Wireless terminal-interoperable home network system

• US 7,254,403 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kwon, Oh Sung, La, In Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US10/759,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20040152460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/414, 455/466, 455/556, 455/557, 455/420, 700/19, 700/20, 700/65, 700/66
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a home network system interoperable with a wireless terminal of at least one user registered therein, wherein a terminal server is adapted to transmit and receive data to/from the wireless terminal, and a home server is adapted to manage/control a home network and communicate with the terminal server. The terminal server detects the position of the wireless terminal and transmits and receives voice messages, text messages or multimedia data to/from the wireless terminal. The home server is connected with the terminal server over the Internet. The home server sends, to the terminal server, alarm data regarding a dangerous situation in a home where the home network is constructed, receives information regarding the position of the wireless terminal from the terminal server and displays the received position information. Therefore, a home network system user can ascertain the position of a member of his/her family carrying the wireless terminal, not at home, through the home server in the home and notify the family member of a dangerous situation occurring in the home through the wireless terminal. This has the effect of strengthening child protection and security in the home.

Claims

1. A home network system interoperable with a wireless terminal of at least one user registered therein, comprising:

a terminal server that detects a position of said wireless terminal and transmits and receives voice messages, text messages or multimedia data to/from said wireless terminal; and

a home server connected with said terminal server over the internet, said home server sending, to said terminal server, alarm data regarding a dangerous situation in a home where a home network is constructed, receiving information regarding the position of said wireless terminal from said terminal server and displaying the received position information,

wherein said home server includes a communication module that transmits and receives data to/from said terminal server over said Internet;

a network interface that transmits and receives data to/from a plurality of home appliances connected to said home network;

a microcomputer that processes data to monitor the state or control operation of said home appliances through said network interface; and

input device that sets and inputs information of said user registered in said home network system,

wherein said home server further includes a display device that displays state information of said home appliances connected to said home network or said data transmitted and received to/from said terminal server under control of said microcomputer.

2. The home network system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said terminal server includes:

a wireless communication module that transmits and receives data to/from said wireless terminal of said registered user;

a position information output unit that reads and outputs the position information of said wireless terminal contained in said data transmitted and received to/from said wireless terminal;

a wired communication module that transmits and receives data to/from said home server over said Internet; and

a controller that controls a data flow such that said position information of said wireless terminal is sent to said home server in response to a request therefrom and said alarm data sent from said home server is transferred to said wireless terminal.

3. The home network system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said display device is a touch screen integrally formed with said input device.

4. The home network system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said display device is detachably mounted on a body of said home server.

5. The home network system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said home server further includes an alarm sensor that senses a fire or gas leak through an atmosphere in the home and transfers the sensed result to said microcomputer so that alarm data regarding the fire or gas leak can be generated by said microcomputer.

6. The home network system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said home server further includes an infrared sensor that senses intrusion of an outsider into the home through infrared rays emitted from an object moving in the home and transfers the sensed result to said microcomputer so that alarm data regarding the outsider intrusion can be generated by said microcomputer.

7. The home network system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising said display device connected to said home server over said home network, said display device displaying state information of said home appliances or said data transmitted and received to/from said terminal server.

8. The home network system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said display device includes:

a second network interface that transmits and receives data to/from said home server over said home network;

a display drive microcomputer that processes an image signal such that said data transmitted and received through said second network interface is displayed; and

a display that displays said image signal processed by said display drive microcomputer.

9. The home network system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an alarm connected to said home server over said home network, said alarm sensing a dangerous situation in the home through an atmosphere or infrared rays in the home, generating alarm data based on the sensed dangerous situation and sending the generated alarm data to said home server.

10. The home network system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said alarm includes:

a second network interface that transmits and receives data to/from said home server over said home network;

an alarm sensor that senses a fire or gas leak through the atmosphere in the home;

an infrared sensor that senses intrusion of an outsider into the home through the infrared rays in the home, said infrared rays being emitted from an object moving in the home; and

an alarm unit microcomputer that generates alarm data based on a sensed result from said alarm sensor or infrared sensor and sending the generated alarm data to said home server through said second network interface.