US6535110B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device adapter for automation system
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 2000-08-17
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Granted: 2003-03-18
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Expires: 2020-08-17
Abstract
Abstract A device adapter for an automation system is disclosed. The device adapter includes at least a transmitter, a receiver, and a logic mechanism. The transmitter announces joining and leaving of the non-intelligent power line device to the automation system. The receiver receives commands from the automation system, and acts as a controller to control electricity to the non-intelligent power line device, depending on the commands received from the system. The logic mechanism determines when to instruct the transmitter to announce joining and leaving. The device adapter can also include a sensor. The sensor determines the on/off status of the power line device.
Inventors
- 👤 Anish K. Arora
- 👤 Wilf G. Russell
- 👤 Yi-Min Wang
- 👤 Jun Xu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:51
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/2803; H04L12/2816; H04L12/282; H04L43/00; H04L43/50; H04L61/00; H04L61/45; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L2012/284; H04L2012/2841; H04L2012/2843; H04L2012/2845; H04L2012/2847; H04L2012/2849; H04L2012/285; H04L43/10; H04L43/106; H04W; H04W24/00; Y; Y04; Y04S; Y04S40/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
An interface for connecting a device to a power line network to enable an automation system to control and monitor the device, the interface comprising: a transmitter to announce joining and leaving of the device to the automation system; a receiver to receive commands from the automation system and to act as a controller to control the device depending on the commands received from the automation system; and a logic mechanism to determine when to instruct the transmitter to announce joining and leaving of the device to the automation system, where the logic mechanism makes the determination without prompting from an external source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
An interface for connecting a device to a power line network to enable an automation system to control and monitor the device, the interface comprising: a transmitter to announce joining and leaving of the device to the automation system; a receiver to receive commands from the automation system and to act as a controller to control the device depending on the commands received from the automation system; and a logic mechanism to determine when to instruct the transmitter to announce joining and leaving of the device to the automation system, where the logic mechanism makes the determination without prompting from an external source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The interface of claim 1 , wherein the interface resides within the device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The interface of claim 1 , wherein the interface is an adapter separate from the device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The interface of claim 1 , wherein the interface resides within a jack into which the device plugs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The interface of claim 1 , wherein the network is a power line network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The interface of claim 1 , wherein the network is an Ethernet network.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The interface of claim 1 , wherein the network is a phone line network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The interface of claim 1 , wherein the network is a wireless network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The interface of claim 8 , wherein the wireless network is one of a radio frequency (RF) network and an infrared (IR) network.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The interface of claim 1 , wherein the logic mechanism instructs the transmitter to announce joining of the device when an on/off status of the receiver is in the on state and an on/off status of the line device is in the on state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The interface of claim 1 , wherein the logic mechanism instructs the transmitter to announce leaving of the device when an on/off status of the receiver is in the on state and an on/off status of the device is in the off state.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
118 words
A device adapter for connecting a non-intelligent power line device to a power line to enable an automation system to control and monitor the device, the device adapter comprising: a transmitter to announce joining and leaving of the non-intelligent power line device to the automation system; a receiver to receive commands from the automation system and to act as a controller to control electricity to the non-intelligent power line device depending on the commands received from the automation system; and, a logic mechanism to determine when to instruct the transmitter to announce joining and leaving of the non-intelligent power line device to the automation system, where the logic mechanism makes the determination without prompting from an external source.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
118 words
A device adapter for connecting a non-intelligent power line device to a power line to enable an automation system to control and monitor the device, the device adapter comprising: a transmitter to announce joining and leaving of the non-intelligent power line device to the automation system; a receiver to receive commands from the automation system and to act as a controller to control electricity to the non-intelligent power line device depending on the commands received from the automation system; and, a logic mechanism to determine when to instruct the transmitter to announce joining and leaving of the non-intelligent power line device to the automation system, where the logic mechanism makes the determination without prompting from an external source.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device adapter of claim 12 , wherein the transmitter and receiver are integrated into a single transceiver.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
The device adapter of claim 12 , further comprising a sensor to determine an on/off status of the non-intelligent power line device, the receiver also having an on/off status, the on/off status of each of the non-intelligent power line device and the receiver having an on state and an off state.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
The device adapter of claim 14 , wherein the logic mechanism instructs the transmitter to announce joining of the non-intelligent power line device when the on/off status of the receiver is in the on state and the on/off status of the non-intelligent power line device is in the on state.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The device adapter of claim 14 , wherein the logic mechanism instructs the transmitter to announce leaving of the non-intelligent power line device when the on/off status of the receiver is in the on state and the on/off status of the non-intelligent power line device is in the off state.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device adapter of claim 14 , wherein the sensor is a current sensor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device adapter of claim 12 , further comprising at least one control to indicate an address indicating a physical location of the electrical outlet.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The device adapter of claim 12 , further comprising a control to indicate a device type of the non-intelligent power line device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device adapter of claim 12 , further comprising a control to indicate a device object class of the non-intelligent power line device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
