Abstract:
A frame or the like incorporating a removable device for placement on a wallbox. The frame may be attached to a conventional wallbox without modification to the wallbox. The device may be mounted to, in or on the frame. A memory for the device may be situated on or embedded in the frame. If the device fails, it may be easily removed from the frame and replaced with a new or other working device without frame removal from the wallbox. The replacement device may be configured with information in the memory that contained the configuration for the failed device. The memory or the frame holding it may also be replaced if it fails; however, memory failure is rare compared to device failure. Thus, expense may be spared with just a replacement device and an available configuration in the remaining memory. The memory may have a secure trusted platform.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present disclosure pertains to wallboxes and devices situated on wallboxes. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    The disclosure reveals a plate, ring, frame or the like and a device such as a thermostat, lighting control or other device for placement in a conventional wallbox available commercially presently or at a previous time. The frame, for instance, may be attached to the wallbox without modification to the wallbox. A device may be mounted to, in or on the frame. A memory for the device may be situated on or embedded in the frame. If the device fails, it may be easily removed from the frame and replaced with a new or other working device without frame removal. The replacement device may be configured with information in the memory that was of the configuration for the failed device. The memory may also be replaced if it fails; however, memory failure is rare compared to device failure. So expense may be spared with just device replacement and with a configuration of the replacement device being available from the memory still at the frame. The memory may also incorporate a trusted platform module that holds information, in a relatively secure manner. Older wallboxes in existing hotels, motels, industrial buildings, residences, and so on, may utilize the present system of a device and frame having the memory without modification of the wallboxes. New construction may use the cheaper conventional boxes which can incorporate the present system of the device and frame with memory. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a disassembled view of a conventional wallbox containing a present arrangement incorporating a plate or frame with a memory and an electronic or electrical device such as a switch that mounts on the frame; 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of the wallbox of  FIG. 1  with the arrangement containing a thermostat in lieu of the switch; and 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of a trusted platform module that may be incorporated in a memory of the present arrangement. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]    The description may provide one or more illustrative and specific examples or ways of implementing the present system and approach. There may be numerous other examples or ways of implementing the system and approach. Implementation may incorporate processors, user interfaces, and other hardware. 
         [0007]    Electronic devices such as switches, thermostats, or other devices may contain a large number of configuration settings. Basic settings, such as timing of actions, allowable target temperature range, energy conservation settings and schedules may be augmented with communication settings such as network addressing configurations, device and location identifiers and network security settings. When such a switch, thermostat or other device has a failure and needs to be replaced, the device may be removed from the wallbox and replaced with a spare or replacement device. If the wallbox is customized for the switch, thermostat or other device, it may also have to be replaced. Unfortunately, the replacement operation may include removing an entire assembly or unit having a broken device, and further the replacement or spare device, incorporated in an entire assembly or unit, should be or may have to, for instance, be configured from scratch or start. The configuring may involve a significant effort and amount of time. Another drawback may be that the person replacing the device often has incomplete or merely old information available when attempting to configure the spare device. Inadequate configuring may often lead to inconsistent setup configurations such that system performance of the spare device is poor or deteriorates, and may lead to another needed replacement task. The inadequate configuring may become particularly cumbersome when the device has application-level bindings to other devices within its scope to perform a specific application, such as having to know which external motion detector has an impact on determining the occupancy of the space controlled by the device. Normal failure modes of devices may incorporate defects of power supply components, load actuating parts (e.g., relays, transistors, and triacs) or user interface components such as a keypad or display. Rarely does one observe a defect of a memory chip or storage memory that contains the configuration settings. If a defective device is removed, very often a very valuable and nondefective memory module in the unit may be simultaneously removed as well. In sum, a limitation of a conventional approach appears when a memory is part of the device. 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a disassembled view of a wall-mounted electronic or electrical component such as a switch. The diagram may refer to an arrangement  10 . A wallbox  11  may be a conventional wallbox available commercially at a present or previous time. Wallbox  11  may be inserted in or attached to a wall of a space or room. The wallbox may be one existing in a building, or a one of new or planned construction. Due to volume and lack of complexity, such wallbox may be inexpensive compared to a wallbox modified to incorporate the advantages of the present arrangement. Without modification of the wallbox, a mounting frame  12  may be attached to wallbox  11 . Fasteners such as screws  21  may hold mounting frame  12  through holes of frame tabs  20  onto threaded holes in tabs  22  already existing on wallbox  11 . A memory chip  23  may be embedded in or in some other fashion be on the mounting frame  12 . Mounting frame  12  may instead be a plate, ring, or some other structure for having or holding a memory of virtually any kind. A mounting plate  12  may be utilized as an illustrative example in the present arrangement. 
