Radio relay appliance activation
First Claim
1. A system for controlling an appliance comprising:
- a radio receiver operative to receive radio frequency control signals for controlling the appliance, the controlling radio frequency signals having predetermined receiver characteristics;
at least one existing radio frequency transmitter, each existing transmitter specifically designed to transmit wireless radio frequency control signals having the predetermined receiver characteristics to the radio receiver;
a new wireless radio frequency transmitter having predetermined transmitter characteristics, at least one predetermined transmitter characteristic not compatible with the radio receiver; and
a radio relay operative to (a) learn the receiver characteristics from one of the at least one existing transmitter, (b) learn at least one transmitter characteristic from the new transmitter, (c) receive an appliance radio frequency activation command from the new transmitter, the activation command exhibiting transmitter characteristics, and (d) transmit a new radio frequency appliance activation command based on the received appliance activation command, the new appliance activation command having the receiver characteristics.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Remote appliance activation can be achieved by relaying between radio frequency transmission schemes having different characteristics. A radio receiver receives radio frequency control signals for controlling the appliance. Each existing radio frequency transmitter is specifically designed to transmit wireless radio frequency control signals having receiver characteristics to the radio receiver. A new wireless radio frequency transmitter has transmitter characteristics, at least one of which is different from receiver characteristics. A radio relay learns the receiver characteristics from one of the existing transmitters and learns at least one transmitter characteristic from the new transmitter. Then, when an appliance radio frequency activation command is received from the new transmitter, the radio relay transmits a new radio frequency appliance activation command having the learned receiver characteristics.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A system for controlling an appliance comprising:
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a radio receiver operative to receive radio frequency control signals for controlling the appliance, the controlling radio frequency signals having predetermined receiver characteristics;
at least one existing radio frequency transmitter, each existing transmitter specifically designed to transmit wireless radio frequency control signals having the predetermined receiver characteristics to the radio receiver;
a new wireless radio frequency transmitter having predetermined transmitter characteristics, at least one predetermined transmitter characteristic not compatible with the radio receiver; and
a radio relay operative to (a) learn the receiver characteristics from one of the at least one existing transmitter, (b) learn at least one transmitter characteristic from the new transmitter, (c) receive an appliance radio frequency activation command from the new transmitter, the activation command exhibiting transmitter characteristics, and (d) transmit a new radio frequency appliance activation command based on the received appliance activation command, the new appliance activation command having the receiver characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for controlling an appliance, the appliance controlled by radio frequency transmissions from at least one existing radio frequency transmitter, the method comprising:
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receiving a radio transmission from an existing wireless radio frequency transmitter, the existing radio frequency transmitter transmitting radio frequency signals having a first set of transmission characteristics;
storing data representing the first set of transmission characteristics;
receiving a radio transmission from a new wireless transmitter, the new transmitter transmitting radio frequency signals having a second set of transmission characteristics different from the first set of transmission characteristics;
storing data representing at least one characteristic from the second set of transmission characteristics;
receiving an activation request from the new transmitter; and
transmitting the activation request to the appliance with a radio frequency signal based on the first set of transmission characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A universal garage door opener for opening a garage door, the garage door is controlled by a radio frequency receiver responsive to an existing radio frequency transmitter, the receiver responding to an activation signal sent by the existing transmitter having a first set of signal characteristics, the garage door opener comprising:
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a wireless radio frequency receiver operative to receive radio frequency control signals transmitted with any one of a plurality of signal characteristics including the first set of signal characteristics;
a wireless radio frequency transmitter operative to transmit radio frequency control signals having any one of the plurality of signal characteristics;
a user interface; and
control logic in communication with the receiver, the transmitter and the user interface, the control logic operative to (a) switch to a learn mode in response to the user interface, (b) while in the learn mode, receive an activation signal transmitted by the existing transmitter, (c) determine the first set of signal characteristics from the received activation signal, (d) switch to an operate mode, (e) receive an activation request from a radio frequency signal having a second set of signal characteristics, and (f) transmit the activation request with a radio frequency signal having the first set of signal characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A radio relay for controlling at least one appliance, the appliance receiving radio frequency control having predetermined receiver characteristics from at least one existing radio frequency transmitter, the radio relay comprising:
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at least one antenna for receiving and transmitting wireless radio signals;
a receiver in communication with the at least one antenna;
a transmitter in communication with the at least one antenna; and
control logic in communication with the receiver and the transmitter, the control logic operative to (a) learn the receiver characteristics from one of the at least one existing transmitter, (b) learn at least one transmitter characteristic from a new transmitter based on wireless signals received from the new transmitter, the at least one transmitter characteristic different from any corresponding receiver characteristic, (c) receive an appliance radio frequency activation command from the new transmitter, the activation command exhibiting transmitter characteristics, and (d) transmit a new radio frequency appliance activation command based on the received appliance activation command, the new appliance activation command having the receiver characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification