Home system including a portable fob mating with system components

• US 20050085248A1
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Lucas, Peter Anthony, Senn, Jeffrey Aaron, McManus, Michael Lawrence, Ballay, Joseph Milan
• Application Number:
  US10/686,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20050085248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/500
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002

Abstract

A home wellness system includes a plurality of sensors, each including a first wireless port and a second program port, and a headless base station including a wireless port. A portable display and configuration fob includes a portable housing, a first wireless port wirelessly communicating with the wireless port of the base station, a second program port adapted for communication with the second program port of the sensors when engaged with or proximate that port, a rotary thumbwheel encoder, and a display. A processor receives engagement or proximity information from the second port of the portable fob, selects sensor information describing the sensors and responsive to the encoder, and sends the sensor information to the wireless port of the base station.

Claims

1. A system for a structure, said system for a structure comprising:

a plurality of sensors, each of said sensors including a first wireless port and a second port;

a server including a wireless port; and

a portable fob comprising;

a portable housing;

a first wireless port wirelessly communicating with the wireless port of said server;

a second port adapted for communication with the second port of one of said sensors when the second port of said portable fob engages or is proximate to the second port of said one of said sensors;

a user input device;

a display; and

a processor operatively associated with the first wireless port of said portable fob, the second port of said portable fob, said user input device and said display, said processor being adapted to receive engagement or proximity information from the second port of said portable fob, said processor being adapted to select sensor information responsive to said user input device, said sensor information describing said one of said sensors, said processor being adapted to send said sensor information to the wireless port of said server from the first wireless port of said portable fob.

2. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein the second port of said portable fob temporarily or momentarily mates with the second port of said one of said sensors.

3. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein the second port of said portable fob includes a contact, which closes when the second port of said portable fob temporarily or momentarily mates with the second port of said one of said sensors.

4. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein the second port of said one of said sensors includes a contact, which closes when the second port of said portable fob temporarily or momentarily mates with the second port of said one of said sensors;

and wherein the wireless port of said one of said sensors sends a signature to the wireless port of said server responsive to closure of the contact of said one of said sensors.

5. The system for a structure of claim 4 wherein said signature is one of an address and a serial number.

6. The system for a structure of claim 5 wherein said processor, said user input device and said display of said portable fob cooperate to select a graphical identifier;

and wherein said processor associates said selected graphical identifier with said one of said sensors.

7. The system for a structure of claim 6 wherein said graphical identifier is one of a label, a symbol and an icon.

8. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said server further includes a second port;

and wherein the second port of said portable fob temporarily or momentarily mates with the second port of said server.

9. The system for a structure of claim 8 wherein the second port of said portable fob includes a contact, which closes when the second port of said portable fob temporarily or momentarily mates with the second port of said server.

10. The system for a structure of claim 8 wherein said portable fob and said server cooperate to configure at least one of said portable fob and said server after the second port of said portable fob temporarily or momentarily mates with the second port of said server.

11. The system for a structure of claim 1 wherein said one of said sensors includes a signature;

wherein the second port of said portable fob is adapted for mating with the second port of said one of said sensors;

wherein said processor is adapted to select information responsive to said user input device, said information describing said one of said sensors, said processor further is adapted to send said selected information from said first wireless port to the wireless port of said server; and

wherein said one of said sensors sends said signature from the first wireless port of said one of said sensors to the wireless port of said server.

12. A portable fob for a plurality of sensors and a server of a system for a structure, said portable fob comprising:

a portable housing;

a first wireless port adapted for wireless communication with said server;

a second port adapted for communication with one of said sensors or said server when said second port engages or is proximate to said one of said sensors or said server, respectively;

a user input device;

a display; and

a processor operatively associated with said first wireless port, said second port, said user input device and said display, said processor being adapted to receive engagement or proximity information from the second port and responsively communicate with said server through said first wireless port, in order to configure said one of said sensors or said server.

13. The portable fob of claim 12 wherein the second port of said portable fob is adapted for temporary or momentary mating with a corresponding port of said one of said sensors or said server.

14. The portable fob of claim 13 wherein the second port of said portable fob includes a contact, which closes when the second port of said portable fob temporarily or momentarily mates with the corresponding port of said one of said sensors or said server.

15. The portable fob of claim 13 wherein the second port of said portable fob includes a limit switch, which closes when the second port of said portable fob temporarily or momentarily mates with the corresponding port of said one of said sensors or said server.

16. The portable fob of claim 12 wherein said one of said sensors or said server includes a port;

and wherein the second port of said portable fob is adapted to physically mate with the port of said one of said sensors or said server.

17. The portable fob of claim 12 wherein said one of said sensors includes a port having a connector;

and wherein the second port of said portable fob includes a connector which is adapted to provide a mechanical and electrical connection to the connector of the port of said one of said sensors.

18. The portable fob of claim 12 wherein the second port of said portable fob is an optical port.

19. The portable fob of claim 12 wherein the second port of said portable fob includes a micro-switch having an actuator;

and wherein said micro-switch closes when said actuator engages said one of said sensors or said server.

20. The portable fob of claim 19 wherein said one of said sensors or said server includes a receptacle port;

and wherein the second port of said portable fob is adapted to swipe said receptacle port in order actuate the actuator of said micro-switch.

21. The portable fob of claim 20 wherein the receptacle port of said one of said sensors or said server includes a detector switch having a pivotable actuator;

and wherein the second port of said portable fob is adapted to pivot said pivotable actuator.

22. A method of configuring a component of a home system for a structure, said system for a structure including a server, said method comprising:

employing a portable fob;

engaging said portable fob with or placing said portable fob proximate said component or said server;

communicating a signature from said component or said portable fob to said server in order to configure said component or said portable fob, respectively, as part of said system for a structure; and

displaying a confirmation at said portable fob that said component or said portable fob was configured.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising

employing one of an address and a serial number as said signature.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising

employing a sensor as said component;

and

engaging said portable fob with or placing said portable fob proximate said sensor.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising

displaying a list of graphical identifiers at said portable fob;

associating said graphical identifiers with corresponding sensor names and corresponding sensor attributes;

selecting one of said graphical identifiers;

wirelessly communicating the signature from said sensor to said server; and

wirelessly communicating the corresponding sensor name and the corresponding sensor attribute for the selected one of said graphical identifiers from said portable fob to the server.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising

employing a label, a symbol and an icon as some of said graphical identifiers.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising

employing a rotary selector having a button to select one of said graphical identifiers.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising

employing a memory in said portable fob to store and associate said graphical identifiers and said corresponding sensor names and corresponding sensor attributes.

29. The method of claim 22 further comprising

employing said portable fob as said component;

and

engaging said portable fob with or placing said portable fob proximate said server.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising

wirelessly communicating the signature from said portable fob to said server.

31. The method of claim 22 further comprising

employing a sensor as said component;

communicating said signature from said sensor to said server responsive to engaging said portable fob with or placing said portable fob proximate said sensor;

communicating a message from said portable fob to said server responsive to engaging said portable fob with or placing said portable fob proximate said sensor; and

receiving both of said signature and said message at said server before configuring said sensor as part of said system for a structure.