Internet/intranet-connected AC electrical box

• US 7,761,555 B1
• Filed: 08/06/2002
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bishel, Richard Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US10/214,086
• Time in Patent Office: 2,905 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/223, 709/224, 705/26, 370/252, 340/310.18, 340/531, 713/171, 702/62
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• 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 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• 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 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A method and apparatus that uses the Internet protocol, TCP/IP, for a home control network. The apparatus also provides embedded servers, email clients at the electrical boxes. The apparatus integrates the Internet to the electrical outlet, switch or appliance boxes using a low cost embedded web server.

Claims

1. An Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus, comprising:

means for extracting power from AC electrical lines;

means for communicating directly with the Internet using a standard Internet network protocol;

single housing means, which contains said means for extracting power and said means for communicating, mountable within an electrical junction box; and

computer means for running one or more programs comprising a web server means that generates an electrical box web page, wherein the web server means comprises means for receiving an HTTP command via the means for communicating with the Internet and for generating an HTML file that defines the electrical box web page in response to the HTTP command, wherein the HTTP command specifies a URL corresponding to the electrical junction box.

2. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the standard Internet network protocol is TCP/IP.

3. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the standard Internet network protocol is UDP/IP.

4. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the HTML file contains a set of information pertaining to the status of sensors attached to the web server.

5. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the HTML file contains a set of information pertaining to the control of electrical loads attached to the web server.

6. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the HTML file hyperlink to an external web page that specifies additional information.

7. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs is a Simple Mail Transport protocol means that sends out e-mail.

8. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs is an Internet controlled means that controls electrical loads.

9. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs is a data collection means.

10. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 9, wherein the data collection means acquires information on an attached sensor and stores the information within the computer means.

11. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application program is an instant messaging program.

12. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating is through a wired technology.

13. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating is through a wireless technology.

14. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical junction box is selected from a group comprising an outlet box, a switch box, a ceiling box, a wiring junction box, a wall box, or a receptacle box.

15. An Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus, comprising:

a single housing means mountable within an electrical junction box;

a web server means that generates an electrical box web page, wherein said electrical box web page provides a set of functions for accessing information or controlling functions within said electrical junction box; and

a standard Internet interface that enables access to said web page by a web browser such that a user of the web browser accesses the functions for said electrical junction box wherein

the standard Internet interface uses a standard Internet network protocol, wherein the web server receives an HTTP command via the standard Internet interface and generates an HTML file that defines the electrical box web page in response to the HTTP command, and wherein the HTTP command specifies a URL corresponding to the electrical junction box.

16. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electrical junction box is an outlet box, a switch box, a ceiling box, a wiring junction box, a wall box, and a receptacle box.

17. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 15, wherein the standard Internet interface comprises a wired communication interface.

18. The Internet/Intranet-connected AC electrical apparatus of claim 15, wherein the standard Internet interface comprises a wireless communication interface.