JP4282536B2 - Distributed system and device setup method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a distributed system and a device setup method, and more specifically, when a new device is added or a new device is replaced with an existing device in a distributed system in which a plurality of devices are connected via a network. The present invention relates to a method for automatically setting up a newly introduced device.

  Conventionally, when a new device is introduced in a distributed system in which a plurality of devices are connected via a network, it has been necessary to re-enter the setting information of the existing device, the stored program information, etc. into the new device. . Also, personal information such as personal preference information and action history accumulated over many years had to be accumulated again from the beginning. As described above, it takes time and effort to re-enter the setting information and accumulated information of the existing device into the new device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a method for automatically setting devices and communicating with each other in a distributed system configured by connecting a plurality of devices to a network. This is a device that automatically detects a device connected to the network, determines information to be set in the device based on information collected from the device, and sets the determined information in the device. .
JP 2000-269998 A

  However, although the invention described in Patent Document 1 makes it possible to automatically set a device based on the setting information of an existing device, program information and personal information (preference information, action history, etc.) accumulated in the existing device. ) Could not be set automatically, and this information had to be stored again from the beginning.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above, and when a new device is added or a new device is replaced with an existing device in a distributed system in which a plurality of devices are connected via a network. In addition to setting information of existing devices on the same network, program information and personal information (preference information, action history, etc.) stored in existing devices can be collected to automatically set up new devices. It was made for the purpose.

In order to solve the above problems, a first technical means is that in a distributed system in which a plurality of devices are connected via a network, a device newly connected to the network receives setting / storage information from an existing device. Identify whether the information is to be collected or provided for each type of information collection means to be collected, setup means to be set up based on the collected setting / accumulation information, and each type of setting / accumulation information that can be retained and storage means for storing identification information for the information gathering means, that according to the identification information stored in the storage means, and characterized that you collect desired setting / storing information from the existing equipment It is.

  According to a second technical means, in the first technical means, the setting / storage information includes device setting information and storage information stored in the device, and the storage information includes program information and user preference information. , Including any one or a plurality of action histories.

  According to a third technical means, in the first or second technical means, when the device newly connected to the network collects a plurality of setting / accumulation information from the existing device, the collected setting / accumulation information Means is provided for selecting desired setting / accumulated information from the accumulated information.

According to a fourth technical means, in a device setup method in a distributed system in which a plurality of devices are connected via a network, a device newly connected to the network is provided for each type of setting / storage information that can be held. The storage means stores identification information for identifying whether it is information to be collected or information that can be provided, and a device newly connected to the network collects its setting / accumulation information from the existing device. an information collecting step of, possess a setup step for setting up on the basis of the setting / storage information the collected, the information collection step in accordance with the identification information stored in the storage unit, the desired setting from the existing equipment / It is characterized by collecting accumulated information .

According to a fifth technical means, in the fourth technical means, the setting / accumulation information includes device setting information and accumulating information accumulated in the device, and the accumulating information includes program information and user preference information. , Including any one or a plurality of action histories.

A sixth technical means is the fourth or fifth technical means, wherein the information collection step, the case of existing equipment from a plurality of setting / storing information was collected, the desired from the setting / storage information the collected It has a step of selecting setting / accumulation information.

  According to the above technical means, whether each device connected to the network is information that can be provided to other devices or information that should be collected from other devices for each type of setting / accumulation information that can be retained. By storing identification information for identifying in a memory, it is possible to collect / provide information between devices connected to the network, so that newly introduced devices can collect information to be collected. The information to be recognized and collected should be acquired from other devices and automatically set up.

  In a distributed system in which multiple devices are connected via a network, when adding a new device or replacing a new device with an existing device, the existing device is set together with the existing device setting information on the same network. By collecting accumulated program information and personal information (preference information, action history, etc.), new devices can be set up automatically. It is registered at the same time, eliminating the need for re-entry.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a distributed system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1, 2, and 3 are devices that already exist in the distributed system (hereinafter often referred to as existing devices), and 4 Equipment newly introduced into this distributed system (hereinafter often referred to as additional equipment), 5 is a server managed by ISP (Internet Service Provider), 6 is a replacement equipment (replacement equipment) of existing equipment (hereinafter often referred to as replacement equipment), Reference numeral 7 denotes a network. Existing devices 1, 2, 3, additional device 4, server 5, and replacement device 6 are connected to each other via a network 7. Note that the distributed system shown in the present embodiment will be described as a representative example in which AV devices, home information appliances, and the like in a home are connected to a network.

  In FIG. 1, existing devices 1, 2, 3 and server 5 are connected to the same network 7, an additional device 4 is newly introduced in the distributed system, and the existing device 3 is replaced to replace the replaced device 6. Add and introduce. The devices 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 are AV devices and information home appliances in the home, and can exchange data with each other via the network 7 and control them. Here, an example in which a bus-type network is applied as the network 7 has been shown. However, any means can be used as long as it can interconnect devices, exchange data, and control. For example, communication means using wireless communication, power line, or the like. May be applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of each device illustrated in FIG. 1. In this example, the basic configuration of the additional device 4 will be described as a representative example, but the basic configurations of the other devices (1, 2, 3, 6) are the same.
The additional device 4 includes a control unit 11 that performs communication and device control, and a mechanical unit 12 that mechanically or electrically drives the device. The control unit 11 includes a network interface (network I / F) 11a for connecting to the network 7, a processor 11b for controlling the device, memories 11c, I (for storing various information, a setup program 11c _{1, and the} like. Input) / O (Output) interface (I / OI / F) 11d is provided, and data can be mutually exchanged by an internal bus. The machine unit 12 includes an I / O 12a for mechanically or electrically driving the device, and a control signal from the control unit 11 is output by the I / O 12a via the I / OI / F 11d.

  Whether each device (1, 2, 3, 4, 6) connected to the network 7 is information that can be provided (delivered) to other devices for each type of setting / stored information that can be held, or other devices Is stored in the memory 11c for identifying whether the information is to be collected (desired). The setting / storage information includes device setting information and storage information stored in the device. The storage information includes program information, user preference information, action history (for example, Web browsing history). Etc.).

Information for collecting setting / accumulating information from any one or a plurality of existing devices 1, 2, 3 is stored in the memory 11 c of a device (such as an additional device 4 or a replacement device 6) newly connected to the network 7. A set-up program 11c ₁ for executing a function as a set-up means for self-setup based on the collected setting / accumulated information is stored. The set-up program 11c ₁ is a processor for setting up a device. It is activated by 11b. It may be previously also includes a setup program 11c ₁ to the existing apparatus 1,2,3. For example, accidentally erasing stored information, in case that initializing the device, can be set up again by executing the setup program 11c _1.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data format transmitted and received by each device via the network 7. The data format of this example is composed of a device-specific address, information identifier, and information content (that is, type of set / stored information). The address is an address unique to the device connected to the network 7. For example, the IP address: 1.233.251.10 is the additional device 4, the IP address: 1.233.251.13 is the existing device 1, and the IP address: Address: 1.233.251.18 is assigned to the existing device 2.

  The identifier is identification information for identifying provision / collection of each information included in the setting / accumulation information, and “Get” and “Put” are set. That is, “Get” is set for information to be collected from other devices, and “Put” is set for information that can be provided to other devices. The information type (setting information, program information, preference information, action history, etc.) provided / collected between devices is set in the contents of the information. From this example, the (Get) information to be collected by the additional device 4 (IP address: 1.233.251.10) is “action history”, and the existing device 1 (IP address: 1.233.251.13). (Put) information that can be provided is “User 1's preference information”, and (Put) information that can be provided for the existing device 2 (IP address: 1.233.251.18) is “User 2's preference information”. "It can be seen that it is.

  For example, it is assumed that the additional device 4 transmits (broadcasts) a message corresponding to the data format (Get Action History) to another device connected to the network 7. On the other hand, the existing device 1 returns a message corresponding to the data format (Put of user 1's preference information). That is, the information that the existing device 1 can pass to the additional device 4 is notified that it is the preference information of the user 1. The existing device 2 returns a message corresponding to the data format (Put of the preference information of the user 2). That is, the information that the existing device 2 can pass to the additional device 4 is notified that it is the preference information of the user 2.

  In addition, when arbitrary storage information is input from the user, the additional device 4 registers the input storage information and changes its identifier from “Get” to “Put”. Therefore, the additional device 4 recognizes information with the identifier “Get” as it is to be collected. For example, when program information is input by a user when program information, preference information, and action history are stored, and the program information is input by the user, the preference information and action history may be recognized as (Get) information to be collected. it can.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a processing flow when a new additional device 4 is introduced in the distributed system in which the existing devices 1, 2, 3 and the server 5 illustrated in FIG. 1 are connected to the network 7. When the additional device 4 is connected to the network 7 and processing is started, a message corresponding to the data format shown in FIG. 3 (for example, an action history Get) is transmitted to the existing devices 1, 2, and 3. (Broadcast). In the data format of the existing device 3 shown in this example, “Put” is set in the action history, and the existing device 3 can provide “action history”.

  When each of the existing devices 1, 2 and 3 receives the above message, it confirms the identifier (Get or Put) of the setting / accumulation information possessed by each of the existing devices, and if it has (Put) information that can be provided, A message for notifying that is returned, and when there is no information that can be provided, a message for notifying it is returned. That is, it responds whether it has transferable information. The additional device 4 confirms the returned message, and transmits a message indicating that it wants to receive “action history” to the device that has returned that it can be provided (existing device 3 in this example).

  The existing device 3 that has received the message can transmit the “behavior history” it has to the additional device 4. The additional device 4 can store the information received from the existing device 3 in the memory 11c as its own information, and can immediately use the information when it is newly connected to the network 7.

  In some cases, the existing devices 1, 2, and 3 do not hold information (action history in this example) that the additional device 4 to be newly introduced wants. In this case, the existing devices 1, 2, and 3 return a message for notifying the additional device 4 that there is no information that can be provided. The additional device 4 that has received the message attempts to access the ISP server 5 connected to the network 7 and collect the action history. In this server 5, some basic types of stored information (preference information, action history, etc.) are stored as files, from which the user can select a desired file. . For example, the manufacturer who developed the device may store the stored information in its own server.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a device setup method in the distributed system shown in FIG.
First, the additional device 4 sets I = 0 (step S1), and responds to the existing devices 1, 2, and 3 connected to the network 7 according to the data format shown in FIG. 3 (for example, action history Get). The broadcast message is transmitted (broadcast) (step S2). In this example, the existing device 3 can provide the “action history”.

  When each of the existing devices 1, 2 and 3 receives the above message, it confirms the identifier (Get or Put) of the setting / accumulation information possessed by each of the existing devices, and if it has (Put) information that can be provided, A message for notifying that is returned, and when there is no information that can be provided, a message for notifying it is returned. The additional device 4 confirms the returned message (step S3), and if there is an existing device that has returned that it can be provided (in the case of YES), the additional device 4 corresponds to the existing device (existing device 3 in this example). , Send a message to the effect of “behavior history”. The existing device 3 that has received this message transmits the “action history” it has to the additional device 4. The additional device 4 stores the information received from the existing device 3 as its own information in the memory 11c (step S4).

  Further, in the above step S3, when there is no existing device that has returned that it can be provided (in the case of NO), since the existing devices 1, 2, and 3 do not have information that can be provided, Reply with a message to notify you. The additional device 4 that has received the message confirms I <N (step S5), accesses the ISP server 5 connected to the network 7 and collects the “behavior history” (step S6). Is acquired (step S7).

As another embodiment of the present invention, for example, a method of replacing the existing device 3 shown in FIG. 1 with the device 6 when replacement (replacement) due to deterioration of the device occurs will be described.
In the case of replacement due to deterioration of the device, the existing device 3 temporarily stores program information stored in its own memory, accumulated information such as user preference information, action history, and the like in the server 5. That is, when the existing device 3 is replaced with the device 6, the existing device 3 temporarily puts the information accumulated so far in the server 5, and the newly installed replacement device 6 takes out the stored information from the server 5 and takes it out. Store the stored information in its own memory. Further, the existing device 3 may have a function of self-erasing the stored information in the memory after storing the stored information stored in the server 3 in the server 5.

  According to each embodiment described so far, each device connected to the network collects information that can be provided to other devices or collected from other devices for each type of setting / stored information that can be held. By storing the identification information for identifying whether the information should be stored in the memory, the information to be collected is recognized, and the information to be collected is acquired from other devices and automatically set up. be able to. As a result, in the conventional method, it is possible to save the trouble of re-inputting program information and the like that had to be re-input, and furthermore, information accumulated over a long period of time such as user preference information and action history can be saved. It is not necessary to re-accumulate from 1, and these information can be used from the time the device is introduced.

