System using home gateway to analyze information received in an email message for controlling devices connected in a home network

Abstract

In order to allow controlling of a home network ( 5 ) from remote, a gateway ( 1 ) connecting the home network ( 5 ) to a communication network ( 3, 12 ) additionally comprises an e-mail module ( 6 ). The e-mail module ( 6 ) enables the gateway ( 1 ) to connect itself to an e-mail account ( 8 ) in order to transmit e-mails received by the e-mail account ( 8 ) via the communication network ( 3 ) to the gateway ( 1 ). The transmitted e-mails are processed by the gateway ( 1 ), information is extracted therefrom enabling the gateway ( 1 ) to carry out network controlling procedures. Status information and error messages are sent back by the gateway ( 1 ) to the user ( 13 ) in form of e-mails.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Method of controlling a home network ( 5 ) from remote, the home network ( 5 ) being accessable via a gateway ( 1 ), characterized by the following steps:
 transmitting information located in an e-mail account ( 8 ) assigned to said gateway ( 1 ) from said e-mail account ( 8 ) to said gateway ( 1 ),   analyzing said transmitted information and carrying out home network controlling procedures on the basis of said transmitted information by said gateway ( 1 ).   
     
     
       2. Method according to  claim 1 , characterized by an e-mail scanning process of said e-mail account ( 8 ), said information being transmitted to said gateway ( 1 ) being generated before said transmission according to a result of said e-mail scanning process. 
     
     
       3. Method according to  claim 2 , characterized by using said gateway ( 1 ) or said e-mail account ( 8 ) itself for said e-mail scanning process. 
     
     
       4. Method according to  claim 3 , characterized in that said e-mail scanning process of said e-mail account ( 8 ) is done in regular time intervals by said gateway ( 1 ). 
     
     
       5. Method according to  claim 2 , characterized by deleting such e-mails of said e-mail account ( 8 ) already scanned by said e-mail scanning process after a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       6. Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said steps of transmitting said information is done by transmitting at least parts of e-mails. 
     
     
       7. Method according to  claim 4 , characterized in that said step of analyzing said transmitted e-mails comprises a step of extracting information of said transmitted e-mails and a step of judging whether said transmitted e-mails are intended to cause home network controlling procedures, said step of judging being at least partially based on said extracted information. 
     
     
       8. Method according to  claim 7 , characterized in that said step of extracting information comprises a step of extracting task information from the subject headers of said transmitted e-mails and a step of extracting controlling information from the bodies of said transmitted e-mails. 
     
     
       9. Method according to  claim 8 , characterized in that said step of judging whether said transmitted e-mails are intended to cause home network controlling procedures is based on said extracted task information. 
     
     
       10. Method according to  claim 8 , characterized in that said step of carrying out home network controlling procedures is based on said extracted controlling information. 
     
     
       11. Method according to  claim 6 , characterized by carrying out home network controlling procedures only on the basis of such transmitted e-mails which carry a special sender address. 
     
     
       12. Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said steps of transmitting said information is done by transmitting complete e-mails. 
     
     
       13. Method according to  claim 1 , characterized by sending e-mails to said e-mail account ( 8 ) by a remote user ( 13 ). 
     
     
       14. Method according to  claim 13 , characterized by encrypting at least parts of said e-mails before sending them by said remote user ( 13 ) to said e-mail account ( 8 ), and decrypting them by said gateway ( 1 ) after having transferred them to said gateway ( 1 ). 
     
     
       15. Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said gateway ( 1 ) sends status information and error messages as e-mails to a remote user ( 13 ). 
     
     
       16. Method according to  claim 1 , characterized by carrying out home network controlling procedures only on the basis of such transmitted information which carries authenticating information. 
     
     
       17. Gateway ( 1 ) connectable to a communication network ( 3 ), the gateway ( 1 ) comprising a first connecting means ( 2 ) to connect said gateway ( 1 ) to said communication network ( 3 ), and a second connecting means ( 4 ) connecting said gateway ( 1 ) to a home network ( 5 ), characterized in that said gateway ( 1 ) is connectable to an e-mail account ( 8 ) via said communication network ( 3 ), and includes an e-mail module ( 6 ) comprising receiving means ( 7 ) connected to said first connecting means ( 2 ) for receiving e-mails via said communication network ( 3 ), said receiving means ( 7 ) being connected to analyzing means ( 9 ) for extracting information from said e-mails received by said receiving means ( 7 ) and for processing said extracted information, and controlling means ( 10 ) connected to said analyzing means ( 9 ) for controlling devices within the home network ( 5 ) according to an output of said analyzing means ( 9 ). 
     
     
       18. Gateway ( 1 ) according to  claim 17 , characterized in that said receiving means ( 7 ) comprises a transferring means for transferring e-mails of said e-mail account ( 8 ) to said gateway ( 1 ). 
     
     
       19. Gateway ( 1 ) according to  claim 17 , characterized in that said e-mail module comprises a sending means ( 11 ) connected to said first connecting means ( 2 ) for sending e-mails from said gateway ( 1 ) to an e-mail account ( 8 ) of a remote user ( 13 ), said e-mails to be sent by said sending means ( 11 ) being generatable according to an output of said controlling means ( 10 ), said analyzing means ( 9 ) and said controlling means ( 10 ) by said sending means ( 11 ). 
     
     
       20. A method for remotely controlling respective ones of plural different devices connectable to a communication network, comprising the steps of:
 establishing a connection via a gateway to a provider and scanning e-mails stored at said provider;   checking whether a new e-mail containing one of plural different predetermined signals is stored at said provider, said predetermined signals being interpreted to carry out respectively different predetermined procedures to control respective ones of said devices;   receiving at the gateway from said provider only a new e-mail containing said predetermined signal;   extracting said predetermined signal from said received e-mail; and   controlling said respective one device on the basis of said extracted predetermined signal by the gateway.    
     
     
       21. The method of claim 20, wherein said connection is established with an e-mail buffer at the provider in which said e-mail is stored so as to enable said checking.  
     
     
       22. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of checking is carried out at predetermined time intervals to determine whether new e-mail containing a predetermined command has been sent from a remote device.