SMART HOME SYSTEM USING PORTABLE DEVICE

• US 20140207707A1
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hawng, Dong Yun, NA, Il Kang, Lee, Gye Young, Song, Kwan Woo
• Granted Patent: US 9,948,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• 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 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1033 Signalling gateways

Abstract

A smart home system using a portable device in which a gateway function is installed in the portable device to provide a smart home service using a multiplex gateway, and a control method thereof is provided. The smart home system includes one or more portable devices and one or more home appliances located in a home, each of the one or more portable devices and one or more home appliances having a gateway, a home network to interconnect the one or more portable devices and the one or more home appliances, and a master device selected from among the one or more portable devices or the one or more home appliances, the master device activating the gateway thereof to connect the home network with an external communication network, wherein the master device transfers a home appliance control command to a corresponding one of the one or more home appliances.

Claims

1. A smart home system comprising:

one or more portable devices and one or more home appliances located in a home, the one or more portable devices and the one or more home appliances having a gateway;

a home network to interconnect the one or more portable devices and the one or more home appliances; and

a master device selected from among the one or more portable devices or the one or more home appliances, the master device activating the gateway thereof to connect the home network with an external communication network,

wherein the master device receives a home appliance control command input from a user and transfers the received home appliance control command to a corresponding one of the one or more home appliances.

2. The smart home system according to claim 1, wherein one of the one or more portable devices is selected as the master device when the one or more portable devices are connected to the home network.

3. The smart home system according to claim 1, wherein one of the one or more home appliances is selected as the master device when only the one or more home appliances are connected to the home network.

4. The smart home system according to claim 1, wherein the master device is selected from among the one or more portable devices or the one or more home appliances based on Internet protocol (IP) address information of the one or more portable devices or one or more home appliances.

5. The smart home system according to claim 1, wherein the master device periodically transfers a check alive message to the one or more portable devices and one or more home appliances connected to the home network.

6. The smart home system according to claim 5, wherein one of the one or more portable devices or one or more home appliances connected to the home network is selected as a new master device when each of the one or more portable devices and one or more home appliances connected to the home network fails to receive the check alive message for a certain period of time.

7. The smart home system according to claim 1, wherein the master device transfers a synchronization message for data synchronization with the one or more home appliances connected to the home network or a history information request signal to the one or more home appliances.

8. The smart home system according to claim 7, wherein each of the one or more home appliances connected to the home network generates and stores history information upon receiving the synchronization message, and transfers the history information to the master device.

9. The smart home system according to claim 7, wherein each of the one or more home appliances connected to the home network determines whether a history index in the history information request signal is up-to-date information, upon receiving the history information request signal.

10. The smart home system according to claim 9, wherein each of the one or more home appliances connected to the home network transfers history information corresponding to the history index to the master device when the history index is determined to be up-to-date information.

11. The smart home system according to claim 9, wherein each of the one or more home appliances connected to the home network generates and stores latest history information when the history index is determined not to be up-to-date information, and transfers the latest history information to the master device.

38. The smart home system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more home appliances includes at least one of an illumination controller, a temperature controller, a door controller, a window controller, a security system controller, a home theater controller, and a medical system controller.

45. The smart home system according to claim 1, wherein a new master device is selected when a new portable device is additionally connected to the home network.

46. The smart home system according to claim 1, wherein:

the master device transfers a synchronization message for data synchronization with the one or more home appliances connected to the home network or a history information request signal to the one or more home appliances at a predetermined time; and

the predetermined time includes at least one of a time when a new portable device is connected to the home network, a time when the master device is connected to the home network for a first time, and when a connection change occurs among the one or more portable devices and home appliances connected to the home network.

47. The smart home system according to claim 1, wherein the external communication network is connected to a server.

48. The smart home system according to claim 47, wherein the external server transmits utility pricing information to the home network by way of the external communication network.

49. The smart home system according to claim 47, wherein the external server provides electricity price variation-based energy level information of one or more home appliances to the master device.

50. The smart home system according to claim 49, wherein the external server fixes different electricity prices in connection with power consumption of one or more home appliances and control electricity to be supplied to the home appliances for fixed electricity prices.

12. A portable device comprising:

a communication unit connected to a home network, the communication unit transmitting/receiving data to/from one or more other portable devices or one or more home appliances connected to the home network;

a gateway to connect the home network with an external communication network; and

a controller to determine whether to activate the gateway, based on device information of the portable device and the one or more other portable devices connected to the home network,

wherein the controller receives a home appliance control command input from a user when the gateway is activated, and transfers the received home appliance control command to a corresponding one of the one or more home appliances.

13. The portable device according to claim 12, wherein the device information comprises Internet protocol (IP) address information.

14. The portable device according to claim 12, further comprising a storage unit to store IP address information of the one or more other portable devices and the one or more home appliances and history information of the one or more home appliances.

15. The portable device according to claim 12, wherein the controller, when the gateway is activated, performs a control operation to transfer a synchronization message for data synchronization with the one or more home appliances to the one or more home appliances or transfer a check alive message to the one or more other portable devices and the one or more home appliances.

16. The portable device according to claim 12, wherein the controller, when a history information request signal from the user is received, performs a control operation to include a history index in the history information request signal and transfer the resulting history information request signal to a corresponding one of the one or more home appliances.

39. The portable device according to claim 12, wherein the one or more home appliances includes at least one of an illumination controller, a temperature controller, a door controller, a window controller, a security system controller, a home theater controller, and a medical system controller.

51. The portable device according to claim 14, wherein the history information includes power consumption of one or more home appliances and control history of one or more home appliances.

17. A home appliance comprising:

a communication unit connected to a home network, the communication unit transmitting/receiving data to/from one or more other home appliances connected to the home network;

a gateway to connect the home network with an external communication network; and

a controller to determine whether to activate the gateway, based on device information of the home appliance and the one or more other home appliances connected to the home network,

wherein the controller receives a home appliance control command input from a user when the gateway is activated, and transfers the received home appliance control command to a corresponding one of the one or more other home appliances.

18. The home appliance according to claim 17, wherein the device information comprises Internet protocol (IP) address information.

19. The home appliance according to claim 17, further comprising a storage unit to store IP address information and history information of the one or more other home appliances.

20. The home appliance according to claim 17, wherein the controller, when the gateway is activated, performs a control operation to transfer a synchronization message for data synchronization with the one or more other home appliances or a check alive message to the one or more other home appliances.

21. The home appliance according to claim 17, wherein the controller, when the communication unit receives a synchronization message, performs a control operation to generate and store history information and transfer the history information to a device in which the gateway is activated.

22. The home appliance according to claim 17, wherein the controller determines whether a history index in a history information request signal is up-to-date information, when the communication unit receives the history information request signal.

23. The home appliance according to claim 22, wherein the controller transfers history information corresponding to the history index to a device in which the gateway is activated, when the history index is determined to be up-to-date information.

24. The home appliance according to claim 22, wherein the controller, when the history index is determined not to be up-to-date information, performs a control operation to generate and store latest history information and transfer the latest history information to a device in which the gateway is activated.

40. The home appliance according to claim 17, wherein the one or more other home appliances includes at least one of an illumination controller, a temperature controller, a door controller, a window controller, a security system controller, a home theater controller, and a medical system controller.

41. The home appliance according to claim 17, wherein the home appliance includes one of an illumination controller, a temperature controller, a door controller, a window controller, a security system controller, a home theater controller, and a medical system controller.

52. The home appliance according to claim 19, wherein the history information includes power consumption of one or more home appliances and control history of one or more home appliances.

25. A control method of a smart home system, the smart home system comprising one or more portable devices and one or more home appliances, each of the one or more portable devices and one or more home appliances having a gateway to connect a home network with an external communication network, the method comprising:

searching for the one or more home appliances to construct the home network;

selecting a master device from among the one or more portable devices or the one or more home appliances connected to the home network;

activating the gateway of the master device;

connecting the home network with the external communication network through the master device; and

transferring a home appliance control command input from a user to a corresponding one of the one or more home appliances through the master device.

26. The control method according to claim 25, wherein the selecting comprises selecting one of the one or more portable devices as the master device when the one or more portable devices are connected to the home network.

27. The control method according to claim 25, wherein the selecting comprises selecting one of the one or more home appliances as the master device when only the one or more home appliances are connected to the home network.

28. The control method according to claim 25, wherein the selecting comprises selecting the master device from among the one or more portable devices or the one or more home appliances based on Internet protocol (IP) address information of the one or more portable devices or one or more home appliances.

29. The control method according to claim 25, wherein the master device periodically transfers a check alive message to the one or more portable devices and one or more home appliances connected to the home network.

30. The control method according to claim 29, wherein one of the one or more portable devices or one or more home appliances connected to the home network is selected as a new master device when each of the one or more portable devices and one or more home appliances connected to the home network fails to receive the check alive message for a certain period of time.

31. The control method according to claim 25, wherein the master device transfers a synchronization message for data synchronization with the one or more home appliances connected to the home network or a history information request signal to the one or more home appliances.

32. The control method according to claim 31, wherein each of the one or more home appliances connected to the home network generates and stores history information upon receiving the synchronization message, and transfers the history information to the master device.

33. The control method according to claim 31, wherein each of the one or more home appliances connected to the home network determines whether a history index in the history information request signal is up-to-date information, upon receiving the history information request signal.

34. The control method according to claim 33, wherein each of the one or more home appliances connected to the home network transfers history information corresponding to the history index to the master device when the history index is determined to be up-to-date information.

35. The control method according to claim 33, wherein each of the one or more home appliances connected to the home network generates and stores latest history information when the history index is determined not to be up-to-date information, and transfers the latest history information to the master device.

42. The control method according to claim 25, wherein the one or more home appliances includes at least one of an illumination controller, a temperature controller, a door controller, a window controller, a security system controller, a home theater controller, and a medical system controller.

56. At least one non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions that control at least one processor to implement the method of claim 25.

36. A smart home system comprising:

one or more first portable devices and one or more home appliances located in a home;

a home network to interconnect the one or more first portable devices and the one or more home appliances; and

a second portable device having a gateway, the second portable device being located in the home and connected to the home network and activating the gateway to connect the home network with an external communication network and transfer a home appliance control command input from a user to a corresponding one of the one or more home appliances.

43. The smart home system according to claim 36, wherein the one or more home appliances includes at least one of an illumination controller, a temperature controller, a door controller, a window controller, a security system controller, a home theater controller, and a medical system controller.

57. At least one non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions that control at least one processor to implement the method of claim 36.

37. A control method of a smart home system, the smart home system comprising one or more first portable devices and one or more home appliances located in a home, and a second portable device having a gateway, the second portable device being located in the home and receiving a home appliance control command input from a user, the method comprising:

searching for the one or more home appliances to construct a home network;

selecting the second portable device as a master device based on device information of the second portable device and one or more first portable devices connected to the home network;

activating the gateway of the master device;

connecting the home network with an external communication network through the master device; and

transferring the home appliance control command input from the user to a corresponding one of the one or more home appliances through the master device.

44. The control method according to claim 37, wherein the one or more home appliances includes at least one of an illumination controller, a temperature controller, a door controller, a window controller, a security system controller, a home theater controller, and a medical system controller.

58. At least one non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions that control at least one processor to implement the method of claim 37.

53. A control method of a smart home system, the smart home system comprising at least one portable device located outside a home and a plurality of home appliances located in the home, the method comprising:

searching for the home appliances to construct a home network;

selecting one of the home appliances as a master device based on device information of the home appliances connected to the home network;

activating the gateway of the master device;

connecting the home network with an external server located outside the home through an external communication network located outside the home using the master device;

connecting the at least one portable device to the master device through the external communication network; and

transferring a home appliance control command input from a user through the at least one portable device to a corresponding one of the home appliances through the master device.

54. The control method according to claim 53, wherein the device information comprises Internet protocol (IP) address information.

55. The control method according to claim 54, wherein the selected home appliance has the lowest IP address among the home appliances.

59. At least one non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions that control at least one processor to implement the method of claim 53.