Messaging system based building control

• US 7,403,838 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chipman, Tim, Snelson, Richard, Deen, Damon M.
• Primary Examiner(s): DECADY, ALBERT
• Application Number:
  US11/302,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20060142880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 700276-278, 700 2- 5, 700 19- 20, 700/17, 700 65- 66, 700/83, 379/102.05, 379/102.01, 715/758, 714/759, 340/825.56, 340/5.1, 340/5.92, 340/870.01, 340/870.74, 709/217, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25168 Domotique, access through internet protocols

Abstract

An arrangement using an Instant Messaging (“IM”) chat-type interface for monitoring and controlling devices in an automated home is provided. The automated home is arranged to be accessible as an IM contact (often called a “buddy”) to a user of an IM service that is located remotely from the automated home. After initiating an IM chat session, the user queries the status of systems and devices in the automated home, and operates devices in the automated home. In various illustrative examples, natural language commands are utilized to enable the user to ask simple questions regarding the status of devices in the home, take a virtual “walk through” the home, and turn devices on and off, among other options. As IM interfaces are being increasingly used on a variety of devices including mobile phones and personal digital assistants, users can conveniently access and control their automated home while traveling.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions which, when performed by a processor, performs a method comprising:

communicating with one or more devices linked to a home automation system in a home;

signing in as one or more presentities with a registrar server in an IM service; and

participating in a chat session facilitated by the IM service to exchange instant messages between a user and the home automation system wherein the chat session allows a user to navigate through the home.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the one or more devices is selected from one of television, media player, sound system, home theater, thermostat, climate control system, HYAC, automobile, telephone, telephone answering machine, appliance, furnace, hot water heater, fireplace, set top box, door sensor, window sensor, digital video recorder, smoke detector, heat detector, motion detector, carbon monoxide detector, personal computer, lights, radio, security camera, garage door opener, intercom and security system.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the instant messages include one of control information and device status information.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the control information is used for operating the one or more devices.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein the operating is selected from one of turning on, turning off, adjusting, monitoring, controlling, setting, selecting, querying, opening, closing, enabling, disabling, programming, rebooting and repairing.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the navigation in the chat session enables a virtual walk through of a home in which the home automation system is provided.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the instant messages includes natural language.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 in which instant messages generated by the home automation network are in human-readable form.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 further including enabling representation of the one or more presentities as contacts or buddies on a user interface presented by an IM client.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the IM client operates on an electronic device selected from one of mobile phone, smart phone, personal digital assistant, personal computer and laptop computer.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the one or more devices are coupled to device servers to enable the one or more devices to be provided as an abstracted representation to the processor.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the abstracted representation is created using a dynamically distributed software object model.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the communicating with the one or more devices is performed using a communications protocols selected from one of Ethernet, wireless Ethernet, IEEE 802.11, HomePlug, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wireless USB, powerline, phoneline, X10, HomePNA, Z-wave and UPB protocols.

14. A home automation system controller, comprising:

a network interface for connecting to one or more devices on a home automation network wherein the one or more devices on the home automation network are located in a home;

a processor coupled to the network interface for monitoring a state of the one or more devices;

a local IM client running on the processor for sending instant messages which describe the state of the one or more devices to a remote IM client using an IM service and allow a user of the remote IM client to navigate through the home.

15. The home automation system controller of claim 14 in which the processor is arranged to send operating commands to the one or more devices responsively to instant messages received from the remote IM client.

16. The home automation controller of claim 14 wherein the home automation network includes one or more device servers in operative communication with respective ones of the one or more devices.

17. The home automation controller of claim 16 wherein the processor is responsive to at least one software object on the one or more servers to enable the monitoring to be performed dynamically.