Internet/intranet-connected apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus that uses the Internet protocol, TCP / IP, for a home control network. The invention also provides embedded servers, email clients at the electrical boxes. The invention integrates the Internet to the electrical outlet, switch, or appliance boxes using a low cost embedded web server.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This is a division of application Ser. No. 10 / 214,086, filed on Aug. 6, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,761,555 granted on Jul. 20, 2010.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]This disclosure relates generally to home networks and more particularly to TCP / IP-enabled electrical boxes for controlling and monitoring lighting, outlets, and sensors via the home Intranet or Internet.BACKGROUND INFORMATION[0003]Current home or industrial networking technologies have two separate networks. One network connects the PCs to the Internet via a dial-up phone, cable, xDSL, or Ethernet connection, and another network such as CEBus™, LonWorks™, or X-10™ controls appliances or equipment. CEBus™ was developed by the Electronic Industries Association, LonWorks™ was developed by Echelon Corp. of California, and X-10™ components are manufactured by X-10 Limited of Hong Kong. When one wants to remotely control the appliance via the Internet, one needs a converter, a specialized gateway, or software in ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]Certain embodiments can control lights, outlets, and electrical boxes via a connection to the Internet or Intranet whether the connection is within the home or remote. An application program on a device such as the PDA, PC, laptop, or web-enabled phone may communicate directly to the electrical box via a protocol such as TCP / IP or UDP / IP. Each AC power circuit within each electrical box may have a unique IP number by which any device using an instant messaging protocol can control the electrical box's AC power to its electrical load, can check the sensor incorporated within or attached to the electrical box, or can transmit a voice message. In one embodiment, the electrical box is controlled using the Internet protocol and instant messaging capability. Any Internet-connected devices with an instant messaging protocol such as AOL instant messaging, Microsoft instant messaging protocol, or some other instant messaging scheme can control the attached appliance to the electrical box. A web browser is not needed to display a web page in this particular configuration. The AC power circuit within the electrical box can send status information upon an instant messaging request from the Internet-connected device. This allows Internet-controlled devices with small screens such a web-enable phones, PDAs, or web-enabled pagers to control the lights and appliances in the home.

[0016]Certain embodiments can collect information on an attached sensor or electrical load and store it within its memory until a pre-programmed time interval, pre-programmed amount of data, or some other event that indicates the AC power circuit to transmit the information to some server for data collection or requested to do so by a web client or Internet-connected device. With this capability, the AC power circuit can monitor such things as the amount of electrical power consumed by the attached device, the number of activations of a switch, the number of times a room is occupied, the number of times an electrical outlet is used, the temperature of the room, the number of times an appliance is being used and at what times. With this information, people can determine the amount of electrical power consumed by the household and what appliances are the major users. Homeowners or occupants can determine which rooms are being heated or cooled, and which rooms are occupied. By examining this information, one can determine the efficiency of the HVAC system. Other information can be collected to help the home occupants live a better life.

Problems solved by technology

The protocol is very restrictive and cannot handle very much data since it transmits 120 data bits / s over the existing power lines.

This would limit such control to devices with this web server functionality and would not allow control of existing home appliances or home entertainment equipment.

The control of home entertainment equipment would be limited to devices with this specialized software agent and would not allow control of existing home appliances or home entertainment equipment.

The major disadvantage of the current approaches is that there are too many different types of home networks.

The consumer may be overwhelmed with what equipment to purchase, and in many cases a specialist would be required to install and verify the proper operation.

Also, with TCP / IP embedded in the home appliance or equipment, the existing home appliances and equipment could not be controlled over the home Intranet.

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