Home gateway system for home automation and security

• US 7,912,447 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liebrecht, Donald Bernard, Bossemeyer, Robert Wesley Jr., Sullivan, Barry James, Bennett, Raymond Walden III
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming; William D
• Application Number:
  US11/952,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20080074258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 455/401, 455/406, 455/426.2, 455/462, 455/555, 455/403, 455/414.1, 455/436, 455/404.1, 370/352, 370/356, 370/401, 370/469, 370/541, 379/89.01, 379/89.02, 340/352, 340/468
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• 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 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231

Abstract

A home gateway system for home automation and security is described. An example home gateway system includes a wireless local loop transceiver to establish a wireless local loop point to point link to a geographically separated base station coupled to a public switched telephone network; a home automation controller to communicate with the wireless local loop transceiver; a home security controller, integrated with the home automation controller, to communicate with the wireless local loop transceiver; and a security signal to be monitored by the home security controller, wherein a status of the security signal causes the home gateway system to send a message over the wireless local loop.

Claims

1. A home gateway system, comprising:

a wireless local loop transceiver to establish a wireless local loop point to point link to a geographically separated base station coupled to a network;

a home automation controller to communicate with the wireless local loop transceiver and to monitor a parameter associated with an appliance implemented at a building associated with the home automation controller, wherein the home automation controller is to cause communication of a first message via the wireless local loop transceiver to an address associated with a person associated with the building when the parameter exceeds an operating range defined to include values of the parameter corresponding to proper operation of the appliance; and

a home security controller, integrated with the home automation controller, to communicate with the wireless local loop transceiver and to monitor

a security signal, wherein a status of the security signal causes the wireless local loop transceiver to send a second message to a security entity.

2. A home gateway system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a smart card interface to send a plurality of instructions to the home automation controller.

3. A home gateway system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a voice processing system coupled to a processor.

4. A home gateway system as defined in claim 3, wherein the voice processing system comprises a speaker verification module.

5. A home gateway system as defined in claim 3, wherein the voice processing system comprises a speech recognition module.

6. A home gateway system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a switch to couple the wireless local loop transceiver to the home automation controller and the home security controller.

7. A home gateway system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors coupled to the home security controller.

15. A home gateway system as defined in claim 1, wherein the parameter is a temperature, and wherein the parameter exceeding the operating range indicates that a furnace has ceased operating.

16. A home gateway system as defined in claim 1, wherein the parameter is an amount of time that a sprinkler system has been active, and wherein the parameter exceeding the operating range indicates that the sprinkler system did not cease operating according to a schedule.

19. A home gateway system as defined in claim 1, wherein the network comprises a public switched telephone network.

8. A method of operating a home gateway system, comprising:

establishing a wireless local loop point to point link, using a wireless local loop transceiver, to a geographically separated base station coupled to a network;

placing a home automation controller in communication with the wireless local loop transceiver;

monitoring a parameter associated with an appliance implemented at a building associated with the home automation controller;

communicating a first message via the home automation controller via the wireless local loop transceiver to an address associated with a person associated with the building when the parameter exceeds an operating range defined to include values of the parameter corresponding to proper operation of the appliance;

placing a home security controller, integrated with the home automation controller, in communication with the wireless local loop transceiver; and

monitoring a security signal using the home security controller, wherein a status of the security signal causes the wireless local loop transceiver to send a second message to a security entity.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising sending a plurality of instructions to the home automation controller via a smart card interface of the home gateway system.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising coupling a voice processing system to a processor of the home gateway system.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the voice processing system comprises a speaker verification module.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the voice processing system comprises a speech recognition module.

13. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising coupling the wireless local loop transceiver to the home automation controller and the home security controller via a switch.

14. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein monitoring the security signal comprises using a plurality of sensors coupled to the home security controller.

17. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the parameter is a temperature, and wherein the parameter exceeding the operating range indicates that a furnace has ceased operating.

18. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the parameter is an amount of time that a sprinkler system has been active, and wherein the parameter exceeding the operating range indicates that the sprinkler system did not cease operating according to a schedule.

20. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the network comprises a public switched telephone network.