Remote control system
View Patent ↗A method includes the steps of selecting an appliance to be controlled from a list of appliances stored in the cellular device, selecting an instruction to be communicated to the selected appliance from a list of instructions stored in the cellular device, and transmitting the instruction to a cellular interface associated with the selected appliance via a public cellular telephone infrastructure by dialing a. telephone number stored in the cellular device.
1. A hub for controlling one or more appliances based on communications with a cellular device, the hub comprising:
a cellular interface;
a communications mechanism configured to transmit instructions to the one or more appliances;
a memory configured to store a cellular telephone number associated with the cellular device;
a processor operatively coupled with the cellular interface and the memory, wherein the processor is programmed to:
answer an incoming telephone call from the cellular device, wherein answering the incoming telephone call establishes a communication link between the hub and the cellular device via a public cellular network;
receive a command string from the cellular device over the public cellular network;
determine which of the one or more appliances is an intended recipient of the command string;
send the command string to the intended recipient via the communication mechanism;
retrieve the cellular telephone number associated with the cellular device from the memory;
dial the cellular telephone number associated with the cellular device upon completion of executing the command string, wherein dialing the cellular telephone number establishes a communication link between a controller and the cellular device via the public cellular network; and
send verification to the cellular device that the command string has been executed via the public cellular network.
2. The hub of claim 1 , wherein the communications mechanism is configured to communicate with an appliance via infrared communications.
3. The hub of claim 1 , wherein the communications mechanism is configured to communicate with an appliance via Bluetooth communications.
4. The hub of claim 1 , wherein the communications mechanism is configured to communicate with an appliance via WiFi communications.