Interactive property communication system

• US 8,548,439 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curtis E. Quady
• Original Assignee: Curtis E. Quady
• Inventors: Quady, Curtis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US13/458,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20120309364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/557
• US Class Current: 455/414
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; 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: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for interactive property communication. In various embodiments, an interactive property communication system includes two or more property communication nodes (PCNs) each adapted for coupling to an electrical service. PCNs include a radio transceiver for communications with a broker service adapted for controlling communications with one or more PCNs.

Claims

1. An interactive property communication system configured to communicate with a plurality of property communication devices configured for placement and communications at various premises of a plurality of subscribers, comprising:

a processor;

a memory comprising instructions that cause the processor to execute;

a broker service module including software configured to execute on a network and to control bidirectional communications with at least one or more of the plurality of property communication devices at the variety of premises, the broker service module including;

a communications interface configured to perform bidirectional communications with the at least one or more of the plurality of property communication devices;

a secure programming interface to provide limited access to a subscriber database via the communications interface; and

a content control module configured to programmably control content of the bidirectional communications with the one or more of the plurality of property communication devices;

wherein the secure programming interface is configured to receive content control instructions from at least some of the plurality of subscribers in the subscriber database,

wherein the content control module provides individualized content management of the bidirectional communications with each subscriber of the plurality of subscribers based on the content control instructions,

wherein the communications interface receives third party content from third parties and the content control module controls the third party content sent to each subscriber of the plurality of subscribers, wherein the communications interface controls communications between property communication devices at one or more premises of the various premises,

and wherein the broker service module is configured to allow for individualized bidirectional communications with one or more of the plurality of property communication devices at one or more individual premises.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for communications comprising one or more of a local area network interface, a wireless network interface, a cellular radio interface, and/or an interface supporting a proprietary wireless protocol.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the broker service module is configured to coordinate bidirectional premises-based communications with one or more property communication devices based on sensed activity, or sensed inactivity, at a premises equipped with at least one property communication device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the broker service module is configured to take subscriber information from the plurality of subscribers and can also store subscriber and subscription information of the plurality of subscribers from third party vendors.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for wifi communications.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for local area network (LAN) communications.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for cellular communications.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for packet communications.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for Bluetooth compatible communications.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for software radio communications with at least one of the plurality of property communication devices.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the broker service module executes on one or more servers in a computer network.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the broker service module executes in a plurality of computers in a cloud computing environment.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the broker service module is configured to communicate with a programming device for securely programming the subscriber database.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the broker service module is configured to control bidirectional video, data, audio, and signaling information communicated with devices for the plurality of subscribers.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the broker service module is configured to communicate with one or more programming devices specially configured to program communication settings for one or more subscribers of the system.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the broker service module supports voice prompts and voice commands at one or more property communication devices.

17. An interactive property communication system configured to communicate with a plurality of property communication devices configured for placement and communications at various premises of a plurality of subscribers, comprising:

a processor;

a memory comprising instructions that cause the processor to execute;

a broker service module including software configured to execute on a network and to control bidirectional communications with at least one or more of the plurality of property communication devices at the variety of premises, the broker service including;

a communications interface configured to perform bidirectional communications with the at least one or more of the plurality of property communication devices;

a secure programming interface to provide limited access to a subscriber database; and

a content control module configured to programmably control content of the bidirectional communications with the one or more of the plurality of property communication devices;

wherein the secure programming interface is configured to receive content control instructions from at least some of the plurality of subscribers in the subscriber database, and

wherein the content control module provides individualized content management of the bidirectional communications with each subscriber of the plurality of subscribers based on the content control instructions,

wherein the communications interface receives third party content from third parties and the content control module controls the third party content sent to each subscriber of the plurality of subscribers,

wherein the communications interface controls communications between property communication devices at one or more premises of the various premises, and

wherein the broker service module is configured to allow for individualized bidirectional communications with one or more of the plurality of property communication devices at one or more individual premises.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the secure programming interface includes apparatus for communications comprising one or more of a local area network interface, a wireless network interface, a cellular radio interface, and/or an interface supporting a proprietary wireless protocol.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for wifi communications.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for local area network (LAN) communications.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for cellular communications.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for packet communications.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for Bluetooth compatible communications.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications interface includes apparatus for software radio communications with at least one of the plurality of property communication devices.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the broker service module executes on one or more servers in a computer network.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the broker service module executes in a plurality of computers in a cloud computing environment.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the broker service module is configured to communicate with a programming device for securely programming the subscriber database.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the broker service module is configured to control bidirectional video, data, audio, and signaling information communicated with devices for the plurality of subscribers.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the broker service module is configured to coordinate bidirectional premises-based communications with one or more property communication devices based on sensed activity, or absence thereof, at a premises equipped with at least one property communication device.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the broker service module is configured to take subscriber information from the plurality of subscribers and can also store subscriber and subscription information of the plurality of subscribers from third party vendors.

31. The system of claim 17, wherein the broker service module is configured to communicate with one or more programming devices specially configured to program communication settings for one or more subscribers of the system.

32. The system of claim 17, wherein the broker service module supports voice prompts and voice commands at one or more property communication devices.