System for providing integrated control services for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server

Abstract

To provide an integrated control service provision system of an IoT device through an artificial intelligence server capable of minimizing time and labor for controlling and managing a plurality of IoT devices by enabling only one time control command to integratedly control and manage the plurality of IoT devices.SOLUTION: An integrated control service provision system 100 includes at least one bridge 10 to be connected to at least one IoT device 1 even though owned or managed by each user, a client 30 for transmitting a voice or text about a control command of the IoT device 1 generated by the user to an artificial intelligence server 50, and the artificial intelligence server 50 for transmitting a control command signal to the bridge 10 connected to the IoT device 1 to be controlled or the IoT device 1 to be controlled after analyzing the voice or text about the control command of the IoT device 1 to generate a control command signal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an integrated control service providing system for IoT devices. In particular, a plurality of users can integrally control and manage IoT devices for a plurality of "smart homes" and "connected cars" owned or managed by each user via an artificial intelligence server capable of analyzing voice or text, so that the plurality of IoT devices can be integrally controlled and managed with only one control command. Thus, the present invention relates to an integrated control service providing system for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server that can minimize the time and labor for controlling and managing a plurality of IoT devices.

Background Art

[0002] The Internet of Things (IoT) means a mechanism that connects all communicable objects to a network and enables mutual communication. All objects that can be systematically recognized include those equipped with short-range communication functions and long-range communication functions, and may include objects or humans capable of producing and using data such as sensors. With the advent of the IoT era, people's interest in IoT services, particularly smart homes and connected cars, has been increasing year by year, and research on related topics has been actively conducted.

[0003] Conventionally, computers, mobile phones, wireless communication terminals, etc. that support the Internet have been used to check and control various electronic devices and facilities in a home, the state of a vehicle, etc., and to provide the convenience of automatically generating an alarm in case of an abnormality via a gas sensor, a fire sensor, and a security sensor installed in places where home security is required. However, the user had to directly control using an operation panel or the like, and control means such as an app in the terminal was required.

[0004] To solve these problems, Patent Document 1 proposes a home automation system in which, when a user gives a command to a chatbot, the chatbot recognizes the user's command and operates home devices without the user having to touch them.

[0005] However, Patent Document 1, mentioned above, has the disadvantage that it cannot provide integrated home device control services to multiple users, as it relies on a method where users inquire about the specific status of specific devices or connected vehicles connected to the smart home via a specific chatbot application installed on their own terminals, or control devices via one-time commands, and therefore cannot integrate and manage multiple homes or IoT-connected vehicles owned or managed by each user with just a single control command.

[0006] Furthermore, there was no integrated control system capable of comprehensively managing various IoT devices that support open protocols and the continuously expanding and changing protocols used by numerous automobile manufacturers (Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Tesla, etc.). Users had to endure the inconvenience of installing numerous single chatbots or automated control applications provided by individual service companies and having to learn how to manage and use them.

[0007] Meanwhile, technologies such as Bluetooth®, NFC®, Zigbee®, RFID®, and Z-Wave, which are low-power, short-range IoT networks, and 4G / 5G IoT, LoRa®, and Sigfox®, which are broadband networks, are currently developing. Furthermore, there are already thousands of home automation and connected car manufacturers that can be controlled via various message protocols such as AMQP (Advanced Message Queue Protocol), CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol), and MQTT (Message Queue Telemetry Transport), as well as TCP / UDP stacks, for exchanging messages with IoT devices through applications, and this number is expected to continue to expand. Considering this rapid expansion of IoT types, products, and services, it is predicted that efforts to integrate and control them will be necessary in the future. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2213333 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and aims to provide an integrated control service provision system for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server, which enables multiple users to integrally control and manage multiple IoT devices for "smart homes" and "connected cars" owned or managed by each user via an artificial intelligence server capable of analyzing voice or text. This allows for the integrated control and management of multiple IoT devices with only a single control command, thereby minimizing the time and effort required to control and manage multiple IoT devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the configuration means for providing an integrated control service for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: at least one bridge owned or managed by each user but connected to at least one IoT device; a client that transmits voice or text related to control commands for IoT devices generated by the user to the artificial intelligence server; and an artificial intelligence server that analyzes the voice or text related to the control commands for IoT devices to generate a control command signal, and then transmits the control command signal to the bridge connected to the IoT device to be controlled or to the IoT device to be controlled.

[0011] Here, the artificial intelligence server is characterized by matching and storing user identification information, bridge information, and information of IoT devices connected to the bridge, or matching and storing user identification information and information of IoT devices.

