Method and apparatus for communicating with battery-powered electronic devices

• US 9,137,350 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolink Intelligent Technology Inc. (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolink Intelligent Technology Inc. (Universal Electronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lamb, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilodeau, David
• Application Number:
  US13/801,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20140273867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/522
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for communicating with a battery-powered electronic device having a wireless receiver, wherein the receiver is power-cycled once every predetermined time period. In one embodiment, the method comprises, determining a power cycle time of the battery-powered electronic device, the power cycle time comprising a time period over which the battery-powered electronic device completes a cycle of operating in a dormant state of operation and operating in an active mode of operation, defining a transmission time duration equal to or greater than the power cycle time, storing the transmission time duration in a memory, and transmitting a signal intended for the battery-powered electronic device, the signal lasting for at least the transmission time duration.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a battery-powered electronic device having a wireless receiver, wherein the receiver is power-cycled once every predetermined time period, comprising:

determining a power cycle time of the battery-powered electronic device, the power cycle time comprising a time period over which the battery-powered electronic device completes a cycle of operating in a dormant state of operation and operating in an active mode of operation;

defining a transmission time duration equal to or greater than the power cycle time;

storing the transmission time duration in a memory; and

continuously transmitting a signal intended for the battery-powered electronic device for a time period equal to or greater than the transmission time duration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the transmission time duration comprises:

manually entering the transmission time duration via a user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the transmission time duration comprises:

selecting the transmission time duration at the time of manufacture of the battery-powered electronic device; and

storing the transmission time duration in the memory at the time of manufacture of the battery-powered electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a second transmission time duration equal to or greater than a second predetermined time period associated with a second battery-powered electronic device;

storing the second transmission time duration in the memory; and

transmitting a second signal intended for the second battery-powered electronic device by the transmitter, the second signal lasting for at least the second transmission time duration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises an alert signal for placing the battery-powered electronic device into an active mode of operation, the method further comprising:

transmitting the alert signal; and

transmitting an action message following transmission of the alert signal, the action message instructing the battery-powered electronic device to perform an action.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein transmitting the signal continuously comprises transmitting the alert signal repeatedly until the transmission time duration has elapsed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein continuously transmitting a signal intended for the battery-powered electronic device comprises transmitting an alert signal repeatedly until at least the transmission time duration has elapsed, the alert signal for instructing the battery-powered electronic device to enter an active state of operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein continuously transmitting a signal intended for the battery-powered electronic device comprises transmitting the signal repeatedly until at least the transmission time duration has elapsed.

9. A system for communicating with a battery-powered electronic device, comprising;

the battery-powered electronic device, comprising;

a receiver for receiving wireless signals;

a memory for storing processor-executable instructions and a power cycle time;

a processor for executing the processor-executable instructions that cause the battery-powered device to process signals received by the receiver and to place at least a portion of circuitry associated with the battery-powered electronic device in a power-saving mode of operation at predetermined time intervals equal to the power cycle time; and

a transceiver located remotely from the battery-powered electronic device, comprising;

a transmitter to wirelessly transmit the wireless signals to the battery-powered electronic device;

a memory for storing processor-executable instructions and a transmission time duration, the transmission time duration equal to or greater than the power cycle time; and

a processor coupled to the memory and transmitter, for executing the processor-executable instructions that cause the transceiver to retrieve the transmission time duration from the memory, to generate a signal intended for the battery-powered electronic device, and to send the signal to the transmitter for transmission to the battery-powered electronic device;

wherein the transmitter transmits the signal continuously for a duration equal to or greater than the transmission time duration.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transceiver further comprises:

a user interface for entering the transmission time duration, wherein the processor receives the transmission time duration from the user interface and stores it in the memory.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory additionally stores a list of battery-powered electronic devices and associated power cycle times for each battery-powered electronic device, and the transceiver further comprises:

a user interface for displaying the list of battery-powered electronic devices, and for receiving a selection of one of the battery-powered electronic devices displayed in the list from a user of the system;

wherein the processor defines the transmission time duration as the power cycle time associated with the selected battery-powered electronic device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory further stores a second transmission time duration associated with a second battery-powered electronic device;

and wherein the processor-executable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the transceiver to;

retrieve the second transmission time duration from the memory;

generate a second signal intended for the second battery-powered electronic device; and

send the second signal to the transmitter for transmission to the second battery-powered electronic device;

wherein the transmitter transmits the second signal for a duration equal to or greater than the second transmission time duration.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the signal comprises an alert signal for placing the battery-powered electronic device into an active mode of operation, wherein the transmitter transmits the alert signal and then transmits an action message following transmission of the alert signal, the action message instructing the battery-powered electronic device to perform an action.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the transmitter transmits the alert signal repeatedly until the transmission time duration has elapsed.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein transmission of the signal intended for the battery-powered electronic device comprises transmitting an alert signal repeatedly until at least the transmission time duration has elapsed, the alert signal for instructing the battery-powered electronic device to enter an active state of operation.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein transmission of the signal intended for the battery-powered electronic device comprises transmitting the signal repeatedly until at least the transmission time duration has elapsed.