System And Method For Controlling Devices At A Location
First Claim
1. A monitoring and control apparatus at a location, the apparatus comprising:
- an internal computer system associated with the location;
an interface to a sensing element to monitor a location;
a communication processor to communicate with an outside entity via a communications network wherein the communications network utilizes a secure link and the outside entity is authenticated;
a control module allowing the outside entity to control the operations of a device at the location associated with a local area network upon detection of a triggering event.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling, by an outside entity, one or more devices associated with a location. A representative embodiment of the system architecture comprises an internal computer system through which a device may be remotely controlled by the outside entity during a communication session between the outside entity and the internal computer system through an external computer network. The external computer network can be the Internet. When the outside entity is requested to control the device, the outside entity'"'"'s identity information is authenticated before the communication session is established. In a preferred embodiment, the internal computer system is protected by a firewall. The firewall allows the outside entity to access the internal computer system to control the device if the outside entity can provide proper identity information. The identity information of the outside entity may be a password that is recognized by the firewall. In the preferred embodiment, the identity information is a digital certificate issued to the outside entity by a certificate authority. In preferred embodiments, after the communication session is established, only the outside entity can terminate the communication session.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A monitoring and control apparatus at a location, the apparatus comprising:
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an internal computer system associated with the location; an interface to a sensing element to monitor a location; a communication processor to communicate with an outside entity via a communications network wherein the communications network utilizes a secure link and the outside entity is authenticated; a control module allowing the outside entity to control the operations of a device at the location associated with a local area network upon detection of a triggering event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for monitoring and controlling a device at a location, the method comprising:
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monitoring a location through a sensing element; communicating with an outside entity over a communications network via a communication processor, wherein the communications network utilizes a secure link and the outside entity is authenticated; and allowing an outside entity to control operations of the device at the location associated with a local area network upon detection of a triggering event. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification