Abstract:
The current invention is directed to using utility outlets as wireless hubs within a premise so as to avoid the use of stand-alone wireless access points. Using utility outlets as wireless hubs requires the use of less cables and enhances security of wireless communication in a premises.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is related to co-pending, and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/094,743, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P005US/10506911, entitled “HYBRID FIBER/CONDUCTOR INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION NETWORKS;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/512,742, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P008US/10606747, entitled “HYBRID FIBER/CONDUCTOR INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION NETWORKS;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/683,304, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P012US/10609934, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LINKING UTILITY CONTROL DEVICES;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/683,327, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P013US/10609935, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPORTING;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/683,298, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P014US/10614006, entitled “LIGHT SWITCH USED AS A COMMUNICATION DEVICE;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/683,308, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P015US/10614005, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREMISES MONITORING USING WEIGHT DETECTION;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P015CP1/10704955, entitled “SELF LEARNING AUTOMATION SYSTEM;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/683,326, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P016US/10614296, entitled “ANTICIPATORY UTILITY CONTROL DEVICE;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P016CP1/10704956, entitled “ANOMALY-BASED PREMISE CONTROL;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/683,335, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P017US/10614295, entitled “PLUG AND PLAY UTILITY CONTROL MODULES;” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/683,354, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P025US/10704959, entitled “LIGHT SWITCH POWER SUP“PLY;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P026US/10704960, entitled “UTILITY OUTLETS AS A SECURITY SYSTEM;” U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. ______, Attorney Docket No. 66816/V028.0/1070XXXX, entitled “UTILITY OUTLETS AS REMOTE CONTROL REPEATERS;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P029US/10704963, entitled “TEMPERATURE DETECTION AND CALCULATIONS OUTFLETS;” U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Attorney Docket No. 66816/P030US/10704964, entitled “USING UTILITY OUTLETS TO DETERMINE AND REPORT MEDIA BASED ACTIVITY,” the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The current invention relates to utility outlets and specifically to the use of utility outlets in a premises as wireless hubs. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The rapid increase in the use of wireless networks in recent years includes the use of wireless networks in and around premises. A wireless network system replaces cables used to connect devices with a wireless access point (WAP) device. The WAP device connects a wireless device, such as a laptop, to a wired network or to another wireless device. For example, wireless networks at home, school or a business are commonplace because they offer users mobility and reduce the amount of cables needed to create a network. 
         [0004]    The use of a traditional WAP, however, does not completely eliminate the need for cables because the WAP itself has to be connected to a power source by a cable. Moreover, the use of traditional WAP adds to the clutter of devices in a modern premises. Traditional WAP wireless networks include a WAP that has to transmit at a signal strength sufficient to reach the targeted wireless user device(s). Invariably, where there are multiple target wireless user devices, for example, multiple laptops located in different rooms in a premises, the WAP&#39;s location compromises some wireless user devices because the devices further away from the WAP usually receive poor service. 
         [0005]    Further, the signal path to some wireless user devices may have more obstructions than others. With distance and obstructions as variables, service to one wireless user device is often poor while service to another is good. One possible solution to the problems of distance from the WAP to the wireless user device and obstructions between the WAP and the wireless user device is to increase the signal strength from the WAP. Increasing the signal strength, however, requires more expensive equipment. Moreover, increasing the signal strength to effectively cover the whole premises may result in the WAP broadcasting outside the intended range. Broadcasting outside of an intended range of a premises may pose security issues. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is directed to a system and method which uses one or more utility devices to provide wireless access points by receiving and transmitting wireless signals to and from a wired network. The present invention takes advantage of the fact that utility outlets, such as light switches, plug sockets and ceiling lights, are located in virtually every room in a premises. As typically located, utility devices provide an opportune means of providing wireless service to the area of the premise in which the device is located. 
