Plug-in network appliance

• US 20050136972A1
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Centrak Incorporated (Halma PLC)
• Original Assignee: Awarepoint Corporation
• Inventors: Nierenberg, Nicolas C., Smith, Derek M., Baker, Joseph C., Adams, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,324,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/554.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A plug-in network appliance is disclosed. In one aspect, a network appliance performs a bridge between two wireless communication formats. In another aspect, a network appliance is deployed to perform position location services. In another aspect, a mesh network comprising one or more network appliances is deployed. A mesh network comprising one or more network appliances may be deployed to perform position location services. A plug-in form factor is described. A network appliance may convert power received from a plug in a first format to power in a second format for powering various components. A network appliance may connect with a wireless network and/or a network connected through a plug. A plug-in network appliance may connect to a weight-bearing outlet. Various other aspects are also presented.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet;

a receiver receiving data on a first wireless link according to a first communication format, fixably attached to the plug;

a transmitter transmitting the received data on a second wireless link according to a second communication format, fixably attached to the plug; and

a power converter receiving power from the plug in a first power format and delivering power to the transmitter and receiver in a second power format.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outlet is a wall-mounted outlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plug is attached to the outlet, the outlet bearing the weight of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication format is in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 family of standards.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication format is in accordance with the IEEE 802.15.4 family of standards.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication format is in accordance with a cellular data standard.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication format is in accordance with an infrared standard.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power converter receives an Alternating Current (AC) input.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power converter is receives an Ethernet input.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rigid support, wherein the plug is fixably attached to the receiver and transmitter by fixable attachment of the plug, receiver, and transmitter to the rigid support.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a data converter to convert data output from the receiver in a first digital format to a second digital format, the converted data input to the transmitter.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet; and

means, fixably attached to and receiving power from the plug, for receiving data on a first wireless link according to a first communication format and for transmitting the data on a second wireless link according to a second communication format.

13. A system comprising one or more first devices, each first device comprising:

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet;

a receiver receiving data on a first wireless link according to a first communication format, fixably attached to the plug;

a transmitter transmitting the received data on a second wireless link according to a second communication format, fixably attached to the plug; and

a power-converter receiving power from the plug in a first power format and delivering power to the transmitter and receiver in a second power format.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

one or more second devices, each second device comprising a transceiver for transmitting and receiving data on the first wireless link according to the first wireless communication format; and

one or more third devices, each third device comprising a transceiver for transmitting and receiving data on the second wireless link according to the second wireless communication format.

15. A system comprising a plurality of devices communicatively coupled to form a mesh network, each device comprising:

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet;

a receiver receiving data on a first wireless link according to a first communication format, fixably attached to the plug;

a transmitter transmitting the received data on a second wireless link according to a second communication format, fixably attached to the plug; and

a power converter receiving power from the plug in a first power format and delivering power to the transmitter and receiver in a second power format.

16. A method comprising:

attaching a device to an outlet, the device comprising;

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet;

a receiver, fixably attached to the plug;

a transmitter, fixably attached to the plug; and

a power converter receiving power from the plug in a first power format and delivering power to the transmitter and receiver in a second power format;

receiving data with the receiver on a first wireless link according to a first communication format; and

transmitting the data with the transmitter on a second wireless link according to a second communication format.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving position location information on the first wireless link.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the position location information is received from a tag.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting position location information on the second wireless link.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the position location information is transmitted to a remote position engine.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting position location information to a first remote device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising measuring signal strength of one or more received signals, the measurements forming a portion of the position location information.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

storing the received data in memory; and

retrieving the stored received data for transmitting.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet; and

means, fixably attached- to and receiving power from the plug, for transmitting position location information to a remote device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the position location information is transmitted on a wireless link.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the position location information is transmitted on a wired link.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the position location information is transmitted to a network connection connected through the plug.

