Low power consumption wireless data transmission and control system

• US 5,134,347 A
• Filed: 10/16/1991
• Issued: 07/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Techniku Incorporated (HRH Door Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Comfortex Corporation (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Inventors: Koleda, Randy K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US07/777,059
• Time in Patent Office: 286 Days
• Field of Search: 318/16, 318/558, 318/656, 318/671, 318/672, 388/933, 307/31, 307/35, 307/38, 307/40, 340/825.57, 340/625.63, 340/825.64, 340/825.65, 340/825.69
• US Class Current: 318/16
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/68 Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0283 with sequential power up or power down of successive circuit blocks, e.g. switching on the local oscillator before RF or mixer stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/933 Radiant energy responsive device

Abstract

A low power consumption wireless data transmission and control system 10 is disclosed and in one embodiment, is used to automatically articulate a shade 24 by use of a transmitted command signal 14. The system 10 contains a receiver/detector 18 which is selectively activated for only certain intervals of time thereby allowing substantially all of the previously transmitted signals 14 to be received while reducing the power consumed by the detector 18 during periods in which the signals 14 are absent.

Claims

1. A control device for receiving a plurality of sequentially timed signals and for actuating a window shade in response to said received timed signals, wherein the time between any two of said timed signals is constrained to assume only one of several possible values, said control device comprising:

movement means, having an input and an output which is coupled to said shade, for actuating said shade;

receiver means having an input coupled to receive said plurality of sequentially timed signals and an output coupled to the input of said movement means, said receiver means causing said movement means to actuate said shade in response to the received plurality of timed signals;

electrical power means for providing electrical power to said receiver means; and

sampling means for connecting said electrical power means to said receiver means only at pre-selected intervals of time for allowing said receiver means to receive said plurality of sequentially timed signals, said sampling means continuing said connection at a further time period only when said plurality of sequentially timed signals are received said sampling means disconnecting said connection to reduce the electrical power consumed by said receiver means during a time in which said plurality of sequentially timed signals are absent.

2. The control device of claim 1 wherein said receiver means contains at least one capacitive element which is normally coupled to electrical ground, said control device further comprising:

capacitive means, coupled to said at least one capacitive element, for disconnecting said at least one capacitive element from the electrical ground before said electrical power means is disconnected from said receiver means and for connecting said at least one capacitive element to the electrical ground after said electrical power means is connected to said receiver means, thereby reducing the settling time of said capacitive element.

3. The control device of claim 1 wherein said pre-selected intervals of time are related to the largest of said several possible values.

4. A control device for positioning a shade in a manner specified by a packet of data, said packet of data being formed by several sequentially timed signals, wherein the time between any two adjacent timed signals is made to assume only one of two possible values and wherein said packet of data is made to have a total transmission time which is made to vary between a maximum and a minimum value, said control device comprising:

receiving means for receiving said sequentially timed signals of said packet of data and for positioning said shade in a manner specified by said packet of data;

power means for providing electrical power to said receiving means; and

sampling means, coupled to said receiving means and to said power means, for preventing substantially all electrical power from being input to said receiving means for a first predetermined period of time, said first predetermined period of time being less than said minimum value, and for applying electrical power to said receiving means for a second predetermined period of time, said second predetermined period of time being slightly greater than the larger value of said two possible values and for determining if a first signal has been received during said second predetermined period of time and for continuing to apply said electrical power to said receiving means for a third predetermined period of time only if one of said sequentially timed signals has been received during said second predetermined period of time and for determining if a second one of said sequentially timed signals has been received during said third predetermined period of time and for determining an amount of elapsed time between receipt of said first and said second signals and for comparing said amount of elapsed time with each of said two possible values and for continuing to apply said electrical power to said receiving means effective to allow said receiving means to receive said packet of data only if said amount of elapsed time substantially equals one of said two possible values, thereby allowing said receiving means to receive said packet of data while reducing the amount of electrical power consumed by said control device when said packet of data is absent.