Remote operating system

• US 6,510,212 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ito, Hiromichi, Ozaki, Tomochika, Shinagawa, Tetsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, WING F
• Application Number:
  US09/942,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20020131569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 379/102-1-1, 455/420, 340/825.22, 340/10.51
• US Class Current: 379/102.03
• 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 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C

Abstract

A remote operating system capable of operating a given home electric appliance by simple operation from a portable telephone is disclosed. A service equipment connected to an internet and a public network provides a home page using the function of a portable telephone to browse the internet home pages. An instruction to operate the home electric appliance is given by way of the home page using the portable telephone. Thus, an operating instruction is given through the public network to a remote operation adaptor installed in a home to control the home electric appliance.

Claims

1. A remote operating system comprising:

a portable telephone having the function of connecting to an internet through a portable telephone network and the function of browsing home pages;

a service equipment connected to a communication line for providing home pages; and

a remote operation adaptor connected to the communication line and having the function of controlling home electric appliances;

wherein said service equipment provides said portable telephone with home pages on a screen for giving an instruction to operate a home electric appliance, and transmits to said remote operation adaptor the contents of the operation of the home electric appliance for which an operating instruction is given by said portable telephone on a home page; and

wherein said remote operation adaptor receives the contents of the operation of the home electric appliance transmitted from said service equipment through said communication line and thus controls the home electric appliance connected to said remote operation adaptor.

2. A remote operating system according to claim 1,

wherein said remote operation adaptor is connected to a home network, and through said home network, controls a home electric appliance connected said home network.

3. A remote operating system according to claim 1,

wherein said service equipment provides each user with said home page exclusive to said user.

4. A remote operating system according to claim 1,

wherein said service equipment charges selected one of a price corresponding to the actual amount of use for each predetermined period, a fixed price for each predetermined period and a price corresponding to the actual amount of use plus a basic price for each predetermined period.

10. A remote operating system according to claim 1,

wherein a button for designating the contents of operation of a home electric appliance is displayed on the screen giving an instruction to operate said home electric appliance.

5. A remote operating method for a service equipment adapted to be connected, through a communication line, to a portable telephone having the function of connecting to an internet and the function of browsing home pages and a remote operation adaptor having the function of controlling home electric appliances, said service equipment remotely controlling said home electric appliance by controlling said remote operation adaptor in response to an instruction received from said portable telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

providing each user with a screen, as a home page exclusive to the user, for instructing to operate a home electric appliance, in response to a request to access the remote operating service from said portable telephone, and

transmitting the contents of the operation of the home electric appliance for which an operating instruction is given on a home page, to said remote operation adaptor through a communication line.

6. A remote operation adaptor for controlling a home electric appliance based on the contents designated from an external source through a communication line, comprising:

means for authenticating a party requesting to access through the communication line to substantiate whether said party is a service provider who has registered said user; and

means for notifying the service provider of the current state of a home electric appliance instructed for remote operation in the case where the party requesting an access is a service provider who has registered said user.

8. A service equipment according to claim 6, comprising:

a customer program linked with said customer home page; and

means for transmitting a control instruction to said remote operation adaptor by processing, according to the customer program, the contents of the operation performed by the customer on selected one of said customer home page and said appliance home page.

7. A service equipment connected to a communication line and having the function of providing a home page for displaying the selective operation of a home electric appliance to be remotely operated, to a portable telephone which has accessed thereto through an internet and the function of transmitting an operating instruction through a communication line to a remote operation adaptor for controlling a home electric appliance, said apparatus comprising:

a customer home page provided for each customer;

an appliance home page linked with the customer home page;

means for transmitting a customer home page to the portable telephone of the corresponding customer who has accessed through an internet; and

transmitting said appliance home page corresponding to the home electric appliance selected by the customer on said customer home page.

11. A service equipment according to claim 7, wherein a button for designating the contents of operation of a home electric appliance is displayed on the screen giving an instruction to operate said home electric appliance.

9. A remote operating system comprising:

a portable telephone having the function of connecting to an internet through a portable telephone network and the function of browsing home pages;

a service equipment connected to a communication line for providing home pages; and

a remote operation adaptor connected to the communication line and having the function of controlling home electric appliances;

wherein said service equipment provides each user with an exclusive home page as a screen for giving an instruction to operate a home electric appliance in response to a request for accessing the remote operating service from said portable telephone, and transmits an instruction to said remote operation adaptor in accordance with the contents of the operation of the user on said home page using a customer program linked with said home page; and

wherein selected one of said service equipment and a host system of said service provider acquires, for a consideration, from an electric home appliance maker through an internet the control specification data of the home electric appliance constituting basic data for preparing selected one of said home page and said customer program.