Method for data routing in networks

• US 9,059,863 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Baum, Marc, Dawes, Paul J., DeCenzo, Chris, Gutt, Gerry, Raji, Reza, Wood, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Kyung H
• Application Number:
  US12/198,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,486 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/218, 709/230, 709/245, 340/531, 348/143, 348/207.1, 348/E5.008, 379/37, 370/352, 710/36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• 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 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

An integrated security system integrates broadband and mobile access and control with conventional security systems and premise devices to provide a tri-mode security network having remote connectivity and access. The integrated security system delivers remote premise monitoring and control functionality to conventional monitored premise protection and complements existing premise protection equipment. The integrated security system integrates into the premise network and couples wirelessly with the conventional security panel, enabling broadband access to premise security systems. Automation devices can be added, enabling users to remotely see live video or pictures and control home devices via a personal web portal or other client device. Camera management enables automatic configuration and management of cameras in the premise network. The camera management extends to remote control and monitoring from outside the firewall of the premise network to include routing of images or video from a streaming source device to a requesting client device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

coupling a gateway comprising a video engine to a network located at a first location;

forming a device network by automatically establishing a coupling between the video engine and a camera device installed at the first location;

establishing communication between the gateway and a security server located at a second location different from the first location; and

controlling routing of a video stream from the camera device to a requesting client device, the requesting client device remote to the first location and the second location, wherein the controlling comprises automatically prioritizing a plurality of streaming formats using parameters of at least one of the camera device and the requesting client device, selecting a format of the video stream according to the priority, and routing the video stream from the camera device to a user interface of the requesting client device using the selected format, wherein the user interface is generated and presented on the requesting client device by a native device application of the requesting client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gateway is connected to a local area network at the first location, and the local area network is coupled to a wide area network via a router at the first location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gateway is coupled to a wide area network and is coupled to a local area network at the first location via the connection management component and a router at the first location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gateway is coupled to the security server via the internet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing is Universal Plug and Play port forwarding.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing is relay server routing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing is Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) through Network Address Translators (NAT) (STUN)/Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN) peer-to-peer routing.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising encrypting the video stream.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the gateway encrypts the video stream received from the camera device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the video stream is a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4)/Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) video stream.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the requesting client device initiates and establishes a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection with the security server.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the security server initiates and establishes a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection with the requesting client device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the routing is Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) through Network Address Translators (NAT) (STUN)/Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN) peer-to-peer routing.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the video stream is a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4) over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) video stream.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the requesting client device initiates and establishes a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection with the security server.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the security server initiates and establishes a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection with the requesting client device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the video stream is a Motion Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) (MJPEG) video stream.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the requesting client device initiates and establishes a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection with the security server.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the security server initiates and establishes a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection with the requesting client device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the format is one of Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4)/Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) format, a MPEG-4 over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) format, and a Motion Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) (MJPEG) format.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters include a capability of the requesting client device.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters include a capability of the camera device.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters include an authentication requirement of the requesting client device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters include a privacy requirement of the requesting client device.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters include a determined capability of a network coupling the gateway to the requesting client device, wherein the determined capability is determined by at least one of the gateway and the security server.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the determined capability is relative success among a plurality of routings of the video stream, wherein the comparative information includes the relative success.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the determined capability is relative success of Universal Plug and Play port forwarding.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the determined capability is relative success of Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) through Network Address Translators (NAT) (STUN)/Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN) peer-to-peer routing.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the determined capability is bandwidth availability of the requesting client device.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the determined capability is processing capability of the requesting client device.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the determined capability is bandwidth availability of the camera device.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4)/Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) video stream with encryption has a first priority.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4)/Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) video stream with encryption has a second priority.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4) Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS) video stream has a third priority.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) video stream has a fourth priority.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4)/Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) video stream has a fifth priority, wherein the gateway encrypts the video stream from the camera device.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4) Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS) video stream has a sixth priority, wherein the gateway encrypts the video stream from the camera device.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) (MJPEG) Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS) video stream has a seventh priority.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein a Reverse Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) video stream has an eighth priority, wherein the security server initiates and establishes a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection with the requesting client device, wherein the security server facilitates Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) through Network Address Translators (NAT) (STUN)/Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN) peer-to-peer routing.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein a Reverse Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) video stream has a ninth priority, wherein the security server initiates and establishes a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection with the requesting client device, wherein one of the gateway and the security server facilitates Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) through Network Address Translators (NAT) (STUN)/Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN) peer-to-peer routing.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein a Reverse Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4) over Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) video stream has a tenth priority, wherein the security server facilitates Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) routing.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein a Reverse Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-4 (MPEG-4) over Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) video stream has an eleventh priority, wherein one of the gateway and the security server facilitates Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) routing.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) (MJPEG) over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) video stream has a twelfth priority.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) (MJPEG) over Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS) video stream has a thirteenth priority, wherein the security server facilitates routing.

45. The method of claim 1, wherein a Motion Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) (MJPEG) over Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS) video stream has a fourteenth priority, wherein one of the gateway and the security server facilitates routing.

46. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting client device includes one or more of a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, and a mobile computing device.

47. The method of claim 1, comprising coupling the gateway via a wireless coupling to a security system installed at the first location, the security system including security system components, the gateway forming a security network that integrates communications and functions of the security system components into the security network via the wireless coupling.

48. The method of claim 47, comprising an interface coupled to the security network, wherein the interface allows control of the functions of the security network by a user.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the gateway automatically discovers the security system components.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the gateway includes protocols of the security system from the security server and uses the protocols to discover the security system components.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the gateway requests and receives protocols of the security system from the security server, wherein the gateway uses the protocols received to discover the security system components.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein the gateway automatically establishes and controls the communications with the security system components.

53. The method of claim 47, wherein the gateway automatically establishes a coupling with the security system including the security system components.

54. The method of claim 47, wherein the gateway manages rules of interaction between the gateway and the security system components.

55. The method of claim 47, wherein the gateway includes definitions of the security system components.

56. The method of claim 47, wherein the security system is coupled to a central monitoring station via a primary communication link, wherein the gateway is coupled to the central monitoring station via a secondary communication link that is different than the primary communication link, wherein the central monitoring station is located at a third location different from the first location and the second location.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the gateway transmits event data of the security system components to the central monitoring station over the secondary communication link.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the event data comprises changes in device states of the security system components, data of the security system components, and data received by the security system components.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein the secondary communication link includes a broadband coupling.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein the secondary communication link includes a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) coupling.

61. The method of claim 56, wherein the gateway transmits messages comprising event data of the security system components to the requesting client device over the secondary communication link.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the event data comprises changes in device states of the security system components, data of the security system components, and data received by the security system components.

63. The method of claim 56, wherein the gateway receives control data for control of the security system components from the requesting client device via the secondary communication link.

64. A method comprising:

coupling a gateway including a video engine and a connection management component to a local area network (LAN) located at a first location;

automatically forming a device network by establishing a coupling between the video engine and a plurality of camera devices installed at the first location; and

automatically forming a security network by establishing a coupling between the connection management component and security system components of a security system installed at the first location, wherein the security network integrates communications and functions of the device network and the security system, wherein the security network controls routing of a video stream from each camera device to a requesting client device that is remote to the first location, wherein the controlling comprises automatically prioritizing a plurality of streaming formats using parameters of at least one of the camera device and the requesting client device, selecting a format of the video stream according to the priority, and routing the video stream from the camera device to a user interface of the requesting client device using the selected format, wherein the user interface is generated and presented on the requesting client device by a native device application of the requesting client device.

65. A method comprising:

coupling a gateway comprising a processor to a network located at a first location;

forming a security network by automatically establishing a coupling between a connection management component coupled to the processor and a security system installed at the first location, the security system including security system components, wherein forming the security network includes integrating communications and functions of the security system components into the security network;

forming a device network by automatically establishing a coupling between a video engine coupled to the processor and a camera device installed at the first location; and

controlling via the gateway routing of a video stream from the camera device to a requesting client device that is remote to the first location, the controlling comprising automatically prioritizing a plurality of streaming formats using parameters of at least one of the camera device and the requesting client device, selecting a format of the video stream according to the priority, and routing the video stream from the camera device to a user interface of the requesting client device using the selected format, wherein the user interface is generated and presented on the requesting client device by a native device application of the requesting client device.