Patent Publication Number: US-2017373920-A1

Title: Communication monitor system, gateway device, and communication monitor device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a communication monitoring system, a gateway device, and a communication monitoring device that monitor data relayed between networks. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Gateway devices are known which are placed between networks, and which relay communicated data between the networks. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a gateway device which is placed between an out-home network and an in-home network. This gateway device creates a control instruction when receiving a control-instruction input from the out-home network, and transmits this instruction to a home electrical appliance connected to the in-home network. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Literature 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2002-44765 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     According to systems provided with a gateway device, in order to, for example, analyze a cause when a communication failure occurs, and to check the communication, there is a demand to monitor the data relayed by the gateway device in a real-time manner. According to the gateway device disclosed in Patent Literature 1, since the control instruction to be transmitted to the in-home network is also transmitted to a monitor, the control instruction can be monitored in a real-time manner. However, data transmitted by the gateway device to the out-home network cannot be monitored in a real-time manner. That is, the gateway device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is not capable of monitoring from the out-home network and from the in-home network, in a real-time manner, data relayed bi-directionally between the networks. 
     In addition, if a measuring instrument like a protocol analyzer is connected to the communication port of the gateway device to each network, communicated data from the respective networks can be monitored hi-directionally in a real-time manner. In this case, however, since at least two measuring instruments need to be connected to the single gateway device, greater costs are incurred, and a more complicated wiring configuration results in some time-consuming tasks. In addition, if such a measuring instrument were to be connected to the gateway device in a wireless scheme, cross-talk may occur between the measuring instruments and proper data may be unobtainable, for example. 
     The present disclosure is made in view of the foregoing circumstances, and an objective is to provide a communication monitoring system and the like, that are capable of easily monitoring data relayed bi-directionally without performing time-consuming wiring tasks and without incurring additional costs. 
     Solution to Problem 
     In order to accomplish the above objective, a communication monitoring system includes:
         a gateway device for relaying data that is communicated between a first network and a second network; and   a communication monitoring device,   wherein the gateway device comprises:
           a first communicator configured to communicate data with the first network;   a second communicator configured to communicate data with the second network:   a first outputter configured to convert the data communicated by the first communicator into an optical signal having a first wavelength and to output the optical signal; and   a second outputter configured to convert the data communicated by the second communicator into an optical signal having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength and to output the optical signal, and   
           wherein the communication monitoring device comprises:
           a first receiver configured to receive the optical signal output by the first outputter;   a second receiver configured to receive the optical signal output by the second outputter, and   a display configured to display information relating to the data obtained from the optical signal received by the first receiver and the optical signal received by the second receiver.   
               

     Advantageous Effects of invention 
     According to the present disclosure, relayed data can be easily monitored bi-directionally without performing time-consuming wiring tasks and without incurring additional costs. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a communication monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a gateway device and that of a communication monitoring device; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a relaying process; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the relaying process; and 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication monitoring screen. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the same or corresponding element is denoted by the same reference numeral throughout the drawings. 
     A description is given of a communication monitoring system  1  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to  FIG. 1 , The communication monitoring system  1  is a system that monitors data communicated (transmitted and received) between networks (the Internet N 1  and an in-home network N 2 ). As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the communication monitoring system includes a gateway device  10  and a communication monitoring device  20 . 
     The gateway device  10  is installed in a power distribution board or the like within a home  50 , and relays data communicated between the Internet N 1  and the in-home network N 2 . For example, the gateway device  10  transmits, to an appliance  40  within the home  50  and connected to the in-home network N 2 , instruction information (control command) for a remote control received from a terminal device  30  via the Internet N 1 . In addition, the gateway device  10  transmits, to the terminal device  30  connected to the Internet N 1 , status information received from the appliance  40  within the home  50  via the in-home network N 2 . Still further, in addition to such a relaying function, the gateway device  10  converts data to be relayed into optical signals, and outputs the optical signals to the communication monitoring device  20  as well. Note that the gateway device  10  may function as the controller for a Home Energy Management System (HEMS) that manages each appliance  40  within the home  50 . 
     Next, the configuration of the gateway device  10  is described. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the gateway device  10  includes a first communicator  11 , a second communicator  12 , a first outputter  13 , a second outputter  14 , and a protocol converter  15 . 
     The first communicator  11  includes a communication interface or the like for communication via the Internet N 1 , and communicates with the Internet N 1 . More specifically, the first communicator  11  outputs, to the protocol converter  15  and the first outputter  13 , data or the like, received from the terminal device  30  via the Internet N 1  for instructing a remote operation to the appliance  40 . In addition, the first communicator  11  transmits data output by the protocol converter  15  to not only the terminal device  30  via the Internet N 1  but also the first outputter  13 . 
     The second communicator  12  includes a communication interface or the like for communication via the in-home network N 2 , and communicates with the in-home network N 2 . More specifically, the second communicator  12  outputs, to the protocol converter  15  and the second outputter  14 , data indicating an operation status, and the like, received from the appliance  40  within the home  50  via the in-home network N 2 . In addition, the second communicator  12  transmits data output by the protocol converter  15  to not only the appliance  40  via the in-home network N 2  but also the second outputter  14 . 
     The first outputter  13  includes a light emitting diode (LED) that emits light (red light in this embodiment) with a predetermined wavelength (first wavelength), The first outputter  13  converts data communicated by the first communicator  11  with the Internet N 1  into optical signals such as flashing red light, and outputs the optical signals to the exterior. Note that a table that defines correspondence relationships between data to be communicated and the corresponding optical signal (the flashing pattern) may be stored, and the first outputter  13  may refer to this table, and convert the data to be communicated into the optical signals. 
     The second outputter  14  includes a light emitting diode (LED) that emits light (blue light in this embodiment) with a predetermined wavelength (second wavelength) different from the first wavelength. The second outputter  14  converts data communicated by the second communicator  12  with the in-home network N 2  into optical signals such as flashing blue light, and outputs the optical signals to the exterior. 
     The protocol converter  15  includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU), and the like, and converts a protocol format of obtained data from a relay originator network (the Internet N 1  or the in-home network N 2 ) into a protocol format corresponding to a relay destination network (the in-home network N 2  or the Internet N 1 ). For example, the protocol converter  15  converts the protocol format of data obtained by the first communicator  11  from the Internet N 1  into the protocol format corresponding to the in-home network N 2 , and outputs the converted data to the second communicator  12 . In addition, the protocol converter  15  converts the protocol format of data obtained by the second communicator  12  from the in-home network N 2  into the protocol format corresponding to the Internet N 1 , and outputs the converted data to the first communicator  11 . 
     Next, the communication monitoring device  20  is described. The communication monitoring device  20  is installed near the gateway device  10 . The communication monitoring device  20  has a function of monitoring and outputting data relayed by the gateway device  10  in a real-time manner. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the communication monitoring device  20  includes a first receiver  21 , a second receiver  22 , an obtainer  23 , and a display  24 . 
     The first receiver  21  includes a photodiode, and is placed at a location capable of obtaining (receiving) optical signals output by the first outputter  13  of the gateway device  10 . In addition, placed on the photo receiving surface of the first receiver  21  is a filter that allows only the wavelength band of the optical signal (red light) output by the first outputter  13  to pass through. The first receiver  21  detects the optical signals output by the first outputter  13 , and outputs the detected signals to the obtainer  23 . 
     The second receiver  22  includes a photodiode, and is placed at a location capable of obtaining (receiving) optical signals output by the second outputter  14  of the gateway device  10 . In addition, placed on the photo receiving surface of the second receiver  22  is a filter f 2  that allows only the wavelength band of the optical signal (blue light) output by the second outputter  14  to pass through. The second receiver  22  detects the optical signals output by the second outputter  14 , and outputs the detected signals to the obtainer  23 . 
     The obtainer  23  includes a CPU, a Real-Time Clock (RTC), and the like, obtains, from the optical signals received by the first receiver  21  and the second receiver  22 , data indicated by such optical signals, and outputs information (for example, a data name, a size, a type, and the like) relating to the obtained data to the display  24  together with the present clock time. More specifically, the obtainer  23  may refer to the table, or the like, that defines the correspondence relationship between the optical signal (flash pattern) and the data, and may obtain the data from the received optical signals. 
     For example, the obtainer  23  obtains, from the optical signals output by the first receiver  21 , data communicated by the first communicator  11  of the gateway device  10  with the Internet N 1 , and outputs the data name together with the present clock time to the display  24 . In addition, for example, the obtainer  23  obtains, from the optical signals output by the second receiver  22 . data communicated by the second communicator  12  of the gateway device  10  with the in-home network N 2 , and outputs the data name together with the present clock time to the display  24 , 
     The display  24  is a display device such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), and displays information output by the obtainer  23 . 
     Next, an operation of the above gateway device  10  is described.  FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a relaying process of relaying data from the 
     Internet N 1  to the in-home network N 2 . 
     The terminal device  30  transmits, via the Internet N 1 , data such as a command that instructs a remote operation for the appliance  40  within the home  50 . When the first communicator  11  of the gateway device  10  receives this data from the Internet N 1  (step S 11 ), the first communicator  11  outputs this data to the first outputter  13  and the protocol converter  15  (step S 12 ). 
     The first outputter  13  converts the data output by the first communicator  11  into optical signals, and outputs the optical signals to the communication monitoring device  20  (step S 13 ). The first receiver  21  of the communication monitoring device  20  receives the optical signals, the obtainer  23  obtains original data prior to the conversion from the optical signals, and the display  24  displays the data name and the like. 
     Conversely, the protocol converter  15  converts the format of the data output by the first communicator  11  into the protocol format corresponding to the in-home network N 2  (step S 14 ). Note that in the flowchart that is  FIG. 3 , although the process in the step S 14  is executed after the step S 13 , the process in the step S 13  and the process in the step S 14  are executed substantially at the same time. 
     Next, the second communicator  12  transmits, to the appliance  40  subjected to the remote operation and connected to the in-home network N 2 , the data having undergone the protocol format conversion by the protocol converter  15 , and also outputs this data to the second outputter  14  (step S 15 ). The appliance  40  that has received this data runs under the remote operation instructed from the terminal device  30 . 
     Subsequently, the second outputter  14  converts the data output by the second communicator  12  into optical signals, and outputs the optical signals to the communication monitoring device  20  (step S 16 ). The second receiver  22  of the communication monitoring device  20  receives the optical signals, the obtainer  23  obtains the original data prior to the conversion from the optical signals, and the display  24  displays the data name and the like. 
     Next, the above relaying process is described with reference to a specific example.  FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a timing at which the first communicator  11  of the gateway device  10  and the second communicator  12  thereof relay data A and data B from the Internet N 1  to the in-home network N 2  or from the in-home network N 2  to the Internet N 1 . 
     First, the first communicator  11  receives the data A from the Internet N 1  between times T1 and T2. Note that the larger the size of the data A is, or the slower the communication speed is, the longer the necessary time (times between T1 and T2) for receiving the data A becomes. In addition, during this time period, the first communicator  11  outputs the receiving data A to the protocol converter  15  and the first outputter  13 . and the first outputter  13  converts the data A into optical signals (red light) with a predetermined wavelength, and outputs the optical signals. In the communication monitoring device  20 , the first receiver  21  receives the optical signals. Next, the obtainer  23  obtains the original data A from the optical signals, and the display  24  displays information such as the data name and the like, together with the time at which the optical signals are received. When the first communicator  11  starts receiving the data A, the data A is immediately converted into optical signals and output by the first outputter  13 , and thus the time displayed on the display  24  together with the information such as the data name and the like, in this case is substantially equal to the receiving start time T1 of the data A. 
     Conversely, the second communicator  12  receives the data B from the in-home network N 2  between times T3 and T4. In addition, within this time period, the second communicator  12  outputs the receiving data B to the protocol converter  15  and the second outputter  14 . In this case, the time period (times between T3 and T4) during which the data B is being received partially overlaps with the time period (times between T1 and T2) during which the first communicator  11  is receiving the data A. Hence, during such a time period (times between T3 and T2), the gateway device  10  is in a state in which the data A and B are being received from both the Internet N 1  and the in-home network N 2  at the same time, Even in this case, however, the second outputter  14  that is separately provided from the first outputter  13  converts the data B received by the second communicator  12  into optical signals (blue light) with the predetermined wavelength, and outputs the optical signals in a real-time manner. In the communication monitoring device  20 , the second receiver  22  receives the optical signals. Next, the obtainer  23  obtains the original data B from the received optical signals, and the display  24  displays information such as the data name and the like, together with the clock time at which the optical signals are received. Note that when the second communicator  12  starts receiving the data B, the data B is immediately converted into optical signals, and is output by the second outputter  14 , and thus the clock time displayed on the display  24  together with the information such as the data name and the like, is substantially equal to the receiving start time T3 of the data B. 
     Next, the second communicator  12  transmits, to the in-home network N 2  between times T5 and T6, the data A having undergone the protocol format conversion for the in-home network N 2  by the protocol converter  15 , and also outputs the data A to the second outputter  14 . Next, the second outputter  14  converts this data A into optical signals (blue light) with the predetermined wavelength, and outputs the optical signals. In the communication monitoring device  20 , the second receiver  22  receives the optical signals. Subsequently, the obtainer  23  obtains the original data A from the received optical signals, and the display  24  displays information such as the data name and the like, together with the clock time at which the optical signals are received. Note that when the second communicator  12  starts receiving the data A, the data A is immediately converted into optical signals, and is output by the second outputter  14 , and thus the clock time displayed on the display  24  together with the information such as the data name and the like, is substantially equal to the transmitting start time T5 of the data A. 
