Segregation of functionality in monitoring and controller devices

• US 9,812,003 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2016
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward Kahl
• Original Assignee: Edward Kahl
• Inventors: Kahl, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUIN, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US15/144,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20160321915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 340 125
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 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

Abstract

A fob device for integrating a one or more monitoring and control devices is provided. The fob device includes a plurality of input modules. The input modules are configured to connect with one of a plurality of monitoring or control devices. The plurality of monitoring and control devices are devices utilizing at least two distinct communication protocols. The fob also has at least one output module that may connect to a remote computing device, and an electronic control unit. The fob device may receive data from the monitoring and control devices communicatively coupled to the fob device and associate the received data with the monitoring or control device from which it was received. The fob outputs the received data that is associated with one of the communicatively coupled monitoring or control devices.

Claims

1. A fob device for segregating functionality from a plurality of monitoring and control devices, the fob device comprising:

a plurality of input modules, the input modules each being configured to connect with one of the plurality of monitoring or control devices, the plurality of monitoring and control devices comprising devices utilizing at least two distinct communication protocols;

at least one output module configured to be communicatively coupled to a remote computing device;

a memory comprising control instructions relating to at least one functionality of at least one of the plurality if monitoring and control devices; and

an electronic control unit configured to receive data from monitoring and control devices communicatively coupled to the fob device, associate the received data with one of the communicatively coupled monitoring or control devices, execute the control instructions to activate the at least one functionality of the at least one of the plurality of monitoring and control devices, and output the received data associated with the one of the communicatively coupled monitoring or control devices.

2. The fob device according to claim 1, wherein when the fob device connects with the communicatively coupled monitoring or control devices, the key fob captures and records information about the devices.

3. The fob device according to claim 2, wherein the captured and recorded information comprises device manufacturer, model number, and data format.

4. The fob device according to claim 3, wherein the electronic control unit associates the received data by tagging the received data with captured and recorded information.

5. The fob device according to claim 3, wherein electronic control unit modifies the received data to include the captured and recorded information.

6. A monitoring and/or control device having segregated functionality, the device comprising:

at least one first modular component configured to perform a first functionality, the first modular portion comprising one or more input/output modules, and comprising a memory storing control instructions executable to perform a second functionality; and

at least one second modular component configured to perform the second functionality, the second modular portion comprising one or more input/output modules, the at least one second modular component being configured to be communicatively coupled to the at least one first modular component;

wherein the first functionality is operable independent of the second functionality.

7. The monitoring and/or control device of claim 6, wherein the at least one first modular component comprises a fob device configured to be communicatively coupled to a plurality of the second modular component.

8. The monitoring and/or control device of claim 7, wherein the second modular component comprises a wearable device.

9. The monitoring and/or control device of claim 8, wherein the wearable device comprises a first modular subpart and at least one interchangeable second modular subpart, the first modular subpart being communicatively coupled to the fob device, and the interchangeable second modular subpart being communicatively coupled to the first modular subpart.

10. A method for controlling and integrating a plurality of monitoring and control devices, the method comprising:

providing a fob device comprising;

a plurality of input modules, the input modules each being configured to connect with one of the plurality of monitoring or control devices, the plurality of monitoring and control devices comprising devices utilizing at least two distinct communication protocols;

at least one output module configured to be communicatively coupled to a remote computing device;

a memory comprising control instructions relating to at least one functionality of at least one of the plurality of monitoring and control devices; and

an electronic control unit;

receiving data at the fob device from one or more of the plurality of monitoring and control devices communicatively coupled to the fob device;

associating the received data with one of the communicatively coupled monitoring or control devices;

executing the control instructions to activate the at least one functionality of the at least one of the plurality if monitoring and control devices; and

outputting the received data associated with the one of the communicatively coupled monitoring or control devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein when the fob device connects with the communicatively coupled monitoring or control devices, the key fob captures and records information about the devices.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the captured and recorded information comprises device manufacturer, model number, and data format.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic control unit associates the received data by tagging the received data with captured and recorded information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein electronic control unit modifies the received data to include the captured and recorded information.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing program instructions executable on at least one of the fob device or the remote computing device;

based on information received from a first device of the plurality of monitoring and control devices at the fob device, determining a command executable by a second device of the plurality of monitoring and control devices; and

outputting the command to the second device via the fob device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of monitoring and control devices comprises at least one of a wearable device and an Internet of Things device.