Using paging or satellite paging to trigger remote devices

• US 6,906,636 B1
• Filed: 01/21/1999
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kraml, Mark H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BANGACHON, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US09/245,101
• Time in Patent Office: 2,336 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.37, 340/72, 340/7.1, 340/7.32, 340/7.33, 340/7.39, 340/7.23, 340/7.24, 340/5.74, 340/568.1, 340/571, 340/539, 340/426, 340/429, 340/7.37, 340/825.72, 340/5.79, 455/12.1, 379/198, 379/102.5, 307 102- 105, 358/1.17, 713/191, 713/188
• US Class Current: 340/6.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/228 combined with other devices having a different main function, e.g. watches
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric

Abstract

The existing paging infrastructure is used to send commands to operate remotely-located electronic or mechanical devices. A paging message containing one or more pre-set commands, trigger signals, or command strings is received by a paging receiver into an optional signal buffer which provides the received message to a message compare function. The message compare matches each component of the message to a set of one or more allowed commands and sends at least one signal or command that causes the action specified by the received message contents to take place at the target device. The command may be a signal for triggering an electronic or mechanical action, or may be a command that causes an operation to be performed in a software-controlled component of the target device. An alternate embodiment allows responses generated by the system and/or the target device to be forwarded back to the initiator via a two-way paging transceiver. The target device either has the capability of generating one or more signals or other messages in response to the commands received, or the system has the capability of sensing the state of the target device after receipt of the commands. Responses generated by the target device may be sent to the optional signal buffer or directly to the paging transceiver, or may be received and modified by a response generation function that is part of the system. Responses may be relayed either at the completion of the execution of all the received commands or after the execution of any of the commands in a multi-command sequence, providing feedback to the initiator as the command sequence is processed. The initiator may also receive an indication of the success or failure of the entire sequence of operations, or may receive data or other information produced or collected by the target device.

Claims

1. A system for operation of a remotely located computer-controlled device, comprising:

receiver means for receiving at least one paging message, each paging message including content data, said receiver means co-located with said remotely located computer-controlled device;

means for comparing the content data of each said at least one paging message to a set of allowed commands; and

means for sending at least one specific command to said remotely located computer-controlled device, each specific command determined as a result of the comparing of the content data of each said at least one paging message to the set of allowed commands,

wherein the content data includes a program,

wherein each specific command causes said remotely located computer-controlled device to perform at least two actions, and

wherein one of said at least one specific command sent to said remotely located computer-controlled device includes the program.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising buffer means for receiving said at least one paging message from said receiver means.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for sending further comprises command generation means for constructing each specific command to be forwarded to said remotely located computer-controlled device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said means for sending further comprises command generation means for constructing each specific command to be forwarded to said remotely located computer-controlled device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said specific command is a trigger signal, or a command string.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said specific command is a trigger signal, or a command string.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the program is a Java Applet.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the content data includes at least two allowed commands from the set of allowed commands.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the content data includes at least two allowed commands from the set of allowed commands.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising response means for sending at least one response paging message.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising buffer means for receiving said at least one paging message from said receiver means.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for sending further comprises command generation means for constructing each specific command to be forwarded to said remotely located computer-controlled device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for sending further comprises command generation means for constructing each specific command to be forwarded to said remotely located computer-controlled device.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said specific command is a trigger signal, or a command string.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said specific command is a trigger signal, or a command string.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the program is a Java Applet.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the content data includes at least two allowed commands from the set of allowed commands.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the content data includes at least two allowed commands from the set of allowed commands.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein said response means includes a response generator means for creating each response paging message.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said means for creating each response paging message includes sensing means for determining a state of said remotely located computer-controlled device.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said means for creating each response paging message includes response receiving means for receiving a response message from said remotely located computer-controlled device.

22. The system of claim 10, wherein said response paging message includes a security challenge message.

23. The system of claim 10, wherein said response paging message includes a success or failure indication following execution of each specific command.

24. The system of claim 10, wherein said response paging message includes a status indication for said remotely located computer-controlled device.

25. The system of claim 10, wherein said response paging message includes data collected by or from said remotely located computer-controlled device.

26. A method for operation of a remotely located computer-controlled device, comprising:

receiving at least one paging message, each paging message including content data, on a receiver means co-located with said remotely located computer-controlled device;

comparing the content data of each said at least one paging message to a set of allowed commands; and

sending at least one specific command to said remotely located computer-controlled device, each specific command determined as a result of the comparing of the content data of each said at least one paging message to the set of allowed commands,

wherein the content data includes a program,

wherein each specific command causes said remotely located computer-controlled device to perform at least two actions, and

wherein one of said at least one specific command sent to said remotely located computer-controlled device includes the program.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising buffering said at least one paging message after it arrives on the receiver means.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising formulating each specific command as a result of the comparing of the content data.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising constructing each specific command as a result of the comparing of the content data.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said specific command is a trigger signal, or a command string.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said specific command is a trigger signal, or a command string.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the program is a Java Applet.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the content data includes at least two allowed commands from the set of allowed commands and the method performs the sending of each specific command for each match found as a result of the comparing of the content data.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the content data includes at least two allowed commands from the set of allowed commands and the method performs the sending of each specific command for each match found as a result of the comparing of the content data.

35. The method of claim 26, further comprising sending at least one response paging message.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising buffering said at least one paging message after it arrives on the receiver means.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising formulating each specific command as a result of the comparing of the content data.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising constructing each specific command as a result of the comparing of the content data.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein said specific command is a trigger signal, or a command string.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein said specific command is a trigger signal, or a command string.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the program is a Java Applet.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein the content data includes at least two allowed commands from the set of allowed commands and the method performs the sending of each specific command for each match found as a result of the comparing of the content data.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the content data includes at least two allowed commands from the set of allowed commands and the method performs the sending of each specific command for each match found as a result of the comparing of the content data.

44. The method of claim 35, wherein said step of sending a response paging method further includes creating each response paging message.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said step of creating each response paging message includes sensing a state of said remotely located computer-controlled device.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein said step of creating each response paging message includes receiving a response message from said remotely located computer-controlled device.

47. The method of claim 35, wherein each response paging message includes a security challenge message.

48. The method of claim 35, wherein each response paging message includes a success or failure indication following execution of each specific command.

49. The method of claim 35, wherein each response paging message includes a status indication for said remotely located computer-controlled device.

50. The method of claim 35, wherein each response paging message includes data collected by or from said remotely located computer-controlled device.

51. A system for operating a remotely located computer-controlled device, the remotely located computer-controlled device including a sensor and a control, comprising:

a transceiver for receiving at least one received paging message and transmitting at least one transmitted paging message, the transceiver co-located with said remotely located computer-controlled device;

a comparator for comparing content data of each received paging message to a set of allowed components;

a command generator for generating at least one command to the control, each command determined as a result of the comparing of the content data of each received paging message to the set of allowed components,

wherein the sensor records a status of the sensor after the generating of said at least one command and reports the status to the transceiver for inclusion in said at least one transmitted paging message, and

wherein the content data includes a program,

wherein each command causes said remotely located computer-controlled device to perform at least two actions, and

wherein one of said at least one command generated by the command generator includes the program.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein a duration of time between the sensor recording the status and the sensor reporting the status is a variable component of each received paging message.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein a duration of time between the sensor recording the status and the sensor reporting the status is a predetermined minimum for performance of each command by said remotely located computer-controlled device.