         [0009]    A device  13  may be attached to mounting plate  12  with fasteners  24  or other technique that may connect to holding components  25  of the mounting plate. Fasteners  24  and components  25  may be selected from a group consisting of snap-on mechanisms, screws, pins, pegs, Velcro™, glue, removable adhesive substances, and so forth. Device  13  may incorporate a switch  26  which may have electronics for translating mechanical movement of switch  26  into an electrical closure or opening of a circuit. Device  13  may contain electronics in an enclosure  27  to which switch  26  is connected. One or more wires  28  may be connected to the electronics in enclosure  27  to wires  30  or electrical connections or connectors in wallbox  11 . Wires  28  may be connected to power and signal carrying lines to and from enclosure  27  electronics. Wires  28  and  30  may be connected with an easy connect and release plug and receptacle assemblies, that may be connected to the wires and be connected or disconnected manually or automatically when the wallbox device is attached or removed. Other approaches may be used for connections. 
         [0010]    A cover plate  14  may have a snap-on mechanism for attachment to wallbox device  13 . Other fastening mechanisms may be selected for attaching cover plate  14  to wallbox device  13 . 
         [0011]    Device  13  may have contacts  29  for accessing memory chip  23 . Memory chip  23  mat be one example as other kinds of storage may be utilized in the present arrangement. Contacts  29  may be connected to the enclosure  27  electronics which accesses memory chip  23  via contacts  29 . Contacts  29  may be an illustrative example as other wire and wireless connections may be incorporated between the device  13  and memory  23 . 
         [0012]    A receptacle may be mounted in wallbox  11  and a plug may be mounted on wallbox device  13  or mounting frame  12 . A plug connected to wires  28  may be attached to wallbox device  13  or mounting frame  12  and a receptacle connected to wires  30  and attached to wallbox  11 . Another approach may be to have contacts for connection between mounting plate  12  or wallbox device  13 , and wallbox  11 . Perhaps it may be provided that none of wires  28  and  30  is not subject to carrying high voltage. 
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of a disassembled view of an arrangement  40  that appears similar to arrangement  10  of  FIG. 1 . One difference is that in lieu of an example switch  26  and switch electronics in enclosure  27 , there may be a thermostat  36  and associated electronics in an enclosure  37 . There may be still may be another kind of mechanism and/or electronics instead of switch  16  or thermostat  36  as part of device  13  and an enclosure in lieu of enclosure  27  or  37 . 
         [0014]    Embedded memory chip  23  in mounting frame  12  and contacts  29  in wallbox device  13  may be for access by the mechanism and mechanism electronics in the enclosure situated in wallbox device  13 . 
         [0015]    As noted herein, one advantage of the present arrangements  10  and  40 , is that if switch  26 , thermostat  36 , or other mechanism in wallbox device  13 , fails, then one merely removes the snap-on cover plate  14 , disconnects the wires or a plug-receptacle combination, and removes wallbox device  13  and replaces it with another wallbox device that should satisfactorily perform the functions of the previous wallbox device. Memory chip  23  or other kind of memory, still part of plate  12  in the arrangement, may be accessible by the mechanism of the replacement device  13  via contacts  29  or other kind of connection. Memory chip  23  or other memory may contain a configuration that was used for the replaced device  13  or mechanism and can be used for configuring the replacement device  13  or mechanism of wallbox arrangement  10  or  40 , as noted herein. 
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of a trusted platform memory having an arrangement  41 . Embedded memory chip  23  or other memory may incorporate arrangement  41 . A secured input-output interface  42  may have connections to contacts  29  or other connecting mechanism in device  13 . Arrangement  41  may be that of the trusted platform module (TPM). Primary components of arrangement  41  may incorporate a cryptographic processor  43 , a persistent memory  44  and a versatile memory  45 . 
         [0017]    Cryptographic processor  43  may incorporate a random number generator  51 , a SHA-1 hash generator  52 , an RSA key generator  53 , and an encryption-decryption-signature engine  54 . Persistent memory  44  may incorporate an endorsement key (EK)  55 , and a storage root key  56 . Versatile memory  45  may incorporate platform configuration registers (PCR)  57 , attestation identity keys (AIK)  58 , and storage keys  59 . 
         [0018]    The present approach may incorporate a locating of the memory chip  23  or other storage memory with a configuration of device  13  in mounting frame or plate  12 . A connection between memory chip  23  in mounting frame  12  and device  13  may be created. Virtually all configuration settings applicable to device  13  may be stored in memory chip  23  or other memory that is part of mounting frame  12 . Should now a failure occur as to device  13 , then device  13  may be removed from mounting frame  12  and replaced with a replacement device  13  which is a good working spare part. As the replacement device  13  is attached to mounting frame  12 , it may be reconnected with memory chip  23  or corresponding memory on mounting frame  12 , and the replacement device  13  can virtually in an instant inherit the configuration settings from memory chip  23  or other memory previously connected to the replaced wallbox device  13 . For instance, in arrangement  10  or  40 , having memory chip  23  remain on mounting frame or plate  12  may ease replacement of a significant number of wallbox devices that could fail on a regular basis in a many-room facility or numerous individual places. 
         [0019]    Mounting frame  12  holding memory chip  23  may be installed after the basic electrical plumbing has been installed in a wallbox  11 . Mounting frame  12  may be distinct and separable from wallbox  11 . Standard wallboxes  11 , whether single or multiple gang, may be installed in a normal fashion without regard to the present arrangement  10 ,  40  or other like arrangement. 
         [0020]    An implementation of memory chip  23  or other memory, in a plate or mounting frame  12 , may be a particular portion or category of a memory chip or other storage that is referred to as a trusted platform module (TPM). The TPM may be regarded as a having a dedicated microprocessor designed to secure hardware by integrating cryptographic keys into devices. The TPM may allow for more secure storage of configuration settings, in particular, network encryption keys and/or authentication information. For example, when a spare or replacement wallbox device  13  is attached to mounting frame  12  and goes online, device  13  may announce itself to the network with a default network key to request permission to join the network. Then another network member or server may send a challenge to the spare or replacement wallbox device  13  that can only be properly met through accessing the TPM. The TPM may, for example, contain a one-way-hash function, e.g., based on the SHA-1 (secure hash algorithm), that can be utilized to compute a reply to the challenge. 
         [0021]    In summary, memory chip  23  in mounting frame  12  may store energy management settings, network configuration settings and application-level settings that allow wallbox device  13  to participate meaningfully in an overall building automation application. 
         [0022]    The wallbox device  13  and mounting frame  12  of arrangement  10 ,  40  or the like, may be used in residential, multi-dwelling and hotel applications. The present arrangement or system may allow existing installations to have replacement wallbox devices  13  with a higher degree of configuration accuracy and consistency than installations that had replacement devices incorporating configuration memory chips or storage in the devices themselves. 
         [0023]    In the present device  13  and mounting frame  12  of system or arrangement  10  or  40 , memory chip  23  may be embedded onto plate or mounting frame  12  that may be at least in part a printed circuit board (PCB) that has contacts at its end exposed towards device  13  having aligned contacts inserted or to be inserted in mounting frame  12 . The PCB may be part of mounting frame  12 . The plate or mounting frame  12  may be a molded ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) part where the PCB can be over-molded or otherwise affixed to the mounting frame. When wallbox device  13  is attached to plate or frame  12 , the contacts of the plate or frame  12  may make a connection between a micro controller of wallbox device  13  and memory chip  23  of mounting plate or frame  12 . 
         [0024]    For example, exposed pads or contacts  29  on wallbox device  13  may match up with pogo-pins connected to memory chip  23  of mounting frame  12  in that when attached to mounting frame  12 , an electrical contact may be established between wallbox device  13  and memory chip  23  of mounting frame  12 . Alternatively, the pogo-pins may be on wallbox device  13  and make contact with exposed pads connected to memory chip  23  in mounting frame  12 . 
         [0025]    Other alternative approaches for connections may have an RFID-based or near field communication (NFC) memory chip  23  that is affixed to or embedded in plate or mounting frame  12 . A reader for memory chip  23  may reside on wallbox device  13 . 
         [0026]    To recap, a wallbox system may incorporate a wallbox device having a user interface, a processor connected to the user interface, and may incorporate a mounting frame with a memory having configuration settings for the wallbox device. The mounting frame may be attachable to and removable from a commercially present or available standard or conventional wallbox without modification of the wallbox. The wallbox device may be attached to the mounting frame and connected to the memory. The wallbox device may be detached from the mounting frame and disconnected from the memory. When the wallbox device is detached from the mounting frame and disconnected from the memory, then another wallbox device may be attached to the mounting frame and connected to the memory. The configuration settings stored in the memory may be applicable to the other wallbox device. 
         [0027]    The memory may incorporate a trusted platform module that allows for secure storage of configuration settings that incorporate particular encryption keys and/or authentication information. 
         [0028]    The wallbox device may incorporate one or more items selected from a group consisting of a switch, a timer, a motion detector, an ambient object detector, a sound detector, a two-way communicator, an alert indicator, an air quality detector, an intrusion detector, an annunciator, diagnostic electronics, and a thermostat. 
         [0029]    The memory further may have energy management settings and network configuration settings. 
         [0030]    The memory may further have application-level settings which allow the wallbox device to participate in an overall building automation control. 
         [0031]    A connection may occur between the wallbox device and the mounting frame having contacts connected to the memory and exposed towards contacts of the wallbox device with contact between the contacts of the mounting frame and the contacts of the wallbox device. 
         [0032]    A connection between the wallbox device and the memory of the mounting frame may incorporate exposed metal connection pads on a printed circuit board holding the memory, and the wallbox device may incorporate pogo pins to establish contact with the pads when the wallbox device is attached to the mounting frame. 
         [0033]    A connection between the wallbox device and the memory of the mounting frame may incorporate a wireless transmitter and a reader. 
         [0034]    The trusted platform module may provide for secure storage of various settings besides configuration settings. When the other wallbox device is mounted to the mounting frame and connected to the memory, the other wallbox device may announce itself to a network with a default key to request permission to join the network. A network member or server may send a challenge to the other wallbox device that is or needs to be met through accessing the trusted platform module. The trusted platform module may contain a hash function that computes a reply to the challenge. If there is lack of a challenge or there is an acceptable reply to the challenge, then the other wallbox device may become a network member. 
         [0035]    A wallbox arrangement may incorporate a mounting frame attachable to a conventional or standard electrical wallbox commercially available or already installed in a building, without modification of a structure of the wallbox, a memory attached to the mounting frame, and a wallbox device attachable to and detachable from the mounting frame, and connectable to and dis-connectable from the memory, respectively. The wallbox device may be replaceable with another similar wallbox device that is attachable to the mounting frame and connectable to the memory in a similar manner as the replaced wallbox device. 
         [0036]    The arrangement may further incorporate a user interface situated within the wallbox device, and a processor situated within the wallbox device, connected to the user interface, and connectable to the memory. The wallbox device, along with the user interface and processor, may be replaceable with another wallbox device with a user interface and processor. Configuration settings held by the memory may be applicable for the processor and user interface of the replaced wallbox device and the other wallbox device. A connection, between the processor of the wallbox device and the memory, may incorporate contacts on the memory and on the processor of the wallbox device. 
         [0037]    The memory may incorporate a trusted platform sub-module. The trusted platform sub-module may securely hold configuration settings for the processor and user interface. The trusted platform module may store security configuration settings incorporate network encryption keys and/or authentication information. 
         [0038]    A connection between the memory and the processor may be selected from a group consisting of near field communication (NFC), infrared communication, and optical fiber communication. 
         [0039]    The wallbox device may incorporate one or more items selected from a group consisting of a switch, a timer, a motion detector, an ambient object detector, a sound detector, a two-way communicator, an alert indicator, an air quality detector, an intrusion detector, an annunciator, diagnostic electronics, and a thermostat. 
         [0040]    An approach for replacing a wallbox device may incorporate providing a mounting frame attachable to a wallbox, providing a first wallbox device attached to the mounting frame and connected to a memory in the mounting frame, and detaching and disconnecting the first wallbox device from the mounting frame and the memory in the mounting frame, and attaching and connecting a second wallbox device to the mounting frame and the memory in the mounting frame. The second wallbox device may have the same structure and electronics as the first wallbox device. 
         [0041]    The memory may incorporate a configuration developed for a wallbox device like the first and second wallbox devices. The memory may incorporate a first connection interface. The first wallbox device may incorporate a second connection interface. A second wallbox device may incorporate a second connection interface. Attaching the first and second connection interfaces to each other may result in a connection between the first connection interface and the second connection interface. 
         [0042]    A connection between the first and second connection interfaces may be selected from a group consisting of a near field communication connection, an RFID connection, an optical connection, and a wire connection. 
         [0043]    The first and second wallbox devices may incorporate one or more items selected from a group consisting of a switch, a timer, a motion detector, an ambient object detector, a sound detector, a two-way communicator, an alert indicator, an air quality detector, an intrusion detector, an annunciator, diagnostic electronics, and a thermostat. 
         [0044]    The memory may incorporate a trusted platform module. The trusted platform module may provide for secure storage of various settings besides the configuration developed for a wallbox device. When the second wallbox device is mounted to the mounting frame and connected to the memory, the second wallbox device may announce itself to a network with a default key to request permission to join the network. A network member or server may send a challenge to the second wallbox device that is or needs to be met through accessing the trusted platform module. The trusted platform module may contain a hash function that computes a reply to the challenge. If there is lack of a challenge or there is an acceptable reply to the challenge, then the second wallbox device may become a network member. 
         [0045]    In the present specification, some of the matter may be of a hypothetical or prophetic nature although stated in another manner or tense. 
         [0046]    Although the present system and/or approach has been described with respect to at least one illustrative example, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the related art to include all such variations and modifications.