Modular wireless power, light and automation control

• US 9,762,408 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kortek Industries Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kortek Industries Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Davis, Barrie, Davis, Benjamin, Davis, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US15/451,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20170195131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 190 Days
• Field of Search: 340 125, 700 83, 700297
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23297 Remote load of program with cellular, wireless, satellite connection
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25022 LAN local area network for controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A device and method for controlling a host apparatus (300) through a wireless link with a personal controller (10). The device includes a wireless communications module (202) configured to communicate with personal controller (10) via a peer-to-peer communications standard. The device connects to host apparatus (300) via a plug and receptacle interface (206) which includes power and signal pins. The device simulates an actuation signal using a reed relay (216) to cause host apparatus (300) to perform a function.

Claims

1. A device for controlling an electrical apparatus through a wireless communications link with a personal controller, the personal controller having a processor, a user interface, and a wireless communications transceiver, said device comprising:

a wireless communications control module operable for wireless communication with the personal controller, said wireless communications control module including a first radio transceiver and a second radio transceiver, said first radio transceiver being configured to communicate with the personal controller using a peer-to-peer communications standard;

an interface connection including at least two power pins and at least one signal pin, said interface connection being configured to physically connect to a receptacle of the electrical apparatus; and

a microcontroller configured to control, through said interface connection, the electrical apparatus based at least in part on instructions communicated from the personal controller through said wireless control module, said microcontroller being configured to operate said wireless control module in more than one mode, said microcontroller being configured to operate said wireless control module in a first mode using the peer-to-peer communications standard, said microcontroller being configured to operate said first radio transceiver of said wireless control module in a first mode using the peer-to-peer communications standard, said microcontroller being configured to operate said second radio transceiver of said wireless control module in a second mode using a non-peer-to-peer communications standard.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is configured to operate said wireless control module in the first and second modes concurrently.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is configured to function as a network client device while operating in the second mode.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the peer-to-peer communications standard is Bluetooth.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said interface connection includes a USB plug configured to engage the receptacle of the electrical apparatus.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is a lighting controller.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is a garage door opener.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is a pump.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is an air conditioner.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is used to set a unique Wi-Fi address ID for said device.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the user defined parameters include an operating parameter for each mode.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the personal controller is a smartphone.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a non-volatile memory configured to store user-defined parameters loaded into said memory from the personal controller.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the user defined parameters include an operating parameter for each mode.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical apparatus is without any integral visual display.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a clock calendar configured to permit time or date dependent operations.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said clock calendar is an embedded function in said microcontroller.