Telephonic communications – Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical... – Remote control
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-25
2002-11-12
Ramakrishnaiah, Melur. (Department: 2643)
Telephonic communications
Telephone line or system combined with diverse electrical...
Remote control
C379S102050, C379S106010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06480586
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the control of electronic devices in homes and other buildings. More particularly, the present invention relates to a new process for communicating by computer with capable (or “smart”) appliances through telephone lines, whereby a user may establish such communication with multiple smart appliances on a single telephone line, and at the same time share such telephone line with other automatic answering devices, such as computer-modems, “fax” machines, and voice mail.
BACKGROUND ART OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, controls for lighting and other electronic devices have begun to appear in a variety of forms. Examples of such controls include timers and switches within individual electronic devices manufactured to allow the user to perform new tasks, such as recording broadcast entertainment on video tape at a time chosen by the user, but without the presence of the user. Such devices or equipment is “capable” or “smart,” in the sense that it performs functions independently of a user, or “automatically,” once a set of instructions has been supplied to the device, whether the instructions are embedded within the device in the form of computer chips, or supplied after manufacture in the form of software programming.
In conjunction with such controls, and particularly remote control, systems have been developed for remote or distributed control of processes through communications links. Simple examples of remote control communications links include now commonly available, hand-held remote controllers for the control of entertainment equipment by infra-red light. However, in recent years the remote control of equipment has become much more flexible, capable, and sophisticated, as computers and communications technology in combination has allowed users to access and control smart devices in ways not previously possible. In response to these developments, appliance manufacturers are building new capabilities into devices which have not previously been controllable.
Accordingly, a user may now find in the market a variety of system systems for remote and automatic control of home and building appliances, many of which are or utilize communications “networks.” Some of these systems have an architecture which consists of a centralized “Master” computer to which multiple “Slave” units are connected. The processing power of these “Master-Slave” systems resides in the centralized computer, which interfaces with “dumb” terminals and devices, and to the world outside itself through telephone lines or other communications means. Other system architectures consist of “distributed” systems, consisting of systems in which capable “Client” processors are connected to a centralized “Server” processor, which contains data and additional processing power. The Server in such a “Client-Server” system communicates with the Clients a mixture of data and instructions. Distributed systems may also consist of systems in which the remotely located Clients are connected to each other as well as the centralized Server. Such distributed systems are commonly used in industrial controls, where a plurality of “remote” (i.e., Client) process control units are connected to various controlled devices and sensors, and to a Server, and often communicate with one another, and to the outside world, through a communications link, such as a serial bus or telephone line, which transmits data in a single stream of “bits.” Masters and Servers are also known as “Hosts,” or “Host Computers.”
Communications between components of a system, whereby components may interoperate or coact, may take place by a variety of means. Thus, communications may be accomplished by high and low voltage hard-wire electrical connections, romex, twisted pair, coaxial, fiber optic, and telephone cables and lines, or communications may be accomplished by radio, infrared, microwave, and other electromagnetic radiation. Finally, each component of the system must issue and recognize (and eventually respond to) the same or similar instructions, and the same form of commands (i.e., the same “language” or protocol).
If “remote” locations includes only those locations which reside within a system operated by a single user, a manufacturer may utilize one of a number of alternatives to uniquely address individual components within the system. When the system is so controlled, a user may, for instance, gather information and control equipment by using dedicated lines, or means equivalent to dedicated lines, such as radio transponders.
A “dedicated line” is one in which a signal is detected, and automatically answered, by an appliance or device, and where there is no other device connected to the line that would automatically answer. With a dedicated line, a Host dials the appliance, a modem-handshake occurs, and a security verification usually follows. Dedicated lines have been used in a variety of systems, however the cost and complexity of dedicated lines becomes quickly prohibitive as a system increases in size. As to other means, such as radio, appropriate identification and coding may be available to establish connections among many components, however radio suffers from attenuation over long distances, and significant frequency, bandwith, and repeater limitations. While these solutions are technically feasible, they are not cost effective when the remote device is very inexpensive, such as in residential housing, where the device might be a $10 smoke detector or inexpensive lighting controller.
Uniquely addressing individual components of a system becomes more difficult for users geographically removed from the system they control, particularly if the user wishes to move the means for control, the Host, outside the commonly-controlled portions of the system or network (for instance, outside a “Local Area Network” or LAN), or if the user simply wishes an alternative to first accessing another controller, sub-controller, or gateway computer or modem within the controlled system in order to gather data or control equipment. As the distance over which a user may wish to gather data or control equipment increases, so does the “problem” of addressing individual components within the controlled network increase, as it is not cost effective for each device to have its own dedicated phone line or radio transponder. Even if only one such device or appliance exists at a facility, that device will often share phone line access with computer modems, answering machines, FAX machines, voice mail, and other phone-responsive equipment. Any one of these other devices might also answer an incoming call and foil the data connection intended by the user as he queries the remote location for information, or as he attempts to control the remote device. The problem is perhaps most acute when attempting to gather information from remote devices, or when attempting to control such devices, through the largest network yet developed, i.e., the global computer network, or “internet.” A user may remain connected to the internet as a whole through digital subscriber telephone lines (DSL) and by other means, however a user cannot, with technology existing today, remain connected to individual appliances and devices to uniquely address each such device, that is, maintain a “persistent connection” to individual devices. Without a persistent connection, a user must establish a connection each time a component of a system is to be controlled or queried for information. A user cannot gather the desired data or issue the device-specific control command, unless the user first establishes a connection with that device.
Initiation of a communication to a Host by a remote device is relatively straight-forward. When the application requires communication at preset times, or when the application is initiated by a condition at the remote location, the remote device initiates a connection, usually via a dial-up phone circuit, to the Host computer. However, when the decision to initiate a connection originates at the Host, the probl
Hayes Steven
McReynolds Alan
Cook Thomas W.
Genesis Engineering Inc.
Ramakrishnaiah Melur.
LandOfFree
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