SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SERVER BASED CONTROL

US 20130201316A1
Filed: 01/03/2013
Published: 08/08/2013
Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2012
Status: Abandoned Application

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1. A system for commanding an actuator operation in response to a sensor response associated with a phenomenon according to a control logic, for use with one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks for communication in a building or in a vehicle, and an external network at least in part external to the building or to the vehicle, the system comprising:

a router in the building or in the vehicle, coupled between the one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks and the external network, and operative to pass digital data between the in-building and external networks;

a first device in the building or in the vehicle comprising, or connectable to, the sensor that responds to the phenomenon, said first device is operative to transmit a sensor data corresponding to the phenomenon to said router over the one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks;

a second device in the building or in the vehicle comprising, or connectable to, an actuator that affects the phenomenon, the second device is operative to execute actuator commands received from said router over said one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks; and

a control server external to the building or to the vehicle storing said control logic and coupled to said router over the Internet via the external network,wherein said control server is operative to receive the sensor data from said router, to produce actuator commands in response to the received sensor digital data according to said control logic, and to transmit the actuator commands to said second device via said router.

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Abstract

A system and method in a building or vehicle for an actuator operation in response to a sensor according to a control logic, the system comprising a router or a gateway communicating with a device associated with the sensor and a device associated with the actuator over in-building or in-vehicle networks, and an external Internet-connected control server associated with the control logic implementing a PID closed linear control loop and communicating with the router over external network for controlling the in-building or in-vehicle phenomenon. The sensor may be a microphone or a camera, and the system may include voice or image processing as part of the control logic. A redundancy is used by using multiple sensors or actuators, or by using multiple data paths over the building or vehicle internal or external communication. The networks may be wired or wireless, and may be BAN, PAN, LAN, WAN, or home networks.

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235 Claims

1. A system for commanding an actuator operation in response to a sensor response associated with a phenomenon according to a control logic, for use with one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks for communication in a building or in a vehicle, and an external network at least in part external to the building or to the vehicle, the system comprising:
- a router in the building or in the vehicle, coupled between the one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks and the external network, and operative to pass digital data between the in-building and external networks;
  
  a first device in the building or in the vehicle comprising, or connectable to, the sensor that responds to the phenomenon, said first device is operative to transmit a sensor data corresponding to the phenomenon to said router over the one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks;
  
  a second device in the building or in the vehicle comprising, or connectable to, an actuator that affects the phenomenon, the second device is operative to execute actuator commands received from said router over said one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks; and
  
  a control server external to the building or to the vehicle storing said control logic and coupled to said router over the Internet via the external network,wherein said control server is operative to receive the sensor data from said router, to produce actuator commands in response to the received sensor digital data according to said control logic, and to transmit the actuator commands to said second device via said router.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
- - 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said router is a gateway or is further operative for IP routing, NAT, DHCP, firewalling, parental control, rate converting, fault isolating, protocol converting or translating, or proxy serving.
  - 3. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a third device external to the building or to the vehicle comprising an additional sensor that responds to a distinct or same phenomenon, the third device is operative to transmit an additional sensor data corresponding to the distinct phenomenon to said control server over the external network or over a network distinct from the external network, wherein said control server is operative to receive the additional sensor data, and to produce actuator commands in response to the received additional sensor data according to said control logic.
  - 4. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a third device external to the building or to the vehicle comprising an additional actuator that responds to received additional actuator commands, the third device is operative to receive the additional actuator commands from said control server over the external network or over a network distinct from the external network, wherein said control server is operative to transmit said additional actuator commands to said third device.
  - 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control logic is affecting a control loop for controlling the phenomenon, and wherein the control loop is a closed linear control loop where the sensor data serves as a feedback to command the actuator based of the loop deviation from a setpoint or a reference value.
  - 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the closed control loop is a proportional-based, an integral-based, a derivative-based, or a Proportional, Integral, and Derivative (PID) based control loop, wherein the control loop uses feed-forward, Bistable, Bang-Bang, Hysteretic, or fuzzy logic based control, or wherein:
    - the control loop involves randomness based on random numbers; and
      
      the system further comprises a random number generator for generating random numbers, and wherein said random number generator is hardware-based using thermal noise, shot noise, nuclear decaying radiation, photoelectric effect, or quantum phenomena, or wherein said random number generator is software-based and executes an algorithm for generating pseudo-random numbers.
  - 7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the setpoint is fixed, set by a user, or is time dependent.
  - 8. The system according to claim 5 further comprising an additional sensor responsive to a phenomenon distinct from the phenomenon, and wherein the setpoint is dependent upon the output of said additional sensor.
  - 9. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the in-building or in-vehicle networks is using in-wall wiring that is connected to an outlet as a network medium, and wherein said first device, said second device, or said router is operative to communicate over the in-wall wiring.
  - 10. The system according to claim 9 wherein an enclosure of the sensor, the actuator, said first device, said second device, or said router, consists of, comprising, or is integrated with, the outlet or a plug-in module pluggable to the outlet.
  - 11. The system according to claim 9 wherein the outlet is a telephone, LAN, AC power, or CATV outlet, and the in-wall wiring is respectively a telephone wire pair, a LAN cable, an AC power cable, or a CATV coaxial cable.
  - 12. The system according to claim 9 wherein the in-wall wiring is carrying a power signal, and wherein the sensor, the actuator, said first device, said second device, or said router is at least in part powered from the power signal.
  - 13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a piezoelectric sensor that includes single crystal material or a piezoelectric ceramics and uses a transverse, longitudinal, or shear effect mode of the piezoelectric effect.
  - 14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising multiple sensors arranged as a directional sensor array operative to estimate the number, magnitude, frequency, Direction-Of-Arrival (DOA), distance, or speed of the phenomenon impinging the sensor array, and wherein said control logic includes processing of the sensor array outputs.
  - 15. The system according to claim 1, wherein a single component consists of, or is part of, the sensor and the actuator.
  - 16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a thermoelectric sensor that responds to a temperature or to a temperature gradient of an object using conduction, convection, or radiation, and wherein the thermoelectric sensor consists of, or comprises, a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) thermistor, a Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) thermistor, a thermocouple, a quartz crystal, or a Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD).
  - 17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor consists of, or comprises, a nanosensor, a crystal, or a semiconductor, or wherein:
    - the sensor is an ultrasonic based, the sensor is an eddy-current sensor, the sensor is a proximity sensor, the sensor is a bulk or surface acoustic sensor, or the sensor is an atmospheric or an environmental sensor.
  - 18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a radiation sensor that responds to radioactivity, nuclear radiation, alpha particles, beta particles, or gamma rays, and is based on gas ionization.
  - 19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a photoelectric sensor that responds to a visible or an invisible light, the invisible light is infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays, or gamma rays, and wherein the photoelectric sensor is based on the photoelectric or photovoltaic effect, and consists of, or comprises, a semiconductor component that consists of, or comprises, a photodiode, a phototransistor, or a solar cell.
  - 20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the photoelectric sensor is based on Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) or a Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) element.
  - 21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a photosensitive image sensor array comprising multiple photoelectric sensors, for capturing an image and producing electronic image information representing the image, and the system further comprising one or more optical lens for focusing the received light and to guide the image, and wherein the image sensor is disposed approximately at an image focal point plane of the one or more optical lens for properly capturing the image.
  - 22. The system according to claim 21, further comprising an image processor coupled to the image sensor for providing a digital data video signal according to a digital video format, the digital video signal carrying digital data video based on the captured images, and wherein the digital video format is based on one out of:
    - TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), RAW format, AVI, DV, MOV, WMV, MP4, DCF (Design Rule for Camera Format), ITU-T H.261, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264, ITU-T CCIR 601, ASF, Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format), and DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) standards.
  - 23. The device according to claim 22 further comprising a intraframe or interframe compression based video compressor coupled to the image sensor for lossy or non-lossy compressing the digital data video, wherein the compression is based on a standard compression algorithm which is one or more out of JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) and MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), ITU-T H.261, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264 and ITU-T CCIR 601.
  - 24. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is an electrochemical sensor that responds to an object chemical structure, properties, composition, or reactions.
  - 25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the electrochemical sensor is a pH meter or a gas sensor responding to a presence of radon, hydrogen, oxygen, or Carbon-Monoxide (CO), or wherein the electrochemical sensor is based on optical detection or on ionization and is a smoke, a flame, or a fire detector, or is responsive to combustible, flammable, or toxic gas.
  - 26. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a physiological sensor that responds to parameters associated with a live body, and is external to the sensed body, implanted inside the sensed body, attached to the sensed body, or wearable on the sensed body.
  - 27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the physiological sensor is responding to body electrical signals and is an EEG Electroencephalography (EEG) or an Electrocardiography (ECG) sensor.
  - 28. The system according to claim 26, wherein the physiological sensor is responding to oxygen saturation, gas saturation, or a blood pressure in the sensed body.
  - 29. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is an electroacoustic sensor that responds to an audible or inaudible sound.
  - 30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the electroacoustic sensor is an omnidirectional, unidirectional, or bidirectional microphone that is based on the sensing the incident sound based motion of a diaphragm or a ribbon, and the microphone consists of, or comprising, a condenser, an electret, a dynamic, a ribbon, a carbon, or a piezoelectric microphone.
  - 31. The system according to claim 1 wherein said router, said first device, said second device, the sensor, or the actuator are addressable in a digital data network using distinct locally administered addresses or a universally administered digital addresses stored in a volatile or non-volatile memory of the respective device and uniquely identifying the respective device in the digital data network, and the digital data network is one or more of the in-building or in-vehicle networks, the external network, a WAN, a LAN, a PAN, a BAN, a home network, or the Internet.
  - 32. The system according to claim 31 wherein the digital address is a MAC layer address that is MAC-48, EUI-48, or EUI-64 address type.
  - 33. The system according to claim 31 wherein the digital address is a layer 3 address and is static or dynamic IP address that is IPv4 or IPv6 type address.
  - 34. The system according to claim 31 wherein the digital address is autonomously assigned or is assigned by another device via a communication interface using DHCP.
  - 35. The system according to claim 34 wherein the digital address of said first or second device is assigned by said router or control server via the in-building or in-vehicle networks or the external network.
  - 36. The system according to claim 34 wherein the digital address of said router is assigned by said control server via the external network.
  - 37. The system according to claim 31 wherein said router, said first device, or said second device are addressable in one or more digital data networks using multiple digital addresses, and wherein a distinct digital address is assigned to each network interface of the respective device.
  - 38. The system according to claim 1, wherein said router, said first device, or said second device are connectable to be powered from a DC or AC power source, and further comprising a power supply housed with the respective device enclosure, and coupled to be powered from the power source and to power at least part of said respective device.
  - 39. The system according to claim 38, wherein the power source is a primary or rechargeable battery, or wherein the AC power source is mains AC power, and wherein said respective device further comprising an AC power connector connectable to an AC power outlet.
  - 40. The system according to claim 38, wherein the power source is an electrical power generator for generating an electric power from the phenomenon or from a distinct another phenomenon.
  - 41. The system according to claim 40, wherein a single component serves as the sensor and as the electrical power generator.
  - 42. The system according to claim 40, wherein the electrical power generator is an electromechanical generator for harvesting kinetic energy, or wherein the electrical power generator is a solar cell or a Peltier effect based thermoelectric device.
  - 43. The system according to claim 38, wherein the power source is internal or external to said respective enclosure of said router, said first device, or said second device.

