Infrared communication system and method

• US 7,859,399 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Testa, Dominick A., Bohanon, Mark H., Hawkinson, Daniel C., Berezowski, Andrew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Lam P
• Application Number:
  US11/694,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20070165523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 340/501, 340/506, 340/514, 340/517, 340/539.1, 340/540, 340/539.13, 340/539.15, 370/229, 370/400
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal

Abstract

A wireless communications capability enables field personnel to communicate with a remote control console of a distributed system. A hand held communications unit generates console related messages that are coupled, via local devices to the remote console.

Claims

1. A communications method comprising:

establishing a plurality of spaced apart nodes coupled to one another and to a displaced, different control element via a medium, at least some of the nodes include at least one ambient condition sensor;

originating a wireless communication directed to one of the nodes from a location proximate to another of the spaced apart nodes;

receiving the communication at the one node;

determining a desired destination for the communication; and

transmitting the received communication to the desired destination;

wherein originating the wireless communication further comprises providing a wireless device for said wireless communication and includes establishing a record of the time and location of receipt of the wireless communication from the wireless device at the control element,indicative of the device'"'"'s presence in a region adjacent to the one node.

2. A method as in claim 1 which includes:

determining that the received communication is not directed to the receiving node.

3. A method as in claim 2 where transmitting is responsive to determining.

4. A method as in claim 1 which includes communicating with at least one common node.

5. A method as in claim 4 where the wireless communication is directed to the one common node.

6. A method as in claim 5 which includes forwarding the communication from the receiving node to the common node.

7. A method as in claim 4 where the wireless communication is directed to a node different than the receiving node.

8. A method as in claim 7 where the wireless communication is directed to the receiving node.

9. A method as in claim 7 where the wireless communication is directed to a plurality of different nodes.

10. A method as in claim 3 which includes sensing at least one type of ambient condition at a plurality of nodes.

11. A method as in claim 10 where sensing includes at least one of sensing a movement of a member from a first to a second position;

sensing a presence of an individual, sensing a gas concentration, sensing a temperature, or sensing a smoke level.

12. A method as in claim 1 where transmitting includes transmitting between nodes using the medium, the medium is a wired medium.

14. A communications method as in claim 1 wherein the desired destination is the displaced, different control element.

13. A communications method comprising:

establishing a plurality of spaced apart nodes coupled to one another and to a different control element via a wired medium, at least some of the nodes include at least one ambient condition sensor;

originating a wireless communication from a wireless device directed to one of the nodes from a location proximate to another of the spaced apart nodes;

receiving the communication at the one node;

determining a desired destination for the communication;

transmitting, via the wired medium, the received communication to the desired destination; and

creating a record at the control element of the time and location of receipt of the wireless communication from the wireless device, indicative of the device'"'"'s presence in a region adjacent to the one node.

15. A communications method as in claim 13 wherein the desired destination is the different control element.