Interference management using out-of-band signaling

• US 8,995,919 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zimler, Randy, Bolam, George B., Worsham, James A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanidu, Ganiyu A
• Application Number:
  US13/327,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20130157577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 455/63.1, 455/62, 455/550.1, 455/561, 455/1, 455/41.2, 455 68- 71, 455/562.1, 455/556.2, 455557-558, 370/60, 370/85.4, 370/54, 370/402, 370/242, 370/16, 370/94, 370294-295, 370/310
• US Class Current: 455/63.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1966 Wireless systems, other than telephone systems, used to communicate with a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/06 Monitoring of the line circuits, e.g. signalling of line faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0023 Interference mitigation or co-ordination direct sequence spread spectrum [DSSS] systems H04B1/7097; frequency hopping H04B1/713; allocation criteria for ingress interference avoidance H04L5/0062; frequency allocation criteria for requirements on out-of-channel emissions H04L5/0066; arrangements for removing intersymbol interference or baseband equalisers H04L25/03006; peak power aspects in multicarrier modulation H04L27/2614; power management H04W52/00; traffic scheduling H04W72/54, H04W72/541
• 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 12/2821 Avoiding conflicts related to the use of home appliances cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first transmission from a device, the first transmission transmitted at a first frequency. In response to receiving the first transmission, a transceiver is disabled and a second transmission is transmitted to the device, the second transmission transmitted at a second frequency. The method further includes receiving a third transmission from the device, the third transmission transmitted at the second frequency.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first transmission transmitted at a first frequency from a first device at a second device, the first transmission being a request to transmit additional information from the first device to the second device, the additional information to be transmitted at a second frequency;

in response to receiving the first transmission, the second device disabling a transceiver configured to transmit at a third frequency, the disabling to avoid communications transmitted at the third frequency from causing interference with communications transmitted at the second frequency, and after disabling the transceiver, transmitting at the second frequency a second transmission to the first device, the second transmission indicating to the first device that the second device is ready to receive the additional information to be transmitted at the second frequency;

receiving at the second device, after receipt by the first device of the second transmission, a third transmission from the first device, the third transmission transmitted at the second frequency and including the additional information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the request is to transmit a safety message and the additional information in the third transmission is the safety message.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising enabling the transceiver after a predetermined time period after disabling the transceiver.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first frequency is approximately 433 megahertz (MHz), and wherein the second frequency is within a range of 900 MHz to 920 MHz.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the request is associated with a one-way communication protocol and wherein the second transmission and the third transmission are each associated with a two-way communication protocol.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising detecting user input associated with a safety function, wherein the request is a request to access the safety function, and wherein the third transmission accesses the safety function.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first device is a home safety device.

18. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein disabling the transceiver comprises disconnecting an antenna coupled to the transceiver.

19. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first frequency is 433 MHz, the second frequency is 900 MHz, and the third frequency is 908 MHz or 916 MHz.

8. A system comprising:

a first device configured to transmit a request at a first frequency, the request being to transmit additional information to be transmitted at a second frequency;

a second device including, a receiver configured to communicate at the first frequency and to receive the request;

a first transceiver configured to communicate at a third frequency;

a second transceiver configured to communicate at the second frequency;

first logic configured to disable the first transceiver in response to the request received at the first frequency via the receiver, the disabling to avoid communications transmitted at the third frequency from interfering with reception of communications transmitted at the second frequency and the first logic further configured to generate a response to be transmitted at the second frequency after disabling the first transceiver, the response indicating to the first device that the second device is ready to receive the additional information to be transmitted at the second frequency;

wherein the first device is responsive to receipt of the response transmitted from the second device, to transmit the additional information to the second device at the second frequency.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 further comprising logic to count to a predetermined time period after disabling the first transceiver, wherein the first logic is further to enable the first transceiver after the predetermined time period.

10. The system as recited in claim 8 wherein the second device is a services controller.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the first device is a home safety device comprising:

a transmitter to communicate according to the first frequency;

a third transceiver to communicate according to the second frequency; and

second logic to determine whether the home safety device should communicate with the services controller according to the first frequency or according to the second frequency.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the second logic is further to determine to communicate with the services controller using the second frequency based on the response received from the services controller transmitted at the second frequency.

13. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the second logic is responsive to user input to generate the request.

14. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the second logic is further to determine to use the first frequency in response to user input corresponding to a home security system access and to determine to use the second frequency in response to user input corresponding to one or more of police, fire, and emergency services.

15. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the second logic is further to determine to use both the first frequency and the second frequency in response to user input corresponding to a panic message.

16. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the home safety device further includes logic to generate a message for accessing a safety feature that is associated with at least one of a police service, a fire service, and a home security service.

17. A method comprising:

detecting a user input at a home safety device;

determining whether the user input is a panic input;

if the user input is determined to be a panic input, then selecting a first frequency with which to communicate with a services controller and sending a panic message corresponding to the panic input to the services controller at the first frequency;

if no response is received from the services controller responsive to the panic message sent at the first frequency, then selecting a second frequency to communicate with the service controller and transmitting the panic message at the second frequency; and

if the user input is determined not to be a panic input, then selecting the second frequency with which to communicate with the services controller.