Automated system and method for integrating and controlling home and office subsystems

• US 20040215694A1
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Leon Podolsky
• Original Assignee: Leon Podolsky
• Inventors: Podolsky, Leon
• Application Number:
  US10/400,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215694A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• 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 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• 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 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• 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 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 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to home and/or office automation. More particularly, the present invention implements an open system that uses a gateway server and set top boxes to control security, lighting, home heating, air conditioning and ventilation, and audio and video distribution. By using a system such as the one described herein, a home and/or office autormation system can be easily programmed and operated without specially trained installers. Further, by using popular standards, such as Internet protocols, and a programming language, such as JAVA™, specially developed application and use cases become portable and operable regardless of the manufacturer of the subsystems in the home or office automation system and regardless of components that exist in the home or office automation system.

Claims

1. A system for automating and integrating home and/or office subsystems comprising:

at least one server;

at least one input device for accessing application and/or use case commands written in a mainstream programming language stored on the system;

at least one device interfaced to said subsystems and in communication with said server via a network;

a device location application database for storing information relating to components of the subsystems that are installed in the office or home automation system; and

a generic device command framework stored on said system for converting said application and/or use case commands into a format compatible with said home and/or office subsystems, wherein said application and/or use case commands and said generic device command framework provide for integrated and automated control of said home and/or office sub-systems when connected to said system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one server and said at least one interfaced device are web-based.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said application and/or use case commands allow a remote operator to access the system by use of a password sent to the remote operator by the system upon detection of a security alert.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said application and/or use case commands allow a user to save a lighting scene that has been set on components of a lighting subsystem.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said application and/or case use commands include instructions for controlling a lighting subsystem, HVAC subsystem, security subsystem, video subsystem and/or audio subsystem.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one device operates as a client and/or server for audio and video content and for control of said subsystem.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein audio and/or video content originating from a first conventional, non-computing component of said subsystem can be played back on a second non-computing component of said subsystem using said network and standard networking and web-based protocols.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said first non-conventional component is a DVD player, cable TV or satellite receiver and/or VCR and said second non-conventional component is an audio receiver and/or television.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a two-way touch screen control system user interface using the content enabling technology.

10. A method for automating and integrating home and/or office subsystems comprising the steps of:

storing information relating to components of said subsystems;

interfacing, via a network, at least one device for controlling said at least one home and/or office subsystem to at least one server;

generating, in a mainstream programming language, application and/or use case commands for controlling said home and/or office subsystems based on said information relating to components of said subsystem; and

converting said application and/or use case commands into a format compatible with said home and/or office subsystems, wherein said converted application and/or use case commands provide for integrated and automated control of said home and/or office sub-systems when connected to said home and/or office subsystems.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said application and/or use case commands are written using web based standard protocol.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said web based standard protocol is HTTP and/or XML.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of receiving user commands for controlling said home and/or office subsystems and sending said commands to said server.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of assigning a URL for said components of said home and/or office subsystems.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said application and/or case use commands include instructions for controlling a lighting subsystem, HVAC subsystem, security subsystem, video subsystem and/or audio subsystem.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of providing access to said subsystems to a remote operator for monitoring said subsystems.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of interfacing said components of said subsystems to act as a client and/or server so that said components can send and receive information to each other.

18. An apparatus for automating and integrating home and/or office subsystems comprising:

means for storing information relating to components of said subsystems;

means for interfacing, via a network, at least one device for controlling said at least one home and/or office subsystem to at least one server;

means for generating, in a mainstream programming language, application and/or use case commands for controlling said home and/or office subsystems based on said information relating to components of said subsystem; and

means for converting said application and/or use case commands into a format compatible with said home and/or office subsystems, wherein said converted application and/or use case commands provide for integrated and automated control of said home and/or office sub-systems when connected to said home and/or office subsystems.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said application and/or use case commands are written in web based standard protocol.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said web based standard protocol is HTTP and/or XML.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for receiving user commands for controlling said home and/or office subsystems and means for sending said commands to said server.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for assigning a URL to said components of said home and/or office subsystems.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said application and/or case use commands include instructions for controlling a lighting subsystem, HVAC subsystem, security subsystem, video subsystem and/or audio subsystem.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for providing access to said subsystems to a remote operator for monitoring said subsystems.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for interfacing said components of said subsystems to act as a client and/or server so that said components can send and receive information to each other.