Networked Home Apparatus Cooperation Without Central Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing home network systems require a home server for apparatus cooperation, leading to issues when the server is absent or lacks information about cooperating apparatuses, and user operations become cumbersome due to separate interfaces and potential errors in multi-apparatus coordination.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that acquires and displays processing information and function capabilities from external apparatuses via a network, allowing selected functions to be executed without server dependence, enabling seamless cooperation and reducing user complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a home server is used to manage apparatus cooperation information, then apparatus cooperation can be coordinated centrally, but the system becomes dependent on the server and cannot operate if the server is absent or lacks information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential cooperation information (apparatus information and cooperation control information) from the centralized home server and embeds it directly into each terminal apparatus. This allows each apparatus to independently possess the knowledge needed for cooperation, eliminating dependency on the server while maintaining reliable coordinated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the centralized server-based information management into distributed information storage across multiple terminal apparatuses. Each apparatus stores its own cooperation information locally, transforming a monolithic server-dependent system into a distributed autonomous system where each node operates independently based on its stored information.
2Adaptability or versatility
If each apparatus stores cooperation information independently, then server dependence is eliminated, but additional mechanisms are required to update information when apparatuses are replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the home server automatically update terminal apparatuses with new cooperation information before the apparatuses are actually replaced or added to the network. The server proactively pushes updates to ensure all apparatuses have current information, eliminating the need for complex manual update mechanisms when apparatuses are replaced.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where terminal apparatuses report their status and information needs to the home server, which then provides targeted updates. This feedback loop ensures that information is updated efficiently and automatically without requiring complex manual intervention when apparatuses are replaced or added.
3Ease of operation
If each apparatus has its own interface for user operations, then each apparatus can be operated independently, but users must perform cumbersome operations across multiple apparatuses increasing error risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the interfaces of multiple terminal apparatuses into a unified operation system. Users interact with a single integrated interface that coordinates operations across all connected apparatuses, eliminating the need to manually operate each apparatus separately. This consolidation reduces operation time and minimizes errors while preserving the ability of each apparatus to function independently.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an information processing apparatus including an information acquiring unit for acquiring, from external apparatuses connected via a network, processing information about a processing to be executed by each of the external apparatuses and/or about a result of a processing executed thereby and information about a function that each of the external apparatuses can execute in cooperation with the information processing apparatus; an information display unit for displaying the processing information of each of the external apparatuses and program information about program contents and displaying, on the basis of the information about the function of each of the external apparatuses, functions that can be executed by each of the external apparatuses with respect to the one or more program contents; and a function execution unit for causing the external apparatus to execute a selected function with respect to a selected program content.