Remote access gateway configurable control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9954968-B2
Application number	US-201514827157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2015
Priority date	Sep 15, 2012
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A remote access gateway configurable control system. There may be a series of control commands to set or adjust a gateway device's running parameters and modify the behavior of the device or start process action. There may be configuration commands for remote control of the device and server commands for unattended devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gateway control system for residential building equipment comprising:
a gateway device;
heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment connected to the gateway device; and
a remote access mechanism connected to the gateway device and an internet cloud, the remote access mechanism is configured to:
configure operation of the gateway device by setting running parameters of the gateway device;
monitor the operation of the gateway device;
obtain information about the gateway device and current running status of the gateway device based at least in part from the monitoring of the gateway device; and
modify a behavior of the gateway device by adjusting the running parameters based at least in part on the information about the gateway device and the current running status of the gateway device; and

wherein signals, for configuring and/or controlling the gateway, are provided from the internet cloud to the remote access mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
commands from a service application of the remote access mechanism to the internet cloud remotely configure and/or control the gateway device and/or affect the behavior of the gateway device or start a process action; and
for each command, the service application should receive a response.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein a command is selected from a group consisting of command, reset, send ping set or stop, cause registration, encryption mode, sync to host, device information, system configuration, clear fault, configuration file, firmware upgrade, stop parameter, and close data session.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the service application sends a keep-alive message periodically to ensure that a data circuit is kept open; and
the keep-alive message is sent even if there is a command pending for or from the gateway device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein modifying the behavior of the gateway device includes:
identifying a message sending behavior of the gateway device based at least in part from the information about the gateway device and the current running status of the gateway device and adjusting the message sending behavior based at least in part on the identification of the message sending behavior;
identifying that the gateway device has been hacked based at least in part on the information about the gateway device and the current running status of the gateway device and resetting the gateway device based at least in part on the identification that the gateway device has been hacked; and
identifying an encryption mode of the gateway device based at least in part on the information about the gateway device and the current running status of the gateway device and adjusting the encryption mode of the gateway device based at least in part on the identification of the encryption mode.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the gateway device communicates wirelessly to a host; and
the host is an item selected from a group consisting of thermostats, outdoor sensors, indoor sensors, and controllers for air handlers, air conditioners, heaters, and humidifiers.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the gateway device has communications with a server;
the communications comprise one or more data sessions and/or an asynchronous message; and
when a session is opened to activate a gateway device, a service application can request a data session to send a registration command.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein modifying the behavior of the gateway device includes:
identifying irregular operation of the gateway device based at least in part from the information about the gateway device and the current running status of the gateway device;
determining the gateway device has been hacked based at least in part on the identified irregular operation of the gateway device; and
resetting the gateway device by adjusting the running parameters in response to the determination that the gateway device has been hacked.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein a service application of the remote access mechanism sends a data session request to a server infrastructure to establish a connection between the gateway device and the server.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an item selected from a group consisting of a phone, web page, an electronic communication pad, a computer and a network comprises the remote access mechanism; and
wherein:
the item is connected to the internet cloud; and
the item can provide commands to the gateway device.

11. An approach for gateway control for residential equipment comprising:
providing a gateway device;
connecting heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment to the gateway device; and
connecting a remote access mechanism to the gateway device, an internet cloud and a network, the remote access mechanism is configured to:
configure operation of the gateway device by setting running parameters of the gateway device;
monitor the operation of the gateway device;
obtain information about the gateway device and current running status of the gateway device at least partially from the monitoring of the gateway device; and
modify a behavior of the gateway device by adjusting the running parameters based at least in part on the information about the gateway device and the current running status of the gateway device; and

wherein:
signals for configuring the operation and/or controlling the operation of the gateway are provided from the internet cloud or network to the remote access mechanism;
commands from a service application of the remote access mechanism to the internet cloud remotely configure and/or control the operation of the gateway device and/or affect a behavior of the gateway device or start a process action; and
for each command, the service application should receive a response.

12. The approach of claim 11 , wherein a command is selected from a group consisting of command, reset, send ping set or stop, cause registration, encryption mode, sync to host, device information, system configuration, clear fault, configuration file, firmware upgrade, and close data session.

13. The approach of claim 11 , wherein the service application sends a keep-alive message periodically to ensure that a data circuit is kept open.

14. The approach of claim 11 , wherein:
the gateway device communicates wirelessly to a host; and
the host is an item selected from a group consisting of thermostats, outdoor sensors, indoor sensors, and controllers for air handlers, air conditioners, heaters, and humidifiers.

15. The approach of claim 11 , wherein modifying the behavior of the gateway device includes:
identifying a message sending behavior of the gateway device based at least in part from the information about the gateway device and the current running status of the gateway device and adjusting the message sending behavior based at least in part on the identification of the message sending behavior;
identifying that the gateway device has been hacked based at least in part on the information about the gateway device and the current running status of the gateway device and resetting the gateway device based at least in part on the identification that the gateway device has been hacked; and
identifying an encryption mode of the gateway device based at least in part on the information about the gateway device and the current running status of the gateway device and adjusting the encryption mode of the gateway device based at least in part on the identification of the encryption mode.

16. A gateway control system for resi

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Wang Bo
• Lemire Patrick
• Lv Cherry

Classifications

• H04L67/142

  Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms · CPC title

• G05B15/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• G05B2219/25168

  Domotique, access through internet protocols · CPC title

• H04L67/2804 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02B30/00

  Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC] · CPC title