Ubiquitous connectivity and control system for remote locations

• US 7,257,397 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ubiquitous Connectivity, LP (Nomad Communications, L.L.C.)
• Original Assignee: Charles G. Shamoon, Deborah H. Shamoon
• Inventors: Neal, Franklin Eugene, Shamoon, Charles G., Shamoon, Deborah H., Fehnel, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US11/163,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20060105760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/420, 455/410, 455/411, 455/466, 455/352, 340/5.5
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/33 to fire, excessive heat or smoke
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1016 : Telecontrol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 : wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 : Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 : PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A thermostat control system for monitoring and controlling environmental characteristics of a building includes a base station unit and a remote access unit continuously interfacing through instant wireless private direct connectivity. The system also includes a plurality of sensors that measure the environmental characteristics and provide the thermostat unit with the measurements.

Claims

1. A ubiquitous connectivity and communications system for controlling operation of an environmental condition in a structure, comprising:

a device for controlling the environmental condition in the structure;

a base unit in said structure and operatively interfaced with said device to control the operation thereof;

a remote device adapted to send and receive short message service (SMS) messages;

wireless connectivity means providing an on-demand, private and direct communications interface between said base unit and said remote device enabling instant wireless connectivity therebetween without use of an Internet connection;

means for providing an indication of current status of said device to said base unit;

means for transmitting said indication of current status through said connectivity means from the base unit to said remote device as a first SMS message;

display means at said remote device for indicating said current status of said device;

input means at said remote device for prescribing an indication of revised status for said device as a second SMS message, wherein the second SMS message includes information associated with the remote device;

means for transmitting said second SMS message including information associated with the remote device and the indication of revised status through said connectivity means to said base unit, wherein the base unit is adapted to authenticate the second SMS message using the information associated with the remote device;

means operatively associated with said base unit and operatively connected with said device for effecting said revised status for said device.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said device for controlling the environmental condition includes electronic and electromechanical switching means interfaced with said device for controlling the environmental condition.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said base unit is a microcontroller-based processing unit having customizable application specific software.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said remote device is a cellular telephone handset with custom programmability means.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein said custom programmability means is a JAVA programming kernel.

6. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein said custom programmability means is a J2ME programming kernel.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said connectivity means includes a transmitting and receiving module in said base unit and a transmitting and receiving unit in said remote device operatively communicating with each other over a cellular telephone network.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for providing an indication of current status to said base unit and said means for transmitting said indication of current status is a short message service (SMS) message carried along a cellular telephone network.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 including means operative between said remote devices using said SMS for selectively disabling transmission thereto.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said display means is a liquid crystal display module.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein said liquid crystal module includes selectable graphic icons corresponding to environmental conditions being monitored or controlled.