Method and apparatus for remote control via the internet

• US 20020174210A1
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Halcomb, Herbert Wayne, Kasprzyk, Marlon Zbigniew, Pancerz, Zbigniew, Kyser, John Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,039,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/30 for subscriber's lines , for the local loop

Abstract

An apparatus for and method of remotely controlling electronic devices, such as telecommunication equipment attached to telephone lines, test equipment, and/or home electronics includes a master board (105) having its own IP address and arranged and constructed to receive (401) instructions via the internet (103) from a remote terminal (101). The instructions are interpreted and converted into one or more commands that are directed (405) to a slave board (113 or 117) that performs, in response to the command(s), one or more operations on a telephone line and its associated hardware and/or software (115), a piece of test equipment (125), lights (123), or other type of electronic device. Any results of the operations may be returned to the terminal (101).

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one slave board, operably coupled to at least one telephone line, wherein the at least one slave board is arranged and constructed to received commands and perform at least one operation on the at least one telephone line;

a master board, operably coupled to the at least one slave board and via an internet connection to a terminal, wherein the master board is arranged and constructed to receive instructions from the terminal and issue the commands to the at least one slave board in order to prompt the at least one slave board to perform the at least one operation on the at least one telephone line.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one operation comprises any of the following operations:

detecting at least one condition of the at least one telephone line, detecting an on-hook condition on the at least one telephone line, detecting an off-hook condition on the at least one telephone line, detecting a ringing on the at least one telephone line, detecting dial tone on the at least one telephone line, placing a call on the at least one telephone line, answering a call directed to the at least one telephone line, placing the at least one telephone line on-hook, and taking the at least one telephone line off-hook.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master board has a unique internet protocol address.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one slave board, operably coupled to at least one electronic device, wherein the at least one slave board is arranged and constructed to received commands from the master board and perform at least one operation on the at least one electronic device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one operation comprises any of the following operations:

detecting at least one condition of the at least one electronic device, powering on the at least one electronic device, powering off the at least one electronic device, programming the at least one electronic device, and, when the at least one electronic device is a telephonic device, placing a call on the telephonic device.

6. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction from a terminal via an internet connection;

in response to the instruction, issuing a command to at least one slave board to perform at least one operation on at least one telephone line.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one operation comprises any of the following operations:

detecting at least one condition of the telephone line, detecting an on-hook condition on the telephone line, detecting an off-hook condition on the telephone line, detecting a ringing on the telephone line, detecting dial tone on the telephone line, placing a call on the telephone line, answering a call directed to the telephone line, placing the telephone line on-hook, and taking the telephone line off-hook.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of receiving at least one result of the at least one operation on the at least one electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of forwarding the at least one result to the terminal.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of, in response to the instruction, issuing a command to at least one slave board to perform at least one operation on at least electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one operation comprises any of the following operations:

detecting at least one condition of the at least one electronic device, powering on the at least one electronic device, powering off the at least one electronic device, programming the at least one electronic device, and, when the at least one electronic device is a telephone line, placing a call on the telephonic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the command instructs the slave board to take the telephone line off-hook.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the command instructs the slave board to test the telephone line for dial tone.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the command instructs the slave board to dial the directory number when dial tone is present on the telephone line.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the command instructs the slave board to test for ringing on the telephone line.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the command instructs the slave board to test for an off-hook condition on the telephone line.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the command instructs the slave board to hang up the telephone line.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the command instructs the slave board to report results from placement of the phone call.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a terminal via an internet connection, an instruction to place a phone call to a directory number;

issuing, to a slave board, a command to place a phone call to the directory number from a telephone line operably coupled to the slave board.