Patent ID: 7053767

Claim:
A method for controlling a system comprising: remotely collecting data from at least one originating transmitter coupled to a sensor; processing the data into a RF signal; transmitting the RF signal to another nearby transmitter coupled to a sensor; retransmitting the RF signal to a gateway, wherein the RF signal may be further retransmitted by additional transmitters coupled to a sensor prior to being transmitted to the gateway; translating the data in the RF signal into a network transfer protocol; sending the translated data to a computer, wherein the computer is configured to appropriately respond to the data generated by the at least one sensor by generating an appropriate control signal; sending the control signal via the network to the gateway; translating the control signal from a network transfer protocol into a RF control signal; transmitting the RF control signal to one or more of another nearby transmitters coupled to a sensor; retransmitting the RF control signal, wherein the RF control signal may be further retransmitted by the additional transmitters coupled to a sensor; receiving the RF control signal; translating the received RF control signal into an analog signal; and applying the analog signal to an actuator to effect the desired system response.