Remote control of network appliances using voice over internet protocol phone

• US 20070263600A1
• Filed: 08/14/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat, Notohamiprodjo, Hubertus
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

A Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone comprises a network interface that communicates with a medium. A control module communicates with the network interface and controls operation of the VOIP phone. A coder/decoder module communicates with the control module. A microphone outputs audio signals to the coder/decoder module. An audio output device receives audio signals from the coder/decoder module. An input/output interface receives user input. The control module and the network interface transmit the user input as packets to a network appliance to adjust an operating parameter of the network appliance.

Claims

1. A Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone, comprising:

a network interface that communicates with a medium;

a control module that communicates with said network interface and that controls operation of said VOIP phone;

a coder/decoder module that communicates with said control module;

a microphone that outputs audio signals to said coder/decoder module;

an audio output device that receives audio signals from said coder/decoder module; and

an input/output interface for receiving user input, wherein said control module and said network interface transmits said user input as packets to a network appliance to adjust an operating parameter of the network appliance.

2. The VOIP phone of claim 1 wherein said network interface includes a wireless network interface.

3. The VOIP phone of claim 1 wherein said network interface includes a wired network interface.

4. The VOIP phone of claim 1 wherein said network appliance includes a wireless network interface.

5. The VOIP phone of claim 1 wherein said network appliance includes a wired network interface.

6. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 2 and further comprising said network appliance, wherein said network appliance is wireless and communicates with said VOIP phone using at least one of an infrastructure mode and a peer-to-peer mode.

7. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 3 and further comprising said network appliance, wherein said network appliance is a wired network appliance that communicates with said VOIP phone.

8. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 3 and further comprising:

a router that communicates with said wired network interface; and

a wired network appliance that communicates with said VOIP phone via said router.

9. The VOIP phone of claim 1 wherein said network appliance is located in a remote network.

10. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 1 and further comprising said network appliance, wherein said network appliance controls at least one of a thermostat, an audio system, lighting and a window shade.

11. The VOIP phone of claim 1 wherein said VOIP phone includes at least one of a keypad, a touchpad and a display for receiving said user input to alter said operating parameters.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said network appliance further includes a setpoint temperature arbitrator that selects a setpoint temperature based on a setpoint program when setpoint temperatures have not been received within a first predetermined period, a single setpoint temperature when one setpoint temperature has been received within a second predetermined period, and a function of a plurality of setpoint temperatures when more than one setpoint temperature has been received within a third predetermined period.

13. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 1 and further comprising a router that communicates with said VOIP phone, that includes a speech recognition module that performs speech recognition on said audio signals input to said microphone and that generates commands for said network appliance based on said speech recognition.

14. A Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone, comprising:

network interface means for communicating with a medium;

control means for communicating with said network interface means and for controlling operation of said VOIP phone;

coder/decoder means for coding and decoding and that communicates with said control means;

audio input means for receiving and outputting audio signals to said coder/decoder means;

audio output means for receiving and outputting audio signals from said coder/decoder means; and

input/output interface means for receiving user input, wherein said control means and said network interface means transmits said user input as packets to a network appliance to adjust an operating parameter of the network appliance.

15. The VOIP phone of claim 14 wherein said network interface means includes a wireless network interface.

16. The VOIP phone of claim 14 wherein said network interface means includes a wired network interface.

17. The VOIP phone of claim 14 wherein said network appliance includes a wireless network interface.

18. The VOIP phone of claim 14 wherein said network appliance includes a wired network interface.

19. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 16 and further comprising said network appliance, wherein said network appliance is a wired network appliance.

20. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 15 and further comprising said network appliance, wherein said network appliance is a wireless network appliance that communicates with said VOIP phone in one an infrastructure mode and a peer-to-peer mode.

21. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 16 and further comprising:

routing means for routing and that communicates with said wired network interface means; and

wired network appliance means for controlling a network appliance and that communicates with said VOIP phone via said router.

22. The VOIP phone of claim 14 wherein said network appliance is located in a remote network.

23. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 14 and further comprising said network appliance, wherein said network appliance means includes at least one of:

temperature controlling means for controlling temperature;

audio control means for controlling an audio system;

lighting control means for controlling lighting; and

window shade control means for controlling window shades.

24. The VOIP phone of claim 14 wherein said VOIP phone includes user interface means for receiving said user input to alter said operating parameters.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein said network appliance further includes setpoint temperature arbitrating means for selecting a setpoint temperature.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said setpoint temperature arbitrating means selects said setpoint temperature based on a setpoint program when setpoint temperatures have not been received within a first predetermined period, a single setpoint temperature when one setpoint temperature has been received within a second predetermined period, and a function of a plurality of setpoint temperatures when more than one setpoint temperature has been received within a third predetermined period.

27. A system comprising the VOIP phone of claim 14 and further comprising routing means for routing and that includes speech recognition means for recognizing speech and for generating commands for said network appliance based thereon.

28. A method of operating a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone, comprising:

providing a network interface that communicates with a medium;

controlling operation of said VOIP phone;

coding audio input signals;

decoding audio output signals;

receiving user input at said VOIP phone; and

transmitting said user input to a network appliance using said network interface to adjust an operating parameter of the network appliance.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said network interface includes a wireless network interface.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said network interface includes a wired network interface.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein said network appliance includes a wireless network interface.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein said network appliance includes a wired network interface.

33. The method of claim 29 further comprising communicating with said VOIP phone using one of a peer-to-peer mode and an infrastructure mode.

34. The method of claim 28 further comprising locating said network appliance in a network that is remote from a network communicating with said VOIP phone.

35. The method of claim 28 further comprising controlling at least one of a thermostat, an audio system, a window shade and lighting.

36. The method of claim 28 further comprising providing at least one of a keypad, a touchpad and a display at said VOIP phone for receiving said user input to alter said operating parameters.

37. The method of claim 35 further comprising selecting a setpoint temperature.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said selecting includes selecting said setpoint temperature based on a setpoint program when setpoint temperatures has not been received within a first predetermined period, a single setpoint temperature when one setpoint temperature has been received within a second predetermined period, and a function of a plurality of setpoint temperatures when more than one setpoint temperature has been received within a third predetermined period.