WO2008090248A1

WO2008090248A1 - Wireless control system

Info

Publication number: WO2008090248A1
Application number: PCT/ES2008/000035
Authority: WO
Inventors: José María MILLET SANCHO
Original assignee: Colaboradores En Tecnología Para La Empresa, S.L.
Priority date: 2007-01-26
Filing date: 2008-01-24
Publication date: 2008-07-31
Also published as: ES2303472B1; ES2303472A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a wireless control system which can be used to control devices (10) from a wireless apparatus (23). The invention comprises: a controller with a short-range communication module for communicating with wireless apparatuses (23); a search manager module (5) for generating signals to search wireless apparatuses (23) which, upon receipt of said signals, reply by sending an identifier and selectively an action to be performed in the device (10) or a configuration modification administration order; a module (6) for extracting the identification of a wireless apparatus (23) in order to extract the identifier received; and an identifier comparator module (7) which, by means of an action interpreter module (11), controls the devices (10) upon local or remote verification of the identifier or directly upon receipt of same.

Description

WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a wireless control system that is intended to allow one or more devices to be governed, which may be of the same or different nature; and which is intended to authorize the governance of the device or devices by prior interrogation and detection of wireless devices that are close to the system, and upon receiving a response from any of the wireless devices detected.

It is another object of the invention to allow modifying the functionality of the system upon receiving a response from the detected wireless devices. It is also the object of the invention to allow the above functions to be performed upon request of a ¹ key, so that only the government of the devices is authorized when the received key is correct. The invention is applicable to perform the control of any type of device operated by relays, such as for example appliances, alarms, etc., parameters reading devices such as electricity, water meters, etc., or any device that performs the measurement of a parameter; all from a wireless device that incorporates conventional short distance wireless technology, such as bluetooth, wi-fi, etc., such as a telephone, PDA, remote control, etc. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the state of the art closest to the invention, the Spanish Invention Patent with number of application P-200502971 describing a wireless device control system by means of an apparatus that is provided with a mobile telephone, and does not provide for the possibility that the wireless apparatus may be a simple remote control.

Furthermore, in said document the control of the devices is not carried out, from the wireless devices, as a result of which these answer to a previous interrogation made from the system. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention has developed a new system, which, like conventional ones, allows at least one device to operate and govern from a wireless device, for which it is provided with at least one controller to which at least one device to be controlled is connected, and including The controller is a short distance communication module through which communication is established. with at least one wireless device; and it is characterized in that the controller is provided with a search manager module that has means for generating search signals of wireless devices, so that upon receiving these search signals, they respond by sending at least one identifier of the wireless device and optionally they can send information about an action to be performed on the device, or a change management order from the controller configuration; the controller also having an identification module or extractor of a wireless device, comprising means for extracting the identifier of each wireless device that has generated a response when receiving a search signal; and the controller including an identifier comparator module that is provided with means to perform a comparison operation of the extracted identifier with identifiers stored in a memory and generate an indication to an action interpreter module to act on the device when the extracted identifier is stored in the memory, or perform an authorization request operation to a remote access server and generate an indication to the action interpreter module to act on the device when it receives an authorization from the remote access server; or perform an indication operation to the action interpreter module to act directly on the device. The action interpreter module is the means by which the connection to the device or devices to be governed is made.

This configuration has the great advantage that the system allows the devices or devices connected to the system to act and govern directly upon receiving a response from a wireless device provided in proximity to the controller, (being the proximity corresponding to the range of the module short distance communications), in response to the search signals previously generated by the controller. In addition, this configuration allows the performance and control of the devices connected to the system prior to detecting that the responding wireless device is authorized to perform said government, provided that such authorization can be generated directly by the controller or from a remote access server.

In addition, the controller is provided with an administration order interpreter module to modify the functionality of the controller upon receipt of an order of administration together with the identification of a wireless device. For this purpose, the wireless device identifier extractor module comprises means for detecting whether an administration order has been received together with the identifier of a wireless device, these means being connected to the administration order interpreter module to which the order for sending is sent. administration to run.

The administration order interpreter module is also provided with means to configure the action to be performed in the action interpreter module, so that it is possible to modify the action to be performed on the device to be governed.

On the other hand, the controller is provided with an administration key manager module and an administration key storage memory, so that when the identification extractor module of a wireless device detects an administration order, it makes a request to the user of the wireless device of an administration key, so that when the received administration key matches the stored one, the administration order interpreter module is allowed to modify the functionality of the controller and otherwise the process is stopped. Likewise, the controller comprises a controller key manager module and a controller key memory to request the user of the wireless device a controller key before the action interpreter performs an action on the device, so that if the The received controller does not match the stored one, the process stops, and if they match, the action on the device is allowed. The invention provides that a plurality of administration orders can be made, among which the following stand out:

An indicative order of storage of the different identifiers of the wireless devices extracted by the identifier extractor module of a wireless device, in the storage memory of the different identifiers, to establish the wireless devices that are authorized to govern the device or devices connected to the controller.

An indicative order of deletion of the different identifiers stored in the identifier storage memory, to initialize it and allow to establish a new list of wireless devices authorized to perform - the control of the devices connected to the controller.

An indicative order of programming the operation to be carried out by an identifier comparator module, so that it can perform one of the operations mentioned above as established.

An indicative order of configuration of the action to be performed by the action interpreter module, to allow modifying the action to be performed. An indicative order to request a controller key for the controller to request that key before acting on the device, as already described.

An indicative order of request to the wireless device to send a confirmation before executing an administration order received, so that it is verified that this is the order of administration that the user wants to be established as a new mode of operation in the controller.

An indicative order to change the controller key or the administration key.

Finally, an indicative order to change the power levels of the short-distance communications module, so that its scope can be varied, and consequently its radius of action.

The invention provides that the generation of search signals of wireless devices is carried out from time to time, which has previously been preset in the search manager module.

On the other hand, the invention provides that the search signals comprise information regarding the type of wireless device to be answered, so that a system filter is established to allow the government of the devices to a certain type of wireless devices , since only the devices corresponding to the type indicated by the search signals will respond. The identifier of the wireless devices may be a address, such as the MAC address provided for each of the wireless devices, or a device name, as well as the type of wireless device.

In order for the identifier comparator module to verify the identification of the wireless device, the controller incorporates a memory manager module through which the identifier storage memory is accessed.

In order to obtain authorization from a remote access server, the controller of the invention incorporates a long distance communications module through which the identifier comparator module accesses the remote access server. This communication is carried out through a network via cable or wirelessly.

Next, in order to facilitate a better understanding of this descriptive report and forming an integral part thereof, a figure is attached in which the object of the invention has been represented by way of illustration and not limitation.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE FIGURE

Figure 1.- Shows a functional block diagram of a possible embodiment of the system of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention will now be described with the aid of the aforementioned figure. The invention allows governing any type of device 10 from a wireless device 23, such as a telephone, PDA, remote control, etc., which incorporates conventional wireless technology, such as bluetooth, wi-fi, etc. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the system for governing any type of device 10 is described, the operation of which is carried out by means of relays, such as the case of opening and closing doors, switching lights on, off, appliances, alarms, etc, but it also allows to govern devices of adjustable position such as cranes, cameras and the like; as well as the government of parameters reading devices such as electricity, gas meters or any device that makes the measurement of a parameter. A single device is shown in the figure, but it can incorporate a plurality of the different devices 10 discussed. For this, the device 10 or devices 10 to be governed are connected to a controller that is provided with a short distance radio frequency communications module 1 that has the corresponding antenna 2, receiver / transmitter 3 and decoder / encoder 4, which in turn, it is connected to a search manager module 5 which is provided with means to generate search signals from nearby wireless devices 23 that meet certain previously established characteristics, such as the type of device 23, so that it allows filtering of the next 23 devices according to the established characteristics. This search is carried out from time to time previously defined. The search manager module 5 is connected to a wireless device identifier extractor module 23 comprising means for extracting the unique addresses or identifiers of the wireless devices 23 found, their names and device type as established by the management module module. searches 5.

In addition, the controller comprises an identification comparator module 7 which, by means of a memory manager module 8, is connected to a memory 9 in which a list of identifiers 9 'is stored, such as addresses of wireless devices 23 authorized to govern the device or devices 10 connected to the system controller of the invention, so that access to govern each device 10 can be restricted to a series of wireless devices

23 determined, previously established by the stored addresses 9 ¹ , as will be described later. Additionally, the controller comprises a long-distance communications module 17 that allows access to public or private networks 21 from the controller for communication with a remote access server 22 that allows authorization checking of the found device 23, in instead of accessing memory 9.

The long-distance communications module 17 can access the network 21 via cable or wirelessly, for which it comprises the corresponding radio frequency antenna or other type of adapter 18 for cable communications with the network 21, the antenna being or adapter 18 connected to the corresponding receiver / transmitter 19 which in turn is connected to the corresponding decoder / encoder 20 by means of which the connection to the system controller of the invention is made.

