GATEWAY SYSTEM INCLUDING COMMUNICATION MODULE AND METHOD OF DRIVING THE SAME

• US 20140142730A1
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Yull Oh
• Granted Patent: US 9,807,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

Disclosed are a gateway system for controlling at least one electronic appliance and a method of driving the same. The gateway system includes a gateway module to transmit a control signal to the electronic appliance by using a first wireless network; and at least one communication module detachably coupled to the gateway module to provide a second wireless network different from the first wireless network to the gateway module.

Claims

1. A gateway system for controlling at least one electronic appliance, the gateway system comprising:

a gateway module to transmit a control signal to the electronic appliance by using a first wireless network; and

at least one communication module detachably coupled to the gateway module to provide a second wireless network different from the first wireless network to the gateway module.

2. The gateway system of claim 1, wherein the gateway module includes a connector for connection with the communication module.

3. The gateway system of claim 1, wherein the gateway module communicates with a wireless controller which transmits the control signal for the electronic appliance to the gateway module through the first wireless network or the second wireless network.

4. The gateway system of claim 1, wherein the communication module comprises:

a housing provided therein with a space; and

a module substrate which is disposed in the space of the housing and on which a wireless communication chip for providing the second wireless network is mounted.

5. The gateway system of claim 4, wherein the module substrate comprises:

an antenna part;

a communication module part to receive the control signal from the antenna part and to generate an output signal through the wireless communication chip; and

an interface part to transmit the output signal.

6. The gateway system of claim 5, wherein the housing comprises:

a first receiving part to receive the antenna part; and

a second receiving part to receive the communication module part, and

wherein the interface part protrudes out of the housing.

7. The gateway system of claim 6, wherein the interface part comprises a plurality of pins for transmitting output signals, respectively.

8. The gateway system of claim 7, wherein information on detachment of the communication module from the gateway module is transmitted through one of the pins.

9. The gateway system of claim 6, further comprising at least one fixing protrusion protruding from a lateral side of the first receiving part of the housing to fix the communication module.

10. The gateway system of claim 1, wherein the first and second wireless networks employ mutually different communication schemes selected from a ZigBee communication scheme, a Z-wave communication scheme, a WiFi communication scheme and a Bluetooth communication scheme.

11. The gateway system of claim 1, wherein the electronic appliance comprises at least one lighting apparatus.

12. A method of driving a gateway system to which a second wireless network, which is different from a first wireless network installed in a gateway module, is provided from a communication module detachably coupled to the gateway module, the method comprising:

receiving detachment information from an interface of the communication module;

requesting information on the communication module;

receiving the information on the communication module from the communication module; and

controlling an external electronic appliance through the second wireless network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving of the detachment information comprises receiving the detachment information through an input terminal from an interface of the communication module to vary voltage of the input terminal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, when the communication module is coupled with the gateway module, the voltage of the input terminal is transited to a low from a high.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the information on the communication module includes information on the second wireless network provided from the communication module.