Granted Patent B2

US 12,221,776 · App. 18/474,514 · Granted Feb 11, 2025

Inventors: Joseph Michael Burke (Deerfield, NH); Ian David Baynes (Merrimac, MA)

Assignee: WATTS REGULATOR CO.

E03B7/077E03C1/10E03C1/104F16K37/0091H04B3/46H04B3/546H04W4/38

Abstract

Claims (79)

1. A wireless communication system located within a mechanical room, the wireless communication system comprising:

a valve including at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to wirelessly communicate over a network using low power signal communication; and

at least one device configured to connect to an in-wall power source, the device further configured to wirelessly communicate over the network using low power signal communication, wherein a first device of the at least one device is configured to connect to a light fixture, the first device connected to the in-wall power source via the light fixture.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1 , wherein:

a second device of the at least one devices is configured to connect to a wall outlet socket, the second device connected to the in-wall power source via the wall outlet socket; and

a low power signal is transmitted out of the mechanical room via at least one electrical line of the in-wall power source using power-line communication.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first device of the at least one devices is configured to replace a first light switch controlling a light and includes a second light switch to control the light.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 1 , further comprising: a transceiver configured to:

receive a signal through the network using low power communication;

amplify the signal to create a high power signal; and

transmit the high power signal out of the mechanical room.

5. The wireless communication system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of:

a pressure sensor;

a temperature sensor;

a pH sensor;

a salinity sensor; and

a wet/dry sensor,

wherein the low power signal communication is one of the following:

Bluetooth; and radio frequency (RF) communication,

wherein the at least one sensor includes: a transmitter configured to transmit a signal using low power communication; and the at least one device includes a receiver configured to receive the signal using low power communication, and

wherein a first sensor of the at least one of the sensors comprises: a processor to analyze data from the first sensor and generate a signal based on the data; and a transmitter configured to transmit the signal based on the data.

6. A wireless communication system located within a mechanical room, the wireless communication system comprising:

a valve including at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor includes a low power wireless transmitter and wherein the at least one sensor is configured to wirelessly communicate, with the low power wireless transmitter, over a first network using low power signal communication;

at least one communication device configured to connect to an in-wall power source comprising a live power line and a neutral power line, the in-wall power source configured to communicate power signals to power loads electrically connected thereto;

wherein the at least one communication device includes a low power wireless receiver, the at least one communication device further configured to wirelessly communicate, with the low power wireless receiver, over the first network low power signals using low power signal communication;

wherein the at least once communication device includes a high power transmitter, the at least once communication device further configured to communicate, using the high power transmitter, over a second network comprising the in wall power source and using power line communication (PLC) signals, data comprising the low power signals; and

a transceiver comprising the low power wireless receiver, the high power transmitter, and a PLC coupling transformer coupling the low fireless receiver to the high power transmitter, the transceiver configured to:

receive, with the low power wireless transceiver, a signal through the network using low power communication;

amplify the signal the PLC coupling transformer to create a high power signal; and

transmit the high power signal out of the mechanical room.

7. The wireless communication system of claim 6 , wherein the PLC signals comprise high frequency modulation superimposed on the power signals communicated by the in-wall power source, and wherein a first communication device of the at least one communication devices is configured to connect to a light fixture, the first device connected to the in-wall power source via the light fixture.

8. The wireless communication system of claim 6 , wherein:

a first communication device of the at least one communication devices is configured to connect to a wall outlet socket, the first communication device connected to the in-wall power source via the wall outlet socket; and

a high power PLC signal comprising the low power signal is transmitted out of the mechanical room via at least one electrical line of the in-wall power source using power-line communication.

9. The wireless communication system of claim 6 , wherein a first communication device of the at least one devices is configured to replace a first light switch controlling a light, the first device connected to the in-wall power source and including a second light switch to control the light.

10. The wireless communication system of claim 6 ,

wherein the power loads comprise one or more of: a light fixture; a reed switch controlling operation of a light fixture; and a wall socket,

wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of: a pressure sensor; a temperature sensor; a pH sensor; a salinity sensor; and a wet/dry sensor, and

wherein the low power signal communication is one of the following: Bluetooth; Zigbee; Wireless HART; and radio frequency (RF) communication.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 6 ,

wherein a first sensor of the at least one of the sensors comprises a processor to analyze data from the first sensor and generate a signal based on the data; and wherein the low power wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the signal based on the data,

wherein the low power signal comprise sensor measurement data generated by the at least one sensor and wherein the communication device further comprises a communication device processor to control the PLC transmitter to communicate the sensor measurement data using the PLC signals, and

wherein the high power transmitter communicates the PLC signals, over the second network, to a gateway device located outside of the mechanical room, the gateway device comprising a third network and configured to transmit, over the third network and using high powered wireless communication signals, the sensor measurement data to a network endpoint comprising the third network.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 11 , wherein the network endpoint comprising the third network comprises a cloud service.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 11 ,

wherein the third network uses one or more of Wi-Fi communications, cellular communications, and high power RF communications, and

wherein the gateway device comprising the third network is electrically connected to the in wall power source and is configured to retrieve PLC signals from a power line comprising the in wall power source.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors and each of the sensors includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, each RFID tag configured to communicate with, and transfer power between, other RFID tags using tag to tag communication.

