Method and apparatus for inexpensively monitoring and controlling remotely distributed appliances

• US 8,407,333 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2012
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Keyghobad, Seyamak, Rodgers, David
• Primary Examiner(s): JACOBS, LASHONDA T
• Application Number:
  US13/372,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A method and associated apparatus are described that enables unattended, remotely distributed appliances, such as vending machines, utility meters, thermostats and kitchen appliances (ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, etc.) to be connected inexpensively to each other and to a centrally located server. The apparatus 1) uses relatively simple “personality” modules to adapt the apparatus to the application in combination with a sophisticated core module that provides the intelligence needed to process data locally, to format that data and to transfer it to a remote server and 2) uses existing Internet-based communication links, thereby avoiding the costly proprietary links used with current state-of-the-art solutions.

Claims

1. A cluster communications module, comprising:

a core module;

a local area network (LAN) communication device coupled to the core module; and

a wide area network (WAN) communication device coupled to the core module;

wherein the core module transmits and receives data through the LAN communication device via a first communications protocol and transmits and receives data through the WAN communications protocol.

2. The cluster communications module of claim 1, wherein the core module further comprises:

a central processing unit; and

at least one memory.

3. The cluster communications module of claim 2, wherein the core module further comprises:

at least one data buss coupled to the central processing unit;

an oscillator coupled to the central processing unit; and

a power regulator coupled to the central processing unit,

wherein the at least one memory further comprises;

a read-only memory (ROM) in communication with the at least one data bus;

a random access memory (RAM) in communication with the at least one data bus.

4. The cluster communications module of claim 1, wherein the cluster communications module is adapted to electronically communicate with a second cluster communications module via the WAN communications protocol.

5. The cluster communications module of claim 1, wherein the cluster communications module is adapted to electronically communicate with a device communications module via the LAN communications protocol.

6. The cluster communications module of claim 1, wherein the WAN communications protocol is selected from the group consisting of at least:

telephony protocol, Ethernet protocol, global system for mobile (GSM) protocol, general packet radio services (GPRS) protocol, and radio frequency (RF) protocol.

7. The cluster communications module of claim 1, wherein the LAN communications protocol is selected from the group consisting of at least:

radio frequency (RF) protocol, and Ethernet protocol.

8. A method for transmitting appliance data from an appliance, the method comprising:

collecting the appliance data generated at the appliance by a first communications device, the first communications device being configured to format and store the collected data;

transmitting by the first communications device the formatted data over a local area network (LAN) to a second communications device; and

checking for a first acknowledgement from the second communications by the first communications device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

retransmitting the formatted data to the second communications device by the first communications device upon failing to detect the first acknowledgement from the second communications device;

checking for a second acknowledgement from the second communications device by the first communications device; and

retransmitting the formatted data to a third communications device by the first communications device after at least two failed transmissions to the second communications device upon failing to detect the second acknowledgement from the second communications device, wherein the third communications device acknowledges a received transmission.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

reformatting and storing the received data at least one of the second communications device and the third communications device; and

retransmitting by at least one of the second communications device and the third communications device the reformatted data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein retransmitting further comprises retransmitting the reformatted data over a wide area network (WAN).

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the appliance is a utility meter.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the LAN and the WAN is a wireless network.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the LAN and the WAN use two different communications protocols.

15. A device communications module communicatively coupled to an appliance, comprising:

a core module;

a local area network (LAN) communication device coupled to the core module and being adapted to transmit data to and receive data from the appliance via a first communications protocol; and

a wide area network (WAN) communication device coupled to the core module and being adapted to transmit data to and receive data from a second communications module via a second communications protocol.

16. The device communications module of claim 15, wherein the second communications module is at least one of a device communications module and a cluster communications module.

17. The device communications module of claim 15, wherein the first communications protocol differs from the second communications protocol.

18. The device communications module of claim 15, wherein the core module further comprises:

a central processing unit; and

at least one memory.

19. The device communications module of claim 18, wherein the core module further comprises:

at least one data bus coupled to the central processing unit;

an oscillator coupled to the central processing unit; and

a power regulator coupled to the central processing unit,

wherein the at least one memory further comprises;

a read-only memory (ROM) coupled to the at least one data bus; and

a random access memory (RAM) coupled to the at least one data bus.

20. The device communications module of claim 15, wherein the appliance is a utility meter.