Granted Patent B2

US 12,316,706 · App. 18/675,220 · Granted May 27, 2025

Inventors: Yehuda Binder (Ramat Gan, IL); Benjamin Maytal (Mevasseret Zion, IL)

Assignee: May Patents Ltd.

H04L67/12G07C3/02B60K31/00B60K31/18B60Y2200/11B60Y2200/12B60Y2200/126B60Y2200/13B60Y2200/30B60Y2200/40B60Y2200/50B60Y2200/90G06Q2240/00G07C5/008G08G1/00Y04S40/18

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. 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 comprising:

a WLAN transceiver for communicating over the WLAN;

a microphone for capturing first and second human voice data; and

a first actuator in the client device,

wherein the client device is configured to:

sending, over the Internet via the WLAN, the captured first and second human voice data to an Internet-connected server device external to the building;

receiving, from the server device over the Internet via the WLAN, first and second messages, in response to the sending of the captured first and second human voice data;

operating the first actuator in response to the received first message; and

sending, to the controlled device over the WLAN, a control message in response to the received second message, and

wherein the client device is addressable in the WLAN and in the Internet using an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

2. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the server device is configured for processing the first and second human voice data using a voice recognition algorithm for identifying a voice of a specific person.

3. The client device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor that outputs sensor data that responds to a physical phenomenon, wherein the client device is further configured for sending to the server device, via the WLAN over the Internet, the sensor data, and wherein the first message is received in response to the sent sensor data.

4. The client device according to claim 3 , wherein the sensor is a thermoelectric sensor that responds to a temperature or to a temperature gradient of an object using conduction, convection, or radiation, or wherein the sensor is a photoelectric sensor that responds to a visible or an invisible light or gamma rays.

5. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second actuators is configured for directly or indirectly affecting, changing, producing, or creating a physical phenomenon.

6. The client device according to claim 5 , wherein the physical phenomenon comprises temperature, humidity, pressure, audio, vibration, light, motion, sound, proximity, flow rate, electrical voltage, or electrical current.

7. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the client device comprises multiple microphones, and wherein the capturing comprises capturing, by the multiple microphones in the client device, the first and second human voice data.

8. The client device according to claim 7 , wherein the multiple microphones are arranged as a directional microphones array operative to estimate a number, magnitude, frequency, Direction-Of-Arrival (DOA), distance, or speed of a phenomenon impinging the microphones array.

9. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the microphone is an omnidirectional, unidirectional, or bidirectional microphone that is based on the sensing an incident sound-based motion of a diaphragm or a ribbon, or wherein the microphone comprises a condenser, an electret, a dynamic, a ribbon, a carbon, or a piezoelectric microphone.

10. The client device according to claim 1 , further comprising a volatile or non-volatile memory for storing the IP address.

11. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the client device is further addressed by a Media Access Control (MAC) layer address that is MAC-48, Extended Unique Identifier (EUI) EUI-48, or EUI-64 address type.

12. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the IP address is a static or dynamic Internet Protocol (IP) address that is IPv4 or IPv6 type address.

13. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the WLAN is according to, or base on, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11-2012, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, or IEEE 802.11ac.

14. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the WLAN uses an unlicensed radio frequency band that is an Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band.

15. The client device according to claim 1 , further configured for communicating over a cellular telephone network that is a Third Generation (3G) network that uses Universal Mobile Telecommunications Client device (UMTS), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) UMTS, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), UMTS Time-Division Duplexing (TDD), CDMA2000 1×RTT, Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO), or a Global Client device for Mobile communications (GSM), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) EDGE-Evolution, or wherein the cellular telephone network is a Fourth Generation (4G) network that uses Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), Mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced, Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA), or is based on IEEE 802.20-2008.

16. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the controlled device is integrated in, is part of, or is entirely included in, a household appliance having a primary function.

17. The client device according to claim 16 , wherein the primary functionality of the appliance is associated with a food storage, handling, or preparation.

18. The client device according to claim 17 , wherein the primary function of the appliance is heating food, and wherein the appliance is a microwave oven, an electric mixer, a stove, an oven, or an induction cooker.

19. The client device according to claim 17 , wherein the appliance is a refrigerator, a freezer, a food processor, a dishwasher, a food blender, a beverage maker, a coffeemaker, or an iced-tea maker.

20. The client device according to claim 16 , wherein the primary function of the appliance is associated with an environmental control, and the appliance is part of a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system.

21. The client device according to claim 20 , wherein the primary function of the appliance is associated with a temperature control, and wherein the appliance is an air conditioner or a heater.

22. The client device according to claim 16 , wherein the primary function of the appliance is associated with cleaning, wherein the appliance primary function is associated with a clothes cleaning and the appliance is a washing machine, or wherein the appliance is a vacuum cleaner.

23. The client device according to claim 16 , wherein the appliance is an answering machine, a telephone set, a home cinema system, a High Fidelity (HiFi) system, a Compact Disc (CD) or Digital Video Disc (DVD) player, an electric furnace, a trash compactor, a smoke detector, a light fixture, or a dehumidifier.

24. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is an electric light source for converting an electrical energy into light that emits a visible or non-visible light for illumination or indication, and the non-visible light is infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays, or gamma rays.

25. The client device according to claim 24 , wherein the electric light source comprises a lamp, an incandescent lamp, a gas discharge lamp, a fluorescent lamp, a Solid-State Lighting (SSL), a Light Emitting Diode (LED), an Organic LED (OLED), a polymer LED (PLED), or a laser diode.

26. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is a motion actuator that causes a linear or rotary motion.

27. The client device according to claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is a sounder for converting an electrical energy to an omnidirectional, unidirectional, or bidirectional pattern emitted, audible or inaudible, sound waves.

28. The client device according to claim 27 , wherein the sounder comprises an electromagnetic loudspeaker, a piezoelectric speaker, an electrostatic loudspeaker (ESL), a ribbon or planar magnetic loudspeaker, or a bending wave loudspeaker, or wherein the sounder comprises an electric bell, a buzzer, a chime, a whistle, or a ringer.

29. The client device according to claim 27 , wherein the operating of the first actuator comprises playing a digital audio content that is pre-recorded or synthesized, or wherein the operating of the first actuator comprises simulating the voice of a human being or generating music, or wherein the operating of the first actuator comprises sounding a syllable, a word, a phrase, a sentence, a short story, or a long story, using male or female voice.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (8)

References Cited (400)

Cited By (2)

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