10303 results about "Home appliance" patented technology

Apparatus for operating home appliances using gesture recognition are disclosed. An image receiver receives a continuous stream of images of a gesture made within the image receiver's field of view. An image processor is connected to the image receiver for sampling the received stream of gesture images to form a gesture image sequence, and for recognizing whether the gesture image sequence corresponds to one of a predefined set of gestures. If the input gesture is recognized as being one of the predefined gestures, an operations processor, which is connected to the image processor, identifies a home appliance operation associated with the recognized gesture. An appliance controller is connected to the operations processor for causing the predefined home appliance operation to be performed. Home appliances and methods for operating home appliances using gesture recognition are also disclosed.

A method and system of controlling devices with digitally stored content. Devices such as home electronic appliances, lighting systems, heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, home security systems and home entertainment systems are controlled from a single, centralized device. A set top box (STB) stores scripts that include program content for controlling the operation of a plurality of these devices from the STB. A user of the STB selects the desired scripts, and the STB accesses the selected scripts from storage based on a triggering mechanism such as time, content, event, etc. The STB selectively controls operation of certain devices designated in the script. The method provides ease of control over multiple and diverse devices, applications and media within a user's own home environment, with more functionality and flexibility than currently available.

A home control and automation system and method. The system generally includes one or more wireless remote controls, a plurality of appliances (including network enabled appliances and traditional legacy appliances in the exemplary system), associated control centric devices, and associated content centric devices. Various methods for control and operation of appliances in the networked home control and automation environment are disclosed. Specifically, methods are disclosed which enable advanced home control features such as location based control setup and operation, network enabled legacy appliances and system integration, save and recall capabilities for appliance and media states, generic command based appliance controls, dynamic / complex macro command generation, and Internet based control capabilities from remote locations are disclosed in conjunction with the system of the current invention.

Disclosed are what I call “Reconfigurable Tactile Control Displays” particularly suited for applications such as automobile instrument panels where large displays and controls are desirable to provide a wide range of information, with minimal driver distraction and the safe input of data to vehicle subsystems or for communication based activities. Preferred embodiments utilize rear projection displays with electro-optically sensed controls and offer, at low cost, a maximum of reconfigurability to different car lines, drivers, and tasks. Also disclosed are novel implementations for military vehicles, and other applications such as control of appliances, heating and other household functions which may share common control and display presentation with those used in the vehicle.

An integrated remote controller and a main set-top-box therefor, wherein the integrated remote controller performs communication with the main set-top-box of home network system through WLAN and provides appliance control signals to a corresponding appliances connected to the main set-top-box through wires or wirelessly. Every home networked household appliance can be controlled by one integrated remote controller through intuitive and easy user interface, irrespective of where a user is, whereby the user can easily control any appliance, check a control result in response to a control request right away, and check or control the status of appliances through a regular monitoring function. As a result, user mobility, convenience, and functionality can be maximized.

A control server, or similar central processor, manages the distribution of data (including audio and video), voice, and control signals among a plurality of system components connected via a wired and / or wireless communications network. The system components include audio / visual components (such as, televisions, monitors, PDAs, notepads, notebooks, MP3, portable stereo, etc.) as well as household appliances (such as, lighting, ovens, alarm clocks, etc.). A portable controller allows a user to access and control the system components from any location within a controlled residential and / or non-residential environment, including its surrounding areas. The portable controller includes a user and management interface that contains customized control screens for the system components. The control screens are stored in a hierarchical architecture that is searchable by region or component type.

Applications, systems and methods for securely and remotely operating a remote computer from a local computer over a network while providing seamless, firewall-compliant connectivity. Secure and remote operation includes authenticating at least one remote computer for connection to at least one computer over the network and / or at least one local computer for connection to at least one remote computer over the network; establishing a secure connection between the at least one local computer and the at least one remote computer over the network; and integrating a desktop of at least one remote computer on a display of at least one local computer. The connections may be made over a public network, as well as through multiple firewalls without loss of functionality. A method of accessing and using at least one remote computer from a local computer over a public network may include centrally authenticating, at a location having a public address, a first computer having a first, firewall protected private address; creating a first firewall compliant connection between a publicly addressed connection server and the first computer upon authentication of the first computer; establishing a second firewall compliant connection between the publicly addressed connection server and a second computer having a second firewall protected private address; establishing a private-to-public-to-private communications tunnel, wherein the connection server routes communications from the first computer through the first firewall compliant connection and the second firewall compliant connection to the second computer, and from the second computer through the second firewall compliant connection and the first firewall compliant connection to the first computer; and performing at least one further step selected from the group consisting of: integrating a file structure of accessible files accessed at the second or first computer, into a file structure contained at the first or second computer, respectively; at least one of integrating a desktop of the second computer on a display of the first computer and integrating a desktop of the first computer on a display of the second computer; and directly operating the second computer from the first computer or the first computer from the second computer, wherein the computer that is directly operated is selected from the group consisting of: home appliances, video equipment, audio equipment, printers, fax machines, office equipment, medical devices, vehicles, cameras, RFID equipment, laboratory equipment, manufacturing machinery, GPS equipment, and devices having one or more embedded microprocessors.

An energy controller (10) as a communication device for transmitting and receiving data by transmitting a signal for establishing transmission and reception of the data to network-connected home appliances (11a to 11c), the energy controller (10) including: a power saving control unit which determines a transmission period such that the transmission period during which the signal is transmitted is increased as a power value difference increases, which is a value obtained by subtracting the total power consumption value of a power consumption appliance from available power supply value to the power consumption appliance including the network-connected home appliances (11a to 11c); and wireless communication IF (22) for transmitting the signal containing the information indicating the transmission period to the network-connected home appliances (11a to 11c) in order to set the network-connected home appliances (11a to 11c) in an active state with a period according to the transmission period.

A home network system and a control method thereof. A user with a mobile station at a remote location can control a home robot and monitor security conditions and home appliance conditions at a house via a wireless network. In the home network system, the mobile station is adapted to transmit a control request message for the remote control of the home robot and monitoring-request messages for the monitoring at a house via a first network, and receive control result information related to the home robot control and monitoring information via the first network for display. A server is adapted to analyze the request messages received from the mobile station via the first network, transmit a corresponding request message to the home robot via a second network, and receive the control result information and the monitoring information from the home robot via the second network to transmit to the mobile station.

A control server, or similar central processor, manages the distribution of data (including audio and video), voice, and control signals among a plurality of devices connected via a wired and / or wireless communications network. The devices include audio / visual devices (such as, televisions, monitors, PDAs, notepads, notebooks, MP3, portable stereo, etc.) as well as household appliances (such as, lighting, ovens, alarm clocks, etc.). The control server supports video / audio serving, telephony, messaging, file sharing, internetworking, and security. A portable controller allows a user to access and control the network devices from any location within a controlled residential and / or non-residential environment, including its surrounding areas. The controllers are enhanced to support location-awareness and user-awareness functionality.

A control server, or similar central processor, manages the distribution of data (including audio and video), voice, and control signals among a plurality of system components connected via a wired and / or wireless communications network. The system components include audio / visual components (such as, televisions, monitors, PDAs, notepads, notebooks, MP3, portable stereo, etc.) as well as household appliances (such as, lighting, ovens, alarm clocks, etc.). A portable controller allows a user to access and control the system components from any location within a controlled residential and / or non-residential environment, including its surrounding areas. The portable controller includes a user and management interface that contains customized control screens for the system components. The control screens are stored in a hierarchical architecture that is searchable by region or component type.

The disclosed invention is generally in the field of control of appliances in the home, and in their networking and connectivity also with audio systems and internet sources and the integration of these elements in a connected manner. Preferred apparatus generally employs a video projection system and one or more TV cameras. Embodiments of the invention may be used to enhance the social interaction and enjoyment of persons in the kitchen and reduce the work of food preparation. The invention may be used in many rooms of the house, and contribute to the well being of seniors and others living therein.

The present invention discloses a home network management system which can perform processing, conversion and transmission of data between a plurality of client devices and a plurality of home appliances. The home network management system resides in a home master device connected to at least one home appliance through a first network and connected to at least one client device through a second network separated from the first network, and is controlled by a central processing means of the home master device. The system includes a channel handling module for transmitting / receiving a first type of packet between the home master device and the home appliance, a transmission handling module for performing conversion between the first type of packet from the channel handling module and a first type of message from a service management module, and transmitting the converted packet and message, the service management module for performing conversion between the first type of message from the transmission handling module and a second type of message from a connection handling module, and transmitting the converted messages, and the connection handling module for performing conversion between a second type of extension message from the client device and the second type of message from the service management module.

