Method of controlling device connected to universal plug and play home network via internet, and system and device for the method

• US 7,912,972 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ryu, Young-sun, Park, Kyung-mo
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean; Frantz B
• Application Number:
  US11/762,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20080120422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/229, 709/219, 709/217, 726/3, 726/6
• US Class Current: 709/229
• 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 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

A method, system, and device for controlling a device connected to a UPnP (universal plug and play) home network using the Internet is provided. This method includes: subscribing to the external device outside the UPnP home network and informing the external device of control information about the device connected to the UPnP home network; converting a third-party notification message about control of the device connected to the UPnP home network, the third-party notification message being received from the external device via the Internet, into a control message with respect to a device that provides a web-based user interface or a device that provides no web-based user interfaces; and transmitting the control message to the device that provides a web-based user interface or the device that provides no web-based user interfaces.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a device connected to a UPnP (universal plug and play) home network based on a signal transmitted by an external device outside the UPnP home network, the method comprising:

subscribing the device connected to the UPnP home network to the external device outside the UPnP home network and informing the external device of control information about the device connected to the UPnP home network;

receiving a third-party notification message about control of the device connected to the UPnP home network, from the external device via the Internet,

converting the third-party notification into a control message for the device connected to the UPnP home network; and

transmitting the control message to the device connected to the UPnP home network, wherein the device connected to the UPnP home network is a device that provides a web-based user interface or a device that provides no web-based user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a report message about a result of controlling the device connected to the UPnP home network; and

transmitting the report message to the external device outside the UPnP home network via the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscribing to the external device outside the UPnP home network comprises:

discovering the device connected to the UPnP home network;

collecting control information used to control the discovered device; and

subscribing to the external device outside the UPnP home network, using the collected control information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein collecting comprises collecting the control information using an out-of-band protocol if the device connected to the UPnP home network is a legacy device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device that provides the web-based user interface is a CEA-2014 device, and the device that provides no web-based user interface is one of a UPnP device and a legacy device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the third-party notification message is transmitted from the external device by a polling-based notification service.

6. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon software instructions for enabling a computer to control a device connected to a UPnP (universal plug and play) home network based on a signal transmitted by an external device outside the UPnP home network, the software instructions comprising the steps of:

subscribing the device connected to the UPnP home network to the external device outside the UPnP home network and informing the external device of control information about the device connected to the UPnP home network;

receiving a third-party notification message about control of the device connected to the UPnP home network, from the external device via the Internet,

converting the third-party notification into a control message for the device connected to the UPnP home network; and

transmitting the control message to the device connected to the UPnP home network, wherein the device connected to the UPnP home network is a device that provides a web-based user interface or a device that provides no web-based user interface.

7. A device for controlling a device connected to a UPnP home network based on a signal transmitted by an external device outside the UPnP home network, the device comprising:

a notification event processing unit which converts a third-party notification message about control of the device connected to the UPnP home network received from the external device via the Internet, into a control message for the device connected to the UPnP home network, and which subscribes to the external device outside the UPnP home network and informs the external device of control information about the device connected to the UPnP home network, wherein the device connected to the UPnP home network is a device that provides a web-based user interface or a device that provides no web-based user interface;

a first control point which transmits the control message for the device connected to the UPnP home network and collects control information about the device connected to the UPnP home network, if the device provides the web-based user interface; and

a second control point which transmits the control message for the device connected to the UPnP home network and collects control information about the device connected to the UPnP home network, if the device provides no web-based user interface.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein one of the first control point and the second control point generates a report message about a result of controlling the device connected to the UPnP home network, and transmits the report message to the external device outside the UPnP home network.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the device that provides the web-based user interface is a CEA-2014 device, and the device that provides no web-based user interface is one of a UPnP device and a legacy device.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the second control point collects the control information using an out-of-band protocol if the device connected to the UPnP home network is a legacy device.

11. A method of remotely controlling a target device connected to a UPnP home network, the method comprising:

subscribing, by a first device connected to the UPnP home network, to a second device outside the UPnP home network,

informing, by the first device, the second device about control information about the target device connected to the UPnP home network;

if an event about the target device is generated, generating a third-party notification message about the event in the second device;

transmitting the third-party notification message from the second device to the first device via the Internet;

converting the third-party notification message, by the first device, into a control message for the target device; and

the first device transmitting the control message to the target device,

wherein the target device is a device that provides a web-based user interface or a device that provides no web-based user interface.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a report message about a result of controlling the target device, by the first device; and

transmitting the report message to the second device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the subscribing of the first device to the second device comprises:

discovering the target device connected to the UPnP home network, by the first device;

collecting control information used to control the discovered target device; and

subscribing to the second device and informing the second device of the collected control information.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a web-based user interface for controlling the target device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the subscribing of the first device to the second device further comprises collecting the control information using a out-of-band protocol if the target device is a legacy device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein if the target device provides the web-based user interface, the target device is a CEA-2014 device, and if the target device provides no web-based user interface, the target device is one of a UPnP device and a legacy device.

17. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon software instructions for enabling a computer to control a target device connected to a UPnP home network, the software instructions comprising the steps of:

subscribing, by a first device connected to the UPnP home network, to a second device outside the UPnP home network,

informing, by the first device, the second device about control information about the target device connected to the UPnP home network;

if an event about the target device is generated, generating a third-party notification message about the event in the second device;

transmitting the third-party notification message from the second device to the first device via the Internet;

converting the third-party notification message, by the first device, into a control message for the target device; and

transmitting the control message from the first device to the target device,

wherein the target device is a device that provides a web-based user interface or a device that provides no web-based user interface.

18. A system for remotely controlling a device connected to a UPnP home network, the system comprising:

a second device which generates a third-party notification message about an event if the event is generated, and transmits the third-party notification message via an Internet; and

a first device which receives the third-party notification message from the second device, converts the third-party notification message into a control message for the device connected to the UPnP home network, and transmits the control message to the device connected to the UPnP home network,

wherein the device connected to the UPnP home network is a device that provides a web-based user interface or a device that provides no web-based user interfaces.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the second device comprises:

a web server providing a web-based user interface; and

a notification and event processing unit which generates a third-party notification message about an event if the event is generated through the web-based user interface, and transmits the third-party notification message to the first device via the Internet.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first device comprises:

a notification and event processing unit which converts the third-party notification message into the control message for the device connected to the UPnP home network, and subscribes to the first device using control information about the target device;

a first control point which transmits the control message for the device connected to the UPnP home network, if the device connected to the UPnP home network is a device that provides the web-based user interface, and collects control information about the device connected to the UPnP home network and provides the web-based user interface; and

a second control point which transmits the control message for the device connected to the UPnP home network, and collects control information about the device connected to the UPnP home network, if the device connected to the UPnP home network is a device that provides no web-based user interface.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein one of the first control point and second control point generates a report message about a result of controlling the device and transmits the report message to the second device.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the device that provides the web-based user interface is a CEA-2014 device, and the device that provides no web-based user interfaces is one of a UPnP device and a legacy device.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the second control point collects the control information using an out-of-band protocol if the device connected to the UPnP home network is a legacy device.