[0012] Furthermore, the control command signal is characterized by including information about the IoT device to be controlled and control operation information.

[0013] Furthermore, the artificial intelligence server is characterized by analyzing voice or text related to control commands for the IoT device to identify information about the IoT device to be controlled and information about its control operation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The integrated control service provision system for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server according to the present invention, which has the above-mentioned problems and solutions, is configured so that multiple users can integrally control and manage multiple IoT devices for "smart homes" and "connected cars" owned or managed by each user via an artificial intelligence server capable of analyzing voice or text. As a result, multiple IoT devices can be integrally controlled and managed with only a single control command, thereby minimizing the time and effort required to control and manage multiple IoT devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of the configuration of an integrated control service provision system for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a detailed configuration diagram of an artificial intelligence server included in an integrated control service provision system for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, preferred embodiments of the integrated control service provision system for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server according to the present invention, which has the above-described problems, solutions, and effects, will be described in detail.

[0017] Figure 1 is a block diagram of the configuration of an integrated control service provision system for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the artificial intelligence server included in the integrated control service provision system for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The integrated control service providing system 100 of IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server according to an embodiment of the present invention relates to an integrated control service providing system of IoT devices that can integrally control IoT devices owned or managed by each user and provide services so as to be managed.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the integrated control service providing system 100 of IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least one bridge 10 connected to at least one IoT device 1 owned or managed by each user, a client 30 that transmits voice or text regarding a control command of the IoT device 1 generated by the user to the artificial intelligence server 50, and an artificial intelligence server 50 that analyzes voice or text regarding the control command of the IoT device 1 to generate a control command signal and then transmits the control command signal to the bridge 10 connected to the IoT device 1 to be controlled or the IoT device 1 to be controlled.

[0020] The at least one bridge 10 and the at least one IoT device 1 are arranged inside and outside each user's house, inside and outside each user's automobile, etc., and at least one IoT device 1 is connected to the at least one bridge 10 by wire or wirelessly.

[0021] The IoT device 1 may be a control target and may be directly controlled by receiving a control command signal from the artificial intelligence server 50, or may be connected to a bridge 10 that receives a control command signal from the artificial intelligence server 50 and be controlled via the bridge 10. In the former case, the IoT device 1 itself must be provided with a communication function capable of performing data communication with the artificial intelligence server 50.

[0022] Since each of the users can own or manage at least one IoT device 1, similarly, each of the users can own or manage at least one bridge 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a certain user can own or manage n bridges 10 (bridge 1 to bridge n), and another user can own or manage m bridges 10 (bridge 1 to bridge m).

[0023] In addition, at least one IoT device 1 is connected to each bridge 10 owned or managed by each user. For example, only the IoT device 1 corresponding to the indoor lighting lamp is connected to bridge 1 (10), a plurality of IoT devices 1 corresponding to the indoor refrigerator and air conditioner are connected to bridge 2 (10), and the IoT device 1 corresponding to the vehicle control unit may be connected to bridge 3 (10).

[0024] Each of the bridges 10 performs an operation of controlling at least one IoT device 1 connected thereto in response to a control command signal transmitted from the artificial intelligence server 50. In addition, each of the bridges 10 transmits the state information (on / off information, temperature information, etc.) of the connected IoT device 1 to the artificial intelligence server 50 when requested by the artificial intelligence server 50, or in real time, or at each preset cycle.

[0025] When the at least one IoT device 1 remotely generates voice or text related to a control command of the IoT device 1 using the client 30 by the user and transmits it to the artificial intelligence server 50, it is controlled or managed by a control command signal generated by the analysis of the artificial intelligence server 50.

[0026] The client 30 performs the operation of sending voice or text related to control commands for IoT device 1 generated by the user to the artificial intelligence server 50. Here, the client 30 may be any one of various terminals or media, as long as it connects to the artificial intelligence server 50, sends voice or text related to control commands for IoT device 1, and receives a response regarding control or status information of IoT device 1. For example, the client 30 may be a network-connected computer, mobile phone, smartphone, etc.

[0027] The control commands for IoT device 1 that the client 30 transmits to the artificial intelligence server 50 may be voice commands transmitted via speech or text commands transmitted via character input. The voice or text commands for IoT device 1 that the client 30 transmits to the artificial intelligence server 50 may be simple control commands corresponding to a single IoT device 1, or complex control commands corresponding to multiple IoT devices 1.

