Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Generic control system – apparatus or process – Sequential or selective
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-14
2002-09-10
Picard, Leo (Department: 2125)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Generic control system, apparatus or process
Sequential or selective
C700S017000, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06449514
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority to Japanese Application No. P10-260525 filed on Sep. 14, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network integrated management apparatus and method for managing a plurality of devices connected to a network in an integrated manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
The development of technology for connecting a plurality of household electrical devices to form a home network has recently begun. For example, a network utilizing IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.) 1394, which is becoming widespread as a digital interface adaptable for multimedia, has been developed.
IEEE 1394 is a serial bus which has a wide bandwidth and is suitable for transferring a large data stream such as video and audio, and therefore has received attention as a home network bus. Also, IEEE 1394 has an asynchronous transfer function to ensure the transfer of video and audio data, etc., within a certain period of time, and serves as a digital interface suitable for image transmission.
A VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) is often connected to such a network to record a data stream flowing on a network bus. In this case, the user records a broadcasting program, for example, by separately controlling individual devices, such as a set-top box, to receive a desired broadcasting program and record a data stream corresponding to the broadcasting program on the VCR. The user must also control the VCR, which is connected to the network, to record the data stream of the received broadcasting program transmitted from the set-top box.
Further, when a plurality of VCRs are connected on a network, it is possible to continuously record a long-duration program that exceeds a recording time of an ordinary video cassette. The operation for recording such a program is similar to the case of recording with a single VCR, but instead the user separately controls the respective VCRs and designates a recording time, a recording position in a tape, etc., for each VCR. That is, even with a plurality of VCRs, a set-top box and so on connected to a network, the user has to separately control each device to record or reproduce data. The user also has to determine the status of the respective VCRS by individually checking the devices. Furthermore, the user is also required to separately manage the respective video tapes included in the VCRs. For example, the user must paste labels including the program's title, etc., to the corresponding video tapes. In addition, similar separate control operations are required to reproduce data previously recorded.
The contents of data recorded on a video tape may be stored in a memory provided in the VCR or in a memory in a video cassette. However, even in this case, the management must be performed in units of video tapes, namely by separately managing the individual video tapes.
Moreover, the user is required to separately check each video tape to determine if the tape has a sufficient capacity (i.e., the amount remaining unrecorded). In other words, the user must visually confirm the unrecorded amount of a video tape, or must insert a video tape into a VCR and confirm the remaining amount of the tape by using a function of the VCR which indicates the capacity left on the tape, for example.
Accordingly, the user is required to search unrecorded portions of the respective tapes and designated recording positions in the respective tapes to record a lengthy program. Further, the user must separately operate the plurality of VCRs so that the VCRs record the program in succession. Thus, the user-made operation is extremely time consuming.
When a random accessible disk, such as a CD-ROM or DVD-RAM is used as a recording medium and time-serial data such as video and audio data is recorded on the disk, the recording operation is generally managed using an authoring tool or the like so that one program is recorded on one medium. When a long-duration program is recorded on a plurality of recording media, a label indicating which part of the program is recorded on the medium, is placed on the surface of each of the recording media. Thus, using the labels, the user can continuously reproduce the program in a correct order from the plurality of recording media. In such a case, the user also must separately operate a plurality of devices to record and reproduce data, and must manage information regarding the contents of data recorded on the individual media.
Recently, eight electrical manufacturers in Japan and Europe have proposed a specification called HAVi (Home Audio/Video interchangeability) to provide interchangeable operation between household electrical devices included in a home network. The HAVi specification specifies a device control module (referred to as a DCM hereinafter), and an application program controls the device through the DCM. That is, according to the HAVi specification, an application program controls the DCM of each device. In this case, however, the application program controls the devices separately, and when a recording and reproduction operation are performed in cooperation with a plurality of devices, the required processing is very complicated.
Thus, in the past, devices connected to a network have to be controlled separately, as well as the recording media used with the devices. This requires the user to perform a time-consuming and troublesome operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for network integrated management in which a plurality of devices connected to a network are managed in an integrated manner so that the plurality of devices may be used in a cooperating manner with a simple operating process.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for network integrated management in which, even when a new device is added to, or removed from a network, the new configuration of devices may be managed in an integrated manner.
To achieve these and other objects, the present invention provides an apparatus for managing a plurality of devices connected together via a network. The apparatus includes control units respectively provided in the plurality of devices and at least one integrated control device provided on the network in order to control the control units in devices, which have a same function, in an integrated manner based on integrated management information read from the information acquired from the plurality of control units. In addition, the control units perform functions of the device and acquire information necessary to perform the functions.
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patent: 5086385 (1992-02-01), Launey et al.
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patent: 5922047 (1999-07-01), Newlin et al.
patent: 6148241 (2000-11-01), Ludtke et al.
patent: 6314326 (2001-11-01), Fuchu
Imai Toru
Natsubori Shigeyasu
Takahashi Toshiya
Zettsu Tatsuya
Cabrera Zoila
Picard Leo
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