Integrated home service network

• US 8,593,995 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Christie, Samuel H. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAGLO, EMMANUEL K
• Application Number:
  US13/461,131
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/466, 709/229
• US Class Current: 370/260
• 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 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing

Abstract

The present invention provides a centralized home controller that is used to coordinate a plurality of associated packet communication clients. The home controller provides a centralized and unified control and messaging system for the various packet communication clients. The home controller also allows the packet communication clients to establish and control packet sessions among the associated packet communication clients, as well as between any one of the packet communication clients and remote clients. The packet communication clients are provided in consumer electronics devices, and the associated packet sessions support data, voice, audio, or video content. In one embodiment, the home controller acts as a proxy for the various communications between the packet communication clients.

Claims

1. A method of operating a home controller, the method comprising:

receiving, at a home controller, an instruction from a first of a plurality of associated packet communication clients via at least one packet communications interface;

in response to the instruction, establishing or controlling a first media session between a second of the plurality of associated packet communication clients and a third of the plurality of associated packet communication clients, the plurality of associated packet communication clients provided by a plurality of consumer electronics devices coupled to the home controller, and

storing information received from at least one of the plurality of associated packet communication clients and delivering the information from a memory to the at least one of the plurality of associated packet communication clients.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing or controlling a second media session with the second of the plurality of associated packet communication clients according to the instruction.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing or controlling a second media session with the third of the plurality of associated packet communication clients according to the instruction.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with the plurality of associated packet communication clients using a uniform message protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of associated packet communication clients is operable to emulate a handset for a cordless telephone, the method further comprising a public switched telephone interface cooperating with a control system and the at least one packet communications interface to emulate a base station for the cordless telephone, such that telephony communications are provided with the one of the plurality of associated packet communication clients, the public switched telephone interface adapted to provide a gateway to facilitate interworking between the at least one packet communications interface and a public switched telephone network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one packet communications interface comprises a local wireless interface operable to facilitate wireless communications with at least certain of the plurality of associated packet communication clients.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one packet communications interface comprises a wired interface operable to facilitate wired communications with at least certain of the plurality of associated packet communication clients.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the media session is at least one of a group consisting of a data session, an audio session, a video session, and a voice session.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising interacting with the first of the plurality of associated packet communication clients to receive control commands for the second of the plurality of associated packet communication clients and to send instructions to control the second of the plurality of associated packet communication clients based on the control commands.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes video content and associated audio content.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with at least one of the plurality of associated packet communication clients using different message protocols.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a simple mail transfer protocol host for handling email associated with at least one of the plurality of associated packet communication clients.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the first media session and the second media session form part of a single multimedia session.

14. The method of claim 4, further comprising operating the home controller as a proxy for communications involving the plurality of associated packet communication clients.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one packet communications interface further comprises a local wireless interface adapted to facilitate wireless communications with others of the plurality of associated packet communication clients.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein one of the plurality of associated packet communication clients is adapted to emulate a handset for a cordless telephone, the method further comprising a public switched telephone interface cooperating with a control system and the at least one packet communications interface to emulate a base station for the cordless telephone, such that telephony communications are provided with the one of the plurality of associated packet communication clients, the public switched telephone interface adapted to provide a gateway to facilitate interworking between the at least one packet communications interface and a public switched telephone network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a router is associated with the wired interface, the local wireless interface, and the public switched telephone interface and adapted to facilitate communications between the wired interface, the local wireless interface, and the public switched telephone interface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a broadband interface is associated with the router.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a firewall is associated with the router and the broadband interface.