Patent EP0319235A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0319235A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Communication and energy control system for houses
Assignee: Smart House LP
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Filing: 1988-11-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-11-29
Abstract
Abstract An automated system for providing different services within a house includes an appliance coordination data network for communicating relatively low speed digital data within a house, a high capacity data network for transferring high speed digital data within the house, an energy distribution system for distributing energy throughout the house, an analog services distribution system for distributing conventional analog signals throughout the house and a video services distribution network for distributing video services throughout the house. The appliance coordination network interfaces with the energy distribution system to control the flow of energy to appliances throughout the house responsive to a digital request or interrogation signal that is emitted from the appliance itself.
Inventors
- 👤 David J. Macfadyen
- 👤 Kenneth P. Wacks
- 👤 Robert G. Edwards
- 👤 Daniel J. Foley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:40
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B13/00; G08B13/02; G08B13/14; G08B13/1409; G08B13/1418; G08B19/00; H; H02; H02G; H02G3/00; H02J; H02J13/00; H02J13/18; H02J13/34; H02J4/00; H04; H04B; H04B1/00; H04B1/06; H04B1/16; H04B1/20; H04B1/205; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/10; H04N7/106; H04N7/18; H01; H01H; H01H2300/00; H01H2300/03; H02J2105/00; H02J2105/10; H02J2105/12; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/30; Y02B90/00; Y02B90/20; Y04; Y04S; Y04S20/00; Y04S20/14; Y04S20/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
An automated system for providing different services within a house, comprising: appliance coordination data network means for communicating relatively low volumes of digital data within the house; high capacity data network means for transferring high speed digital data within the house; energy distribution means for supplying energy to appliances throughout the house responsive to data received from attached appliances; analog services distributing means for distributing conventional analog signals throughout the house; and video services distributing means for distributing conventional video signals throughout the house.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
An automated system for providing different services within a house, comprising: appliance coordination data network means for communicating relatively low volumes of digital data within the house; high capacity data network means for transferring high speed digital data within the house; energy distribution means for supplying energy to appliances throughout the house responsive to data received from attached appliances; analog services distributing means for distributing conventional analog signals throughout the house; and video services distributing means for distributing conventional video signals throughout the house.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein signals from said high capacity data network means, said energy distribution means, said analog services distributing means and said video services distributing means may be provided to an appliance through common outlet means provided in a wall of the house.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said appliance coordination data network means comprises one or more power block means for monitoring and switching energy to an appliance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said power block means controls the status of a circuit breaker interposed between that power block means and an appliance to be controlled.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said power block means can monitor the state of either a circuit breaker or a power supply in said energy distribution means and can activate a transfer switch in said energy distribution means to replace said power supply with an alternate source of power if necessary.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a common communication bus means is provided for transmitting data between said power block means, and said appliance coordination data network means further comprises an appliance controller unit means for coordinating all communications between said power block means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said analog services distributing means includes telephone gateway means for communicating said high capacity data network to a standard telephone line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
129 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said high capacity data network means further comprises high capacity data network gateway means for receiving data from said telephone gateway means and high capacity data controller means provided within different rooms in the house for receiving data from said network gateway means, and wherein said analog services distributing means includes an analog services controller in each of the corresponding different rooms in the house having a plurality of a switch unit means therein, one or more of said switch unit means being connected to the output of said high capacity data controller means, and outlet means connected to opposite sides of said switch unit means from said high capacity data controller means to provide high speed data to an appliance plugged therein.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said energy distribution means comprises means for distributing at least one type of AC current within the house, and means for distributing at least one type of DC current within the house.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for distributing DC current comprises means for delivering a 12 VDC current and means for delivering a 48 VDC current.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for supplying DC current includes a DC power supply having a battery which will maintain DC power during a loss of external power.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said analog services distributing means comprises a music headend for generating music, an intercom headend and means for connecting said headends to outlet means throughout the house.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said video services distributing means comprises gateway means for receiving video signals from one or more external sources; headend combiner means for combining the signals from the sources into a video output signal; means for amplifying said output signal and splitter means for dividing the amplified signal and sending the divided signals to outlet means throughout the house.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
An automated system for providing services within a house, comprising: energy distribution means for supplying energy to appliances throughout the house; and appliance coordination data network means for communicating relatively low speed digital data throughout the house, including at least one power block means responsive to data received through said network for controlling the flow of energy from said energy distribution means to individual appliances throughout the house.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
68 words
An automated system for providing services within a house, comprising: energy distribution means for supplying energy to appliances throughout the house; and appliance coordination data network means for communicating relatively low speed digital data throughout the house, including at least one power block means responsive to data received through said network for controlling the flow of energy from said energy distribution means to individual appliances throughout the house.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said power block means controls the status of a circuit breaker interposed between that power block means and an appliance to be controlled.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said power block means can monitor the state of either a circuit breaker or a power supply in said energy distribution means and can activate a transfer switch in said energy distribution means to replace said power supply with an alternative source of power if necessary.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a common communication bus means is provided for transmitting data between said power block means, and said appliance coordination data network means further comprises appliance control unit means for coordinating all communications between said power block means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
158 words
An automated system for providing services within a house, comprising: high capacity data network means for transferring high speed digital data within the house including high capacity data network gateway means and high capacity data controller means positioned in rooms throughout the house; and analog services distributing means for distributing conventional analog signals throughout the house including telephone gateway means for communicating said high capacity data network to a standard telephone line and for sending signals to said high capacity data network gateway means, said distributing means including a number of analog services controllers positioned in rooms throughout the house and having a plurality of switch unit means therein, one or more of said switch unit means being connected to the output of said high capacity data controller means, and outlet means connected to opposite sides of said switch unit means from said high capacity data controller means to provide high speed data to an appliance plugged therein.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
158 words
An automated system for providing services within a house, comprising: high capacity data network means for transferring high speed digital data within the house including high capacity data network gateway means and high capacity data controller means positioned in rooms throughout the house; and analog services distributing means for distributing conventional analog signals throughout the house including telephone gateway means for communicating said high capacity data network to a standard telephone line and for sending signals to said high capacity data network gateway means, said distributing means including a number of analog services controllers positioned in rooms throughout the house and having a plurality of switch unit means therein, one or more of said switch unit means being connected to the output of said high capacity data controller means, and outlet means connected to opposite sides of said switch unit means from said high capacity data controller means to provide high speed data to an appliance plugged therein.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
62 words
A video services distribution system for use in a house, comprising: gateway means for receiving video signals from one or more external sources; headend combiner means for combining the signals from the sources into a video output signal; means for amplifying said output signal; and splitter means for dividing the amplified signal sending the divided signals to outlet means throughout the house.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
62 words
A video services distribution system for use in a house, comprising: gateway means for receiving video signals from one or more external sources; headend combiner means for combining the signals from the sources into a video output signal; means for amplifying said output signal; and splitter means for dividing the amplified signal sending the divided signals to outlet means throughout the house.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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