Signal conversion device and smart home network system using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9412266-B2
Application number	US-201314014341-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2013
Priority date	Sep 21, 2012
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A smart home network system includes a number of traditional home devices having wireless communication function, a smart gateway, and a plurality of signal conversion devices. When the smart gateway wants to control a traditional home device, the smart gateway sends a cable control signal to a related signal conversion device in the area where the target traditional home device is placed. The related signal conversion device receives the cable control signals from the smart gateway, and converts the cabled control signal into a wireless control signal conforming to the wireless communication function type of the target tradition home device, then transmits the wireless control signal to the target traditional home device. Therefore, the traditional home devices with wireless communication function can be connected into the system, and be controlled by the smart gateway.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smart home network system comprising a plurality of traditional home devices having wireless communication function, a smart gateway, and a plurality of signal conversion devices, each of the signal conversion device comprising:
a first wired communication module configured to receive a cable control signal for controlling a target traditional home device from the smart gateway, wherein the cable control signal contains a UID code and a wireless communication function type of the target traditional home device;
a conversion module configured to read the wireless communication function type of the target traditional home device contained in the cable control signal, and converts the cable control signal into a wireless control signal conforming to the wireless communication function type;
a first wireless communication module configured to wirelessly transmit the wireless control signal to the target traditional home device; and
the smart gateway comprising:
a storage module storing a mapping list, wherein the mapping list records configuration information of each traditional home device and each signal conversion device in the system, and the configuration information contains region codes representing areas where the home devices and the signal conversion devices are placed, UID codes of each home device and each signal conversion device, and wireless communication function type of each traditional home device;
an analysis module configured to read the UID codes of the target traditional home device and a related signal conversion device in the area where the target traditional home device is placed, and the wireless communication function type of the target traditional home device from the configuration information recorded in the mapping list;
a control module configured to generate the cable control signal for controlling the target traditional home device, wherein the cable control signal further contains a UID code of the related signal conversion device; and
a second wired communication module configured to transmit the cable control signal to the related signal conversion device.

2. The system as described in claim 1 , wherein the smart gateway is connected to the signal conversion devices via power lines, and the first wired communication module of the signal conversion device communicates with the second wired communication module of the smart gateway via PLC or OPLC technologies.

3. The system as described in claim 2 , wherein the second wired communication module modulates the cable control signal and converts network protocols, and then transmits the cable control signal to the related signal conversion device via the power lines; the first wired communication module receives the cable control signal from the smart gateway via the power lines, and demodulates the cable control signal and converts network protocols as required.

4. The system as described in claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communication module of the signal conversion device is able to emit and receive near field wireless signals, wherein the near field wireless signal is selected from a group consisting of infrared, Bluetooth, Z-wave, NFC, ZigBee, and WIFI signals.

5. The system as described in claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a register controller;
the smart gateway receives a registration request from the register controller, and obtains registration information of the traditional home devices and the signal conversion device located in a same region as the register controller, the registration request contains the UID code of the smart gateway and the UID code of the register controller, the registration information contains configuration information of the home devices and the signal conversion device; and
the smart gateway assigns a region code for the traditional home devices and the signal conversion device located in the same region as the register controller in response to the received registration request, and sends the region code back to the register controller, enabling the register controller to generate a registration code and send the registration code to the traditional home devices and the signal conversion device located in the region as the register controller, the registration code contains the region code and the UID code of the smart gateway.

6. The system as described in claim 5 , wherein the smart gateway generates an enquiry message that contains the region code to the traditional home devices and the signal conversion device, the enquiry message is used to distinguish the home devices 30 and the signal conversion device that have received the registration code sent by the register controller.

7. The system as described in claim 6 , wherein if the region code contained in the received enquiry message matches the region code contained in the registration code, the home devices and the signal conversion device send their registration information to the smart gateway.

Assignees

• Hong Fu Jin Prec Ind (Shenzhen) Co Ltd
• Hon Hai Prec Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Te-Sheng
• Li Xiao-Guang
• Hsieh Kuan-Hong
• Xiao Yun
• Pi Shang-Hui

Classifications

• G08C2201/42

  Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network · CPC title

• G08C2201/93

  Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop · CPC title

• G08C23/04

  using light waves, e.g. infrared · CPC title

• G08C2201/41

  Remote control of gateways · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title