Service recording in a local area network

Abstract

A method and device for recording a service in a local network are described. The service includes a set of actions to be carried out on at least one terminal of the network to provide a part of the service. The method includes obtaining a unique identifier, finding capacities of the network terminals, acquiring the found terminal capacities, constructing the service as a sequence of actions on at least one found terminal via a user interface, associating the service with the unique identifier, and recording the service and the associated unique identifier.

Claims

1. A method for recording a service in a local area network, the service comprising a set of actions to be performed on at least one communication terminal of the network capable of providing part of the service, the method including: procuring a unique identifier, the unique identifier corresponding to an identifier of a contactless tag; discovering the capabilities of terminals of the network; acquiring the capabilities of the discovered terminals; constructing the service in the form of a sequence of actions on at least one discovered terminal, by way of a user interface; associating the service with the unique identifier; and recording the service and the associated unique identifier, wherein subsequent procurement of the unique identifier associated with the service, subsequent to the initial procurement of the unique identifier, implements the service on at least one communication terminal of the local area network.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising, after initially procuring the unique identifier, testing the association of the identifier with a service, wherein the constructing, associating, and recording the service are performed only if the identifier is not already associated with a service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is procured by reading a contactless tag.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further including: procuring, subsequent to the initial procurement, a unique identifier of the service; procuring the data of the service from the unique identifier; and implementing the service on at least one terminal of the local area network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the procurement, subsequent to the initial procurement, of the identifier comprises reading a contactless tag.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is associated with a set of sub-services, each sub-service being identified by a sub-service number in the set of sub-services, and wherein a new procurement, following the initial procurement, of the unique identifier of the service triggers the implementation of a sub-service identified by a sub-service number.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the last sub-service associated with the service resets the terminals of the network to the state in which they were before the first sub-service was triggered.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery is followed by automatically acquiring software components necessary to enable an action on a discovered terminal.

9. A device for recording a service in a local area network, the service comprising a set of actions to be performed on at least one communication terminal of the network capable of providing part of the service, device comprising a processor, the device configured to: procure a unique identifier, the unique identifier corresponding to an identifier of a contactless tag; discover the capabilities of terminals of the network; acquire the capabilities of the discovered terminals; constructing the service in the form of a sequence of actions on at least one discovered terminal, by way of a user interface; associate the service with the unique identifier; and record the service and the associated identifier, wherein subsequent procurement of the unique identifier associated with the service, subsequent to the initial procurement of the unique identifier, implements the service on at least one communication terminal of the local area network.

10. A service gateway comprising the device of claim 9.

11. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement the method of claim 1.

Description

THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows the general context of one embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 2 schematically shows an architecture of a service gateway implementing one embodiment of the recording and the implementation of a service according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows, in the form of a flowchart, the recording and the implementation of a service according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT ILLUSTRATING THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows the general context of one embodiment of the invention.

(5) The local area network (1) is for example an IP (Internet Protocol) local area network. The network (1) according to this example includes an element for managing the network (6) (a residential gateway, a home gateway, a hub, etc.), called “service gateway” hereinafter, and terminal devices (2, 3, 4) connected to this local area network and able to establish communications with one another. In this example, these are respectively a connected lightbulb (3), a digital decoder (2) and a connected electric blind (4).

(6) These terminals are heterogeneous. They may in particular differ in terms of their operating system (Windows, Linux, Android, etc.), their type of connection to the network (Ethernet, Wifi, Bluetooth, BLE, etc.) and the actions of which they are capable (decoding an audiovisual program, positioning themselves on a TV channel, turning on, lowering, etc.).

(7) Terminal device, or more simply terminal, is understood hereinafter to mean any device able to connect to and communicate on the local area network.

(8) In the remainder of the description of this particular embodiment of the invention, consideration is given to the following service whose identifier is that of what is said to be a “contactless” tag (5) corresponding to the service, for example an NFC tag.

(9) It is recalled that near field communications, usually called NFC, based primarily on the ISO (International Standard Organisation) 14443 standard, use wireless technologies so as to enable an exchange of information between two peripherals spaced apart by a short distance, typically less than ten centimeters. In this context, “tag reading” applications such as defined by the NFC Forum (industrial body responsible for promoting the implementation and standardization of NFC technology) define the establishment of what is called “contactless” communication between a master, in this case called reader, and a slave, in this case called tag. For example, the reader is situated on the service gateway and the tag is integrated into an NFC “token” (5) which serves as a carrier therefor and is additionally easy to recognize for the user. Establishing NFC communication makes it possible to read the information written into the tag, in particular its unique identifier (UID).

