Voice control of endpoint devices through a multi-services gateway device at the user premises

Abstract

A gateway device providing and managing interactive user voice-controlled home automation services over at least endpoint devices associated with the gateway device is described. Interfaces enable communications of the gateway device with at least one endpoint device located within a user premises and data networks. A processor coupled to the interfaces and programming in storage in the server operate a communications program for configuring the gateway to communicate with endpoint devices, associate endpoint devices with the gateway, and communicate with a remote serve to access service management center applications. A home automation control program provides operation via a home automation controller configured in the gateway with voice automation messaging protocols based on the voice commands to enable interactive voice-controlled control of endpoint devices using voice commands and automate functions associated with the endpoint devices.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A communication device for use at a user premises to control operation of authenticated devices, the communication device comprising:
 one or more processors communicatively coupled to (1) at least one end point device via a local network at the user premises and (2) a wide area network; and   memory storing a plurality of third party applications and programming to, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations including:
 (a) facilitating registration of at least one of the communication device or the at least one endpoint device with one or more of third-party service providers, 
 (b) maintaining local storage and access of authentication information based on the registration, 
 (c) enabling key-based authentication of the registered at least one of the communication device or at least one endpoint device with the one or more third-party service providers based on the locally stored authentication information, and 
 (d) enabling renewal of the key-based authentication performed via bi-directional communication over the wide area network with the one or more third-party service provider, wherein the renewal is enabled based, at least in part, on a portion of the locally stored authentication information. 
   
     
     
         43 . The communication device of  claim 42 , wherein the programming, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the communication device to authorize, authenticate, configure, and/or manage use of the communication device and/or the at least one endpoint device. 
     
     
         44 . The communication device of  claim 42 , wherein the programming, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communication device to manage application services provided via the wide area network through the at least one interface. 
     
     
         45 . The communication device of  claim 42 , wherein the programming, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the communication device to establish peer communications between the communication device and a remote server via the wide area network. 
     
     
         46 . The communication device of  claim 42 , wherein the at least one endpoint device includes a personal computer, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a remote control, a speaker, a streaming device, a security camera, an audio device, a television, a set top box, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         47 . The communication device of  claim 42 , wherein the authentication information includes credentials for renewed key-based authorization. 
     
     
         48 . The communication device of  claim 47 , wherein the key-based authentication has an expiry time, and the renewal of the key-based authentication is enabled after the expiry time has passed. 
     
     
         49 . The communication device of  claim 42 , wherein the authentication information includes credentials used to authenticate bi-directional communication with the respective one of the plurality of the third-party providers. 
     
     
         50 . A communication device for use at a user premises, the communication device comprising:
 one or more processors communicatively coupled to (1) at least one end point device via a local network at the user premises and (2) a wide area network; and   memory that stores instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the communication device to perform operations, including:
 authenticating the communication device with one or more third-party service providers based on locally stored authentication information, wherein at least a portion of the locally stored authentication information was based, at least in part, on registering the communication device with the one or more third-party service providers, 
 in response to successful authentication of the communication device,
 renewing key-based authentication for enabling communicating with the one or more service providers, and 
 receiving media from the one or more third-party service providers enabled by the renewed key-based authentication. 
 
   
     
     
         51 . The communication device of  claim 50 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the communication device to authorize, authenticate, configure, and/or manage use of the communication device and/or the at least one endpoint device. 
     
     
         52 . The communication device of  claim 50 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the communication device to manage application services provided via the wide area network through the at least one interface. 
     
     
         53 . The communication device of  claim 50 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communication device to establish communications between the communication device and a remote server, associated with the respective one of the plurality of third-party service providers, via a wide area network. 
     
     
         54 . The communication device of  claim 50 , wherein the at least one endpoint device includes a personal computer, a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a remote control, a television, a set top box, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         55 . The communication device of  claim 50 , wherein the authentication information includes credentials used to renew key-based authorization. 
     
     
         56 . The communication device of  claim 50 , wherein the authentication information includes credentials used to authenticate bi-directional communication with the respective one of the plurality of the third-party providers. 
     
     
         57 . A communication device for use at a user premises to control operation of authenticated devices, the communication device comprising:
 one or more processors communicatively coupled to (1) at least one end point device via a local network at the user premises and (2) a wide area network; and   memory storing a plurality of third party applications and programming to, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations including:
 (a) facilitating registration of the communication device with a third-party service provider, 
 (b) receiving and managing local storage of authentication information based on registration of the communication device, 
 (c) enabling key-based authentication of the registered communication device based on the received authentication information stored locally by the memory, and 
 (d) enabling renewal of the key-based authentication performed via bi-directional communication over the wide area network with the one or more third-party service provider based on the locally stored authentication information. 
   
     
     
         58 . The communication device of  claim 57 , wherein the programming, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the communication device to authorize, authenticate, configure, and/or manage use of the communication device. 
     
     
         59 . The communication device of  claim 57 , wherein the programming, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the communication device to establish peer communications between the communication device and the remote server via the wide area network.