Method and system for control and maintenance of residential service networks

• US 20040260406A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Timgren, Roland Henry, Thorsen, Hans Verner, Ljunggren, Per Henrik
• Granted Patent: US 7,109,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/9
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/003 Signalling to neighbouring houses

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system for controlling at least one residential property in a plurality of connected residential networks. The system comprises a remote control unit arranged to control residential properties, which remote control unit via the Internet is in connection with an access network, which is provided and supported by a telecommunications operator. Each connected residential network is divided into an open branch containing content terminals, such as a personal com-puter and an interactive information terminal. Furthermore the system includes a service gateway is arranged in a secure branch of the residential network, the secure branch is provided with sub-controller means, each of which is in bi-directional connection with at least one sensor, the sub-controller means being adapted to activate various residential properties, measurement values from the sensors are transmitted via the sub-controller means to the service gateway, where they are compiled, and the service gateway is controlled by the remote control unit in a way that measurement values from different sensors are combined.

Claims

1. A system for controlling at least one residential property in a plurality of connected residential networks (40), the system comprising:

a remote control unit (10) arranged to control residential properties, which remote control unit (10) via an interconnecting network (20) is in connection with

an access network (30), which is provided and managed by a telecommunications operator (35),

each connected residential network (40) is divided into an open branch (50) containing content terminals such as a personal computer (52) and an inter-active information terminal (54), and a secure branch (60),

characterised in that

a service gateway (70) is arranged in anyone of the open (50) or secure branches (60) of the residential network (40),

the secure branch (60) is provided with sub-controller means (62, 64, 66, 68), each of which is in bi-directional connection with at least one sensor (63, 65, 67, 69), the sub-controller means (62, 64, 66, 68) being adapted to activate various residential properties,

measurement values from the sensors (63, 65, 67, 69) are transmitted via the sub-controller means (62, 64, 66, 68) to the service gateway (70), where they are compiled, and

the service gateway (70) is controlled by the remote control unit (10) in a way that measurement values from different sensors (63, 65, 67, 69) are combined.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that the remote control unit (10) is hosted by the service gateway (70), inde-pendently of the open branch (50) and the network environment (20, 30).

3. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that

the remote control unit (10) is a mobile terminal, such a mobile tele-phone, personal digital assistant (PDA) or any other mobile communication means.

4. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that

the various residential properties are measured by means of at least one of the following types of sensors (63, 65, 67, 69):

temperature, movement, light, radiation, humidity, contact or touch sensors, vibration, volume, etc.

5. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that

the access network (30) is a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

6. A method for controlling at least one residential property in a plurality of con-nected residential networks (40), the method

characterised by the steps of:

arranging a service gateway (70) in anyone of the open (50) or secure (60) branches of the residential network (40),

providing the secure branch (60) of the residential network (40) with sub-controller means (62, 64, 66, 68), each of which is in bidirectional connec-tion with at least one sensor (63, 65, 67, 69),

adapting the sub-controller means (62, 64, 66, 68) to activate various residential properties,

transmitting measurement values from the sensors (63, 65, 67, 69) via the sub-controller means (62, 64, 66, 68) to the service gateway (70), where they are compiled, and

controlling the service gateway (70) by the remote control unit (10) in a way that measurement values from different sensors (63, 65, 67, 69) are com-bined.

7. A method according to claim 6, characterised in that

determining by the remote control unit (10) which residential functions can still be controlled when connection can not be established with at least one sensor (63, 65, 67, 69).

8. A method according to claim 6, characterised by

controlling the service gateway (70) by means of a mobile terminal, such a mobile telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA) or any other mobile communication means.

9. A method according to claim 6, characterised by

accessing connecting residential networks (40) via the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

10. A computer program product for controlling at least one residential property in a plurality of connected residential networks (40), the computer program product characterised by

means for controlling the execution of the method steps of claim 6.