Ubiquitous connectivity and control system for remote locations

• US 8,064,935 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ubiquitous Connectivity, LP (Nomad Communications, L.L.C.)
• Original Assignee: Charles G. Shamoon, Deborah H. Shamoon
• Inventors: Shamoon, Charles G., Shamoon, Deborah H., Neal, Franklin Eugene, Fehnel, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHANG, XIANG
• Application Number:
  US11/686,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20070167179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/208, 709/229, 709/243, 709/244, 455/456.6, 455/92, 455/352, 455/418, 455/414, 455/420, 455/123, 455/151.1, 455/230
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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 wireless system comprising:

an environmental device;

a base unit operatively interfaced with the environmental device and configured to control an operation of the environmental device;

a remote unit having wireless connectivity and being configured to send and receive short message service (SMS) messages; and

a wireless module operatively interfaced with the base unit and configured to provide wireless connectivity between the base unit and the remote unit,

wherein the base unit is configured to send a first SMS message, including current environmental information, to the remote unit through the wireless module,

wherein the remote unit is configured to send a second SMS message, including a command for the environmental device, to the base unit through the wireless module, and

wherein the base unit is configured to receive the second SMS message, including the command, and to send the command to the environmental device to control the operation of the environmental device.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said environmental device includes electronic and electromechanical switching portions interfaced with said environmental device.

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 unit is a cellular telephone handset with custom programmability.

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

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

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

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the remote unit includes a liquid crystal display module.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 wherein said liquid crystal module includes selectable graphic icons corresponding to current environmental information being monitored or controlled.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote unit is configured to selectively disable transmission of SMS messages from the base unit.

11. A wireless system comprising:

an environmental device configured to send environmental information, and adapted to receive a command to control an operation of the environmental device;

a remote unit having wireless connectivity and being configured to;

receive a first short message service (SMS) message, wherein the first SMS message includes the environmental information;

notify a user of said remote unit of receipt of the first SMS message; and

send a second SMS message, wherein the second SMS message includes the command; and

a wireless base unit configured to;

receive the environmental information from the environmental device;

transmit the first SMS message to the remote unit;

receive the second SMS message from the remote unit; and

send the command to the environmental device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the wireless connectivity connection further comprises a first wireless connection interfacing with the base unit, a second wireless connection interfacing with the remote unit, and a non-wireless connection interfacing between the first wireless connection and the second wireless connection.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the environmental device includes electronic and electromechanical switching portions for controlling the environmental information.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the base unit further comprises a microcontroller-based processing unit having customizable application specific software.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the remote unit further comprises a cellular telephone handset.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the cellular telephone handset includes at least one of a customizable JAVA programming kernel and a customizable J2ME programming kernel.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising a cellular telephone network.

18. A base unit configured to communicate with an environmental device and to communicate with a remote unit having wireless connectivity, the base unit comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive environmental information from the environmental device and to send a command to the environmental device;

a wireless module configured to send a first message to the remote unit and to receive a second message from the remote unit, wherein the first message is a first short message service (SMS) message including the environmental information, and wherein the second message is a second short message service (SMS) message including the command to the environmental device; and

a microcontroller configured to process the second message including the command, and to send the command through the communication interface to the environmental device.

19. A communication system having wireless connectivity, the communication system comprising:

a base unit operatively interfaced with an environmental device, and configured to receive a current status of an environmental device;

a transmitter associated with said base unit, and configured to send a first message to a remote unit having wireless connectivity, wherein the first message is a wireless message including the current status of the environmental device;

a receiver associated with said base unit, and configured to receive a second message from the remote unit, wherein the second message is a wireless message including a command for the environmental device; and

a controller operatively associated with the base unit and operatively connected with the environmental device, and configured to send the command to the environmental device.

20. A wireless system comprising:

a base unit operatively interfaced with an environmental device for controlling an environmental condition in a structure;

a receiver associated with said base unit, and adapted for receiving a first wireless message from a remote unit having wireless connectivity, wherein the first wireless message includes a command for the environmental device;

a controller operatively associated with said base unit, and operatively connected with the environmental device for executing the command; and

a transmitter operatively associated with the controller for sending a second wireless message to the remote unit, wherein the second wireless message includes information indicating that the command has been executed.

21. A base unit configured to communicate with an environmental device and to communicate with a remote unit having wireless connectivity, the base unit comprising:

a communication interface configured to receive environmental information from the environmental device and to send a command to the environmental device;

a wireless module configured to send a first message to the remote unit and to receive a second message from the remote unit, wherein the first message includes the environmental information and travels via short message and/or data bearer services, and wherein the second message includes the command to the environmental device and travels via short message and/or data bearer services; and

a microcontroller configured to process the second message including the command, and to send the command through the communication interface to the environmental device.

22. A base unit configured to communicate with an environmental device and to communicate with a remote unit having wireless connectivity, the base unit comprising:

a controller configured to communicate with the environmental device; and

a wireless module configured to;

receive a control message from the remote unit via short message and/or data bearer services, said control message comprising control information for controlling the environmental device;

create a control command for the environmental device based on the control information;

send the control command to the environmental device via the controller; and

send a status message indicating execution of said control information to the remote device.