28. An apparatus comprising:

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet;

a transmitter, fixably attached to the plug, transmitting position location information to a first remote device; and

a power converter receiving power from the plug in a first power format and delivering power to the transmitter in a second power format.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the power converter receives an Alternating Current (AC) input.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the power converter receives an Ethernet input.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a receiver, fixably attached to the plug.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a processor, fixably attached to the plug, for measuring one or more of a plurality of signals received at the receiver, storing the measurements, and delivering the stored measurements as position location information to the transmitter for transmitting to the first remote device.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the receiver receives position location information from a second remote device, and wherein the receiver is coupled to the transmitter for transmitting the received position location information to a first remote device.

34. A method comprising:

attaching a device to an outlet, the device comprising;

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet;

a receiver, fixably attached to the plug;

a transmitter, fixably attached to the plug; and

a power converter receiving power from the plug in a first power format and delivering power to the transmitter and receiver in a second power format; and

transmitting position location information to a first remote device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of signals;

measuring one or more attributes of the plurality of received signals to produce a plurality of measurements to form a portion of the position location information.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein an attribute comprises received signal strength.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein an attribute comprises measured time of signal arrival.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein an attribute comprises measured time of flight.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein an attribute comprises measured phase differences between components of a multi-frequency signal.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the multi-frequency signal is an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signal.

41. The method of claim 34, further comprising receiving the position location information from one or more second remote devices.

42. The method of claim 34, further comprising performing a network monitor function.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein a network monitor function comprises measuring received signal strength.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein a network monitor function comprises measuring environment conditions.

45. The method of claim 34, wherein the position location information is transmitted on a wired network.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the wired network is attached to the plug.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the wired network is an alternating current (AC) power network.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the wired network operates according to the HomePlug standard.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the wired network is an Ethernet network.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the wired network provides power through the plug.

51. The method of claim 34, wherein the position location information is transmitted on a wireless network.

52. The method of claim 34, further comprising performing statistical analysis on the position location information prior to transmission to the first remote station.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the statistical analysis comprises averaging.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the statistical analysis comprises Kalman filtering.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein the statistical analysis comprises Bayesian filtering.

56. The method of claim 34, further comprising transmitting an identifier to the first remote station.

57. The method of claim 34, wherein the identifier corresponds to a device at a known location.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the identifier corresponds to a device associated with the transmitted position location information.

59. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving data on a first link according to a first communication format; and

transmitting the data on a second link according to a second communication-format.

60. An apparatus comprising:

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet;

a receiver receiving data on a first wireless link in a mesh network, fixably attached to the plug;

a transmitter transmitting the received data on a second wireless link in a mesh network, fixably attached to the plug; and

a power converter receiving power from the plug in a first power format and delivering power to the transmitter and receiver in a second power format.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, further comprising a processor for selecting the second link from one or more available links.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, further comprising a routing table for storing the one or more available links.

63. An apparatus comprising:

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet; and

means, fixably attached to and receiving power from the plug, for receiving and for transmitting data on a mesh network.

64. A method comprising:

attaching a device to an outlet, the device comprising;

a plug to physically and electrically connect with an outlet;

a receiver, fixably attached to the plug;

a transmitter, fixably attached to the plug; and

a power converter receiving power from the plug in a first power format and delivering power to the transmitter and receiver in a second power format; and

receiving data with the receiver on a mesh network; and

transmitting data with the transmitter on a mesh network.

65. The method of claim 64, further comprising operating as an access point to receive and transmit data from a plurality of remote devices on a second wireless network.

66. The method of claim 64, further comprising transmitting position location information to a first remote device via the mesh network.

67. The method of claim 66, further comprising:

receiving one or more signals;

measuring one or more attributes of the one or more received signals to produce one or more measurements to form a portion of the position location information.

68. The method of claim 64, wherein the data is received from a first neighbor node on the mesh network, and the received data is transmitted to a second neighbor node on the mesh network.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the data comprises one or more packets, each packet comprising a header, and wherein the second neighbor node is identified in the header.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the data comprises one or more packets, each packet comprising a header, the header comprising a destination field, and wherein the second neighbor node is selected from a routing table in accordance with the destination field.