44. An apparatus for coupling between an internal network extending substantially within an enclosed environment and an external network, coupled to the Internet for communication with a control server, extending substantially outside the enclosed environment, and for use with a sensor disposed in the enclosed environment that senses a condition in the enclosed environment and provides sensor data corresponding to the condition, and an actuator disposed to affect the condition in the enclosed environment in response to received actuator commands, said apparatus comprising:
- a first port for coupling to the internal network;
  
  a first modem coupled to said first port for communication over the internal network;
  
  a second port for coupling to the external network;
  
  a second modem coupled to said second port for communication over the external network;
  
  a router coupled between said first and second modems so as to pass information between the internal and external networks, and configured to deliver the sensor data from the internal network to the control server over the external networks and to deliver the actuator commands from the control server to the actuator over the internal network; and
  
  an housing enclosing said first and second ports, said first and second modems, and said router.
- View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95)
- - 45. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said apparatus is a gateway or is further operative for IP routing, NAT, DHCP, firewalling, parental control, rate converting, fault isolating, protocol converting or translating, or proxy serving.
  - 46. The apparatus according to claim 44 further comprising in said housing an additional sensor that senses a second condition that is distinct from, or same as, the condition, and provides additional sensor data corresponding to the second condition, and said apparatus further operative to transmit the additional sensor data to the control server over the external network or over a network distinct from the external network.
  - 47. The apparatus according to claim 44 further comprising in said housing an additional actuator that affects a second condition that is distinct from, or same as, the condition, in response to received additional actuator commands, and said apparatus further operative to receive the additional actuator commands from the control server over the external network or over a network distinct from the external network.
  - 48. The apparatus according to claim 44 further operative for producing actuator commands in response to the sensor data and for delivering the actuator commands to the actuator over the internal network, and wherein a control logic is affecting a control loop for controlling the condition, and wherein the control loop is a closed linear control loop where the sensor data serves as a feedback to command the actuator based of a loop deviation from a setpoint or a reference value.
  - 49. The apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the closed control loop is a proportional-based, an integral-based, a derivative-based, or a Proportional, Integral, and Derivative (PID) based control loop, wherein the control loop uses feed-forward, Bistable, Bang-Bang, Hysteretic, or fuzzy logic based control, or wherein:
    - the control loop involves randomness based on random numbers; and
      
      the apparatus further comprises a random number generator for generating random numbers, and wherein said random number generator is hardware-based using thermal noise, shot noise, nuclear decaying radiation, photoelectric effect, or quantum phenomena, or wherein said random number generator is software-based and executes an algorithm for generating pseudo-random numbers.
  - 50. The apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the setpoint is fixed, set by a user, or is time dependent.
  - 51. The apparatus according to claim 48 further couplable to, or comprising in said housing, an additional sensor responsive to a second condition distinct from the condition, and wherein the setpoint is dependent upon an output of the additional sensor.
  - 52. The apparatus according to claim 44 wherein the internal or the external network is using in-wall wiring that is connected to an outlet as a network medium, and wherein said apparatus operative to communicate over the in-wall wiring.
  - 53. The apparatus according to claim 52 wherein said housing consists of, comprising, or is integrated with, the outlet or a plug-in module pluggable to the outlet.
  - 54. The apparatus according to claim 52 wherein the outlet is a telephone, LAN, AC power, or CATV outlet, and the in-wall wiring is respectively a telephone wire pair, a LAN cable, an AC power cable, or a CATV coaxial cable, and wherein said first or second modem is operative to respectively communication over the telephone wire pair, the LAN cable, the AC power cable, or the CATV coaxial cable.
  - 55. The apparatus according to claim 52 wherein the in-wall wiring is carrying a power signal, and wherein said apparatus is at least in part powered from the power signal.
  - 56. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the sensor is a photosensitive image sensor array comprising multiple photoelectric sensors, for capturing an image and producing electronic image information representing the image, and said apparatus further comprising an image processor coupled to the image sensor for providing a digital video data signal according to a digital video format, the digital video signal carrying digital video data based on the captured images, and wherein the digital video format is based on one out of:
    - TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), RAW format, AVI, DV, MOV, WMV, MP4, DCF (Design Rule for Camera Format), ITU-T H.261, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264, ITU-T CCIR 601, ASF, Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format), and DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) standards.
  - 57. The apparatus according to claim 56 further comprising a intraframe or interframe compression based video compressor coupled to said image sensor for lossy or non-lossy compressing the digital video data, wherein the compression is based on a standard compression algorithm which is one or more out of JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) and MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), ITU-T H.261, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264 and ITU-T CCIR 601.
  - 58. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said apparatus is operative to calculate or provide a space-dependent characteristic of the sensed condition, that is a pattern, a linear density, a surface density, a volume density, a flux density, a current, a direction, a rate of change in a direction, or a flow, of the condition.
  - 59. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the internal or external network is using a cable for carrying a communication signal, and wherein said first or second port consisting of a connector for connecting to the cable, and wherein the cable is connectable to simultaneously carry a DC or AC power signal and the communication signal.
  - 60. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein said apparatus is further operative to supply at least in part of the power signal or to be at least in part powered from the power signal.
  - 61. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein the power signal is carried over dedicated wires in the cable, and wherein the wires are distinct from the wires in the cable carrying the communication signal.
  - 62. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein the power signal and the communication signal are concurrently carried over same wires in the cable, and wherein said apparatus further comprising a power/data splitter arrangement having first, second and third ports, wherein only the communication signal is passed between the first and second ports, and only the power signal is passed between the first and third ports, and wherein the first port is coupled to the connector.
  - 63. The apparatus according to claim 62, wherein the power and communication signals are carried using Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), where the power signal is carried over a power signal frequency or a power frequency band, and the communication signal is carried over a frequency band above and distinct from the power signal frequency or the power frequency band, and wherein the power/data splitter comprising an HPF between the first and second ports and a LPF between the first and third ports, or wherein said power/data splitter comprising a transformer and a capacitor connected to the transformer windings.
  - 64. The apparatus according to claim 62, wherein said power and digital data signals are carried using a phantom scheme, and the said power/data splitter comprising at least two transformers having a center-tap connection.
  - 65. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein said power and digital data signals are carried substantially according to IEEE 802.3af-2003 or IEEE 802.3at-2009 standards.
  - 66. The apparatus according to claim 44 wherein said second port and said second modem consists of a first network interface, for use with an additional external network and for communicating with the control server over multiple data paths, said apparatus further comprising a second network interface consisting of a third port for coupling to the additional external network, and a third modem coupled to said third port for communication over the additional external network.
  - 67. The apparatus according to claim 66 wherein said first and second network interfaces are of a same type.
  - 68. The apparatus according to claim 66 wherein the external network interface is based on a conductive medium, and wherein said second port is a connector.
  - 69. The apparatus according to claim 68 wherein said connector is selected from a group consisting of a coaxial connector, a twisted-pair connector, an AC power connector, a telephone connector.
  - 70. The apparatus according to claim 66 wherein the external network is on a non-conductive medium, and wherein said second port is a non-conductive coupler.
  - 71. The apparatus according to claim 70 wherein the non-conductive coupler is selected from a group consisting of an antenna, a light emitter, a light detector, a microphone, a speaker, and a fiber-optics connector.
  - 72. The apparatus according to claim 66 wherein the external network is based on conductive medium and said second port is a connector, and wherein the additional external network is based on a non-conductive medium, and wherein said third port is a non-conductive coupler.
  - 73. The apparatus according to claim 66 wherein said second and third modems are of different scales selected from a group consisting of NFC, PAN, LAN, MAN or WAN modems, wherein said second and third modems use different modulation schemes selected from a group consisting of AM, FM, and PM, wherein said second and third modems use different duplexing schemes selected from a group consisting of half-duplex, full-duplex, and unidirectional, wherein said second modem is packet-based and said third modem is circuit-switched, or wherein said second port and said third port are the same port used by said first and second network interfaces.
  - 74. The apparatus according to claim 73 wherein said first and second network interfaces are operative to communicate over a same network using FDM, where said first network interface is using a first frequency band and said second network interface is using a second frequency band, that is overlapping or non-overlapping with the first frequency band.
  - 75. The apparatus according to claim 66 further operative to send a packet to the control server via said first and second network interfaces to be carried over two distinct data paths, the packet comprising a source address, a destination address, an information type, and an information content, and the packet is sent via said first or second network interfaces selected by a fixed, adaptive, or dynamic selection mechanism.
  - 76. The apparatus according to claim 75 wherein a same packet is sent via said first and second network interfaces.
  - 77. The apparatus according to claim 75 wherein a distinct number is assigned to said first and second network interfaces, and wherein said selection mechanism is using, or based on, the assigned numbers.
  - 78. The apparatus according to claim 77 wherein the assigned numbers represent priority levels associated with said network interfaces, and the network interface having the highest priority level is selected.
  - 79. The apparatus according to claim 77 wherein the network interface is randomly selected from said first and second network interface, or wherein the selection mechanism is based on alternate selection.
  - 80. The apparatus according to claim 77 wherein the assigned numbers are based on the associated networks types or attributes or the performance history, or wherein the assigned numbers are based on the current or past associated networks data rates, transfer delays, networks mediums or networks mediums types, qualities, duplexing schemes, line codes, modulation schemes, switching mechanisms, throughputs, or usages.
  - 81. The apparatus according to claim 77 wherein the network interface are selected based on the packet source address, based on the packet destination address, based on the packet information type, or based on the packet information content.
  - 82. The apparatus according to claim 44 further operative to analyze the sensor data versus the actuator commands.
  - 83. The apparatus according to claim 82, wherein the sensor transfer function is characterized as S(s), the actuator transfer function is characterized as C(s), the actuator command is characterized as A(s), and the sensor data is characterized as F(s), and wherein the analysis include a calculation of F(s)/[S(s)*A(s)*C(s)].
  - 84. The apparatus according to claim 82, wherein the analysis is used to estimate or determine a condition characteristics or parameter.
  - 85. The apparatus according to claim 82, wherein the analysis is used as a sensor data by a control logic, and the apparatus is further periodically operative for initiating and transmitting actuator commands and for analyzing the sensor data versus the transmitted actuator commands.
  - 86. The apparatus according to claim 44 further integrated in part or entirely in an appliance.
  - 87. The apparatus according to claim 44 wherein the internal network is a Body Area Network (BAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN), or Local Area Network (LAN), and wherein said first port is respectively a BAN, PAN, or LAN port and said first modem is respectively a BAN, PAN, or LAN modem.
  - 88. The apparatus according to claim 87 wherein:
    - the LAN is a wired LAN using a wired LAN medium and said LAN port is a LAN connector, and wherein;
      
      the LAN is Ethernet based; and
      
      the wired LAN is according to, or based on, IEEE 802.3-2008 standard.
  - 89. The apparatus according to claim 44 wherein the external network is a packet-based or a circuit-switched-based Wide Area Network (WAN), and wherein said second port is a WAN port and said second modem is a WAN transceiver.
  - 90. The apparatus according to claim 44 wherein the enclosed environment is a vehicle and said housing is attachable to the vehicle body, and wherein said apparatus communicates with another vehicle or a roadside unit external to the vehicle over the external network, and the condition is in the vehicle, external to the vehicle, or associated with surroundings around the vehicle.
  - 91. The apparatus according to claim 90, wherein the vehicle is one out of a bicycle, a car, a motorcycle, a train, a ship, an aircraft, a boat, a spacecraft, a boat, a submarine, a dirigible, an electric scooter, a subway, a train, a trolleybus, a tram, a sailboat, a yacht, and an airplane.
  - 92. The apparatus according to claim 90, wherein the vehicle is an automobile, and wherein said apparatus is coupled to monitor or control a Engine Control Unit (ECU), a Transmission Control Unit (TCU), a Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), or Body Control Modules (BCM) of the automobile.
  - 93. The apparatus according to claim 90, wherein the internal network is a vehicle bus that is according to, or based on, Control Area Network (CAN) or Local Interconnect Network (LIN).
  - 94. The apparatus according to claim 90, wherein the vehicle further comprising an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) system, and said apparatus is coupled to or integrated with the OBD system.
  - 95. The apparatus according to claim 94, further operative to communicate to the control server an information regarding fuel and air metering, ignition system, misfire, auxiliary emission control, vehicle speed and idle control, transmission, on-board computer, fuel level, relative throttle position, ambient air temperature, accelerator pedal position, air flow rate, fuel type, oxygen level, fuel rail pressure, engine oil temperature, fuel injection timing, engine torque, engine coolant temperature, intake air temperature, exhaust gas temperature, fuel pressure, injection pressure, turbocharger pressure, boost pressure, exhaust pressure, exhaust gas temperature, engine run time, NOx sensor, manifold surface temperature, or a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

