HOME AUTOMATION USING NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION

• US 20140191848A1
• Filed: 01/07/2014
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Allure Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,716,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• 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 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• 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

Abstract

A system includes a network device that is disposed at a site and configured to communicate with a wireless network. A controller is disposed at the site and is in communication with the wireless network, and a passive device is disposed at the site and includes a unique identifier disposed thereon. The system further includes a mobile device associated with the site and which includes a communication chip. The communication chip is configured to read the unique identifier when the mobile device is placed in close proximity to the passive device, and a mobile application disposed on the mobile device is configured to transmit the unique identifier to the controller for use in controlling the network device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a network device disposed at a site and configured to communicate with a wireless network;

a controller disposed at the site and in communication with the wireless network;

a passive device disposed at the site and including a unique identifier disposed thereon;

a mobile device associated with the site and including a communication chip disposed thereon, the communication chip configured to read the unique identifier when the mobile device is brought into communication with the passive device; and

a mobile application disposed on the mobile device and configured to transmit the unique identifier to the controller for use in controlling the network device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication chip is an RFID reader and the unique identifier is an RFID tag.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, a tablet, a watch, or a laptop computer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the passive device comprises a coaster, a pad, or an inductive charger.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the mobile device is further configured to read the unique identifier when the mobile device is placed on the passive device.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the unique identifier is programmable through the mobile application, the controller, or a web-based server.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the network device comprises a thermostat and the unique identifier is associated with a temperature set-point for communication to the controller when the mobile device is disposed in close proximity to the passive device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the network device comprises an alarm system and the unique identifier is associated with an alarm on or off set-point for communication to the controller when the mobile device is disposed in close proximity to the passive device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the network device comprises a garage door system and the unique identifier is associated with a garage door open or closed position for communication to the controller when the mobile device is disposed in close proximity to the passive device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the network device comprises a coffee maker system and the unique identifier is associated with a coffee-maker on set-point for communication to the controller when the mobile device is disposed in close proximity to the passive device.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the network device comprises a lighting system and the unique identifier is associated with a lighting system on or off set-point for communication to the controller when the mobile device is disposed in close proximity to the passive device.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile application is further configured to allow a user to interact with the controller using a graphical user interface displayed on the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the passive device includes a plurality of passive devices each disposed in different locations throughout the site.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the network device includes a plurality of network devices each disposed in different locations throughout the site, and the controller is further configured to control each of the plurality of network devices in response to receipt of the unique identifier from the mobile application.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the passive device includes a temperature sensor configured to read an ambient temperature of the site, wherein the communication chip is further configured to read ambient temperature when the mobile device is disposed in close proximity to the passive device, and wherein the mobile application is configured to transmit the unique identifier and the ambient temperature to the controller for use in controlling the network device.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication chip is configured to power the passive device when the mobile device is disposed in closed proximity thereto.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication chip comprises a Z-wave chip, a Zigbee chip, a WiFi chip, or a power-line chip.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the network device includes at least one of a personal computer, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a network server, an energy substation, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat, an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a power measurement device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, a wireless router, an automated blind, a tinted window glass system, a television, a coffee maker, or a garage door.

17. The system of claim 17 wherein the mobile phone is configured to communicate with a cloud server and the mobile application is configured to sync data stored on the mobile phone with the cloud server when the mobile device is disposed in close proximity to the passive device.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the mobile phone is configured to communicate with a local storage system and the mobile application is configured to sync data stored on the mobile phone with the local storage system when the mobile device is disposed in close proximity to the passive device.