Wireless two-way communication protocol for automated furniture accessory integration

• US 9,514,637 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• 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: Gopalakrishnan, Vinod Kumar, Baker, Chad, Chacon, Ryan Edward, Jones, Dave, Rohr, William, Linhoff, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US14/164,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.5, 340/573.1, 340/500, 340/539.1, 340/5.1, 340/5.5, 340/5.61, 700/17, 700/9, 700/19, 455/3.03, 701/2, 701/41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

A system and method for integrating furniture accessories and generic devices with automated furniture items is provided. In embodiments, a communication protocol enables a remote device to wirelessly control a generic device wirelessly coupled to a control component of an automated furniture item. The remote device may control features of the generic device based on wireless communication with the control component. In some embodiments, the remote device receives a user environment selection, which is communicated to the control component of the automated furniture item. The automated furniture item then communicates at least a portion of the received command to a corresponding generic device, according to the settings of the selected user environment. In further embodiments, an occupancy detection indication for the automated furniture item may result in a change in one or more settings corresponding to the user environment, as communicated to the generic device(s) by the control component.

Claims

1. A system for integrating one or more generic devices with an automated furniture item comprising:

a first generic device comprising a first wireless communication device, wherein the first generic device is an automated furniture accessory; and

a control component associated with the automated furniture item, wherein;

the control component comprises a control area network bus communicatively coupled to the first generic device,

the control component comprises a second wireless communication device,

the control component is configured to generate and communicate one or more packets of information corresponding to the first generic device,

the control component is configured to receive a first command for controlling one or more features of the first generic device,

the control component is configured to detect an indication of occupancy of the automated furniture item, and

the control component is configured to generate and communicate a second command for controlling the one or more features of the first generic device, wherein the second command is generated based at least in part on the indication of occupancy; and

a remote device wirelessly coupled to the control component, said remote device comprising a third wireless communication device, wherein the remote device is configured to;

receive the one or more packets of information corresponding to the first generic device, and

generate and communicate the first command for controlling the one or more features of the first generic device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote device is configured to wirelessly control the first generic device based on wirelessly coupling the first generic device to the control component.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the remote device is configured to wirelessly control the first generic device based at least in part on communication between the control component and the remote device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third wireless communication devices is a two-way communication device that facilitates two-way communication.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a second generic device coupled to the control component, said second generic device comprising a fourth wireless communication device, wherein the remote device is configured to wirelessly control the second generic device based on wirelessly coupling the second generic device to the control component.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the control component is configured to generate and communicate a third command for controlling one or more features of the second generic device, wherein the third command is generated based at least in part on the indication of occupancy.

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

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the remote device comprises updateable firmware adapted to receive information regarding a generic device coupled to the control component.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the 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 one or more generic devices coupled to the control component.

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

receiving, by a control component of an automated furniture item, an indication of at least one generic device wirelessly coupled to the control component, wherein the at least one generic device is external to the control component, and wherein the first generic device is an automated furniture accessory;

generating and communicating, by the control component, one or more packets of information corresponding to the at least one generic device to a remote device wirelessly coupled to the control component;

receiving a first command from the remote device, wherein the first command corresponds to one or more features of the at least one generic device;

wirelessly communicating the received first command from the control component to the at least one generic device;

receiving an indication of occupancy associated with the automated furniture item;

based at least in part on the received indication of occupancy, determining a second command corresponding to a feature of the at least one generic device; and

wirelessly communicating the determined second command from the control component to the at least one generic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises wirelessly communicating a status indication to the remote device, wherein the status indication comprises an indication of the at least one generic device coupled to the remote device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first command comprises a particular user environment selection.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the particular user environment selection comprises a selection of a set of commands corresponding to a plurality of features associated with the at least one generic devices coupled to the control component, wherein upon selection of the particular user environment, the set of commands are communicated to the at least one generic devices.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second command wirelessly communicated from the control component to the at least one generic device corresponds to both the particular user environment selection and the received occupancy indication.

15. A method for establishing a particular user environment corresponding to occupancy detection for an automated furniture item coupled to at least one generic device, the method comprising:

generating and communicating, by a control component, one or more packets of information corresponding to at least one generic device to a remote device wirelessly coupled to the control component;

receiving an indication of a particular user environment selection from the remote device, the particular user environment selection comprising a set of commands corresponding to settings of the particular user environment for the at least one generic device coupled to a control component of the automated furniture item;

communicating at least one primary command corresponding to the received user environment selection from the control component to the at least one generic device wirelessly coupled to the control component;

receiving an indication of a change in occupancy detection associated with the automated furniture item;

determining at least one secondary command based at least in part on;

(1) the set of commands for the at least one generic device; and

(2) the received change in occupancy detection; and

communicating the at least one secondary command to the at least one generic device coupled to the control component.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the particular user environment selection further comprises one or more settings corresponding to one or more hard-wired features of the automated furniture item.

17. The method of claim 15, 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 corresponding to the at least one generic device.

18. The method of claim 15, 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 corresponding to a plurality of user environment selection options.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein communicating at least one secondary command to the at least one generic device coupled to the control component comprises communicating at least one command corresponding to at least one of the plurality of settings.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless, two-way communication between the remote device, the control component, and the at least one generic device is one or more of a MiWi and a Zigbee communication.