Abstract: An internet terminal (110) according to the present invention is comprised of: a communication unit (111) that sends a local packet generated by a packet generation unit (113) and receives a response local packet from a server apparatus (200); an encryption processing unit (112) that encrypts the local packet to be sent out and decrypts the received response local packet; the packet generation unit (113) that generates the local packet; a polling information storage unit (114) that holds a terminal ID and a password used for identifying the internet terminal (110); a polling interval adjustment unit (115) that identifies a polling interval at which the local packet is periodically sent to the router (101); and a control unit (116) that sends control information to a terminal apparatus to be controlled and controls such terminal apparatus accordingly.

Abstract: In a control network system of household electric appliances, particularly, an each introduction of a household electric appliance thereto does not cause a change in the means of acquiring operation data by a controller, and the electric power consumption of a controller is made less. A home network system is simplified and made efficient. As a means for the above, an accessible device in a common manner to household electric appliances is incorporated into a controller by object processing using communications middlewares, and a device for linked operations is incorporated into household electric appliances. Then, it is noted that each household electric appliance needs a specific kind of another appliance and operation data thereof.

Abstract: One routing device connects plural networks on which a plurality of the other routing devices including a parent router are connected. The parent router manages network identification data to identify the plural networks. Master router data is included for each corresponding other routing device, respectively. Each master router data includes master router identification data identifying whether the corresponding other routing device is a “master router” which is located on a path to the parent router or a “slave router” which is a routing device other than the master router, and network identification data identifying a network to which the corresponding other routing device connects. Upon startup of the one routing device, the master router data is acquired from the other routing devices on the networks to which the one routing device connects. It is determined whether a router function of the one routing device is enabled based on the acquired master router data.

Abstract: A communication system is constructed in such a manner that a user is allowed to designate a controller 1 and a wireless device 3 simultaneously to start authentication for connection with a wireless base station 2 to specify the device to be connected, and to establish connection authentication without a password for the first time. Thereafter, the controller 1 distributes a password to the wireless base station 2 and to the wireless device 3 to cancel the connection authentication. Next, connection authentication with the distributed password is established. Thus, the communication system makes it possible to substantially automatically establish connection authentication, thereby eliminating a cumbersome operation by the user in implementing the connection authentication process.

Abstract: A controller (1) holds appliance data acquired from an appliance (3) regularly and without loss. A display terminal (2) is capable of moving to other rooms through a receptacle and holds the appliance data acquired from the appliance (3). When there is loss in the appliance data for a part of time period because of a move and the like, the display terminal (2) executes acquisition request to the controller (1) to acquire this non-collected data of the appliance. The controller (1) transmits the appliance data to the display terminal (2) in response to the request of the display terminal (2). The display terminal (2) acquires (or complements) the non-collected data from the controller (1) and display the data.

Abstract: A network system comprising routers 10˜13, a plurality of sub-networks 30˜34, each of which connects apparatuses, wherein said plurality of sub-networks 30˜34 are identified by respective Net IDs, and are connected via the routers 10˜13 to form a tree structure, and each of the routers 10˜13 includes: first and second communication I/F units 100 and 101 that connect plural ones of the sub-networks; a router data storage unit 103 that holds router data including the Net IDs of the respective sub-networks that are connected; and a control unit 102 that performs a cold start that is a start-up process involving an update of the router data stored in the router data storage unit 103, wherein the control unit 103, when performing the cold start, causes each of all routers connected to a downstream sub-network to perform a cold start.

Abstract: A remote maintenance system has a center server that is located in a service center for performing maintenance of an electrical appliance and a home server that is located in a house and monitors a status of the electrical appliance 102 in the house which are connected via a communication network. The home server includes an electrical appliance management unit that acquires a status value of the electrical appliance, a communication unit that receives from the center server a failure model which is information defining a method of deriving a decision whether the electrical appliance has failed or not from the status value, and a failure deciding unit that decides whether the electrical appliance has failed or not based on the acquired status value and the received failure model using qualitative reasoning. The center server includes a failure model updating unit that updates a failure model and sends the updated failure model to the home server via a communication unit.

Abstract: A home security system which includes sensors 11 to 18 that detect an alarming situation in different locations inside a facility, cameras 21 to 26 that capture images of different locations inside a facility, and a controller 30 that memorizes the associations between sensors 11 to 18 and cameras 21 to 26, and when any of the sensors 11 to 18 detects an alarming situation, has cameras that are associated with the sensors that have detected an alarming situation capture images based on the associations, and also updates the memorized associations.

Abstract: In a home bus system in which a multiplicity of networks each having a multiplicity of appliances connected thereto are connected one another, information is easily exchanged between appliances over different networks. An address configuration that is processed in application software and communication middleware has a network ID and a network appliance ID. On each network, there is provided a particular router having information about all the connections of other networks than the each network. Under this configuration, an appliance transmits a message directed to another network, only to a particular router and the particular router establishes an appropriate route for transmission, as considering the actual states of the networks.

Abstract: A unique identification code (ID) is given to each appliance in each sub-network of a home network (HBS). An appliance out of use is deleted. The system can be automatically updated. One router is used as a parent router and only the router is made to manage the identification codes. The IDs include the IDs of the sub-networks and the IDs of the appliances in the sub-networks. Information about the year when an ID is given is given to the ID. After a certain period of time, the presence of each ID is checked. Each appliance has information about the grade of the system, and the information is utilized for updating the appliance having a router function when an appliance is newly installed.

Abstract: A unique identification code (ID) is given to each appliance in each sub-network of a home network (HBS). An appliance out of use is deleted. The system can be automatically updated. One router is used as a parent router and only the router is made to manage the identification codes. The IDs include the IDs of the sub-networks and the IDs of the appliances in the sub-networks. Information about the year when an ID is given is given to the ID. After a certain period of time, the presence of each ID is checked. Each appliance has information about the grade of the system, and the information is utilized for updating the appliance having a router function when an appliance is newly installed.

Abstract: A controller (1) holds appliance data acquired from an appliance (3) regularly and without loss. A display terminal (2) is capable of moving to other rooms through a receptacle and holds the appliance data acquired from the appliance (3). When there is loss in the appliance data for a part of time period because of a move and the like, the display terminal (2) executes acquisition request to the controller (1) to acquire this non-collected data of the appliance. The controller (1) transmits the appliance data to the display terminal (2) in response to the request of the display terminal (2). The display terminal (2) acquires (or complements) the non-collected data from the controller (1) and display the data.

Abstract: A home security system which includes sensors 11 to 18 that detect an alarming situation in different locations inside a facility, cameras 21 to 26 that capture images of different locations inside a facility, and a controller 30 that memorizes the associations between sensors 11 to 18 and cameras 21 to 26, and when any of the sensors 11 to 18 detects an alarming situation, has cameras that are associated with the sensors that have detected an alarming situation capture images based on the associations, and also updates the memorized associations.

Abstract: In a home bus system in which a multiplicity of networks each having a multiplicity of appliances connected thereto are connected one another, information is easily exchanged between appliances over different networks. An address configuration that is processed in application software and communication middleware has a network ID and a network appliance ID. On each network, there is provided a particular router having information about all the connections of other networks than the each network. Under this configuration, an appliance transmits a message directed to another network, only to a particular router and the particular router establishes an appropriate route for transmission, as considering the actual states of the networks.

Abstract: A remote maintenance system 100 in which a center server 120 that is located in a service center for performing maintenance of an electrical appliance 102 and a home server 101 that is located in each house and monitors a status of the electrical appliance 102 in the house are connected via a communication network 140, wherein (A) the home server 101 includes an electrical appliance management unit 108 that acquires a status value of the electrical appliance 102, a communication unit 105 that receives from the center server 120 a failure model which is information defining a method of deriving a decision whether the electrical appliance 102 is failed or not from the status value, and a failure deciding unit 106 that decides whether the electrical appliance is failed or not based on the acquired status value and the received failure model using qualitative reasoning, and (B) the center server 120 includes a failure model updating unit 127 that updates a failure model and send the updated failure model to the h

Abstract: A communications setting method for a communications network system for performing data communications among a plurality of devices through power line has

Abstract: Complaint rate calculation means for calculating complaint rates in consideration of thermal feeling entered from vote value input means, a data storage unit for storing complaint rates together with indoor thermal conditions, updating means for calculating a function representing the relationship between thermal conditions and complaint rates in accordance with stored data, and predicted thermal condition calculation means for calculating thermal setting values by substituting entered control information into the function representing the relationship between thermal conditions and complaint rates, can convert a complaint vote of each inhabitant to a characteristic thermal feeling of a group so as to directly reflect the feeling on air-conditioning control.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic apparatus, densities of toner images of a light reference mark and a dark reference mark are detected by a density sensor, and input voltages such as an illumination power source voltage and an electrostatic charge voltage are varied by small values on the basis of a difference between detected densities and an aimed density, the small values are determined on the basis of a predetermined qualitative model. Subsequently, a line width of the toner image of a reference mark having a striped pattern is detected by a line width sensor and a developer bias voltage is varied by a small value in a similar manner as mentioned above.