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US 9,288,102 B2Granted
Controlling devices using cloud services and device-agnostic pipe mechanisms
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorEhab Sobhy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An environment is described in which a cloud-implemented service system controls a plurality of target devices via a plurality of respective device-agnostic pipe mechanisms. The target devices themselves may represent “dumb” devices, e.g., lacking local control logic, or providing reduced reliance on local control logic. Users may interact with the service system via applications running on any type of user devices.
Claims20
A service system comprising:
- a plurality of service modules configured to provide a plurality of respective services, the services, in turn, for use in controlling a plurality of target devices that lack local control logic;
- a controlled device interface module configured to allow the target devices to interact with the services via a plurality of physical pipe mechanisms that are mechanically connected to the respective target devices that lack local control logic;
- a user device interface module configured to allow a plurality of user devices to interact with the services;
- and
- one or more computer devices configured to execute the plurality of service modules, the controlled device interface module, and the user device interface module,
- the service system being accessible to the physical pipe mechanisms via a wide area network,
- wherein the plurality of physical pipe mechanisms implement different respective communication classes including a first communication class and a second communication class, and
- the controlled device interface module is further configured to control a first target device by communicating with a first physical pipe mechanism according to the first communication class and to control a second target device by communicating with a second physical pipe mechanism according to the second communication class.
5 more elements
A physical pipe mechanism for providing interaction between a remote service system and a target device, the physical pipe mechanism comprising:
- a device interface mechanism configured to control application of electrical power to the target device;
- a multi-mode service interface mechanism configured to selectively communicate with the remote service system according to different respective communication classes, including a first communication class and a second communication class, based on a received selection, the remote service system having at least one service that is configured to provide control instructions to the physical pipe mechanism;
- and
- a processing module configured to control operation of the physical pipe mechanism responsive to the control instructions received from the remote service system.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- providing a service system implemented by one or more servers, the service system providing a plurality of service modules, each service module providing a service;
- and
- using the service system to control a plurality of target devices that lack local control logic via a plurality of physical pipe mechanisms which mechanically couple to the target devices, wherein the service system is configured to control the plurality of target devices by sending instructions over a wide area network from the service system to the plurality of physical pipe mechanisms that are mechanically coupled to the plurality of target devices,
- the instructions being sent according to different communication classes including a first communication class and a second communication class, and
- wherein the using the service system includes controlling a first one of the target devices by communicating with a first physical pipe mechanism according to the first communication class and controlling a second one of the target devices by communicating with a second physical pipe mechanism according to the second communication class.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.