System including a wall switch device and a system including a power outlet device and methods for using the same

• US 6,993,289 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Simpledevices Inc. (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Janik, Craig M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US09/921,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/556.2, 455/41.2, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/559, 340/693.11, 340/310.01, 340/310.06, 340/636
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0271 structurally combining a switch and an electronic component for relays H01H50/021
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/181 using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

A system including a wall switch device, a system including a power outlet device, and methods for using are described. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one wall switch device and a wireless transceiver base. The wall switch device is fastened to a wall switch module and communicates with a network. The wireless transceiver base enables communication between the wall switch device and the network via a wireless data transfer protocol.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a device sized and arranged to be fastened directly to an electrical junction box;

wireless communication circuitry housed within the device, the wireless communication circuitry being electrically coupled to and powered by power lines fed into the electrical junction box;

a computing device associated with the device in wired communication with the wireless communication circuitry; and

a wireless transceiver base in communication with a network and the wireless communication circuitry, the wireless transceiver base facilitating communication exchanges between the network and the computing device via the wireless communication circuitry.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the computing device has a first electrical contact, the wall switch device comprises a docking station adapted to releasably secure the computing device, and wherein the docking station has a second electrical contact coupled to the wireless communication circuitry and adapted to mate with the first electrical contact to wiredly couple the computing device to the wireless communication circuitry.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the computing device comprises a PDA.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a server that exchanges communications with the wireless communication circuitry via the wireless transceiver base.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the network comprises a gateway for exchanging communications between the server and the wireless transceiver base.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the network comprises the Internet.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver base and the wireless communication circuitry communicate using the IEEE 802.11b wireless communication standard.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless transceiver base and the wireless communication circuitry communicate using the Bluetooth™

communication standard.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the device includes an identifier which functions to distinguish the device from other devices that exchange communications with the wireless transceiver base.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the device further comprises a digital image capturing device in communication with the wireless communication circuitry whereby digital images captured by the digital image capturing device are transmittable to the network via the wireless communication circuitry and the wireless transceiver base.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical junction box comprises a wall switch junction box.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the electrical junction box comprises a power outlet junction box.

13. A system for placing a portable computing device having a first electrical contact in communication with a wireless network, comprising:

a device sized and arranged to be fastened directly to an electrical junction box; and

wireless communication circuitry housed within the device, the wireless communication circuitry being electrically coupled to and powered by power lines fed into the electrical junction box;

wherein the device has a docking station adapted to releasably secure the portable computing device and wherein the docking station has a second electrical contact coupled to the wireless communication circuitry and adapted to mate with the first electrical contact to wiredly couple the portable computing device to the wireless communication circuitry to thereby facilitate communication exchanges between the portable computing device and the wireless network.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the portable computing device comprises a PDA.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the wireless communication circuitry communicates with the network using the IEEE 802.11b wireless communication standard.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the wireless communication circuitry communicates with the network using the Bluetooth™

communication standard.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the device further comprises a digital image capturing device in communication with the wireless communication circuitry whereby digital images captured by the digital image capturing device are transmittable to the network via the wireless communication circuitry.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the electrical junction box comprises a wall switch junction box.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the electrical junction box comprises a power outlet junction box.

20. A system for placing a portable computing device having a first electrical contact in communication with a network, comprising:

a device sized and arranged to be fastened directly to an electrical junction box; and

communication circuitry housed within the device, the communication circuitry being electrically coupled to and powered by power lines fed into the electrical junction box;

wherein the device has a docking station adapted to releasably secure the portable computing device and wherein the docking station has a second electrical contact coupled to the communication circuitry and adapted to mate with the first electrical contact to wiredly couple the portable computing device to the communication circuitry to thereby facilitate communication exchanges between the portable computing device and the network via the power lines fed into the electrical junction box.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the portable computing device comprises aPDA.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the device further comprises a digital image capturing device in communication with the communication circuitry whereby digital images captured by the digital image capturing device are transmittable to the network via the communication circuitry.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the electrical junction box comprises a wall switch junction box.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the electrical junction box comprises a power outlet junction box.