JP4335766B2 - Communication terminal control module - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication terminal control module capable of executing both data communication (transmission / reception of packet data) with a mobile information device and the like and application processing to a remote device via an information communication network.

  In recent years, mobile information devices such as PHS (Simple Mobile Phones), mobile phones equipped with data communication functions or PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) have spread rapidly, and installed from home to mobile homes on the go. There have been proposed home automation systems, home security systems, remote monitoring systems, etc. that communicate with or remotely control various home appliances (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  With such a system, for example, an image sent from a monitor camera installed at home can be confirmed on a mobile phone, or a video recording reservation can be made by switching on an air conditioner. In a general configuration for realizing such a system, a wireless communication function is added to a remote device in the home, that is, a home appliance or an alarm device, and information communication established by the remote device and a communication carrier is provided. It is necessary to install a relay station in the home that connects both sides of the network by wireless communication.

  However, in order to construct such a system, it is usually necessary to install an ADSL router, a personal computer or a device corresponding to a personal computer, and perform various settings necessary for IP (Internet Protocol) communication. However, it is difficult to expect such knowledge about personal computers and the Internet from ordinary households, and the fact is that it is a hindrance to their spread. In view of this, a system has been proposed in which a communication function of a PHS or a mobile phone can be easily used. This uses a PC card configured as a general-purpose communication module so that wireless communication is possible.

  FIG. 5 shows an outline of such a system, and a plurality of remote devices B such as a monitor camera B1, an infrared remote controller B2, and a security sensor B3 are connected to the relay station A by cables L1, L2, and L3. A PC card C configured as a general-purpose communication module is connected to the slot of the relay station A by a slot-in method. Accordingly, the relay station A, the monitor camera B1, the infrared remote controller B2, and the security sensor B3 can exchange signals with each other, and can communicate with the outside by the PC card C.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a functional configuration in the system configured as described above, and the relay station A is provided with an interface 50a that controls transmission and reception of signals with the monitor camera B1, the infrared remote controller B2, and the security sensor B3. Reference numeral 50b denotes application software for driving the monitor camera B1, the infrared remote controller B2, and the security sensor B3 which are remote devices.

  Then, Telnet software 50c, TCP / IP protocol software 50d, and PPP protocol software 50e are provided to enable communication on the Internet. In addition, an AT command modem 50f and a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) 50g are provided to enable data communication. The functions are controlled by the CPU 50h, and application processing and communication control of the remote device B are performed.

Next, the PC card C is provided with a UART 60a for matching transmission / reception of signals with the UART 50g of the relay station A. Both UARTs 50g and 60a are connected to each other by a multi-connector based on a standard such as a serial interface RS232C. Connected to. In addition, communication application software 60c for performing connection processing with an information communication network of a PHS or a mobile phone, wireless packet software 60d for generating packet signals, L1 / L2 software 60e, a baseband converter 60f, and RF A converter 60g is provided to enable wireless communication with the outside. The functions are controlled by the CPU 60h so that wireless data communication is possible.
JP 2002-92767 A JP 2001-155277 A

  In the conventional system configured as described above, a CPU for controlling software related to communication protocols and application processing provided in advance in a device serving as a relay station is provided. In addition, it is necessary to provide a CPU in a PC card as an external device for complementing the wireless communication function. Therefore, the CPU and the structure incidental to it overlap, and the cost of software increases, which hinders cost reduction of the entire system.

  Further, in the above conventional system, it is necessary to conclude a line use contract with a telecommunications carrier of PHS or a mobile phone as a premise for operating this system. Especially in the case of a system in which each remote device communicates individually, a line use contract is concluded for each remote device based on the terms of use, and communication is possible regardless of low communication frequency and data volume. The running cost for maintaining the state will increase, which is a major impediment to practical use compared to a system employing a relay station.

  The present invention reduces the cost and improves the flexibility of system construction by the module configuration that enables the common CPU to control the hardware and software for communication and remote device application processing as described above. At the same time, it aims to reduce communication costs associated with the use of information and communication networks.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above problems by means described below. That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in order to perform application processing with respect to a communication means having a communication protocol that enables wireless data communication and various remote devices, application software writing and A single wiring includes a storage means that can be rewritten, a functional component for executing application processing for the remote device, and a common CPU that can control both the communication means and the storage means. A communication terminal module which is mounted on a substrate and can be incorporated into various remote devices. The communication means has an e-mail receiving function, and the standby mode shifts to an operation mode by receiving an e-mail. And determine the information contained in the received email and It specifies the content of the application process, specifies the destination of data generated at the remote device based on this designation.

The invention according to claim 2 is the communication terminal control module according to claim 1, wherein the communication means has a traffic management function, monitors the transmission frequency and the data amount, and the transmission frequency and the data amount are set in advance. When the set value is reached, a traffic fuse that prohibits outgoing operation is used.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the communication terminal module according to the second aspect , when the communication frequency and the data amount reach the management set value, the preset destination is notified that the traffic fuse has functioned. To.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided the communication terminal module according to the second aspect , wherein the server administrator can cancel the functioning state of the traffic fuse.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the communication terminal module according to the second aspect , the server administrator can update the management setting value at which the traffic fuse functions.

  According to the present invention, the module is configured so that the storage means that enables writing and rewriting of application software for performing application processing to the communication means and each remote device can be controlled by a common CPU. As a result, the hardware cost can be reduced, and it can be easily incorporated into various remote devices, and the flexibility of system construction can be improved.

Then, by receiving an e-mail sent in response to a request from a mobile phone or the like, it becomes possible to set the standby mode of the remote device to the operation mode, and a power saving effect is obtained. Also, by analyzing the received e-mail, it is possible to determine the information transfer destination generated by the remote device, to set the transfer destination of the information generated when the remote device is activated, and to set the password for accessing the remote device. Settings can be made. Furthermore, the transmission frequency and the data amount are monitored, and when the transmission frequency and the data amount reach a preset management setting value, a traffic fuse that prohibits the transmission operation is made to function. It is possible to accommodate a large number of users and operate stably.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a communication terminal control module configured according to the present invention, and its functional configuration is shown in a block diagram. Reference numeral 1a denotes an interface to which a remote device B such as a monitor camera B1, an infrared remote controller B2, and a security sensor B3 is connected and exchanges signals. Reference numeral 1b is application software for driving the remote device B, and is stored in a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory is preferably of a write-once type, so that writing and rewriting are possible. Thus, arbitrary application software can be stored in correspondence with the type of remote device B to be connected.

  Next, a communication platform configured by circuit function blocks as communication means includes Telnet software 1d, TCP / IP protocol software 1e, and PPP protocol software 1f so that communication on the Internet is possible. It can be used from the application software 1b via an API (Application Program Interface).

  In addition to the above, as communication communication elements, communication application software 1h for processing such as connection processing with PHS and mobile phone information communication network, wireless packet software 1i for generating packet signals, L1 / L2 software 1j, a baseband converter 1k, and an RF converter 1l are provided to enable communication with the outside.

  Reference numeral 1g denotes traffic management software, which manages the transmission frequency and data amount of the communication terminal control module 1. That is, the transmission frequency to the information communication network N2 to be described later is monitored together with the amount of data in an arbitrarily determined unit such as hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, etc., and this numerical value is set in advance as a management setting value. When exceeded, the traffic fuse functions to forcibly prohibit outgoing calls and reduce the burden on the center server. The traffic management software 1g has a function for notifying a preset destination when a traffic fuse functions, a function for allowing a server administrator to cancel the function of the traffic fuse, and server management. It also has a function that allows the administrator to update the management setting value.

  In the communication terminal control module 1 of the present invention configured as described above, each functional element is controlled by a common CPU 1m, and application processing and communication control of a remote device are performed. Therefore, a component configuration for achieving both functions is provided. This can be minimized, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, the communication terminal module 1 of the present invention configured as described above can be easily mounted on the remote device B. As shown in FIG. 2, the monitor camera B1, the infrared remote control B2, and the security sensor B3 are directly connected to the information communication network N2. Communication is possible.

  FIG. 3 shows a wireless communication system constructed by a remote device B (B1, B2, B3) in which the above-described communication terminal module 1 is mounted. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 2 denotes a mobile unit having a mobile phone as a representative example. It is assumed that the information device is capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from the information communication network N1 constructed by the communication carrier. On the other hand, the information communication network N2 is also constructed by a communication carrier, and a center server S is interposed between the information communication networks N1 and N2, and the remote device B and the mobile phone 2 are mutually connected by the relay of the center server S. Data communication is possible.

  The center server S is constructed by a virtual mobile service operator (MVNO: Mobile Virtual Network Operator), which is a so-called communication carrier that does not have a communication line facility, and is connected to the center server S. The communication line is specified and restricted, and information from the remote device B always passes through the center server S. The MVNO is a communication system having such characteristics. However, even in a state where a large number of remote devices B are connected to the information communication network N2, it is premised on transmission / reception with a small communication frequency and data amount as in the present invention. In this case, it becomes a reasonable wireless communication system.

  Then, by specifying and restricting the communication line between the center server S and the information communication network N2 as described above, the server administrator of the center server S and the communication carrier of the information communication network N2 Therefore, when the user installs the remote device B, the line use contract can be simplified, and the communication cost can be extremely low. In other words, the application processing from the remote location of the remote device B or the transmission of data from the remote device B targeted by the present invention has a low communication frequency and data volume, so a large number of users are assigned for each unit of the communication line. As a result, the communication cost can be reduced.

  The center server S mainly stores command data for performing application processing on the remote device B and exchanging information, and an instruction signal is sent to the center via the information communication network N1 by key operation of the mobile phone 2. When transmitted to the server S, the command data is transmitted from the center server S to the selected remote device B via the information communication network N2. When the instruction signal is transmitted by key operation of the cellular phone 2, the center server S interprets the ID number for selecting the specific remote device B, and specifies it securely. Connection to the remote device B is possible. In addition, when actively transmitting information like the security sensor B3, information that can specify the telephone number of the mobile phone 2 to be transmitted is set in the remote device B in advance, and this information is transmitted together and connected. To be possible.

  Next, the flow of communication processing in the wireless communication system of the present invention configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 3, for example, in order to check the state of an animal (pet) reared at home, the mobile phone 2 is connected to the center server S via the information communication network N1, and the key operation is performed. An instruction signal for requesting transmission of the image file is transmitted (ST1). The center server S that has received the instruction signal forms an e-mail including command data from the instruction signal (ST2), and the e-mail is transmitted from the center server S to the monitor camera B1 (ST3).

  When the monitor camera B1 receives the e-mail in the e-mail reception standby state (ST4) (ST5), the reception control is performed in the communication platform in the communication terminal control module 1, and then the application software 1b is selected, and the system The power supply is started and content analysis of the e-mail is started (ST6). The content of the e-mail is analyzed as described above, and based on this, image processing such as image recording by the monitor camera B1 and size adjustment of the recorded image is performed (ST7), and the image data is transmitted from the communication terminal control module 1 to the information communication network. It is transmitted to the center server S via N2 (ST8), and the monitor camera B1 is returned to an e-mail reception standby state.

  When the center server S receives the image data (ST9), the center server S is configured to be able to send the image data by e-mail (ST10), and information (URL) indicating the storage location of the image file is added to the message prompting reception of the image data. The added e-mail is transmitted to the mobile phone 2 (ST11), and the image file is stored in the storage means (ST12). When the mobile phone 2 receives this e-mail (ST13), the user accesses the center server S by the URL attached to the e-mail (ST14). When the center server S receives a request for image file transfer from the mobile phone 2 (ST12), the center server S transmits the image file via the information communication network N1 (ST15), and the mobile phone 2 receiving the image file displays the image. And can be confirmed by the user.

  When performing application processing of household appliances (air conditioners, lighting, video, etc.) in the home by the same operation procedure as described above, the communication terminal control module 1 is directly incorporated into these devices, or the communication terminal is connected to the infrared remote controller B1. It is also possible to incorporate the control module 1. In this case, in the same manner as described above, a desired home appliance is designated by key operation of the cellular phone 2, the application software 1b is selected, and an instruction signal for requesting a desired operation is transmitted from the cellular phone 2.

  In addition, in the security sensor B3 that detects the opening and closing of doors, windows, etc. in the absence home, by incorporating the communication terminal control module 1 of the present invention, the security sensor B3 can be opened when an intruder opens the door, window, etc. Can be activated and wirelessly connected to the information communication network N2, so that an alarm message can be transmitted to the mobile phone 2 of the user. In addition, by the same means, it is possible to prevent theft of a passenger car, confirm the security by an in-vehicle monitoring camera, and confirm on the display of the mobile phone 2 to which the passenger car is moving when GPS is used. In addition, remote notifications such as automatic dispatch of emergency notifications of abnormal conditions of children and the elderly, confirmation of the current location of children and pets using GPS, confirmation of nursery rooms such as nurseries, and confirmation of the remaining number of products in vending machines A system for grasping can be easily constructed.

