Intelligent device controller

• US 6,564,056 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGREE, TRACY MICHELLE
• Assistant Examiner(s): Green, Miguel D.
• Application Number:
  US09/368,099
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/435, 455/560, 455/561, 455/557, 455/41, 455/420, 455/426, 455/558, 455/344, 709/249, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 710/13, 370/338, 370/401, 370/407, 340/5.1, 340/5.23, 340/5.25, 340/5.27, 340/5.61, 340/5-4-, 340/5.8
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• 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 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

An intelligent device controller (hub 100) for communications-enabled (“intelligent”) devices (120-140) implements a private network (102) of the devices, facilitating communications to and from only those devices that have been registered with the controller. Each device comes with a memory card (220) that stores interface programs for and information-including a unique device ID-about the device. A card reader (202) of the controller reads the memory card to register the device. Communications between the controller and the device are encrypted using the device ID as the encryption key. The private network is either based on standard building wiring or preferably is wireless to enable deployment and relocation of devices easily and,without need for a special infrastructure. The controller has at least one network port (204-208) to connect to an external network (104-108), thereby enabling a user on the external network to communicate with the controller and with the devices as well as enabling the devices to communicate with external service providers.

Claims

1. A controller for communications-enabled devices comprising:

an input and output port for communicating with a plurality of different communications-enabled devices that communicatively connect thereto;

a device registration port for receiving registration information including a device identifier for each of the devices from storage entities that are physically separate from the devices and store registration information of the devices including the devices'"'"' identifiers;

a memory coupled to the device registration port for storing programs and the received device registration information including the device identifiers;

a processor coupled to the memory and to the ports for executing the stored programs and using the stored information; and

the stored programs including

a first program for causing the controller to communicate with each of the devices, via communications that are encrypted by using the devices'"'"'s device identifier.

2. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the stored device registration information for a device includes a program whose execution implements a user interface to the device.

3. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the first program causes the controller to communicate with the device via communications that are encrypted with an encryption key that comprises the device identifier.

4. The controller of claim 3 wherein:

the stored programs include

a second program for interacting with the device to enable a user to change the device ID.

5. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the stored programs include

a second program for causing the controller to interface communications between a plurality of the devices, to enable those devices to communicate with each other.

6. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the storage entities comprise

a corresponding storage device for each communications-enabled device, storing registration information of the device; and

the device registration input port comprises a reader for reading the devices'"'"' corresponding storage devices.

7. The controller of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one second input and output port for communicating on an external network that communicatively couples thereto; and

the stored programs further include

a second program for causing the controller to communicate through the second port on the external network and to communicatively connect at least some of the devices to the external network.

8. The controller of claim 7 wherein:

the stored device registration information for a device includes a third program whose execution implements a user interface to the device; and

the second program enables a user on the external network to invoke execution of the third program.

9. The controller of claim 8 wherein:

the second program further enables the user to interact with the device through the interface implemented by the third program.

10. The controller of claim 7 wherein:

the stored programs include

a third program responsive to receipt of a communication from a device for causing the second program to communicate the communication over the external network to a provider of services associated with the device.

11. The controller of claim 10 wherein:

the registration information for the device includes information identifying data objects by which the service provider is able to communicate with the device.

12. The controller of claim 10 wherein:

the third program further causes the second program to register the controller over the external network with the service provider.

13. The controller of claim 7 wherein:

the external network is an Internet and the second program comprises a Web server program.

14. The controller of claim 7 wherein:

the second program enables a user on the external network to communicate with at least some of the devices.

15. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the stored programs include

a second program responsive to receipt from the device registration port of the registration information of a device, for causing the first program to communicate at least some of the registration information to the device.

16. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the input and output port comprises a wireless communications controller.

17. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the input and output port and the plurality of devices form a local area network.

18. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the registration information for a device includes information identifying data objects by which the device is able to communicate.

19. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

some data objects are exclusive to the device and other data objects are common to a plurality of devices.

20. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the stored programs include

a second program responsive to a user request to unregister a device for deleting the stored registration information of the device.

21. The controller of claim 1 wherein:

the stored programs include

a second program for causing the controller to communicate with the devices via a broadcast communication whose receipt enables the devices to receive the communications caused by the first program.

22. The controller of claim 21 wherein:

the broadcast communication is for activating the devices from a standby communications state to an active communications state.