Network integration system and method

• US 8,761,050 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanergy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanergy, Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, Jin, Kelly, Todd Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidner, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US13/645,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20130083805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• 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 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A network integration system/method allowing computer network functionality in a coordinated/concerted fashion in network configurations that are local to and/or spanning network gateway routers is disclosed. The system utilizes a Smart Gateway Power Controller (SGPC) to interact within a home automation network (HAN) to permit the local HAN to operate as a distinct network but still permit access to/from remote networks such as the Internet. The system permits inter-networking of HAN devices (including SGPCs) and device interaction as a group with consumers within a man-machine “social network,” where information is pushed/pulled just as with a conventional social network. The system/method allows HAN device setup/action/monitoring wherein HAN devices host a number of user interfaces supported locally and externally to web interfaces/networks, these interfaces supporting local/remote access devices including mobile phones, tablet computers, laptops, desktop computers, and the like.

Claims

1. A network integration method, said method operating in conjunction with a network integration system, said system comprising:

(a) smart gateway power controller (SGPC);

(b) network gateway router (NGR); and

(c) home automation network (HAN);

wherein

said SGPC interfaces said NGR with said HAN;

said SGPC is configured to provide a user interface web page for direct access to data stored in said SGPC;

said SGPC is configured to communicate with a home-bound content (HBC) server comprising content for an integrated web banner (IWB) to be displayed to a user on said user interface web page, wherein said content is derived from a switch status and energy consumption of consumer devices connected to said SGPC;

said SGPC is configured to permit web access to said IWB through said NGR;

said SGPC is configured to permit access to status information on home automation devices monitored by said SGPC via said user interface web page;

said SGPC is configured to permit activation or deactivation of home automation devices controlled by said SGPC via said user interface web page;

said NGR connects to an external computer network (ECN);

said ECN is configured to exchange data using ECN network protocols;

said HAN is configured to exchange data using a HAN communication protocol;

said SGPC is configured to transfer data between said HAN and said ECN through said NGR using said network protocols of said ECN; and

said network protocols of said ECN are different than said HAN communication protocol;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(1) searching for an access point (AP) for connection or reconnection with said SGPC;

(2) exchanging network configuration messages from said SGPC to another SGPC within said HAN;

(3) exchanging runtime or maintenance home automation (HA) messages between said SGPC and said another SGPC; and

(4) proceeding to said step (1).

2. The network integration method of claim 1 wherein said ECN comprises Internet.

3. The network integration method of claim 1 wherein said SGPC is further configured to communicate with said HBC to request data comprising the content for said IWB to be displayed to a user on said user interface web page.

4. The network integration method of claim 1 wherein said SGPC resides within a subnet of said HAN.

5. The network integration method of claim 1 wherein said SGPC is further configured to alter a status or usage of a home automation device monitored by said SGPC in response to HA messages received from said another SGPC.

6. The network integration method of claim 1 wherein said data transfer comprises runtime information status updates from said SGPC to a computing device connected to said HAN.

7. The network integration method of claim 1 wherein said data transfer comprises status or control updates between said SGPC and a computing device connected to said ECN.

8. The network integration method of claim 1 wherein said data transfer comprises runtime information status updates from said SGPC to a computing device connected to said ECN.

9. The network integration method of claim 1 wherein said data transfer comprises energy consumption statistics from said SGPC directed to a computing device connected to said ECN.

10. The network integration method of claim 1 wherein said SGPC is configured to transfer data to or from said another SGPC connected to said HAN.

11. A tangible non-transitory computer usable medium having computer-readable program code means comprising a network integration method wherein said method controls a network integration system comprising:

(a) smart gateway power controller (SGPC);

(b) network gateway router (NGR); and

(c) home automation network (HAN);

wherein

said SGPC interfaces said NGR with said HAN;

said SGPC is configured to provide a user interface web page for direct access to data stored in said SGPC;

said SGPC is configured to communicate with a home-bound content (HBC) server comprising content for an integrated web banner (IWB) to be displayed to a user on said user interface web page, wherein said content is derived from a switch status and energy consumption of consumer devices connected to said SGPC;

said SGPC is configured to permit web access to said IWB through said NGR;

said SGPC is configured to permit access to status information on home automation devices monitored by said SGPC via said user interface web page;

said SGPC is configured to permit activation or deactivation of home automation devices controlled by said SGPC via said user interface web page;

said NGR connects to an external computer network (ECN);

said ECN is configured to exchange data using ECN network protocols;

said HAN is configured to exchange data using a HAN communication protocol;

said SGPC is configured to transfer data between said HAN and said ECN through said NGR using said network protocols of said ECN; and

said network protocols of said ECN are different than said HAN communication protocol;

wherein said method comprises the steps of;

(1) searching for an access point (AP) for connection or reconnection with said SGPC;

(2) exchanging network configuration messages from said SGPC to another SGPC within said HAN;

(3) exchanging runtime or maintenance home automation (HA) messages between said SGPC and said another SGPC; and

(4) proceeding to said step (1).

12. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said ECN comprises Internet.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said SGPC is further configured to communicate with said HBC to request data comprising the content for said IWB to be displayed to a user on said user interface web page.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said SGPC resides within a subnet of said HAN.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said SGPC is further configured to alter a status or usage of a home automation device monitored by said SGPC in response to HA messages received from said another SGPC.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said data transfer comprises runtime information status updates from said SGPC to a computing device connected to said HAN.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said data transfer comprises status or control updates between said SGPC and a computing device connected to said ECN.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said data transfer comprises runtime information status updates from said SGPC to a computing device connected to said ECN.

19. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said data transfer comprises energy consumption statistics from said SGPC directed to a computing device connected to said ECN.

20. The computer usable medium of claim 11 wherein said SGPC is configured to transfer data to or from said another SGPC connected to said HAN.