Control system and method for home network system

• US 7,366,498 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Heo, So Hee, Ko, Myoung Hwa, Hwang, Kyong Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary; Erika A.
• Application Number:
  US10/879,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20050009498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807

Abstract

A control method and a control system for a home network system in a multi-user environment are disclosed. The control system includes a plurality of slave devices, a user ID receiver receiving user ID data from a user, and a master device coupled to the slave devices for operation control. The master device includes a memory and a controller coupled to the memory and the user ID receiver. The memory initially prestores user-specific control settings preset by a plurality of preregistered users and user ID data of the preregistered users. Then, the controller authenticates the user upon receiving the user ID data from the user ID receiver, and it automatically controls operational functions of the slave devices according to the user-specific control settings of the authenticated user, which is extracted from the memory.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a home network system in a multi-user environment, the method comprising:

registering a plurality of users by prestoring their user identification (ID) data into a memory of a digital television receiver serving as a master device coupled to a plurality of slave devices, the digital television receiver including;

a display unit for displaying a user-readable instruction message for executing user registration and an on-screen display (OSD) menu including a plurality of home network control options; and

at least one of a user interface unit and a sensor for receiving user ID data input to a controller of the master device;

prestoring user-specific control settings preset by each registered user into the memory according to selections made by a corresponding registered user selecting from the OSD menu displaying home network control options of at least one slave device;

receiving user ID data from a prescribed user of the digital television receiver;

authenticating the prescribed user when the prescribed user is determined to be one of the registered users based on the received user ID data; and

automatically controlling functions of the at least one slave device according to the pre-stored user-specific control settings of the authenticated user in response to the user ID data inputted to the master device controller by the authenticated user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the plurality of slave devices by prestoring their device identification (ID) data into the memory.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the registering the plurality of slave devices comprises:

displaying a first menu including a first option for registering a slave device;

displaying a second menu when the first option is selected from the first menu, the second menu indicating a list of slave devices that are previously registered and a second option for registering a new slave device; and

registering the new slave device by storing its device ID data into the memory when the second option is selected from the second menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the registering a plurality of users comprises:

displaying a menu including a first option for registering an unregistered user;

displaying an instruction message when the first option is selected from the menu, the message indicating to enter user ID data of the unregistered user; and

receiving the user ID data from the unregistered user and storing the user ID data into the memory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the prestoring user-specific control settings preset by each registered user into the memory comprises:

displaying a first menu including a first option for setting user-specific control settings for a registered user;

displaying a user-specific control menu when the first option is selected from the first menu, the user-specific control menu indicating a list of selectable slave devices;

if a slave device is selected from the list of selectable slave devices, displaying a list of selectable control options for controlling operations of the selected slave device; and

prestoring data representing control settings set by the registered user, the data being set by selecting at least one of the list of selectable control options.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said authenticating comprises:

receiving user identification (ID) data from the prescribed user;

comparing the user ID data received from the prescribed user the user ID data prestored in the memory; and

authenticating the prescribed user when the user ID data received from the prescribed user matches any one of the prestored ID data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user ID data received from the prescribed user is any one of the user'"'"'s own fingerprint, iris, voice, weight, and password information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically controlling functions of the at least one slave device comprises:

extracting the user-specific control settings of the authenticated user from the memory according to the user ID data received from the authenticated user; and

sending present operation commands to the plurality of slave devices according to the extracted user-specific control settings of the authenticated user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user ID data prestored into the memory for each registered user is any one of the user'"'"'s own fingerprint, iris, voice, weight, and password information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a user interface unit or a sensor is a remote unit of the digital television receiver.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote unit is installed at a home entrance.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said authenticating enables the OSD menu display by the display unit.

13. A control system for a home network system in a multi-user environment, the control system comprising:

a digital television receiver serving as a master device,

a plurality of slave devices coupled to the master device, and

a user ID receiver receiving user identification (ID) data from a prescribed user of the digital television receiver,

the master device comprising;

a display unit for displaying a user-readable instruction message for executing user registration and an on-screen display (OSD) menu including a plurality of home network control options;

a memory prestoring user-specific control settings preset by a plurality of preregistered users, respectively, and the corresponding user ID data, wherein the user-specific control settings are prestored according to selections made by a corresponding registered user selecting from the OSD menu displaying home network control options of at least one slave device; and

a controller coupled to the user ID receiver and the memory, for authenticating the prescribed user upon receiving the user ID data from the user ID receiver, wherein the controller automatically controls functions of the at least one slave device according to the prestored user-specific control settings of the authenticated user, which is extracted from the memory in response to the user ID data inputted to the master device by the authenticated user.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein the memory further prestores device identification (ID) data of each slave device.

15. The control system of claim 13, wherein the user ID data received from the prescribed user is any one of the user'"'"'s own fingerprint, iris, voice, weight, and password information.

16. The control system of claim 13, wherein the controller authenticates the prescribed user if the user ID data received from the user ID receiver matches any one of the prestored user ID data of the plurality of preregistered users.

17. The control system of claim 13, wherein the controller automatically controls the functions of the at least one slave device by extracting the prestored user-specific control settings of the authenticated user from the memory according to the user ID data received from the authenticated user and sending preset operation commands to the plurality of slave devices according to the extracted user-specific settings of the authenticated user.

18. The control system of claim 13, wherein the user ID receiver includes at least one of a user interface unit for controlling the digital television receiver and a sensor installed in the digital television receiver.

19. A television receiver for controlling a plurality of slave devices in a home network system, the television receiver comprising:

a main master device of the home network system coupled to the plurality of slave devices;

an user ID input unit for receiving user identification (ID) data from a prescribed user of the television receiver;

a display unit for displaying a user-readable instruction message for executing user registration and an on-screen display (OSD) menu including a plurality of home network control options;

a memory prestoring user-specific control settings preset by a plurality of preregistered users, respectively, and the corresponding user ID data, wherein the user-specific control settings are prestored according to selections made by a corresponding registered user selecting from the OSD menu displaying home network control options at at least one slave device; and

a controller coupled to the user ID input unit and the memory for authenticating the prescribed user upon receiving the user ID data from the user ID input unit, wherein the controller automatically controls functions of the at least slave device according to user-specific settings of the authenticated user, which is extracted from the memory in response to the user ID data, inputted to the main master device by the authenticated user.

20. The television receiver of claim 19, wherein the user ID data received from the prescribed user is any one of the user'"'"'s own fingerprint, iris, voice, weight, and password information.

21. The television receiver of claim 19, wherein the user ID input unit is at least one of a user interface unit for inputting password information and a sensor that is able to identify the fingerprint, iris, voice, or weight information.

22. The television receiver of claim 19, wherein the user ID input unit is a remote unit installed at home entrance.

23. The television receiver of claim 19, wherein the controller authenticates the user if the prescribed user ID data received from the user ID input unit matches any one of prestored user ID data of the plurality of preregistered users.

24. The television receiver of claim 19, wherein the controller automatically controls the functions of the at least one slave device by extracting the prestored user-specific control settings of the authenticated user from the memory according to the user ID data received from the authenticated user and sending present operation commands to the plurality of slave devices according to the extracted user-specific control settings of the authenticated user.