Repeater for transmission system for controlling and determining the status of electrical devices from remote locations

• US 5,848,054 A
• Filed: 02/07/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Spira, Joel S., Mosebrook, Donald R., Palmer, Robert G. Jr., Houggy, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAO, SEEMA SRINIVAS
• Application Number:
  US08/598,234
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 455/7, 455/8, 455/10, 370/225-228, 370/315, 370/327, 370/279, 370/293, 370/345, 370/346, 370/492, 370/501, 343/700 MS, 340/825.08, 340/825.06, 379/92.01, 379/338, 375/211, 375/213
• US Class Current: 370/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/542 using zero crossing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5425 improving S/N by matching impedance, noise reduction, gain control
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5437 Wired telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/545 Audio/video application, e.g. interphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5458 Monitor sensor; Alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5466 using three phases conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5479 using repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines

Abstract

A repeater for use in a two way communication system for retransmitting information between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two way communication between the devices, comprising: a transmitter/receiver, the transmitter/receiver receiving signals from the first and second devices and transmitting the received signals for reception by the respective first and second devices; and further wherein a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices is provided, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable, the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices; the repeater being spaced from said first and second devices by a specified distance, said specified distance being significantly less than a theoretical maximum communication distance thereby to ensure communication reliability. A plurality of repeaters can be provided in the system as the overall system expands when additional first and second devices, such as master units and control devices, are added. The plural repeaters employ a repeater transmission sequence in order to ensure reliability of communication. In addition, the repeaters build a bit map of status information received during the repeater sequence to ensure that all status information is received by each master unit.

Claims

1. A repeater for use in a two way communication system for retransmitting information between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two way communication between the devices, the repeater comprising:

a transmitter/receiver, the transmitter/receiver receiving information in signals from the first and second devices and transmitting the received information in signals for reception by the respective second and first devices;

and further wherein a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices is provided, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable;

the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices;

the repeater being spaced from said first and second devices by respective specified distances, said respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices; and

further comprising a plurality of second devices, said first device comprising a master unit, said plurality of second devices comprising control devices for controlling respective electrical devices;

the master unit transmitting control information to establish a status of respective ones of the electrical devices, the control devices being adapted to respond to selected control information to command the respective electrical devices to a status directed by the control information, the control device generating status information for transmitting to the master unit;

the repeater comprising an information combiner for generating combined information on the status of all the electrical devices, the combined information being transmitted for reception at least once by said master unit.

2. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the information combiner is a bit map generator and each control device is assigned a location in the bit map, the status information from the control device being inserted into the bit map in the appropriate location by the bit map generator.

3. The repeater of claim 2, further wherein the system includes at least one additional repeater, each repeater having a time slot in which to retransmit received information in order to avoid interference with other repeaters, the repeaters retransmitting in a defined sequence to help ensure that the first device and each second device receive the information intended to be received by the respective device.

4. The repeater of claim 3, wherein the bit map generator of each repeater inserts status information the respective repeater has received into the bit map and retransmits updated bit map information in the time slot assigned to the repeater in accordance with the defined sequence whereby at the end of the defined sequence, complete bit map information having all status information therein will have been formed and transmitted to and received by the master unit.

5. The repeater of claim 4, further comprising at least one additional first device comprising a second master unit, and wherein said complete bit map information is transmitted to and received by all master units at the end of said defined sequence.

6. The repeater of claim 3, wherein each repeater comprises a circuit for establishing the repeater as a selected one of a main repeater and a remote repeater, and if selected as the main repeater, for generating an address for each other repeater to establish the time slot for retransmission by each other repeater.

7. The repeater of claim 6, wherein the main repeater comprises an address generator for assigning an address to each control device and master control unit to facilitate two way communication between the master control unit and the electrical control devices.

8. The repeater of claim 1, further comprising a communications port for communicating with an external system, said port adapted to communicate information between the external system and the first and second devices.

9. The repeater of claim 8, wherein the external system comprises one of a security system, HVAC system, computer system, cable system, communication system, telephone system and audio/visual system.

10. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the electrical device comprises electric lamps coupled to a building electrical system.

11. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the transmitter/receiver comprises a radio frequency transmitter/receiver.

12. The repeater of claim 1, further comprising a control circuit for ensuring that the signals transmitted by the repeater do not interfere with signals transmitted by the first and second devices.

13. The repeater of claim 12, wherein the control circuit comprises a circuit for transmitting signals to each of the respective first and second devices in assigned time slots.

14. The repeater of claim 1, including an address assigner for assigning addresses to each of the control devices.

15. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the transmitter/receiver comprises a superheterodyne receiver.

16. A repeater for use in a two way communication system for retransmitting information between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two way communication between the devices, the repeater comprising:

a transmitter/receiver, the transmitter/receiver receiving information in signals from the first and second devices and transmitting the received information in signals for reception by the respective second and first devices;

and further wherein a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices is provided, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable;

the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices;

the repeater being spaced from said first and second devices by respective specified distances, said respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices; and

further including a selector to automatically select a digital house code to prevent interference with adjacent systems.

17. The repeater of claim 16, further wherein each repeater comprises a computer programmed to select a house code that does not interfere with nearby installed systems.

18. A method for two-way communication between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two-way communication between the devices comprising:

providing a repeater within communication range of each of the first and second devices;

receiving information from first and second devices with the repeater and transmitting the received information in respective signals for reception by the respective second and first devices;

further providing a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable;

the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices;

said step of transmitting comprising helping to ensure that information transmitted by the repeater in the respective signals does not interfere with signals transmitted by the first and second devices; and

spacing the repeater from said first and second devices by respective specified distances, the respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance thereby to ensure communication reliability between the repeater and each of the first and second devices;

further wherein there are a plurality of second devices, the first device comprising a master unit, the plurality of second devices comprising control devices for controlling respective electrical devices, and further comprising the steps of;

generating control information at the master unit to establish a status of respective ones of the electrical devices;

responding to selected control information at the control devices to command the respective electrical devices to a status directed by the control information;

generating status information at the control devices for transmission to the master unit;

generating combined information at the repeater of the status of all the electrical devices; and

transmitting the combined information for reception at least once by said master unit.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of generating combined information further comprises the generation of a bit map and assigning each control device a location in the bit map and inserting into the bit map in the assigned locations the status information from each control device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of providing at least one additional repeater, each repeater having a time slot in which to transmit the received information in order to avoid interference with other repeaters, and transmitting with the repeaters in a defined sequence to help ensure that the first device and each second device receives the information intended to be received by the respective device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising inserting status information the respective repeater has received into the bit map and transmitting updated bit map information in the time slot assigned to the repeater in accordance with the defined sequence whereby at the end of the defined sequence, complete bit map information having all status information therein will have been formed and transmitted to and received by the master unit.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing at least one additional first device comprising a second master unit, and further comprising the step of transmitting complete bit map information for reception by all master units at the end of the defined sequence.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising establishing the repeater as a selected one of a main repeater and a remote repeater, and if selected as the main repeater, generating an address for each other repeater to establish the time slot for transmission by each other repeater.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising assigning with said main repeater an address to each control device and master control unit to facilitate two way communication between the master control unit and the control devices.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a communication port at the repeater for communicating with an external system whereby the repeater is adapted to communicate information between the external system and the first and second devices.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the external system comprises one of a security system, HVAC system, computer system, cable system, communication system, telephone system and audio/visual system.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the electrical devices comprise electric lamps coupled to the building electrical system.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of transmitting/receiving comprises transmitting/receiving using a radio frequency signal.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of helping to ensure that the retransmitted signals do not interfere with signals transmitted by the first and second devices comprises the step of transmitting information to respective ones of the first and second devices in assigned time slots.

30. The method of claim 18, further comprising assigning addresses to each of the control devices.

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising programming a computer in said repeater to select a house code that does not interfere with nearby installed systems.

