Method and telecommunications network for controlling an external device

• US 20020045442A1
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Silen, Lars, Saksa, Jussi
• Application Number:
  US09/978,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20020045442A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

In order to control an external device 3, which may be associated with or remote from a terminal such as a mobile telephone 2, the terminal 2 sends a control request, for example in the form of an SMS message, to a telecommunications network 1. The network 1 converts the request into a control code which is in a form ready for controlling the external device 3. The control code is embedded in an SMS message which is then transmitted from the network 1 to the device 3, which has a GSM or other module associated with it in order to allow the embedded control code to be received, extracted, and supplied to the device 3 to perform the requested operation or function.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an external device, comprising the steps of:

sending a control request from a terminal to a telecommunications network;

converting the request into a control code; and

sending the control code from the telecommunications network to the external device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is a mobile wireless terminal.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the control request is sent from the terminal to the telecommunications network using a text messaging service.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control code is sent from the telecommunications network to the external device using a text messaging service.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the external device is associated with or forms part of the terminal.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the terminal is coupled to the external device via a local wireless link.

7. A method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the control code is delivered to the external device via said terminal.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the external device is remote from the terminal.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the external device comprises a telecommunications receiver.

10. A method according to claim 3, wherein the external device comprises a telecommunications receiver and the telecommunications receiver receives a text message containing said control code.

11. A method according to claim 1, in which the step of sending a control request to the telecommunications network comprises calling a service telephone number.

12. A method according to claim 1, in which the telecommunications network interacts with the terminal to select one of a plurality of predetermined control codes for sending to the external device.

13. A method according to 12, in which the interaction is at least partly via a speech channel.

14. A method according to claim 1, in which, in response to receipt of the control code, the external device sends a response comprising at least part of a text message to the telecommunications network.

15. A method according to claim 14, in which the telecommunications network sends at least part of the response as at least part of a further text message to the terminal.

16. A telecommunications network for performing a method as claimed in claim 1.

18. A network according to claim 17, in which the control request includes an identifier identifying the terminal.

19. A network according to claim 18, in which the sending means is arranged to send the control code to a destination determined by the identifier.

20. A network according to claim 17, in which the control code is predetermined and the sending means is arranged to send the control code in response to receipt of the service number.

21. A network according to claim 17, comprising means for interacting with the terminal to select one of a plurality of predetermined control codes for sending to the external device.

22. A network according to claim 21, in which the interacting means is arranged to interact with the terminal at least partly via a speech channel.

23. A network according to claim 16 or 17, comprising a computer.

24. A program for controlling a computer of a network as claimed in claim 23 to perform a method as claimed in claim 1.

25. A medium containing a program as claimed in claim 24.

17. A telecommunications network comprising means for converting a control request from a terminal to a control code and means for sending the control code to an external device for controlling the external device.