METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A HOME DEVICE REMOTELY IN A HOME NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 20140167931A1
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, Keun-Cheol, KWEON, Ji-Hyeon, KIM, Kyung-Jae, CHOI, Jae-Won
• Granted Patent: US 9,978,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/31 Voice input
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment

Abstract

Provided is a remote control method and apparatus in a home network system including multiple home devices. The remote control method includes receiving operation state information from the respective multiple home devices, receiving a control command for operation control of at least one of the multiple home devices from a user device, determining a control target home device based on the control command, sending the control command to the determined control target home device, receiving processing result information corresponding to execution of the control command from the control target home device, and transmitting the processing result information to the user device.

Claims

1. A remote control method in a home network system comprising multiple home devices, the remote control method comprising:

receiving operation state information from the respective multiple home devices;

receiving a control command for operation control of at least one of the multiple home devices from a user device;

determining a control target home device based on the control command;

sending the control command to the determined control target home device;

receiving processing result information corresponding to execution of the control command from the control target home device; and

transmitting the processing result information to the user device.

2. The remote control method of claim 1, wherein the control command received from the user device is generated by recognizing a voice command.

3. The remote control method of claim 1, wherein the control command comprises at least one of identification information of a corresponding home device, control details for the operation control, and authentication information of the user device.

4. The remote control method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the control target home device comprises excluding a home device, which has a malfunction possibility because a value indicating an operation state exceeds a reference value, from the control target home device among the at least one home device.

5. The remote control method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing floor plan information indicating room-specific arrangement of the multiple home devices and operation states of the multiple home devices to the user device, if the control command received from the user device comprises a request for providing the floor plan information.

6. The remote control method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting image information comprising image data, which is acquired by controlling at least one home device equipped with a camera among the multiple home devices, to the mobile terminal, if receiving an image information request for the control target home device from the user device.

7. The remote control method of claim 1, further comprising:

interpreting a received voice command and generating a control command for the operation control of the at least one home device, if receiving the voice command recognized by at least one voice recognition sensor.

8. The remote control method of claim 7, wherein the voice recognition sensor is mounted on at least one of the at least one home device.

9. The remote control method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering a user profile comprising user-specific voice information for voice recognition and user-specific authority information for the operation control of the at least one home device.

10. The remote control method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining based on the user profile whether to execute the control command, if receiving the control command.

11. The remote control method of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises at least one of a smart Television (TV), a mobile terminal, a tablet Personal Computer (PC), a remote controller, and an Internet Protocol (IP)-based wired/wireless phone.

12. A gateway apparatus for remote control in a home network system comprising multiple home devices, the gateway apparatus comprising:

at least one communication module configured to communicate with the multiple home devices and a user device in a wired/wireless manner; and

a controller configured to control operations of receiving operation state information from the respective multiple home devices, receiving a control command for operation control of at least one of the multiple home devices from a user device, determining a control target home device based on the control command, sending the control command to the determined control target home device, receiving processing result information corresponding to execution of the control command from the control target home device, and transmitting the processing result information to the user device.

13. The gateway apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control command received from the user device is generated by recognizing a voice command.

14. The gateway apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control command comprises at least one of identification information of a corresponding home device, control details for the operation control, and authentication information of the user device.

15. The gateway apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller further controls an operation of excluding a home device, which has a malfunction possibility because a value indicating an operation state exceeds a reference value, from the control target home device among the at least one home device.

16. The gateway apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller further controls an operation of providing floor plan information indicating room-specific arrangement of the multiple home devices and operation states of the multiple home devices to the user device, if the control command received from the user device comprises a request for providing the floor plan information.

17. The gateway apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller further controls an operation of transmitting image information comprising image data, which is acquired by controlling at least one home device equipped with a camera among the multiple home devices, to the mobile terminal, if receiving an image information request for the control target home device from the user device.

18. The gateway apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller further controls an operation of interpreting a received voice command and generating a control command for the operation control of the at least one home device, if receiving the voice command recognized by at least one voice recognition sensor.

19. The gateway apparatus of claim 18, wherein the voice recognition sensor is mounted on at least one of the at least one home device.

20. The gateway apparatus of claim 12, the controller further controls an operation of registering a user profile comprising user-specific voice information for voice recognition and user-specific authority information for the operation control of the at least one home device.

21. The gateway apparatus of claim 20, the controller further controls an operation of determining based on the user profile whether to execute the control command, if receiving the control command.

22. The gateway apparatus of claim 12, wherein the user device comprises at least one of a smart Television (TV), a mobile terminal, a tablet Personal Computer (PC), a remote controller, and an Internet Protocol (IP)-based wired/wireless phone.

23. A remote control method in a home network system comprising multiple home devices, the remote control method comprising:

sending a control command for operation control of at least one of the multiple home devices to a Home GateWay (HGW) that collects operation state information of the multiple home devices and controls operations of the multiple home devices; and

receiving processing result information corresponding to execution of the control command from the HGW in response to the sending of the control command,

wherein the control command is generated by recognizing a voice command of a user.

24. The remote control method of claim 23, wherein the control command comprises at least one of identification information of a corresponding home device, control details for the operation control, and authentication information of the user device.

25. The remote control method of claim 23, further comprising receiving floor plan information indicating room-specific arrangement of the multiple home devices and operation states of the multiple home devices from the HGW, if the control command received from the user device comprises a request for providing the floor plan information.

26. The remote control method of claim 23, further comprising registering a user profile comprising voice information of the user and user-specific authority information for the operation control of the at least one home device in the HGW.

27. The remote control method of claim 26, further comprising receiving a notification message indicating whether the user is a registered user based on the user profile from the HGW.

28. The remote control method of claim 26, further comprising receiving a notification message indicating whether authority of the user is given to the control command based on the user profile from the HGW.

29. A user device for remote control in a home network system comprising multiple home devices, the user device comprising:

at least one communication module configured to communicate with a network entity that controls operations of the multiple home devices; and

a controller configured to control operations of sending a control command for operation control of at least one of the multiple home devices to a Home GateWay (HGW) that collects operation state information of the multiple home devices and controls operations of the multiple home devices and receiving processing result information corresponding to execution of the control command from the HGW in response to the sending of the control command,

wherein the control command is generated by recognizing a voice command of a user.

30. The user device of claim 29, wherein the control command comprises at least one of identification information of a corresponding home device, control details for the operation control, and authentication information of the user device.

31. The user device of claim 29, wherein the controller further controls an operation of receiving floor plan information indicating room-specific arrangement of the multiple home devices and operation states of the multiple home devices from the HGW, if the control command received from the user device comprises a request for providing the floor plan information.

32. The user device of claim 29, wherein the controller further controls an operation of registering a user profile comprising voice information of the user and user-specific authority information for the operation control of the at least one home device in the HGW.

33. The user device of claim 32, wherein the controller further controls an operation of receiving a notification message indicating whether the user is a registered user based on the user profile from the HGW.

34. The user device of claim 32, wherein the controller further controls an operation of receiving a notification message indicating whether authority of the user is given to the control command based on the user profile from the HGW.