(10) In the context of this embodiment, the NFC tag is associated with the service by way of a first presentation of the token to the NFC reader. The identifier of the token is read by the reader, which transmits it to the service gateway in this example. The gateway then displays an entry human-machine interface (HMI), for example a dashboard or a control application, such that the user enters the service that is of interest to him; when the user has finished describing his service, said service is recorded in association with the unique identifier of the token. Thereafter, when he wishes to execute the service, the user again presents the token to the NFC reader of the service gateway, such that a second reading of the unique identifier associated with the tag, and therefore now with the service, triggers the following events: lowering the blind (action on the blind) turning on the light in the dimmed setting (action on the light) turning on the digital decoder and the television (action on the digital decoder and the television) launching playback of an item of audiovisual content on the television (action on the digital decoder).

(11) Moreover, according to one variant, the service consists of a set of sub-services, each sub-service additionally being associated with a sub-service number. One example of services and sub-services is illustrated in the table below:

(12) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 example of service and associated sub-services #123456789 Multimedia content viewing SERVICE Sub-service number Actions 1 A. lower the blind 4 B. turn on the light 3 in the dimmed setting C. turn on the digital decoder 2 and the television D. launch playback of an item of audiovisual content on the television. 2 B2. Increase the brightness of the light 3 3 A. Turn off the digital decoder 2 and the television B. Turn off the light 3 C. Raise the blind 4

(13) The service S having the identifier #123456789 consists of three sub-services numbered 1, 2, 3. the first passage of the tag triggers recording of the service a second passage of the tag triggers sub-service 1 described above a third passage of the tag triggers sub-service number 2, which is manifested in an increase in the brightness of the lamp (from dimmed to medium) a fourth passage of the tag triggers sub-service number 3, which corresponds to resetting the state of the devices of the network to what they were before the service was activated.

(14) Naturally, this is just one exemplary use from among others. The user is thus relieved of manual action on each of the devices of the network. It is enough for him to present the NFC token to the reader for the service, or one of the sub-services, to be implemented.

(15) A more complete algorithmic version will be detailed later on with reference to FIG. 3.

(16) The invention thus offers a flexible, powerful and simple solution for recording and implementing a service in the local area network.

(17) FIG. 2 schematically shows an architecture of a terminal implementing one embodiment of the recording and the implementation of a service according to the invention.

(18) This is preferably the service gateway (6).

(19) The gateway (6) comprises, as is conventional, memories (M) associated with a processor (CPU). The memories may be ROM (from the English read only memory) or RAM (from the English random access memory) or else Flash memories. It communicates with the local area network via the Ethernet module (ETH), on the one hand, and possibly a module WIFI for wireless communication. It is also equipped with a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module.

(20) The gateway (6) furthermore comprises, according to the invention, the following modules: a user interface module (IHM for human-machine interface) that makes it possible in particular for the user to acquire the description of the service; user interface is understood to mean all of the information and hardware and software mechanisms allowing a user to communicate with the device. It may indiscriminately be a keyboard, a graphical interface (for which the objects to be manipulated are presented in the form of pictograms on which the user is able to imitate physical manipulations), a Web interface (a graphical interface of a Web application manipulated using a Web browser), or else a voice interface, etc. a software module DEC able to receive, and possibly request, in what is called a discovery step, the hardware and/or software capabilities of the terminals of the local area network by using one of the communication modules available to it: either the module WIFI, or the module ETH, or the module BLE, etc. a module NFC allowing it to read the identifier of the service contained in the NFC tag. a module ENR allowing it to record the description of the service (or of a set of sub-services) and the identifier of the service in association with its description. a module MOE allowing it to implement the service by transmitting the requested commands to the appropriate terminals.

(21) FIG. 3 shows, in the form of a flowchart, the recording and the implementation of a service according to one embodiment of the invention.

(22) In this case, the service outlined with reference to the preceding figure is adopted again, that is to say: the user of the network (1) wishes to view a film on his television that is connected to the digital decoder (2) and, to this end, to close the roller shutter (4) and turn on a light (3) in order to benefit from optimum lighting conditions.

(23) The overall implementation of the invention takes place in three separate phases: a phase of discovering the terminals of the network and their capabilities; a phase of recording the service or the sub-services associated with the service; a subsequent phase of implementing the service on the various devices.

(24) Phases of Discovering and Recording the Service

(25) In a step E0, a first reading of the token and of the unique identifier (UI) contained inside the tag is performed by the NFC reader that is situated on the service gateway (6) in this example.

(26) In a subsequent step E1, the identifier UI is tested. If this identifier is known to the gateway, that is to say if a service has already been associated with the unique identifier of the token, the immediately following steps of recording the service are not performed and step E1 will be followed by step E8.

(27) Otherwise, if a new identifier is involved, step E1 is followed by a step E2, called “discovery” step. This step E2, initiated in this example by a request from the gateway on the local area network, is followed by a step E3 of receiving the features that the terminals (2, 4, 3) of the network declare during respective steps E10, E20, E30. According to one alternative, each of the terminals declares its capabilities spontaneously, for example when it first connects to the local area network, or when it is first powered up, when the various terminals do not yet know each other.

(28) A terminal may transmit for example some or all of the following information: its identifier, its type (motion sensor, sun sensor, wind sensor, digital decoder, etc.), the name and the unit of a measured physical parameter, the minimum and maximum measured values, etc.

(29) The capabilities may be transmitted for example in the form of a data structure (file, etc.) that is broadcast on the network during this discovery step. The data file may be transmitted as a whole or in several parts.

(30) In addition, the gateway may know a device without the latter being explicitly visible on the network, in particular because it is powered off: for example, the gateway may know the digital decoder (because it has recorded it beforehand in its databases) and provide it in the list of the available devices even though it is absent at the time when the user wishes to record the service.

(31) It will also be noted that the discovery steps (E2, E3, E10, E20, E30) may be situated before steps E0 and E1 of procuring the identifier.

(32) These discovery phases may be implemented in a proprietary manner or comply, as already described, with a UPnP or BLE standard.

(33) In a step E4, the user enters the service S, for example by using a human-machine interface of a smartphone or of a screen connected to the service gateway or else of his television. According to the exemplary service mentioned in FIG. 1 and in table 1, to provide the service S desired by the user, said user successively selects, via the HMI: the blind; action: lower the blind; the light; action: turn on in the dimmed setting; the digital decoder; action: turn on the digital decoder and the television if they are not turned on already; the digital decoder; action: launch decoding and then playback of an item of audiovisual content on the television.

(34) Beforehand, for example following the discovery step, the various terminals and associated features may have been provided to the user so as to facilitate definition of the service.

(35) In a step E5, the unique identifier is associated with the service. According to one variant, already discussed, a set of sub-services may be associated with the service (see table 1 above).

(36) In a step E6, this association is recorded in a memory (for example of the service gateway).

(37) Phase of Implementing the Service

(38) In a step E7, identical to step E0, the user again presents his token to the NFC reader. The implementation of the service is separate from the recording thereof. Step E7 is therefore not linked in time to preceding step E6.

(39) The reader procures the identifier of the tag and transmits it to the device of the gateway. As this is in this case the second (or subsequent) reading of the identifier, the device recognizes that the identifier is already associated with a service; in step E8, the description of the service is then procured from the identifier. For example, the unique identifier makes it possible to index a table in a memory, including the list of the actions to be implemented for the service, as presented previously.

(40) In step E9, the service is implemented on the various terminals (2, 3, 4).

(41) As a variant, as described previously (table 1), a third passage of the token may trigger an increase in the brightness of the light during steps E′7 of reading the identifier, identical to step E7 with the additional procurement of the passage number. As this is the third passage, sub-service number 2 is implemented. Step E′7 is followed by a step E′8 of procuring the description of the sub-service from the identifier and the passage number, and then a step E′9 of acting on the light so as to increase the brightness thereof.

(42) As a variant, as described previously, a fourth and final passage of the token in front of the NFC reader may trigger actions that are the “reverse” of the actions of implementing the service according to steps E″7 of reading the identifier and analyzing the passage number (fourth and final passage, bringing about sub-service 3), E″8 of procuring the description of sub-service 3 from the identifier and the passage number, and E″9 of implementing the appropriate actions on the terminals so as to reset the network “as it was”.

(43) It goes without saying that the embodiment that has been described above has been given purely by way of indication and without any limitation, and that numerous modifications may easily be made by a person skilled in the art without otherwise departing from the scope of the invention.

(44) Numerous other exemplary services may in particular be proposed: Turning on an Internet radio station and changing station (from among favorite stations) upon each tag passage; Turning on a light and changing color (from among favorite colors) upon each tag passage; Turning on a hi-fi system that operates in several rooms of the household, on a predefined playlist, and changing the room in which music is played upon each tag passage; etc.