NON-CLOUD BASED COMMUNICATION PLATFORM FOR AN ENVIRONMENT CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20140297766A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James, White, Colby
• Granted Patent: US 10,063,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

An environment management system includes a communication platform disposed remote from a site, and at least one client associated with the site. The communication platform includes at least one external XMPP server communicatively coupled with the at least one client via an instant message communication stream, and the at least one external XMPP server is configured to utilize an Extensible Message Presence Protocol (XMPP) standard to communicate with and alter an operating condition of said at least one client at the site.

Claims

1. An environment management system comprising:

a communication platform disposed remote from a site;

at least one client associated with the site;

said communication platform including at least one external XMPP server communicatively coupled with the at least one client via an instant message communication stream; and

said at least one external XMPP server configured to utilize an Extensible Message Presence Protocol (XMPP) standard to communicate with and alter an operating condition of said at least one client at the site.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one client includes a sender client and at least one recipient client each independently and communicatively coupled to said at least one external XMPP server via a separate instant message communication stream.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

wherein said sender client is configured to initiate an instant message to said external XMPP server via the respective instant message communication stream, the instant message including an operating condition for said at least one recipient client;

wherein said external XMPP server is configured to receive the instant message sent from said sender client and forward the instant message to said at least one recipient client via the respective instant messaging communication stream; and

wherein said recipient client is configured to implement the operating condition included within the instant message.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instant message communication stream is comprised of two separate TCP/IP connections, each of which establishes communication between said at least one client and said external XMPP server in opposing directions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said external XMPP server is further configured to assign a client specific ID to said at least one client for identifying an association of the at least one client with the site.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said external XMPP server is further configured to create and manage a roster of client ID'"'"'s for the site, the roster of client ID'"'"'s including a list of each of the client specific ID'"'"'s associated with the site.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the separate instant message communication streams comprise a publish-subscribe instant message communication stream.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each of the publish-subscribe instant message communication streams is associated with a multi-user chat room mechanism.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said multi-user chat room mechanism is configured to automatically set-up when said sender client registers with said external XMPP server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said multi-user chat room mechanism is configured to register each of said at least one recipient clients associated with the sender client for allowing said sender client to publish a message within the multi-user chat room mechanism to all of the registered recipient clients.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said multi-user chat room mechanism is configured to track the registered recipient clients.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the separate instant message communication streams comprise a request-response instant message communication stream.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein each of said sender client and said at least one recipient client includes an internal XMPP server.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the internal XMPP servers are facilitated internal XMPP servers to facilitate communication of the instant messages between said sender client and said at least one recipient client.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one mobile device associated with the site and configured to communicate with and alter an operating condition of said at least one client by way of said external XMPP server.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one client is configured to search for a gateway of the site and implement a gateway for the site if one does not exist.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said gateway is configured to search for instant messages addressed to at least one recipient client associated with the site and further configured to deliver the instant message to said at least one recipient client.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one network device includes at least one of a personal computer, a PDA, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart phone, a cellular or mobile phone, a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server or storage device, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, or a wireless router.

16. The system of claim 16, wherein said mobile device is configured to initiate a search for an internal XMPP server operating at the site for establishing a communication with the site via said internal XMPP server instead of said external XMPP server.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said mobile device is configured to communicate with said internal XMPP server and said external XMPP server using at least one of a WIFI or 802.11 based communication, a Bluetooth based communication, a Zigbee based communication, a subscriber based wireless data based communication, or a WiMax based communication.