WO2005004398A1

WO2005004398A1 - Mobile agent module for mobile home network system

Info

Publication number: WO2005004398A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/001339
Authority: WO
Inventors: Koon-Seok Lee; Seong-Hwan Kang; Ja-In Koo; Feel-Young Koo; Yong-Tae Kim; Hwan-Jong Choi; Seung-Myun Baek
Original assignee: Lg Electronics, Inc.
Priority date: 2003-07-07
Filing date: 2003-07-07
Publication date: 2005-01-13
Also published as: AU2003246120A1

Abstract

The present invention discloses a mobile agent module (80) for a mobile home network system (60) which allows a user to communicate with a home network system (60) including different kinds of networks by using a user mobile terminal (10). The mobile agent module (80) for the mobile home network (60) is formed in a home master terminal (70), and includes a communication socket (81) connected through a first network (30) based on a predetermined protocol to a mobile service server (24) connected to a plurality of user mobile terminals (10) through a wireless communication network, for transmitting and receiving a first packet, a gate module (82) being connected to a home appliance control module (72) positioned in the home master terminal (70) connected to a plurality of home appliances through a second network (90) separated from the first network (30) for transmitting and receiving a second packet different from the first packet, and mutually converting the first and second packets, and an agent manager (84) for allowing the gate module (82) to mutually convert the first and second packets, and transmitting the converted first and second packets to the mobile service server (24) and the home appliance control module (72) through the communication socket (81) and the gate module (82), respectively.

Description

MOBILE AGENT MODULE FOR MOBILE HOME NETWORK SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a mobile agent module for a mobile home network system, and more particularly to, a mobile agent module for a mobile home network system which allows a user to communicate with a home network system including different kinds of networks by using a user mobile terminal.

