Apparatus and method for controlling a device in a home network based upon a batch command that is generated when a name of the batch command, a name of the device, a service of the device and details related to the service are sequentially selected

• US 7,243,132 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Moon-jeong
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Oanh
• Application Number:
  US10/061,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• Field of Search: 709/208, 709/224, 709/227, 709/229, 709/232, 709/223, 709/201, 709/203, 709/225, 707/102, 715/704, 715/744, 700/3, 718/101, 718/102
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Apparatus and method for controlling devices within a home network, and a home network system employing the same. The apparatus for controlling a plurality of devices connected in the home network includes a batch processing portion for generating a batch command for a certain service of services provided by the plurality of devices, to process the certain service as one job, and a control portion for controlling when a batch command is selected, the control portion for controlling a certain device that is designated by the selected batch command operates in accordance with the selected batch command. Accordingly, operations of the devices within the home network for providing the service can be processed as one job.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a plurality of devices connected in a home network, the apparatus comprising:

a batch processing portion that generates a batch command to select at least one of the plurality of devices and select at least one of operations performed by the selected device;

a batch command storing portion that stores the batch command generated by the batch processing portion;

a device information storing portion that stores IP addresses allocated to the plurality of devices;

a transceiving portion that transmits the batch command according to the IP addresses; and

a control portion that displays a list of batch commands stored in the batch command storing portion, and if one batch command is selected from the list, the control portion controls the transceiving portion to transmit the selected one batch command to a corresponding IP address of the selected device designated by the selected one batch command such that the selected performs the selected operation,

wherein, when a name of the batch command, a name of the selected device, a service of the selected device, and details related to the service are sequentially selected, the batch processing portion records the selected name of the batch command, the selected name of the selected device, the selected service of selected device, and the selected details related to the service in order, and generates the batch command based on the recorded selected name of the batch command, the recorded selected name of the selected device, the recorded selected service of the selected device, and the recorded selected details related to the service in an order that the selected device performs the selected service.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control portion displays the list of the batch commands on an area ofa master page.

3. A method for controlling a plurality of devices connected in a home network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a service from services provided by the plurality of devices, to process the service at one job;

b) generating and storing a batch command with respect to the selected service; and

c) when the batch command is selected, controlling a certain device of the plurality of devices designated by the selected batch command to operate in accordance with the selected batch command,

wherein, when the batch command is selected, the step c) further comprises the step of transmitting the selected batch command to an IP address of the certain device designated by the batch command, and

wherein, when a name of the batch command, a name of the certain device, a service of the certain device, and details related to the service are sequentially selected, the selected name of the batch command, the selected name of the certain device, the selected service of the certain device, and the selected details related to the service are recorded in order, and the batch command is generated based on the recorded selected name of the batch command, the recorded selected name of the certain device, the recorded selected service of the certain device, and the selected details related to the service in an order that the certain device performs the selected service.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step c) further comprises the step of displaying a list of the stored batch command, and one batch command that corresponds to the selected service is selected from the list of the stored batch command.

5. A method for controlling a plurality of devices connected in a home network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) selecting a service from services provided by the plurality of devices, to process the service at one job;

b) generating and storing a batch command with respect to the selected service; and

c) when the batch command is selected, transmitting the selected batch command to an IP address of a certain device of the plurality of devices designated by the batch command and controlling the certain device designated by the selected batch command to operate in accordance with the selected batch command,

wherein the step b) comprises the steps of;

recording a name of the batch command, a name of the certain device, the selected service, and details related to the selected service in order when the name of the batch command, the name of the certain device, the selected service, and the details related to the selected service are sequentially selected; and

generating the batch command based on the recorded selected name of the batch command, the recorded selected name of the selected device, the recorded selected service of the selected device, and the recorded selected details related to the selected service for operating the certain device to perform the selected service, and storing the generated batch command.

6. A home network system comprising:

a plurality of devices that provide services; and

a lookup server that generates a batch command for certain service if the certain service is selected from the services provided by the plurality of devices, the lookup server controls a certain device of the plurality of devices if the certain device is designated by the batch command that is selected,

wherein said lookup server comprises;

a device information storing portion for storing IP addresses allocated to the plurality of devices; and

a transceiving portion for transmitting the batch command to an IP address of the certain device that is designated by the selected batch command when the batch command is selected, and

wherein, when a name of the batch command, a name of the certain device, a service of the certain device, and details related to the service are sequentially selected, the selected name of the batch command, the selected name of the certain device, the selected service of the certain device, and the selected details related to the service are recorded in order, and the batch command is generated based on the recorded selected name of the batch command, the recorded selected name of the certain device, the recorded selected service of the certain device, and the selected details related to the service in an order that the certain device performs the selected service.