetition.

Finally, it should be expressly pointed out that the exemplary embodiment of the network according to the invention described above only serves to discuss the claimed teaching, but does not restrict it to the exemplary embodiment.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Network with electronic devices (1), each device (1) having an interface for communication with an electronic functional unit (2), characterized in that each device (1) is assigned a functional unit (2) via the interface and that each Functional unit (2) has a direct communication link with any other functional unit (2) in the network.

2. Network according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication between each device (1) and its associated functional unit (2) can be carried out optically and / or electronically.

3. Network according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each device (1) via its associated functional unit (2) can be controlled.

4. Network according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each functional unit (2) can be assigned to each device (1).

5. Network according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the functional units (2) have means for understanding the device-specific command set or control codes of the associated device (1).

6. Network according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the functional units (2) have means for converting the device-specific command set or control code of the associated device (1) into a uniform command set or control code.

7. Network according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the functional units (2) have means for converting a uniform command set or control code into a device-specific command set or control code of the respective associated device (1).

8. Network according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the functional units (2) have means for transmitting a device-specific command set or control codes of the associated device (1) to the device (1).

9. Network according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the functional units (2) means for transmitting a device-specific command set or control code of the associated device (1) - preferably in the form of a converted uniform command set or control code - to other functional units ( 2) and / or devices (1).

10. Network according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the functional units (2) have means for transmitting uniform or arbitrary command sets or control codes to other functional units (2) and / or devices (1).

11. Network according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the functional units (2) have means for transmitting uniform or arbitrary command sets or control codes between other functional units (2) and / or devices (1).

12. Network according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the functional units (2) can be controlled and / or controlled by their respectively associated and / or other devices (1).

13. Network according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the functional units (2) can be controlled and / or controlled by at least one other functional unit (2).

14. Network according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the functional units (2) have means for establishing a communication connection to each device (1) of the network.

15. Network according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the functional units (2) have means for establishing a communication connection to each other functional unit (2) of the network.

16. Network according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that at least one functional unit (2) and preferably all functional units (2) has or have means for establishing a communication connection to at least one other network.

17. Network according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that at least one functional unit (2) and preferably all functional units (2) can be assigned to a plurality of devices (1) in parallel or simultaneously.

18. Network according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the entirety of the functional units (2) or at least some of the functional units (2) together form a conventional network server.

19. Network according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that at least one functional unit (2) has a WLAN chip and / or an Ethernet chip and / or an infrared module.

20. Network according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the WLAN chip and / or the Ethernet chip and / or the infrared module are controlled by a CPU.

21. Network according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the devices (1) are formed by home electronics devices and / or device remote controls and / or mobile phones.