IP Verse

System And Method For Server Based Control

Patent No. US12316706 (titled "System And Method For Server Based Control") was filed by Smart Speaker Llc on May 28, 2024.

What is this patent about?

’706 is related to the field of building and vehicle automation systems, specifically those employing sensors and actuators for environmental control. The background involves the increasing use of the Internet for multimedia and real-time applications, coupled with the challenges of securing and managing these applications within homes and vehicles. Prior systems often relied on dedicated hardware gateways for local control, which could be costly and less reliable.

The underlying idea behind ’706 is to leverage an external, Internet-connected control server to manage actuator operations within a building or vehicle based on sensor data. This involves using a router or gateway to facilitate communication between sensors, actuators, and the external server. The key insight is to offload the control logic, including potentially complex processing like voice or image recognition, to a cloud-based server, thereby reducing the need for expensive and complex hardware within the building or vehicle.

The claims of ’706 focus on a client device with a WLAN transceiver, a microphone, and an actuator. The client device captures voice data, sends it to an external server, receives messages in response, operates its local actuator based on the first message, and sends a control message to another device with a second actuator based on the second message. The client device is addressable using an IP address in both the WLAN and the Internet.

In practice, the system works by having sensors (like microphones or cameras) in a building or vehicle transmit data to a router. The router then sends this data to a control server on the Internet. The control server, using its control logic (which may include voice or image processing), determines the appropriate actions and sends commands back to actuators in the building or vehicle, again via the router. Redundancy is achieved through multiple sensors, actuators, or data paths, enhancing system reliability.

This approach differentiates itself from prior solutions by moving the core control logic and processing to the cloud. This offers several advantages, including reduced hardware costs, improved reliability through server-side redundancy, and the ability to easily update and enhance the control logic without requiring changes to the in-building or in-vehicle devices. The use of standard network protocols (like IP) and wireless technologies (like WLAN) also promotes interoperability and simplifies deployment.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the early 2010s when ’706 was filed, systems commonly relied on client-server architectures for networked applications, at a time when X was typically implemented using Y. The Internet Protocol (IP) was the dominant protocol for routing data, and wireless technologies like ZigBee and Z-Wave were gaining traction for home automation. Software as a Service (SaaS) and cloud computing were emerging as popular models for delivering and consuming IT services.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application because no prior art, whether taken individually or in combination, teaches or suggests a client device for use with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) in a building and with a controlled device that comprises a second actuator in the building. The client device includes a WLAN transceiver, a microphone for capturing voice data, and a first actuator. The client device sends captured voice data to an external server, receives messages from the server, operates the first actuator in response to the received message, and sends a control message to the controlled device in response to the received second message. The client device is addressable in the WLAN and the Internet using an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

Claims

This patent contains 29 claims, with claim 1 being the only independent claim. Independent claim 1 is directed to a client device within a building's WLAN that interacts with a controlled device via voice data sent to a server. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and refine the features of the client device described in the independent claim, including specific components, functionalities, and applications.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
First actuator
(Claim 1)		“An actuator unit may include one or more actuators, each affecting or generating a physical phenomenon in response to an electrical command, which can be an electrical signal (such as voltage or current), or by changing a characteristic (such as resistance or impedance) of a device.”An element within the client device that affects or generates a physical phenomenon in response to an electrical command.
Internet-connected server device
(Claim 1)		“The terms ‘server’ or ‘server computer’ relates herein to a device or computer (or a plurality of computers) connected to the Internet and is used for providing facilities or services to other computers or other devices (referred to in this context as ‘clients’) connected to the Internet.”A device or computer (or a plurality of computers) connected to the Internet and is used for providing facilities or services to other computers or other devices connected to the Internet.
Internet Protocol
(Claim 1)		“The Internet Protocol (IP) is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams (packets) across a network using the Internet Protocol Suite. Responsible for routing packets across network boundaries, it is the primary protocol that establishes the Internet.”The principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams (packets) across a network using the Internet Protocol Suite.
Second actuator
(Claim 1)		“An actuator unit may include one or more actuators, each affecting or generating a physical phenomenon in response to an electrical command, which can be an electrical signal (such as voltage or current), or by changing a characteristic (such as resistance or impedance) of a device.”An element that affects or generates a physical phenomenon in response to an electrical command, located in a controlled device.
Wireless Local Area Network
(Claim 1)		“A popular approach to home networking (as well as office and enterprise environments) is communication via radio frequency (RF) distribution system that transports RF signals throughout a building to and from data devices. Commonly referred to as Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), such communication makes use of the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) frequency spectrum.”A communication network using radio frequency signals to connect devices in a building.

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case NumberFiling DateTitle
2:25-cv-00707Jul 11, 2025Smart Speaker LLC v. Amazon.com Services LLC

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US12316706

SMART SPEAKER LLC
Application Number
US18675220
Filing Date
May 28, 2024
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Jan 3, 2033
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents