Method of monitoring and controlling devices with instant messaging

• US 20060186986A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ma, Jun Tao, Sun, Xiao Rong, Zhang, Peng
• Application Number:
  US11/117,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20060186986A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.900
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23237 Program execution by message passing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for controlling and/or monitoring at least one device using instant messages. In controlling at least one device, an instant messaging user may provide an instant message, which may include an operation to be performed. The instant messaging user may be informed of the performed operation via an instant message. In monitoring at least one device, a user may be informed of a status of the at least one device via an instant message.

Claims

1. A method for controlling at least one device using instant messaging, the method comprising:

controlling the at least one device based on a first instant message from a user including instructions regarding an operation to be performed.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

informing the user that the desired operation has been performed via a second instant message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first instant message includes devices to be controlled and an operation to be performed by the devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

informing the user of the operation performed by the devices via an instant message in response to the controlling step.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation to be performed is an on/off operation.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one device within a residence.

6. A method for monitoring a status of at least one device using instant messaging, the method comprising:

informing a user of a status of at least one device via an instant message, based on instructions received from a user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the informing step further comprises:

generating a second instant message indicating a change in the status of the device; and

informing a user of the change in status by sending the second instant message to the user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the informing step informs a user of the change in status for more than one device within the residence via the second instant message.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving instructions from a user indicating a device to monitor; and

informing the user of an updated status for the device based on the received instructions.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving instructions from a user including a type of status change to monitor; and

informing the user of status changes based on the received instructions.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving instructions from a user including a periodicity for receiving updates; and

informing the user of the status changes via periodic instant messages.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the instructions further include a time period for which to monitor the device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the informing the user further comprises:

informing the user of the status changes via an instant message at the end of the first time period.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the instructions are received via an instant message.