Wireless terminal-interoperable home network system and method controlling the same

• US 20050184865A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Han, Sun Mi
• Granted Patent: US 7,301,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a wireless terminal-interoperable home network system and a method for controlling the same. A home server is linked with a security device and camera installed in a building to, when the security device senses entrance/exit of an outsider into/from the building, acquire an internal image of the building from the camera and send the acquired image to a wireless terminal of a user to enable the user to monitor the internal situation of the building in real time. The user can access the home server over a wireless communication network from a remote place outside of the building without separate access to the Internet to receive the internal image of the building and check the internal situation of the building on the basis of the received internal image, resulting in an increase in convenience of use.

Claims

1. A wireless terminal-interoperable home network system comprising:

a wireless terminal connected to a wireless communication network for transmitting/receiving a control message/image data over the wireless communication network;

a security device installed in a building for sensing entrance/exit of an outsider into/from the building;

a camera for capturing an internal image of the building; and

a home server connected with said security device and camera via an internal network of the building for controlling operations of said security device and camera, said home server transmitting/receiving the image data/control message to/from said wireless terminal over said wireless communication network.

2. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wireless terminal includes:

a wireless communication module connected to said wireless communication network for transmitting and receiving data over said wireless communication network;

an input unit for inputting a control command for control of the operation of said security device or camera;

a display unit for displaying the image captured by said camera; and

a microcomputer for generating a control message based on said control command inputted by said input unit, receiving the image data from said home server through said wireless communication module and performing a data conversion process for the received image data so that it can be displayed through said display unit.

3. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said security device includes:

a sensor for sensing the entrance/exit of the outsider into/from the building;

a microcomputer for generating an alarm signal if said sensor senses the entrance/exit of the outsider; and

a communication module for transmitting said alarm signal from said microcomputer to said home server, receiving a control command from said home server and transferring the received control command to said microcomputer.

4. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said sensor is an infrared sensor that checks a positional variation of an indoor heat source using infrared rays to sense movement of a person.

5. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a driver coupled with said camera for performing a pan function or zoom function of said camera in response to a control command from said home server.

6. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said camera includes:

a memory for storing the captured image; and

a communication module for transmitting the image stored in said memory to said home server and receiving a control command for control of the operation of said camera from said home server.

7. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said home server includes:

a wireless communication module for performing wireless communication with said wireless terminal over said wireless communication network; and

control means for generating a control command for control of the operation of said security device or camera in response to the control message from said wireless terminal and transmitting an alarm signal from said security device and the image captured by said camera to said wireless terminal through said wireless communication module.

8. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said home server further includes a memory for storing product information of one or more home appliances connected to said internal network and the image captured by said camera.

9. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said control means includes:

a control command generation module for generating the control command for control of the operation of said security device or camera in response to the control message from said wireless terminal; and

a transmission control module for performing a data conversion process for the alarm signal from said security device or the image captured by said camera so that it can be transmitted to said wireless terminal.

10. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said home server further includes a network module for transmitting and receiving data to/from said security device and camera over said internal network.

11. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said network module is a wireless modem that transmits and receives data iii a radio frequency (RF) communication manner.

12. The wireless terminal-interoperable home network system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said network module is a power line modem that transmits and receives data in a power line communication manner.

13. A method for controlling a wireless terminal-interoperable home network system, comprising the steps of:

a), by a security device, generating an alarm signal and sending it to a home server, upon sensing entrance/exit of an outsider into/from a building;

b), by said home server, driving a camera to capture an internal image of the building, upon receiving said alarm signal; and

c), by said home server, sending the captured image to a wireless terminal.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said step c) includes the step of, by said home server, sending an error message to said wireless terminal if it fails to send the captured image to said wireless terminal.

15. A method for controlling a wireless terminal-interoperable home network system, comprising the steps of:

a), by a home server, receiving a control message for control of an operation of a security device or camera from a wireless terminal;

b), by said home server, controlling the operation of said security device or camera in response to the received control message; and

c), by said home server, sending an image captured by said camera to said wireless terminal.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said step c) includes the step of, by said home server, sending an error message to said wireless terminal if it fails to send the captured image to said wireless terminal.