Granted Patent B2

US 8,107,946 · App. 12/036,065 · Granted Jan 31, 2012

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A system of sending response messages over a wired communication channel in an automation network, comprising:

a plurality of automation devices;

a central controller configured to transmit control signals to the automation devices using a radio frequency (RF) network, wherein the central controller waits for a response message from

at least one of the plurality of automation devices to be received at the central controller using a wired network; and

the wired network being in communication with the central controller and the plurality of automation devices, wherein the plurality of automation devices are configured to send the response messages to the central controller using the wired network, wherein the central controller retransmits the control signal from the central controller to at least one of the plurality of automation devices over the wired network if the response message is not received at the at least one automation device within a predetermined period after the control signal is transmitted over the RF network.

2. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the wired network is a power line carrier network.

3. A system as in claim 2 , wherein the power line carrier network includes a transmitter in each of the plurality of automation devices configured to be connected to a power line, and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the response messages over the power line carrier network.

4. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the wired network is an Ethernet network.

5. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the radio frequency network includes a wireless transmitter for transmitting the control signals to the automation devices.

6. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the response messages are status messages from the automation devices.

7. A system as in claim 6 , wherein the response messages are proactive operational messages configured to enable the central controller to ensure a substantially continuous proper operation of an automation device.

8. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the response messages are acknowledgement messages from the automation devices.

9. A system as in claim 1 , further comprising a base station configured to wirelessly communicate with a battery powered device, wherein the base station is coupled to the wired network to enable the base station to send the response messages to the central controller using the wired network.

10. A method of sending a response message over a wired communication channel in an automation network, comprising:

defining a radio frequency (RF) network between a central controller and a plurality of automation devices;

transmitting a control signal from the central controller to at least one of the plurality of automation devices over the RF network;

waiting for a response message from at least one of the plurality of automation devices to be received at the central controller using the wired network;

retransmitting the control signal from the central controller to at least one of the plurality of automation devices over the wired network if the response message is not received at the at least one automation device within a predetermined period after the control signal is transmitted over the RF network; and

sending the response message from at least one of the plurality of automation devices to the central controller using a wired network.

11. A method as in claim 10 , wherein the step of sending the response message further comprises the step of sending the response message over a power line carrier network to the central controller.

12. A method as in claim 10 , wherein the step of sending the response message further comprises the step of sending the response message over an Ethernet network to the central controller.

13. A method as in claim 10 , wherein the step of sending the response message further comprises the step of sending a status message over the wired network to the central controller.

14. A method as in claim 10 , wherein the step of sending the response message further comprises the step of sending a proactive operational message over the wired network at a predefined frequency.

15. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the step of sending the proactive operational message further comprises sending the proactive operational message at a frequency of at least one message per second.

16. A method as in claim 10 , further comprising the step of sending the response message to the central controller from the at least one of the plurality of automation devices using the wired network when the at least one automation device is manually altered to enable the central controller to have an accurate status of the at least one automation device.

17. A method as in claim 10 , further comprising the step of sending a health status message to the central controller from the at least one of the plurality of automation devices using the wired network, wherein the health message is sent repeatedly at a predetermined rate.

18. A method as in claim 10 , further comprising the step of providing a battery operated automation device in wireless communication with the central controller and a base station configured to wirelessly communicate with the battery operated automation device and send the response messages to the central controller using the wired network.

19. A method as in claim 10 , wherein the step of sending a response message from at least one of the plurality of automation devices to the central controller using the wired network further comprises sending the response message to a plurality of controllers using the wired network.

Assignments (8)