Remote control system

• US 7,734,286 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Conpact, Inc.
• Inventors: Lindahl, Glen Thomas, Almeda, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper, Vincent P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Dung
• Application Number:
  US12/255,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20090054050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 455418-420, 37910201-10203, 34082522-82525, 340/825.69, 340/825.76
• US Class Current: 455/419
• 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: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C

Abstract

A method includes the steps of selecting an appliance to be controlled from a list of appliances stored in the cellular device, selecting an instruction to be communicated to the selected appliance from a list of instructions stored in the cellular device, and transmitting the instruction to a cellular interface associated with the selected appliance via a public cellular telephone infrastructure by dialing a. telephone number stored in the cellular device.

Claims

1. A hub for controlling one or more appliances based on communications with a cellular device, the hub comprising:

a cellular interface;

a communications mechanism configured to transmit instructions to the one or more appliances;

a memory configured to store a cellular telephone number associated with the cellular device;

a processor operatively coupled with the cellular interface and the memory, wherein the processor is programmed to;

answer an incoming telephone call from the cellular device, wherein answering the incoming telephone call establishes a communication link between the hub and the cellular device via a public cellular network;

receive a command string from the cellular device over the public cellular network;

determine which of the one or more appliances is an intended recipient of the command string;

send the command string to the intended recipient via the communication mechanism;

retrieve the cellular telephone number associated with the cellular device from the memory;

dial the cellular telephone number associated with the cellular device upon completion of executing the command string, wherein dialing the cellular telephone number establishes a communication link between a controller and the cellular device via the public cellular network; and

send verification to the cellular device that the command string has been executed via the public cellular network.

2. The hub of claim 1, wherein the communications mechanism is configured to communicate with an appliance via infrared communications.

3. The hub of claim 1, wherein the communications mechanism is configured to communicate with an appliance via Bluetooth communications.

4. The hub of claim 1, wherein the communications mechanism is configured to communicate with an appliance via WiFi communications.