15. A communication device comprising:

a low power communication circuit; and

a power line communication (PLC) circuit in electrical communication with the low power communication circuit, the PLC circuit configured to electrically connect to a wired power source, the wired power source configured to communicate electric power signals to one or more of a light fixture, an electrical appliance, and an electrical outlet;

wherein the low power communication circuit is configured to receive low power wireless signals from one or more fluid sensors and to communicate the low power wireless signals to the PLC circuit;

wherein the PLC circuit is configured to:

receive, from the low power communication circuit, the low power communication signals;

generate, based on the low power communication signals, PLC signals; and

transmit, over the wired power source, the PLC signals,

wherein the electric power signals comprise alternating current (AC) electrical signals a power circuit in communication with the low power communication circuit and with the PLC circuit, the power circuit configured to: receive an AC power signal from the wired power source and generate, based on the AC power signal, one or more DC bower signals, and to provide the one or more DC power signals to the low power communication circuit and to the PLC circuit, wherein the power circuit is configured to determine a the PLC circuit is further configured to determine a zero cross point comprising the AC power signal and to communicate the zero cross power to the PLC circuit, wherein the PLC circuit is further configured to generate the PLC signals based at least upon the zero cross point.

16. The communication device of claim 15 , wherein PLC circuit is further configured to:

electrically connect to a neutral power line and to a live power line of the wired power source;

generate the PLC signals by generating amplitude variation of one or more of the electric power signals communicated by the wired power source.

17. A wireless communication system located within a mechanical room, the wireless communication system comprising:

a valve including at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor includes a low power wireless transmitter and wherein the at least one sensor is configured to wirelessly communicate, with the low power wireless transmitter, over a first network using low power signal communication; and

at least one communication device configured to connect to an in-wall power source comprising a live power line and a neutral power line, the in-wall power source configured to communicate power signals to power loads electrically connected thereto;

wherein the at least one communication device includes a low power wireless receiver, the at least one communication device further configured to wirelessly communicate, with the low power wireless receiver, over the first network low power signals using low power signal communication,

wherein the at least once communication device includes a high power transmitter, the at least once communication device further configured to communicate, using the high power transmitter, over a second network comprising the in wall power source and using power line communication (PLC) signals, data comprising the low power signals,

wherein a first sensor of the at least one of the sensors comprises a processor to analyze data from the first sensor and generate a signal based on the data; and wherein the low power wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the signal based on the data,

wherein the low power signal comprise sensor measurement data generated by the at least one sensor and wherein the communication device further comprises a communication device processor to control the PLC transmitter to communicate the sensor measurement data using the PLC signals, and

wherein the high power transmitter communicates the PLC signals, over the second network, to a gateway device located outside of the mechanical room, the gateway device comprising a third network and configured to transmit, over the third network and using high powered wireless communication signals, the sensor measurement data to a network endpoint comprising the third network.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 17 , wherein the network endpoint comprising the third network comprises a cloud service.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 17 ,

wherein the third network uses one or more of Wi-Fi communications, cellular communications, and high power RF communications, and

wherein the gateway device comprising the third network is electrically connected to the in wall power source and is configured to retrieve PLC signals from a power line comprising the in wall power source.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors and each of the sensors includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, each RFID tag configured to communicate with, and transfer power between, other RFID tags using tag to tag communication.

21. A wireless communication system located within a mechanical room, the wireless communication system comprising:

a valve including at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor includes a low power wireless transmitter and wherein the at least one sensor is configured to wirelessly communicate, with the low power wireless transmitter, over a first network using low power signal communication; and

at least one communication device configured to connect to an in-wall power source comprising a live power line and a neutral power line, the in-wall power source configured to communicate power signals to power loads electrically connected thereto;

wherein the at least one communication device includes a low power wireless receiver, the at least one communication device further configured to wirelessly communicate, with the low power wireless receiver, over the first network low power signals using low power signal communication,

wherein the at least once communication device includes a high power transmitter, the at least once communication device further configured to communicate, using the high power transmitter, over a second network comprising the in wall power source and using power line communication (PLC) signals, data comprising the low power signals, and

wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors and each of the sensors includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, each RFID tag configured to communicate with, and transfer power between, other RFID tags using tag to tag communication.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (229)