Device management apparatus, device management method, and program

Abstract

To provide a device management technology to reduce the workload of changing device registrations.SOLUTION: A device management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a registration information management unit that manages device registration information that registers device-specific information and a device identifier of a device in association with each other; a device registration unit that, upon receiving a registration request to register a physical device as a first device, determines whether or not the device-specific information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information; and a notification unit that, when the device-specific information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information as a second device, notifies a user of the second device of the registration of the physical device to the first device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a device management apparatus, a device management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the use of IoT (Internet of Things) devices such as cameras and sensors has been expanding. For example, in office buildings, many IoT devices such as surveillance cameras, thermometers, and measuring instruments are installed within the buildings for security, air conditioning adjustment, elevator control, etc. In factories, various IoT devices for smart factories are installed on production lines, etc.

[0003] These IoT devices are typically communicatively connected to a cloud server or the like and managed by the cloud server, etc. Various techniques have been proposed for effectively managing and operating IoT devices by such cloud servers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-78083 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In an IoT platform, an IoT device that is currently in use may be temporarily used as a new device for a different purpose. When re-registering an IoT device that is currently in use as a new device, the IoT device may be recognized as being in a disconnected state in the initial registration information. However, it is difficult to automatically determine whether this disconnected state is due to the device being temporarily used for a different purpose or due to a malfunction of the IoT device or deterioration of the communication state, and this determination may require manual confirmation by a user or the like.

[0006] In addition, when the temporary use of an IoT device is completed and the IoT device is restored as the device used before re-registration, the IoT device may be mistakenly associated with another device, not with the device used before re-registration. Or, if the IoT device continues to be used after re-registration and the initial registration information becomes unnecessary, the initial registration information may remain without being deleted. In this way, an increase in the number of IoT devices may increase the burden of device management on the user.

[0007] In view of the above problems, one object of the present disclosure is to provide a device management technique for reducing the workload of changing device registration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a device management device having a registration information management unit that manages device registration information that associates and registers device unique information of a device with a device identifier, a device registration unit that, upon receiving a registration request to register a physical device as a first device, determines whether the device unique information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information, and a notification unit that, when the device unique information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information as a second device, notifies a user of the second device of the registration of the physical device to the first device. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the work of changing device registration. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a device management system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a device registration notification process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a device management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a device management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating device registration information according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating device usage information according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a device management process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] In the following embodiment, a device management system that manages devices via a network is disclosed.

[0013] [Device Management System] 1, the device management system 10 includes physical devices 20_1, 20_2, . . . , 20_N (hereinafter, collectively referred to as devices 20) and a device management apparatus 100. As shown in the figure, the physical devices 20 are communicatively connected to the device management apparatus 100 via a network 50.

[0014] Each physical device 20 is, for example, a camera, a sensor, etc. Each physical device 20 is associated with a device identifier (ID) and managed by the device management apparatus 100 via the network 50 using the device ID. In the illustrated example, the physical device 20_1 is managed by the device ID of device #1, the physical device 20_2 is managed by the device ID of device #2, and similarly, the physical devices 20_3 to 20_N are managed by the device IDs of devices #3 to #N, respectively. For example, the physical device 20_i configured as a camera can be managed as a device #i for monitoring a manufacturing line A of a factory, and the physical device 20_j configured as a camera can be managed as a device #j for monitoring a manufacturing line B.

[0015] The device management apparatus 100 manages the physical devices 20 registered in the device management system 10. For example, when the physical device 20 is installed, the device management apparatus 100 registers and holds various information related to the physical device 20. As will be described in detail below, the device management apparatus 100 stores the various information related to the physical device 20 as device management information. Note that the device management information may be held within the device management apparatus 100 and / or may be stored in another database server (not shown) or the like.

[0016] In the following embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a physical device 20_i used as a device #i for monitoring a manufacturing line A in a factory is temporarily used as a device #j for monitoring a manufacturing line B, so that the physical device 20_i is registered as a device #j. A registration request for re-registering the physical device 20_i as a device #j is transmitted to the device management apparatus 100. Upon receiving the registration request, the device management apparatus 100 searches whether the physical device 20_i is registered in the device registration information. If the physical device 20_i is registered in the device registration information, the device management apparatus 100 may notify a user of the device #i in the manufacturing line A that the physical device 20_i is to be registered as a device #j in the manufacturing line B, and may register the physical device 20_i as a device #j after approval from the user. This allows a user of the device #i (e.g., an administrator of the manufacturing line A) to know in advance the change in usage of the physical device 20_i currently used as the device #i to the device #j.