Furthermore, as another embodiment, a case will be described in which there is a plurality of information that can be collected from the existing devices 1, 2, 3 when introducing the additional device 4 or replacing the existing device 3 with the device 6.
For example, when the preference information and the action history of each family exist in the existing devices 1, 2, and 3, the additional device 4 or the replacement device 6 causes the user to select information desired by the user from among a plurality of information. Means may be provided. This selection means is executed by the setup program 11c ₁ described above. For example, by displaying a menu screen from which a plurality of information can be selected, only desired information can be extracted. Further, for example, when an existing device shared and used by the whole family is used by an individual, only information related to the individual can be extracted.

  According to the present embodiment, even when a plurality of personal information is stored in an existing device, only desired personal information can be extracted. Can be used.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining another example of a device setup method to which the present invention is applied. This example will be described based on the distributed system shown in FIG.
In the distributed system shown in FIG. 1, for example, when the additional device 4 among a plurality of devices connected to the network 7 is not turned on for a predetermined period (for example, one month) or more, A means for automatically collecting desired stored information such as program information, preference information, action history, etc. from the existing devices 1, 2, 3 or the server 5 at the timing when the power is turned on is provided. This information collection means is executed by the setup program 11c ₁ of the additional device 4. Other devices (1, 2, 3, 6) may include the information collecting unit.

  In FIG. 6, when the power is turned on, the additional device 4 acquires a period from the previous power-off in the processor 11 b (step S <b> 11), and determines whether the acquired period has passed a certain period. (Step S12) If the fixed period has passed (in the case of YES), the additional device 4 transmits the data format (existing) to the existing devices 1, 2, 3 (or server 5) connected to the network 7. In this example, a message corresponding to program information, preference information, and action history Get) is transmitted (broadcast) (step S13). In this example, the existing device 3 can provide “program information, preference information, action history”.

  When each of the existing devices 1, 2 and 3 receives the above message, it confirms the identifier (Get or Put) of the setting / accumulation information possessed by each of the existing devices, and if it has (Put) information that can be provided, A message for notifying that is returned, and when there is no information that can be provided, a message for notifying it is returned. The additional device 4 confirms the returned message, and if there is an existing device that has returned that it can be provided, the additional device 4 sends “program information, preference information, behavior” to the existing device (the existing device 3 in this example). Send a message that you want to ask for "History". The existing device 3 that has received this message transmits “program information, preference information, action history” that it has to the additional device 4. The additional device 4 stores the information received from the existing device 3 as its own information in the memory 11c (step S14).

  In step S12, when the predetermined period has not passed since the power supply is turned off (in the case of NO), the additional device 4 operates normally (step S15).

  According to this embodiment, when a device has not been used for a certain period or longer, the latest preference information and behavior history can be collected from other devices and stored in the memory of the device. Information and action history can always be kept up to date.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining another example of a device setup method in the distributed system shown in FIG. In this embodiment, in a distributed system in which a plurality of devices are connected via a network, an arbitrary device continues to collect accumulated program information and personal action history, and exceeds the storage capacity of the device. Information can be passed to other devices that have extra storage capacity.

In the present embodiment, in the distributed system shown in FIG. 4 described above, when the device 1 continues to collect program information, personal action history, and the like and exceeds the storage capacity of the device 1, A case where information is transferred to another device 2 or device 3 having a surplus storage capacity will be described below as a representative example.
That is, when the information accumulated by continuing to collect program information, personal action history, etc. exceeds the storage capacity of the device 1, the device 1 changes the accumulated information in order from the oldest information. (Put) can be passed to the device 2 or device 3. At this time, the old information is handed over because new information is estimated to be used frequently.

  In FIG. 7, the device 1 collects information such as program information and personal action history (step S <b> 21), and whether the information accumulated by the collection (hereinafter, accumulated information) exceeds the storage capacity of the device 1. If it is determined (step S22) and it is determined that the storage capacity has been exceeded (in the case of YES), the stored information can be passed to another device 2 or device 3 existing on the network 7 (Put). Is transmitted (broadcast) (step S23). If it is determined in step S22 that the device 1 does not exceed the storage capacity (NO), the process ends.