96. A control system for commanding an actuator operation in response to processing of an image according to a control logic, for use with one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks for communication in a building or in a vehicle, and an external network at least in part external to the building or to the vehicle, the system comprising:
- a router in the building or in the vehicle, connected to the one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks and to the external network, and operative to pass digital data between said in-building or in-vehicle and external networks;
  
  a first device in the building or in the vehicle comprising an image sensor for capturing still or video image, the first device is operative to transmit a digital data corresponding to said captured still or video image to said router over said one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks;
  
  a second device in the building or in the vehicle comprising an actuator that affects a phenomenon, the second device is operative to execute actuator commands received from said router over said one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks;
  
  a control server external to the building or to the vehicle storing said control logic, and communicatively coupled to said router over the Internet via said external network; and
  
  an image processor having an output for processing said captured still or video image,wherein said control server is operative to produce actuator commands in response to the output of said image processor according to said control logic, and to transmit the actuator commands to said second device via said router, and wherein said image processor is entirely or in part in said first device, said router, or said control server.

97. A control system for commanding an actuator operation according to a control logic, in response to processing of a voice, for use with one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks for communication in a building or in a vehicle, and an external network at least in part external to the building or to the vehicle, the system comprising:
- a router in the building or in the vehicle, connected to the one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks and to the external network, and operative to pass digital data between said in-building or in-vehicle and external networks;
  
  a first device in the building or in the vehicle comprising a microphone for sensing voice, the first device is operative to transmit a digital data corresponding to said sensed voice to said router over said one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks;
  
  a second device in the building or in the vehicle comprising an actuator that affects a phenomenon, the second device is operative to execute actuator commands received from said router over said one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks;
  
  a control server external to the building or to the vehicle storing said control logic, and communicatively coupled to said router over the Internet via said external network; and
  
  a voice processor having an output for processing said voice,wherein said control server is operative to produce actuator commands in response to the output of said voice processor according to said control logic and to transmit the actuator commands to said second device via said router, and wherein said voice processor is entirely or in part in said first device, said router, or said control server.
- View Dependent Claims (98, 99)
- - 98. The system according to claim 97 wherein at least one of the in-building or in-vehicle networks is a Body Area Network (BAN), at least one of said router, said first device, and said second device further comprising a BAN interface, and said BAN interface includes a BAN port and a BAN transceiver, and wherein the BAN is a Wireless BAN (WBAN), said BAN port is an antenna, said BAN transceiver is a WBAN modem, and the BAN is according to, or based on, IEEE 802.15.6 standard.
  - 99. The system according to claim 98 wherein the BAN is a Wireless BAN (WBAN), said BAN port is an antenna, said BAN transceiver is a WBAN modem, and the BAN is according to, or based on, IEEE 802.15.6 standard.

100. A system for commanding an actuator operation in response to a sensor response associated with a phenomenon according to a control logic, for use with one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks for communication in a building or in a vehicle, and an external network at least in part external to the building or to the vehicle, the system comprising:
- a router in a single enclosure in the building or in the vehicle, coupled between the one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks and the external network, and operative to pass digital data between the in-building and external networks;
  
  a first device in a single enclosure in the building or in the vehicle comprising, or connectable to, the sensor that responds to the phenomenon, said first device is operative to transmit a sensor data corresponding to the phenomenon to said router over the one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks;
  
  a second device in a single enclosure in the building or in the vehicle comprising, or connectable to, an actuator that affects the phenomenon, the second device is operative to execute actuator commands received from said router over said one or more in-building or in-vehicle networks; and
  
  a control server external to the building or to the vehicle storing said control logic and coupled to said router over the Internet via the external network,wherein said control server is operative to receive the sensor data from said router, to produce actuator commands in response to the received sensor digital data according to said control logic, and to transmit the actuator commands to said second device via said router.
- View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201)
- - 101. The system according to claim 100, wherein the actuator is a light source that emits visible or non-visible light for illumination or indication, the non-visible light is infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays, or gamma rays, and wherein the light source is an electric light source for converting electrical energy into light.
  - 102. The system according to claim 101, wherein the electric light source consists of, or comprises, a lamp, an incandescent lamp, a gas discharge lamp, a fluorescent lamp, a Solid-State Lighting (SSL), a Light Emitting Diode (LED), an Organic LED (OLED), a polymer LED (PLED), or a laser diode.
  - 103. The system according to claim 100, wherein the actuator is a motion actuator that causes linear or rotary motion, and said system further comprising a conversion mechanism for respectfully converting to rotary or linear motion based on a screw, a wheel and axle, or a cam.
  - 104. The system according to claim 100, wherein one or more of the in-building or in-vehicle networks is a wired network using a cable for carrying a communication signal, and wherein said router, said first device, or said second device further comprising a connector for connecting to the cable, and wherein the cable is connectable to simultaneously carry a DC or AC power signal and the communication signal.
  - 105. The system according to claim 104, wherein said router, said first device, or said second device is further operative to supply at least in part of the power signal or to be at least in part powered from the power signal.
  - 106. The system according to claim 104, wherein the power signal is carried over dedicated wires in the cable, and wherein said wires are distinct from the wires in the cable carrying the communication signal.
  - 107. The system according to claim 104, wherein the power signal and the communication signal are concurrently carried over same wires in the cable, and wherein said connectable device further comprising a power/data splitter arrangement having first, second and third ports, wherein only the communication signal is passed between the first and second ports, and only the power signal is passed between the first and third ports, and wherein the first port is coupled to the connector.
  - 108. The system according to claim 107, wherein the power and communication signals are carried using Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM), where the power signal is carried over a power signal frequency or a power frequency band, and the communication signal is carried over a frequency band above and distinct from the power signal frequency or the power frequency band, and wherein the power/data splitter comprising an HPF between the first and second ports and a LPF between the first and third ports, or wherein said power/data splitter comprising a transformer and a capacitor connected to the transformer windings.
  - 109. The system according to claim 107, wherein said power and digital data signals are carried using a phantom scheme, and the said power/data splitter comprising at least two transformers having a center-tap connection.
  - 110. The system according to claim 104, wherein said power and digital data signals are carried substantially according to IEEE 802.3af-2003 or IEEE 802.3at-2009 standards.
  - 111. The system according to claim 100, wherein the actuator is a sounder for converting an electrical energy to omnidirectional, unidirectional, or bidirectional pattern emitted, audible or inaudible, sound waves.
  - 112. The system according to claim 100 wherein two devices out of a group consisting of said router, said first device, said second device, and said control server are operative for communicating using multiple data paths that are in part or in full, distinct or independent, from each other.
  - 113. The system according to claim 112 wherein the multiple data paths are of a same type, or are using multiple networks that are similar, identical, or different from each other.
  - 114. The system according to claim 112 wherein the multiple data paths are using multiple networks, and wherein:
    - at least two out of the multiple networks use similar, identical, or different network mediums;
      