BACKGROUND ART Home automation for automatically controlling home appliances at home or remotely has almost reached a commercial use stage. At its early stage, the home automation separately controlled each home appliance by using a telephone or infrared rays, and did not connect the home appliances one another. However, there has been suggested a method for building a network of home appliances by using a communication means, and collectively managing the network by using a controller. In general, a home network connects various digital home appliances so that a user can always enjoy convenient, safe and economic life services inside or outside the house. As factors of the advent of the home network, refrigerators or washing machines called white home appliances have been gradually digitalized due to development of digital signal processing techniques, and new information home appliances have been made due to rapid development of home appliance operating system techniques and high speed multimedia communication techniques. Here, an IT network is built to exchange data between a personal computer and peripheral devices or provide internet services, and an AV network is built between home appliances using audio or video information. In addition, a living network is built to simply control home appliances, such as home automation or remote meter reading, and may be comprised of a refrigerator, washing machine, microwave oven, electric lamp, gas alarm, air conditioner and telephone. The home network system includes a master device which is a home appliance for controlling an operation of the other home appliances or monitoring a status thereof, and a slave device which is a home appliance having a function of responding to the request of the master device and a function of notifying a status change according to properties of the home appliances or other factors. Here, the home appliances (or new devices) include home appliances for the living network service such as a washing machine and a refrigerator as well as home appliances for the IT network service and the AV network service.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile agent module for a mobile home network system which allows a user to control and monitor a home network system anytime anywhere by communicating with the home network system by using a user mobile terminal. Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile agent module for a mobile home network system which can easily connect a user mobile terminal to a home network system by enabling different kinds of networks to communicate with each other. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile agent module for a mobile home network system which can efficiently transmit and process control information and non-control information between a user mobile terminal and a home network system. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile agent module for a mobile home network system which can automatically connect a home network system to the mobile home network system for communication. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile agent module for a mobile home network system which can improve authentication reliability by transmitting data to perform a plurality of processes for authenticating access of a user mobile terminal to a home network system. In order to achieve the above-described objects of the invention, there is provided a mobile agent module for a mobile home network system which is formed in a home master terminal, and which includes: a communication socket connected through a first network based on a predetermined protocol to a mobile service server connected to a plurality of user mobile terminals through a wireless communication network, for transmitting and receiving a first packet; a gate module being connected to a home appliance control module positioned in the home master terminal connected to a plurality of home appliances through a second network separated from the first network for transmitting and receiving a second packet different from the first packet, and mutually converting the first and second packets; and an agent manager for allowing the gate module to mutually convert the first and second packets, and transmitting the converted first and second packets to the mobile service server and the home appliance control module through the communication socket and the gate module, respectively. Preferably, the gate module includes a control gate connected to the home appliance control module, and a gate bridge for mutually converting the first and second packets between the control gate and the agent manager. Preferably, the first packet and the second packet include at least home appliance related control information, and the agent manager decides whether the first packet transmitted from the communication socket contains control information corresponding to the home appliances connected to the home appliance control module, and allows the gate bridge to convert the first packet into the second packet. Preferably, the control information contained in the first packet and the second packet includes one of a control command for the home appliance, and a control response of the home appliance according to the control command, the control command is transmitted from the mobile service server to the home appliance through the control gate by the agent manager, and the control response is transmitted from the home appliance to the mobile service server through the communication socket by the agent manager. Preferably, the mobile agent module further includes a memory connected to the agent manager, and the agent manager temporarily stores the first packet in the memory. Preferably, the first packet includes non-control information as well as the home appliance related control information, and the memory stores the first packet containing the non-control information. Preferably, the agent manager is connected to a data processing module connected to an external input means installed in the home master terminal for receiving an external input data, and the memory is connected to the data processing module for receiving and storing the external input data. Preferably, the mobile agent module further includes a conversion means for converting the external input data into a mobile format, and the agent manager reads the external input data from the memory, allows the conversion means to perform the conversion process, adds the converted external input data to the first packet, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server. Preferably, the second packet further includes a home appliance related equipment error data, the control gate receives the second packet containing the equipment error data from the home appliances, the gate bridge converts the second packet into the first packet and transmits the first packet to the agent manager, and the agent manager stores the first packet containing the equipment error data in the memory. Preferably, the agent manager transmits a first packet containing an access request data to the mobile service server through the communication socket, and receives a first packet containing an access ACK data from the mobile service server and communicates with the mobile service server, or receives a first packet containing an access NAK data and retransmits the first packet containing the access request data to the mobile service server. Preferably, the agent manager transmits a dummy signal for confirming a current access status to the mobile service server through the communication socket at an interval of a predetermined time. Preferably, the agent manager generates a first packet containing an authentication data previously stored in the memory, and transmits the first packet to an authentication server through the first network by the communication socket so as to register the authentication data. According to another aspect of the invention, a mobile agent module for a mobile home network system is formed in a home master terminal, and includes: a communication socket connected through a first network based on a predetermined protocol to a mobile service server connected to a plurality of user mobile terminals through a wireless communication network, for transmitting and receiving a first packet; a memory for storing the first packet; a gate module being connected to a home appliance control module positioned in the home master terminal connected to a plurality of home appliances through a second network separated from the first network for transmitting and receiving a second packet different from the first packet, and mutually converting the first and second packets; and an agent manager being connected to the communication socket for receiving the first packet and storing the first packet in the memory, allowing the gate module to convert the second packet into the first packet, reading the first packet from the memory, deciding whether the first packet contains control information corresponding to the home appliances connected to the home appliance control module, and allowing the gate module to convert the first packet into the second packet. Preferably, the gate module includes a control gate connected to the home appliance control module, and a gate bridge for mutually converting the first and second packets between the control gate and the agent manager. Preferably, the first packet and the second packet include at least home appliance related control information, the control information contained in the first packet and the second packet includes at least one of a control command for the home appliance, and a control response of the home appliance according to the control command, the control command is transmitted from the mobile service server to the home appliance through the gate module by the agent manager, and the control response is transmitted from the home appliance to the mobile service server through the communication socket by the agent manager. Preferably, the first packet includes non-control information as well as the home appliance related control information, and the memory stores the first packet containing the non-control information. Preferably, the agent manager is connected to a data processing module connected to an external input means installed in the home master terminal for receiving an external input data, and the memory is connected to the data processing module for receiving and storing the external input data. Preferably, the mobile agent module further includes a conversion means for converting the external input data into a mobile format, and the agent manager reads the external input data from the memory, allows the conversion means to perform the conversion process, adds the converted external input data to the first packet, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server. Preferably, the second packet further includes a home appliance related equipment error data, the control gate receives the second packet containing the equipment error data from the home appliances, the gate bridge converts the second packet into the first packet and transmits the first packet to the agent manager, and the agent manager stores the first packet containing the equipment error data in the memory. Preferably, the agent manager transmits a first packet containing an access request data to the mobile service server through the communication socket, and receives a first packet containing an access ACK data from the mobile service server. Preferably, the agent manager transmits a dummy signal for confirming a current access status to the mobile service server through the communication socket at an interval of a predetermined time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a structure view illustrating a mobile home network system in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing operations of the mobile home network system of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a structure view illustrating a mobile service server of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 4 is a structure view illustrating a home master terminal of Fig. 1 ; and Fig. 5 is a structure view illustrating a mobile agent module of Fig. 4.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A mobile agent module for a mobile home network system in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a structure view illustrating the mobile home network system in accordance with the present invention. Referring to Fig. 1 , the mobile home network system 1 is comprised of a mobile terminal 10 of a user, a wireless communication network 20 including a base station 22 for a wireless data service of the mobile terminal 10 and a mobile communication company server 24, an internet network 30 based on a predetermined protocol, a mobile service server 40 for communication between the mobile terminal 10 and a home network system 60, an authentication server 50 for authentication of the mobile terminal 10 to the home network system 60, and the home network system 60 including a home master terminal 70 connected to a plurality of home appliances (washing machine 91, refrigerator 92, window 93, microwave oven 94 and television 95) through a bus network 90 based on a predetermined protocol for controlling and/or monitoring the home appliances, and connected to external input means such as a camera 62 and a microphone 64. Here, the mobile terminal 10 includes a cellular phone, mobile phone (for example, wireless internet mobile phone) or personal digital assistant (PDA) which can access through a wireless application protocol (WAP) or wireless hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and transmit wireless packets. The wireless communication network 20 for wireless data communication has the base station 22 for general calls and the mobile communication company server 24 for providing an internet service. The internet network 30 pursues to a predetermined protocol (for example,

