Apparatus for reducing energy consumption within an unoccupied room
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for reducing energy consumption within an unoccupied room comprising:
- a keycard;
a card reader inside said room dimensioned and configured to receive said keycard and comprising a switch positioned, dimensioned, and configured to be activated substantially upon insertion of said keycard into said card reader and to be deactivated substantially upon removal of said keycard from said card reader;
a battery-powered card reader transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit a first signal and a second signal;
a card reader controller electrically connected to said switch and said card reader transceiver; and
at least one secondary unit comprisinga secondary transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with said card reader transceiver,a secondary controller electrically connected to said secondary transceiver, anda secondary appliance power source electrically connected to said secondary controller;
said card reader controller being configured to cause said card reader transceiver to wirelessly transmit said first signal upon activation of said switch and to transmit said second signal upon deactivation of said switch;
said secondary controller being configured to connect said secondary appliance power source to an appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said first signal; and
said secondary controller being further configured to disconnect said secondary appliance power source from said appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said second signal andsaid secondary controller being further configured to cause said secondary transceiver to wirelessly transmit a third signal upon activation of said secondary appliance power source;
said card reader controller being further configured to cause said card reader transceiver to transmit a fourth signal if said switch is activated when said card reader transceiver receives said third signal; and
said secondary controller being further configured to connect said secondary appliance power source to said appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said fourth signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for managing energy consumption in an unoccupied room having a keycard actuated card and a plurality of appliance control units interposed between electrical appliances and their power sources such that the card reader wirelessly transmits signals to the appliance control units upon insertion and removal of the keycard and the appliance control units energize the appliances only when the keycard is present in the card reader.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for reducing energy consumption within an unoccupied room comprising:
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a keycard; a card reader inside said room dimensioned and configured to receive said keycard and comprising a switch positioned, dimensioned, and configured to be activated substantially upon insertion of said keycard into said card reader and to be deactivated substantially upon removal of said keycard from said card reader; a battery-powered card reader transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit a first signal and a second signal; a card reader controller electrically connected to said switch and said card reader transceiver; and at least one secondary unit comprising a secondary transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with said card reader transceiver, a secondary controller electrically connected to said secondary transceiver, and a secondary appliance power source electrically connected to said secondary controller; said card reader controller being configured to cause said card reader transceiver to wirelessly transmit said first signal upon activation of said switch and to transmit said second signal upon deactivation of said switch; said secondary controller being configured to connect said secondary appliance power source to an appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said first signal; and said secondary controller being further configured to disconnect said secondary appliance power source from said appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said second signal and said secondary controller being further configured to cause said secondary transceiver to wirelessly transmit a third signal upon activation of said secondary appliance power source; said card reader controller being further configured to cause said card reader transceiver to transmit a fourth signal if said switch is activated when said card reader transceiver receives said third signal; and said secondary controller being further configured to connect said secondary appliance power source to said appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said fourth signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for reducing energy consumption within an unoccupied room comprising:
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a keycard; a card reader inside said room dimensioned and configured to receive said keycard and comprising a switch positioned, dimensioned, and configured to be activated substantially upon the insertion of said keycard into said card reader and to be deactivated substantially upon removal of said keycard from said card reader; a battery-powered card reader transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a first signal and a second signal; a card reader controller electrically connected to said switch and said card reader transmitter; a primary unit comprising a primary transceiver configured to wirelessly receive signals from said card reader transmitter, a primary unit power source; a primary controller electrically connected to said primary transceiver and said primary unit power source; and at least one secondary unit comprising; a secondary transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with said primary transceiver and to receive signals from said card reader transmitter, a secondary controller electrically connected to said secondary transceiver, and a secondary appliance power source electrically connected to said secondary controller; said card reader controller being configured to cause said card reader transmitter to wirelessly transmit said first signal substantially upon activation of said switch and to transmit said second signal substantially upon deactivation of said switch; said primary controller being configured to enter a first mode substantially upon said primary transceiver receiving said first signal and to enter a second mode substantially upon said primary transceiver receiving said second signal; said secondary controller being configured to connect said secondary appliance power source to a secondary appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said first signal; and said secondary controller being further configured to disconnect said secondary appliance power source from said secondary appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said second signal; said secondary controller being further configured to cause said secondary transceiver to transmit a third signal upon activation of said secondary appliance power source; said primary controller being further configured to cause said primary transceiver to transmit a fourth signal if said primary controller is in said first mode when said primary transceiver receives said third signal; and said secondary controller being further configured to connect said secondary appliance power source to said secondary appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said fourth signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for reducing energy consumption within an unoccupied room comprising:
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a keycard; a card reader inside said room dimensioned and configured to receive said keycard and comprising a switch positioned, dimensioned, and configured to be activated substantially upon the insertion of said keycard into said card reader and to be deactivated substantially upon removal of said keycard from said card reader; a battery-powered card reader transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a first signal and a second signal; a card reader controller electrically connected to said switch and said card reader transmitter; a primary unit comprising a primary transceiver configured to wirelessly receive signals from said card reader transmitter, and a primary controller electrically connected to said primary transceiver; and at least one secondary unit comprising; a secondary transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with said primary transceiver, a secondary controller electrically connected to said secondary transceiver, and a secondary appliance power source electrically connected to said secondary controller; said card reader controller being configured to cause said card reader transmitter to wirelessly transmit said first signal substantially upon activation of said switch and to transmit said second signal substantially upon deactivation of said switch; said primary controller being configured to enter a first mode upon receipt of said first signal and to enter a second mode upon receipt of said second signal; said primary controller being further configured to cause said primary transceiver to transmit a third signal substantially upon entering said first mode and to transmit a fourth signal substantially upon entering said second mode; said secondary controller being configured to connect said secondary appliance power source to a secondary appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said third signal; and said secondary controller being further configured to disconnect said secondary appliance power source from said secondary appliance substantially upon said secondary transceiver receiving said fourth signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification