Wireless two-way communication protocol for automated furniture accessory integration

• US 9,412,262 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baker, Chad, Chacon, Ryan Edward, Jones, Dave, Linhoff, David M., Rohr, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US13/749,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.5, 340/4.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 465/17, 465/18, 465/50, 700/275, 700/83
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways

Abstract

A system and method for integrating furniture accessories with automated furniture items is provided. In embodiments, a communication protocol enables a remote device to control an automated furniture accessory coupled to a control component of an automated furniture item. Items of identifying information are provided to a control component based on coupling the automated furniture accessory to the CAN bus of the control component. According to the communication protocol, one or more packets of information are provided to the remote device using a wireless communication device of the control component. The remote device may then be used to control features of the automated furniture accessory, based on wireless communication with the control component. In some embodiments, the firmware of the remote device may be updated to enable the control component to be coupled to updated automated furniture accessories, and enable the remote device to control such accessories.

Claims

1. A system for wirelessly integrating automated furniture accessories with automated furniture items comprising:

a control component comprising;

(1) a wireless communication device; and

(2) a bus;

at least one automated furniture accessory coupled to the bus, said at least one automated furniture accessory separate from the automated furniture item; and

a wireless remote device wirelessly coupled to the control component;

wherein the control component automatically receives one or more items of information provided by the automated furniture accessory in response to coupling the at least one automated furniture accessory to the control component,

wherein one or more features of the at least one automated furniture accessory are controlled by the wireless remote device wirelessly coupled to the control component in response to communication between the control component and the wireless remote device, said communication comprising at least one of the one or more items of information provided to the control component by the automated furniture accessory according to a communication protocol between the control component and the wireless remote device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the bus is a controller area network (CAN) bus, and wherein the items of information are provided to the control component based on coupling the automated furniture accessory to the CAN bus of the control component.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a two-way communication device that facilitates two-way communication between the control component and the wireless remote device.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising the remote device wirelessly coupled to the control component, wherein the wireless remote device is adapted to receive information from and transmit information to the control component using the wireless communication device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the wireless remote device comprises updateable firmware adapted to receive information regarding an automated furniture accessory coupled to the control component.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the wireless remote device comprises a screen comprising one or more control indicators, wherein the one or more control indicators are updated based on receiving information regarding an automated furniture accessory coupled to the control component.

7. A method for integrating automated furniture accessories with automated furniture items, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that an automated furniture accessory separate from an automated furniture item is coupled to a control component of the automated furniture item, said control component configured to control one or more features of the automated furniture item;

identifying one or more packets of information provided by the automated furniture accessory, wherein identifying one or more packets of information comprises identifying one or more packets indicating at least one protocol for communication between a wireless remote device and the control component for controlling one or more features of the automated furniture accessory; and

communicating at least one of the one or more packets of information to the wireless remote device, wherein the wireless remote device is adapted to control one or more features of the automated furniture accessory based at least in part on communication between the wireless remote device and the control component upon receipt by the wireless remote device of the at least one of the one or more packets,

wherein controlling the automated furniture accessory based at least in part on communication between the wireless remote device and the control component comprises executing the at least one protocol such that one or more features of the automated furniture accessory are controlled by the wireless remote device wirelessly communicating with the control component, wherein commands received from a user via the remote wireless device are communicated to the automated furniture accessory via the control component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving an indication of an automated furniture accessory comprises receiving an indication that an automated furniture accessory external to the control component is coupled to the control component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving an indication of an automated furniture accessory comprises receiving an indication of one or more of an accessory type, an accessory manufacturer, and an accessory model.

10. A method for integrating automated furniture accessories with automated furniture items, the method comprising:

receiving one or more items of identifying information associated with at least one automated furniture accessory separate from an automated furniture item, said at least one automated furniture accessory coupled to a control component of the automated furniture item, wherein the at least one automated furniture accessory comprises an external device coupled to the control component by a user after user purchase of the automated furniture item having the control component; and

wirelessly communicating at least one of the one or more items of identifying information to a wireless remote device coupled to the control component, wherein the wireless remote device is in wireless, two-way communication with the control component,

wherein one or more features of the at least one automated furniture accessory are controlled by the wireless remote device based on

     1) receipt of the one or more items of identifying information associated with the at least one automated furniture accessory by the control component coupled to the at least one automated furniture accessory, and

     2) wireless communication of the at least one of the one or more items of identifying information from the control component to the wireless remote device,

wherein the one or more features of the at least one automated furniture accessory are indirectly controlled by the wireless remote device using at least one protocol for communication between the wireless remote device and the control component such that commands received from a user by the wireless remote device are communicated to the automated furniture accessory via the control component.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote device comprises updateable firmware adapted to receive information regarding the automated furniture accessory coupled to the control component.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the remote device comprises a screen comprising one or more control indicators, wherein the one or more control indicators are updated to provide one or more control indicators that are specific to the at least one automated furniture accessory.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one protocol for communication comprises an identity of one or more items of identifying information associated with the automated furniture accessory that enable the remote device to control the one or more features of the at least one automated furniture accessory.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless, two-way communication between the remote device and the control component is one or more of a MiWi and a Zigbee communication.