US 11,722,853 B2
Mobile communication device for home automation
John W. Howard, Cedar Park, TX (US); Richard Cutler, Round Rock, TX (US); and Robert M. Kennard, Dallas, TX (US)
Assigned to THL Holding Company, LLC, Austin, TX (US)
Filed by THL Holding Company, LLC, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Feb. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/167,256.
Application 18/167,256 is a continuation of application No. 17/660,246, filed on Apr. 22, 2022.
Application 17/660,246 is a continuation of application No. 17/578,676, filed on Jan. 19, 2022, granted, now 11,350,246, issued on May 13, 2022.
Application 17/578,676 is a continuation of application No. 17/036,535, filed on Sep. 29, 2020, granted, now 11,265,680, issued on Mar. 1, 2022.
Application 17/036,535 is a continuation of application No. 16/837,481, filed on Apr. 1, 2020, granted, now 10,834,539, issued on Nov. 10, 2020.
Application 16/837,481 is a continuation of application No. 16/540,665, filed on Aug. 14, 2019, granted, now 10,645,537, issued on May 5, 2020.
Application 16/540,665 is a continuation of application No. 16/150,498, filed on Oct. 3, 2018, granted, now 10,440,501, issued on Oct. 8, 2019.
Application 16/150,498 is a continuation of application No. 15/910,654, filed on Mar. 2, 2018, granted, now 10,123,161, issued on Nov. 6, 2018.
Application 15/910,654 is a continuation of application No. 15/000,903, filed on Jan. 19, 2016, granted, now 9,942,700, issued on Apr. 10, 2018.
Application 15/000,903 is a continuation of application No. 14/281,077, filed on May 19, 2014, granted, now 9,295,024, issued on Mar. 22, 2016.
Application 14/281,077 is a continuation of application No. 14/044,202, filed on Oct. 2, 2013, granted, now 8,768,381, issued on Jul. 1, 2014.
Application 14/044,202 is a continuation of application No. 12/713,346, filed on Feb. 26, 2010, granted, now 8,588,806, issued on Nov. 19, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2023/0188945 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. H04W 4/20 (2018.01); H04W 4/029 (2018.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.01); H04W 4/024 (2018.01); G08B 13/14 (2006.01); G08B 21/02 (2006.01); G08B 25/01 (2006.01); H04W 4/02 (2018.01); H04W 64/00 (2009.01); H04L 41/0604 (2022.01)
CPC H04W 4/029 (2018.02) [G08B 13/1427 (2013.01); G08B 21/0244 (2013.01); G08B 21/0247 (2013.01); G08B 21/0269 (2013.01); G08B 21/0272 (2013.01); G08B 21/0277 (2013.01); G08B 25/016 (2013.01); H04L 41/0618 (2013.01); H04W 4/02 (2013.01); H04W 4/024 (2018.02); H04W 4/20 (2013.01); H04W 4/80 (2018.02); H04W 64/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mobile communication device comprising:
a plurality of wireless transceivers coupled to two or more antennas, the plurality of wireless transceivers including a Bluetooth transceiver, a long-range transceiver configured to send and receive telephone calls via a telephony network, and a Wi-Fi transceiver configured to communicate via an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 compatible network;
a memory that stores operational instructions;
a touch screen; and
a processor coupled to the memory and to the touch screen, wherein the processor is configured to execute the operational instructions, which upon execution, cause the processor to:
present a graphical user interface via the touch screen; and
generate pairing signals in response to interactions of a user via the graphical user interface to pair the mobile communication device to each of a plurality of home automation devices, wherein the Bluetooth transceiver responds to the pairing signals by communicating RF signals to pair the mobile communication device to each of the plurality of home automation devices, wherein a device identifier associated with each of the plurality of home automation devices is shared with the mobile communication device during pairing, and wherein each of the plurality of home automation devices is configured to control an auxiliary device coupled thereto;
wherein at least a portion of the operational instructions correspond to a home automation application, which upon execution, cause the processor to:
select, via the graphical user interface, a name associated with the auxiliary device coupled to each of the plurality of home automation devices;
display, via the graphical user interface, a menu that includes the name associated with the auxiliary device coupled to each of the plurality of home automation devices;
determine a selected home automation device of the plurality of home automation devices in response to selection from the menu, via the graphical user interface, of the name associated with the auxiliary device coupled to the selected home automation device; and
generate first control data in response to the selection of the name associated with the auxiliary device coupled to the selected home automation device, wherein at least one of the plurality of wireless transceivers transmits the first control data to the selected home automation device further in response to the selection; and
wherein at least the portion of the operational instructions corresponding to the home automation application, upon execution, further cause the processor to:
establish, via user interaction with the graphical user interface, a group of the plurality of home automation devices;
establish, via user interaction with the graphical user interface, tasks associated with the group of the plurality of home automation devices;
responsive to the selection of the group of the plurality of home automation devices, display a menu of the tasks associated with the group of the plurality of home automation devices;
receive, via user interaction with the graphical user interface, selection of at least one of the tasks associated with the group of the plurality of home automation devices; and
generate second control data in response to selection of the at least one of the tasks associated with the group, wherein the at least one of the plurality of wireless transceivers transmits the second control data to the group of the plurality of home automation devices to control, in accordance with the at least one of the tasks, each of the auxiliary devices coupled thereto.