TCP/IP). The mobile terminal 10, the mobile service server 40, the authentication server 50 and the home network system 60 access through the internet network 30 to communicate with each other. Hereinafter, a packet transmitted through the internet network 30 is defined as a first packet based on a predetermined protocol. A packet transmitted or received by the mobile terminal 10 is also defined as a first packet. The mobile service server 40 includes a mobile server, a media server and a push server, and decides whether the home network system 60 is accessible to itself through the internet network 30, and communicates with the home network system 60. In addition, the mobile service server 40 decides whether the mobile terminal 10 is accessible to the home network system 60, and connects the mobile terminal 10 and the home network system 60 to communicate with each other according to the decision result. A method for receiving a first packet containing an authentication request data including an authentication data (for example, ID and password) from the mobile terminal 10, and transmitting the authentication data to the authentication server 50 for authentication, and a method for comparing an ID number (for example, telephone number) of the mobile terminal 10 contained in the authentication request data with a previously-stored ID number (discussed later in detail), and authenticating the mobile terminal 10 according to the comparison result can be used at the same time to decide accessibility, which will later be explained in detail. The authentication server 50 receives a first packet containing an authentication data thorough the home network system 60 and the internet network 30, and stores the authentication data. When the mobile service server 40 transmits a first packet containing an authentication data from the mobile terminal 10, the authentication server 50 compares the transmitted authentication data with the previously-stored authentication data, transmits a first packet containing an authentication ACK data to the mobile service server 40 when the data are identical, and transmits a first packet containing an authentication NAK data to the mobile service server 40 when the data are not identical. In the case that a plurality of mobile terminals 10 access the mobile service server 40 at the same time, it takes a long time for the mobile service server 40 to simultaneously authenticate the mobile terminals 10. Accordingly, the authentication server 40 authenticates the mobile terminals 10 to reduce data throughput of the mobile service server 40, and increase the whole data throughput. Moreover, the authentication server 50 stores the authentication data from the home network system 60, and thus the mobile service server 40 needs not to directly access the home network system 60 to receive and process the authentication data. In addition, the home network system 60 includes the home appliances, and the bus network 90 different from the internet network 30. The bus network 90 is based on a different protocol from the internet network 30, for transmitting a second packet different from the first packet of the internet network 30. The first and second packets pursue to different protocols, but may have the same data or message. The bus network 90 can be a power line communication (PLC), IrDA, Bluetooth or RF network. The bus network 90 and the internet network 30 are physically and/or logically separated, and connected to each other by the home master terminal 70. The separated networks of the internet network 30 transmitting the first packet and the bus network 90 transmitting the second packet allow the home master terminal 70 to control the whole first and second packets and protect the home appliances from the external environment. The home appliances connected to the bus network 90 are actually control means (not shown) of each home appliance. The home master terminal 70 is connected to the home appliances through the bus network 90, and also connected to the external input means such as the camera 62 and the microphone 64. The home master terminal 70 converts a data obtained by the external input means into a predetermined mobile format to be displayed on the mobile terminal 10, and transmits the mobile format data to the mobile service server 40 (or mobile terminal 10). In addition, the home master terminal 70 can receive information from the mobile terminal 10 and store the information for the user. The home master terminal 70 includes a user interface means (not shown). Therefore, the home master terminal 70 can receive the authentication data for authentication of the authentication server 50, and the ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 through the mobile home network service for authentication using the ID number in the mobile service server 40, and store the authentication data and the ID number. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing operations of the mobile home network system of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the operations include an access step (S21), an authentication step (S22) and a processing step (S23). In detail, in the access step (S21), the home network system 60 (specifically the home master terminal 70) accesses the mobile service server 40 through the internet network 30 for communication. The home master terminal 70 transmits a first packet containing an access request data through the internet network 30 for access to the mobile service server 40. When the home master terminal 70 receives a first packet containing an access ACK data according to the decision of the mobile service server 40, the home master terminal 70 is connected to communicate with the mobile service server 40. When the home master terminal 70 receives a first packet containing an access NAK data, the home master terminal 70 retransmits the first packet containing the access request data for access to the mobile service server 40. When the home master terminal 70 is connected to communicate with the mobile service server 40, the home master terminal 70 transmits a first packet containing the previously-stored ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 to the mobile service server 40, and the mobile service server 40 stores the ID number. The home master terminal 70 transmits a first packet containing a dummy signal to the mobile service server 40 at an interval of a predetermined time in order to confirm a current access status of the mobile service server 40. When disconnected from the mobile service server 40, the home master terminal 70 can retransmit the first packet containing the access request data to the mobile service server 40. In addition, the home master terminal 70 transmits the first packet containing the previously-stored authentication data to the authentication server 50 through the internet network 30, and thus the authentication server 50 stores the authentication data. In the authentication step (S22), when the first packet containing the authentication request data including the authentication data generated by the user through a predetermined input means (not shown) is transmitted from the mobile terminal 10 to the mobile service server 40 through the wireless communication network 20, the mobile service server 40 performs two authentication processes as follows. First, the mobile service server 40 reads the ID number of the mobile terminal 10 contained in the authentication request data, and compares the ID number with the previously-stored ID number. When the ID numbers are identical, the mobile service server 40 transmits the first packet containing the authentication data to the authentication server 50, and when the ID numbers are not identical, the mobile service server 40 transmits a first packet containing an authentication rejection data to the mobile terminal 10. The authentication rejection data is generated without requiring authentication of the authentication server 50. The authentication process using the ID number can be selectively performed. That is, when the mobile service server 40 receives the authentication request data, the mobile service server 40 can directly transmit the authentication data contained in the authentication request data to the authentication server 50 through the first packet. Secondly, the authentication server 50 receiving the authentication data performs the authentication process as described above, and transmits the first packet containing the authentication ACK data or authentication NAK data to the mobile service server 40. In the processing step (S23), when the mobile terminal 10 is connected to communicate with the home network system 60, the user generates a control command for the home appliances by using the mobile terminal 10 and transmits the control command to the mobile service server 40 through the first packet. The mobile service server 40 transmits the first packet to the home network system 60, the home network system 60 receives the first packet, and the home master terminal 70 converts the first packet into the second packet and transmits the second packet to the home appliance corresponding to the control command through the bus network 90. The home appliance performing the control operation transmits a second packet containing a control response to the home master terminal 70, the home master terminal 70 converts the second packet into the first packet and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server 40, and the mobile service server 40 transmits the first packet to the mobile terminal 10, so that the user can confirm the control response to the control command. The control command and the control response are referred to as control information. The control information is transmitted in the form of the first packet and/or second packet, and includes data relating to controlling (or monitoring ) of the home appliances. In accordance with the present invention, the mobile home network system 1 transmits non-control information (for example, images and texts which do not relate to control information) as well as the control information. For example, a first packet containing the non-control information from the mobile terminal 10 is transmitted to the home master terminal 70 by the mobile service server 40. The home master terminal 70 decides whether the first packet is control information. When the first packet is the control information, the home master terminal 70 transmits the first packet to the home appliances, and when the first packet is the non-control information, the home master terminal 70 stores the first packet in a predetermined memory (not shown), or processes and stores the first packet, so that the user can confirm and use the packet. Moreover, the non-control information obtained by the camera 62 and the microphone 64 connected to the home master terminal 70 is converted into a mobile format, transmitted to the mobile service server 40, and retransmitted to the mobile terminal 10. Fig. 3 is a structure view illustrating the mobile service server of Fig. 1. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the mobile sen/ice server 40 includes a network connection means 42 connected to the internet network 30, a decision means 44 for deciding accessibility of the mobile terminal 10 to the home network system 60, an access status confirmation means 46 for confirming access of the home network system 60 to the mobile service server 40, and a registration means 48 for receiving the ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 from the home network system 60 and storing the ID number. In detail, the decision means 44 receives the first packet containing the authentication request data including the authentication data from the mobile terminal 10 through the network connection means 42, performs the authentication process for comparing the ID number of the mobile terminal 10 contained in the authentication request data with the ID number previously stored in the registration means 48, and/or transmits the authentication data to the authentication server 50 through the first packet, receives the first packet containing an authentication result data from the authentication server 50, and decides authentication of the mobile terminal 10 to the home network system 60. The authentication result data includes an authentication ACK data or authentication NAK data. When receiving the authentication ACK data from the authentication server 50, the decision means 44 decides that the mobile terminal 10 has a right to use the home network system 60, and transmits the first packet containing the control information and/or non-control information from the mobile terminal 10 to the home network system 60. In the opposite case, the decision means 44 transmits the first packet. When the access status confirmation means 46 receives the first packet containing the access request data from the home master terminal 70 of the home network system 60 through the network connection means 42, the access status confirmation means 46 confirms an access status between the home master terminal 70 and the mobile service server 40 for communication, and transmits the first packet containing the access ACK data or access NAK data to the home master terminal 70. In addition, the access status confirmation means 46 receives the first packet containing the dummy signal from the home master terminal 70 at an interval of a predetermined time, and confirms the access status between the home master terminal 70 and the mobile service server 40. Fig. 4 is a structure view illustrating the home master terminal of Fig. 1. Referring to Fig.4, the home master terminal 70 includes a home appliance control module 72 for processing the second packet for controlling and monitoring the home appliances through the bus network 90, a memory 74, a user interface means 76 for processing input/output by the user, a data processing module 78 for receiving a data from an external input means 66 and processing the data, and a mobile agent module 80 for accessing the internet network 30, receiving and transmitting the first packet, and converting the first packet into the second packet. In detail, the home appliance control module 72 is connected to the mobile agent module 80 for transmitting or receiving the second packet. The second packet includes a control command or control response. The home appliance control module 72 transmits the control command to the corresponding home appliance through the bus network 90, receives the control response from the home appliance, and transmits the control response to the mobile agent module 80. The memory 74 is connected to the user interface means 76 for receiving the authentication data and the ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 and storing the authentication data and the ID number, and also connected to the mobile agent module 80 and the data processing module 78 for storing the non-control information. The user interface means 76 is an input means such as a keyboard, touch pad or mouse. The data processing module 78 is connected to the external input means 66, for receiving the data, and storing the data in the memory 74 or transmitting the data to the mobile agent module 80, and for receiving the first packet containing the non-control information from the mobile agent module 80, and processing the first packet or storing the non-control information in the memory 74. The mobile agent module 80 generates the first packet containing the access request data to access the mobile service server 40, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server 40. When the mobile agent module 80 receives the first packet containing the access ACK data from the mobile service server 40, the mobile agent module 80 is connected to communicate with the mobile service server 40, for adding the ID number stored in the memory 74 to the first packet, and transmitting the first packet to register the ID number. When the mobile agent module 80 receives the first packet containing the access NAK data from the mobile service server 40, the mobile agent module 80 retransmits the first packet containing the access request data to access the mobile service server 40. The access step is executed when power is supplied to the home master terminal 70 or when a command is inputted by the user. In addition, the mobile agent module 80 accesses the authentication server

50 through the internet network 30, and transmits the first packet containing the authentication data stored in the memory 74 to register the authentication data. The mobile agent module 80 accesses the mobile service server 40, and transmits and receives the first packet through the internet network 30. When the information of the first packet is control information, the mobile agent module 80 converts the first packet into the second packet and transmits the second packet to the home appliance control module 72. When the information of the first packet is non-control information, the mobile agent module 80 stores the first packet in the memory 74 or transmits the first packet to the data processing module 78. In addition, the mobile agent module 80 receives the second packet containing the control information from the home appliance control module 72, converts the second packet into the first packet, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server 40. When the mobile agent module 80 receives the data from the data processing module 78, the mobile agent module 80 converts the data into a mobile format, and transmits the mobile format data to the mobile service server 40 or stores the data in the memory 74. The mobile agent module 80 accesses the mobile service server 40, and transmits the first packet containing the dummy signal for confirming the current access status to the mobile service server 40 through the internet network 30 at an interval of a predetermined time, to continuously maintain the access to the mobile service server 40. When the mobile agent module 80 is disconnected from the mobile service server 40, the mobile agent module 80 retransmits the first packet containing the access request data to the mobile service server 40, and repeats the access procedure. The home appliance control module 72 can receive a second packet containing a home appliance related equipment error data from the home appliances as a control response or general notification data, and transmit the second packet to the mobile agent module 80. Fig. 5 is a structure view illustrating the mobile agent module of Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 5, the mobile agent module 80 includes a communication socket 81 connected to the mobile service server 40 through the internet network 30, for transmitting and receiving the first packet, a gate module 82 connected to the home appliance control module 72 and an agent manager 84, for receiving the second and first packets and converting the second and first packets into the first and second packets, respectively, the agent manager 84 for receiving the first packet from the communication socket 81 , transmitting control information to the gate module 82 and non-control information to the memory 74, a second memory 86 or the data processing module 78 according to the information contained in the first packet, and reading the ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 stored in the memory 74 and transmitting the ID number to the mobile service server 40 through the communication socket 81 , or reading the authentication data and transmitting the data to the authentication server 50, the second memory 86 for storing the first packet, and a conversion means 88 for converting the data into a mobile format. In detail, the communication socket 81 is connected to the internet network 30 for access to the mobile service server 40 and the authentication server 50, and also connectable to the other servers (not shown). The gate module 82 includes a gate bridge 82a for receiving the first packet from the agent manager 84, and converting the first packet into the second packet and vice versa, and a control gate 82b for receiving the second packet from the gate bridge 82a and transmitting the second packet to the home appliance control module 72, or receiving the second packet from the home appliance control module 72 and transmitting the second packet to the gate bridge 82a. In addition, the agent manager 84 performs the access process to the mobile service server 40. That is, the agent manager 84 transmits the first packet containing the access request data through the communication socket 81. When the agent manager 84 receives the first packet containing the access ACK data from the mobile service server 40, the agent manager 84 can communicate with the mobile service server 40. Accordingly, the agent manager 84 transmits the first packet containing the ID number of the accessible mobile terminal 10 stored in the memory 74 to the mobile service server 40. When the agent manager 84 receives the first packet containing the access NAK data from the mobile service server 40, the agent manager 84 retransmits the first packet containing the access request data to the mobile service server 40. The agent manager 84 accesses the mobile sen/ice server 40, allows the gate module 82 to convert the received packets, and transmits the first packet through the communication socket 81 and the second packet to the home appliance control module 72. As described above, the agent manager 84 decides whether the first packet contains control information or non-control information. For this, the agent manager 84 can temporarily store the first packet in the second memory 86. According to the decision result, the control information is transmitted to the gate module 82, and the non-control information is stored in the data processing module 78, the memory 74 or the second memory 86. Here, the memory 74 and the second memory 86 can be comprised of the same memory. The agent manager 84 receives the home appliance related equipment error data from the home appliance control module 72, and stores the error equipment data in the second memory 86. Upon the request of the mobile terminal 10, the agent manager 84 adds the equipment error data to the first packet and transmits the first packet. In addition, the agent manager 84 transmits the first packet containing the dummy signal to the mobile service server 40 through the communication socket 81 at an interval of a predetermined time in order to confirm a current access status to the mobile service server 40. When the agent manager 84 is disconnected from the mobile service server 40, the agent manager 84 transmits the first packet containing the access request data to the mobile service server 40, to perform the access process. The agent manager 84 also reads the authentication data inputted by the user from the memory 74, composes the first packet containing the authentication data through the internet network 30, and transmits the first packet to the authentication server 50. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is understood that the present invention should not be limited to these preferred embodiments but various changes and modifications can be made by one skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile agent module for a mobile home network system which is formed in a home master terminal, and which comprises: a communication socket connected through a first network based on a predetermined protocol to a mobile service server connected to a plurality of user mobile terminals through a wireless communication network, for transmitting and receiving a first packet; a gate module being connected to a home appliance control module positioned in the home master terminal connected to a plurality of home appliances through a second network separated from the first network for transmitting and receiving a second packet different from the first packet, and mutually converting the first and second packets; and an agent manager for allowing the gate module to mutually convert the first and second packets, and transmitting the converted first and second packets to the mobile service server and the home appliance control module through the communication socket and the gate module, respectively.

2. The module of claim 1 , wherein the gate module comprises a control gate connected to the home appliance control module, and a gate bridge for mutually converting the first and second packets between the control gate and the agent manager.

3. The module of claim 1 , wherein the first packet and the second packet comprise at least home appliance related control information.

4. The module of claim 3, wherein the agent manager decides whether the first packet transmitted from the communication socket contains control information corresponding to the home appliances connected to the home appliance control module, and allows the gate bridge to convert the first packet into the second packet.

5. The module of claim 3, wherein the control information contained in the first packet and the second packet comprises one of a control command for the home appliance, and a control response of the home appliance according to the control command.

6. The module of claim 5, wherein the control command is transmitted from the mobile service server to the home appliance through the control gate by the agent manager, and the control response is transmitted from the home appliance to the mobile service server through the communication socket by the agent manager.

7. The module of claim 3, further comprising a memory connected to the agent manager.

8. The module of claim 7, wherein the agent manager temporarily stores the first packet in the memory.

9. The module of claim 7, wherein the first packet comprises non-control information as well as the home appliance related control information, and the memory stores the first packet containing the non-control information.

10. The module of claim 8, wherein the agent manager is connected to a data processing module connected to an external input means installed in the home master terminal for receiving an external input data, and the memory is connected to the data processing module for receiving and storing the external input data.

11. The module of claim 10, further comprising a conversion means for converting the external input data into a mobile format, wherein the agent manager reads the external input data from the memory, allows the conversion means to perform the conversion process, adds the converted external input data to the first packet, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server.

12. The module of claim 7, wherein the second packet further comprises a home appliance related equipment error data, the control gate receives the second packet containing the equipment error data from the home appliances, the gate bridge converts the second packet into the first packet and transmits the first packet to the agent manager, and the agent manager stores the first packet containing the equipment error data in the memory.

13. The module of one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the agent manager transmits a first packet containing an access request data to the mobile service server through the communication socket, and receives a first packet containing an access ACK data from the mobile service server and communicates with the mobile service server, or receives a first packet containing an access NAK data and retransmits the first packet containing the access request data to the mobile service server.

14. The module of claim 13, wherein the agent manager transmits a dummy signal for confirming a current access status to the mobile service server through the communication socket at an interval of a predetermined time.

15. The module of one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the agent manager generates a first packet containing an authentication data previously stored in the memory, and transmits the first packet to an authentication server through the first network by the communication socket so as to register the authentication data.

16. A mobile agent module for a mobile home network system which is formed in a home master terminal, and which comprises: a communication socket connected through a first network based on a predetermined protocol to a mobile service server connected to a plurality of user mobile terminals through a wireless communication network, for transmitting and receiving a first packet; a memory for storing the first packet; a gate module being connected to a home appliance control module positioned in the home master terminal connected to a plurality of home appliances through a second network separated from the first network for transmitting and receiving a second packet different from the first packet, and mutually converting the first and second packets; and an agent manager being connected to the communication socket for receiving the first packet and storing the first packet in the memory, allowing the gate module to convert the second packet into the first packet, reading the first packet from the memory, deciding whether the first packet contains control information corresponding to the home appliances connected to the home appliance control module, and allowing the gate module to convert the first packet into the second packet.

17. The module of claim 16, wherein the gate module comprises a control gate connected to the home appliance control module, and a gate bridge for mutually converting the first and second packets between the control gate and the agent manager.

18. The module of claim 16, wherein the first packet and the second packet comprise at least home appliance related control information.

19. The module of claim 18, wherein the control information contained in the first packet and the second packet comprises at least one of a control command for the home appliance, and a control response of the home appliance according to the control command.

20. The module of claim 19, wherein the control command is transmitted from the mobile service server to the home appliance through the gate module by the agent manager, and the control response is transmitted from the home appliance to the mobile sen/ice server through the communication socket by the agent manager.

21. The module of claim 18, wherein the first packet comprises non-control information as well as the home appliance related control information, and the memory stores the first packet containing the non-control information.

22. The module of claim 21 , wherein the agent manager is connected to a data processing module connected to an external input means installed in the home master terminal for receiving an external input data, and the memory is connected to the data processing module for receiving and storing the external input data.

23. The module of claim 22, further comprising a conversion means for converting the external input data into a mobile format, wherein the agent manager reads the external input data from the memory, allows the conversion means to perform the conversion process, adds the converted external input data to the first packet, and transmits the first packet to the mobile service server.

24. The module of claim 18, wherein the second packet further comprises a home appliance related equipment error data, the control gate receives the second packet containing the equipment error data from the home appliances, the gate bridge converts the second packet into the first packet and transmits the first packet to the agent manager, and the agent manager stores the first packet containing the equipment error data in the memory.

25. The module of one of claims 16 to 24, wherein the agent manager transmits a first packet containing an access request data to the mobile service server through the communication socket, and receives a first packet containing an access ACK data from the mobile service server.

26. The module of claim 25, wherein the agent manager transmits a dummy signal for confirming a current access status to the mobile service server through the communication socket at an interval of a predetermined time.