Air conditioner control system using a telephone network and method for operating the same

• US 20040107024A1
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeon, Duck Gu, Jung, Jae Sik, Yoon, Sang Chul, Kwon, Jae Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 6,925,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• 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 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C

Abstract

An air conditioner control system and method that uses a telephone network is provided. A remote electronic device is connected to a plurality of air conditioners through the telephone network to input a control command to each of the air conditioners. A control program is run in the remote electronic device to register profile information for the air conditioners. The air conditioners are configured to transmit and receive signals over there telephone network. The remote electronic device is configured to input control commands to some or all of the air conditioners on the basis of the registered profile information. A control command input by a remote user is automatically transmitted to a corresponding one of the air conditioners with reference to the registered profile information of the corresponding air conditioner.

Claims

1. An air conditioner control system that uses a telephone network to control a plurality of air conditioners which are configured to transmit and receive signals over the telephone network, said control system comprising:

a remote electronic device having a control program configured to receive profile information for each of the plurality of air conditioners, register the received profile information and transmit control commands to designated ones of the air conditioners over the telephone network on the basis of the registered profile information.

2. The air conditioner control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the profile information includes a unique identifier for each of the air conditioners.

3. The air conditioner control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control program includes:

a port setup module that sets up a port for connection to the telephone network to communicate with the air conditionerers over the telephone network; and

a registration module that registers the profile information for the air conditioners, whereby the profile information for each of the air conditioners includes a telephone number associated with the a air conditioner and a unique ID assigned to the air conditioner.

4. The air conditioner control system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the profile information for each of the air conditioners further includes information regarding the location of the air conditioner and other information.

5. The air conditioner control system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said control program further includes a data a packet creator that generates a control command data packet based on a control command input by a user.

6. The air conditioner control system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said remote electronic device includes a data packet transmitter that automatically transmits the control command data packet generated by said data packet creator over the telephone network to a telephone number associated with one of the air conditioners designated by the input control command.

7. The air conditioner control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control program includes a data packet creator that generates a control command data packet based on a control command input by a user.

8. A method of operating g an air conditioner control system that uses a telephone network, comprising:

running an air conditioner control program in a remote electronic device to register profile information for a plurality of air conditioners;

selecting one of the air conditioners to be controlled and inputting a control command for the selected air conditioner into the electronic device; and

generating a control command data packet based on the input control command and the registered profile information for the selected air conditioner and automatically transmitting the generated data packet over the telephone network to a telephone number associated with the selected air conditioner.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein a registration request message is displayed by the control program if profile information for the selected air conditioner has not yet been registered.,

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising determining whether a port for transmission over the telephone network is in an open condition prior to transmitting the generated data packet.