Gateway for remote control and system and method for implementing remote control

• US 8,045,970 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ma, Jianfei, Yang, Bo, Zuo, Minglei, Zhang, Zhiyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/619,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20070149189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 455415-420, 37910201-10207
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a gateway for remote control and system as well as a method for implementing remote control. The user side calls a telephone number to which the gateway for remote control corresponds, and the gateway for remote control puts through the call and controls a controlled device according to the information from the user side. It is possible to know and control the controlled device of the local network through the gateway for remote control that need not be online all the time. The voice prompt is defined by the own internal device of the local network, so as to enhance the expansibility and compatibility of the gateway. The user can directly control the device of the network through dialing a phone number. Embodiments of the invention are not restricted by the area, and the expense thereof is very low.

Claims

1. A gateway for remote control, at least comprising:

an information receiving and processing module coupled to a phone line and configured to receive and process control information sent through the phone line by a user;

an information transmitting module respectively coupled to the information receiving and processing module and the phone line, configured to receive device state information of a controlled device and send the device state information to the user through the phone line, wherein the device state information which is in the form of a voice file is received from the controlled device if the device state information reported from the controlled device carries the voice file;

a controlling signal generating module coupled to the information receiving and processing module and configured to generate corresponding controlling signal according to the control information received by the information receiving and processing module and a corresponding relationship between controlled device description information and the controlled device established and stored in the gateway for remote control; and

a controlling signal sending module respectively coupled to the controlling signal generating module and the controlled device, and configured to send controlling signal generated by the controlling signal generating module to the controlled device coupled to the controlling signal sending module;

wherein establishing the corresponding relationship between the controlled device description information and the controlled device includes;

the controlled device accessing the gateway for remote control, and the gateway for remote control acquiring description information of the controlled device;

recording description information of the controlled device, and establishing the corresponding relationship between the description information of the controlled device and the controlled device by the gateway for remote control;

wherein in the process of the gateway for remote control acquiring description information of the controlled device, the description information of the controlled device comprises at least one of;

a voice file reported by the controlled device;

a location path where the voice file is stored which is reported by the controlled device to the gateway for remote control, wherein the path is a website of the manufacturer in an external network or the address of the device in the local network, and the gateway for remote control acquires the voice file from the location path as the state information of the controlled device upon accessing the network; and

different voice files for describing the controlled device, wherein the different voice files are established by the gateway for remote control according to situation of the controlled devices.

2. The gateway for remote control of claim 1, wherein the information receiving and processing module is configured to further determine whether the control information is control information for controlling the gateway for remote control itself;

control the state of the gateway for remote control if the control information is the control information for controlling the gateway for remote control itself;

otherwise send the control information to the controlling signal generating module.

3. The gateway for remote control of claim 1, wherein the phone line comprises:

a fixed phone line over Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or a phone line of wireless mode or an IP accessing phone line.

4. The gateway for remote control of claim 1, further comprising:

a phone signal processing module coupled to the phone line in front of the information receiving and processing module, configured to put the information receiving and processing module through to the user when determining that the call is not put through.

5. A system based on a gateway for remote control, comprising:

a phone line, a gateway for remote control, and a controlled device;

wherein

the gateway for remote control is configured to receive device state information of the controlled device and process control information sent through the phone line by the user, generate corresponding controlling signal according to the control information and a corresponding relationship between controlled device description information and the controlled device stored in the gateway for remote control, send the controlling signal to the controlled device, and establish the corresponding relationship between the controlled device description information and the controlled device;

wherein the device state information which is in the form of a voice file is received from the controlled device if the device state information reported from the controlled device carries the voice file;

wherein establishing the corresponding relationship between the controlled device description information and the controlled device includes;

the controlled device accessing the gateway for remote control, and the gateway for remote control acquiring description information of the controlled device;

recording description information of the controlled device, and establishing the corresponding relationship between the description information of the controlled device and the controlled device by the gateway for remote control;

wherein in the process of the gateway for remote control acquiring description information of the controlled device, the description information of the controlled device comprises at least one of;

a voice file reported by the controlled device;

a location path where the voice file is stored which is reported by the controlled device to the gateway for remote control, wherein the path is a website of the manufacturer in an external network or the address of the device in the local network, and the gateway for remote control acquires the voice file from the location path as the state information of the controlled device upon accessing the network; and

different voice files for describing the controlled device, wherein the different voice files are established by the gateway for remote control according to situation of the controlled devices.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the phone line comprises a fixed phone line over Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or a phone line of wireless mode or an IP accessing phone line.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the gateway for remote control further communicates with a service website of the controlled device manufacturer through an external network.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the gateway for remote control connects to the controlled device through a local network.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the controlled device comprises at least one of:

a personal computer and an intelligent electrical apparatus.

10. A method for implementing remote control, comprising:

receiving, by a gateway for remote control, a call from a user, and putting through the call;

receiving, by a gateway for remote control, device state information of a controlled device;

sending, by the gateway for remote control, the device state information to the user; and

receiving and processing, by the gateway for remote control, control information sent through a phone line by the user;

generating, by the gateway for remote control, corresponding controlling signal according to the control information and a corresponding relationship between controlled device description information and the controlled device stored in the gateway for remote control;

sending, by the gateway for remote control, the controlling signal to the controlled device;

wherein the device state information which is in the form of a voice file is received from the controlled device if the device state information reported from the controlled device carries the voice file;

establishing the corresponding relationship between the controlled device description information and the controlled device, including;

the controlled device accessing the gateway for remote control, and the gateway for remote control acquiring description information of the controlled device;

recording description information of the controlled device, and establishing the corresponding relationship between the description information of the controlled device and the controlled device by the gateway for remote control;

wherein in the process of the gateway for remote control acquiring description information of the controlled device, the description information of the controlled device comprises at least one of;

a voice file reported by the controlled device;

a location path where the voice file is stored which is reported by the controlled device to the gateway for remote control, wherein the path is a website of the manufacturer in an external network or the address of the device in the local network, and the gateway for remote control acquires the voice file from the location path as the state information of the controlled device upon accessing the network; and

different voice files for describing the controlled device, wherein the different voice files are established by the gateway for remote control according to situation of the controlled devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a telephone number to which the gateway for remote control corresponds is called by the user;

if the call is not put through, the gateway for remote control puts through the call by itself.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein after putting through the call the method further comprises:

determining, by the gateway for remote control, whether the calling user is a legal user;

if the calling user is a legal user, the gateway for remote control exchanging information with the controlled device, controlling the controlled device or acquiring state information of the controlled device, otherwise, rejecting the call.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein before receiving the device state information of the controlled device, the method further comprises:

selecting the controlled device according to the control information from the user by the gateway for remote control.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein in the process of the gateway for remote control acquiring description information of the controlled device, if the gateway for remote control has not been connected to an external network, the gateway for remote control reports this state information to the user and is connected to the external network through using the control information of the user, or connects to the external network automatically and disconnects from the external network by itself upon the call being terminated.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein in the process of sending the device state information to the user, if the gateway for remote control has not been connected to an external network, the gateway for remote control reports this state information to the user and is connected to the external network through using the control information of the user, or connects to the external network automatically and disconnects from the external network by itself upon the call being terminated.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

inquiring and setting state information of the gateway for remote control by the gateway for remote control;

wherein the state information comprises whether the gateway for remote control connects to the external network and whether the remote control function is turned on.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a turning on request from the user;

determining whether a remote control function of a current system has been turned on; and

setting the remote control function of the current system as “

turn on”

if the remote control function of the current system has not been turned on.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a turning off request from the user;

determining whether a remote control function of a current system has been turned off; and

setting the remote control function of the current system as “

turn off”

if the remote control function of the current system has not been turned off.