Secure remote actuation system

• US 9,967,151 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2014
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hall Labs, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hall Labs, LLC
• Inventors: Hall, David R., Hall, Mark, Boswell, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US14/323,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20160004230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 340 52
• 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: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/12 Power saving techniques of remote control or controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/32 Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities 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: 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 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• 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 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 : for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 : with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 : Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/046 : involving vehicles, e.g. floating traffic data [FTD] or vehicle traffic prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A secure remote actuation system may comprise a remote input receptor and a central signal switch. The remote input receptor may comprise a user interface for receiving user inputs from a user. The central signal switch may comprise acceptable inputs. The central signal switch may further comprise a microcontroller for obtaining and comparing the user inputs to the acceptable inputs. In the present invention, the microcontroller obtains the user inputs from the remote input receptor while the user is using the user interface.

Claims

1. A secure remote actuation system, comprising:

a remote input receptor disposed outside an enclosure comprising;

a user interface that receives one or more user inputs from a user; and

a first microcontroller that sends a signal for each input of the one or more user inputs as the user interface receives the input; and

a central signal switch disposed inside the enclosure and wirelessly connected to the remote input receptor, the central signal switch comprising;

a memory that stores one or more acceptable inputs; and

a second microcontroller that obtains a succession of signals from the remote input receptor, the succession of signals corresponding to the one or more user inputs, and compares said one or more user inputs to said one or more acceptable inputs, wherein the second microcontroller obtains each signal in the succession of signals from the remote input receptor as the remote input receiver receives each input from the user.

2. The secure remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein the remote input receptor further comprises one or more communication devices for sending said signal.

3. The secure remote actuation system of claim 2, wherein said one or more communication devices is a radio frequency transceiver.

4. The secure remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein the remote input receptor further comprises a portable power source.

5. The secure remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises buttons, a visual display, one or more capacitive sensors, a microphone, a vibration recognition module, a proximity sensor, a fingerprint scanner, a retina scanner, a voice recognition module, or a combination thereof.

6. The secure remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein the central signal switch comprises one or more data connection ports.

7. The secure remote actuation system of claim 6, wherein the one or more data connection ports are disposed in an interior of the central signal switch.

8. The secure remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein said memory further stores said one or more user inputs;

a history of user inputs;

one or more input parameters;

or a combination thereof.

9. The secure remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein the remote input receptor executes a low power function after said one or more user inputs is received from the user.

10. The secure remote actuation system of claim 9, wherein the remote input receptor exits said low power function when the user begins to use the user interface.

11. The secure remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein the remote input receptor further comprises a surveillance device to detect a user.

12. The secure remote actuation system of claim 11, wherein the remote input receptor exits a low power function when the surveillance device detects the user.

13. The secure remote actuation system of claim 11, wherein the surveillance device comprises a camera, a microphone, a proximity sensor, or a combination thereof.

14. The secure remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein said cloud-based network comprises a software application for an individual to control said one or more acceptable inputs at said central signal switch.

15. The secure remote actuation system of claim 14, wherein said controlling said one or more acceptable inputs comprises editing, adding, or deleting the one or more acceptable inputs;

creating, deleting, or editing one or more input parameters;

changing personal settings;

conducting diagnoses; and

altering or updating firmware.

16. The remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein said remote input receptor comprises one or more data connection ports to interact with firmware of the remote input receptor.

17. The secure remote actuation system of claim 1, wherein said central signal switch is connected to and controls a network of actionable devices.

18. The secure remote actuation system of claim 17, wherein said network of actionable devices comprises access control devices, thermostats, televisions, automated windows, automated blinds, ventilation systems, sprinkler systems, lighting elements, indoor positioning systems, and combinations thereof.

19. The secure remote actuation system of claim 18, wherein said access control devices are electromechanical locking mechanisms.

20. The secure remote actuation system of claim 18, wherein said access control devices secure an enclosed area, room, building, or delivery box.