Communication protocols in integrated systems

• US 10,666,523 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Dawes, Paul, Decenzo, Chris, Myers, Cy, Wood, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Lan Dai T
• Application Number:
  US14/203,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20180191807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,269 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709201, 709202, 709204, 709217, 709218, 709219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A system and methods comprise a touchscreen at a premises. The touchscreen includes a processor coupled to a security system at the premises. User interfaces are presented via the touchscreen. The user interfaces include a security interface that provides control of functions of the security system and access to data collected by the security system, and a network interface that provides access to network devices. A camera at the premises is coupled to the touchscreen via a plurality of interfaces. A security server at a remote location is coupled to the touchscreen via a plurality of channels and a plurality of protocols. The channels include a short message service (SMS) channel, a remote control channel, and an asynchronous event channel. The security server comprises a client interface through which remote client devices exchange data with the touchscreen and the security system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a touchscreen device configured to communicate with a security system located at a premises; and

a security server, located external to the premises, configured to;

communicate with the touchscreen device via a first channel associated with a first channel type and a second channel associated with a second channel type, and

communicate data between one or more client devices, located external to the premises, and at least one of the touchscreen device or the security system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the security server is configured to transmit, to the touchscreen device and via at least one of the first channel or the second channel, at least one of configuration data or initialization data,

the configuration data comprises one or more configuration parameters for the security system, and

the initialization data comprises an initialization instruction for at least one security system component of the security system to perform an initialization function.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first channel comprises a short message service (SMS) channel.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first channel or the second channel uses a reliable protocol.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the reliable protocol is Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

6. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the security server is configured to transmit, to the touchscreen device and via the at least one of the first channel or the second channel, at least one of command data or request data,

the command data comprises an instruction to effectuate a state change of the security system or a security system component of the security system, and

the request data comprises an instruction to transmit, to the security server, state data indicating a state of the security system or a state of the security system component of the security system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first channel uses an unreliable protocol and the second channel uses a reliable protocol, and

the security server is configured to receive, from the touchscreen device via the first channel and based on request data transmitted to the touchscreen device via the second channel, state data indicating a state of the security system or a state of a security system component of the security system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the unreliable protocol is User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

9. A method comprising:

transmitting, by a security server located external to a premises and to a touchscreen device of a security system located at the premises via a first channel associated with a first channel type, first data; and

receiving, by the security server from the touchscreen device via a second channel associated with a second channel type, second data associated with the first data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the first channel of the first plurality of channels comprises the SMS channel, and the first data comprises at least one of a configuration parameter for the security system or an initialization instruction for at least one security system component of the security system to perform an initialization function.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first channel comprises a short message service (SMS) channel.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the first data comprises at least one of command data or request data,

the command data comprises an instruction for the security system to effectuate a state change of the security system or a security system component of the security system, and

the request data comprises an instruction to transmit, to the security server, data indicating a state of the security system or a state of a security system component of the security system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first channel uses a reliable protocol.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the reliable protocol is Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

15. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the second channel uses an unreliable protocol, and

the second data indicates a state of the security system or a state of a security system component of the security system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the unreliable protocol is User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

17. A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to;

transmit, to a touchscreen device of a security system located at a premises via a first channel associated with a first channel type, first data; and

receive, from the touchscreen device via a second channel associated with a second channel type, second data associated with the first data.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein:

the first data comprises at least one of a configuration parameter for the security system or an initialization instruction for at least one security system component of the security system to perform an initialization function.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the first channel comprises a short message service (SMS) channel.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein:

the first data comprises at least one of command data or request data,

the command data comprises an instruction for the security system to effectuate a state change of the security system or a security system component of the security system, and

the request data comprises an instruction to transmit data indicating a state of the security system or a state of the security system component of the security system.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the first channel uses a reliable protocol.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the reliable protocol is Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

23. The device of claim 17, wherein:

the second channel uses an unreliable protocol, and the second data indicates a state of the security system or a state of a security system component of the security system.