      at least two out of the multiple networks use similar, identical, or different protocols;
      
      or at least two out of the multiple networks are coupled to using similar, identical, or different physical layers.
  - 115. The system according to claim 112 wherein the multiple data paths are using multiple networks, and wherein:
    - all of the multiple networks use similar, identical, or different network mediums;
      
      all of the multiple networks use similar, identical, or different protocols;
      
      or all of the multiple networks are coupled to using similar, identical, or different physical layers.
  - 116. The system according to claim 112 wherein the multiple data paths are using multiple networks, and wherein:
    - at least one network is a wired network and at least one network is a wireless network;
      
      at least one network is based on conductive medium and at least one network is based on non-conductive medium, the conductive medium is coaxial cable, twisted-pair, powerlines, or telephone lines, and the non-conductive medium is using RF, light or sound guided or over-the-air propagation;
      
      at least one network is packet-based and at least one network is circuit-switched;
      
      at least one network is a private network and at least one network is public;
      
      at least two networks use different line codes or provide different data-rates;
      
      at least two networks use different duplexing schemes selected from a group consisting of half-duplex, full-duplex, and unidirectional;
      
      at least two networks use different modulation schemes selected from a group consisting of AM, FM, and PM;
      
      or at least two networks are of different types selected from a group consisting of NFC, PAN, LAN, MAN and WAN.
  - 117. The system according to claim 100 wherein a device out of a group consisting of said router, said first device, said second device, and said control server, is operative for communicating with another device from the group over multiple data paths.
  - 118. The system according to claim 117 wherein said device comprises multiple network interfaces each associated with a respective data path over a respective data path network that is coupled to said respective network interface, and wherein each of said network interfaces comprises a transceiver or a modem for transmitting digital data to, and receiving digital data from, the respective data path network, and a network port for coupling to the respective data path network.
  - 119. The system according to claim 118 wherein at least two out of said network interfaces are of a same type, or wherein all of said network interfaces are of a same type.
  - 120. The system according to claim 118 wherein at least two out of said network interfaces use similar, identical, or different transceivers or modems, or wherein all of said network interfaces use similar, identical, or different transceivers or modems.
  - 121. The system according to claim 118 wherein at least two out of said network interfaces use similar, identical, or different network ports, or wherein all of said network interfaces use similar, identical, or different network ports.
  - 122. The system according to claim 118 wherein at least two out of the data path networks are based on a conductive medium, and wherein said respective network ports are connectors.
  - 123. The system according to claim 122 wherein one or more of said connectors is selected from a group consisting of a coaxial connector, a twisted-pair connector, an AC power connector, a telephone connector.
  - 124. The system according to claim 118 wherein at least two out of the data path networks are based on a non-conductive medium, and wherein said respective network ports are non-conductive couplers.
  - 125. The system according to claim 169 wherein said non-conductive couplers are selected from a group consisting of an antenna, a light emitter, a light detector, a microphone, a speaker, and a fiber-optics connector.
  - 126. The system according to claim 118 wherein one of the data path networks is based on conductive medium, and wherein said respective network port is a connector, and wherein one out of the data path networks is based on a non-conductive medium, and wherein said respective network port is a non-conductive coupler.
  - 127. The system according to claim 118 wherein two out of said modems are of different scales selected from a group consisting of NFC, PAN, LAN, MAN or WAN modems, wherein two out of said modems use different modulation schemes selected from a group consisting of AM, FM, and PM, wherein two out of said modems use different duplexing schemes selected from a group consisting of half-duplex, full-duplex, and unidirectional, wherein at least one out of said modems is packet-based and at least one out of said modems is circuit-switched, or wherein one of said network ports is used by two distinct network interfaces, designated as first and second network interfaces.
  - 128. The system according to claim 127 wherein said first and second network interfaces are operative to communicate over a same network using FDM, where said first network interface is using a first frequency band and said second network interface is using a second frequency band.
  - 129. The system according to claim 173 wherein the first and second frequency bands are distinct from each other or wherein the first and second frequency bands are in part or in whole overlapping over each other, and wherein said first and second network interfaces further respectively comprising a first and second filters for substantially passing only signals in the first and second frequency bands respectively.
  - 130. The system according to claim 118 wherein said device is operative to send a packet to said another device via said one or more said network interfaces to be carried over the one or more data paths, the packet comprising a source address, a destination address, an information type, and an information content, and the packet is sent via one or more of said network interfaces selected by a fixed, adaptive, or dynamic selection mechanism.
  - 131. The system according to claim 130 wherein a same packet is sent via two or more of said network interfaces, or wherein a same packet is sent via all said network interfaces.
  - 132. The system according to claim 130 wherein a distinct number is assigned to each of said network interfaces, and wherein said selection mechanism is using, or based on, the assigned numbers.
  - 133. The system according to claim 132 wherein the assigned numbers represent priority levels associated with said network interfaces, and the network interface having the highest priority level is selected.
  - 134. The system according to claim 132 wherein the one of said network interfaces is randomly selected, or wherein the selection mechanism is based on cyclic selection.
  - 135. The system according to claim 132 wherein the assigned numbers are based on the associated networks types or attributes or the performance history, or wherein the assigned numbers are based on the current or past associated networks data rates, transfer delays, networks mediums or networks mediums types, qualities, duplexing schemes, line codes, modulation schemes, switching mechanisms, throughputs, or usages.
  - 136. The system according to claim 130 wherein the one or more network interfaces are selected based on the packet source address, based on the packet destination address, based on the packet information type, or based on the packet information content.
  - 137. The system according to claim 100, wherein said second device further comprising a first electrically actuated switch, the electrically actuated switch coupled for connecting an electric signal to the actuator, and wherein said electrically actuated switch is actuated is responsive to the control commands.
  - 138. The system according to claim 137, wherein the electric signal is a power signal from a power source, and wherein said first electrically actuated switch is coupled between the power source and the actuator.
  - 139. The system according to claim 137, wherein said first electrically actuated switch is ‘
    - normally open’
      
      type, ‘
      
      normally closed’
      
      type, or a changeover switch, wherein said first electrically actuated switch is ‘
      
      make-before-break’
      
      or ‘
      
      break-before-make’
      
      type, wherein said first electrically actuated switch have two or more poles or two or more throws, and the contacts of said first electrically actuated switch are arranged as a Single-Pole-Double-Throw (SPDT), Double-Pole-Double-Throw (DPDT), Double-Pole-Single-Throw (DPST), or Single-Pole-Changeover (SPCO), wherein said first electrically actuated switch is a latching or non-latching type relay, and wherein said relay is a solenoid-based electromagnetic relay that is a reed relay, wherein said relay is solid-state or semiconductor based, or wherein said relay is a Solid State Relay (SSR), wherein said first switch is based on an electrical circuit that comprises an open collector transistor, an open drain transistor, a thyristor, a TRIAC, or an opto-isolator, or wherein said second device further comprising a second electrically actuated switch that is connected in parallel or in series with the said first electrically actuated switch.
  - 140. The system according to claim 100, wherein said control server is operative to analyze the sensor data versus the transmitted actuator commands.
  - 141. The system according to claim 140, wherein the sensor transfer function is characterized as S(s), the actuator transfer function is characterized as C(s), the actuator command is characterized as A(s), and the sensor data is characterized as F(s), and wherein the analysis include the calculation of F(s)/[S(s)*A(s)*C(s)].
  - 142. The system according to claim 140, wherein the analysis is used to estimate or determine a phenomenon characteristics or parameter.
  - 143. The system according to claim 140, wherein the analysis is used as a sensor data by the control logic, and the system is further periodically operative for initiating actuator commands and for analyzing the sensor data versus the transmitted actuator commands.
  - 144. The system according to claim 100 further implementing redundancy, where the system further includes an additional sensor that respond to the phenomenon by outputting additional sensor data, an additional actuator that affects the phenomenon, or a redundant data path, and wherein the redundancy is based on Dual Modula redundancy (DMR), Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR), Quadruple Modular Redundancy (QMR), 1:
    - N Redundancy, ‘
      
