Automation control system having a configuration tool and two-way ethernet communication for web service messaging, discovery, description, and eventing that is controllable with a touch-screen display

• US 7,509,402 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exceptional Innovation, Inc. (ST Holdings Topco LLC)
• Original Assignee: Exceptional Innovation, LLC (ST Holdings Topco LLC)
• Inventors: Moorer, Seale, Eichensehr, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US11/686,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• 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 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114

Abstract

An automation system and process of operating an automation system in a Web Service environment, includes providing at least one client and at least one device, the at least one client and the at least one device configured with a web services for devices stack protocol, connecting a network includes at least one server with the web services for devices to the at least one client and the at least one device, and transmitting automation-based control and communication between the at least one client and at least one device, wherein the at least one client comprises one of a touch screen display and a handheld controller and the at least one device comprises an audio system, a video system, an intercom system, a lighting system, a security system, a link, and a HVAC system.

Claims

1. A process of operating an automation system in a Web Service environment, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one client and at least one device, the at least one client and the at least one device configured with a web services for devices (WSD) protocol;

connecting a network comprising at least one server configured with the WSD stack to the at least one client and the at least one device; and

transmitting automation-based control and communication between the at least one client and at least one device,

wherein the at least one client comprises one of a touch screen display and a handheld controller and the at least one device comprises an audio system, a video system, an intercom system, a lighting system, a security system, a link, and a HVAC system,

wherein the WSD stack comprises;

a first communication layer configured to logically interface the at least one automation client;

a second communication layer configured to physically interface the at least one automation device; and

a service provider layer comprising one or more components, each component corresponding to a device category, wherein each component comprises;

one or more Web Services corresponding to one or more automation devices of the corresponding device category, respectively, each Web Service configured to function as a Web Service host for the corresponding automation device;

one or more device bridges corresponding to the one or more Web Services, respectively, each device bridge configured to translate communication between the corresponding Web Service and automation device; and

a controller configured to communicate with the one or more automation devices of the corresponding device category.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein one of the touch screen display and the handheld controller comprise at least one of a LCD display, processor, wireless interface, wired interface, IR interface, audio system, inputs, support base, and knob.

3. The process according to claim 1 wherein the at least one client further comprises one of a TV, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, and a game controller.

4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the first and second communication layers process at least one of a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), a User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and serial protocols.

5. The process according to claim 1 wherein the WSD stack is configured to discover the at least one client and the discovery comprises one of multicast announcements, multicast query requests, and unicast responses.

6. The process according to claim 1 wherein the WSD stack is configured for description and the description comprises at least one of WS-Metadata exchange, web services description language, and simple object access protocol/XML protocol.

7. The process according to claim 1 wherein the WSD stack is configured for eventing and wherein the eventing comprises at least one of web services description language for detailed events, a configuration for client subscription to events, and a configuration for the at least one device to push events to the at least one client.

22. The process of claim 1, wherein the WSD stack is configured for:

discovery of the at least one automation client, the discovery comprises one of multicast announcements, multicast query requests, and unicast responses;

description comprising at least one of WS-Metadata exchange, web services description language, and simple object access protocol/XML protocol; and

eventing comprising at least one of web services description language for detailed events, a configuration for automation client subscription to events, and a configuration for the at least one automation device to push events to the at least one automation client.

8. A machine-readable tangible storage medium comprising instructions stored therewith, which, when executed by a processor cause the processor to establish an automation system in a Web Service environment, the machine-reachable medium comprising:

instructions for providing automation-based control and communication between at least one client and at least one device, the at least one client and the at least one device configured with a web services for devices (WSD) stack configured to the at least one client and at least one device; and

instructions for configuring a network comprising at least one server to be connected to the at least one client and the at least one device with the WSD stack,

wherein the at least one client comprises one of a touch screen display and a handheld controller and the at least one device comprises an audio system, a video system, an intercom system, a lighting system, a security system, a link, and a HVAC system,

wherein the WSD stack comprises;

a first communication layer configured to logically interface the at least one automation client;

a second communication layer configured to physically interface the at least one automation device; and

a service provider layer comprising one or more components, each component corresponding to a device category, wherein each component comprises;

one or more Web Services corresponding to one or more automation devices of the corresponding device category, respectively, each Web Service configured to function as a Web Service host for the corresponding automation device;

one or more device bridges corresponding to the one or more Web Services, respectively, each device bridge configured to translate communication between the corresponding Web Service and automation device; and

a controller configured to communicate with the one or more automation devices of the corresponding device category.

9. The machine-readable tangible storage medium according to claim 8 wherein one of the touch screen display and the handheld controller comprise at least one of a LCD display, processor, wireless interface, wired interface, IR interface, audio system, inputs, support base, and knob.

10. The machine-readable tangible storage medium according to claim 8 wherein the at least one client further comprises one of a TV, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, and a game controller.

11. The machine-readable tangible storage medium according to claim 8 wherein the first and second communication layers process at least one of a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), a User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and serial protocols.

12. The machine-readable tangible storage medium according to claim 8 wherein the WSD stack is configured to discover the at least one client and the discovery comprises one of multicast announcements, multicast query requests, and unicast responses.

13. The machine-readable tangible storage medium according to claim 8 wherein the WSD stack is configured for description and the description comprises at least one of WS-Metadata exchange, web services description language, and simple object access protocol/XML protocol.

14. The machine-readable tangible storage medium according to claim 8 wherein the WSD stack is configured for eventing and wherein the eventing comprises at least one of web services description language for detailed events, a configuration for client subscription to events, and a configuration for the at least one device to push events to the at least one client.

23. The machine-readable tangible storage medium of claim 8, wherein the WSD stack is configured for:

discovery of the at least one automation client, the discovery comprises one of multicast announcements, multicast query requests, and unicast responses;

description comprising at least one of WS-Metadata exchange, web services description language, and simple object access protocol/XML protocol; and

eventing comprising at least one of web services description language for detailed events, a configuration for automation client subscription to events, and a configuration for the at least one automation device to push events to the at least one automation client.

15. An automation system operating in a Web Service for Devices environment, comprising:

at least one client and at least one device, the at least one client and the at least one device configured with a web services for devices (WSD) stack configured to provide automation-based control and communication between the at least one client and at least one device; and

a network comprising at least one server configured to be connected to the at least one client and the at least one device with the WSD stack,

wherein the at least one client comprises one of a touch screen display and a handheld controller and the at least one device comprises an audio system, a video system, an intercom system, a lighting system, a security system, a link, and a HVAC system,

wherein the WSD stack comprises;

a first communication layer configured to logically interface the at least one automation client;

a second communication layer configured to physically interface the at least one automation device; and

a service provider layer comprising one or more components, each component corresponding to a device category, wherein each component comprises;

one or more Web Services corresponding to one or more automation devices of the corresponding device category, respectively, each Web Service configured to function as a Web Service host for the corresponding automation device;

one or more device bridges corresponding to the one or more Web Services, respectively, each device bridge configured to translate communication between the corresponding Web Service and automation device; and

a controller configured to communicate with the one or more automation devices of the corresponding device category.

16. The automation system according to claim 15 wherein one of the touch screen display and the handheld controller comprise at least one of a LCD display, processor, wireless interface, wired interface, IR interface, audio system, inputs, support base, and knob.

17. The automation system according to claim 15 wherein the at least one client further comprises one of a TV, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, and a game controller.

18. The automation system according to claim 15 wherein the first and second communication layers process at least one of a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), a User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and serial protocols.

19. The automation system according to claim 15 wherein the WSD stack is configured to discover the at least one client and the discovery comprises one of multicast announcements, multicast query requests, and unicast responses.

20. The automation system according to claim 15 wherein the WSD stack is configured for description and the description comprises at least one of WS-Metadata exchange, web services description language, and simple object access protocol/XML protocol.

21. The automation system according to claim 15 wherein the WSD stack is configured for eventing and wherein the eventing comprises at least one of web services description language for detailed events, a configuration for client subscription to events, and a configuration for the at least one device to push events to the at least one client.

24. The automation system of claim 15, wherein the WSD stack is configured for:

discovery of the at least one automation client, the discovery comprises one of multicast announcements, multicast query requests, and unicast responses;

description comprising at least one of WS-Metadata exchange, web services description language, and simple object access protocol/XML protocol; and

eventing comprising at least one of web services description language for detailed events, a configuration for automation client subscription to events, and a configuration for the at least one automation device to push events to the at least one automation client.