Home management and personal assistance using a mobile communication device

• US 20050035854A1
• Filed: 07/12/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Tian, Jun, Gupta, Anurag, Helal, Abdelsalam G.
• Application Number:
  US10/889,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20050035854A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/08 Elderly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0062 Arrangements for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 : Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 : Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 : Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19684 : Portable terminal, e.g. mobile phone, used for viewing video remotely
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 : Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/025 : System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses absence of reply signal after an elapsed time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0263 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the direction in which child or item is located
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 : Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 : Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0283 : via a telephone network, e.g. cellular GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/04 : responsive to non-activity, e.g. of elderly persons G08B21/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 : Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 : Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 : Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 : with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 : Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 : Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 : Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 : Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/51 : Remote controlling of devices based on replies, status thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 : Password, biometric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 : Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 : Home automation networks
• 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: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 : for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 : according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 : according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 : according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 : specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

A method of home management and personal assistance using a mobile communication device can include detecting a home protection event. The method can also include wirelessly conveying the event to the mobile communication device through a data connection via a proxy. The method can further include presenting an indication of the home protection event upon the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A method of home management and personal assistance using a mobile communication device, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a home protection event;

wirelessly conveying said event to the mobile communication device through a data connection via a proxy; and

presenting an indication of said home protection event upon said mobile communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the home protection event is a home security related event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input via said mobile communication device relating to said home protection event; and

performing at least one programmatic action responsive to said user input.

4. The method of claim 3, said performing step further comprising the step of:

communicating said home protection event to a remotely located agent.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

arming said home monitoring system using said mobile communication device; and

interrogating home monitoring devices for an occurrence of a home protection event, wherein said detecting step results from said interrogating step.

6. A method for obtaining a recommendation for weather management using a mobile communication device comprising the steps of:

receiving within the mobile communication device a user request for weather data;

responsive to the user request, the mobile communication device querying a weather proxy server over a wireless communication link;

receiving weather data over the wireless communication link;

comparing the received weather data with criteria stored within the mobile communication device; and

recommending a course of action according to a result of said comparing step.

7. The method of claim 6, said receiving weather data step further comprising the step of:

presenting the weather data via said mobile communication device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the weather proxy server communicates with a weather service provider over an Internet communication channel to obtain said weather data.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the weather data comprises a notification from an emergency management system.

10. A system for remotely managing a home environment comprising:

a mobile communication device containing a thin client; and

a proxy server configured to establish communications between a target device and the mobile communication device responsive to queries received via the mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device is communicatively linked to the proxy server over a wireless communications link, and wherein said target device performs at least one programmatic action responsive to receiving said queries.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the target device is at least one of a remote weather service provider and a home monitoring controller.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said thin client is configured to receive weather information from said target device and to calculate a recommended course of action based on said received weather information.

13. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

detecting a home protection event;

wirelessly conveying said event to a mobile communication device through a data connection via a proxy; and

presenting an indication of said home protection event upon said mobile communication device.

14. The machine-readable storage of claim 13, wherein the home protection event is a home security related event.

15. The machine-readable storage of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a user input via said mobile communication device relating to said home protection event; and

performing at least one programmatic action responsive to said user input.

16. The machine-readable storage of claim 15, said performing step further comprising the step of:

communicating said home protection event to a remotely located agent.

17. The machine-readable storage of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

arming said home monitoring system using said mobile communication device; and

interrogating home monitoring devices for an occurrence of a home protection event, wherein said detecting step results from said interrogating step.

18. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

receiving within a mobile communication device a user request for weather data;

responsive to the user request, the mobile communication device querying a weather proxy server over a wireless communication link;

receiving weather data over the wireless communication link;

comparing the received weather data with criteria stored within the mobile communication device; and

recommending a course of action according to a result of said comparing step.

19. The machine-readable storage of claim 18, said receiving weather data step further comprising the step of:

presenting the weather data via said mobile communication device.

20. The machine-readable storage of claim 18, wherein the weather proxy server communicates with a weather service provider over an Internet communication channel to obtain said weather data.

21. The machine readable storage of claim 18, wherein the weather data comprises a notification from an emergency management system.