Integrated Gateway for Distributed Home Network and Software Framework Structure for the Same

• US 20080279202A1
• Filed: 04/24/2006
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rinnai Korea Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Rinnai Korea Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Hyun Woo, Jeon, Ho Young, Park, Dae Woo, Lee, Hwang Eui
• Application Number:
  US12/093,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20080279202A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• 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 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• 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: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line

Abstract

Disclosed herein are an integrated gateway for a distributed home network and a software framework structure for the same. The integrated gateway includes an input/output interface unit (110), an Internet gateway unit (120), a telephone network interface/unit (130), a microprocessor (140), a control unit (150), a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) (160), and a memory unit (170). The input/output interface unit (110) communicates with the home appliances. The Internet gateway unit (120) is connected to the Internet. The telephone network interface unit (130) is connected to the PSTN. The microprocessor (140) processes data transmitted and received through the Internet gateway unit (120) and a telephone network interface unit (130). The control unit (150) informs the microprocessor of interrupts and outputs control signals for controlling the transmission and reception of data according to the interrupts. The UART (160) controls the transmission and reception of data between the microprocessor (140) and the input/output interface unit (110)in response to the control signals. The memory unit (170) stores log information about the currently set status of devices and the transmission and reception of data.

Claims

1. An integrated gateway for a distributed home network in a home network system, the home network system connecting to a home gateway through an Internet and a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) using a client, and controlling home appliances using home communication means, the integrated gateway comprising:

an input/output interface unit for communicating with the home appliances using a protocol interface of the home communication means;

an Internet gateway unit connected to the Internet to perform data communication;

a telephone network interface unit connected to the PSTN to perform data communication;

a microprocessor for processing data transmitted and received through the Internet gateway unit and a telephone network interface unit;

a control unit for informing the microprocessor of interrupts generated by the input/output interface unit, the Internet gateway unit and the telephone network interface unit, and outputting control signals for controlling transmission and reception of data, which is processed by the microprocessor, according to the interrupts;

a Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) for controlling transmission and reception of data between the microprocessor and the input/output interface unit in response to the control signals output from the control unit; and

a memory unit for storing log information about currently set status of devices and the transmission and reception of data.

2. The integrated gateway according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor comprises:

an Ethernet switch unit for controlling the Internet gateway unit;

a telephone network control unit for providing Automatic Response Service (ARS) through the telephone network interface unit;

an interface control unit for transmitting and receiving data through the input/output interface;

a status management unit for storing and managing information about status of the gateway and the devices in the memory unit;

a log management for storing and managing log information about transmitted and received messages, Ethernet switching status and response status of the ARS in the memory unit; and

an integrated control module for controlling data transmission between the Ethernet switch unit, the telephone network control unit, the interface control unit, the status management unit, and the log management unit.

3. A software framework structure for an integrated gateway for a distributed home network, comprising:

a data network usage agent for performing control on a Wide Area Network (WAN) or a Local Area Network (LAN), which uses Ethernet, through an Internet gateway unit, and managing service that can be provided through the WAN and the LAN;

a telephone network usage agent for providing an ARS function through a telephone network interface unit, and remotely controlling and managing home appliances, at a request from the PSTN;

a status management agent for managing log information about currently set status of devices and transmitted and received data, which has been stored in a memory unit;

a control network abstraction framework for performing a plug-in function for an input/output interface unit, and performing a common service interface function for an upper class application agent;

a home automation service framework for providing an interface with the control network abstraction framework; and

a message service framework functioning as a core interface to allow the agents and framework components to efficiently work in conjunction with each other.

4. The software framework structure according to claim 3, wherein the control network abstraction framework comprises:

a Radio Frequency (RF) device driver connected with a RF interface;

a ZigBee device driver connected with a ZigBee interface layer;

a Recommended Standard (RS)-485 device driver connected with an RS-485 interface layer;

a Power Line Communication (PLC) device driver connected with a PLC interface layer;

a device file system interface connected with an upper class agent layer;

an agent registration and elimination function for identifying an agent that gains access through the device file system interface, and registering a device driver corresponding to the agent;

an agent information structure for registering information about an agent selected by the agent registration and elimination function agent; and

a common function interface for controlling a device, which is connected to a corresponding interface, according to the information about the agent, which is registered in the agent information structure.