UBIQUITOUS HOME NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 20080160938A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxfor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Maxfor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hwang, Sung-Il, Kim, Young-Jin
• Granted Patent: US 8,131,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/132
• 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 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A system for processing data in a ubiquitous home network is provided. The system uses RF signals based on combination of the remote-controller and the ubiquitous sensor network (USN) technologies and integrally controls a plurality of control targets. Although the remote-controller is spaced relatively far apart from the control targets, the system can control the control targets only if the spaced distance is within the range of an RF signal. As well, the system can automatically control the control targets based on the information detected by the respective sensor nodes.

Claims

1. A ubiquitous home network system comprising:

a universal remote controller for converting a control command (CC-UC) according to a user'"'"'s command (UC) into a radio frequency (RF) signal (RF-URC) to emit the RF signal (RF-URC); and

at least one or more control nodes for converting the control command (CC-UC) according to the RF signal (RF-URC), received from the universal remote controller, into a control signal (CS-CN) to comply with control targets and emit the control signal (CS-CN).

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a home network server for emitting a previously set control command (CC-HNS) corresponding to the RF signal (RF-URC), received from the universal remote controller, to said at least one or more control nodes to control the control targets.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising at least one or more sensor nodes for detecting information from a surrounding physical environment, converting the detected information into an RF signal (RF-SN), and providing the RF signal (RF-SN) to the home network server,

wherein the home network server emits a previously set control command (CC-SN) corresponding to the RF signal (RF-SN), received from said at least one or more sensor nodes, to said at least one or more control nodes to control the control targets.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the sensor nodes re-emit received RF signals.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control nodes re-emit received RF signals.

6. The system according to claim 2, further comprising at least one or more sensor nodes for detecting information from a surrounding physical environment, converting the detected information into an RF signal (RF-SN), and providing the RF signal (RF-SN) to the universal remote controller,

wherein the universal remote controller receives the RF signal (RF-SN), received from said at least one or more sensor nodes, and displays information according to the received RF signal (RF-SN).

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the universal remote controller re-emits a received RF signal.

8. A ubiquitous home network system comprising:

a sensor node for detecting information from a surrounding physical environment, converting the detected information into an RF signal (RF-SN), and emitting the RF signal (RF-SN);

a home network server for emitting an RF signal (RF-HN) of a previously set control command that corresponds to the RF signal (RF-SN), received from the sensor node; and

at least one or more control nodes for converting the RF signal (RF-HN), received from the home network server, into a control signal (CS-CN) to comply with control targets, and emitting the control signal (CS-CN).

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the sensor node comprises a plurality of sensor nodes.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the sensor nodes re-emit received RF signals.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the control nodes re-emit received RF signals.

12. A universal remote controller for a ubiquitous home network system comprising:

a command input unit for inputting a user'"'"'s command;

an RF communication unit for emitting an RF signal (RF-CmU) of a control command for control targets, which is based on the user'"'"'s command, and for receiving an RF signal (RF-SN) emitted from a sensor node that detects information from surrounding physical environment; and

a display for displaying the information according to the RF signal (RF-SN) received through the RF communication unit.

13. The universal remote controller according to claim 12, wherein the RF communication unit comprises:

a signal transmitting/receiving means for transmitting/receiving RF signals;

a signal converting means for converting a digital signal (DS1) into an RF signal to provide it to the signal transmitting/receiving means and for converting the RF signal from the signal transmitting/receiving means into a digital signal (DS2); and

a signal repeating means for returning the received digital signal (DS2) to the signal converting means, when an arrival destination of the received digital signal (DS2) converted by the signal covering means does not correspond to the current universal remote controller, such that an RF signal can be retransmitted.

14. A control node for a ubiquitous home network comprising:

an RF communication unit for receiving an RF signal emitted from at least one of an universal remote controller, a home network server and a sensor node;

a signal converting unit for converting the RF signal received through the RF communication unit into a control signal to comply with control targets; and

a control signal emitting unit for emitting the control signal converted by the signal converting unit to the control targets.

15. The control node according to claim 14, wherein the RF communication unit comprises:

a signal transmitting/receiving means for transmitting/receiving RF signals;

a signal converting means for converting a digital signal (DS1) into an RF signal to provide it to the signal transmitting/receiving means and for converting the RF signal from the signal transmitting/receiving means into a digital signal (DS2); and

a signal repeating means for returning the received digital signal (DS2) to the signal converting means, when an arrival destination of the received digital signal (DS2) converted by the signal covering means does not correspond to the current universal remote controller, such that an RF signal can be retransmitted.

16. A home network server for a ubiquitous home network system comprising:

an RF communication unit for receiving an RF signal (RF1) to convert it into a digital signal (DS1) and for emitting an RF signal (RF2) converted from a digital signal (DS2);

a command extracting unit for extracting a previously set control command for control targets, which is based on at least one of a user'"'"'s command received from a universal remote controller through the RF communication unit, and information received from a sensor node through the RF communication unit, and for providing the extracted control command to the RF communication unit; and

a command storing unit for storing the extracted control command of the control extracting unit.