System and Method for Transmitting Signals to an Appliance

• US 20090298450A1
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Heathco LLC (Transom Capital Group)
• Original Assignee: Heathco LLC (Transom Capital Group)
• Inventors: Claiborne, Jimmy David, Birdwell, Timothy Gale, Tylicki, Scott Blaise
• Application Number:
  US12/473,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20090298450A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/128
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A transmitter apparatus is provided that includes an actuator and a transmitter with a housing around an antenna and wireless transmission circuitry. The actuator is mounted to a structural element of a building and is at least partially exposed and accessible to a user. The housing is coupled to the actuator and is arranged and configured to extend at least partially into an opening in the structural element of the building. The housing generally surrounds transmission circuitry and an antenna. The transmission circuitry is arranged and configured to receive the actuations from the actuator and responsively transmit radio frequency (RF) signals to a remotely situated appliance via the antenna.

Claims

1. A transmitter apparatus comprising:

an actuator configured for mounting on a structural element of a building, the actuator at least partially exposed and accessible to a user, the actuator being configured to receive actuations from the user; and

a transmitter which includes a housing, the housing shaped to fit within a cylindrically shaped hole that is less than approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and including transmission circuitry and an antenna, the housing coupled to the actuator and configured to extend at least partially into an opening in the structural element of the building, the housing surrounding the transmission circuitry and antenna, the transmission circuitry configured to receive the actuations from the actuator and responsively wirelessly transmit radio frequency (RF) signals to a remotely situated appliance via the antenna.

2. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power source.

3. The transmitter apparatus of claim 2 wherein the power source is disposed within the transmitter so as to be accessible to the user without removing the actuator from a mounted position in the structural element.

4. The transmitter apparatus of claim 2 wherein the power source is disposed within the housing so as to be accessible to the user only by removing the actuator from a mounted position in the structural element.

5. The transmitter apparatus of claim 4 wherein antenna is disposed within the housing so as to extend at least partially beyond the structural element of the building when the housing is inserted in the opening in the structural element.

6. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing is less than approximately 1.5 inches across its cross section.

7. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least 70% of the volume of the transmitter is configured to be in the wall structure.

8. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1 wherein the structural element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of an exterior wall, an interior wall and a barrier.

9. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1 wherein the remotely situated appliance comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of a door bell;

an intercom;

a light;

a fan;

an alarm system;

a moveable barrier operator;

a window treatment;

a rolling shutter;

a hot tub;

a fireplace;

a television; and

a video source.

10. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises at least one button.

11. The transmitter apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one button is illuminated.

12. The transmitter apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuator has a first volume and the housing has a second volume configured to be inserted into the wall structure, and the first volume is less than the second volume.

13. A transmitter apparatus comprising:

an actuator configured for mounting on a structural element of a building, the actuator at least partially exposed and accessible to a user, the actuator being configured to receive actuations from the user; and

a transmitter which includes a cylindrically shaped housing, transmission circuitry and an antenna, the cylindrically shaped housing coupled to the actuator and configured to extend at least partially into an opening in the structural element of the building, the housing surrounding the transmission circuitry and the antenna, the transmission circuitry configured to receive the actuations from the actuator and responsively wirelessly transmit radio frequency (RF) signals to a remotely situated appliance via the antenna.

14. The transmitter of claim 13 wherein the hole is of less than approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and wherein the housing is of less than approximately 1.5 inches in diameter.

15. The transmitter apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a power source.

16. The transmitter apparatus of claim 15 wherein the power source is disposed within the transmitter so as to be accessible to the user without removing the actuator from a mounted position in the structural element.

17. The transmitter apparatus of claim 15 wherein the power source is disposed within the housing so as to be accessible to the user only by removing the actuator from a mounted position in the structural element.

18. The transmitter apparatus of claim 17 wherein antenna is disposed within the cylindrically shaped housing so as to extend at least partially beyond the structural element of the building when the cylindrically shaped housing is inserted in the opening in the structural element.

19. The transmitter apparatus of claim 13 wherein the cylindrically shaped housing is less than approximately 1.5 inches in diameter.

20. The transmitter apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least 70% of the volume of the transmitter is configured to be in the wall structure.

21. The transmitter apparatus of claim 13 wherein the structural element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of an exterior wall, an interior wall and a barrier.

22. The transmitter apparatus of claim 13 wherein the remotely situated appliance comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of a door bell;

an intercom;

a light;

a fan;

an alarm system;

a moveable barrier operator;

a window treatment;

a rolling shutter;

a hot tub;

a fireplace;

a television; and

a video source.

23. The transmitter apparatus of claim 13 wherein the actuator comprises at least one button.

24. The transmitter apparatus of claim 23 wherein the at least one button is illuminated.

25. The transmitter apparatus of claim 13 wherein the actuator has a first volume and the housing has a second volume configured to be inserted into the wall structure, and the first volume is less than the second volume.

26. A transmitter apparatus comprising:

an actuator which is configured to receive user interaction from a user;

transmitter circuitry;

an antenna coupled to the transmitter circuitry; and

a rigid cylindrically shaped housing around the transmitter circuitry and the antenna, the cylindrically shaped housing coupled to the actuator and configured to extend at least partially into an opening in a structural element of a building so that at least 70% of the volume of the transmitter extends into the structural element, the transmission circuitry and antenna configured to receive the actuations from the actuator and responsively transmit radio frequency (RF) signals to a remotely situated appliance via the antenna.

27. A method of installing a transmitter that actuates a remotely situated appliance comprising:

mounting an actuator to a structural element of a building; and

disposing a transmitter into a hole in a structural element of the building, the transmitter comprising a rigid housing shaped to fit into the hole, RF transmission circuitry surrounded by the housing and an antenna within the housing, the antenna effective for responsively transmitting radio frequency (RF) signals to a remote appliance upon actuation of the actuator.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the housing is cylindrical in shape.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein disposing a transmitter comprises drilling a hole completely through a wall of the building.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the hole is of less than approximately 1.5 inches in diameter.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising accessing a power source at the transmitter without removing the actuator from its mounted position.

32. The method of claim 27 further comprising accessing a power source at the transmitter by removing the actuator from its mounted position.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein the remotely situated appliance comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of a door bell;

a light;

an intercom;

a fan;

an alarm system;

a moveable barrier operator;

a window treatment;

a rolling shutter;

a hot tub;

a fireplace;

a television; and

a video source.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein the structural element of the building comprises an element selected from the group consisting of an exterior wall, an interior wall, and a barrier.

35. The method of claim 27 wherein at least 70% of the volume of the transmitter extends into the structural element.

36. A wireless door bell and chime system comprising:

an actuator mounted on a structural element of a building, the actuator at least partially exposed and accessible to a user, the actuator being configured to receive actuations from the user; and

transmitter which includes a cylindrically shaped housing, transmission circuitry and an antenna, the cylindrically shaped housing coupled to the actuator and extending at least partially into an opening in the structural element of the building, the housing surrounding the transmission circuitry and the antenna, at least 70% of the volume of the transmission circuitry and antenna being within the opening in the structural element; and

chimes remote from the transmitter, the chimes configured to receive transmissions from the transmission circuitry and antenna, the transmission circuitry configured to receive the actuations from the actuator and responsively and wirelessly transmit radio frequency (RF) signals to the remotely situated chimes.