Method and apparatus for inexpensively monitoring and controlling remotely distributed appliances

• US 7,752,309 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International Incorporated (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rodgers, David, Keyghobad, Seyamak
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs; Lashonda T
• Application Number:
  US12/243,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20090040057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A method and associated apparatus are described that enables unattended, remotely distributed appliances, such as vending machines, utility meters, thermostats and kitchen appliances (ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, etc.) to be connected inexpensively to each other and to a centrally located server. The apparatus 1) uses relatively simple “personality” modules to adapt the apparatus to the application in combination with a sophisticated core module that provides the intelligence needed to process data locally, to format that data and to transfer it to a remote server and 2) uses existing Internet-based communication links, thereby avoiding the costly proprietary links used with current state-of-the-art solutions.

Claims

1. A cluster communications module, comprising:

a core module, comprising

a central processing unit;

at least one data bus coupled to the central processing unit;

a read-only memory (ROM) in communication with the at least one data bus;

a random access memory (RAM) in communication with the at least one data bus;

an oscillator coupled to the central processing unit; and

a power regulator coupled to the central processing unit;

a local area network (LAN) communication device coupled to the core module;

a wide area network (WAN) communication device coupled to the core module;

wherein the core module is configured to communicate data and instructions through the LAN communication device using a first communication mode, and is configured to communicate data and instructions through the WAN communications device using a second communication mode and wherein the cluster communications module at least receives messages from at least one server and retransmits the messages to at least one appliance or receives message from at least one appliance and retransmits the message to at least one server.

2. A cluster communications module, comprising:

a core module, comprising;

a central processing unit;

at least one data bus coupled to the central processing unit;

a read-only memory (ROM) in communication with the at least one data bus;

a random access memory (RAM) in communication with the at least one data bus;

an oscillator coupled to the central processing unit; and

a power regulator coupled to the central processing unit;

a local area network (LAN) communication device coupled to the core module; and

a wide area network (WAN) communication device coupled to the core module;

wherein the core module transmits and receives data through the LAN communication device via a first communications protocol and transmits and receives data through the WAN communications device via a second communications protocol.

3. The module of claim 2, further comprising a power module, wherein the power module includes a switching regulator and a power connector.

4. The module of claim 2, further comprising a service module.

5. The module of claim 2, wherein the ROM stores operating system code and application code used to at least one of aggregate, compress, format, and analyze data.

6. The module of claim 2, wherein the RAM at least one of buffers data sent and received via the WAN communication device and stores intermediate values calculated in processing and formatting the data.

7. The module of claim 2, wherein the core module is at least one of a Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication module and a General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) module.

8. The module of claim 7, wherein the core module includes an analog-to-digital converter or a digital-to-analog converter.

9. The module of claim 2, wherein the core module is at least one of an Ethernet access module or a Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) module.

10. The module of claim 9, further comprising an Ethernet controller and a transceiver.

11. The module of claim 2, wherein the core module is a telephonic access module.

12. The module of claim 11, wherein the WAN communication device is a modem.

13. The module of claim 11, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, and a codec.

14. The module of claim 2, wherein the LAN communication device is an RF transceiver.

15. The module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the LAN communication device and the WAN communication device is a bi-directional communication device.

16. The module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the LAN communication device and the WAN communication device is a wireless communication device.

17. The module of claim 2, wherein the first communications protocol and the second communications protocol are different.

18. The module of claim 2, wherein a plurality of modules can communicate with each other.

19. The module of claim 2, wherein the core module is removable.

20. The module of claim 2, wherein the module is in communication with at least one of a vending machine, a thermostat, a switch, a utility meter, and a kitchen appliance.

21. The module of claim 2, wherein the cluster communications module at least receives messages from at least one server and retransmits the messages to at least one appliance or receives message from at least one appliance and retransmits the message to at least one server.