Communications monitor and control for consumer devices

• US 7,301,471 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2004
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.), Tokyo Seimitsu Company Limited, Tosei Engineering Corp. (Tokyo Seimitsu Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Specht, Philip R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/989,518
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/573.1, 340/825.19, 340/7.1, 340/7.2, 340 758- 762, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/691.1, 455/404.1, 455/420, 381/315, 341/176
• US Class Current: 340/12.53
• 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 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

A method and apparatus which provide for simultaneously monitoring and controlling multiple consumer devices located in a fixed and/or mobile environment includes a handheld RF communications device having multiple controls. In addition, a transceiver device is provided which simultaneously a) receives output signals from selected ones of the consumer devices and transmits the received output signals as radio frequency signals to the handheld communications device, and b) receives control signals from the handheld communications device, and relays the control signals to an associated consumer device to control the associated consumer device.

Claims

1. A communications system for simultaneously monitoring and controlling multiple consumer devices located in a fixed environment, said system comprising:

a cellular telephone device having multiple controls through which a user can control both telephone calls and consumer devices; and

a transceiver device physically separate from the cellular telephone device and coupleable in electronic signal communication with a plurality of consumer devices physically separate from the transceiver device, wherein the transceiver device simultaneously

a) receives output signals from user-selected ones of the consumer devices and transmits the received output signals as radio frequency signals to said cellular telephone device, and

b) receives user-input control signals from the cellular telephone device, and relays the control signals to an associated consumer device to control the associated consumer device.

2. A communications control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transceiver device includes inputs for the output signals which amplify the inputted signals from the consumer devices.

3. A communications control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cellular telephone device has multiple receivers and transmitters.

4. A communications control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transceiver device is also a repeater which receives an output control signal from one consumer device and relays the output control signal wirelessly to a predetermined consumer device.

5. A communications control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transceiver device includes inputs for consumer devices selected from a plurality of;

a TV, a radio, a CD player, a DVD player, a computer, a door bell, an alarm system, a multimedia center, a paging system, and an intercom.

6. A method for simultaneously monitoring and controlling multiple consumer devices located in a fixed environment, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a cellular telephone device having controls through which a user can control both telephone calls and consumer devices; and

relaying signals between the cellular telephone device and a plurality of the consumer devices through a transceiver device, wherein the transceiver device is a physically separate element from the cellular telephone device and consumer devices, and wherein the transceiver device communicates the signals by

a) receiving output signals from user-selected ones of the consumer devices and then transmitting the received output signals as radio frequency signals to the cellular telephone device; and

b) receiving user-input control signals from the cellular telephone device and relaying the received control signals to an associated consumer device to control the associated consumer device.

7. A method for monitoring and controlling multiple consumer devices as claimed in claim 6, wherein said receiving output signals step includes the step of amplifying the outputted signals from the consumer devices.

8. A method for monitoring and controlling multiple consumer devices as claimed in claim 6, wherein the provided cellular telephone device has multiple receivers and transmitters.

9. A method for monitoring and controlling multiple consumer devices as claimed in claim 6, further including the step of wirelessly repeating with the transceiver an output control signal from one consumer device to a predetermined associated consumer device.

10. A method for monitoring and controlling multiple consumer devices as claimed in claim 6, wherein said receiving from and relaying to steps are associated with consumer devices selected from a plurality of;

a TV, a radio, a CD player, a DVD player, a computer, a door bell, an alarm system, a multimedia center, a paging system, and an intercom.