      Cold Standby’
      
      , or ‘
      
      Hot Standby’
      
      .
  - 145. The system according to claim 144 wherein said additional sensor is identical, similar, or different from the sensor, said control server is operative to receive said additional sensor data, and said control logic produces actuator commands in response to the received said additional sensor data.
  - 146. The system according to claim 144 wherein said additional actuator is identical, similar, or different from the actuator.
  - 147. The system according to claim 144 wherein the redundant data path is identical to, similar to, or different from, a data path connecting devices in the system.
  - 148. The system according to claim 144 further including an additional sensor that responds to the phenomenon, and wherein said control server is operative to receive the additional sensor data, and wherein said control logic at one time produce actuator commands in response only to the received additional sensor digital data.
  - 149. The system according to claim 148 further including a third device in the building or in the vehicle comprising said additional sensor that responds to the phenomenon, said third device is operative to transmit the additional sensor data to said router over one of the in-building or in-vehicle networks.
  - 150. The system according to claim 144 further including an additional actuator that affects the phenomenon, and wherein said control server is operative to transmit the additional actuator commands to said additional actuator.
  - 151. The system according to claim 144 further including an additional actuator that affects the phenomenon, and wherein said control server at one time is operative to transmit the additional actuator commands only to said additional actuator.
  - 152. The system according to claim 151 further including a third device in the building or in the vehicle comprising said additional actuator that affects the phenomenon, said third device is operative to receive and execute the additional actuator commands received from said router.
  - 153. The system according to claim 100 further comprising a third device that comprises an additional sensor that responds to a second phenomenon, the third device is operative to transmit said additional sensor data corresponding to the second phenomenon to said router over one of the in-building or in-vehicle networks.
  - 154. The system according to claim 153 wherein the second phenomenon is same as, or distinct from, the phenomenon, and the type of said sensor of said third device is distinct or of a same type of the sensor, and wherein said third device communicates with said router over the same, or over a distinct, in-building or in-vehicle network used by said first device.
  - 155. The system according to claim 100 further comprising a third device that comprises an additional actuator that affects a second phenomenon, the third device is operative to receive the additional actuator commands from said router over one of the in-building or in-vehicle networks.
  - 156. The system according to claim 155 wherein the second phenomenon is same as, or distinct from, the phenomenon.
  - 157. The system according to claim 155 wherein the type of said additional actuator is same as, or distinct from, the type of the actuator.
  - 158. The system according to claim 155 wherein said third device communicates with said router over an in-building or in-vehicle network that is distinct from, or of a same type as, the in-building or in-vehicle network used by said second device.
  - 159. The system according to claim 100, wherein said first device, said second device, or said router is integrated in part or entirely in an appliance.
  - 160. The system according to claim 159, wherein a primary functionality of said appliance is associated with food storage, handling, or preparation.
  - 161. The system according to claim 160, wherein a primary function of said appliance is heating food, and wherein said appliance is a microwave oven, an electric mixer, a stove, an oven, or an induction cooker.
  - 162. The system according to claim 160, wherein said appliance is a refrigerator, a freezer, a food processor, a dishwashers, a food blender, a beverage maker, a coffeemaker, or a iced-tea maker.
  - 163. The system according to claim 159, wherein a primary function of said appliance is associated with environmental control, and said appliance consists of, or is part of, an HVAC system.
  - 164. The system according to claim 163, wherein a primary function of said appliance is associated with temperature control, and wherein said appliance is an air conditioner or a heater.
  - 165. The system according to claim 159, wherein a primary function of said appliance is associated with cleaning, wherein said primary function is associated with clothes cleaning, and the appliance is a washing machine or a clothes dryer, or wherein said appliance is a vacuum cleaner.
  - 166. The system according to claim 159, wherein a primary function of said appliance is associated with water control or water heating.
  - 167. The system according to claim 159, wherein said appliance is an answering machine, a telephone set, a home cinema system, a HiFi system, a CD or DVD player, an electric furnace, a trash compactor, a smoke detector, a light fixture, or a dehumidifier.
  - 168. The system according to claim 159, wherein said appliance is a battery-operated portable electronic device, and said appliance is a notebook, a laptop computer, a media player, a cellular phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), an image processing device, a digital camera, a video recorder, or a handheld computing device.
  - 169. The system according to claim 159, wherein said integration involves sharing a component.
  - 170. The system according to claim 169, wherein said integration involves housing in same enclosure, sharing same processor, or mounting onto same surface.
  - 171. The system according to claim 169, wherein said integration involves sharing a same connector.
  - 172. The system according to claim 171, wherein said connector is a power connector for connecting to a power source, and wherein said integration involves sharing the same connector for being powered from same power source, or wherein said integration involves sharing same power supply.
  - 173. The system according to claim 100, wherein said first device or said second device is integrated with, or enclosed with, said router.
  - 174. The system according to claim 100 wherein the sensor is an image sensor for capturing still or video image, and the system further comprising an image processor having an output for processing the captured image.
  - 175. The system according to claim 174 wherein said image processor is entirely or in part in said first device, said router, said control server, or any combination thereof, and wherein said control logic responds to the output of said image processor.
  - 176. The system according to claim 174 wherein said image sensor is a digital video sensor for capturing digital video content, and wherein said image processor is operative for enhancing said video content using image stabilization, unsharp masking, or super-resolution.
  - 177. The system according to claim 174 wherein said image sensor is a digital video sensor for capturing digital video content, and wherein said image processor is operative for Video Content Analysis (VCA).
  - 178. The system according to claim 177 wherein said VCA includes Video Motion Detection (VMD), video tracking, egomotion estimation, identification, behavior analysis, situation awareness, dynamic masking, motion detection, object detection, face recognition, automatic number plate recognition, tamper detection, video tracking, or pattern recognition.
  - 179. The system according to claim 174 wherein said image processor is operative for detecting a location of an element in the captured image.
  - 180. The system according to claim 179 wherein the element is a human body part.
  - 181. The system according to claim 180 wherein the element is a human face or a human hand.
  - 182. The system according to claim 179 wherein said image processor is operative for detecting a motion of the element in the captured image, or wherein said image processor is operative for detecting multiple elements in the captured image, and said image processor is operative for detecting and counting a number of the elements in the captured image.
  - 183. The system according to claim 100 wherein at least one of the in-building or in-vehicle networks is a Personal Area Network (PAN), at least one of said router, said first device, and said second device further comprising a PAN interface, and said PAN interface includes a PAN port and a PAN transceiver.
  - 184. The system according to claim 183 wherein the PAN is a Wireless PAN (WPAN), said PAN port is an antenna, and said PAN transceiver is a WPAN modem, and wherein the WPAN is according to, or based on, Bluetooth™
    - or IEEE 802.15.1-2005 standards, or wherein the WPAN is a wireless control network that is according to, or based on, Zigbee™
      
      , IEEE 802.15.4-2003, or Z-Wave™
      
      standards.
  - 185. The system according to claim 100 wherein:
    - at least one of the in-building or in-vehicle networks is a Local Area Network (LAN);
      
      at least one of said router, said first device, and said second device further comprising a LAN interface; and
      
      said LAN interface includes a LAN port and a LAN transceiver.
  - 186. The system according to claim 185 wherein:
    - the LAN is a wired LAN using a wired LAN medium;
      
      said LAN port is a LAN connector; and
      
      said LAN transceiver is a LAN modem, and wherein;
      
      the LAN is Ethernet based; and
      
      the wired LAN is according to, or based on, IEEE 802.3-2008 standard.
  - 187. The system according to claim 186 wherein:
    - the wired LAN medium is based on twisted-pair copper cables;
      
      said LAN interface is 10Base-T, 100Base-T, 100Base-TX, 100Base-T2, 100Base-T4, 1000Base-T, 1000Base-TX, 10GBase-CX4, or 10GBase-T; and
      
      said LAN connector is RJ-45 type, or wherein;
      
      said wired LAN medium is based on an optical fiber;
      
      said LAN interface is 10Base-FX, 100Base-SX, 100Base-BX, 100Base-LX10, 1000Base-CX, 1000Base-SX, 1000Base-LX, 1000Base-LX10, 1000Base-ZX, 1000Base-BX10, 10GBase-SR, 10GBase-LR, 10GBase-LRM, 10GBase-ER, 10GBase-ZR, or 10GBase-LX4; and
      
      said LAN connector is a fiber-optic connector.
  - 188. The system according to claim 185 wherein:
    - the LAN is a Wireless LAN (WLAN);
      
      said LAN port is a WLAN antenna; and
      
      said LAN transceiver is a WLAN modem, and wherein the WLAN is according to, or base on, IEEE 802.11-2012, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, or IEEE 802.11ac.
  - 189. The system according to claim 100 wherein:
    - at least one of said in-building or in-vehicle networks is a packet-based or a circuit-switched-based Home Network (HN);
      
      at least one of said router, said first device, and said second device further comprising a HN interface; and
      
      said HN interface includes a HN port and a HN transceiver, and wherein;
      
      the HN is a wired HN using a wired HN medium;
      
      said HN port is an HN connector; and
      
      said HN transceiver is an HN modem, and wherein the wired HN medium comprises a wiring primarily installed for carrying a service signal, where the wiring is in-wall wiring connected to by a wiring connector at a service outlet.
  - 190. The system according to claim 189 wherein:
    - said wiring is a telephone wire pair;
      
      the service signal is an analog telephone signal (POTS); and
      
      said wiring connector is a telephone connector, and wherein said FIN is according to, or based on, HomePNA standard, ITU-T Recommendation G.9954, ITU-T Recommendation G.9960, ITU-T Recommendation G.9970, or ITU-T Recommendation G.9961.
  - 191. The system according to claim 189 wherein:
    - said wiring is a coaxial cable;
      
      the service signal is a Cable Television (CATV) signal; and
      
      said wiring connector is a coaxial connector, wherein said FIN is according to, or based on, HomePNA standard or Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) standard that is according to, or based on, ITU-T Recommendation G.9954, ITU-T Recommendation G.9960, ITU-T Recommendation G.9970, or ITU-T Recommendation G.9961.
  - 192. The system according to claim 189 wherein:
    - the wiring is an AC power wires;
      
      the service signal is an AC power signal; and
      
      said wiring connector is an AC power connector, and wherein the FIN is according to, or based on, HomePlug™
      
      standard, HD-PLC standard, Universal Powerline Association (UPA) standard, IEEE 1901-2010, ITU-T Recommendation G.9960, ITU-T Recommendation G.9961, ITU-T Recommendation G.9970, or ITU-T Recommendation G.9972.
  - 193. The system according to claim 100 wherein the external network is a packet-based or a circuit-switched-based Wide Area Network (WAN), and wherein said router comprising a WAN interface, and wherein said WAN interface includes a WAN port and a WAN transceiver.
  - 194. The system according to claim 193 wherein the WAN is a wired WAN using a wired WAN medium, said WAN port is a WAN connector, and said WAN transceiver is a WAN modem, and wherein the wired WAN medium comprises a wiring primarily installed for carrying a service signal to the building or to the vehicle.
  - 195. The system according to claim 194 wherein the wired WAN medium comprises one or more telephone wire pairs primarily designed for carrying an analog telephone signal, and wherein said external network is using Digital Subscriber Line/Loop (DSL).
  - 196. The system according to claim 195 wherein the external network is based on Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), ADSL2 or on ADSL2+, according to, or based on, ANSI T1.413, ITU-T Recommendation G.992.1, ITU-T Recommendation G.992.2, ITU-T Recommendation G.992.3, ITU-T Recommendation G.992.4, or ITU-T Recommendation G.992.5, or wherein the external network is based on Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL), according to, or based on, ITU-T Recommendation G.993.1 or ITU-T Recommendation G.993.2.
  - 197. The system according to claim 194 wherein the wired WAN medium comprises AC power wires primarily designed for carrying an AC power signal to the building or to the vehicle, and the network is using Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) according to, or based on, IEEE 1675-2008 or IEEE 1901-2010, wherein the wired WAN medium comprises coaxial cable primarily designed for carrying a CATV to the building or to the vehicle, and the network is using Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS), according to, or based on, ITU-T Recommendation J.112, ITU-T Recommendation J.122, or ITU-T Recommendation J.222, or wherein the wired WAN medium comprises an optical fiber, said WAN connector is a fiber-optic connector, and the WAN is based on Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH), Fiber-To-The-Building (FTTB), Fiber-To-The-Premises (FTTP), Fiber-To-The-Curb (FTTC), or Fiber-To-The-Node (FTTN).
  - 198. The system according to claim 193 wherein the WAN is a wireless broadband network over a licensed or unlicensed radio frequency band, said WAN port is an antenna, and said WAN transceiver is a wireless modem, and wherein the unlicensed radio frequency band is an Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band.
  - 199. The system according to claim 198 wherein the wireless network is a satellite network, said antenna is a satellite antenna, and said wireless modem is a satellite modem.
  - 200. The system according to claim 198 wherein the wireless network is a WiMAX network, wherein said antenna is a WiMAX antenna and said wireless modem is a WiMAX modem, and the WiMAX network is according to, or based on, IEEE 802.16-2009.
  - 201. The system according to claim 198 wherein the wireless network is a cellular telephone network, said antenna is a cellular antenna, and said wireless modem is a cellular modem, and wherein the cellular telephone network is a Third Generation (3G) network that uses UMTS W-CDMA, UMTS HSPA, UMTS TDD, CDMA2000 1xRTT, CDMA2000 EV-DO, or GSM EDGE-Evolution, or wherein the cellular telephone network is a Fourth Generation (4G) network that uses HSPA+, Mobile WiMAX, LTE, LTE-Advanced, MBWA, or is based on IEEE 802.20-2008.

202. A vehicle control system for commanding an actuator operation according in response to a sensor response associated with a phenomenon to a control, for use with one or more in-vehicle networks for communication in a vehicle, and one or more external networks for communicating with an Internet-connected control server via another vehicle or a roadside unit external to the vehicle, the system comprising:
- a router in the vehicle, connected to the one or more in-vehicle networks and to the one or more of the external networks, and operative to pass digital data between said in-vehicle and one or more of the external networks;
  
  a first device in the vehicle comprising of, or connectable to, a sensor that responds to the phenomenon, the first device is operative to transmit a sensor digital data corresponding to the phenomenon to said router over said one or more in-vehicle networks;
  
  a second device in the vehicle comprising of, or connectable to, an actuator that affects the phenomenon, the second device is operative to execute actuator commands received from said router over said one or more in-vehicle networks; and
  