         [0007]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is one embodiment of the current invention illustrating a utility outlet as a wireless hub; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates a prior art WAP system; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates the use of a utility outlet as a wireless hub; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a typical prior art WAP premises system; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows the use of a plurality of utility outlets as a wireless hub replacing the prior art WAP system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is one embodiment of the current invention illustrating a utility outlet  10  with capabilities to function as a wireless hub. Utility outlet  10 , in this embodiment, is a power socket used in a premise to allow devices to connect to electrical power. In addition to serving as a connection point for devices, utility outlet  10  has the capability of communicating wirelessly with devices, such as laptops, PDA&#39;s, cell phones, and other such wireless devices. Utility outlet  10  communicates wirelessly with other devices, such as computer  11 , via transceiver  101 . Additionally, utility outlet  10  also includes processor  102  that allows utility outlet  10  to control and route communications. Utility outlet  10  is connected to the premise power supply by power cable  103  connected to terminals (not shown) on the utility device. The utility outlet may also include, if desired, communication cable  104  to, for example, connect to a wired network, such as to Internet  12 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates the use of a conventional WAP, such as WAP  201  in premises  20 . WAP  201  is plugged into a conventional power socket  202 . As is well known, wireless technology has eliminated the need to have cables between WAP  201  and laptop  203 . As illustrated, the hallmark of wireless technology has been the increase in mobility of user devices and the elimination of unsightly cables around a premises. Significantly, however, the latter benefit of wireless technology has not been completely realized. Power cable  204  is required in conventional wireless networks to transmit power from outlet  202  to WAP  201 . Additionally WAP  201  requires a cable, such as  205 , to connect to a wired network via outlet connector  205 A. WAP  201 , and its associating wiring, occupy valuable space and to most persons is aesthetically unappealing. 
         [0016]    The wireless network using a conventional WAP, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , is contrasted with the use of a utility outlet as a wireless hub as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . In  FIG. 3 , utility outlet  10  is capable of communicating with laptop  203  wirelessly at premises  20  thereby eliminating the need for WAP  201  and its associated wiring, thereby freeing up table  206  for other purposes. Further, an inherent function of utility outlet  10  is to connect devices to a power supply. Thus, utility outlet  10  has power cable  103  internal to the physical structure of the premises. This same cable  103  supplies the power necessary to allow utility outlet  10  to operate as a wireless hub. Moreover, communication cable  104 , in one embodiment, is connected to utility outlet  10  in a way such that when utility outlet  10  is installed in a premises, cable  104  is not visible. A visitor to a premises equipped with utility outlets  10 , therefore, would not be aware that the premises has wireless equipment installed in the premises. 
         [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates how a conventional WAP, such as WAP  401 , is currently used to provide wireless service to a whole premise, such as premises  40  having a number of rooms. In the example, the premises is a home. As illustrated, WAP  401  sends signals strong enough to all areas of premise  40  such that distant devices, such as laptop  402  in a different room, can be effectively linked to the wireless network. The problem with this scenario is that intruder laptop device  403  outside of premises  40  can also link to this wireless network. Therefore, in addition to the need for a separate physical device  401 , the WAP presents a security concern to the wireless network users of premises  40 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates the use of a plurality of utility outlets, such as utility outlets  10 - 1 ,  10 - 2 , and  10 - 3  as wireless hubs to obviate the need to broadcast at a strength that carries the signals outside the environs of premises  50 . Thus, in  FIG. 5 , the plurality of utility outlets provide wireless communication for different areas of premise  50 . For example, utility outlet  10 - 1  is capable of wirelessly linking laptop  503  to the network while it would not be capable of doing so with regard to laptop  504 . Instead, laptop  504  is linked to the network by utility outlet  10 - 3 . Additionally, if desired, utility outlet  10 - 2  can serve as a hub for communications between utility devices  10 - 1  and  10 - 3 . Implementing the current invention in premise  50 , therefore, among other things, prevents intruder laptop  403  from accessing the wireless networks intended for users within premise  50 . 
         [0019]    Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.