Multi-campus mobile management system for wirelessly controlling systems of a facility

• US 7,697,927 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Owens, Steve B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/042,263
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 455/420, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 725/105
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

Disclosed is a handheld wireless device which works in cooperation with a facility system. The system includes a first network device. This first network device includes a webserver and a database on a network. A second network device is also included in the network. This second device includes a microcontroller. The microcontroller is adapted to receive commands from an application running on the webserver, and cause a switch device to control a facility public-address system in response to said first command. The system also includes an I/O controller. This I/O controller receives commands from the microcontroller to control the facilities hardware systems. With respect to hardware systems, the device may interact with the facilities HVAC system, lighting systems, door and locker locks, etc. With respect to the facilities communications systems, the device is able to interface with the buildings alarms, public-address systems, and bell systems.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media, having computer-usable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of wirelessly interfacing with a facility system of a school, said facility system including a server and a database, said method comprising:

presenting school-communication options to a user on a wireless device including a log in screen for receiving a username and password, and a menu screen including a bell schedule, video alerts, and audio alerts, the menu screen further including a plurality of indicia, each of the indicia being selectable by the user and corresponding to one of a plurality of school campuses controllable by the wireless device;

receiving a first selection of one of the indicia corresponding to one of the plurality of school campuses controllable by the wireless device, the first selection enabling said user to make a second selection from the menu screen to select a school-communication option for updating one or more of the bell schedule, video alerts, and audio alerts for the one of the plurality of school campuses corresponding to the selected indicia;

receiving a third selection by said user, said third selection enabling-the user to enter updated information for the selected school-communication option

wirelessly transmitting said updated information to said server in said facility system for the purpose of updating said database in said facility system using said updated information.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein said video alerts and audio alerts are

selected from said menu screen to play a pre-recorded emergency video message and audio message respectively.

3. The media of claim 1, said presenting-school-communication-options step comprising:

enabling said user to alter-said bell schedule; and

including said bell schedule change in said updated information.

4. The media of claim 1, said method comprising:

requiring said username and password before allowing access to said server in said facility system, wherein said wireless device is a java-enabled phone that utilizes a java application to control said plurality of school campuses and respective school facility systems utilizing a CDMA network.

19. The media of claim 1, further comprising:

navigating between the plurality of school campuses utilizing the menu screen, wherein the user may configure options for the bell schedule, video alerts, and audio alerts for each of the plurality of school campuses through options displayed on the menu screen, and wherein the audio alerts include options for configuring a bell, voice recording, and siren;

presenting option on the menu screen for controlling an electrical system, lights, an HVAC system, a surveillance system, locks, a locker control, media playback devices, a voicemail system; and

allowing the user to navigate between the plurality of school campuses for controlling facilities of each of the plurality of school campuses.

21. The media of claim 1, wherein the indicia comprises one or more file tabs.

22. The media of claim 1, wherein the menu screen further includes a hardware option enabling the user to control one or more hardware systems of the one of the plurality of school campuses corresponding to the selected indicia.

23. The media of claim 22, wherein the one or more hardware systems includes a door lock system for controlling a locking mechanism of a door.

24. The media of claim 23, wherein the door comprises a locker door.

5. One or more computer storage media, having computer-usable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method of wirelessly managing a facility system of a school, said method comprising:

receiving a signal from a wireless device over a wireless network, wherein said signal includes updated information entered in the wireless device by a user accessing a log m screen to enter a username and password, being presented with a menu screen including a plurality of indicia, each of the indicia selectable by the user and corresponding to one of a plurality of school campuses controllable by said wireless device, making a first selection of one of the indicia corresponding to one of a plurality of school campuses controllable by the wireless device, making a second selection from the menu screen for selecting a school-communication option for updating one or more of a bell schedule, video alerts, and audio alerts for the one of the plurality of school campuses corresponding to the selected indicia, making a third selection enabling the user to enter the updated information for the selected school-communication option;

receiving a selection of one of said plurality of school campuses for controlling a plurality of facilities through said wireless device;

updating a process running on a server connected to said wireless network in response to said signal; and

dispatching a command to a network device based on said signal for the purpose of causing one of a facility communications device and a facility hardware device of the one of the plurality of school campuses to play one of video and audio in response to said command.

6. The media of claim 5 wherein said wireless network is a CDMA network, and wherein said wireless device is a java-enabled phone.

7. The media of claim 6 wherein said method comprises:

receiving signals regarding the plurality of facilities; and

transmitting commands to said plurality for the purpose of enabling the control of the plurality of facilities using one wireless device.

8. The media of claim 7 wherein said method comprises:

receiving said signals regarding said plurality of facilities over the internet.

9. A system for remotely controlling a school campus system comprising:

a first network device including;

a first webserver and a database on a network associated with said school campus;

a network interface component configured to receive control signals; and

a processing component configured to generate a first command based on said control signals;

wireless device that includes;

a memory component that stores executable instructions for controlling a plurality of school campuses and a plurality of facilities within each of the plurality of school campuses;

a second processor component that executes the executable instructions in the memory component to generate a menu screen that includes a bell schedule, video alerts, and audio alerts;

a display component for displaying the menu screen to a user; and

a second network interface configured to transmit said control signal to the first network device based on a user selection of said menu screen;

a second network device on said network associated with said first campus, said second network device including;

a first microcontroller which is adapted to receive the first command from an application running on said first webserver through a local area network and cause a first switch device to control a facility public-address system receiving audio signals generated by a tone generator for output to a plurality of audio zones, and a facility systems controller to control power systems in response to said first command.

10. The system of claim 9 comprising:

a third network device in a second campus, said third network device including a second webserver and a second database on a second campus network;

a fourth network device on said second campus network, said fourth network device including a second microcontroller which is adapted to receive a second command from said application running on said second webserver and cause a second switch device to control a facility public-address system in said second campus in response to said second command.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said public address system in said first campus includes said plurality of audio zones:

each audio zone being in connection with one of a plurality of switches on said first switch device,

wherein said second network device may be controlled by said first microcontroller and a user interface configured to receive user input.

12. The system of claim 9 comprising:

a facility systems controller in said first campus which receives said command and changes the condition of one of a plurality of facility hardware components in response to said command.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said facility systems controller is an I/O control device, wherein said I/O control device is controllable by said wireless device and manually by a user through a user interface.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said hardware component is any of a light, a lock, a locker control, and an HVAC component.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said wireless device is a java-enabled cell phone configure to communicate with said network through a CDMA network.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said first network device further includes a sound card connected to an amplifier in said second network device configured to play audio content to said plurality of audio zones, and wherein said first network device communicates with said second network device through said network utilizing an Ethernet connection.

17. The system of claim 9 comprising:

at least one audio zone in said public-address system in said first campus, said audio zone being in connection with one of a plurality of switches on said first switch device; and

said one of said plurality of switches on said first switch device is adapted to enable the broadcast of a video alert in said at least one audio zone in response to said first command.

18. The system of claim 9 comprising:

at least one audio zone in said public-address system in said first campus, said audio zone being in connection with one of a plurality of switches on said first switch device; and

said one of said plurality of switches on said first switch device is adapted to enable the broadcast of an audio alert in said at least one audio zone in response to said first command.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein the user interface includes media controls for selectively playing audio content and video content including emergency instructions to one or more of said plurality of audio zones, and wherein said user interface further includes a hot mic configured to selectively make announcements for the one or more of said plurality of audio zones.