  In the wireless communication system of the present invention constructed as described above, the communication terminal control module 1 receives the electronic mail sent in response to the request from the mobile phone 2 so that the standby mode of the remote device B becomes the operation mode. This makes it possible to achieve a power saving effect. Further, by analyzing the received e-mail, the destination of the information generated by the remote device B is determined, the destination of the information generated when the remote device B is activated, and the remote device B The communication terminal control module 1 can set a password for accessing the access point.

  Further, the communication terminal control module 1 of the present invention includes the traffic management software 1g, and monitors the transmission frequency and the data amount. When the transmission frequency and the data amount reach a preset management setting value, the communication terminal control module 1 The traffic fuse which prohibits operation is made to function. As described above, the communication line of the information communication network N2 connected to the center server S is specified and restricted, but the frequency of transmission / reception between the mobile phone 2 and the remote device B and its data are limited. The system is assumed to have a small amount, and can accommodate a large number of users for each communication line unit and can be operated stably.

  However, if the user who installed the remote device B frequently uses the monitor camera B1 frequently to capture a large amount of image files at the same time on the same communication line. A problem occurs in processing. The traffic management software 1g is intended to prevent such problems in advance, and allows an allowable upper limit value of the transmission frequency and the data amount to be set as a management setting value, and based on this management setting value. Monitor (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) and if the usage exceeds this management setting value, make the traffic fuse function to limit the extreme usage of the remote device B is there.

  In this case, when the traffic fuse functions for a specific remote device B, the remote instruction from the mobile phone 2 to the remote device B becomes impossible. In order to cope with such a state, in the present invention, the center server S is provided with a storage means for temporarily storing a specific remote device B in which the traffic fuse functions, and the traffic fuse functions when the remote device B is accessed. A message indicating that the message is being sent is sent to the mobile phone 2.

  Further, the server administrator of the center server S accesses the remote device B in which the traffic fuse is functioning, and cancels the state in which the traffic fuse is functioning by the cancel routine of the traffic management software 1g of the communication terminal control module 1. can do. Further, the server administrator of the center server S can individually access the remote devices B and can update the management set value by the update routine of the traffic management software 1g of the communication terminal control module 1, and the center server S and the information communication network The management setting value can be changed based on the communication status with N1.

  In the embodiment described above, the communication terminal control module 1 is directly incorporated into the remote device B or the system is incorporated into a remote controller such as an infrared remote controller. However, a relay station is provided, The communication terminal control module 1 may be incorporated so that intensive processing of communication processing and application processing can be performed.

It is a block diagram of the communication terminal control module of this invention. It is a figure which shows the state which integrated this invention into the remote device. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a wireless communication system of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the flow of a process in the radio | wireless communications system of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the conventional radio | wireless communications system. It is a block diagram of the conventional communication terminal device.

Explanation of symbols

1. Communication terminal control module 2. Mobile phone (mobile information device)
A ... Relay station B ... Remote equipment B1 ... Monitor camera B2 ... Infrared remote control B3 ... Security sensor N1 ... Information communication Network N2 ... Information and communication network S ... Center server (MVNO)

Claims (5)

A communication means having a communication protocol that enables wireless data communication;
Storage means for enabling application software to be written and rewritten to perform application processing on various remote devices;
A functional component for executing application processing for the remote device;
A common CPU that can control both the communication means and the storage means, and a communication terminal control module that is mounted on a single wiring board and can be incorporated into various remote devices,
The communication means is provided with an e-mail receiving function, and by receiving the e-mail, the standby mode shifts to the operation mode, and the information included in the received e-mail is determined to perform application processing in the operation mode of the remote device. A communication terminal control module, wherein contents are designated and a transmission destination of data generated in a remote device is designated based on the designation.   The traffic management function is provided in the communication means, the transmission frequency and the data amount are monitored, and when the transmission frequency and the data amount reach the preset management setting value, the traffic fuse that prohibits the transmission operation is made to function. The communication terminal control module according to claim 1. 3. The communication terminal control module according to claim 2 , wherein when the communication frequency and the data amount reach a management set value, a preset destination is notified that the traffic fuse has functioned. 3. The communication terminal control module according to claim 2 , wherein a state in which the traffic fuse is functioning can be canceled by a server administrator. 3. The communication terminal control module according to claim 2, wherein a management setting value at which the traffic fuse functions can be marched by a server administrator.

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