System and method for extending the range of a base unit

• US 6,694,125 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnston, James W., Walley, Kenneth S., White, Stanley A., Andrews, Jr., Warner B., Henderson, P. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US10/029,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20020111135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/419, 455/420, 455/88, 455/352, 455/7, 455/16, 455/17, 455/20, 455/22, 340/825.69, 340/825.71, 340/825.72, 340/825.73, 359/145, 359/146, 359/174
• US Class Current: 455/16
• 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 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/29 Repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels

Abstract

A system and method for extending the range of a base unit is disclosed. The system can include repeaters and/or network decoders, each of which is housed in a network module. The network module includes a first portion for insertion into a powered outlet. The first portion receives power from the powered outlet. The network module further includes a second portion for receiving a powered device, and an electronic housing that is coupled to the first and second portions. The electronic housing encloses an electronic unit for receiving power from the first portion and selectively providing power to the second portion. The electronic unit can also include a repeater for receiving commands and re-broadcasting the commands, and/or an active network device for receiving commands, decoding the commands, and controlling at least one device based on the command. The electronic unit can receive signals and transmit signals via a wired connection or a wireless link.

Claims

1. A system for communicating a received signal, comprising:

a base unit configured to transmit a first signal for controlling at least one first device and further configured to transmit a second signal for controlling at least one second device;

a first unit configured to receive the first signal and re-transmit the first signal as a third signal, and further configured to receive the second signal and re-transmit the second signal as a fourth signal, the fourth signal being received by the at least one second device for controlling the at least one second device; and

a second unit configured to receive the third signal from the first unit and further configured to generate a fifth signal that is representative of the third signal, the third signal being received by the at least one first device for controlling the at least one first device, wherein at least one of the first and second units further comprises;

(a) a first portion for insertion into a powered outlet, the first portion receiving power from the powered outlet;

(b) a second portion for receiving a powered device; and

(c) an electronic housing, coupled to the first and second portions, said electronic housing having an electronic unit for receiving power from the first portion and selectively providing power to the second portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the base unit is located remotely from the at least one first device and the at least one second device such that the first signal cannot be detected by the at least one first device and the second signal cannot be detected by the at least one second device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth signals are transmitted at different frequencies.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth signals are comprised of different codes.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the powered outlet is a light bulb receptacle, and the powered device configured to couple to the light bulb receptacle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic unit of the first unit includes a repeater.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first, second and fourth signals are transmitted via a wired link.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first, second and fourth signals are transmitted via a wireless link.

9. A system for communicating a received signal, comprising:

a repeater configured to receive a first signal and a second signal, the first signal configured to control at least one first device and the second signal configured to control at least one second device, the repeater further configured to communicate a third signal to a first network decoder;

a second network decoder communicatively coupled to the repeater and configured to receive the second signal from the repeater and further configured to code the second signal into a fourth signal such that the fourth signal is communicated to the at least one second device to control the at least one second device; and

an enclosure configured to enclose at least the repeater and the second network decoder.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising the first network decoder, wherein the third signal communicated from the repeater and received by the first network decoder is coded into a fifth signal by the first network decoder, and wherein the fifth signal is communicated to the at least one first device to control the at least one first device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one second device is responsive only to the fourth signal.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first, second, third and fourth signals are transmitted at different frequencies.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first, second, third and fourth signals comprise different codes.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the enclosure further comprises:

(a) a first portion for insertion into a powered outlet, the first portion receiving power from the powered outlet;

(b) a second portion for receiving a powered device; and

(c) an electronic housing, coupled to the first and second portions, said electronic housing having an electronic unit for receiving power from the first portion and selectively providing power to the second portion in response to the fourth signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the powered outlet is a light bulb receptacle, and the powered device configured to couple to the light bulb receptacle.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first, second and fourth signals are transmitted via a wired link.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the first, second and fourth signals are transmitted via a wireless link.

18. The system of claim 9, the second network decoder further comprising an infra-red (IR) transmitter and configured to communicate the fourth signal as an IR signal to the at least one second device, the at least one second device configured to receive the IR signal.

19. The system of claim 9, the second network decoder further comprising a radio frequency (RF) transmitter and configured to communicate the fourth signal as an RF signal to the at least one second device, the at least one second device configured to receive the RF signal.

20. A method of remotely controlling at least one first device and at least one second device with a network extender, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first signal from a base unit, the first signal configured to control the at least one first device;

receiving a second signal from the base unit, the second signal configured to control the at least one second device;

communicating the second signal as a third signal to a first network decoder, the first network decoder remotely located from the network extender and the second signal being a different frequency from the third signal such that the at least one second device is controlled by the third signal;

communicating the first signal to a first decoder residing in the network extender such that the first signal is coded into a fourth signal, the first signal being a different frequency from the fourth signal; and

communicating the fourth signal to the at least one first device such that the at least one first device is controlled by the fourth signal.

21. The method of claim 20, further including the step of coupling the at least one first device to a respective powered outlet such that the fourth signal controls power supplied to the at least one first device.

22. A network decoder unit for communicating received signals, comprising:

a repeater configured to receive from a base station a first signal for controlling at least one first device and further configured to receive from the base station a second signal for controlling at least one second device;

a first network decoder configured to transmit to the at least one first device a third signal, the third signal corresponding to the first signal; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a fourth signal to a second remote network decoder, the fourth signal corresponding to the second signal, wherein the second remote network decoder is configured to transmit a fifth signal to the at least one second device, the fifth signal corresponding to the fourth signal.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth signals are transmitted at different frequencies.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth signals are comprised of different codes.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the network decoder unit further comprises:

a first portion for insertion into a powered outlet, the first portion receiving power from the powered outlet;

a second portion for receiving a powered device; and

an electronic housing, coupled to the first and second portions, said electronic housing having an electronic unit for receiving power from the first portion and selectively providing power to the second portion in response to the fourth signal.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the powered outlet is a light bulb receptacle, and the powered device is configured to couple to the light bulb receptacle.