Telecommunications – Carrier wave repeater or relay system – Portable or mobile repeater
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-26
2004-02-03
Trost, William (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Carrier wave repeater or relay system
Portable or mobile repeater
C455S010000, C455S014000, C455S015000, C455S016000, C455S352000, C455S355000, C340S291000, C340S425200, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06687487
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are various systems known in the prior art which allow for remote control of lighting fixtures without hard wiring control lines to the lighting control devices.
In one prior art system, a user can install a so-called three-way electrical switch, i.e., an additional light control switch, into an existing hard wired single control system by replacing an existing manually operated lighting control device with a lighting control device having a radio frequency receiver incorporated therein. The replacement lighting control device is hard wired into the electrical system in the same way as the conventional device to control the lighting fixture. The radio frequency receiver is responsive to radio frequency signals generated by a remote battery powered switching device having a transmitter which can be conveniently affixed to a building wall at another location, thereby to provide the three-way switch circuit. The additional battery powered lighting control device has a manually operated lever, which when operated, sends an RF signal to the other electrical control device which is hard wired into the building's electrical system. The hard wired device will then toggle in response from its present state to the opposite state, i.e., from on to off or off to on. Thus, either switching device, the hard wired replacement or the battery powered device, can operate the light fixture. Accordingly, a three-way electrical switch can be provided into an existing electrical system without hard wiring the three-way switch into the system. In this prior art system, having the battery powered transmitting switch and the hard wired switch including the receiver, the hard wired receiving switch includes a whip antenna made from a piece of insulated wire which is allowed to dangle out of the electrical box either outside the building wall or inside the wall. The receiver in the hard wired switch allows only one way of communication i.e., it receives signals from the battery powered transmitting switch. Two-way communication between the hard wired switch and the transmitting switch is not provided.
A system of this type is sold by Heath Zenith as the Reflex switch. Another device of this type, which instead employs a hand-held remote control to provide a three way switching function, is manufactured by Dimango.
In another prior art system an existing hard wired manually operated lighting control device is replaced with a lighting control device having a radio frequency receiver incorporated therein. The replacement lighting control device is hard wired into the electrical system in the same way as the conventional device to control the lamp in a lighting fixture. The radio frequency receiver is responsive to radio frequency signals generated by a remote battery powered control device having a transmitter which can be conveniently affixed to a building wall at another location. The battery powered control device has switches to enable the selection of four different light levels. The switches when operated cause an RF signal to be sent to the electrical control device which is hard wired into the building's electrical system. The hard wired device responds to the RF signals by adjusting its output to cause the lamp to operate at one of four different predetermined light levels. In addition to responding to RF signals, the hard wired device can also operate in response to the actuation of manually actuated switches incorporated within it. Two way communication between the hard wired device and the battery powered control device is not provided. A system of this type is sold by Leviton as the Anywhere switch.
In another prior art system, known as the X10 system, standard lighting control fixtures are replaced by lighting control fixtures operating via a power line carrier (PLC) communication system, i.e., information for operating the remote lighting control devices is provided over the building existing power line by a power line carrier (PLC). In addition, in some of these systems, an RF communications link is also provided so that a hand held remote control master device can be used to operate the various lighting fixtures. In these systems, an RF repeater may also be provided. In the X10 system, only one way communication is provided so that a master unit is not apprised of the status of the controlled light fixtures. Also, the user is unable to tell if the command by the master was carried out by the lighting control device due to poor communication links caused by noise, burned out light bulbs, etc.
In the X10 system, a radio frequency to PLC bridge is provided to convert radio frequency signals into power line carrier (PLC) communication signals. The RF to PLC bridge plugs into an existing wall outlet and provides the PLC carrier onto the electrical power line to be received by controlled lighting control devices. Typically, the RF to PLC bridge comprises a box which is plugged into an existing wall or electrical outlet and has an antenna for receiving signals from the master controller or a repeater.
In addition to the X10 system, there are also known two-way communications links for providing, in general, home automation. These include the Electronic Industries Association Consumer Electronics Bus (CEBus) (EIAIS-60) protocols for radio frequency media, power line carrier, infrared media and twisted pair media, and the Echelon Corporation LONworks. Intellon Corp. provides transceivers that comply with the CEBus standards for RF and power line carrier. Echelon provides transceivers that comply with their communications protocol. Although these systems in general provide communications links which can be adapted to consumer and home use, none of them provide for the integrated system for controlling electrical devices as described herein.
In addition to the above, a system known as the Smart House supplied by Smart House LP is also available. This system comprises a wired system and, accordingly, would entail expensive alteration and dislocation if applied to the control of electrical fixtures, particularly lighting in a home.
In addition to the above, the assignee of the present application offers systems known as HomeWorks, NetWorks and LuMaster which are hard-wired control systems controlling lighting devices. Although these systems are suitable for new construction, they entail major alteration and dislocation when applied to existing homes.
Also becoming available are wireless local area networks (LANs) for computer systems, which employ radio frequency communication methods ensuring that all nodes of the network can communicate with each other. See, for example, Electronic Design, Jun. 26, 1995, page 55.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the control of electrical devices, and in particular, electric lamps, from remote locations. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to the control of electrical devices such as electric lamps from remote locations through radio frequency links. In particular, the present invention relates to a system for controlling electrical lamps from remote locations over communications links, e.g., radio frequency links, and which dispenses with any need to alter the internal wiring of the electrical system, i.e., the internal wiring of a building. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to a repeater for such a system for repeating communications signals between components of the system to insure that each component reliably receives communications intended for it.
The present invention provides a system for controlling the status of electrical devices, for example, electric lamps, from a remote location via communication links such as radio frequency links, power line carrier links or infrared links. The present invention allows the status of the electrical devices, e.g., on, off and intensity level, to be transmitted back to a master location. The present invention may employ at least one repeater to help ensure reliable communications between the control devices for the
Houggy David E.
Mosebrook Donald R.
Palmer, Jr. Robert G.
Spira Joel S.
Lutron Electronics Co. Inc.
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
Trost William
Zewdu Meless
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