Method and apparatus to facilitate using multiple carrier frequencies

• US 8,331,928 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chamblerlain Group LLC, The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Scaletta, John Steven, Lukas, Edward J., Keller, Robert R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, NHAN T
• Application Number:
  US12/246,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20100087156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 455/91, 455103-105, 455/161.1, 455/434, 455/446, 455/447, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal

Abstract

A wireless radio frequency transmitter (400), upon detecting (101) an end user assertion of an end user interface and in automatic response thereto, uses a first rolling carrier frequency to transmit (102) a message. Upon then determining (104) that the end user is continuing to assert this end user interface, this transmitter then re-transmits (105) that message using a predetermined fixed carrier frequency. By one approach, the first rolling carrier frequency is selected from amongst a pool of candidate carrier frequencies using a carrier frequency calculation formula. By another approach, this carrier frequency is selected from one or more tables that comprise a plurality of different carrier frequencies.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a wireless radio frequency receiver;

in a learning mode of operation;

scanning each of a plurality of carrier frequencies as are included in each of a plurality of different carrier frequency groupings to identify which one or more of the carrier frequency groupings contain a carrier frequency being used by a wireless radio frequency transmitter to thereby provide at least one identified grouping;

in a normal mode of operation;

using the at least one identified grouping, but not groupings that were not identified as an identified grouping during the learning mode of operation, to scan each of the plurality of carrier frequencies as are included in each of the at least one identified grouping to thereby receive a message transmitted by the wireless radio frequency transmitter;

receiving the message using a first carrier frequency that comprises one of the plurality of carrier frequencies;

receiving the message also using a second carrier frequency that comprises one of the plurality of carrier frequencies that is different than the first carrier frequency.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the normal mode of operation;

also using a predetermined fixed carrier frequency to also thereby monitor for reception of the message on the predetermined fixed carrier frequency.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein using a second carrier frequency comprises using a carrier frequency that is next in a sequence as corresponds to the first carrier frequency.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the sequence comprises a table-based sequence.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the sequence comprises a formula-based sequence.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the at least one identified grouping comprises at least two identified groupings and wherein the first carrier frequency comprises a member of first one of the at least two identified groupings and the second carrier frequency comprises a member of a second, different one of the at least two identified groupings.

7. A method comprising:

at a wireless radio frequency receiver;

in a learning mode of operation;

scanning a plurality of carrier frequencies as are included in each of a plurality of different carrier frequency groupings to identify which one or more of the carrier frequency groupings contain a carrier frequency being used by a wireless radio frequency transmitter to thereby provide at least one identified grouping;

in a normal mode of operation;

using the at least one identified grouping, but not groupings that were not identified as an identified grouping during the learning mode of operation, to scan carrier frequencies as are included in individual ones of the at least one identified grouping to thereby receive a message transmitted by the wireless radio frequency transmitter;

receiving the message through a first transmission activated in response to a first user assertion of the wireless radio frequency transmitter using a first carrier frequency that comprises one of the plurality of carrier frequencies;

receiving the message through a second transmission activated in response to a second user assertion of the wireless radio frequency transmitter using a second carrier frequency that comprises one of the plurality of carrier frequencies that is different than the first carrier frequency.