32. A method for two-way communication between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two-way communication between the devices comprising:

providing a repeater within communication range of each of the first and second devices;

receiving information from first and second devices with the repeater and transmitting the received information in respective signals for reception by the respective second and first devices;

further providing a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable;

the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices;

said step of transmitting comprising helping to ensure that information transmitted by the repeater in the respective signals does not interfere with signals transmitted by the first and second devices; and

spacing the repeater from said first and second devices by respective specified distances, the respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance thereby to ensure communication reliability between the repeater and each of the first and second devices; and

further comprising automatically selecting a digital house code to prevent interference with adjacent systems.

33. A repeater for use in a two way communication system for retransmitting information between a first device and a plurality of second devices to help ensure reliable two way communication between the devices, the repeater comprising:

a transmitter/receiver, the transmitter/receiver receiving information in signals from the first and second devices and transmitting the received information in signals for reception by the respective second and first devices;

said first device comprising a master unit, said plurality of second devices comprising control devices for controlling respective electrical devices;

the master unit transmitting control information to establish a status of respective ones of the electrical devices, the local control devices being adapted to respond to selected control information to command the respective electrical devices to a status directed by the control information, the local control device generating status information for reception by the master unit; and

the repeater comprising an information combiner for generating combined information on the status of all the electrical devices, the combined information being transmitted for reception at least once by said master unit.

34. The repeater of claim 33, further wherein the repeater is spaced from said first and second devices by respective specified distances, said respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices thereby to help ensure communication reliability.

35. The repeater of claim 33, wherein the information combiner is a bit map generator where each control device is assigned a location in a bit map, the status information from the control device being inserted into the bit map in the appropriate location by the bit map generator.

36. The repeater of claim 35, further wherein the system includes at least one additional repeater, each repeater having a time slot in which to transmit received information in order to avoid interference with other repeaters, the repeaters transmitting in a defined sequence to help ensure that the first device and each second device receive the information intended to be received by the respective device.

37. The repeater of claim 36, wherein the bit map generator of each repeater inserts status information the respective repeater has received into the bit map and transmits updated bit map information in the time slot assigned to the repeater in accordance with the defined sequence whereby at the end of the defined sequence, complete bit map information having all status information therein will have been formed and transmitted to and received by the master unit.

38. The repeater of claim 37, further comprising at least one additional first device comprising a second master unit, and wherein said complete bit map information is transmitted to and received by all master units at the end of said defined sequence.

39. The repeater of claim 36, wherein each repeater comprises a circuit for establishing the repeater as a selected one of a main repeater and a remote repeater, and if selected as the main repeater, for generating an address for each other repeater to establish the time slot for transmission by each other repeater.

40. The repeater of claim 39, wherein the main repeater comprises a computer comprising an address generator for assigning an address to each control device and master control unit to facilitate two way communication between the master control unit and the control devices.

41. The repeater of claim 33, further comprising a communications port for communicating with an external system, said port adapted to communicate information between the external system and the first and second devices.

42. The repeater of claim 41, wherein the external system comprises one of a security system, HVAC system, computer system, cable system, communication system, telephone system and audio/visual system.

43. The repeater of claim 33, wherein the electrical devices comprises electric lamps coupled to a building electrical system.

44. The repeater of claim 33, wherein the transmitter/receiver comprises a radio frequency transmitter/receiver.

45. The repeater of claim 33, further comprising a control circuit for ensuring that the signals transmitted by the repeater do not interfere with signals transmitted by the first and second devices.

46. The repeater of claim 45, wherein the control circuit comprises a circuit for transmitting signals to each of the respective first and second devices in assigned time slots.

47. The repeater of claim 33, including a selector for automatically selecting a digital house code to prevent interference with adjacent systems.

48. The repeater of claim 33, including an address assignor for assigning addresses to each of the control devices.

49. The repeater of claim 33, wherein the transmitter/receiver comprises a superheterodyne receiver.

50. The repeater of claim 33, further wherein each repeater comprises a computer programmed to select a house code for the system that does not interfere with nearby installed systems.

