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Docking station with redundant communication path

  • US 9,191,230 B2
  • Filed: 05/23/2011
  • Issued: 11/17/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A multimedia control system, comprising:

  • a programmable multimedia controller being configured for controlling, switching data among and interoperating with associated components, including one or more of audio, video, telephony, data, security, motor-driven, or relay driven components, so as to provide one or more programmable services;

    a portable control device having a touch sensitive user interface configured with configuration information for allowing a user to make selections that are converted into control requests, said portable control device including a connector for sending the control requests via wired communication and having wireless capabilities for transmitting said control requests with a wireless connection;

    a docking station configured to couple said portable control device to said programmable multimedia controller, said docking station including detection logic that detects when said connector of said portable control device is connected to said docking station, and in response thereto causes a processor of said docking station to convert any control requests received from said portable control device into Internet Protocol (IP) messages for wired transmission to said programmable multimedia controller and any state information received from said programmable multimedia controller regarding implementation of said user selections received into update messages readable by the portable control device; and

    a wired redundant communication path extending between said docking station and said programmable multimedia controller, and being configured to transmit the IP messages between the docking station and said programmable multimedia controller,wherein said portable control device is configured to send control requests to said programmable multimedia controller via the wireless connection, when not coupled to the docking station, and to pass control requests to the docking station for conversion into IP messages and transmission over said wired redundant communication path to said programmable multimedia controller, when coupled to the docking station, such that at least some of the control requests are sent via the wireless connection and at least some of the control requests are sent as IP messages via said wired redundant communication path, andwherein said programmable multimedia controller is configured to send update messages including state information regarding implementation of said user selections to said portable control device via the wireless connection, when the portable control device is not coupled to the docking station, and to send IP messages to the docking station for conversion into update messages and transmission to said portable control device, when said portable control device is coupled to the docking station, such that at least some of the update messages are sent via the wireless connection and at least some of the update messages are sent as IP messages via said wired redundant communication path.

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