System and method for transmitting signals to an appliance

Abstract

A transmitter apparatus effective for activating a remotely situated appliance includes a radio frequency (RF) transmitter. The RF transmitter is configured to be mounted to a structural element of a building and configured to receive an actuation by a user to wirelessly transmit a signal. An antenna is coupled to the RF transmission circuitry and is arranged and configured to transmit the signal to a remotely situated appliance. The antenna is disposed within an opening in the structural element of the building and is of dimensions so as to extend at least partially through the opening. The antenna transmits the signal to the appliance without significant interference or absorption from the structural element of the building.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A transmitter apparatus effective for activating a remotely situated appliance, the apparatus comprising:
 a radio frequency (RF) transmitter which includes radio transmission circuitry and an antenna operably coupled to the transmission circuitry; 
 a rigid housing comprising a rigid material, the housing configured to hold the transmission circuitry and the antenna, the housing including a battery mounting device to hold a battery to power the RF transmitter; 
 an actuator operably coupled to the transmitter to effect operation of the transmitter, the housing configured to hold the actuator so that it is operably coupled to the transmitter, 
 the RF transmitter and the housing configured to be mounted to a mounting surface having an RF interfering material associated therewith, the transmitter configured to receive via the actuator an actuation by a user to wirelessly transmit a RF signal to a remotely situated appliance, the antenna being disposed within the rigid housing which is configured to be disposed within an opening in the mounting surface, the housing and the antenna having dimensions so as to extend at least partially through the opening to extend into the mounting surface sufficiently such that the antenna extends beyond the RF interfering material, the antenna transmitting the signal to the appliance to effect control of operation of the appliance without significant interference or absorption from the mounting surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The transmitter apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the battery mounting device is disposed so as to be accessible to the user without removing the RF transmitter from its mounted position. 
     
     
       3. The transmitter apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the antenna comprises a wire. 
     
     
       4. The transmitter apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the wire is of a length so as to extend through the opening and beyond the RF interfering material associated with the mounting surface. 
     
     
       5. The transmitter apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the rigid housing is generally cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
       6. The transmitter apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the mounting surface comprises a surface selected from the group consisting of an exterior wall, an interior wall, and a barrier. 
     
     
       7. The transmitter apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the remotely situated appliance comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of a doorbell; an intercom; a light; a fan; an alarm system; a moveable barrier operator; a window treatment; a rolling shutter; a hot tub; a fireplace; a television; and a video source. 
     
     
       8. The transmitter apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the transmitter apparatus further comprises at least one actuator button configured to be disposed on a side of the RF interfering material opposite that of at least a portion of the antenna when the transmitter apparatus is mounted on the mounting surface. 
     
     
       9. The transmitter apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the at least one button is configured to be illuminated. 
     
     
       10. A method of installing a transmitter apparatus that actuates a remotely situated appliance, the method comprising:
 mounting a transmitter to a mounting surface of a building, the transmitter including an actuator, RF transmission circuitry, and an antenna; 
 inserting a portion of the transmitter into an opening in the building, the opening extending at least partially through a structural element of the building, the structural element having an RF interfering material associated therewith, the opening extending at least partially beyond the RF interfering material associated with the structural element; and 
 wherein the mounting the transmitter comprises inserting a housing supporting the antenna at least partially through the opening and past the RF interfering material associated with the structural element relative to the actuator. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 actuating the transmitter to responsively transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal from the transmitter to the remotely situated appliance via the antenna, the signal being transmitted to the appliance without significant interference or absorption from the structural element of the building. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10  further comprising forming the opening by drilling a hole completely through a wall of the building. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein the opening extends completely through the structural element of the building and inserting a portion of the transmitter into the opening includes disposing the antenna so as to completely pass through the opening. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10  wherein the transmitter includes a power source and further comprising accessing the power source without removing the transmitter from its mounted position. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10  wherein the remotely situated appliance comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of a doorbell; a light; an intercom; a fan; an alarm system; a moveable barrier operator; a window treatment; a rolling shutter; a hot tub; a fireplace; a television; and a video source. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10  wherein the structural element of the building comprises an element selected from the group consisting of: an exterior wall, an interior wall, and a barrier. 
     
     
       17. A transmitter apparatus effective for activating a remotely situated appliance, the apparatus comprising:
 an actuator configured to be mounted on a mounting surface of a building; 
 a radio frequency (RF) transmitter apparatus, the RF transmitter apparatus electrically connected to the actuator and configured to be mounted to the mounting surface of the building and further configured to receive an actuation by a user acting on the actuator to wirelessly transmit a RF signal, the RF transmitter apparatus comprising: 
 a housing which includes a housing portion, 
 the housing configured to be mounted on the mounting surface of the building; 
 RF transmission circuitry within the housing; 
 a power source compartment configured to be accessible to a user without removing the RF transmitter apparatus from a mounted position on the mounting surface of the building; and 
 an antenna disposed in the housing portion, the housing portion comprising a rigid material, the housing portion configured to structurally support at least a portion of the antenna generally orthogonal to the mounting surface, the antenna being electrically coupled to the RF transmission circuitry, the antenna being arranged and configured to transmit the signal to a remotely situated appliance, the antenna configured within the housing portion so as to extend through the housing portion and an opening in the mounting surface of the building, the antenna transmitting the RF signal to the appliance to effect control of the operation of the appliance without significant interference or absorption from the mounting surface of the building. 
 
     
     
       18. The transmitter apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the antenna comprises a wire. 
     
     
       19. A transmission apparatus comprising:
 an actuator for receiving a user activation; and 
 a radio frequency (RF) transmitter for activating a remotely situated appliance in response to the user activation, the RF transmitter mountable to a mounting wall with a metal structure incorporated therein, the RF transmitter having:
 an antenna structurally supported within a housing, the antenna and the housing configured to be disposed within an opening at least partially through the mounting wall and past the metal structure of the mounting wall relative to the actuator; and 
 transmission circuitry electrically connecting the actuator, a power source, and the antenna. 
 
 
     
     
       20. A method of installing a transmission apparatus onto a mounting wall having a metal structure incorporated therein, the method comprising:
 forming an opening in the mounting wall, the opening extending beyond the metal structure incorporated into the mounting wall; and 
 mounting a transmission apparatus to the mounting wall, the transmission apparatus comprising an actuator, a radio frequency (RF) transmitter, and an antenna structurally supported in a housing; 
 wherein mounting the transmission apparatus includes disposing at least a portion of the antenna into the opening in the mounting wall beyond the metal structure incorporated into the mounting wall and disposing the actuator on a side of the metal structure opposite a portion of the antenna that extends beyond the metal structure. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20  wherein the opening in the mounting wall extends partially through the mounting wall and at least beyond the metal structure incorporated into the mounting wall. 
     
     
       22. A transmitter apparatus effective for activating a remotely situated appliance, the apparatus comprising:
 a radio frequency (RF) transmitter comprising radio transmission circuitry and an antenna operably coupled to the transmission circuitry; 
 a housing with at least one housing wall, the antenna being disposed within the housing and the housing configured to retain the antenna generally orthogonal to the at least one housing wall; 
 an actuator operably coupled to the RF transmitter to effect operation of the transmitter in response to actuation of the actuator; 
 the RF transmitter and the housing configured to be mounted to a mounting wall having an RF interfering material associated therewith, the transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit an RF signal to a remotely situated appliance in response to actuation of the actuator, the antenna being enclosed within the mounting wall and a portion of the antenna extending into the mounting wall sufficiently such that the antenna extends beyond the RF interfering material, the antenna configured to transmit the signal to the appliance to effect control of operation of the appliance without significant interference or absorption from the mounting wall.