Method and apparatus for third party control of a device

• US 9,305,296 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digi International Inc.
• Inventors: Burger, Michel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Agwumezie, Charles C
• Application Number:
  US11/981,164
• Time in Patent Office: 3,079 Days
• Field of Search: 705/56
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/08 Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand

Abstract

A method and apparatus for third party control of a device have been disclosed. By utilizing a third party to control a device, view and control of a device may be separated.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a vending machine from a network comprising in this specific order, first (a), second (b), third (c), fourth (d), fifth (e), sixth (f), seventh (g), eighth (h), ninth (i):

first (a), sensing on said vending machine a presence of a cell phone radio frequency (RF) field;

second (b), sending a unidirectional wireless communication over a unidirectional link from said vending machine to said cell phone in response to said presence of said cell phone RF field;

third (c), receiving on said cell phone from said unidirectional wireless communication over said unidirectional link a vending machine identification;

fourth (d), transmitting from said cell phone over a bidirectional wireless link said vending machine identification to said network;

fifth (e);

receiving from said network over said bidirectional wireless link user selectable choices;

sixth (f), presenting on said cell phone said user selectable choices, wherein said presenting on said cell phone said user selectable choices further comprises converting said user selectable choices into a native language of said user and converting any displayed prices into a native currency of said user;

seventh (g), transmitting from said cell phone one or more user selected choices from said user selectable choices to said network over said bidirectional wireless link;

eighth (h), receiving on said vending machine from said network said one or more user selected choices; and

ninth (i), responding to said received said one or more user selected choices by operating said vending machine as if a user had manually operated said user selectable choices on said vending machine only if said cell phone continues to receive said unidirectional wireless communication over said unidirectional link.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said unidirectional wireless communication over said unidirectional link is a directional beacon wherein said directional beacon is directed toward said cell phone.

3. A non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed performs the method of claim 1.

4. A system comprising a processor, which when executing a set of instructions performs the method of claim 1.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating a payment and/or credit.

6. An apparatus having a first device controlled over a network, said apparatus comprising:

means for sending an infrared signal over a unidirectional link to a second device when said second device is detected to be in proximity of said first device by said first device, said infrared signal over said unidirectional link containing information about said first device;

means for receiving on said second device said information;

means for sending said information over a bidirectional link to said network;

means for receiving choices from said network over said bidirectional link;

means for displaying on said second device said choices, wherein said displaying on said second device said choices further comprises converting said choices into a native language of a user of said second device and converting any displayed prices into a native currency of said user of said second device;

means for said user of said second device to select on said second device one or more said displayed choices; and

means for sending said user selected one or more choices through said bidirectional link to said network for controlling said first device so long as said second device continues to receive said infrared signal over said unidirectional link.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising:

a sensor for sensing when said second device is within infrared communication distance of said first device;

an output for sending an infrared signal to said second device when said sensor senses said second device is within said infrared communication distance of said first device; and

an input for receiving a signal from a third device, said signal from said network, and said signal controlling said first device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said signal from said third device is based upon a signal from said second device going through said network to said third device.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a second output for sending a second signal from said first device to said third device through said network.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said output sending said infrared signal to said second device comprises said output sending a unidirectional signal over a unidirectional link to said second device.

11. A method of controlling a vending machine connected to a Internet comprising in this specific order, first (a), second (b), third (c), fourth (d), fifth (e), sixth (f), seventh (g), eighth (h), ninth (i):

first (a), sensing on said vending machine connected to said Internet a presence of a cell phone radio frequency (RF) field;

second (b), sending a unidirectional wireless communication over a unidirectional link via a beacon from said vending machine connected to said Internet to said cell phone in response to said presence of said cell phone RF field being sensed at said vending machine connected to said Internet, wherein said unidirectional wireless communication over said unidirectional link via said beacon contains an identification of said vending machine in a form of a hypertext transfer protocol link to said vending machine connected to said Internet;

third (c), receiving on said cell phone said hypertext transfer protocol link from said unidirectional wireless communication over said unidirectional link via said beacon from said vending machine connected to said Internet;

fourth (d), sending from said cell phone over a bidirectional link said hypertext transfer protocol link to said Internet;

fifth (e), receiving on said cell phone from said bidirectional link connected to said Internet user selectable choices;

sixth (f), displaying on said cell phone said user selectable choices, wherein said displaying on said cell phone said user selectable choices further comprises converting said user selectable choices into a native language of said user and converting any displayed prices into a native currency of said user;

seventh (g), transmitting from said cell phone one or more user selected choices from said user selectable choices to said Internet over said bidirectional link, wherein said cell phone one or more user selected choices includes said hypertext transfer protocol link of said vending machine connected to said Internet;

eighth (h), receiving on said vending machine from said Internet said one or more user selected choices; and

ninth (i), responding to said received said one or more user selected choices by operating said vending machine as if a user had manually operated said user selectable choices on said vending machine connected to said Internet only if said cell phone continues to receive said unidirectional wireless communication over said unidirectional link via said beacon from said vending machine connected to said Internet.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said receiving on said vending machine from said Internet said one or more user selected choices further comprises receiving on said vending machine from said Internet said one or more user selected choices with said hypertext transfer protocol link via a wired link connected to said Internet.