[0028] For example, the control command may be a simple control command corresponding to a control command for one IoT device 1 (living room light or air purifier), such as "turn on the living room light" or "turn on the air purifier," or it may be a complex control command corresponding to control commands for two IoT devices 1 (heater and car), such as "turn on the house heater and start the car engine."

[0029] Furthermore, the control command may be a conditional control command that checks the status of at least one IoT device 1 and controls its operation according to the conditions of the current status. For example, the control command may be a conditional control command that commands operation control according to the conditions of the current status, such as "check the lights and heaters in the house, and if they are on, turn them all off" or "if the gas valve is open, close it."

[0030] The simple control command, complex control command, and conditional control command may be generated individually by the user and sent to the artificial intelligence server 50, but at least two may be generated and sent together. For example, a conditional control command regarding the living room lights and a simple control command regarding the car may be generated and sent together, such as "If the living room lights are on, turn them off and start the engine of my car."

[0031] Alternatively, a single command such as "Check all of last month's electricity, gas, and water usage, as well as the electricity and gasoline usage of my car and my family's cars" can query and verify the usage and transition status of multiple IoT-connected devices from multiple device manufacturers. Of course, using natural language processing techniques, such commands can actually be executed with simpler commands like "Show me last month's usage for all the devices I connected."

[0032] When the control command is transmitted, the artificial intelligence server 50 analyzes it and generates a control command signal to control the IoT device 1. In particular, if the control command is a conditional control command, the artificial intelligence server 50 refers to the status information of each IoT device 1 stored and managed in the status information collection and management unit 59 to determine whether or not to generate the control command signal.

[0033] The artificial intelligence server 50 analyzes the voice or text related to the control command of the IoT device 1, generates a control command signal, and then transmits the control command signal to the bridge 10 connected to the IoT device 1 to be controlled or to the IoT device 1 to be controlled.

[0034] The artificial intelligence server 50 is comprised of a control unit 51, an authentication processing unit 53, a service information management unit 55, a control command analysis processing unit 57, and a state information collection and management unit 59.

[0035] The control unit 51 controls the overall operation of the artificial intelligence server 50. Specifically, when the client 30 connects, it controls the authentication process for the user to proceed via the authentication processing unit 53, the storage and management of user information for service provision via the service information management unit 55, the analysis of voice or text related to control commands via the control command analysis processing unit 57, and the collection and management of state information of IoT device 1 via the state information collection and management unit 59.

[0036] The artificial intelligence server 50 either matches and stores user identification information, bridge information, and information of IoT devices 1 connected to the bridge, or matches and stores user identification information and information of IoT devices 1. Specifically, the service information management unit 55 of the artificial intelligence server 50 stores and manages identification information of users who will receive the service in advance, information about bridges 10 owned or managed by these users, and information about IoT devices 1 connected to bridges 10. For this reason, the user registers as a member with the artificial intelligence server 50 in advance and stores the user identification information, information about bridges 10 and IoT devices 1 for which they wish to receive remote control services, in the service information management unit 55.

[0037] At least one IoT device 1 owned or managed by each user may be controlled by control command signals from the artificial intelligence server 50 while all of them are connected to the at least one bridge 10, but some IoT devices 1 may be controlled by receiving control command signals while directly connected to the artificial intelligence server 50 without being connected to the bridge 10. Therefore, when at least one IoT device 1 is connected to the bridge 10, the service information management unit 55 can match and store user identification information, bridge 10 information, and information of the IoT device 1 connected to the bridge 10, and / or, for at least one IoT device 1 not connected to the bridge 10, it matches and stores user identification information and information of the IoT device 1.

[0038] The user identification information corresponds to information necessary to verify the identity of the user and whether or not they are a real user (for example, the user's name, telephone number, date of birth, etc.). The bridge 10 information includes the name of the bridge, an alias for the bridge, bridge connection information (address information), etc. The IoT device 1 information includes the name of the IoT device 1, IoT device connection information, IoT device operation information (on / off, temperature setting, etc.), etc.

[0039] The artificial intelligence server 50, specifically the control unit 51, when the control command analysis processing unit 57 analyzes the voice or text related to the control command of the IoT device 1 transmitted from the client 30, identifies information about the IoT device 1 to be controlled and control operation information based on the analysis results. Subsequently, the artificial intelligence server 50, in particular the control unit 51, generates a control command signal including the information about the IoT device 1 to be controlled and control operation information, and transmits it to the bridge 10 or the IoT device 1.

