Modular Wireless Power, Light and Automation Control

• US 20150084748A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kortek Industries Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kortek Industries Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Davis, Barrie, Davis, Benjamin, Davis, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 9,319,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23297 Remote load of program with cellular, wireless, satellite connection
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25022 LAN local area network for controllers
• 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: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• 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: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A device and method for controlling a host apparatus (300) through a wireless link with a personal controller (10). The device includes a wireless communications module (202) configured to communicate with personal controller (10) via a peer-to-peer communications standard. The device connects to host apparatus (300) via a plug and receptacle interface (206) which includes power and signal pins. The device simulates an actuation signal using a reed relay (216) to cause host apparatus (300) to perform a function.

Claims

1. A device for controlling an electrical apparatus through a wireless communications link with a personal controller, the personal controller having a processor, a user interface, and a wireless communications transceiver, said device comprising:

a wireless communications control module operable for wireless communication with the personal controller, said wireless communications control module including an aerial and a radio transceiver, said radio transceiver being configured to communicate with the personal controller using a peer-to-peer communications standard;

an interface connection including at least two power pins and at least one signal pin, said interface connection being configured to physically connect to a receptacle of the electrical apparatus; and

a microcontroller configured to control, through said interface connection, the electrical apparatus based at least in part on instructions communicated from the personal controller through said wireless control module, said device being powered through the electrical apparatus.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is configured to operate said wireless control module in more than one mode, said microcontroller being configured to operate said wireless control module in a first mode using the peer-to-peer communications standard, said microcontroller being configured to operate said wireless control module in a second mode using a non-peer-to-peer communications standard.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said microcontroller is configured to operate said wireless control module in the first and second modes concurrently.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said microcontroller is configured to function as a network client device while operating in the second mode.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is configured to open a peer-to-peer wireless communications link with the personal controller by:

simulating a Wi-Fi access point.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the peer-to-peer communications standard is Wi-Fi Direct.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said interface connection includes a USB plug configured to engage the receptacle of the electrical apparatus.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is a lighting controller.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is a garage door opener.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is without any integral visual display.

11. A device for controlling an electrical apparatus through a wireless communications link with a personal controller, the personal controller having a processor, a user interface, and a wireless communications transceiver, said device comprising:

a wireless communications control module operable for wireless communication with the personal controller, said wireless communications control module including an aerial and a radio transceiver, said radio transceiver being configured to communicate with the personal controller using a peer-to-peer communications standard;

an interface connection including at least one signal pin, said interface connection being configured to physically connect to a receptacle of the electrical apparatus; and

a microcontroller configured to control, through said interface connection, the electrical apparatus on based at least in part on instructions communicated from the personal controller through said wireless control module, said microcontroller being configured to send, through at least one of said signal pins, only an actuation signal without any data to communicate with the electrical apparatus to cause the electrical apparatus to perform a function.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said microcontroller is configured to operate said wireless control module in more than one mode, said microcontroller being configured to operate said wireless control module in a first mode using the peer-to-peer communications standard, said microcontroller being configured to operate said wireless control module in a second mode using a non-peer-to-peer communications standard.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said microcontroller is configured to operate said wireless control module in the first and second modes concurrently.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein said microcontroller is configured to function as a network client device while operating in the second mode.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein said microcontroller is configured to open a peer-to-peer wireless communications link with the personal controller by:

simulating a Wi-Fi access point.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the peer-to-peer communications standard is Wi-Fi Direct.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein said interface connection includes a USB plug configured to engage the receptacle of the electrical apparatus.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the electrical apparatus is a lighting controller.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the electrical apparatus is a garage door opener.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the electrical apparatus is without any integral visual display.

21. The device of claim 11, wherein said interface connection includes at least two power pins.

22. The device of claim 11, wherein said interface connection is devoid of power pins.

23. The device of claim 11, further comprising a power source independent of any power source being used to power the electrical apparatus, said independent power source being used to power said device.

24. A device for controlling an electrical apparatus through a wireless communications link with a personal controller, the personal controller having a processor, a user interface, and a wireless communications transceiver, said device comprising:

a wireless communications control module operable for wireless communication with the personal controller, said wireless communications control module including an aerial and a radio transceiver;

an interface connection including at least one signal pin, said interface connection being configured to physically connect to a receptacle of the electrical apparatus;

an electrical relay and/or solid state relay; and

a microcontroller configured to control, through said interface connection, the electrical apparatus on based at least in part on instructions communicated from the personal controller through said wireless control module, said microcontroller controlling said electrical relay and/or solid state relay to send an actuation signal through at least one of said signal pins to the electrical apparatus to cause the electrical apparatus to perform a function.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein said microcontroller is configured to operate said wireless control module in more than one mode, said microcontroller being configured to operate said wireless control module in a first mode using a peer-to-peer communications standard, said microcontroller being configured to operate said wireless control module in a second mode using a non-peer-to-peer communications standard.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein said microcontroller is configured to operate said wireless control module in the first and second modes concurrently.

27. The device of claim 25, wherein said microcontroller is configured to function as a network client device while operating in the second mode.

28. The device of claim 25, wherein said microcontroller is configured to communicate with the personal controller in the first mode.

29. The device of claim 25, wherein said microcontroller is configured to open a peer-to-peer wireless communications link with the personal controller by:

simulating a Wi-Fi access point.

30. The device of claim 25, wherein the peer-to-peer communications standard is Wi-Fi Direct.

31. The device of claim 24, wherein said interface connection includes a USB plug configured to engage the receptacle of the electrical apparatus.

32. The device of claim 24, wherein the electrical apparatus is a lighting controller.

33. The device of claim 24, wherein the electrical apparatus is a garage door opener.

34. The device of claim 24, wherein the electrical apparatus is without any integral visual display.

35. The device of claim 24, wherein said interface connection includes at least two power pins.

36. The device of claim 24, wherein said interface connection is devoid of power pins.

37. The device of claim 24, further comprising a power source independent of any power source being used to power the electrical apparatus, said independent power source being used to power said device.

38. A method for actuating, with a wireless personal controller, an electrical apparatus having a receptacle configured to receive a plurality of power and signal pins, comprising:

inserting into the receptacle a device having an interface connection with at least two power pins and at least one signal pin, the device including a wireless communications control module and a microcontroller configured to communicate with the personal controller using the wireless communications control module;

receiving, via the wireless communications control module, an instruction from the personal controller to actuate the electrical apparatus;

sending no data, but only an actuation signal to the electrical apparatus using at least one of the signal pins to cause the electrical apparatus to perform a function in conformity with the instruction received from the personal controller.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the device inserted into the receptacle includes an electrical relay and/or solid state relay.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the interface connection of the device inserted into the receptacle includes a USB plug configured to engage the receptacle of the electrical apparatus.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising opening a peer-to-peer wireless communications link between the device and the personal controller, including:

simulating a Wi-Fi access point role by the device.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the instructions from the personal controller are received using a peer-to-peer communications standard.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the peer-to-peer communications standard is Wi-Fi Direct.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the instructions received from the personal controller is via a WLAN.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein the electrical apparatus is a lighting controller.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the electrical apparatus is a garage door opener.