Subnet addressable radio activated switch

• US 6,927,684 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TIP Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Harold Gell, Kevin Reilly, Victor Joyner
• Inventors: Joyner, Victor, Reilly, Kevin P., Gell, Harold A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/359,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/825.57, 34082561-82569, 340/10.52, 455/403, 455/422.1, 455/466, 455/344, 455/352, 455/362
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network

Abstract

A remotely activated control device responsive to a specific transmitter operating in a frequency band assigned to radio telephone equipment, such as cellular telephone networks, cordless telephones, etc. The control device includes a radio receiver which provides a received pulse train to an assurance logic circuit. The assurance logic circuit determines if the received pulse train is limited to no more than a transmitter identification code and an action code, the combination of which is less than the code required to activate a relay network or initiate a radio telephone connection. Pulse trains accepted by the assurance logic circuit are compared to a stored code by a comparitor. The stored code includes the identification of a specific transmitter or group of transmitters and at least one action code. If the received pulse train matches the stored code, a switching circuit is activated to control a user supplied device.

Claims

1. A remotely activated control device, comprising:

a radio receiver;

a response timer;

an assurance means for determining if a series of pulses detected by said radio receiver comprises a number of data bits that is less than the number of data bits required to activate a communication relay network or initiate a radio telephone connection at the end of a time period set by said response timer;

a storage means for digital data representing alphanumerics identifying a specific radio transmitter;

a comparitor for generating a control signal when said comparitor determines said digital data is identical to said series of detected pulses at the end of said time period set by said response timer; and

a switching circuit for activating a user supplied apparatus in response to said control signal.

2. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 1, wherein said digital data comprises a transmitter identification code and an action code.

3. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 2, wherein said transmitter identification code is selected from the group of alphanumeric codes including electronic serial numbers, ESNs, and mobile identification numbers, MINs.

4. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 1 wherein said assurance means comprises:

a pulse train gate means for controlling the flow of received data;

a pulse train limit means for closing said pulse train gate when pulses received from said pulse train gate exceed the number of data bits required for the identification of a specific transmitter and at least one action code;

a transfer buffer for temporarily storing data bits received by said pulse train limit means; and

means for clearing said transfer buffer of data bits when pulses received from said pulse train gate exceed the number of data bits required for the identification of a specific transmitter and at least one action code.

5. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 4 wherein said assurance means comprises:

a first pulse detector responsive to the output of said pulse train gate for starting said response timer when said first pulse detector detects the first pulse from said pulse train gate; and

means for closing said pulse train gate when the time set by said response timer times out.

6. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 5 wherein said comparitor comprises:

a data bit comparitor;

means for transferring the contents of said transfer buffer to said comparitor a predetermined time after said timer is initiated by said first pulse detector;

storage means for data bits representing the alphanumeric code which identifies a specific transmitter and at least one action code; and

an activate switch output from said data bit comparitor when said transferred contents from said transfer buffer are identical to said data bits in said storage means.

7. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 6, comprising:

a reset timer initiated by said means for closing said pulse train gate a predetermined time after said timer is initiated by said first pulse detector,

a pulse train limit exceeded signal generated by said pulse train limit means when the number of data bits required for the identification of a specific transmitter and at least one action code, and/or a no comparison signal generated by said comparitor when said received pulse train fails to compare identically to the contents of said storage means; and

a reset gate for resetting said pulse train gate, said first pulse detector, said pulse train limit means, and said timer when said reset timer times out.

8. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 1, comprising:

a function selection means for transferring said series of pulses into said storage means for digital data at the end of said time period set by said response timer.

9. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 1 wherein said assurance means comprises:

a pulse train gate means for controlling the flow of received data; and

a pulse train limit means for closing said pulse train gate when pulses received from said pulse train gate exceed the number of data bits required for the identification of a specific transmitter and at least one action code.

10. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 9 wherein said assurance means comprises:

a first pulse detector responsive to the output of said pulse train gate;

a timer initiated by said first pulse detector when said first pulse detector detects the first pulse from said pulse train gate; and

means for closing said pulse train gate a predetermined time after said response timer is initiated by said first pulse detector.

11. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 10 wherein said comparitor comprises:

a comparison register for temporarily storing data bits which have passed through said pulse train gate means;

storage means for data bits representing the alphanumeric code which identifies a specific transmitter and at least one action code;

means for initiating a comparison between the contents of said comparison register and the contents of said storage means in response to a time expired signal generated by said response timer.

12. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 11, comprising:

a reset timer initiated by said means for closing said pulse train gate;

a pulse train limit exceeded signal generated by said pulse train limit means when the number of data bits required for the identification of a specific transmitter and at least one action code, and/or a no comparison signal generated by said comparitor when said received pulse train fails to compare identically to the contents of said storage means; and

a reset gate for resetting said pulse train gate, said first pulse detector, said pulse train limit means, said response timer and said comparison register when said reset timer times out.

13. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 12, comprising:

a function selection means for transferring said series of pulses into said storage means for digital data at the end of said time period set by said response timer.

14. A method for remotely controlling an apparatus, including the steps of:

storing data in a memory of a remote control device;

keying an action code into a control radio telephone;

transmitting the electronic identification serial number, ESN, and the mobile identification number, MN, of the control radio telephone combined with the action code previously entered via the key pad;

receiving with said remote control device said transmitted electronic identification serial number, ESN, and mobile identification number, MTN, of the control radio telephone combined with the action code previously entered via the key pad;

comparing said received electronic identification serial number, ESN, and mobile identification number, MN, of the control radio telephone combined with the action code previously entered via the key pad to said data stored in said memory of said remote control device if said received electronic identification serial number, ESN, and mobile identification number, MN, of the control radio telephone combined with the action code previously entered via the key pad comprises data which will not activate a communication relay network or initiate a radio telephone connection; and

activating a switching circuit if said comparing step indicates the received data is identical to said stored data.

15. The method for remotely controlling an apparatus as defined by claim 14, including the steps of:

initiating a timer in said remote control device on the occurrence of the first pulse received by said remote control device; and

initiating said comparing step at the end of the time period provided by said timer.

16. The method for remotely controlling an apparatus as defined by claim 15, wherein said step of storing data in a memory of a remote control device includes the steps of:

initiating a programming time delay, during which period said memory may be loaded;

reducing the sensitivity of a radio receiver of said remote control device;

entering an action code into said control radio telephone;

placing said control radio telephone in close proximity of said remote control device;

pressing the send button to transmit the electronic identification serial number, ESN, and mobile identification number, MN, of the control radio telephone combined with the action code previously entered via the key pad;

returning the sensitivity of said radio receiver to its normal operating level at the end of a programming time delay period;

placing said memory means in a read only mode at the end of said programming time delay period; and

resetting said remote control device to its quiescent listening mode.

17. A remotely activated control device, comprising:

a radio receiver;

a pulse train gate for controlling the flow of received data pulses detected by said radio receiver;

means for storing said received data pulses that pass through said pulse train gate;

a pulse train limit means for clearing said means for storing said received data pulses and closing said pulse train gate when pulses passing through said pulse train gate comprise a number of data bits that will activate a communication relay network or initiate a radio telephone connection;

a storage means for alphanumeric data, said alphanumeric data including a transmitter identification code selected from the group of alphanumeric codes including electronic serial numbers and mobile identification numbers identifying a specific radio transmitter and an action code;

a timer for establishing a decode time, said timer initiated by the first of said received data pulse;

a comparitor for generating a control signal when said received data pulses are identical to said alphanumeric data at the end of said decode time; and

a switching circuit for activating a user supplied apparatus in response to said control signal.

18. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 17, comprising:

means for closing said pulse train gate at the end of said decode time;

a reset delay means initiated by said means for closing said pulse train gate; and

means for resetting said remotely activated control device to a quiescent listening mode at the end of said reset delay.

19. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 18, comprising:

a function selection means for mutually exclusively enabling said switching circuit for activating said user supplied apparatus and a means for transferring the contents of said means for storing said received data pulses into said storage means for alphanumeric data.

20. A remotely activated control device as defined by claim 18, comprising:

a function selection means for transferring the contents of said means for storing said received data pulses into said storage means for alphanumeric data at the end of said decode time.

21. A method for remotely controlling an apparatus, including the steps of:

entering an alphanumeric code into a control radio telephone via its key pad;

said code comprising fewer data bits than are required for initiating a telephone connection;

transmitting said alphanumeric code via said control radio telephone when said control radio telephone is within the reception range of a radio receiver responsive to signals transmitted by said control radio telephone without the need for an intervening relay means;

detecting said transmitted alphanumeric code with said radio receiver;

determining if said transmitted code comprises a number of data bits that is less than the number of data bits required to activate a communication relay network or initiate a radio telephone connection at the end of a time period set by a response timer;

comparing said detected alphanumeric code to a stored alphanumeric code incorporating the identification code of said control radio telephone if said transmitted alphanumeric code is less than the number of data bits required to activate a communication relay network or initiate a radio telephone connection at the end of said time period set by said response timer; and

activating a switching means when said comparison indicates said detected alphanumeric code exactly matches said stored alphanumeric code.