[0017] Furthermore, when changing the registration from device #i to device #j, the logical ID of the device ID of device #i may be inherited by the logical ID of the device ID of device #j registered as physical device 20_i. That is, the logical ID of device #j is made the same as the logical ID of device #i. This can prevent erroneous association between physical device 20_i and device #i when returning physical device 20_i to device #i after temporary use of physical device 20_i for device #j is completed.

[0018] Here, the device management apparatus 100 may be realized by a computing device such as a server, a personal computer (PC), a smartphone, a tablet, etc., and may have a hardware configuration such as that shown in Fig. 3. That is, the device management apparatus 100 has a drive device 101, a storage device 102, a memory device 103, a processor 104, a user interface (UI) device 105, and a communication device 106, which are interconnected via a bus B.

[0019] The programs or instructions for implementing the various functions and processes in the device management apparatus 100 may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory) or a flash memory. When the storage medium is set in the drive device 101, the programs or instructions are installed from the storage medium via the drive device 101 into the storage device 102 or the memory device 103. However, the programs or instructions do not necessarily have to be installed from the storage medium, and may be downloaded from any external device via a network or the like.

[0020] The storage device 102 is realized by a hard disk drive or the like, and stores installed programs or instructions as well as files, data, etc. used in executing the programs or instructions.

[0021] The memory device 103 is realized by a random access memory, a static memory, or the like, and when a program or an instruction is activated, reads and stores the program or instruction, data, or the like from the storage device 102. The storage device 102, the memory device 103, and the removable storage medium may be collectively referred to as a non-transitory storage medium.

[0022] The processor 104 may be realized by one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units), GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), processing circuitry, etc., which may be composed of one or more processor cores, and performs various functions and processes of the device management device 100 in accordance with programs, instructions, data such as parameters necessary to execute the programs or instructions, etc. stored in the memory device 103.

[0023] The user interface (UI) device 105 may be composed of input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, camera, microphone, etc., output devices such as a display, speaker, headset, printer, etc., and input / output devices such as a touch panel, and realizes an interface between a user and the device management device 100. For example, a user operates the device management device 100 by operating a GUI (Graphical User Interface) displayed on a display or touch panel using a keyboard, mouse, etc.

[0024] The communication device 106 is realized by various communication circuits that execute wired and / or wireless communication processing with an external device, the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), a cellular network, or other communication network.

[0025] However, the above-described hardware configuration is merely an example, and the device management apparatus 100 according to the present disclosure may be realized by any other appropriate hardware configuration.

[0026] [Device management device] Next, a description will be given of the device management apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the device management apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] 4, the device management apparatus 100 includes a registration information management unit 110, a device registration unit 120, and a notification unit 130. Each functional unit of the registration information management unit 110, the device registration unit 120, and the notification unit 130 may be realized by the processor 104 executing a computer program stored in the memory device 103 of the device management apparatus 100.

[0028] The registration information management unit 110 manages device registration information that associates and registers device unique information of device #x (x=1, 2, . . .) with a device identifier. For example, the device unique information may be a communication ID such as a MAC address of each device #x registered in the device management system 10. Each device #x is typically an IoT device communicatively connected to the device management apparatus 100, and a communication ID such as a MAC address is assigned to the device #x. The device identifier may also include a logical identifier (ID) and a physical identifier (ID) of the device #x.

[0029] For example, the device registration information may be composed of a device ID, device specific information, a logical ID, and a physical ID, as shown in Fig. 5. In the illustrated example, "device #1" is assigned device specific information "X1", a logical ID "LID#1", and a physical ID "PID#1", "device #2" is assigned device specific information "X2", a logical ID "LID#2", and a physical ID "PID#2", "device #3" is assigned device specific information "X3", a logical ID "LID#3", and a physical ID "PID#3", and similarly, a device ID, device specific information, a logical ID, and a physical ID may be registered for each device registered in the device management system 10.

[0030] When the device registration unit 120 receives a registration request to register the physical device 20 as device #x, the device registration unit 120 judges whether the device unique information of the physical device 20 is registered in the device registration information. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when a registration request is received to register the physical device 20_i registered as device #i for monitoring the manufacturing line A as device #j for monitoring the manufacturing line B, the device registration unit 120 judges whether the device unique information of the physical device 20_i is registered in the device registration information. In this example, since the physical device 20_i has already been registered in the device registration information as device #i, the device unique information of the physical device 20_i (for example, a communication ID such as a MAC address) is also registered in the device unique information of the device #i. The device registration unit 120 notifies the notification unit 130 that the physical device 20_i has been registered in the device registration information as device #i. Then, as described later, when the user approves the change in registration of the physical device 20_i to device #j, the device registration unit 120 registers the physical device 20_i as device #j.

