Sensor having an integrated Zigbee® device for communication with Zigbee® enabled appliances to control and monitor Zigbee® enabled appliances
First Claim
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1. A ZigBee®
- -enabled power switch apparatus (Z-SW) comprising;
a microcontroller (MCU) linked to an AC power distribution line having a power line communication (PLC) network to establish a local area network (LAN) between the Z-SW and other networked devices;
a ZigBee®
device linked to the MCU;
a power meter and relay module connected to the AC power distribution line;
a bidirectional communication link between the MCU and the power meter and relay module;
a power plug connected to the power meter and relay module, wherein the power plug provides power to a ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance under control of the power meter and relay module;
wherein the power meter and relay module includes instructions to monitor power consumption information of the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance connected to the power plug;
wherein the MCU includes instructions to execute operations includingreceiving the power consumption information over the bidirectional communication link from the power meter and relay module,compiling the received power consumption information,transferring the compiled power consumption information over the PLC network,receiving operational commands over the PLC network, andtransferring the operational commands to the ZigBee®
device; and
a wireless communication channel established between the ZigBee®
device and the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance, the wireless communication channel fortransmitting the operational commands from the ZigBee®
device to the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance, andtransmitting responses from the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance to the ZigBee®
device;
wherein the MCU includes instructions forreceiving the responses from the ZigBee®
device,caching the received responses, andtransmitting the responses over the PLC network.
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Abstract
A sensor device integrates ZigBee® technology into power switch device to provide monitoring and control of power usage, as well as operational control of connected devices. The sensor device uses a power line communication (PLC) network to transfer collected data and to provide remote control capability to connected appliances. The sensor device, in conjunction with a master switch device, a communication enabled switching device, and the power switch device, provides an integrated home environment for communication, streaming media, monitoring, and remote control of power usage, as well as remote operational monitoring and control of connected appliances in the home.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A ZigBee®
- -enabled power switch apparatus (Z-SW) comprising;
a microcontroller (MCU) linked to an AC power distribution line having a power line communication (PLC) network to establish a local area network (LAN) between the Z-SW and other networked devices; a ZigBee®
device linked to the MCU;a power meter and relay module connected to the AC power distribution line; a bidirectional communication link between the MCU and the power meter and relay module; a power plug connected to the power meter and relay module, wherein the power plug provides power to a ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance under control of the power meter and relay module;wherein the power meter and relay module includes instructions to monitor power consumption information of the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance connected to the power plug;wherein the MCU includes instructions to execute operations including receiving the power consumption information over the bidirectional communication link from the power meter and relay module, compiling the received power consumption information, transferring the compiled power consumption information over the PLC network, receiving operational commands over the PLC network, and transferring the operational commands to the ZigBee®
device; anda wireless communication channel established between the ZigBee®
device and the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance, the wireless communication channel fortransmitting the operational commands from the ZigBee®
device to the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance, andtransmitting responses from the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance to the ZigBee®
device;wherein the MCU includes instructions for receiving the responses from the ZigBee®
device,caching the received responses, and transmitting the responses over the PLC network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
- -enabled power switch apparatus (Z-SW) comprising;
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4. A system, comprising:
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a power line communication (PLC) based local area network (LAN) established over an AC distribution line; an intelligent master sensor (MST) coupled to the AC power distribution line; a Zigbee®
-enabled power switch (Z-SW) coupled to the AC power distribution line, wherein the Z-SW includesa microcontroller (MCU) linked to the AC power distribution line, a ZigBee®
device linked to the MCU,a power meter and relay module connected to the AC power distribution line, a bidirectional communication link between the MCU and the power meter and relay module, and a power plug connected to the power meter and relay module; a ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance connected to the power plug, wherein the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance is powered through the power plug under control of the power meter and relay module;a wireless communication channel between the ZigBee®
device and the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance;wherein the MCU includes instructions for receiving operational commands from the MST over the PLC-based LAN, and transferring the operational commands from the MCU to the ZigBee®
device;wherein the ZigBee®
device includes instructions fortransmitting the transferred operational commands to the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance over the wireless communication channel,receiving responses from the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance over the wireless communication channel, andtransferring the received responses to the MCU; and wherein the MCU includes instructions for sending the responses to the MST over the PLC-based LAN; receiving power consumption information over the bidirectional communication link from the power meter and relay module, compiling the received power consumption information, and transferring the compiled power consumption information to the MST over the PLC-based network. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for monitoring and control of power usage of a ZigBee®
- technology enabled appliance, comprising;
coupling an intelligent master sensor (MST) to an AC power distribution line having a power line communication (PLC) network to establish a local area network (LAN); coupling a Zigbee®
-enabled power switch (Z-SW) to the AC power distribution line, wherein the Z-SW includesa microcontroller (MCU) linked to the AC power distribution line, a ZigBee®
device linked to the MCU,a power meter and relay module connected to the AC power distribution line, a bidirectional communication link between the MCU and the power meter and relay module, and a power plug connected to the power meter and relay module; connecting a ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance to the power plug, wherein the power plug provides power to the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance under control of the power meter and relay module;establishing a wireless communication channel between the ZigBee®
device and the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance;receiving operational commands at the MST; transmitting the operational commends from the MST to the MCU over the PLC-based LAN; transferring the operational commands from the MCU to the ZigBee®
device;transmitting the operational commands from the ZigBee®
device to the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance over the wireless communication channel;receiving responses at the ZigBee®
technology enabled appliance from the ZigBee®
device over the wireless communication channel;transferring the responses from the ZigBee®
device to the MCU;sending the responses to the MST over the PLC-based LAN; receiving the power consumption information at the MCU over the bidirectional communication link from the power meter and relay module, compiling the received power consumption information at the MCU; and transferring the compiled power consumption information from the MCU to the MST over the PLC-based network. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
- technology enabled appliance, comprising;
Specification