Bluetooth access point and remote bluetooth modules for powerline based networking

An AP, comprising:

• a plug for connection to an electrical outlet of a powerline;
• a wireless short range RF communication module for transmitting and receiving a wireless data signal;
• an external network interface for communicating with an external network;
• and
• routing means for routing a data signal via the powerline to a destination, wherein a destination RBTM ID and a destination Device ID are appended to the data signal.

An RBTM, comprising:

• a plug for connection to an electrical outlet of a powerline;
• a wireless short range RF communication module for transmitting and receiving a wireless data signal;
• and
• routing means for wirelessly routing a data signal to a Device disposed in an RBTM's coverage area, wherein the data signal is received from an AP when a destination RBTM ID is associated with the RBTM.

A method of communicating between a first Device and a second Device via a powerline based network, comprising:

• sending a data signal, from a first Device to an RBTM, wherein the data signal includes a Device ID;
• receiving the data signal, at the RBTM, wherein an RBTM ID is appended to the data signal;
• storing the Device ID, at the RBTM, in a Device database;
• sending the data signal, from the RBTM to an AP, via a powerline;
• receiving the data signal, at the AP, wherein a destination RBTM ID and a destination Device ID are appended to the data signal;
• sending the data signal to its destination via the powerline;
• receiving the data signal, at a destination RBTM, wherein the destination RBTM ID is associated with the destination RBTM;
• and
• sending the data signal to a second device, which is disposed in communication with the destination RBTM, wherein the second Device is associated with the destination Device ID stored in the Device database.

A method of communicating between a Device and an external network via a powerline based network, comprising:

• sending a data signal from a Device to an RBTM, wherein the data signal includes a Device ID;
• receiving the data signal, at the RBTM, wherein an RBTM ID is appended to the data signal;
• storing the Device ID, at the RBTM, in a Device database;
• sending the data signal from the RBTM to an AP via a powerline;
• receiving the data signal, at the AP, wherein the AP replaces an original source address of the data signal with the AP's external network address;
• storing the original source address, at the AP, in a Device/RBTM database;
• sending the data signal, at the AP, to an external network via an external network interface;
• receiving a data signal, at the AP, from the external network, wherein the AP replaces the destination address, with the original source address stored in the Device/RBTM database;
• sending the data signal, from the AP, to its destination via the powerline;
• receiving the data signal, at a destination RBTM, wherein the RBTM ID is associated with the destination RBTM;
• and
• sending the data signal to the Device, which is disposed in communication with the destination RBTM, wherein the Device is associated with the destination Device ID stored in the Device database.

An AP, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory, communicatively connected to the processor;
• a program stored in the memory, including,
• a module to route a data signal received via a powerline to a destination, wherein a destination RBTM ID and a destination Device ID are appended to the data signal;
• a module to route a data signal destined for an external network to the external network via an external network interface;
• a module to replace an original source address of the data signal destined for an external network with the AP's external network address;
• a module to store the original source address in a Device/RBTM database;
• a module to route a data signal received from the external network to a destination;
• and
• a module to replace a destination address from the data signal with the original source address stored in the Device/RBTM database.

An RBTM, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory, communicatively connected to the processor;
• a program stored in the memory, including,
• a module to wirelessly route a data signal to a Device disposed in an RBTM's coverage area, wherein the data signal is received from an AP when a destination RBTM ID is associated with the RBTM;
• a module to route the data signal to a Device associated with a destination Device ID;
• a module to route a data signal received from a Device to an AP via the powerline;
• and
• a module to append an RBTM ID to a data signal received from a Device.

A powerline based network, comprising:

• a wireless short range RF communication means for routing a data signal via a powerline to a destination, wherein an RBTM ID and a Device ID are appended to the data signal;
• a remote wireless short range RF communication module means for receiving the data signal from the wireless short range RF communication means when the destination RBTM ID is associated with the remote wireless short range RF communication module means;
• and
• a wireless short range RF communication device means disposed in a remote wireless short range RF communication module means coverage area for receiving the data signal from the remote wireless short range RF communication module means, wherein the wireless short range RF communication device means is associated with the destination Device ID.

A powerline based network, comprising:

• means for sending a data signal, from a first Device to an RBTM, wherein the data signal includes a Device ID;
• means for receiving the data signal, at the RBTM, wherein an RBTM ID is appended to the data signal;
• means for storing the Device ID, at the RBTM, in a Device database;
• means for sending the data signal, from the RBTM to an AP, via a powerline;
• means for receiving the data signal, at the AP, wherein a destination RBTM ID and a destination Device ID are appended to the data signal;
• means for sending the data signal to its destination via the powerline;
• means for receiving the data signal, at a destination RBTM, wherein the destination RBTM ID is associated with the destination RBTM;
• and
• means for sending the data signal to a second device, which is disposed in communication with the destination RBTM, wherein the second Device is associated with the destination Device ID stored in the Device database.

A powerline based network, comprising:

• means for sending a data signal from a Device to an RBTM, wherein the data signal includes a Device ID;
• means for receiving the data signal, at the RBTM, wherein an RBTM ID is appended to the data signal;
• means for storing the Device ID, at the RBTM, in a Device database;
• means for sending the data signal from the RBTM to an AP via a powerline;
• means for receiving the data signal, at the AP, wherein the AP replaces an original source address of the data signal with the AP's external network address;
• means for storing the original source address, at the AP, in a Device/RBTM database;
• means for sending the data signal, at the AP, to an external network via an external network interface;
• means for receiving a data signal, at the AP, from the external network, wherein the AP replaces the destination address, with the original source address stored in the Device/RBTM database;
• means for sending the data signal, from the AP, to its destination via the powerline;
• means for receiving the data signal, at a destination RBTM, wherein the RBTM ID is associated with the destination RBTM;
• and
• means for sending the data signal to the Device, which is disposed in communication with the destination RBTM, wherein the Device is associated with the destination Device ID stored in the Device database.