Transducer access point

• US 20080103608A1
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Deleeuw, William C., Kushalnagar, Nandakishore, Welles, Devon M., Gough, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• 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 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for exposing (i.e. bridging) data and services offered by low power, low duty cycle transducers (e.g. sensors and actuators) in a standardized format over existing and established home networking technologies. A transducer access point is a functional component that serves as a proxy for health devices and sensors that are off/asleep the majority of the time to conserver power (e.g. battery life). The transducer access point may be implemented as a stand alone device or embedded within a computing device such as a home PC.

Claims

1. A method for bridging data and services in a network, comprising:

discovering at least one transducer device in the network;

creating a virtual transducer device for each at least one transducer device discovered; and

controlling the at least one transducer device via a transducer access device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the at least one transducer device is turned on:

connecting to the transducer access device;

identifying the at least one transducer device using respective technology protocols; and

recognizing the at least one transducer device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein controlling includes:

subscribing to receive event notifications from the at least one transducer device discovered by the transducer access device;

determining activities occurring on the network as a result of an event on the at least one transducer device; and

initiating an action based on the determined activities.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transducer access device:

sends advertisements with device descriptions to a control device;

responds to search requests from the control point searching for the at least one transducer device on the network; and

maintains a status of the at least one transducer device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least on transducer device is a low-power and low duty-cycle device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transducer access device is part of the at least one transducer device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer device is one of a blood pressure monitor, scale, sensor and bed.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the control device is at least one of a personal computer, television, mobile device and mirror.

9. A network for bridging data and services, comprising:

at least one transducer device accessible via the network;

a transducer access device configured to discover the at least one transducer device, and create a virtual transducer device for each at least one transducer device discovered; and

a control device to control of the at least one transducer device via the transducer access device.

10. The network according to claim 9, wherein the at least on transducer device is a low-power and low duty-cycle device.

11. The network according to claim 9, wherein the transducer access device is part of the at least one transducer device.

12. The network according to claim 9, wherein the at least one transducer device is one of a blood pressure monitor, scale, sensor and bed.

13. The network according to claim 9, wherein the control device is at least one of a personal computer, television, mobile device and mirror.

14. The network according to claim 13, wherein the control device:

subscribes to receive event notifications from the at least one transducer device discovered by the transducer access device;

determines activities occurring on the network as a result of an event on the at least one transducer device; and

initiates an action based on the determined activities.

15. The network according to claim 9, wherein the transducer access device sends out device advertisements, responds to searches by the control device and maintains a state of the at least one transducer device.

16. A transducer access device method, comprising:

discovering at least one transducer device in a network; and

creating a virtual transducer device for each at least one transducer device discovered on the network.

17. The transducer access device method according to claim 16, further comprising:

sending advertisements with device descriptions to a control device;

responding to search requests from the control point searching for the at least one transducer device on the network; and

maintaining a status of the at least one transducer device.

18. The transducer access device method according to claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a measurement taken from the at least one transducer; and

transmitting the measurement to the control device.

19. The transducer access device method according to claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a request from the control point about a status of the at least one transducer device;

converting a protocol of the request to a protocol of the at least one transducer device; and

sending the converted request to the at least one transducer device.