US 5,848,054 A · Repeater for transmission system for controlling and determining the status of electrical devices from remote locations

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.

Claims79

Dependent claims

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.

5 more elements

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.

11 more elements

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.

2 more elements

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.

7 more elements

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.

11 more elements

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.

7 more elements

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.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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

Life of this patent

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

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims79