System and method for managing, routing, and controlling devices and inter-device connections

• US 8,516,118 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CLOUD SYSTEMS HOLDCO IP LLC (Pueblo Nuevo LLC)
• Original Assignee: Cloud Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Rotter, Charles, Badore, Amy M., Johnson, Frederick M., Saint Clair, Gordon, Shah, Kamal
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N
• Application Number:
  US13/111,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20110219066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709/208, 709/217, 709/223, 709/229, 709/224, 709/225, 709/227, 707/9
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

A system and method for managing, routing and controlling devices and inter-device connections located within an environment to manage and control the environment using a control client is presented. A user provides commands via the control client to a server that maintains a representation of the environment and the devices within the environment. The server provides commands to devices present within the environment in response to user commands and other events, including events from the environment. The commands cause the devices in the environment to adopt specific desired states thereby causing the environment and the devices within the environment to create desired connections by and between the devices and to otherwise control and effect the environment.

Claims

1. A system that controls an environment comprising:

an application service adapted to communicate with a control client, wherein said control client receives a user interface from said application service, receives commands from a user via said user interface and transmits said commands to said application service;

a database that describes the environment, wherein the environment includes an output device and a source device, said source device adapted to output a signal via an output port in communication with a control switch and wherein said source device includes a source command port in communication with said application service, and wherein said output device includes an output command port in communication with said application service and wherein said output device is adapted to accept said signal via an input port in communication with said control switch, wherein said control switch is in communication with said application service and said control switch is capable of selectively connecting said source device and said output device in response to commands from said application service;

a representing means for representing in said database a set of static connections and a set of nodes adaptable to allow communication between said output port and said input port via said control switch;

a configuration means for said application service to issue commands to and configure said source device, said output device, and said control switch, such that said signal flows from said source device through said control switch to said output device;

an event generator that generates an event; and

an event handler that responds to said event generator and triggers an appropriate response by said configuration means;

wherein said configuration means further comprises a recursive algorithm means for identifying and configuring a communications path through said set of static connections and said set of nodes such that said signal travels from said source device to said output device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an event monitor that identifies an occurrence of said event.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a zone control interface adapted to control said control switch, said source devices, said output device, and said environment device in unison.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said application service communicates with said control client via a first network and said source device communicates with said output device via a second network.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an environment device adapted to communicate with said application service and receive commands from said application service, wherein said environment device is selected from the group consisting of:

lighting, dimmable lights, shades, temperature controls, room controls, power, presets, single zone controls and master zone controls.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an environment device having a device command port adapted to communicate with said application service, wherein said environment device is selected from the group consisting of:

temperature sensor, ambient light sensor, humidity sensor, and occupancy sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said application service further comprises a device specific driver with device specific information and a means for commanding each of said control switch, said source device, and said output device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said application service retrieves said device specific driver as an encrypted file from a remote server via a wide area communication interface and decrypts said encrypted file prior to use via an asymmetric encryption key.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a total quantity of said source device, said output device, and said control switch controlled by said application service is restricted based on a value contained within an asymmetrically encrypted license key available to said application service.

10. A system of claim 1, wherein said application service further comprises a means for authenticating a given user accessing said application service via said control client and a means for rendering a user interface adapted to a permission level associated with said user and the capabilities of said control client, wherein said control client is selected from the group consisting of:

a voice over IP phone, a personal data assistant, a computer, a laptop, a mobile phone, a smart phone, an interactive television, and a browser equipped touch screen.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said application service further comprises a means for storing and associating a pre-defined configuration of one or more elements comprising said source device, said output device, and said control client, and a means for retrieving and implementing said predefined configuration.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said application service further comprises a means for successively applying a series of said pre-defined configurations sequentially whereby only a portion of one said pre-defined configuration is implemented by said configuration means, wherein said portion comprises said elements of said one said pre-defined configuration that differ from an immediately proceeding said pre-defined configuration.

13. The system of claim 12, whereby said event handler comprises an event response means to identify said event and to select and apply said pre-defined configuration based on said event, whereby said event is selected from the group consisting of:

a user input to said control client, a pre-defined timer present within said application service, an alarm set for a specific time of day, and an external interface device possessing an external device interface port adapted to communicate with said application service.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said database accepts an ordered set of installation data imported from a computer aided drafting program.

15. The system of claim 1, whereby said recursive algorithm is applied to said set of static connections and said set of nodes to identify a reverse path through the environment progressing form said output device to said source device.

16. The system of claim 15, whereby said recursive algorithm is a depth first search algorithm that probes each of said static connections linked to said output device until said reverse path is identified.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said configuration means issues commands to configure said control switch, said source device, and said output device and to select and activate a subset of nodes associated with each of said control switch, said source device, and said output device from said set of nodes.

18. A computer program product that allows a user to control an environment, the computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions executed by a computer processor for:

providing a user interface to a control client, wherein the user issues commands via said user interface and said commands are transmitted to an application server;

representing in a database a set of static connections and a set of nodes adaptable to allow communication between a source device and an input device via a control switch, wherein said source device is adapted to output a signal and said input device is adapted to accept a signal from said control switch;

controlling said control switch and to selectively interconnect input device to output device;

identifying an event generated by an event generator, wherein an event handler responds to said event; and

issuing a configuration command in response to said event to configure at least one of a source device, an input device and said control switch, such that said signal flows from said source device through said control switch to said output device;

wherein the computer program product further comprising computer instructions executed by the computer processor for identifying and configuring a communications path through said set of static connections and said set of nodes utilizing a recursive algorithm such that said signal travels from said source device to said output device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer instructions for directing an environment device, wherein said environment device is selected from the group consisting of:

lighting, dimmable lights, shades, temperature controls, room controls, power, presets, single zone controls and master zone controls.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising computer instructions for:

authenticating a given user accessing said server via said control client; and

rendering said user interface adapted to a permission level associated with said user and the capabilities of said control client, wherein said control client is selected from the group consisting of;

a voice over IP phone, a personal data assistant, a computer, a laptop, a mobile phone, a smart phone, an interactive television, and a browser equipped touch screen.

21. A system to allow a user to control an environment, comprising:

an application service adapted to generate a user interface received by a control client, such that said control client communicates with said application service, displays said user interface to the user and receives commands from the user via said user interface for transmission to said application service, and wherein said application service communicates with a flow control device that selectively connects a source device to an output device in response to commands received from said application service, and wherein a first link connects the source device to the flow control device and a second link connects the flow control device to the output device;

a routing means for representing said first link, said second link, said source device, and said output device in a database;

a recursive algorithm means for identifying and configuring a path between said source device and said output device, using said first link, said second link, and said flow control device;

a first network communicating with said application service and said control client;

a second network communicating with said selectable source device and said selectable output device; and

an event handler whereby said event handler comprises a means for responding to an event generated by an event generator, a means for responding to a device event generated by a device event generator that handles communications received from said source device, and a means for triggering said recursive algorithm means.