EMBEDDED INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) HUB SLOT FOR AN APPLIANCE AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20170006411A1
• Filed: 07/03/2015
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afero, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kiban Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Zakaria, Omar, Britt, Joe, Forood, Houman
• Granted Patent: US 10,111,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/283 Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An apparatus and method are described for an IoT interface slot for an IoT hub. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: an Internet of Things (IoT) hub interface slot to be fixedly coupled to an appliance, the IoT hub interface slot having an internal chamber, a bottom portion and a top portion, the top portion having an aperture exposing the interface slot to be accessible from outside of the appliance; the internal chamber sized to accommodate an IoT hub device to provide wireless communication functionality to the appliance; and the bottom portion having an embedded IoT hub interface fixedly coupled thereto, the embedded IoT hub interface having a first set of electrical contact portions facing the internal chamber to provide electrical connectivity to a corresponding set of electrical contact portions of an appliance interface on the IoT hub device when the IoT hub device is inserted into the internal chamber, the embedded IoT hub interface having a second set of electrical contact portions facing outwards from the bottom portion of the IoT hub interface slot, one or more of the second set of electrical contact portions to be electrically coupled to a power supply system within the appliance to provide power to the IoT hub device when inserted into the chamber and another one or more of the second set of electrical contact portions to be electrically coupled to a ground plane within the appliance to electrically ground the IoT hub device when inserted into the chamber.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an Internet of Things (IoT) hub interface slot to be fixedly coupled to an appliance, the IoT hub interface slot having an internal chamber, a bottom portion and a top portion, the top portion having an aperture exposing the interface slot to be accessible from outside of the appliance;

the internal chamber sized to accommodate an IoT hub device to provide wireless communication functionality to the appliance; and

the bottom portion having an embedded IoT hub interface coupled thereto, the embedded IoT hub interface having a first set of electrical contact portions facing the internal chamber to provide electrical connectivity to a corresponding set of electrical contact portions of an appliance interface on the IoT hub device when the IoT hub device is inserted into the internal chamber,

the embedded IoT hub interface having a second set of electrical contact portions facing outwards from the bottom portion of the IoT hub interface slot, one or more of the second set of electrical contact portions to be electrically coupled to a power supply system within the appliance to provide power to the IoT hub device when inserted into the chamber and another one or more of the second set of electrical contact portions to be electrically coupled to a ground plane within the appliance to electrically ground the IoT hub device when inserted into the chamber.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the IoT hub interface slot is formed from a metal enclosure separated by the first and second sets of electrical contact portions by an insulator material.

3. The apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the first and second sets of electrical contact portions comprise electrically conductive pins or pads extending through the metal enclosure, wherein the first set of electrical contact portions comprise a first portion of each of the pins or pads facing towards the chamber from the bottom of the metal enclosure and the second set of electrical contact portions comprise a second portion of each of the pins or pads facing away from the chamber, and exposed outside of the metal enclosure.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the first and second sets of electrical contact portions are formed on each of a set of 10×

10 mm connection pads.

5. The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

a set of latches affixed to the IoT hub interface slot and configured to lock down the IoT hub device in place when inserted into the chamber.

6. The apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the set of latches are affixed to the top portion of the IoT hub.

7. The apparatus as in claim 4 wherein one or more pads are reserved for future electrical connections between the IoT hub interface slot.

8. The apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the IoT hub interface slot is formed from a metal or plastic enclosure.

9. The apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the metal or plastic enclosure has a length of 130 mm, a depth of 40 mm and a width of 70 mm.

10. The apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

an embedded IoT hub inserted within the internal chamber of the IoT interface slot, the embedded IoT hub comprising a plurality of wireless communication devices to communicatively connect the appliance to the Internet using a corresponding plurality of wireless communication protocols.

11. The apparatus as in claim 10 wherein at least one of the wireless communication devices comprises a first Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) communication device to automatically establish a BTLE communication channel with a second BTLE device within the appliance when the embedded IoT hub is inserted within the internal chamber.

12. The apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the second BTLE device is communicatively coupled to one or more sensors configured within the appliance to take measurements related to the appliance, the second BTLE device to communicate the sensor measurements over the BTLE communication channel to the first BTLE device.

13. The apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the plurality of wireless communication devices further comprises a cellular data communication device and/or a WiFi communication device to couple the embedded IoT hub to the Internet, the embedded IoT hub to communicate the sensor measurements to an IoT service over the Internet.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the IoT service is to provide the sensor measurements to an end user device responsive to the end user device connecting to the IoT service via an app or browser.

15. The apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the IoT service is to generate commands to control the appliance responsive to user input, the commands to be transmitted over the Internet, received by the cellular data communication device and/or WiFi communication device, transmitted from the first BTLE device to the second BTLE device, and processed by control logic within the appliance coupled to the second BTLE device.

16. The apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the embedded IoT hub comprises a modular antenna interface comprising a plurality of pins or pads to electrically couple the embedded IoT hub to a modular antenna.

17. The apparatus as in claim 16 further comprising:

a modular antenna to be used with the embedded IoT, the modular antenna comprising an interface component and an antenna component;

the interface component comprising a first plurality of pins or pads to electrically couple the module antenna to the plurality of pins or pads on the modular antenna interface; and

the antenna component comprising a plurality of antennas to be electrically coupled to the first plurality of pins or pads, thereby electrically coupling each of the plurality of antennas to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the embedded IoT hub.

18. The apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the antennas comprise a first antenna and a second antenna, the first antenna to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals for a first wireless communication protocol and the second antenna to transmit and receive RF signals for a second wireless communication protocol.

19. The apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the first and second wireless communication protocols are selected from a group comprising WiFi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLS), and cellular data protocols.

20. The apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the cellular data protocols comprise 3G, 4G, or 5G communication protocols.