System and method for communicating over an 802.15.4 network

• US 10,069,561 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2018
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simple Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Simple Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Tom, Mason, Dale, Schneider, Robert, Bricketto, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/926,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20180212675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 168 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 4554566, 455 411, 4555501, 4554141, 455 412, 4555561, 455517, 4554042
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of reducing data transfer while increasing image information over an 802.15.4 network includes obtaining an image with a sensor, modulating a representation of the image using a first 802.15.4 modem, sending the representation of the image to a coordinator, demodulating the representation of the image using a second 802.15.4 modem, and digitally enhancing at least one of the representation of the image and the image. A system for communication over an 802.15.4 network includes a sensor for obtaining data, the size of the data being at least an order of magnitude greater than the size of an 802.15.4 packet, a first 802.15.4 modem coupled to the sensor, a buffer for temporarily storing the data to allow transmission of portions of the data; the buffer being coupled to the sensor, a coordinator coupled to the sensor, the coordinator being capable of communicating with a computer, and a second 802.15.4 modem coupled to the coordinator.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a video clip with a camera, the video clip comprising data of a size in bytes at least an order of magnitude greater than the size in bytes of an 802.15.4 packet;

buffering a representation of the video clip;

transmitting 802.15.4 packet-sized portions of the representation of the video clip from the camera over the 802.15.4 network;

before obtaining the video clip with the camera, receiving, at a computer, a signal from a sensor indicating whether the sensor has sensed an event;

sending, by the computer, a request for the video clip to the camera;

upon transmission of the 802.15.4 packet-sized portions of the representation of the video clip from the camera, receiving, at the computer, the 802.15.4 packet-sized portions of the representation of the video clip from the camera over the 802.15.4 network; and

transmitting an alert based at least in part on the signal from the sensor;

wherein the sensor is a water switch.

2. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of executable instructions to direct a processor to perform the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises one of a contact sensor, a magnetic sensor, a tilt sensor, a proximity sensor, a presence sensor, or an accelerometer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the sensor is placed on a door or a garage door.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises the video clip.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is transmitted to a user device over the internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer is one of a mini PC or a small box.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at a computer, 802.15.4 packet-sized portions of the representation of the video clip from the camera over the 802.15.4 network; and

transmitting the representation of the video clip to a user device over the internet.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user device comprises a hand held device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the hand held device comprises a cell phone or personal digital assistant (PDA).

11. A system comprising:

a camera configured to obtain a video clip, the video clip comprising data of a size in bytes at least an order of magnitude greater than the size in bytes of an 802.15.4 packet;

a buffer configured to buffer a representation of the video clip, the buffer being coupled to the camera;

a modem configured to transmit 802.15.4 packet-sized portions of the representation of the video clip from the camera over the 802.15.4 network, the modem being coupled to the buffer;

a coordinator configured to receive the video clip data from the modem and to communicate with a computer, the coordinator being coupled to the modem; and

a sensor configured to transmit a signal indicating whether the sensor has sensed an event;

wherein the computer is further configured to receive the signal from the sensor;

wherein the computer is further configured to transmit an alert based at least in part on the signal from the sensor;

wherein the sensor is a water switch.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises one of a contact sensor, a magnetic sensor, a tilt sensor, a proximity sensor, a presence sensor, or an accelerometer.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the alert comprises the video clip.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is placed on a door or a garage door.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the alert is transmitted to a user device over the internet.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is one of a mini PC or a small box.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer is further configured to transmit the representation of the video clip to a user device over the internet.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the user device comprises a hand held device.