Low power hub wireless control of motorized window coverings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10626668-B2
Application number	US-201715789212-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2017
Priority date	Oct 20, 2017
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

A system for controlling motorized window coverings is described herein. The window coverings each have a processor, a network device and wireless transmitters enabling connection via a network. The network is controlled by one or more mobile devices which receive user input. The mobile devices wirelessly connect to a local area network (LAN) via a hub. One or more hubs are connected via the LAN. The window coverings are networked via a personal area network (PAN). The hubs convert the LAN protocol to the PAN protocol. Sensors send sensor data along with real time weather data to the processor. The processor uses this sensor data to update charts and schedules in memory, then sends commands to the controller based on these updated charts and schedules according to user defined and factory set parameters. The system includes both local and cloud based control.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for controlling a window covering, comprising:
a mobile device, comprising:
an application installed on the mobile device;
wherein the application receives a user command;
wherein the application sends the user command to a first hub;

the first hub, comprising:
a local area network (LAN) interface;
a personal area network (PAN) interface;
a gateway, wherein the gateway converts LAN messages to PAN messages;
a server comprising a processor and memory;
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive the user command from the mobile device via the LAN interface;
determine that the user command is a real time control;
send the user command to a window covering via the PAN interface; and

the window covering, comprising:
a PAN interface;
an actuator;
a server comprising a processor and memory;
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive the user command from the first hub via the PAN interface;
actuate the window covering based on the user command.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises:
at least one subordinate hub, comprising:
a local area network (LAN) interface;
a personal area network (PAN) interface;
a gateway, wherein the gateway converts LAN protocol to PAN protocol;
a server comprising a processor and memory;
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive the user command from the mobile device via the LAN interface;
determine that the user command is a real time control;
send the user command to the window covering via the PAN interface;

wherein the first hub processor assigns control of a specific window covering to a specific subordinate hub.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the assigned control of the specific window covering is based on a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the specific window covering's PAN interface.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein a first connected subordinate hub becomes a new first hub upon failure of the first hub, and wherein the assigned control is managed by the new first hub upon the failure of the first hub.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the window covering memory stores factory settings and user settings specific to the window covering.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the window covering further comprises:
one or more sensors; wherein the one or more sensors produce sensor data.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the system further comprises a cloud based network;
wherein the factory settings, the user settings and the sensor data are stored in the memory of the cloud based network;
wherein the cloud based network processor is configured to:
determine a cloud control command based on the user command, the sensor data, the factory settings, and the user settings;
transmit the cloud control command to the first hub.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the sensors convert sensor data to an electrical signal; and wherein the sensors comprise at least one of: electromagnetic; electrochemical; electric current; electric potential; magnetic; radio; air flow; accelerometers; pressure; electro-acoustic; electro-optical; photoelectric; electrostatic; thermoelectric; radio-acoustic; environmental; moisture; humidity; fluid velocity; position; angle; displacement; or combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises one or more of electric motors, gearboxes and one or more mechanical means of incrementally opening, closing, tilting, turning, twisting, sliding pushing, pulling, and rotating one or more components of the motorized window covering.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the PAN interface utilizes at least one of a Bluetooth wireless protocol and a Bluetooth mesh wireless protocol.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the LAN interface utilizes a WIFI wireless protocol.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the user settings further comprise calendars, charts and scheduled data.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein real time data comprising weather data, and sensor data from remote sensors and remote systems is relayed via the cloud-based network to the system; and wherein the real-time data modifies and updates the calendars, the charts and the scheduled data.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the remote systems comprise at least one of weather stations, security systems, fire alarm systems, remote monitoring systems, control systems, or combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the real time data is used to control the system as directed by the user settings and the factory settings.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device comprises a cell phone, satellite phone, smartphone, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, laptop computer, remote control device, mobile transmitter, a mobile internet device or a combination of one or more of the same.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the motorized window covering comprises one or more of: horizontal blinds; vertical blinds; roller shades; window shutters; cellular shades; roman shades; window shades; solar shades; or draperies.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises one or more batteries and one or more solar photovoltaic panels.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein each motorized window covering within the system is fully autonomous and operational without any connection to other motorized window coverings in the system.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor of the window covering is further configured to:
monitor usage data of the actuator; and
provide the usage data to the first hub.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Carlson Austin Benjamin
• Myer Aaron
• Brimhall Emily
• Myer Seth
• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Carlson Austin Benjamin
• Myer Aaron
• Brimhall Emily
• Myer Seth

Classifications

• E06B9/32

  Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor (operation of tilting bars E06B9/307) · CPC title

• H04L2012/2841

  Wireless · CPC title

• H04M2250/06

  including a wireless LAN interface · CPC title

• E06B2009/6818

  using sensors · CPC title

• H04L12/2818

  from a device located outside both the home and the home network (access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007) · CPC title