51. A method for two-way communication between a first device and a plurality of second devices to help ensure reliable two-way communication between the devices comprising:

providing a repeater within communication range of each of the first and second devices;

receiving information from first and second devices with the repeater and transmitting the received information in signals for reception by the respective second and first devices;

said step of transmitting comprising helping to ensure that the transmitted signals do not interfere with signals transmitted by the first and second devices;

wherein the first device comprises a master unit, the plurality of second devices comprise control devices for controlling respective electrical devices, and further comprising the steps of;

transmitting control information at the master unit to establish a status of respective ones of the electrical devices;

responding to selected ones of the control information at the control devices to command the respective electrical devices to a status directed by the control information;

generating status information at the local control devices for reception by the master unit;

generating combined information at the repeater of the status of all the electrical devices; and

transmitting the combined information for reception at least once by said master unit.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of spacing the repeater from said first and second devices by respective specified distances, the respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices thereby to help ensure communication reliability.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of generating combined information further comprises the generation of a bit map and assigning each control device a location in the bit map and inserting into the bit map in the assigned locations the status information from each control device.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising the steps of providing at least one additional repeater, each repeater having a time slot in which to transmit the received information in order to avoid interference with other repeaters, and transmitting with the repeaters in a defined sequence to help ensure that the first device and each second device receives the information intended to be received by the respective device.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising inserting status information the respective repeater has received into the bit map and transmitting an updated bit map information in the time slot assigned to the repeater in accordance with the defined sequence whereby at the end of the defined sequence, complete bit map information having all status information therein will have been formed and transmitted to and received by the master unit.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising providing at least one additional first device comprising a second master unit, and further comprising the step of transmitting complete bit map information for reception by all master units at the end of the defined sequence.

57. The method of claim 54, further comprising establishing the repeater as a selected one of a main repeater and a remote repeater, and if selected as the main repeater, generating an address for each other repeater to establish a time slot for retransmission by each other repeater.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising assigning with said main repeater an address to each control device and master control unit to facilitate two way communication between the master control unit and the control devices.

59. The method of claim 51, further comprising providing a communication port at the repeater for communicating with an external system whereby the repeater is adapted to communicate information between the external system and the first and second devices.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the external system comprises one of a security system, HVAC system, computer system, cable system, communication system, telephone system and audio/visual system.

61. The method of claim 51, wherein the electrical devices comprise electric lamps coupled to the building electrical system.

62. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of transmitting/receiving comprises transmitting/receiving using a radio frequency signal.

63. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of helping to ensure that the transmitted information in the signals does not interfere with signals transmitted by the first and second devices comprises the step of transmitting information to respective ones of the first and second devices in assigned time slots.

64. The method of claim 51, further comprising automatically selecting a digital house code to prevent interference with adjacent systems.

65. The method of claim 51, further comprising assigning addresses to each of the control devices.

66. The method of claim 51, further comprising communicating via a communications port with any of a security system, HVAC system, computer system, audio/visual system, cable system, telephone system and computer network, allowing two way communication between and of said master unit and said control device and said system coupled to the communications port.

67. The method of claim 51, further comprising programming a computer to select a house code that does not interfere with nearby installed systems.

68. A method for communication between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable communication between the first and second devices comprising:

transmitting information from the first device in a signal radiated by an antenna at the first device having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted from the first device;

providing a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable;

providing a repeater with an antenna within communication range of each of the first and second devices, the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices;

receiving the information from the first device with the repeater and transmitting the information for reception by the second device;

spacing the repeater from the first and second devices by respective specified distances, the respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices;

receiving the information at the second device with an antenna having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted from the first device.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising providing a communications port at the repeater for communicating with an external system whereby the repeater is adapted to communicate information between the external system and the first and second devices.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the step of transmitting/receiving comprises transmitting/receiving using a radio frequency signal.

71. A method for communication between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable communication between the first and second devices comprising:

transmitting information from the first device in a signal radiated by an antenna at the first device having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted from the first device;

providing a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable;

providing a repeater with an antenna within communication range of each of the first and second devices, the repeater providing an additional path for the information between the first and second devices;

receiving the information from the first device with the repeater and transmitting the information for reception by the second device;

spacing the repeater from the first and second devices by respective specified distances, the respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices;

receiving the information at the second device with an antenna having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted from the first device;

further wherein there are a plurality of second devices, the first device comprising a master unit, the plurality of second devices comprising control devices for controlling respective electrical devices, and further comprising the steps of;

generating control information at the master unit to establish a status of respective ones of the electrical devices;

said control information being the information transmitted from the first devices;

responding to selected control information of the control devices to command the respective electrical devices to a status directed by the control information;

generating status information at the control device for transmission to master units;

generating combined information at the repeater of the status of all the electrical devices; and

transmitting the combined information for reception at least once by said master unit.

72. The method of claim 71, further comprising the steps of providing at least one additional repeater, each repeater having a time slot in which to transmit the received information in order to avoid interference with other repeaters, and transmitting with the repeaters in a defined sequence to help ensure that the first device and each second device receives the information intended to be received by the respective device.

73. The method of claim 72, further comprising providing at least one additional first device comprising a second master unit, and further comprising the step of transmitting the combined information for reception by all master units at the end of the defined sequence.

74. A method for two way communication between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two way communication between the devices comprising:

transmitting first information from the first device in a signal radiated by an antenna at the first device having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted from the first device;

providing a direct communication path for the first information between the first and the second devices, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable;

providing a repeater with an antenna within communication range of each of the first and second devices, the repeater providing an additional path for the first information between the first and second devices;

receiving the first information from the first device with the repeater and transmitting the first information for reception by the second device;

spacing the repeater from the first and second devices by respective specified distances, the respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices;

receiving the first information at the second device with an antenna having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted by the first device;

transmitting second information from the second device in signals radiated by the antenna at the second device;

receiving the second information from the second device with the repeater and transmitting the second information for reception by the first device; and

receiving the second information at the first device with the antenna at the first device.

75. The method of claim 74, further comprising the steps of providing at least one additional repeater, each repeater having a time slot in which to transmit the received information in order to avoid interference with other repeaters, and transmitting with the repeaters in a defined sequence to help ensure that the first device and each second device receives the information intended to be received by the respective device.

76. The method of claim 75, further comprising providing at least one additional first device comprising a second master unit, and further comprising the step of transmitting the combined information for reception by all master units at the end of the defined sequence.

77. The method of claim 74, further comprising providing a communications port at the repeater for communicating with an external system whereby the repeater is adapted to communicate information between the external system and the first and second devices.

78. The method of claim 74, wherein the step of transmitting/receiving comprises transmitting/ receiving using a radio frequency signal.

79. A method for two way communication between a first device and a second device to help ensure reliable two way communication between the devices comprising:

transmitting first information from the first device in a signal radiated by an antenna at the first device having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted from the first device;

providing a direct communication path for the first information between the first and the second devices, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable;

providing a repeater with an antenna within communication range of each of the first and second devices, the repeater providing an additional path for the first information between the first and second devices;

receiving the first information from the first device with the repeater and transmitting the first information for reception by the second device;

spacing the repeater from the first and second devices by respective specified distances, the respective specified distances being less than a theoretical maximum communication distance between the repeater and each of the first and second devices;

receiving the first information at the second device with an antenna having a maximum dimension less than one tenth the free space wavelength of radiation transmitted by the first device;

transmitting second information from the second device in signals radiated by the antenna at the second device;

receiving the second information from the second device with the repeater and transmitting the second information for reception by the first device; and

receiving the second information at the first device with the antenna at the first device;

further wherein there are a plurality of second devices, the first device comprising a master unit, the plurality of second devices comprising control devices for controlling respective electrical devices, and further comprising the steps of;

generating control information at the master unit to establish a status of respective ones of the electrical devices;

said control information being the first information transmitted from the first device;

responding to selected control information at the control devices to command the respective electrical devices to a status directed by the control information;

generating status information at the control device for transmission to master units, said status information being the second information transmitted from the second devices;

generating combined information at the repeater of the status of all the electrical devices; and

transmitting the combined information for reception at least once by said master unit.