  Next, the devices 2 and 3 that have received the data (message) transmitted (broadcast) from the device 1 confirm whether the information (data type, storage capacity, etc.) that can be stored is stored, and store the stored information. A message indicating that it can be received or not received is returned to the device 1. The device 1 that has received the message determines whether or not the stored information can be passed to another device (step S24), and if the stored information can be passed (in the case of YES), that is, a message that gives the stored information. If there is a device that has returned, the stored information is transmitted to the device in chronological order (step S25). In step S24, if the device 1 cannot pass the stored information (in the case of NO), that is, if the other device returns a message indicating that all of the stored information is not available, the processing ends.

According to the present embodiment, when a device continues to collect information and exceeds the storage capacity of the device, information can be passed to another device having a surplus storage capacity (Put) It is possible to effectively use the storage capacity between devices connected via the network.
Further, when the device (device 1) passes information, the desired (Get) information can be passed by storing the address of the device (device 2, device 3) to which the information is passed and the contents of the passed information ( (Put) By sending / receiving information to / from the device that has passed the information, the information once passed can be taken out again.

  As described above, each embodiment has been described mainly with respect to each function of the distributed system of the present invention. However, the present invention can be configured as a device setup method as described also as a method for executing each step in the distributed system. Can do. Further, similarly to the distributed system having these functions, a form as a program for realizing the device setup method and a form as a recording medium on which the program is recorded are possible.

  An embodiment of a recording medium storing a program and data for realizing a device setup function according to the present invention will be described. Specific recording media include CD-ROM (-R / -RW), magneto-optical disk, DVD-ROM (-R / -RW / -RAM), FD, HD, flash memory, memory card, Memory sticks and other various ROMs, RAMs, and the like can be assumed, and on these recording media, the functions as the embodiments of the present invention described above are executed by the device, and a program for realizing the setup function is recorded and distributed. This facilitates the realization of the function. Then, by loading the recording medium as described above into the device according to the present invention and reading the program by the device, or storing the program in a storage medium provided in the device and reading it as necessary, It is possible to execute the setup function of the device related to the invention.

  It should be noted that the distributed system and the device setup method of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the distributed system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the internal structural example of each apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the data format which each apparatus transmits / receives via a network. It is a figure which shows an example of the flow of a process when a new additional apparatus is introduce | transduced in the distributed system with which the existing apparatus and server which were shown in FIG. 1 were connected to the network. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a device setup method in the distributed system shown in FIG. 4. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the other example of the setup method of the apparatus with which this invention is applied. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining another example of a device setup method in the distributed system shown in FIG. 4.

Explanation of symbols

1, 2, 3 ... Existing equipment, 4 ... Additional equipment, 5 ... Server, 6 ... Replacement equipment, 7 ... Network, 11 ... Control unit, 11a ... Network I / F, 11b ... Processor, 11c ... Memory, 11d ... I / OI / F, 12 ... machine part, 12a ... I / O.

Claims (6)

In a distributed system in which multiple devices are connected via a network,
The device newly connected to the network includes information collecting means for collecting setting / accumulating information from existing devices, setup means for setting up based on the collected setting / accumulating information, and setting / accumulating information that can be retained. Storage means for storing identification information for identifying whether it is information to be collected or information that can be provided for each type of
Distributed system wherein the information collecting unit, according to the identification information stored in the storage means, characterized that you collect desired setting / storing information from the existing equipment.   2. The distributed system according to claim 1, wherein the setting / storage information includes device setting information and storage information stored in the device, and the storage information includes program information, user preference information, and action history information. A distributed system including any one or more of them.   3. The distributed system according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of setting / accumulation information is collected from the existing device, the device newly connected to the network is selected from the collected setting / accumulation information. A distributed system comprising means for selecting desired setting / accumulation information. In a device setup method in a distributed system in which a plurality of devices are connected via a network,
The device newly connected to the network stores, in the storage means, identification information for identifying whether it is information to be collected or information that can be provided for each type of setting / storage information that can be held. And
A device newly connected to the network has an information collecting step of collecting the setting / accumulation information from the existing device, and a setup step of setting up based on the collected setting / accumulation information;
The information collection step collects desired setting / accumulation information from the existing device in accordance with the identification information stored in the storage means . The setting / storage information includes device setting information and storage information stored in the device, and the storage information includes one or more of program information, user preference information, and action history. The apparatus setup method according to claim 4 . The information collecting step includes a step of selecting desired setting / accumulating information from the collected setting / accumulating information when a plurality of setting / accumulating information is collected from the existing device. 4. A device setup method according to 4 or 5 .

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