To connect the device 10 to the controller, it comprises an action interpreter module 11 that is connected to an administration order interpreter module 12, so that it comprises means for configuring the action to be performed according to the signals received from the wireless device 23, and in the way that will be described later. The invention provides for the possibility of requesting different keys from the user of the apparatus 23 that intends to govern the device 10 to allow its control, for which the controller comprises a controller key manager module 13 that is connected to a controller key memory 14 to allow, if required, request a controller key, which compares it with that stored in memory 14 and if it does not match, the process is interrupted and the action is not executed. It also comprises an administration key manager module 15 and an administration key memory 16 to enable the user to be requested, if required, an administration password, which allows modifying the functionality of the controller, as will be described later.

The system of the invention can operate according to two different modes: administration mode, to modify the system configuration, and normal mode to govern the device 10.

The system is put into administration mode when the controller is turned on and / or when a button (not shown) included in the controller is operated. In this mode of operation the search manager module 5 generates the search signals that it sends through the short distance communications module 1 to the devices 23 so that they answer by sending their names and identification addresses and then the management module of the Searches 5 detects all wireless devices 23 that respond to the sent signaling, so that it sends to the module 6 wireless device identifier extractor 23 the name and identification address of each of the control devices 23 captured that have responded to the signaling generated by the search manager module 5.

The wireless device identifier extractor module 6 comprises means to detect if any of the names of the detected devices 23 contains an administration order or command that allows the configuration of the controller to be modified. If so, module 6 wireless device identifier extractor 23 activates the key manager module of administration 15 so that it generates a request signal, to the detected device 23, of an administrator key so that upon receiving the response of the device 23 it accesses the administrator key memory 16 and verifies if the received key matches the one stored in said memory, so that if so, it sends the administration order to the administration order interpreter module 12 that executes the administration order and enters normal operation mode. Similarly, in the case where the wireless device identifier extractor module 6 does not detect that the name of the detected device 23 contains an administration order or command, it also becomes operational in the normal mode, which will be described later. The operation of the system for the case where the module 6 identifier extractor wireless devices 23 detects the detected name of the apparatus 23 is associated with ^'an order management is described. An administration order, for example, could be the receipt of the name of the device 10.

Thus, for example, one of the administration orders may indicate the realization of learning by the controller, which consists in storing the different addresses of the devices 23 which are allowed to govern the device 10 through the controller of the invention.

In this case, once the administration key manager module 15 verifies that the received administration key coincides with the one stored, it gives the learning order interpreter module 12 the learning order and this, it indicates to the module 6 identifier extractor of gadgets wireless 23 that delivers the different addresses of the devices 23 that were extracted, memory manager 8, which stores all addresses 9 'in memory 9, thus leaving the system ready to allow access of the control devices 23 whose address It has been stored.

Another of the administration orders that the system can perform is the deletion of the list of addresses 9 'of authorized wireless devices 23 that have been stored in memory 9, in which case the process would be similar to that described for learning, but with the difference that in this case the memory manager 8 by means of the indication of the interpreter module of administration orders 12 makes the deletion of all the addresses 9 'that were previously stored in the memory 9.

Another administration order that can be carried out by the system of the invention consists in programming the identification comparator module 7 to avoid comparing an address of an received device 23 with a stored one, the operation of which will be explained later.

The administration orders also include the modification of the action to be performed in the action interpreter module 11, such as the type of activation of the device 10, which can be activated by a relay (not shown) that governs activation / deactivation, so that when the administration order interpreter module 12 detects an action modification order, it acts on the action interpreter module 11 so that it modifies the action as indicated. An example can be the modification of the activation time Another administration function consists in modifying the request mode of the controller key, that is to say if when it finds devices 23 that are authorized to operate, it asks for a controller key before executing the order, in which case the interpreter module of administration orders 12 acts on the controller key manager module 13 which sends through the decoder / encoder 4 a request for a controller key, so that upon receipt it compares it with that stored in the controller key memory 14 and We proceed in the manner already mentioned.

Within this function, the administration order interpreter module 12 allows that when receiving an address allowed for access to the controller, the received order is executed without requesting any type of controller key, indicating it to the action interpreting module 11 which proceed to perform the action received.

It also allows the administration order interpreter module 12 to request the device 23 to send a confirmation before executing an action received, which may consist of the user of the device 23 canceling the confirmation request, in which case he receives the response and proceeds to execute the action through the action interpreter module 11.

In addition, it also allows you to change the controller and administrator password for what you access to the corresponding manager 13 or 15 and store the new password in the corresponding memory 14 or 16.

Another example of management orders consists in modifying the power levels of both communication module 1 and communication module 2 to Therefore, the administration command interpreter module 12 is directly connected to the corresponding receiver / sender 3 or 19.

With respect to normal operation, the search manager module 5 requests the short distance communications module 1 to carry out a search of the nearby devices 23 every certain predefined time, as previously mentioned.

