Method and Apparatus for Inexpensively Monitoring and Controlling Remotely Distributed Appliances

• US 20090040057A1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Arkion Systems LLC
• Inventors: Rodgers, David, Keyghobad, Seyamak
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A method and associated apparatus are described that enables unattended, remotely distributed appliances, such as vending machines, utility meters, thermostats and kitchen appliances (ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, etc.) to be connected inexpensively to each other and to a centrally located server. The apparatus 1) uses relatively simple “personality” modules to adapt the apparatus to the application in combination with a sophisticated core module that provides the intelligence needed to process data locally, to format that data and to transfer it to a remote server and 2) uses existing Internet-based communication links, thereby avoiding the costly proprietary links used with current state-of-the-art solutions.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling distributed appliances, the system comprising:

a server; and

a cluster of modules in communication with the server via a first network, the cluster of modules comprising at least one first module and at least one second module arranged to communicate with one another via a second network,

the first module to receive appliance data from the second module, store the appliance data, and transmit the appliance data to and receive instructions from the server using a first communication protocol, and to receive the appliance data from and transmit instructions to the second module using a second communication protocol, and

the second module to transmit appliance data to and receive instructions from the first module using the second communication protocol, and to receive appliance data from and transmit instructions to an appliance using a third communication protocol;

in which

at least one of the first, second, and third communication protocols is different from the others.

2. The system of claim 1 in which

the second module is configured to communicate appliance data and instructions with the server through the first module using a first communication mode, and

the second module is configured to use a second communication mode to reroute the appliance data and instructions if the first module is inoperable.

3. The system of claim 2 in which

the first communication mode comprises a master/slave arrangement of communication lines between the first module and the second module, and

the second communication mode comprises a peer-to-peer arrangement of communication lines between one or more of the second modules.

4. The system of claim 1 in which

a plurality of first modules are configured to communicate appliance data and instructions between the second module and the server through a first set of links, and

the plurality of first modules are configured to establish a new set of links for communicating appliance data and instructions between the second module and the server if the first module is inoperable.

5. The system of claim 1 in which

the cluster of modules comprises

a first cluster of modules including a third module and a fourth module;

third module and the fourth module have a peer-to-peer relationship; and

the second module has a master/slave relationship with the third module.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the fourth module is configured to define a new master/slave relationship between the second module and the first module in the event that the third module is inoperable.

7. The system of claim 5 in which the second module is configured to communicate appliance data and instructions with the server through the third module.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the second module is configured to communicate appliance data and instructions with the server through the fourth module in the event the third_module is inoperable.

9. The system of claim 7 in which the fourth module is configured to take over communicating appliance data and instructions between the server and the second module in the event that the third module is inoperable.

10. The system of claim 1 in which the cluster of modules comprises:

a first cluster of modules and a second cluster of modules;

the first cluster of modules includes a third module and a fourth module;

the second cluster of modules includes a fifth module and a sixth module;

the third module and the fourth module have a peer-to-peer relationship;

the fifth module and the sixth module have a peer-to-peer relationship;

the fifth module has a master/slave relationship with the third module; and

the sixth module has a master/slave relationship with the fourth module.

11. The system of claim 10 in which

the fifth module is configured to communicate appliance data and instructions with the server through the third module;

and

the sixth module is configured to communicate appliance data and instructions with the server through the fourth module.

12. The system of claim 11 in which the fifth module is configured to communicate appliance data and instructions with the server through the sixth module in the event the third module is inoperable.

13. The system of claim 11 in which the fourth module is configured to take over communicating appliance data and instructions between the server and the fifth module in the event the third module is inoperable.

14. The system of claim 11 in which the fourth module is configured to establish a new set of master/slave relationships between the fifth module and the sixth module and the first module in the event that the third module is inoperable.