TRANSDUCER ACCESS POINT

• US 20110022194A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Inventors: GOUGH, Chris, DELEEUW, William C., KUSHALNAGAR, Nandakishore, WELLES, Devon M.
• Application Number:
  US12/895,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022194A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/29
• 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

1-19. -19. (canceled)

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

discovering a transducer device in the network with a transducer access device;

creating a virtual transducer device for the transducer device discovered;

interpreting data from the transducer device with an inference engine; and

controlling the transducer device via the transducer access device,

wherein interpreting data comprises collating disparate information from a plurality of transducer devices to represent a higher level event, a higher level event comprising an event not represented by a specific transducer device.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising when the transducer device is turned on:

connecting to the transducer access device;

identifying the transducer device using a technology protocol; and

recognizing the transducer device.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein controlling includes:

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

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

initiating an action based on the determined activities.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the transducer access device:

sends advertisements with device descriptions to a control device;

responds to search requests from the control device searching for the transducer device on the network; and

maintains a status of the transducer device.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the transducer device is selected from the group consisting of:

a Bluetooth device, a device operating using a Zigee protocol, a WiFi device and a Z-Wave device.

25. The method according to claim 20, wherein the transducer access device is part a computing device.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein the transducer device is one of a blood pressure monitor, a scale, a sensor and a bed.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein the control device is a personal computer, a television, a mobile device or a mirror.

28. The method according to claim 20, wherein the transducer access device is configured with a plurality of technology protocols.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising discovering a plurality of transducer devices and determining an inference based on data from the plurality of transducer devices.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a light level sensor, a pressure sensor and a presence sensor.

31. A transducer access device method, comprising:

discovering a transducer device in a network with a transducer access device configured with a plurality of technology protocols; and

creating a virtual transducer device for the transducer device discovered on the network,

collating disparate information from a plurality of transducer devices to represent a higher level event, a higher level event comprising an event not represented by a specific transducer device.

32. The transducer access device method according to claim 31, further comprising:

sending advertisements to a control device;

responding to search requests from the control device; and

maintaining a status of the transducer device.

33. The transducer access device method according to claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a measurement taken from the transducer; and

transmitting the measurement to the control device.

34. The transducer access device method according to claim 31, further comprising:

receiving a request from a control device about a status of the transducer device;

converting the request from a protocol of the control device to a protocol of the transducer device; and

sending the converted request to the transducer device.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising discovering a plurality of transducer devices and determining an inference based on data from the plurality of transducer devices.

36. A transducer access device (TAP) comprising an interface engine and a decision manager, wherein the interface engine is configured to receive and process data received from a plurality of transducer devices and the decision manager is configured to analyze the data received from the plurality of transducer devices.

37. The TAP of claim 36, wherein the plurality of transducer devices are selected from the group consisting of:

a Bluetooth device, a device operating using a Zigee protocol, a WiFi device and a Z-Wave device.

38. The TAP of claim 36, wherein the transducer access device is part of a computing device.

39. The TAP of claim 36, wherein the plurality of transducer devices are selected from the group consisting of:

a blood pressure monitor, a scale, a sensor and a bed.

40. The TAP of claim 36, wherein the TAP further comprises a plurality of virtual transducer devices associated with each of the plurality of transducer devices.

41. The TAP of claim 40, wherein plurality of virtual transducer devices communicate with a plurality of control devices in a network.

42. The TAP of claim 41, wherein the plurality of control devices are selected from the group consisting of:

a personal computer, a television, a mobile device and a mirror.