  a control server external to the vehicle storing the control logic, and communicatively coupled to said router over the Internet via said one or more of the external networks,wherein said control server is operative to receive the sensor digital data from said router, to produce actuator commands in response to the received sensor digital data according to the control logic, and to transmit the actuator commands to said second device via said router.
- View Dependent Claims (203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222)
- - 203. The system according to claim 202, wherein at least one of said external network is a vehicle-to-vehicle network for communicating with said control server via another vehicle.
  - 204. The system according to claim 202, wherein at least one of the external networks is communicating with a stationary device, and wherein the stationary device is a roadside unit.
  - 205. The system according to claim 202, wherein said router, said first device, and said second device are mechanical attached to the vehicle.
  - 206. The system according to claim 202, wherein the vehicle is adapted for travelling on land, or water, or is airborne.
  - 207. The system according to claim 202, wherein the vehicle is one out of a bicycle, a car, a motorcycle, a train, a ship, an aircraft, a boat, a spacecraft, a boat, a submarine, a dirigible, an electric scooter, a subway, a train, a trolleybus, a tram, a sailboat, a yacht, and an airplane.
  - 208. The system according to claim 202, wherein the sensor is operative to sense the phenomenon in the vehicle, external to the vehicle, or associated with surroundings around the vehicle.
  - 209. The system according to claim 202, wherein the actuator is operative to affect the phenomenon in the vehicle, external to the vehicle, or associated with surroundings around the vehicle.
  - 210. The system according to claim 202, wherein the vehicle is an automobile, and wherein said system is coupled to monitor or control a Engine Control Unit (ECU), a Transmission Control Unit (TCU), a Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), or Body Control Modules (BCM) of the automobile.
  - 211. The system according to claim 202 further integrated with or being part of a vehicular communication system used for improved safety, traffic flow control, traffic reporting, or traffic management.
  - 212. The system according to claim 202 further used for parking help, cruise control, lane keeping, road sign recognition, surveillance, speed limit warning, restricted entries, and pull-over commands, travel information, cooperative adaptive cruise control, cooperative forward collision warning, intersection collision avoidance, approaching emergency vehicle warning, vehicle safety inspection, transit or emergency vehicle signal priority, electronic parking payments, commercial vehicle clearance and safety inspections, in-vehicle signing, rollover warning, probe data collection, highway-rail intersection warning, or electronic toll collection.
  - 213. The system according to claim 202, wherein one or more of the in-vehicle networks is a vehicle bus.
  - 214. The system according to claim 213, wherein the vehicle bus is according to, or based on, Control Area Network (CAN) or Local Interconnect Network (LIN).
  - 215. The system according to claim 202, wherein one or more of the in-vehicle networks is using is a communication medium that is based on DC power lines of the vehicle.
  - 216. The system according to claim 202, wherein the vehicle further comprising an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) system.
  - 217. The system according to claim 216, wherein said system is coupled to or integrated with the OBD system.
  - 218. The system according to claim 217, wherein the OBD system is according to, or based on, OBD-II or EOBD (European On-Board Diagnostics) standards.
  - 219. The system according to claim 217, wherein the OBD system further comprises a diagnostics connector, and wherein said router, said first device, or said second device are coupled to the diagnostics connector.
  - 220. The system according to claim 219, wherein said router, said first device, or said second device are at least in part powered via the diagnostics connector.
  - 221. The system according to claim 202, wherein said router is operative to communicate to said control server an information regarding fuel and air metering, ignition system, misfire, auxiliary emission control, vehicle speed and idle control, transmission, on-board computer, fuel level, relative throttle position, ambient air temperature, accelerator pedal position, air flow rate, fuel type, oxygen level, fuel rail pressure, engine oil temperature, fuel injection timing, engine torque, engine coolant temperature, intake air temperature, exhaust gas temperature, fuel pressure, injection pressure, turbocharger pressure, boost pressure, exhaust pressure, exhaust gas temperature, engine run time, NOx sensor, manifold surface temperature, or a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
  - 222. The system according to claim 214, wherein one out of the in-vehicle networks is according to, or based on, SAE J1962, SAE J1850, SAE J1979, ISO 15765, or ISO 9141 standard.

223. A control system comprising:
- a sensor disposed in an enclosed environment that senses a condition in the enclosed environment and provides sensor data corresponding to the condition;
  
  an internal network extending substantially within the enclosed environment;
  
  an external network, coupled to the Internet, extending substantially outside the enclosed environment;
  
  a control server, disposed outside the enclosed environment, coupled to the Internet, said server receiving sensor data corresponding to the sensor data and executing control logic therein so as to generate actuator commands responsive to the received sensor data;
  
  a router coupled to said internal and external networks so as to pass information between said internal and external networks, and configured to deliver the sensor data from said internal to said external networks and to deliver the actuator commands from said external to said internal networks;
  
  an actuator disposed within the enclosed environment, receiving the actuator commands from said router, said actuator operative to affect the condition in the enclosed environment.
- View Dependent Claims (224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235)
- - 224. The system according to claim 223 wherein the external network or the internal network is a wireless network using a wireless communication over a licensed or an unlicensed radio frequency band.
  - 225. The system according to claim 224 wherein the unlicensed radio frequency band is an Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band.
  - 226. The system according to claim 224 wherein the unlicensed radio frequency band is about 60 GHz, and wherein the internal network is based on beamforming and supports a data rate of above 7 Gb/s and is used for in-room communication.
  - 227. The system according to claim 226 wherein the internal network is according to, or based on, WiGig™
    - , IEEE 802.1 lad, WirelessHD™
      
      , or IEEE 80215.3c-2009.
  - 228. The system according to claim 224 wherein the internal is operative to carry uncompressed video data according to, or based on, WHDI™
    - .
  - 229. The system according to claim 224 wherein the wireless network is using a white space spectrum or an analog television channel consisting of a 6 MHz, 7 MHz or 8 MHz frequency band, and allocated in a 54-806 MHz band, and the system is further operative for channel bonding, where the wireless network is using two or more analog television channels.
  - 230. The system according to claim 224 wherein the external network or at least one of the in-building or in-vehicle networks is using a wireless communication that is based on a Wireless Regional Area Network (WRAN) standard communicatively coupling a Base Station (BS) and one or more CPEs using OFDMA modulation.
  - 231. The system according to claim 230 wherein said router serves as a BS or as a CPE.
  - 232. The system according to claim 230 wherein the wireless communication is based on geographically-based cognitive radio, and is according to, or based on, IEEE 802.22 or IEEE 802.11af standards.
  - 233. The system according to claim 230 wherein said wireless network is based on, or is according to, Near Field Communication (NFC) that is based on a standard that is according to, or based on, ISO/IEC 18092, ECMA-340, ISO/IEC 21481, or ECMA-352, and wherein the wireless communication couples an initiator and a target.
  - 234. The system according to claim 233 wherein said wireless network is using a 13.56 MHz frequency band, a data rate of 106 Kb/s, 212 Kb/s, or 424 Kb/s, and a modulation that is Amplitude-Shift-Keying (ASK), and the wireless network is using a passive or an active communication mode.
  - 235. The system according to claim 234 wherein said router serves as an initiator or as a target or transponder.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Current Assignee
May Patents Ltd.
Original Assignee
May Patents Ltd.
Inventors
BINDER, Yehuda, MAYTAL, Benjamin

Application Number

US13/733,634
Publication Number

US 20130201316A1
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

348/77
CPC Class Codes

B60K 31/00   Vehicle fittings, acting on...

B60K 31/18   including a device to audib...

B60Y 2200/11   Passenger cars; Automobiles

B60Y 2200/12   Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads;...

B60Y 2200/126   Scooters

B60Y 2200/13   Bicycles; Tricycles

B60Y 2200/30   Railway vehicles

B60Y 2200/40   Special vehicles

B60Y 2200/50   Aeroplanes, Helicopters

B60Y 2200/90   Vehicles comprising electri...

G06Q 2240/00   Transportation facility acc...

G07C 3/02   Registering or indicating w...

G07C 5/008   communicating information t...

G08G 1/00   Traffic control systems for...

H04L 67/12   specially adapted for propr...

Y04S 40/18   Network protocols supportin...

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SERVER BASED CONTROL

First Claim

1 Assignment

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

1190 Citations

235 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SERVER BASED CONTROL

First Claim

1 Assignment

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

1190 Citations

235 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links