Apparatus and Method Pertaining to the Use of Wireless Signals to Control an Appliance

• US 20130114188A1
• Filed: 11/08/2011
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Fitzgibbon, James Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,396,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An appliance wirelessly receives any of a plurality of different signals that comprise control instructions from a transmitter for a second appliance other than the appliance and of a different class of appliance. The appliance then provides, in the absence of learning, any of a plurality of different control instructions to be used by the appliance as a function of that received signal. By one approach those wirelessly-received control instructions relate to controllable functions for the second appliance. Pursuant to these teachings, the receiving appliance effectively converts a received control instruction that relates to one kind of functionality for a given kind of appliance into a control instruction that relates to a different kind of functionality and that is usable by a different kind of appliance.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a first appliance disposed at least in part within the housing;

a wireless receiver disposed at least in part within the housing;

a control circuit disposed at least in part within the housing and being operably coupled to the appliance and to the wireless receiver, the control circuit being configured to provide to the first appliance, in the absence of learning, any of a plurality of different control instructions as a function of signals received via the wireless receiver, wherein the signals comprise wirelessly-transmitted control instructions from a transmitter for a second appliance other than the first appliance and the second appliance comprises a different class of appliance than the first appliance.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least two of the wirelessly-transmitted control instructions produced by the transmitter are produced by activation of different buttons.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least two of the plurality of different control instructions each corresponds to a different control function.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first appliance belongs to a class of appliances for movable barrier operators.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first appliance belongs to a class of appliances for electronically-controlled light fixtures.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first appliance comprises a movable barrier operator.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the plurality of different control instructions comprise at least one of:

an instruction pertaining to movement of a movable barrier;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of a movable barrier stop location;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment regarding a detected-force threshold;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of a speed setting;

an instruction pertaining to adjusting a timer-to-close setting;

an instruction pertaining to adjusting a photobeam setting;

an instruction pertaining to a passive infrared-based detection setting;

an instruction pertaining to a time-of-day setting;

an instruction pertaining to a radio control setting;

an instruction pertaining to a radio network setting;

an instruction pertaining to an Internet-based control setting.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second appliance comprises an entertainment appliance.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the entertainment appliance comprises at least one of:

an audio-playback apparatus;

an audio-visual-playback apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first appliance comprises an electronically-controlled light fixture.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the plurality of different control instructions comprise at least one of:

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of light intensity of the light fixture;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of a rate of change of the light intensity of the light fixture;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of a color of light emanating from the light fixture;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of at least one ambient-light threshold;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of at least one motion-detection threshold;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of at least one operation period;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of at least one operational state;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of directionality of a motion sensor;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of directionality of a light source;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of directionality of the light fixture;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment regarding which of a plurality of light emitting devices are simultaneously illuminated;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of an output intensity of at least one of a plurality of light emitting devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the second appliance comprises an entertainment appliance.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the entertainment appliance comprises at least one of:

an audio-playback apparatus;

an audio-visual-playback apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireless receiver comprises an infrared-signal receiver.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to translate certain wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for a second appliance into corresponding control instructions for the first appliance.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the certain wirelessly-transmitted control instructions comprise, at least in part, generic control instructions.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein at least one of the generic control instructions comprises an instruction to increase an audible-volume level.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein at least one of the generic control instructions comprises an instruction to increase or decrease a selected channel.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the control circuit is configured to decode, at least in part, the certain wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:

a memory operably coupled to the control circuit and serving to store at least one look-up table, wherein the control circuit is configured to utilize the at least one look-up table when decoding the certain wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one visual indicator that is operably coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is further configured to use the visual indicator to signal when the control circuit is able to successfully utilize the wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance to provide control instructions to the first appliance.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one visual indicator that is operably coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is further configured to use the visual indicator to signal when the control circuit is unable to successfully utilize the wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance to provide control instructions to the first appliance.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one audible indicator that is operably coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is further configured to use the audible indicator to signal when the control circuit is able to successfully utilize the wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance to provide control instructions to the first appliance.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one audible indicator that is operably coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is further configured to use the audible indicator to signal when the control circuit is unable to successfully utilize the wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance to provide control instructions to the first appliance.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one visual indicator that is operably coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is further configured to use the visual indicator to provide information regarding a particular functionality of the first appliance to which a present control instruction pertains.

26. A method comprising:

at a first appliance;

wirelessly receiving any of a plurality of different signals that comprise control instructions from a transmitter for a second appliance other than the first appliance and where the second appliance comprises a different class of appliance than the first appliance to provide a received signal;

providing, in the absence of learning, any of a plurality of different control instructions to be used by the first appliance as a function of the received signal.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein at least two of the plurality of different control instructions each corresponds to a different control function of the first appliance.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the first appliance belongs to a class of appliances for movable barrier operators.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the first appliance comprises a movable barrier operator.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of different control instructions comprise at least one of:

an instruction pertaining to movement of a movable barrier;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of a movable barrier stop location;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment regarding a detected-force threshold;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of a speed setting;

an instruction pertaining to adjusting a timer-to-close setting;

an instruction pertaining to adjusting a photobeam setting;

an instruction pertaining to a passive infrared-based detection setting;

an instruction pertaining to a time-of-day setting;

an instruction pertaining to a radio control setting;

an instruction pertaining to a radio network setting;

an instruction pertaining to an Internet-based control setting.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the second appliance comprises an entertainment appliance.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the entertainment appliance comprises at least one of:

an audio-playback apparatus;

an audio-visual-playback apparatus.

33. The method of claim 26 wherein the first appliance belongs to a class of appliances for electronically-controlled light fixtures.

34. The method of claim 26 wherein the first appliance comprises an electronically-controlled light fixture.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the plurality of different control instructions comprise at least one of:

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of light intensity of the light fixture;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of a rate of change of the light intensity of the light fixture;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of a color of light emanating from the light fixture;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of at least one ambient-light threshold;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of at least one motion-detection threshold;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of at least one operation period;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of at least one operational state;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of directionality of a motion sensor;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of directionality of a light source;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of directionality of the light fixture;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment regarding which of a plurality of light-emitting devices are simultaneously illuminated;

an instruction pertaining to adjustment of an output intensity of at least one of a plurality of light-emitting devices.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the second appliance comprises an entertainment appliance.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the entertainment appliance comprises at least one of:

an audio-playback apparatus;

an audio-visual-playback apparatus.

38. The method of claim 26 wherein wirelessly receiving any of a plurality of different signals comprises wireless receiving the signals using infrared-based reception.

39. The method of claim 26 wherein providing, in the absence of learning, any of a plurality of different control instructions to be used by the first appliance as a function of the received signal comprises providing, in the absence of learning, any of a plurality of different control instructions to be used by the first appliance as a function of the received signal by translating certain wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for a second appliance into corresponding control instructions for the first appliance.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the certain wirelessly-transmitted control instructions comprise, at least in part, generic control instructions.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein at least one of the generic control instructions comprises an instruction to increase an audible-volume level.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein at least one of the generic control instructions comprises an instruction to increase or decrease a selected channel.

43. The method of claim 39 wherein providing, in the absence of learning, any of a plurality of different control instructions to be used by the first appliance as a function of the received signal the control circuit comprises decoding, at least in part, the certain wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein decoding, at least in part, the certain wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance comprises accessing a memory that stores at least one look-up table and utilizing the at least one look-up table when decoding the certain wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance.

45. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

using a visual indicator to signal when the first appliance is able to successfully utilize the wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance to provide the control instructions to be used by the first appliance.

46. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

using a visual indicator to signal when the first appliance is unable to successfully utilize the wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance to provide control instructions to be used by the first appliance.

47. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

using an audible indicator to signal when the first appliance is able to successfully utilize the wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance to provide control instructions to be used by the first appliance.

48. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

using an audible indicator to signal when the first appliance is unable to successfully utilize the wirelessly-transmitted control instructions for the second appliance to provide control instructions to be used by the first appliance.

49. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

using a visual indicator to provide information regarding a particular functionality of the first appliance to which a present control instruction pertains.

50. A method comprising:

receiving at a first appliance a wireless control signal from a remote control device, the wireless control signal comprising one of an RC-5, an RC-6, or an NEC-type control signal for an appliance of a class different from the first appliance;

decoding by a control circuit of the first appliance the wireless control signal to determine a command for an appliance of a class different from the first appliance;

determining by the control circuit a command for the first appliance by using the command for the appliance of the class different from the first appliance to find the command for the first appliance in a look-up table and in the absence learning by the first appliance the wireless control signal or the command for the appliance of the class different from the first appliance;

effecting by the control circuit execution of the command for the first appliance by the first appliance.