[0031] When registering the physical device 20_i as a device #j, the device registration unit 120 may register the logical ID of the device #j by the logical ID of the device #i. That is, the logical ID of the device #j may be the same as the logical ID of the device #i, and in the device management system 10, the physical device 20_i can be registered to a different device #j without changing the logical ID of the registered device #i.

[0032] On the other hand, when the physical device 20_i is not registered in the device registration system 10 and the device specific information of the physical device 20_i is also not registered in the device registration information, the device registration unit 120 determines that the physical device 20_i can be newly registered in the device registration system 10, and registers the physical device 20_i as device #j in the device registration information. At this time, the device registration unit 120 may notify the notification unit 130 that the physical device 20_i is not registered in the device registration information. In this way, the device registration unit 120 transmits to the notification unit 130 the determination result as to whether the physical device 20_i requested to be registered is registered in the device registration information.

[0033] When the device unique information of the physical device 20_i is registered as device #i in the device registration information, the notification unit 130 notifies the user of the device #i of the registration of the physical device 20_i as device #j. For example, as described above, when the device registration unit 120 notifies the notification unit 130 that the physical device 20_i is registered in the device registration information, the notification unit 130 notifies the user of the device #i for monitoring the manufacturing line A that the physical device 20_i will be registered as device #j for monitoring the manufacturing line B. This allows the user who has been using the physical device 20_i as device #i for monitoring the manufacturing line A to know that the physical device 20_i will be used in the manufacturing line B from now on.

[0034] Here, the notification unit 130 may notify of a change in the use or a usage status of the physical device 20. Specifically, the notification unit 130 may notify of a change in the use of the physical device 20 and the usage status after the change of the physical device 20. For example, the notification unit 130 may notify that the physical device 20_i used as a monitoring device #i of the manufacturing line A will be used for the manufacturing line B.

[0035] Furthermore, the notification unit 130 may confirm with the user of the device #j and the user of the device #i whether the physical device 20_i is approved for use as the device #j for monitoring the production line A to the production line B, that is, whether the physical device 20_i is intended for use as the device #j. When the notification unit 130 receives approval from both users, the device registration unit 120 may determine that the registration of the physical device 20_i is appropriate and register the physical device 20_i as the device #j in the device registration information. On the other hand, when the notification unit 130 receives a notification of non-approval from one or both users, the device registration unit 120 may determine that the registration of the physical device 20_i is not appropriate and may suspend the registration of the physical device 20_i to the device #j.

[0036] In one embodiment, the registration information management unit 110 may register the tenant (e.g., the administrator, the operating entity, etc.) where the device #x is installed and / or the usage status in the device usage information. For example, the device usage information may be configured as data in a table format as shown in FIG. 6. In the illustrated example, the device ID of "device #1" may be associated with the tenant "TN#1" and the usage status "usage status #1", and the device ID of "device #2" may be associated with the tenant "TN#2" and the usage status "usage status #2". Here, the device usage information may be combined with the device registration information. That is, in addition to the device ID, the device specific information, the logical ID, and the physical ID, the tenant and the usage status may be registered in the device registration information.

[0037] At this time, when the physical device 20_i is registered in the same tenant as the device #i, the notification unit 130 may notify the user of the device #i of the device registration information for the device #j of the physical device 20_i. Specifically, when the tenants of the device #j and the device #i are the same in the device usage information, the notification unit 130 may notify the user of the device #i of the device registration information for the device #j of the physical device 20_i. On the other hand, when the physical device 20_i is registered in a tenant different from the device #i, the notification unit 130 may notify the user of the device #j as well as the user of the device #i of the registration of the physical device 20_i. Specifically, when the tenants of the device #j and the device #i are different in the device usage information, the notification unit 130 may notify the user of the device #i and the user of the device #j of the device registration information for the device #j of the physical device 20_i.

[0038] That is, when the devices #i and #j before and after the usage change belong to the same tenant, the notification unit 130 may notify only the user of the device #i before the usage change that the physical device 20_i will be registered as the device #j. On the other hand, when the devices #i and #j before and after the usage change belong to different tenants, the notification unit 130 may notify not only the user of the device #i before the usage change but also the user of the device #j after the usage change that the physical device 20_i will be registered as the device #j. When the devices #i and #j before and after the usage change belong to the same tenant, the users of the devices #i and #j are also considered to belong to the same tenant, and it may be sufficient to notify only one of the users. On the other hand, when the devices #i and #j before and after the usage change belong to different tenants, the users of the devices #i and #j are also considered to belong to different tenants, and it may be appropriate to notify both users.

[0039] After the notification unit 130 notifies the user of the device #i before the usage change of the physical device 20_i to device #j, when approval of the usage change is received, the device registration unit 120 registers the physical device 20_i as device #j. For example, if this usage change is temporary, a registration request for restoring the physical device 20_i to the device #i before the usage change may be transmitted from the user of the device #i or the device #j. In this case, when the device registration unit 120 receives a registration request for registering the physical device 20_i registered as device #j as device #i, the device registration unit 120 may determine whether the device unique information of the physical device 20_i matches the device unique information of the device #i, and determine whether the registration of the physical device 20_i is appropriate according to the determination result. That is, even if there is an error in the registration request for restoring the physical device 20_i to the device #i before the usage change, the appropriateness of the registration can be determined by determining whether the device unique information of the physical device 20_i matches the device unique information of the device #i.

[0040] Furthermore, after registering the physical device 20_i as device #j, the notification unit 130 may inquire of the user of the device #j at a predetermined inquiry timing as to whether or not the registration of the physical device 20_i to the device #j needs to be maintained. That is, the notification unit 130 may inquire of the user of the device #j, who is temporarily using the physical device 20_i, whether the temporary use of the physical device 20_i has been completed. Here, the predetermined inquiry timing may be a predetermined time interval or may be the timing of an inquiry request from any user, such as the user of the device #i. Then, the registration information management unit 120 may delete the device registration information that is answered as unnecessary by the user. This makes it possible to avoid maintaining unnecessary device registration information.

[0041] [Device management process] Next, a device management process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The device management process may be executed by the device management apparatus 100, and more specifically, may be realized by one or more processors 104 of the device management apparatus 100 executing one or more programs or instructions stored in one or more memory devices 103. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the device management process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] 7, in step S101, the device management apparatus 100 receives a registration request for registering the physical device 20_i as device #j. For example, the device management apparatus 100 may receive a registration request for registering the physical device 20_i as device #j in order to temporarily use the physical device 20_i, which is used as device #i for monitoring production line A, as device #j for monitoring production line B. If the physical device 20_i is already used as device #i, the device registration information indicates that the physical device 20_i has already been registered as device #i.

[0043] In step S102, the device management apparatus 100 determines whether the device unique information of the physical device 20_i is registered in the device registration information. If the device unique information of the physical device 20_i is registered in the device registration information (S102: YES), the device management apparatus 100 proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the device unique information of the physical device 20_i is not registered in the device registration information (S102: NO), the device management apparatus 100 proceeds to step S104.

[0044] For example, when the physical device 20_i is already being used as device #i, the physical device 20_i is already registered as device #i in the device registration information, and the device-specific information of the physical device 20_i is registered in the device registration information. On the other hand, when the physical device 20_i is newly registered in the device management system 10, it is considered that the device-specific information of the physical device 20_i is not registered in the device registration information.

[0045] In step S103, the device management apparatus 100 notifies the user of the device #i of the registration of the physical device 20_i to the device #j. For example, the device management apparatus 100 may confirm with the user of the device #i before the change of usage whether the user agrees to use the physical device 20_i as the device #j. Here, if the user of the device #i does not agree to use the physical device 20_i as the device #j, the device management apparatus 100 may request the user who provided the registration request to confirm the registration of the physical device 20_i to the device #j.

[0046] In step S104, the device management apparatus 100 registers the physical device 20_i as device #j. Specifically, the device management apparatus 100 registers the physical device 20_i in the device unique information, logical ID, and physical ID of the device registration information of the device #j. Here, a communication ID such as the MAC address of the physical device 20_i may be registered in the device unique information, and the logical ID of the device #i may be registered in the logical ID.

[0047] According to the above-described embodiment, the user of device #i can know in advance that the physical device 20_i currently being used as device #i will be changed to device #j. Also, the logical ID of the device ID of device #i is inherited by the logical ID of the device ID of device #j. Therefore, when returning the physical device 20_i to device #i after the temporary use of device 20_i as device #j is completed, it is possible to prevent erroneous association between the physical device 20_i and device #i.

[0048] In addition, the following supplementary notes are provided in relation to the above description. (Appendix 1) a registration information management unit that manages device registration information that associates and registers device unique information and a device identifier of the device; a device registration unit that, when receiving a registration request for registering a physical device as a first device, determines whether device specific information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information; a notification unit that notifies a user of the second device of the registration of the physical device to the first device when device specific information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information as a second device; A device management apparatus having the above configuration. (Appendix 2) The device identifier includes a logical identifier and a physical identifier; 2. The device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device registration unit registers the logical identifier of the first device using the logical identifier of the second device. (Appendix 3) 3. The device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit notifies a user of the second device of device registration information for the physical device relative to the first device when the physical device is registered in the same tenant as the second device. (Appendix 4) The device management device according to any one of appendices 1 to 3, wherein when the physical device is registered in a tenant different from that of the second device, the notification unit notifies a user of the first device, together with a user of the second device, of the registration of the physical device. (Appendix 5) 5. The device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit notifies of a change in utilization or a usage status of the physical device. (Appendix 6) The device management device according to any one of appendices 1 to 5, wherein the notification unit confirms with a user of the first device and a user of the second device approval for use of the physical device as the first device, and the device registration unit determines whether or not to register the physical device based on a confirmation result. (Appendix 7) The device management device of any one of appendices 1 to 6, wherein when the device registration unit receives a registration request to register the physical device registered as the first device as the second device, it determines whether device unique information of the physical device matches device unique information of the second device, and determines whether the physical device is appropriate to be registered based on the determination result. (Appendix 8) the notification unit, after registering the physical device as the first device, inquires of a user of the first device at a predetermined inquiry timing as to whether or not the registration of the physical device in the first device needs to be maintained; 8. The device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the registration information management unit deletes the device registration information for which a response is received that the device registration information is unnecessary. (Appendix 9) receiving a registration request to register the physical device as a first device; determining whether device unique information of the physical device is registered in device registration information that associates the device unique information of the device with a device identifier; when device specific information of the physical device is registered as a second device in the device registration information, notifying a user of the second device of the registration of the physical device to the first device; A device management method executed by a computer having the above configuration. (Appendix 10) receiving a registration request to register the physical device as a first device; determining whether device unique information of the physical device is registered in device registration information that associates the device unique information of the device with a device identifier; when device specific information of the physical device is registered as a second device in the device registration information, notifying a user of the second device of the registration of the physical device to the first device; A program that causes a computer to execute the following.

[0049] Although the examples of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 10. Device Management Systems 20 Physical Devices 50 Network 100 Device management device 110 Registration Information Management Department 120 Device Registration Department 130 Notification Department

Claims

1. a registration information management unit that manages device registration information that associates and registers device unique information and a device identifier of the device; a device registration unit that, when receiving a registration request for registering a physical device as a first device, determines whether device specific information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information; a notification unit that notifies a user of the second device of the registration of the physical device to the first device when device specific information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information as a second device; A device management apparatus having the above configuration.

2. The device identifier includes a logical identifier and a physical identifier; The device management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the device registration unit registers the logical identifier of the first device by using the logical identifier of the second device.

3. 2 . The device management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the physical device is registered in the same tenant as the second device, the notification unit notifies a user of the second device of device registration information of the physical device for the first device.

4. The device management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the physical device is registered in a tenant different from that of the second device, the notification unit notifies a user of the first device, as well as a user of the second device, of the registration of the physical device.

5. The device management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit notifies a change in usage or a usage status of the physical device.

6. 2. The device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit confirms with a user of the first device and a user of the second device approval for use of the physical device as the first device, and the device registration unit determines whether or not to register the physical device based on a confirmation result.

7. 2. The device management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the device registration unit receives a registration request to register the physical device registered as the first device as the second device, it determines whether device-specific information of the physical device matches device-specific information of the second device, and determines whether the physical device is appropriate to be registered based on the determination result.

8. the notification unit, after registering the physical device as the first device, inquires of a user of the first device at a predetermined inquiry timing as to whether or not the registration of the physical device in the first device needs to be maintained; The device management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the registration information management unit deletes the device registration information for which a response is received that the device registration information is unnecessary.

9. receiving a registration request for registering a physical device as a first device; determining whether device unique information of the physical device is registered in device registration information that associates the device unique information of the device with a device identifier; when device specific information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information as a second device, notifying a user of the second device of the registration of the physical device to the first device; A device management method executed by a computer having the above configuration.

10. receiving a registration request for registering a physical device as a first device; determining whether device unique information of the physical device is registered in device registration information that associates the device unique information of the device with a device identifier; when device specific information of the physical device is registered in the device registration information as a second device, notifying a user of the second device of the registration of the physical device to the first device; A program that causes a computer to execute the following.

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