Techniques are described for controlling attributes and / or settings related to operation of devices via a wireless network. An access device can determine a status of a configurable attribute / setting related to operation of a device (e.g., a home automation network device that can control a home appliance) connected to the network. The computing device can execute an application that can generate and display a graphical interface including an interactive area or an interactive element to control the device. The interactive element or the graphical interface can indicate a current value for the setting / attribute. The interactive area or element can be adjustable to adjust the setting / attribute. An adjusted value of the setting / attribute can be communicated to the network which can cause operation of the device to be controlled based on the adjusted value. The computing device can modify the graphical interface to indicate the adjusted value of the setting / attribute.

A portable device-interoperable home network system includes a home server controls data transmission and reception of an internal network to which a plurality of home appliances are connected in a home. An image server outputs information regarding at least one image in the home to the home server. A portable device server receives the image information from the image server via the home server and transfers it to a portable electronic device. Therefore, a user can recognize a situation in the home through the portable electronic device from anywhere outside of the home, resulting in an increase in convenience of use.

Universal Video Computer Vision Input Virtual Space Mouse-Keyboard Control Panel Robot has computer system use video vision camera sensors, logical vision sensor programming as trainable computer vision seeing objects movements X, Y, Z dimensions' definitions to recognize users commands by their Hands gestures and / or enhance symbols, colors objects combination actions to virtually input data, and commands to operate computer, and machines. The robot has automatically calibrated working space into Space Mouse Zone, Space Keyboard zone, and Hand-Sign Languages Zone between user and itself. The robot automatically translate the receiving coordination users' hand gesture actions combinations on the customizable puzzle-cell positions of working space and mapping to its software mapping lists for each of the puzzle-cell position definition and calibrate these user hand and / or body gestures' virtual space actions into entering data and commands to computer meaningful computer, machine, home appliances operations.

A home network system for controlling one or more home appliances connected to a network and a method for operating the same. If an alive message or a connection termination message is normally generated from the home appliance, or if the alive message or the connection termination message is not normally transmitted to a network manager due to a transmission failure in a communication path, the network manager automatically recognizes a network connection state of the home appliance using a network search process, performs a connection termination operation according to the recognized information, and updates network information, resulting in increased reliability and user's convenience of the home network system.

A home appliance network system and a method for operating the same, wherein a network master can not only automatically generate a unique house address of a corresponding home, but also sense a network collision of the corresponding home with a neighboring home to maintain house address uniqueness. The network master manages / controls one or more home appliances connected to a network of the corresponding home and determines whether the generated house address collides with that of the neighboring home. If the generated house address is determined to collide with that of the neighboring home, the network master automatically changes the house address to a new one to maintain house address uniqueness. As a result, the network master can prevent a network interference / collision with the neighboring home, thereby increasing security and stability of the home appliance network system at low cost.

A security device for a home network and a security configuration method thereof. The security device for the home network includes a user interface to send at least one request signal that includes a device register request signal to register a home appliance to the home network; a public key generator to generate a public key and a password used for security configuration of the home network; a home appliance interface to interface with the home appliance; and a controller to control the home appliance interface to transmit the public key and the password to the home appliance, and the controller to control to register the home appliance to the home network according to a service discovery protocol when the device register request signal is received from the user interface. Accordingly, the security configuration of the home network can be facilitated.

A voice control system for managing home electrical appliances includes a home agent server (HAS) connected to the home electrical appliances, a microphone and a speaker linked to the agent server through an in-house network. An transaction processing (TP) program runs on HAS and interprets the user's voice request to find a destined appliance and a manner of control the same, and performs the requested control to the destined appliance. The result is notified to the user by means of a voice message.

A voice control system for managing home electrical appliances includes a home agent server (HAS) connected to the home electrical appliances, a microphone and a speaker linked to the agent server through an in-house network. An transaction processing (TP) program runs on HAS and interprets the user's voice request to find a destined appliance and a manner of control the same, and performs the requested control to the destined appliance. The result is notified to the user by means of a voice message.

The invention relates to a telephone set comprises a connection apparatus to execute a connecting process for enabling transmission and reception of an information signal to and from a home appliance such as a general audio device remote-controllable by radio communication; a control apparatus for generating, upon arrival of an incoming call, a remote control signal such as a pause command to the home appliance; and a radio communication apparatus for sending the remote control signal to the home appliance by radio communication. Thus, upon arrival of an incoming call at the telephone set, the remote control signal is sent to the audio device or the like either directly from the telephone set or via a communication adaptor installed therein, hence pausing or muting the output of the audio device under remote control. Such control action enables a user to perceive the incoming call with facility.

A home network system has a home appliance, a portable terminal to receive a control command associated with the home appliance, and an access point to allow the home appliance or the portable terminal to be connected to a wide area network (WAN), wherein the access point notifies the home appliance of the connection of the portable terminal if the portable terminal connects to the access point, so that the home application detects that a user returns home and performs a certain operation as a user connects to the access point when returning home.

A smart controlling method applied to a smart home system for controlling a number of home appliances which may detect and act upon the approach of a user to the smart home. The smart home system learns the habits of a user from repeated inputs at repeated times by the same user to determine that a control command is a habit. When the user arrives at home or is discovered in proximity to the smart home, the smart home system calls a control command to control a relevant home appliance to execute certain operations. A smart gateway and a smart home system are also provided.

A home network system has a home appliance, a portable terminal to receive a control command associated with the home appliance, and an access point to allow the home appliance or the portable terminal to be connected to a wide area network (WAN), wherein the access point notifies the home appliance of the connection of the portable terminal if the portable terminal connects to the access point, so that the home application detects that a user returns home and performs a certain operation as a user connects to the access point when returning home.

A control server, or similar central processor, manages the distribution of data (including audio and video), voice, and control signals among a plurality of devices connected via a wired and / or wireless communications network. The devices include audio / visual devices (such as, televisions, monitors, PDAs, notepads, notebooks, MP3, portable stereo, etc.) as well as household appliances (such as, lighting, ovens, alarm clocks, etc.). The control server supports video / audio serving, telephony, messaging, file sharing, internetworking, and security. A portable controller allows a user to access and control the network devices from any location within a controlled residential and / or non-residential environment, including its surrounding areas. The controllers are enhanced to support location-awareness and user-awareness functionality.

Systems, methods and devices for integrating alternative energy sources and energy storage components into a single device with systems for control and safety monitoring to provide for use of the generated power on the premises, resale of power to the utility, and for power supply from storage and / or the alternative energy sources in the event of an interruption of supply from a utility's power grid. The device integrates the necessary components into a cabinet for use as a home appliance. The power storage and supply device cabinet contains essentially all necessary electrical components including charge controllers, inverters, relay circuitry, circuit breakers, and energy storage modules, such as batteries. A local controller device is disposed inside the cabinet and is configured to monitor and control the processes conducted by the power storage and supply device. The cabinet includes a ventilation system which uses an air intake located at the bottom of the cabinet for receiving air that is pulled into the lower section of the cabinet by fans located in the middle of the cabinet. The air is then circulated into the upper section of the cabinet where it is vented out through exhaust ports. Further, the cabinet of the power storage and supply device is compartmentalized by a separator panel that divides access to the compartments of the cabinet according to both levels associated with safety and a user's expertise.

The invention relates to a telephone set comprises a connection means to execute a connecting process for enabling transmission and reception of an information signal to and from a home appliance such as a general audio device remote-controllable by radio communication; a control means for generating, upon arrival of an incoming call, a remote control signal such as a pause command to the home appliance; and a radio communication means for sending the remote control signal to the home appliance by radio communication. Thus, upon arrival of an incoming call at the telephone set, the remote control signal is sent to the audio device or the like either directly from the telephone set or via a communication adaptor installed therein, hence pausing or muting the output of the audio device under remote control. Such control action enables a user to perceive the incoming call with facility.

A method and system are provided for accessing, monitoring, and controlling home appliances in a media exchange network by establishing a communication link between a communication initiation device and at least one home appliance and communicating at least one command from the communication initiation device to the at least one home appliance via the communication link. The at least one home appliance then generates at least one response to the at least one command. The commands may include turning the home appliance(s) on and off, parameter adjustment commands, access commands, monitoring commands, mode change commands, and programming commands. Appliance responses may include powering on, powering off, changing a mode of operation, sending a status to the communication initiation device, adjusting an operational parameter, and changing a programmed operational step.