[0040] In other words, the control command signal includes information about the IoT device 1 to be controlled and control operation information. The information about the IoT device 1 to be controlled corresponds to identification information such as the name of the IoT device 1, and the control operation information is information related to the specific operation control of the IoT device 1, such as on / off, specific temperature setting, etc. On the other hand, the control command signal may further include detailed operation control information, such as the duration of the on state, the operating time, etc.

[0041] The control command analysis processing unit 57 analyzes the voice or text related to the control command of the IoT device 1 under the control of the control unit 51. The control command analysis processing unit 57 uses natural language processing to determine whether the control command is a simple control command, a complex control command, or a conditional control command, and extracts core keywords as an analysis result. For example, if the voice or text related to the control command of the IoT device 1 is "Turn on the living room light," the control command analysis processing unit 57 determines it to be a simple control command and extracts "living room light" and "turn on" as core keywords.

[0042] Then, based on the analysis results of the control command analysis processing unit 57, the control unit 51 identifies the information of the IoT device 1 to be controlled and the control operation information. For example, the control unit 51 identifies the information of the IoT device 1 to be controlled as "living room light" through the core keyword "living room light" extracted by the control command analysis processing unit 57, and identifies the control operation information as "ON" through the core keyword "turn on".

[0043] Subsequently, the control unit 51 generates a control command signal including information about the IoT device 1 to be controlled and control operation information, and transmits it to the bridge 10 or the IoT device 1. Specifically, the control unit 51 transmits a control command signal generated using information stored and managed in the service information management unit 55 to the bridge 10 or the IoT device 1.

[0044] More specifically, when the control unit 51 identifies the information of the IoT device 1 to be controlled, it refers to the information stored and managed in the service information management unit 55 that is matched with the identification information of the user who sent the voice or text related to the control command of the IoT device 1 and stored and managed, and determines whether there is a specific bridge 10 that is matched with and stored for the specific IoT device 1 to be controlled.

[0045] If, as a result of the determination, a specific bridge 10 exists that is matched to and stored for the specific IoT device 1 to be controlled, the control unit 51 transmits the control command signal to the specific bridge 10. If no specific bridge 10 exists that is matched to and stored for the specific IoT device 1 to be controlled, the control command signal is transmitted to the specific IoT device 1 to be controlled.

[0046] The control unit 51 may transmit a control command signal to the specific bridge 10 or the specific IoT device 1 to be controlled, using bridge information or information about IoT device 1 that is stored and managed in the service information management unit 55, and matched with the identification information of the user who sent the voice or text related to the control command of IoT device 1. Since the bridge information includes bridge connection information and the information about IoT device 1 includes connection information of IoT device 1, the control unit 51 may transmit the generated control command signal to the specific bridge 10 or the specific IoT device 1 to be controlled.

[0047] The status information collection and management unit 59 stores and manages the status information of IoT devices 1 owned or managed by each user, matching it with the identification information of each user. The status information collection and management unit 59 collects and stores the status information of IoT devices 1 that is stored and managed in accordance with the identification information of each user, under the control of the control unit 51. Specifically, the status information collection and management unit 59 collects and stores the status information of each IoT device 1 via the bridge 10 to which the IoT devices 1 are connected, under the control of the control unit 51, or collects and stores the status information directly from the IoT devices 1.

[0048] As a result of the control command analysis processing unit 57 analyzing the voice or text related to the control command of the IoT device 1, if the control command is determined to be a conditional control command, the control unit 51 refers to the status information of the IoT device 1 stored in the status information collection and management unit 59 to determine whether or not to generate a control command signal. Specifically, the control unit 51 refers to the status information collection and management unit 59 and, if there is an IoT device 1 that maintains a state that matches the conditions analyzed by the control command analysis processing unit 57, generates a control command signal. If there is no such device, it notifies the client 30 of the status information of the IoT device 1 without generating a separate control command signal.

[0049] For example, when the user sends a conditional control command "Turn off the living room light if it's on," the control command analysis processing unit 57 determines that it is a conditional control command via "if the living room light is on." Then, the control unit 51 refers to the status information collection and management unit 59 and checks the status information of "living room light" among the IoT device 1 that is matched to the user's identification information and stored and managed. If the current state is "ON," the condition is met, so it generates a control command signal for "Turn off the living room light." On the other hand, if the current state is "OFF," the condition is not met, so it notifies the client 30 of the current status information that "the living room light is OFF."

[0050] The status information collection and management unit 59, under the control of the control unit 51, collects and stores status information of IoT devices 1 owned or managed by the user, matching it with the user's identification information, when requested by the control unit, or in real time or periodically. Therefore, the status information collection and management unit 59 can store and manage the current status of each IoT device 1.

[0051] On the other hand, the artificial intelligence server 50 includes an authentication processing unit 53. The authentication processing unit 53, under the control of the control unit 51, may perform authentication procedures for the user when the first user connects to the artificial intelligence server 50 and registers as a member, and may also perform authentication procedures for identity verification, etc., when the user connects to the artificial intelligence server 50 to receive services after registering as a member.

[0052] Specifically, the authentication processing unit 53 checks whether the current authentication for the user is valid once the user connects. If the user's current authentication status is valid, the IoT device integrated control service is provided. If the user's current authentication status is not valid, the authentication process is performed via a pre-configured authentication means before the IoT device integrated control service is provided.

[0053] The artificial intelligence server 50 receives information necessary for identity verification and confirmation of whether the user is using their real name (usually the user's name, phone number, date of birth, etc.) from the client 30, and can then check whether the user's authentication is valid (the user's authentication status and whether the authentication is valid) via the authentication processing unit 53. The authentication processing unit 53 stores and manages whether the authentication for each user is valid (the user's authentication status and whether the authentication is valid).

[0054] The authentication processing unit 53 checks whether the authentication of the user is valid (authentication status and validity of authentication). Checking whether the user's authentication is valid involves not only checking whether the user has previously completed valid authentication, but also checking whether the authentication validity period has expired, even if the user has previously completed valid authentication. For example, if the user has previously completed valid authentication and this completed authentication has not exceeded the pre-set authentication validity period, the authentication processing unit 53 determines that the authentication for the user is valid. If the user is connecting to the artificial intelligence server 50 for the first time and has never completed valid authentication before, or if there is a previously completed valid authentication but the authentication validity period has expired, the authentication for the user is determined to be invalid.

[0055] If the authentication processing unit 53 determines that the user's authentication is not valid, it initiates a user authentication process via a pre-configured authentication means before providing the IoT device integrated control service. The authentication processing unit 53 matches the new user information obtained during the authentication process to the user and stores and manages it in a new manner.

[0056] The authentication processing unit 53 ensures that the user authentication process is performed via a pre-configured authentication method, according to the user's selection, from among various authentication methods such as KakaoPay, PASS, Shinhan Authentication, KB Authentication, Official Authentication, and Integrated Authentication.

[0057] The user performs the authentication process using user information such as telephone number, name, and date of birth, which is required to verify whether the user is using their real name and to confirm their identity. Therefore, when the user authentication is completed, the authentication processing unit 53 can obtain new user information. Accordingly, the authentication processing unit 53 considers that the authentication of the newly authenticated user is valid and stores and manages the information of this authenticated user.

[0058] In this way, the authentication processing unit 53 performs integrated user authentication for each user receiving the IoT device integrated control service. From the end user's perspective, this avoids repeated identity verification procedures. From the service provider's perspective, it reduces the time, effort, and cost associated with repeatedly performing identity verification for users who have already completed valid authentication immediately before connection.

[0059] While embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these are merely illustrative, and a person with ordinary skill in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are possible based on these. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention must be defined by the following claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 1 IoT equipment 10 Bridges 30 clients 50 Artificial Intelligence Servers 100 Integrated control service provision system for IoT devices via artificial intelligence server

Claims

[Claim 1] In an integrated control service provision system for IoT devices, Each user owns or manages at least one bridge that is connected to multiple IoT devices, A client that transmits voice or text related to control commands for IoT devices generated by the user to an artificial intelligence server, The system includes an artificial intelligence server that analyzes voice or text related to control commands for the IoT device to generate a control command signal, and then transmits the control command signal to a bridge connected to the IoT device to be controlled or to the IoT device to be controlled. The artificial intelligence server matches and stores user identification information, bridge information, and information of IoT devices connected to the bridge, or matches and stores user identification information and IoT device information. The artificial intelligence server is configured to include a control command analysis processing unit that analyzes and processes voice or text related to control commands for the IoT device, and a control unit. The control command analysis processing unit uses natural language processing to determine whether the control command is a simple control command corresponding to a single IoT device, a complex control command corresponding to multiple IoT devices, or a conditional control command corresponding to a command that checks the state of at least one IoT device and controls its operation according to the current state conditions. As an analysis result, it extracts core keywords, which are keywords related to the IoT device information and the control operation information of the IoT device. The control unit identifies information about the IoT device to be controlled and control operation information based on the extracted core keywords. An integrated control service provision system for IoT devices via an artificial intelligence server, characterized in that the control command signal includes information on the IoT device to be controlled and control operation information.

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