Remote control system for home appliance network and method for operating the same

• US 20040006647A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Sang Kyun, Kim, Chang Ho, Oh, Ki Tae, Ji, Il Hoon, Lee, Yeon Kyoung, Wang, Dae Sung
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/249
• 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 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• 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

Disclosed are a remote control system for a home appliance network and a method for operating the same. The system includes a wired and wireless Internet network; at least one home server for controlling and managing a home network connected to a plurality of home appliances; and a central portal server for updating an IP (Internet Protocol) address to a varied IP address to manage the home server whenever an IP address allocated to the home server for using the Internet network varies, and for exchanging data with the home server. The system and method enable the central portal server to manage a plurality of home servers and remotely control a plurality of home appliances connected to the home network by allowing the home server to transmit a key message containing a varied IP address so that an existing IP address stored in a database of the central portal server can be updated to a new IP address when a home server using a dynamic IP is connected to the central portal server.

Claims

1. A remote control system for a home appliance network, comprising:

a home communications network connecting a plurality of home appliances;

at least one home server that controls and manages the home communications network; and

a central portal server for updating a varied IP (Internet Protocol) address, to manage the home server when an IP address allocated to the home server for using the Internet network varies, and for exchanging data with the home server.

2. The remote control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the central portal server includes:

an IP server module that receives a key message containing IP address information from the home server when the IP address of the home server varies;

a database that stores the key message received from the IP server module; and

a database manager for managing and controlling the database.

3. The remote control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the home server is connected to the central portal server using a secured socket that requires an authentication procedure using an ID and a password allocated to a manager of the home server.

4. The remote control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the home server further includes:

an IP client module that manages the IP address, creates the key message according to the varied IP address, and forwards the key message to the IP server module of the central portal server.

5. The remote control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the key message is a message in which a varied IP address, a user ID, a user password and a user'"'"'s control information are packetized, and the key message is transmitted between the IP client module and the IP server module.

6. The remote control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the home server periodically transmits an update message for a predetermined period of time after a connection with the central portal connection and maintains the connection with the central portal server.

7. The remote control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the central portal server terminates the connection with the home server if the update message is not received from the home server within the predetermined period of time.

8. The remote control system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the update message is a message in which a varied IP address, a user ID and a user password are packetized.

9. A method for operating a remote control system for a home appliance network, comprising the:

connecting a home server to a central portal server using a secured socket;

processing, at the central portal server, a key message containing IP (Internet Protocol) address information and control information received from the home server; and

periodically transmitting an alive message from the home server.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the key message is a message in which a varied IP address, a user ID, a user password and a user'"'"'s control information are packetized.

11. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the update message is a message in which a varied IP address, a user ID and a user password are packetized.

12. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the connecting includes:

determining whether the home server is in a normal standby state in which the home server can control the home appliances;

transmitting the key message containing a user ID and a user password so that the home server connected to the Internet attempts to access a central portal server; and

permitting the connection between the central portal server and the home server.

13. The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein the processing a key message includes:

controlling a corresponding control operation according to the key message;

updating corresponding data in a database according to a result of the controlling; and

transmitting an acknowledgement signal so that a normal reception state is transmitted to the home server.

14. A method for operating a remote control system for a home appliance network, comprising connecting a homer server to a central portal server using a secured socket;

processing, at the central portal server, a key message containing IP (Internet Protocol) address information and control information received from the home server;

periodically transmitting an update message from the home server; and

terminating a connection with the home server if the update message is not received for a predetermined period of time.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the key message is a message in which a varied IP address, a user ID, a user password and a user'"'"'s control information are packetized.

16. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the update message is a message in which a varied IP address, a user ID and a user password are packetized.

17. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the allowing the home server to be connected includes:

determining whether the home server is in a normal standby state in which the home server can control the home appliances;

transmitting the key message containing a user ID and a user password so that the home server attempts to access a central portal server; and

allowing the central portal server to permit the connection to the home server.

18. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the processing a key message includes:

performing a corresponding control operation according to the key message;

updating corresponding data in a database according to a result of the performing; and

transmitting an acknowledgement signal so that a normal reception state is notified to the home server.

19. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the terminating a connection includes:

determining whether the update message is not received within the predetermined period of time;

terminating the connection with the home server if the update message is not received within the predetermined period of time; and

storing, in the database, information indicating that the connection with the home server is terminated.

20. A remote control system for a home appliance network, comprising:

a central portal server that manages a home server that controls a home network connecting a plurality of home appliances, the central portal server exchanging data with the home server and updating an IP (Internet Protocol) address of the home server when the IP address allocated to the home server varies.