     Conversely, the first communicator  11  transmits, between times T7 and T8 to the Internet N 1 , the data B having undergone the protocol format conversion for the Internet N 1  by the protocol converter  15 , and also outputs this data B to the first outputter  13 . In this case, the time period (times between T7 and T8) during which the data B is being transmitted partially overlaps with the time period (times between T5 and T6) during which the second communicator  12  is transmitting the data A. Hence, during such a time period (times between T7 and T6), the gateway device  10  is in a state in which the data A and B are being transmitted from both the in-home network N 2  and the Internet N 1  at the same time. Even in this case, however, the first outputter  13  that is separately provided from the second outputter  14  converts the data B transmitted by the first communicator  11  into optical signals (red light) with the predetermined wavelength, and outputs the optical signals in a real-time manner. In the communication monitoring device  20 , the first receiver  21  receives the optical signals. Next, the obtainer  23  obtains the original data B from the received optical signals, and the display  24  displays information such as the data name and the like, together with the clock time at which the optical signals are received. Note that when the first communicator  11  starts transmitting the data B, the data B is immediately converted into optical signals, and is output by the first outputter  13 , and thus the clock time displayed on the display  24  together with the information such as the data name and the like, is substantially equal to the transmitting start time T7 of the data B. 
     Eventually, according to this specific example, the display  24  of the communication monitoring device  20  displays a communication monitoring screen as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . A user is capable of easily checking, in a real-time manner, whether or not the gateway device  10  is properly relaying the data by checking this communication monitoring screen. 
     As described above according to this embodiment, when the gateway device  10  relays data between networks, the relayed data is converted into optical signals with a different wavelength for each network, and is output. Next, by the communication monitoring device  20 , the data relayed by the gateway device  10  is obtained from such optical signals, and information relating to the data is displayed. Hence, by simply installing the single communication monitoring device  20  near the gateway device  10  without a necessity for connecting multiple measuring instruments like a protocol analyzer to the gateway device  10 , relayed data can be easily monitored without performing time-consuming wiring tasks and without incurring additional costs. 
     In addition, according to this embodiment, the outputters (the first outputter  13  and the second outputter  14 ) of the gateway device  10  which are provided separately for the respective networks output optical signals having different wavelengths. Hence, even if the gateway device  10  is transmitting and receiving the data relative to the respective networks at the same time, each outputter outputs an optical signal corresponding to the data, and the communication monitoring device  20  is capable of monitoring information relating to the data in a real-time manner. 
     Still further, according to this embodiment, the optical signals output by each outputter of the gateway device  10  are visible-range optical signals that are different in color. Hence, by checking the color of the optical signal output by the gateway device  10 , the user is capable of intuitively knowing the present communication status 
     MODIFIED EXAMPLES 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     For example, in the above embodiment, the description is given of the gateway device  10  that relays data between the Internet N 1  and the in-home network N 2 , but the present disclosure is also applicable to a gateway device that relays data between other different networks. In addition, the present disclosure is applicable to a gateway device that relays data between two or more networks. Note that, in such a case, there is a necessity to place the outputters of the gateway device and the receivers of the communication monitoring device in accordance with the number of corresponding networks. 
     Still further, according to the embodiment, the description is given of the gateway device  10  having the first outputter  13  that outputs red optical signals, and the second outputter  14  that outputs blue optical signals, but the colors of the optical signals output by the first outputter  13  and the second outputter  14  are freely selectable as long as the colors selected are different from each other. Yet still further, the first outputter  13  and the second outputter  14  may output optical signals having different wavelengths outside the visible range. 
     Moreover, in the above embodiment, although the display  24  of the communication monitoring device  20  displays information relating to the data relayed by the gateway device  10 , those information may be transmitted and output to a Personal Computer (PC), a smartphone, and the like of the user, in the form of a mail or the like. 
     The foregoing describes some example embodiments for explanatory purposes. Although the foregoing discussion has presented specific embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a. restrictive sense. This detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is defined only by the included claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present disclosure is appropriately applicable to systems like a HEMS. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       1  Communication monitoring system 
       10  Gateway device 
       20  Communication monitoring device 
       30  Terminal device 
       40  Appliance 
       50  Home 
     N 1  Internet 
     N 2  In-home network 
       11  First communicator 
       12  Second communicator 
       13  First outputter 
       14  Second outputter 
       15  Protocol converter 
       21  First receiver 
       22  Second receiver 
       23  Obtainer 
       24  Display 
     f 1 , f 2  Filter