Home appliance control framework based on smart TV set-top box

Most modern smart TV set-top boxes support internet connection and allow the user to install and run more advanced application programs or plugins/add-ons based on a specific platform. It means that a smart TV set-top box can be a good candidate to act as a hub that combines a wide variety of solutions for smart home services. This paper proposes a home appliance control framework based on a smart TV set-top box. As a core component, a home gateway software module is installed on the smart TV set-top box. And the architecture of the home gateway module is designed so that a home appliance control driver is installed only when necessary. To enable the user to control their home appliances in any place using a Web-based application or a Web browser, the proposed framework supports a WebSocket protocol-based data communication and comprises a Web server where each set-top box’s network location is registered. The proposed framework is verified with a demonstration on a small-scale home model. Both IP-based and serial communication-based home appliances are included in the demonstration system. The demonstration examples show that consumers can control various types of home appliances in any place through a smart TV set-top box solution.