Remote operating system

• US 7,277,699 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• 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): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/725,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20040109548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 455/420, 379/110.01, 379/102.03, 340/825.22
• US Class Current: 455/420
• 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 service equipment for use in a remote operating system which includes a portable telephone which is capable of connecting to an internet through a communication line and browsing home pages and a remote operation adapter connected to the communication line and capable of controlling home electric appliances, said service equipment comprising:

a service equipment unit, connected to the communication line, for providing home pages from the internet,

wherein said service equipment unit 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 unit through said communication line and thus controls the home electric appliance connected to said remote operation adaptor.

3. A service equipment 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 to said home network.

4. A service equipment according to claim 1, wherein said service equipment unit provides each user with a home page exclusive to said user.

5. A service equipment according to claim 1, wherein said service equipment unit charges a 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.

2. A remote operation adaptor for use in a remote operating system which includes a portable telephone which is capable of connecting to an internet through a communication line and browsing home pages and a service equipment, connected to the communication line, capable of providing home pages from the internet, said remote operation adaptor comprising:

a remote operation adaptor unit 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 contents of an 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 unit 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 unit.

6. A remote operation adaptor according to claim 2, wherein said remote operation adaptor unit is connected to a home network, and through said home network, controls a home electric appliance connected to said home network.

7. A remote operation adaptor according to claim 2, wherein said service equipment provides each user with a home page exclusive to said user.

8. A remote operation adaptor according to claim 2, wherein said service equipment charges a 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.

9. A remote operating system comprising:

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

a service equipment connected to the communication line for providing home pages from the internet; 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 contents of an operation of the user on said home page using a customer program linked with said home page, and

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

10. A service equipment for use in a remote operating system which includes a portable telephone which is capable of connecting to an internet through a communication line and browsing home pages and a remote operation adaptor connected to the communication line and capable of controlling home electric appliances, said service equipment comprising:

a service equipment unit, connected to the communication line, for providing home pages from the internet,

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

11. A remote operation adaptor for use in a remote operating system which includes a portable telephone which is capable of connecting to an internet through a communication line and browsing home pages and a service equipment, connected to the communication line, capable of providing home pages from the internet, said remote operation adaptor comprising:

a remote operation adaptor unit 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 unit in accordance with contents of an operation of the user on said home page using a customer program linked with said home page, and

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

12. A program for a service equipment usable in a remote operating system which includes a portable telephone which is capable of connecting to an internet through a communication line and browsing home pages and a remote operation adaptor connected to the communication line and capable of controlling home electric appliances, said service equipment being connectable to said communication line, said program when executed causes said service equipment to perform the steps of:

providing said portable telephone with home pages on a screen for giving an instruction to operate a home electric appliance; and

transmitting to said remote operation adaptor contents of an operation of the home electric appliance for which an operating instruction is given by said portable telephone on a home page,

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