System and method for automating the management, routing, and control of multiple devices and inter-device connections

• US 9,529,514 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• 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 HoldCo LLC
• Inventors: Saint Clair, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): ZUNIGA ABAD, JACKIE
• Application Number:
  US14/253,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20140317507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/00 Systems controlled by a computer G05B13/00, G05B19/00 take precedence; automatic controllers with particular characteristics G05B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• 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 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• 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 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0889 Techniques to speed-up the configuration process
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 : Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 : Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 : Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems

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 configures a presentation environment into one or more sub-environments, restricts access to one or more devices of a presentation sub-environment, or schedules one or more resources within a presentation sub-environment.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an environment, comprising:

a server comprising a database and an application service adapted to communicate via a first interface and a second interface;

a control client adapted to communicate with said server via said first interface, wherein said control client is associated with a sub-environment within the environment;

a control switch comprising a third interface and a fourth interface, adapted to communicate via said third interface with said server via said second interface of said server, and said fourth interface of said control switch adapted to selectively interconnect inputs of said fourth interface to outputs from said fourth interface;

a source device comprising a source command port and adapted to output a signal via an output port, wherein said output port is in communication with said fourth interface of said control switch and said source command port is in communication with said server via said second interface, wherein said source device is not in direct communication with said control client;

an output device comprising an output command port, adapted to modify said sub-environment, and adapted to accept said signal via an input port, wherein said input port is in communication with said fourth interface of said control switch and said output command port is in communication with said server via said second interface;

a 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 fourth interface, and said fourth interface and said input port;

a configuration means for said server to issue commands to and configure said source device, said output device, and said control switch via said second interface such that said signal flows from said source device through said control switch to said output device; and

wherein said server is adapted to implement a lockout of at least one device in use by a first-in-time user, wherein said device lockout restricts access to said at least one device independent of a difference in access rights between said first-in-time user and a subsequent user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said device lockout restricts access to said source device by a control client of said subsequent user during a period of use of said source device by a control client of said first-in-time user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said device lockout is used to dedicate said at least one device to a specific sub-environment.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said device lockout is implemented for an indefinite period of time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said device lockout is implemented until an event engine registers a triggering event and said event engine communicates said triggering event to said server.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said device lockout collectively restricts access to a logical group of devices in use by said first-in-time user.