When the search manager module 5 finds any device 23, it passes the information regarding the device 23 to the wireless device identifier extractor module 23, so that it extracts its unique address or identifier, and optionally name, type and other device identifiers 23. The address obtained from the device 23 is passed to the identification comparator module 7, in which it has been previously defined whether to verify that the address 9 'is stored in the memory 9, in which case it is accessed through of the memory manager 8 and makes the comparison, so that if it is stored in memory 9, it sends the order to the action interpreter module-11, which executes the action on the device 10.

At this point it should be noted that it is also possible that the addresses of the devices 23 to which access is allowed, are stored in an access server 22, for which the identification comparator module 7, in which previously It has been defined that the address on the access server 22, which is accessed through the long distance communication module 2, must be verified to obtain authorization of whether or not access to the device 23 is allowed. Comparator 7 receives the answer and in case if access is allowed, it sends the order to the action interpreter module 11, which executes the action on the device 10.

In the case where the identification comparator module 7 has been programmed that it does not have to perform the address comparison, it directly delivers the order to the action interpreter module 11.

On the other hand, the action interpreter module 11 before executing the action can ask the device 23 for a controller key in the manner described above, or request confirmation of the execution of the order, or execute it directly, as it was also described above.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1.- WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, which allows to operate and govern at least one device (10) from a wireless device (23), for which it comprises at least one controller to which at least one device is connected

(10); and that includes a communication module at short distance of communication with at least one wireless device (23); It is characterized in that the controller comprises: - a search manager module (5) which has means for generating search signals of wireless devices (23); to which the wireless devices (23) answer by sending at least one identifier of the wireless device (23) and selectively an information of an action to be performed on the device (10); or a change management order 'of the controller configuration; a module (6) identification extractor of a wireless device (23) comprising means for extracting the identifier of each wireless device (23) that has responded; an action interpreter module (11) through which the connection is made to the at least device (10) for its performance and governance; an identifier comparator module (7) which is provided with means to perform a selected operation between: a comparison of the extracted identifier with identifiers (9 ¹ ) stored in the memory

(9) and generate an indication to the action interpreter module (11) to act on the device (10) when the identifier extracted is stored in memory (9); an authorization request to a remote access server (22) and generate an indication to the action interpreter module (11) that it acts on the device (10) when it receives an authorization from the remote access server (22); and an indication to the action interpreter module (11) that it acts directly on the device (10).

2. - WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the wireless device identifier extractor module (6) comprises means for detecting whether an order of wireless device (23) has received an order of administration, which sends an administration order interpreter module (12) to modify the functionality of the controller upon receiving an administration order together with the identifier.

3. WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the administration order interpreter module (12) comprises means to configure the action to be performed in the action interpreter module (11).

4. WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to claim 2, characterized in that the controller comprises an administration key management module (5) and an administration key memory (16), so that upon detecting the module (6) extractor identification of a wireless device (23) an administration order, activate the management key manager (15) in which a request signal is generated to the user of the wireless device (23) of a management key, that when it is received it compares it with that stored in the administration key manager module (15) and in case of coincidence the administration orders interpreter module (12) modifies the functionality of the controller.

5. WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller comprises a controller key manager module (13) and a controller key memory (14) to request the user of the wireless device (23) a controller before the action interpreter module (11) performs an action on the device (10).

6. WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to claim 2, characterized in that the administration orders are, at least selected from: an indicative order of storage of the different identifiers (9 ¹ ) of the wireless devices (23) extracted by 'the module (6) wireless device identifier extractor (23), in the identifier storage memory (9) (9 '); an indicative order of deletion of the different identifiers (9 ¹ ) stored in the corresponding memory (9); - an indicative order of programming the operation to be carried out by the identifier comparator module (7); an indicative order of configuration of the action to be performed by the action interpreter module (11); an indicative order of controller key request; an indicative order request to the device wireless (23) to send a configuration before executing the administration order received; an indicative order to change the controller key or the administration key; and an indicative order of changing the power levels of the short distance communications module (1).

7.- WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to previous claims, characterized in that the generation of search signals of wireless devices (23) is carried out from time to time previously defined.

8. WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to previous claims, characterized in that the search signals comprise information regarding the type of wireless device (23) to be answered.

9. WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to previous claims, wherein the identifier ^"wireless device (23) is selected from an address, a name, type of wireless device (23) and combination thereof.

10. WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a long distance communications module (17) through which the identifier comparator module (7) accesses the remote access server (22).

11. WIRELESS CONTROL SYSTEM, according to claim 1, wherein the memory (9) storing identifiers (9 ^1), is connected to comparator identifier (7) via the memory manager module (8).