Apparatus and method for utilizing smoke alarms as nodes of a home network

1. An apparatus for providing hub functionality in a local area network, the apparatus comprising:

a smoke detector sensor unit including a detector module configured to provide smoke detection functionality, the smoke detector sensor unit further including a hub module configured to provide local area network hub functionality to the smoke detector sensor unit such that packets received at the smoke detector sensor unit from a first segment of a local area network are transmitted to at least a second segment of the local area network, the packets being un-elated to the smoke detection functionality of the smoke detector sensor unit,

wherein the hub module of the smoke detector sensor unit includes a wireless transceiver to receive packets from a computing device in a same room as the smoke detector sensor unit to be transmitted to at least one segment of the local area network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hub module of the smoke detector sensor unit includes a wireless transceive to transmit and receive packets to and from the computing device to provide Internet access to the computing device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least one segment is a wired path.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least one segment is a wireless path.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the smoke detector sensor unit is disposed in a dwelling.

6. A system for providing a local area network, the system comprising:

a plurality of segments configured to transmit data; and

a smoke detector sensor unit coupled to at least some of the segments, the smoke detector sensor unit including a detector module configured to provide smoke detection functionality, the smoke detector sensor unit further comprising a hub module configured to provide local area network hub functionality to the smoke detector sensor unit such that packets received at the smoke detector sensor unit from a device other than the smoke detector sensor unit are transmitted to at least one segment of the local area network, the packets being unrelated to the smoke detection functionality of the smoke detector sensor unit.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the hub module of the smoke detector sensor unit includes a wireless transceiver to receive packets from a personal computer or home entertainment system to be transmitted to at least one segment of the network.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein at least one segment is a wired path.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein at least one segment is a wireless path.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the smoke detector sensor unit is disposed in a dwelling.

11. A method of providing hub functionality in a local area network, the method comprising:

configuring a smoke detector sensor unit to internally include smoke detection functionality;

configuring the smoke detector sensor unit to internally include local area network hub functionality for enabling network access to one or more computing devices within a room in which the smoke detector sensor unit is installed;

receiving at the smoke detector sensor unit a packet unrelated to the smoke detection functionality from a device other than another smoke detector sensor unit; and

forwarding the received packet to at least one segment area the local area network.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein forwarding the the packet comprises transmitting the packet in a segment that includes wired path.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein forwarding the packet comprises transmitting the packet in a segment that includes a wireless path.

14. A method of processing signals in a network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a local area network hub, a packet from a first segment, the hub being integrated into a standard smoke detector sensor unit, the packet comprising information other than sensor readings from the smoke detector sensor unit, the packet being received from a device other than another smoke detector sensor unit;

copying the received packet from a first port to a second port of the hub; and

transmitting the packet from the second port to at least another segment.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising concurrently using the smoke detection functionality to monitor for an alarm condition while receiving, copying, and transmitting the packet.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving and transmitting the packet includes receiving and transmitting the packet, via wireless first and second segments respectively.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving and transmitting the packet includes receiving and transmitting the packet, via hardwire first and second segments respectively.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising passing packets via a plurality of other hubs having smoke detection functionality.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising passing packets via a plurality of other hubs, some hubs having smoke detection functionality and other hubs having detection functionality different from smoke detection functionality.

20. A system for providing a local area network, the system comprising:

a plurality of segments configured to transmit home entertainment data,

wherein the data is configured into packets suitable for transmission via at least some of the segments,

wherein the packets include information indicative of a source and a destination,

wherein the packets include a payload section having packet information and a header section having control information, and

wherein the segments can include wireless or hardwire path,

a smoke detector sensor unit coupled to at least some of the segments,

wherein the smoke detector sensor unit includes at least one port through which to couple to the segments,

wherein the smoke detector sensor unit includes a detector module configured to provide smoke detection functionality and a hub module coupled to the detector module and configured to provide local area network hub functionality,

wherein the smoke detector sensor unit is configured to internally include local area network hub functionality to pass packets unrelated to smoke detection functionality between segments to which it is coupled to implement a local area network within a dwelling,

wherein the smoke detector sensor unit is to receive packets from a personal computer or home entertainment system to be transmitted to at least one segment of the local area network,

wherein the smoke detector sensor unit is configured to concurrently use the smoke detection functionality to monitor for an alarm condition while using the local area network hub functionality,

a housing integrated with the smoke detector sensor unit and structured to contain the detector module and the hub module,

wherein the detector module includes a sensor structured to detect smoke indicative of the alarm condition, and

an alarm coupled to the sensor to provide an audible alarm if an alarm condition is detected by the sensor.

21. The system of claim 20 , further comprising additional smoke detector sensor units configured with network hub functionality and coupled to the smoke detector sensor unit via the segments, in a manner that allows packets to be passed among the smoke detector sensor units via use of their network hub functionality.

22. The system of claim 20 , further comprising another detector, having a detector module having detection functionality different from smoke detection functionality, configured with a hub modules having network hub functionality and communicatively coupled to the smoke detector sensor unit via at least one of the segments to allow packets to be passed between the smoke detector sensor unit and the another detector.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the another detector comprises a motion sensor detector.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the packets received at the smoke detector sensor unit originate from a homes entertainment system.

25. A home entertainment network comprising:

a plurality of segments configured to transmit home entertainment packets; and

a plurality of smoke detector sensor units linking the segments, each smoke detector sensor unit including:

a detector module configured to provide smoke detection functionality; and

a hub module configured to provide local area network hub functionality to each smoke detector sensor unit such that home entertainment packets received at the smoke detector sensor unit from a personal computer or home entertainment system are transmitted to at least one segment of the home entertainment network.