Apparatus for controlling an electrical device by remote control including a control device coupled to the electrical device by a wire connection for providing power to the electrical device, the control device having an actuator for adjusting the status of the electrical device and a radio frequency transmitter/receiver and antenna for adjusting the status of the electrical device in response to control information in a radio frequency signal. The transmitter/receiver receives the radio frequency signal via the antenna and transmits a status radio frequency signal with information regarding the status of the electrical device. A master control unit has at least one actuator and status indicator and a transmitter/receiver for transmitting a radio frequency signal having the control information therein to control the status of the electrical device and for receiving the status information from the control device. The status indicator indicates the status of the electrical device in response to the status information. A repeater receives the radio frequency signal from the master unit and transmits the control information to the control device and receives the status information from the control device and transmits it to the master unit.

Method and apparatus for controlling and determining the status of electrical devices from remote locations

This disclosure relates to a repeater (40) for use in a two-way communication system for retransmitting information between a first device (20, 30) and a second device (50) to help ensure reliable two-way communication between the devices, the repeater (40) comprises a transmitter/receiver, the transmitter/receiver receiving information in signals from the first and second devices and transmitting the received information in signals for reception by the respective second and first devices and wherein further a direct communication path for the information between the first and second devices is provided, the direct communication path being intermittently unreliable. The first device (20, 30) comprises a master unit, the plurality of second devices (50) comprise control devices for controlling respective electrical devices.

Repeater for transmission system for controlling and determining the status of electrical devices from remote locations

A radio frequency antenna for use with a wall mounted transmitter and/or receiver for receiving and/or transmitting signals adapted to control a control device and/or indicate status of the control device. The antenna includes an insulating substrate sized to fit within an area defined by a faceplate sized to cover an outwardly facing opening of an electrical wallbox. Conductors are disposed on both sides of the substrate forming a capacitive component. At least one of the conductors is adapted to radiate radio frequency energy into the environment. The one conductor is electrically coupled to the other conductor, and the one conductor has a pattern such that the conductor is absent in areas so as to provide the antenna with an inductive component. The at least one conductor further provides a connection to the transmitter and/or receiver. The antenna provides an antenna near-field which is substantially at the edges of the substrate and which provides insubstantial electromagnetic field coupling to an electronic circuit disposed adjacent the antenna connected to the antenna and further provides a radiated field substantially isotropic in the antenna far-field.

Compact radio frequency transmitting and receiving antenna and control device employing same

A communication protocol for a two-way transmission system having at least one first transmitter/receiver device (20), at least one second transmitter/receiver device (50) and at least one repeater (40) for relaying signals between the first and second devices. The protocol includes the steps of transmitting a first signal comprising a command from the first device, repeating the first signal with each repeater in a respective repeater time slot, receiving the first signal at the second device, transmitting status information from each second device in a respective status time slot, forming a status bit map comprising all status information in the at least one repeater, and transmitting the status bit map with the repeater so that the at least one first device has received the status bit map. Preferably, the transmission system comprises an R.F. communication system. If a plurality of repeaters are employed, the repeaters repeat the transmitted signals in a defined repeater sequence. The repeaters build a bit map of all status information received by the respective repeaters during the repeater sequence. In this way, it is assured that all first and second devices receive those signals intended for the respective devices.

Communication protocol for transmission system for controlling and determining the status of electrical devices from remote locations

Location-Based Addressing (LBA) is a method of controlling and commissioning networked lighting devices. The lighting devices communicate over a wireless network using radio frequency communication protocols. The lighting devices are commissioned or grouped based on their 5 respective locations in a building floor plan or a building architecture. The lighting devices are commissioned to respond to radio frequency communications that correspond to their respective locations. This imposed location-based architecture reduces the amount of transmitted data required to control the lighting devices and, thus, reduces the radio bandwidth required to control the lighting devices. In other words, controlling devices “multicast” instructions and controlled devices “listen” for instructions and act only upon instructions that correspond to their respective location. Hand shaking or two-way communication between the controlling devices and the controlled devices is not required.

Location-based addressing lighting and environmental control system, device and method

The slot microstrip antenna is used as a folded slot dipole symmetrically fed across a gap by means of a strip line. A theoretical model equivalent to several lossy transmission lines had been described previously to explain the bandwidth and the radiation admittance. The theory is improved when coupling between the two equivalent radiating lines of every slot is taken into account, and explains a fourth resonance near the third one, which had been measured on several models. Theoretical results and experiments are in good agreement. They are radiation admittance in a wide frequency band, current distribution along each slot and radiation patterns.

A. Rabbaa

Papers

Analysis of a slot microstrip antenna