Personal server system

• US 20020156860A1
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anywheremobile Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Anywheremobile Incorporated
• Inventors: Finke, Alan D., Buchbinder, John E.
• Application Number:
  US10/163,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20020156860A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention is for an improved system which integrates the electric objects in a home, office or other space into a control and monitoring network. The possible networked objects include: VCRs, TVs, home entertainment systems, kitchen appliances, light fixtures, pools, alarms systems, environmental controls and weather stations. The inventive system includes a server that controls and monitors functions of networked objects and a remote control which allows a user to enter commands and receive information from the server. The remote device is operable from within the networked space (e.g., in and around the home), and from outside of it (via a modem connection, the Internet, or some other type of external access).

Claims

1. A system for remote control of an object and remote access to information comprising:

a remote device having;

a microprocessor, a memory, an input device for inputting commands, an integrated visual display for displaying a graphical user interface, a transmitter for transmitting the commands, and a receiver;

a personal server having;

a memory and a microprocessor for running a personal server software, wherein the personal server software includes;

an input module for receiving the commands from the remote device, a control action module for controlling the object and an information action module for obtaining information, wherein if the command is for controlling the object then the control action module transmits a control signal to the object and if the command is for access to information then the information action module transmits an information request to an object; and

an integrated network which provides communications between the personal server and the object.

2. The system described in claim 1 wherein the personal server software has a monitor action module and if the command is for monitoring the object, the monitor action module transmits a status request to the object.

3. The system described in claim 2 wherein the object transmits a status signal to the monitor action module.

4. The system described in claim 3 wherein the status of the object is displayed on the visual display of the remote device.

5. The system described in claim 1, wherein the visual display of the remote device displays a menu of commands through the graphic user interface.

6. The system described in claim 1 wherein the personal server software further comprises a scheduler which logs the commands from the remote device onto the personal server memory.

7. The system described in claim 1 wherein the personal server software comprises a router for directing the commands from the input module to either the control action module or the information action module.

8. The system described in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the integrated network is a wireless network.

9. The system described in claim 8 wherein the wireless network is a LAN, WAN or VPN.

10. The system described in claim 8 wherein the wireless network is a PAN.

11. The system described in claim 1 wherein the remote device is a PDA.

12. The system described in claim 1 wherein the remote device is a cellular telephone which communicates with the personal server via a cellular modem connection.

13. The system described in claim 26 wherein the remote device communicates with the personal server via a LAN, a WAN, a VPN or the Internet.

14. The system described in claim 26 wherein the remote device communicates with the personal server via a PAN.

15. The system described in claim 1 wherein the remote device is a PC running an Internet browser.

17. The method described in claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

storing the requested information in the random access memory of the remote device; and

displaying at least a portion of the requested information on the visual display of the remote device.

18. The method described in claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

editing the requested information with the remote device to create modified information;

transmitting the modified information to the object; and

storing the modified information on the object.

19. The method described in claim 16 further comprising steps of:

transmitting a command complete signal to the remote device; and

displaying a command complete message on the visual display of the remote device.

20. The method described in claim 16 further comprising steps of:

performing a task associated with the control signal on the object;

transmitting a command complete signal to the remote device; and

displaying a command complete message on the visual display of the remote device.

21. The method described in claim 16 further comprising steps of:

transmitting a status request to the object through the integrated network;

determining the status of the object;

transmitting a status signal to the remote device; and

displaying a status message on the visual display of the remote device.

22. The method described in claim 16 further comprising steps of:

inputting security information through the input device of the remote device;

transmitting the security information to the personal server; and

verifying the security information before the inputting of the command step.

23. The method described in claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request for additional information to the remote device if the command does not include all information required to form the control signal; and

displaying a message indicating that additional information is required on the visual display of the remote device.

16. A method for remotely controlling an object and remotely accessing information comprising the steps of:

displaying a graphical user interface on a remote device having random access memory, a visual display, a microprocessor, an input device and a wireless transceiver;

inputting a command through the input device of the remote device;

transmitting the command from the wireless transceiver of the remote device to a personal server;

if the command is for controlling the object then transmitting a control signal to the object through an integrated network;

if the command is for accessing information then transmitting an information request to the object, obtaining the requested information from the object and transmitting the requested information to the remote device.