110 words
An automation system for a plurality of devices and sensors, including one or more non-intelligent power line devices, the system comprising: a plurality of system devices over which a software architecture for controlling and monitoring the plurality of devices and sensors is implemented; a plurality of user access points for a user to access the software architecture to control and monitor the plurality of devices and sensors; and, a device adapter for each non-intelligent power line device to indicate at least a physical location and a device type of the device without prompting from an external source, and enable the device to be controlled and monitored through the software architecture.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
110 words
An automation system for a plurality of devices and sensors, including one or more non-intelligent power line devices, the system comprising: a plurality of system devices over which a software architecture for controlling and monitoring the plurality of devices and sensors is implemented; a plurality of user access points for a user to access the software architecture to control and monitor the plurality of devices and sensors; and, a device adapter for each non-intelligent power line device to indicate at least a physical location and a device type of the device without prompting from an external source, and enable the device to be controlled and monitored through the software architecture.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of system devices includes a gateway device for connection to the Internet.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 21 , further comprising a power bridge to enable the plurality of devices and sensors that connect to a power line to be controlled and monitored through the software architecture.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 21 , further comprising an infrared bridge to enable the plurality of devices and sensors that communicate through infrared signals to be controlled and monitored through the software architecture.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 21 , further comprising a radio frequency bridge to enable the plurality of devices and sensors that communicate through radio frequency signals to be controlled and monitored through the software architecture.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
103 words
In a system for remotely controlling power consuming devices distributed in a building, the system including a power line network connecting adapters to a source of control signals for controlling the operational state of the power consuming devices connected to the network by the adapters, a method comprising the steps of (1) connecting one of the adapters between a power outlet and one of the power consuming devices to form a connection to a power source, (2) assigning an identity to the connection, and (3) broadcasting the identity onto the power line network in response to a flow of power through the device.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
103 words
In a system for remotely controlling power consuming devices distributed in a building, the system including a power line network connecting adapters to a source of control signals for controlling the operational state of the power consuming devices connected to the network by the adapters, a method comprising the steps of (1) connecting one of the adapters between a power outlet and one of the power consuming devices to form a connection to a power source, (2) assigning an identity to the connection, and (3) broadcasting the identity onto the power line network in response to a flow of power through the device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 26 wherein the identity includes information describing a physical location of the device in the building.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 27 wherein the identity includes information describing an operating condition of the device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
82 words
An interface for connecting a device to a network to enable an automation system to control and monitor the device, the interface comprising: a transmitter that provides information to the automation system describing a physical location of the device; a receiver that receives commands from the automation system and controls the device in response to the commands; and a logic mechanism that causes the transmitter to broadcast the information describing the physical location of the device without prompting from an external source.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
82 words
An interface for connecting a device to a network to enable an automation system to control and monitor the device, the interface comprising: a transmitter that provides information to the automation system describing a physical location of the device; a receiver that receives commands from the automation system and controls the device in response to the commands; and a logic mechanism that causes the transmitter to broadcast the information describing the physical location of the device without prompting from an external source.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
17 words
The interface of claim 29 wherein the information includes information describing an operating condition of the device.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a system for remotely controlling power consuming devices distributed in a building, the system including a network connecting adapters to a source of control signals for controlling the operational state of the power consuming devices connected to the network by the adapters, a method comprising the steps of (1) connecting one of the adapters between a power outlet and one of the power consuming devices to form a connection to a power source, (2) broadcasting information in response to a flow of power through the device, and (3) determining from the information a physical location of the device in the building.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a system for remotely controlling power consuming devices distributed in a building, the system including a network connecting adapters to a source of control signals for controlling the operational state of the power consuming devices connected to the network by the adapters, a method comprising the steps of (1) connecting one of the adapters between a power outlet and one of the power consuming devices to form a connection to a power source, (2) broadcasting information in response to a flow of power through the device, and (3) determining from the information a physical location of the device in the building.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 31 wherein the network is a power-distribution network.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 31 wherein the step of broadcasting includes broadcasting over the network.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 31 wherein the step of broadcasting includes broadcasting over a wireless network separate from the network.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5400246A
Cited
US5922050A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-03-17 | 2006-09-16 | 2007-03-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-03-17 | 2010-09-16 | 2011-03-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-03-17 | 2014-09-16 | 2015-03-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |