Multi-media communication device

• US 10,181,902 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2017
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartlabs
• Original Assignee: Smartlabs
• Inventors: Cregg, Daniel Brian, Dada, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zweizig, Jeffery S
• Application Number:
  US15/808,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20180159625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

An LED illumination device is configured to receive coded messages by at least one of radio signals in free space, electrically conducted signals by wire, and light wave propagated signals in free space, process the coded messages, and transmit the coded messages by two or more of radio signals in free space, electrically conducted signals by wire, and light wave propagated signals in free space.

Claims

1. A multi-media communication device capable of reacting to and retransmitting messages, the multi-media communication device comprising:

receiving circuitry configured to receive coded messages on a first communication medium comprising radio signals in free space and on a second communication medium comprising electrically conducted signals by wire;

transmitting circuitry configured to transmit the coded messages on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium; and

processing circuitry configured to determine whether a first received coded message is received on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium in a first time slot and to synchronize retransmissions of the first received coded message on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium in a second time slot when the first received coded message is not received on both of the first communication medium and on the second communication medium in the first time slot.

2. The multi-media communication device of claim 1 wherein the second time slot is a next time slot after the first time slot.

3. The multi-media communication device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether an acknowledgement of the first received coded message by an intended recipient has been received after retransmitting the first received coded message.

4. The multi-media communication device of claim 1 wherein synchronizing retransmissions of the first received coded message on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium comprises retransmitting in a synchronized time slot on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium.

5. The multi-media communication device of claim 1 further comprising light wave modulation/demodulation circuitry configured to receive and transmit the coded messages using the light wave propagated signals in free space.

6. The multi-media communication device of claim 1 further comprising an enclosure configured to enclose the receiving circuitry, the transmitting circuitry, and the processing circuitry.

7. The multi-media communication device of claim 6 wherein the enclosure comprises a bulb and a base, the receiving circuitry, the transmitting circuitry, and the processing circuitry disposed within the base.

8. A method of reacting to and retransmitting messages, the method comprising:

receiving coded messages with electrical circuitry on a first communication medium comprising radio signals in free space and on a second communication medium comprising electrically conducted signals by wire;

determining with the electrical circuitry whether a first received coded message is received on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium in a first time slot;

synchronizing with the electrical circuitry retransmissions of the first received coded message on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium when the first received coded message is not received on both of the first communication medium and on the second communication medium in the first time slot; and

synchronously retransmitting with the electrical circuitry the first received coded message on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium in a second time slot.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second time slot is a next time slot after the first time slot.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining whether an acknowledgement of the first received coded message by an intended recipient has been received after retransmitting the first received coded message.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein synchronously retransmitting the first received coded message on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium comprises retransmitting in a synchronized time slot on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving and transmitting the coded messages with light wave modulation/demodulation circuitry on a third communication medium comprising light wave propagated signals in free space.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising enclosing the electrical circuitry in an enclosure.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the enclosure comprises a bulb and a base, the electrical circuitry disposed within the base.

15. A system to react to and retransmit messages, the system comprising:

a mesh network configured to transmit and receive coded messages using powerline signaling and radio frequency (RF) signaling, the powerline signaling comprising message data modulated onto a carrier signal and the modulated carrier signal added to a powerline waveform, the RF signaling comprising the message data modulated onto an RF signal;

a first multi-media communication device comprising first receiving circuitry configured to receive the coded messages using the RF signaling and the powerline signaling, first transmitting circuitry configured to transmit the coded messages using the RF signaling and the powerline signaling, and first processing circuitry configured to determine whether a first received coded message is received using the RF signaling and the powerline signaling in a first time slot and to synchronize retransmissions of the first received coded message using the RF signaling and the powerline signaling for retransmission in a second time slot; and

a second multi-media communication device comprising second receiving circuitry configured to receive the coded messages using the RF signaling and the powerline signaling, second transmitting circuitry configured to transmit the coded messages using the RF signaling and the powerline signaling, and second processing circuitry configured to determine whether the first received coded message is received using the RF signaling and the powerline signaling in the first time slot and to synchronize retransmissions of the first received coded message using the RF signaling and the powerline signaling for retransmission in the second time slot.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the second time slot is a next time slot after the first time slot.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein synchronizing retransmissions of the first received coded message using the RF signaling and the powerline signaling comprises retransmitting in a synchronized time slot on the first communication medium and on the second communication medium.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the first multi-media communication device further comprises light wave modulation/demodulation circuitry configured to receive and transmit the coded messages using the light wave propagated signals in free space.

19. The system of 15 wherein the first multi-media communication device further comprises a bulb and a base, the first receiving circuitry, the first transmitting circuitry, and the first processing circuitry disposed within the base.