Legacy device bridge for residential or non-residential networks

• US 20040133704A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: OpenPeak Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Wayzen, Krzyzanowski, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,987,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/16 in which transmission is by pulses
• 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 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• 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 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A legacy device bridge for use in a network, such as a wired or wireless residential network, is provided. The legacy device bridge performs protocol conversion to enable a network-attached entity that uses a packet-based communication protocol to communicate with and control legacy devices, such as consumer electronics, that rely exclusively on infrared (IR) or serial communication protocols. The legacy device bridge also performs a virtualization function that allows legacy devices to be advertised to the network as devices that comply with a packet-based discovery and control protocol, and to be controlled as such. The legacy device bridge is also adapted to probe, deduce and publish information relating to the state of a legacy device to other entities on the network.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a consumer electronic device via a network that communicates information in accordance with a packet-based communication protocol, wherein the consumer electronic device is not adapted for communication in accordance with the packet-based communication protocol, comprising:

receiving a command from a device communicatively coupled to the network, wherein said command is formatted in accordance with the packet-based communication protocol;

converting said command into a format suitable for communication with the consumer electronic device; and

transmitting said converted command to the consumer electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a command from a device communicatively coupled to the network comprises receiving a command formatted in accordance with the Internet Protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said converting said command into a format suitable for communication with the consumer electronic device comprises converting said command into a format in accordance with an infrared communication protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said converting said command into a format suitable for communication with the consumer electronic device comprises converting said command into a format in accordance with a serial communication protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said command comprises a generic command for controlling devices communicatively coupled to the network, and wherein said converting said command into a format suitable for communication with the consumer electronic device comprises:

translating said generic command to at least one proprietary command for controlling the consumer electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an infrared signal from an infrared beacon to a portable controller device communicatively coupled to the network, said infrared signal for providing said portable controller device with location awareness information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring a network address for communication with the consumer electronic device; and

providing said network address to one or more devices communicatively coupled to the network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a command set to said one or more devices communicatively coupled to the network, wherein said command set comprises a plurality of commands for controlling the consumer electronic device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said providing a command set comprises providing a plurality of commands that comply with the Universal Plug and Play protocol.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

probing the consumer electronic device to determine a state of the consumer electronic device; and

reporting said state of the consumer electronic device to a device communicatively coupled to the network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said probing comprises using a light sensitive probe to determine whether the consumer electronic device is on or off.

12. A legacy device bridge for controlling a consumer electronic device via a network that communicates information in accordance with a packet-based communication protocol, wherein the consumer electronic device is not adapted for communication in accordance with the packet-based communication protocol, the legacy device bridge comprising:

a network interface adapted to receive a command from a device communicatively coupled to the network, wherein said command is formatted in accordance with the packet-based communication protocol;

conversion means for converting said command into a format suitable for communication with the consumer electronic device; and

a legacy device interface for transmitting said converted command to the consumer electronic device.

13. The legacy device bridge of claim 12, wherein said network interface is adapted to receive a command formatted in accordance with the Internet Protocol.

14. The legacy device bridge of claim 12, wherein said network interface comprises a wireless network interface.

15. The legacy device bridge of claim 14, wherein said wireless network interface comprises an interface adapted for communication in accordance with an 802.11 protocol.

16. The legacy device bridge of claim 12, wherein said conversion means comprises means for converting said command into a format in accordance with an infrared communication protocol.

17. The legacy device bridge of claim 16, wherein said legacy device interface comprises a wireless infrared interface.

18. The legacy device bridge of claim 16, wherein said legacy device interface comprises a wired infrared dongle.

19. The legacy device bridge of claim 12, wherein said conversion means comprises means for converting said command into a format in accordance with a serial communication protocol.

20. The legacy device bridge of claim 19, wherein said legacy device interface comprises one of a Universal Serial Bus interface or an RS-232 interface.

21. The legacy device bridge of claim 12, wherein said command comprises a generic command for controlling devices communicatively coupled to the network, and wherein said conversion means comprises means for translating said generic command to at least one proprietary command for controlling the consumer electronic device.

22. The legacy device bridge of claim 12, further comprising:

an infrared beacon, said infrared beacon adapted to transmit an infrared signal to a portable controller device communicatively coupled to the network, said infrared signal for providing said portable controller device with location awareness information.

23. The legacy device bridge of claim 12, further comprising:

virtualization means, said virtualization means comprising means for acquiring a network address for communication with the consumer electronic device and for providing said network address to one or more devices communicatively coupled to the network.

24. The legacy device bridge of claim 23, wherein said virtualization means further comprises means for providing a command set to said one or more devices communicatively coupled to the network, wherein said command set comprises a list of commands for controlling the consumer electronic device.

25. The legacy device bridge of claim 24, wherein said means for providing a command set comprises means for providing a command set that complies with the Universal Plug and Play protocol.

26. The legacy device bridge of claim 12, further comprising:

a probe for determining a state of the consumer electronic device; and

reporting means for reporting said state of the consumer electronic device to a device communicatively coupled to the network.

27. The legacy device bridge of claim of claim 26, wherein said probe comprises a light sensitive probe for determining whether the consumer electronic device is on or off.

28. A network system, comprising:

a network that communicates information in accordance with a packet-based communication protocol;

a consumer electronic device that is not adapted for communication in accordance with said packet-based communication protocol;

a controller device coupled to said network, said controller device adapted to generate a command for controlling said consumer electronic device, wherein said command is formatted in accordance with said packet-based communication protocol; and

a legacy device bridge coupled to said network, said legacy device bridge adapted to receive said command via said network, to convert said command into a format suitable for communication with said consumer electronic device, and to transmit said converted command to said consumer electronic device.

29. The network system of claim 28, wherein said command comprises a generic command for controlling devices communicatively coupled to the network, said network system further comprising:

a server coupled to said network, wherein said server is adapted to receive said generic command from said controller device, translate said generic command to at least one proprietary command for controlling said consumer electronic device, and to transmit said at least one proprietary command to said legacy device bridge.

30. The network system of claim 29, wherein said legacy device bridge is adapted to store a network address associated with said server and to ignore commands received from devices coupled to said network having a network address that is not the same as said network address of said server.

31. The network system of claim 28, wherein said legacy device bridge is further adapted to transmit an infrared signal comprising a unique identifier of said legacy device bridge to said controller device and wherein said controller device is further adapted to access location awareness information associated with said unique identifier.

32. The network system of claim 28, further comprising:

a server coupled to said network;

wherein said legacy device bridge is further adapted to transmit an infrared signal comprising a unique identifier of said legacy device bridge to said controller device, wherein said controller device is further adapted to transmit said unique identifier to said server, and wherein said server is adapted to access location awareness information associated with said unique identifier.

33. The network system of claim 28, further comprising:

a server coupled to said network, wherein said server is adapted to acquire a network address for communication with said consumer electronic device and to provide said network address to one or more devices communicatively coupled to the network.

34. The network system of claim 28, further comprising:

a server coupled to said network, wherein said server is adapted to provide a command set to said controller device, said command set comprising a list of commands for controlling the consumer electronic device.

35. The network system of claim 34, wherein said server is adapted to provide a command set to said controller device that complies with the Universal Plug and Play protocol.