Home network of connected consumer devices

• US 10,165,654 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2012
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Procter & Gamble Incorporated (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Apte, Raj B., Hasenoehrl, Erik John, Paulson, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Kevin T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Naoreen, Nazia
• Application Number:
  US13/551,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20140025805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,352 Days
• Field of Search: 709224
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/725 Marker, boundary, call-sign or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/753 Signal details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/76 Systems for determining direction or position line
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

A method of generating a representation of a structure includes providing an ad hoc mesh network having at least two nodes associated with the structure, obtaining time of flight data for each node in the network, and using the time of flight data to generate the representation of the structure. A method of generating a three-dimensional representation of a structure includes providing an ad hoc mesh network having at least three nodes associated with the structure, wherein at least one node is a mobile node that moves around the structure, obtaining time of flight data for each pair of nodes in the network, and using the time of flight data to generate the three-dimensional representation of the structure.

Claims

1. A method of generating a representation of a structure including at least two separate rooms, comprising:

providing an ad hoc mesh network having at least two nodes associated with the structure, wherein the nodes have at least two different communication modes;

providing at least one consumer product within the structure, the consumer product associated with at least one of the nodes;

obtaining time of flight data for each node in the network, wherein obtaining the time of flight data comprises obtaining time of flight data for the at least two different communication modes;

using the time of flight data to generate the representation of the structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation is a three-dimensional representation of the structure and the network has at least three nodes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the node associated with the consumer product contains a sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the node associated with the consumer product is mobile and the time of flight data is obtained while the node is moving.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the node associated with the consumer product is only used in a particular region of the structure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the consumer product comprises a sweeper used only on non-carpeted floors.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the consumer product comprises a robotic cleaner that avoids furniture and walls.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the consumer product comprises a node attached to a pet.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the mobile node comprises a device arranged to be carried by a user to provide data with regard to the structure.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing an ad hoc mesh network comprises providing an ad hoc mesh network having at least four nodes.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein using the time of flight data comprises using the time of flight data for a fourth node to fix the position of a third node to a point.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising using available data with regard to placement of nodes into the rooms.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising using available data with regard to purposes of the rooms.