EP-4736481-A1 - WIRELESS REGISTRATION OF DEVICES WITH AND HANDLING OF PROFILES IN AN INTERCOM SYSTEM

EP4736481A1EP 4736481 A1EP4736481 A1EP 4736481A1EP-4736481-A1

Abstract

An intercom system including an intercom network, a user panel, and a wireless access point. The user panel includes a user panel wireless transceiver, a user panel short range communication transceiver, and a user panel electronic controller. The wireless access point communicatively coupled with the intercom network via a first intercom interface, the wireless access point includes an access point wireless transceiver, an access point short range communication transceiver, and an access point electronic controller. The access point electronic controller receives a user input to begin a registration mode, detects a first beacon signal via the access point short range communication transceiver, determines whether the user panel has matching characteristics with the wireless access point, initiates a first wireless connection between the access point short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver, exchanges identification information, and registers the user panel to the intercom network.

Inventors

BREDE, Jeff
MCKINNON, Sean
ANDERSEN, JIM
MOORE, KEVIN B.
BRCHAN, Jason

Assignees

Robert Bosch GmbH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240618

Claims (19)

1. An intercom system, the system comprising: an intercom network; a user panel including a user panel wireless transceiver configured to establish wireless communications; a user panel short range communication transceiver configured to establish wireless communications; a user panel electronic controller communicatively coupled to the user panel wireless transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver; a wireless access point communicatively coupled with the intercom network via a first intercom interface, the wireless access point including an access point wireless transceiver configured to establish wireless communications; an access point short range communication transceiver configured to establish wireless communications; an access point electronic controller communicatively coupled to the access point wireless transceiver and the access point short range communication transceiver, the access point electronic controller configured to receive a user input, via the first intercom interface, to begin a registration mode; detect a first beacon signal via the access point short range communication transceiver from the user panel short range communication transceiver; determine whether the user panel has matching characteristics with the wireless access point; initiate a first wireless connection between the access point short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver in response to determining that the user panel has matching characteristics with the wireless access point; exchange identification information between the access point short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver; and register the user panel to the intercom network.
2. The intercom system of claim 1, wherein the access point electronic controller is configured to: disconnect the first wireless connection in response to registering the user panel to the intercom network.
3. The intercom system of claim 2, wherein the user panel electronic controller is configured to: transmit the first beacon signal via the user panel short range communication transceiver; and initiate a second wireless connection between the user panel wireless transceiver and the access point wireless transceiver in response to registering the user panel.
4. The intercom system of claim 3, wherein the user panel electronic controller is configured to: receive a firmware update via a temporary wireless connection.
5. The intercom system of claim 1, wherein the matching characteristics are at least one selected from the group consisting of a bandwidth, a connectivity strength, a signal sensitivity, and a universally unique identifier (UUID).
6. The intercom system of claim 1, further comprising: an external device communicatively coupled with the intercom network, the external device configured to receive the user input and transmit a signal indicative of the user input to the first intercom interface.
7. The intercom system of claim 1, further comprising: a mobile device communicatively coupled with the intercom network, the mobile device including a mobile device short range communication transceiver and an audio interface, the mobile device configured to: initiate a third wireless connection between mobile device short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver; transmit a control signal to the user panel via the third wireless communication; and exchange, via the user panel, control messages between the access point wireless transceiver and the user panel wireless transceiver based on the control signal.
8. The intercom system of claim 6, wherein the mobile device is configured to: communicate, via the audio interface, audio signals via the third wireless connection.
9. The intercom system of claim 1, wherein the access point electronic controller is configured to: determine a signal strength of the first beacon signal; and determine a distance from the wireless access point to the user panel based on the signal strength.
10. A method for registering a user panel to an intercom system via a wireless access point, the user panel including a user panel wireless transceiver, a user panel short range communication transceiver, and a user panel electronic controller, the wireless access point including an access point wireless transceiver, an access point short range communication transceiver, and an access point electronic controller, the method comprising: receiving a user input, via the access point electronic controller, to begin a registration mode; detecting, via the access point electronic controller, a first beacon signal at the access point short range communication transceiver from the user panel short range communication transceiver; determining, via the access point electronic controller, whether the user panel has matching characteristics with the wireless access point; initiating, via the access point electronic controller, a first wireless connection between the access point short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver in response to determining that the user panel has matching characteristics with the wireless access point; exchanging, via the access point electronic controller, identification information between the access point short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver; and registering, via the access point electronic controller, the user panel to an intercom network.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: disconnecting, via the access point electronic controller, the first wireless connection in response to registering the user panel to the intercom network.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: transmitting, via the user panel electronic controller, the first beacon signal via the user panel short range communication transceiver; and initiating, via the user panel electronic controller, a second wireless connection between the user panel wireless transceiver and the access point wireless transceiver in response to registering the user panel.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: receiving, via the user panel electronic controller, a firmware update from a temporary wireless connection.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising: initiating, via a mobile device, a third wireless connection between a mobile device short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver; transmitting, via the mobile device, a control signal to the user panel via the third wireless communication; and exchanging, via the user panel, control messages between the access point wireless transceiver and the user panel wireless transceiver based on the control signal.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: communicating, via an audio interface of the mobile device, audio signals via the third wireless connection.
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising: determining, via the access point electronic controller, a signal strength of the first beacon signal; and determining, via the access point electronic controller, a distance from the wireless access point to the user panel based on the signal strength.
17. A method for logging into a user panel of an intercom system via a mobile device, the method comprising: receiving, via the mobile device, a user input to create a new user; transmitting, via the user panel, a first beacon signal from a user panel short range communication transceiver; receiving, via the mobile device, the first beacon signal at a mobile device short range communication transceiver; initiating, via the mobile device, a first wireless connection between the user panel short range communication transceiver and the mobile device short range communication transceiver; transmitting, via the mobile device, identification information over the first wireless connection; and disconnecting, via the mobile device, the first wireless connection in response to exchanging the identification information.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: retrieving, via the user panel, personalization settings of the new user from the intercom network.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the personalization settings include at least one selected from the group consisting of key assignments, volume, microphone gain, and brightness.

Description

WIRELESS REGISTRATION OF DEVICES WITH AND HANDLING OF PROFILES IN AN INTERCOM SYSTEM BACKGROUND [0001] Embodiments, examples, and aspects relate to, among other things, systems and methods for registering devices with a wireless access point. SUMMARY [0002] Intercom systems include a number of devices communicatively interconnected with one another over an intercom network. In many cases, an intercom system includes one or more central devices (for example, a controller) and a number of peripheral devices. Intercom systems are often used for real-time audio communication. For example, intercom systems are used at sports stadiums, concert halls, theaters, and other venues to allow, for example, television crews (or others) to communicate with one another. In some instances, the peripheral devices are wired devices. In other instances, the peripheral devices are wireless devices that register with an access point (or group of access points) and then communicate over the intercom network. The inventors have learned that in some instances, it is difficult to quickly and conveniently register wireless peripheral devices to access points, particularly when switching between different venues. In particular, the inventors have discovered that certain wireless data protocols are slower that others when used for registration of wireless peripheral devices. [0003] Examples described herein provide, among other things, systems and methods for registering devices with a wireless access point. [0004] One example provides an intercom system. The intercom system includes an intercom network and a user panel. The user panel includes a user panel wireless transceiver configured to establish wireless communications, a user panel short range communication transceiver configured to establish wireless communications, and a user panel electronic controller communicatively coupled to the user panel wireless transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver. The intercom system also includes a wireless access point communicatively coupled with the intercom network via a first intercom interface. The wireless access point includes an access point wireless transceiver configured to establish wireless communications, an access point short range communication transceiver configured to establish wireless communications, and an access point electronic controller communicatively coupled to the access point wireless transceiver and the access point short range communication transceiver. The access point electronic controller receives a user input, via the first intercom interface, to begin a registration mode, detects a first beacon signal via the access point short range communication transceiver from the user panel short range communication transceiver, and determines whether the user panel has matching characteristics with the wireless access point. The access point electronic controller also initiates a first wireless connection between the access point short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver in response to determining that the user panel has matching characteristics with the wireless access point, exchanges identification information between the access point short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver, and registers the user panel to the intercom network. [0005] In some instances, the access point electronic controller disconnects the first wireless connection in response to registering the user panel to the intercom network. [0006] In some instances, the user panel electronic controller transmits the first beacon signal via the user panel short range communication transceiver and initiates a second wireless connection between the user panel wireless transceiver and the access point wireless transceiver in response to registering the user panel. [0007] In some instances, the user panel electronic controller receives a firmware update via a temporary wireless connection. [0008] In some instances, the matching characteristics are at least one selected from the group consisting of a bandwidth, a connectivity strength, a signal sensitivity, and a universally unique identifier (UUID). [0009] In some instances, the intercom system includes an external device communicatively coupled with the intercom network, the external device configured to receive the user input and transmit a signal indicative of the user input to the first intercom interface. [0010] In some instances, the intercom system includes a mobile device communicatively coupled with the intercom network. The mobile device includes a mobile device short range communication transceiver and an audio interface. The mobile device configured to initiate a third wireless connection between mobile device short range communication transceiver and the user panel short range communication transceiver, transmit a control signal to the user panel via the third wire