Modular smart in-wall system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smart in-wall system. Previously, adding different functionality required replacing the plug assembly. An embodiment of the present invention uses a first wall plate configured to releasably couple to an in-wall unit of a modularized smart in-wall system. The first wall plate is replaceable with a second wall plate by removing the first wall plate from the front side of the in-wall unit and attaching the second wall plate to the front side of the in-wall unit.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to smart in-wall systems such as outlets, light switches, dimmers, Ethernet ports and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Background technology Smart in-wall systems allow nearly any wired appliance or device to be automated and controlled by an app and / or voice commands. However, once an in-wall system is installed, adding different functionality or features may require replacing the entire outlet. Thus, an improved system is desirable. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0003] Disclosure of the Invention According to various embodiments, a modularized smart in-wall system and method is disclosed that allows front panels (also known as "wall panels," "cover panels," "face panels" or "decor panels") having different functions to be installed on an in-wall unit, and one wall panel can be replaced with another without having to replace the entire system.

[0004] In certain embodiments, the modularized smart in-wall method may include switching a first wall panel of the modularized smart in-wall system with a second wall panel by removing the first wall panel from a front side of a smart in-wall unit of the modularized smart in-wall system and attaching the second wall panel to the front side of the smart in-wall unit, the first wall panel and the second wall panel being both attachable and detachable to the smart in-wall unit without removing the smart in-wall unit from the wall when the smart in-wall unit is installed in the wall, and the second wall panel being configured to perform at least one function not provided by the first wall panel.

[0005] In some embodiments, a modularized smart outlet / in-wall system may include a smart in-wall unit, a first wall plate that is attachable and detachable to a front side of the smart in-wall unit, and a second wall plate that is attachable and detachable to a front side of the smart in-wall unit, the second wall plate configured to perform at least one function not provided by the first wall plate, and the first wall plate and the second wall plate may be interchangeably coupled to the smart in-wall unit once the smart in-wall unit is installed in the wall without removing the smart in-wall unit from the wall.

[0006] In an embodiment, the first and second wall panels each include at least one board connector configured to releasably connect with a corresponding board connector in the smart in-wall unit. In some embodiments, the first and second wall panels each include wires or other conductive connection elements, and the smart in-wall unit includes internal wiring, the internal wiring including a rear end electrically coupled to the smart in-wall unit and a front end including a wire harness configured to connect to the wire connection elements of the first and second wall panels. In certain embodiments, the smart in-wall unit includes an in-wall unit housing that houses smart interior components, the smart interior components configured to communicate with a PCB of a wall panel attached to the in-wall unit, and the smart interior components further configured to perform various functions of a modularized smart outlet system in conjunction with a wall panel attached to the in-wall unit. In some embodiments, the modularized in-wall smart system can be a smart outlet system. In some embodiments, the modularized in-wall smart system can be an Ethernet-based home control system. In some embodiments, the modularized in-wall smart system can be a smart light switch system.

[0007] In certain embodiments, the modularized smart in-wall system may include a first wall plate configured to releasably couple to an in-wall unit of the modularized smart in-wall system, the first wall plate being replaceable with a second wall plate by removing the first wall plate from a front side of the in-wall unit and attaching the second wall plate to the front side of the in-wall unit, the first wall plate and the second wall plate being both attachable and detachable to the in-wall unit without removing the in-wall unit from the wall when the in-wall unit is installed in the wall, the second wall plate being configured to perform at least one function not provided by the first wall plate when the first and second wall plates are functioning properly. In some embodiments, the in-wall unit is an outlet unit. In some embodiments, the in-wall unit is a circuit switch unit, such as a light switch unit. In some embodiments, the in-wall unit is an Ethernet-based unit. In some embodiments, the in-wall unit is configured to install in an outlet cavity in a wall via a connection with an existing wire in the outlet cavity. In some embodiments, the first wall plate is configured to releasably clip into the in-wall unit. In some embodiments, the first wallboard includes a wallboard PCB within the wallboard cover. In some embodiments, the in-wall unit includes at least one in-wall unit PCB, the in-wall unit PCB in electrical contact with the wallboard PCB. In alternative embodiments, the in-wall unit PCB may wirelessly communicate with the wallboard PCB. In some embodiments, the in-wall unit PCB in electrical contact with the wallboard PCB via an electrical pin connector. In some embodiments, the in-wall unit PCB includes a power PCB configured to connect the modularized smart in-wall system to existing wires in the wall outlet cavity. In some embodiments, the wallboard cover includes a status light slot. In some embodiments, the wallboard cover includes a night light slot. In some embodiments, the wallboard cover includes one or more ventilation holes.

[0008] Brief explanation of the figure A detailed description of some embodiments of the invention is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which disclose one or more embodiments of the invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular smart outlet system in accordance with certain embodiments. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the modular smart outlet system of FIG. 1 illustrating installation of the system. [Diagram 3] 2 is a simplified exploded view of the modular smart outlet system of FIG. 1 with wiring shown in dashed lines for clarity. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a rear exploded view of the modular smart receptacle system of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart of installation steps for a modular smart outlet system, according to various embodiments. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular smart Ethernet system according to an alternative embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a rear partial exploded view of the modular smart Ethernet system of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular smart light switch system according to another alternative embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a partial exploded view of the modular smart light switch system of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a top right front perspective view of a modular smart receptacle system according to another alternative embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a bottom left front perspective view of the modular smart receptacle system of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] FIG. 12 is a front perspective exploded view of the modular smart receptacle system of FIG. 11. [Figure 14] FIG. 12 is a rear perspective exploded view of the modular smart receptacle system of FIG. 11. [Figure 15] FIG. 12 is a partial exploded view of the modular smart outlet system of FIG. 11 illustrating installation. [Figure 16]FIG. 12 is a rear perspective partial exploded view of the modular smart receptacle system of FIG. 11. [Figure 17] FIG. 12 is a rear view of the modular smart receptacle system of FIG. 11. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 18-18 in FIG. 17. [Figure 19A] 12 illustrates the compatibility of the modular smart outlet system wallplate of FIG. 11 with a modular smart electrical circuit switch system, according to an alternative embodiment. [Figure 19B] 12 illustrates the compatibility of the modular smart outlet system of FIG. 11 with different wall panels; [Figure 20] 19B shows the modular smart electrical circuit switch system of FIG. 19A with a wall plate installed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Best Mode for the Invention According to various embodiments, as depicted in Figures 1-10, a modularized smart in-wall system 2 (also referred to as a "modularized smart in-wall system 2") is disclosed in which outlet front plates ("wall plates") having different functions can be installed in an in-wall unit, and one wall plate can be replaced with another wall plate without having to replace the entire outlet. The modularized smart in-wall system 2 can be, for example, an outlet / plug-in system, an electrical switch (e.g., light switch) system, a combination of different systems, etc.

[0011] 1-19 , a modularized smart in-wall system 2 may generally include a smart in-wall unit 3 and a wallboard 4 configured to interchangeably couple to the smart in-wall unit. The smart in-wall unit 3 may be configured to install within an outlet cavity and / or an outlet electrical box 38 in a wall 40.

[0012] In certain embodiments, the smart in-wall unit 3 may house an interior assembly including smart interior components 16 configured to perform various functions / computing tasks of the modularized smart in-wall system 2 in conjunction with the wallboard 4, and may include at least one microcontroller. In certain embodiments, the smart interior components 16 are configured to couple to existing wall cable elements in the wall. In certain embodiments, the wallboard 4 may generally include a printed circuit board (PCB) including a wallboard cover and a microcontroller within the wallboard cover. In some embodiments, the microcontroller of the interior components 16 may be in electrical contact with the microcontroller, or sensors, or LEDs, or others of the wallboard 4. In certain embodiments, the smart interior components 16 may include internal wiring 30 or other conductive elements (e.g., pin connectors) for electrical connection with the wallboard 4. In alternative embodiments, the microcontroller of the interior components 16 and the microcontroller of the wallboard 4 may be configured for wireless communication and / or wireless power transfer.

[0013] According to various embodiments, the wallboard 4 is configured to releasably attach to the in-wall unit 3 and may be configured to perform certain basic functions in conjunction with the in-wall unit. For example, the wallboard / in-wall unit may be configured to perform basic functions such as a smart outlet system, an Ethernet-based home control system, a smart switch / light switch system, etc. In embodiments, the wallboard 4 may further include secondary elements configured to perform at least one secondary function in addition to the basic functions of the wallboard. Such secondary elements may include, but are not limited to, status indicators, power control elements, lighting control elements (e.g., dimmers, night lights, etc.), various sensor elements, various camera elements, various smart accessories and / or wireless bridging elements (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BLE, Thread, Zigbee, etc.), etc. It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the wallboard 4 / in-wall unit 3 may be configured to perform different basic and / or secondary functions that are or may be available with emerging technologies. It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, the wallboard 4 may be limited to only a single function (i.e., its basic functionality). In an embodiment, multiple wall panels, each configured to perform a different function, may be attachable and detachable to the in-wall unit 3 such that any one wall panel may be removed and replaced with a different wall panel.

[0014] In a first embodiment, as best depicted in FIGS. 1-5, the modularized smart in-wall system 2 may be a modularized smart plug system 2A (also referred to as a "modularized smart outlet system 2A"). In an embodiment, the modularized smart plug system 2A may include a cable-based socket in-wall unit 3A configured to couple to an interchangeable plug socket wallplate 4A. The socket in-wall unit 3A may generally include smart interior components 16A and at least one plug-in socket member 26 configured to perform various functions of the modularized smart plug system 2A in conjunction with the wallplate 4A. In some embodiments, the plug-in socket member 26 may be a NEMA outlet. In certain embodiments, the plug-in socket member 26 may be UL compliant. It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, different types of plug-in socket members may be used.

[0015] In certain embodiments, the socket in-wall unit 3A includes an in-wall unit housing 10 that houses an internal assembly including smart internal components 16A. In some embodiments, the in-wall unit housing 10 may be configured to install in a receptacle cavity 38 in a wall 40 (after removing the existing in-wall unit) and may include rear wiring slots 14 through which existing wires 42 (i.e., existing receptacle cables / wiring) may pass. In certain embodiments, the internal assembly of the socket in-wall unit 3A may include a connector 18 (also known as a termination block) configured to electrically connect with existing wires 42. In one embodiment, the connector 18 may be an AC connector and the existing wires 42 may include a power wire, a ground wire, and a neutral wire configured to connect to corresponding terminations in the connector 18.

[0016] In some embodiments, the in-wall unit housing 10 may include a mounting member 11 configured to enable the in-wall unit housing 10 to be mounted to a wall 40. The mounting member 11 may include, for example, holes through which bolts may be inserted to affix the in-wall unit housing 10 to the wall.

[0017] According to various embodiments, the inner housing 10 is configured to be enclosed by a housing front plate 20, and the enclosed unit is placed into a receptacle cavity 38 (see FIG. 2). The housing front plate 20 may be coupled to the in-wall unit housing 10, for example, via tabs 20A provided in the housing front plate 20, which insert into slots 10A in the housing front plate. In certain embodiments, the housing front plate 20 may include at least one socket member slot 22 configured to support a plug-in socket member 26. It should be appreciated that the front plate 20, socket member slot 22, and plug-in socket member 26 may have different configurations in alternative embodiments based on the type of plug / smart receptacle system. In one example, the plug-in socket member 26 can be designed and mounted directly onto the smart internal component 16, in which case the designed socket member slot 22 changes correspondingly based on the new design of the socket member 26, and in another example, the socket member 26 can be changed to a different plug type (e.g., Type G, Type C, Type D, etc.) depending on the location / country usage or voltage, current requirements, etc.

[0018] In further embodiments, the housing front plate 20 may include a wiring slot 24, which may provide a passage for the internal wiring 30. In one embodiment, a rear end of the internal wiring 30 may electrically connect with the smart internal components 16, 16A, and a front end of the wiring 30 may include a wire harness 28. In some embodiments, the wiring slot 24 may be configured to support the wire harness 28. In some embodiments, the wire harness 28 may be configured to connect with the wall plate 4A. In one embodiment, the harness 28 may include a first connector component 28A configured to mate with a second connector component 28B on the wall plate 4A. The first and second connector components may include, for example, corresponding male / female connectors, but are not limited to these embodiments.

[0019] In certain embodiments, the in-wall unit housing 10 and / or the wall plate 4A may include connector elements configured to releasably connect with the wall plate 4A, allowing a user to easily attach or remove the wall plate 4A from the in-wall unit. In one embodiment, such connector elements may include clip slots 12 provided in the in-wall unit housing 10 and clip feet 36 provided in the wall plate 4A, configured to snap into the clip slots 12 to attach the wall plate 4A to the housing 10. In an embodiment, the clip feet 36 may be provided in a wall plate cover 34 of the wall plate and pass through slots 32A provided in a printed circuit board 32 of the wall plate. Additionally, in some embodiments, the connection between the clip slots 12 and the clip feet 36 may be configured to align the first and second connector components 28A and 28B such that the wiring 30 automatically couples to the wall plate when the wall plate is attached to the in-wall unit. However, in other embodiments, the connection of the wiring 30 may need to be completed before connecting the entire wall plate. It should be appreciated that alternative connector components may be provided within the in-wall unit housing 10 and / or wall panel 4A, and in different embodiments, a sturdy, yet releasable connection may be provided. Such alternative connectors may include, for example, screws, Velcro, clasps, and the like.

[0020] In an alternative embodiment, as depicted in Figures 7-8, the modularized smart in-wall system 2 can be a modularized Ethernet-based smart system 2B. In an embodiment, the modularized Ethernet-based smart system 2B can include an Ethernet in-wall unit 3B configured to couple to a replaceable Ethernet-based wallboard 4B. In a particular embodiment, the Ethernet-based wallboard 4B can be specifically configured for Ethernet control. In a further embodiment, the Ethernet-based wallboard 4B can function as a home network dashboard. In a particular embodiment, the Ethernet-based wallboard 4B can be a touch screen board 44, but is not limited to this option.

[0021] In an embodiment, the Ethernet-based in-wall unit 3B may be similar to the socket in-wall unit 3A and may include components such as the housing 10, the mounting member 11, the rear wiring slot 14, connectors such as clip slots 12 and clip feet 36, internal wiring 30 configured to connect with the wall plate 4B, and a system PCB. In an embodiment, the Ethernet in-wall unit 3B may include smart internal components 16B configured to perform various functions of the modularized Ethernet-based smart system 2B in conjunction with the wall plate 4B. Additionally, the internal components 16B may include a connector 50 similar to the connector 18, but configured to receive the Ethernet cable 46. In some embodiments, the connector 50 may be an RJ45 port.

[0022] In another alternative embodiment, as depicted in Figs. 9-10, the modularized smart in-wall system 2 may be a modularized smart light switch system 2C. In an embodiment, the modularized smart light switch system 2C may include a light switch in-wall unit 3C configured to couple to a replaceable light switch wall plate 4C. The light switch wall plate 4C may include a wall plate cover 52 with a slot configured to receive a light switch 54 of the smart light switch system 2C. The light switch wall plate 4C may further include a light switch system PCB. The light switch in-wall unit 3C may be similar to the socket in-wall unit 3A and may include components such as a housing 10, a mounting member 11, a connector such as a rear wiring slot 14, a clip slot 12, and internal wiring 30 configured to connect with the light switch wall plate 4C. The light switch in-wall unit 3C may further include a housing front plate 56 including a light switch slot 56A and a wire harness slot 28A. In an embodiment, the light switch in-wall unit 3C includes smart internal components 16C configured to perform various functions of the modularized smart light switch system 2C in conjunction with the wallboard 4C. The smart internal components 16C may further include a connector 18 configured to electrically connect with an existing wire 42.

[0023] With particular reference to FIG. 6 , a user may install the modularized smart in-wall system 2 by removing an existing in-wall unit from the wall outlet cavity and disconnecting it from the wall cables / wires. The wall cables / wires may then be connected to the cable connector / wire termination block of the in-wall unit, and the smart in-wall unit may be installed in the wall outlet cavity. Once installed, the wallboard may be snapped onto the in-wall unit. In some embodiments, the internal wiring of the in-wall unit may be connected to the wallboard before snapping onto the wallboard. In other embodiments, the internal wiring may self-bond to the wallboard upon snapping onto the wallboard. In certain embodiments, the user may then pair the modularized smart in-wall system 2 with the user's devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, and the like), hubs, smart assistants, and the like. In some embodiments, the wallboard may include indicators, such as lights, to guide the user during installation and / or pairing.

[0024] 11-19 illustrate a smart modular in-wall system 2 including a smart plug-in outlet system 2D (modular smart outlet system 2D) with a wall plate 4D and an in-wall outlet unit 3D according to an alternative embodiment. In an embodiment, the wall plate 4D is generally configured to releasably couple to the in-wall outlet unit 3D, providing a replaceable component of the smart plug-in outlet system 2D. In a particular embodiment, the in-wall outlet unit 3D may be configured to install within an outlet cavity 38 in a wall 40 via connection to existing wires 42 in the outlet cavity 38.

[0025] In an embodiment, wallboard 4D includes a front wallboard cover 60 (front panel 60) and a wallboard PCB 72 configured for assembly with front panel 60. In an embodiment, wallboard PCB 72 may include a microcontroller unit (MCU) configured for controlling various secondary features of wallboard 4D (e.g., night light, sensors, indicators, wireless communication, etc.) and communicating with in-wall outlet unit 3D. Front panel 60 includes a front wallboard opening 62 configured to frame an outlet 88 of in-wall outlet unit 3D, said outlet 88 including another plug socket 88A. PCB 72 includes a PCB opening 74 configured to align with front wallboard opening 62 for similarly framed outlet 88. In some embodiments, wallboard 4D may further include a rear wallboard cover 78 (rear panel 78) configured for assembly with front panel 60 and wallboard PCB 72. The back plate 78 also includes a back plate opening 80 configured to align with the front wall plate opening 62 and the PCB opening 74 to frame the receptacle 88. In some embodiments, the front wall plate opening 62 may include an interior perimeter wall 62A and a receptacle perimeter wall 62B that is perpendicular to the front surface of the wall plate cover 60 and configured to frame and maintain the wall plate PCB 72. In some embodiments, the front plate 60 and the back plate 78 are configured to couple together with the wall plate PCB 72 sandwiched therebetween. In one embodiment, the interior perimeter wall 62A and the exterior perimeter wall 62B may include a back plate tab slot 70 configured to receive a back plate tab 84 provided at a corresponding location in the back plate 78. It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, different connection elements for coupling the back plate and the front plate may be used. In alternative embodiments, plug socket 88A may be configured to receive different types of plugs and plug adapters in different plug types (e.g. Type G, Type C, Type D, etc. depending on local / country usage or voltage, current requirements, etc.).

[0026] In certain embodiments, the wallboard 4D may include one or more secondary elements configured to perform at least one secondary function in addition to the basic functionality of the wallboard. The wallboard 4D may be further interchangeable with another wallboard, which may be configured to perform a different secondary function. In one embodiment, the front panel 60 may include a status light slot 64 configured to display a status of the smart plug-in receptacle system 2D. In certain embodiments, the wallboard cover 60 may include a night light slot 66 (see FIG. 12 ), which provides an opening slot for illumination of the night light. In some embodiments, the front panel 60 may include ventilation holes 68, which allow airflow, lighting, etc., necessary for the wallboard PCB 72 to function properly.

[0027] In certain embodiments, the in-wall receptacle unit 3D may generally include a rear housing 122 configured to form an enclosure with the receptacle 88 to house the internal assembly 96 including the smart internal components 16 of the receptacle unit 3D. In some embodiments, the receptacle 88 may include a peripheral side wall 88B configured to fit over the peripheral wall of the rear housing 122, and rear housing screws 125 may be used to secure the unit.

[0028] In some embodiments, the in-wall plug unit 3D may include a front plug plate 90 generally configured to mount the wall 40 over the peripheral side wall 88B of the plug 88 to securely maintain the plug 88, the internal assembly 96, and the rear housing 122 within the plug cavity 38. In embodiments, the plug plate 90 includes a plug plate opening 93 configured to frame the plug 88. In some embodiments, the plug plate 90 may include a back plate clip slot 94 configured to receive a corresponding back plate clip leg 86 provided in the back plate 78 of the wall plate 4D such that the wall plate 4D may be releasably clipped to the in-wall plug unit 3D. In an alternative embodiment, the plug plate 90 may be designed with the plug 88 as an integral unit.

[0029] In a particular embodiment, the smart internal components 16 of the internal assembly 96 may include a power PCB 108 and an in-wall PCB 104 with an MCU. In a further embodiment, the internal assembly 96 may include a yoke 102 and a yoke receiving barrier 109 between the power PCB 108 and the in-wall PCB 104, with the yoke receiving barrier 109 disposed between the yoke 102 and the power PCB 108, and the yoke 102 disposed between the in-wall PCB 104 and the yoke receiving barrier 109.

[0030] In an embodiment, the power PCB 108 may be configured to connect the smart plug-in receptacle system 2D to existing wires 42 to provide an isolated low voltage power source to the system. In some embodiments, the existing wires 42 may be routed into the receptacle unit 3D through openings 122A in the rear housing 122 and held in place for electrical contact with the power PCB 108 between the wire termination tabs 112A and the wire termination plate 112B. The assembly may be secured via wire termination screws 112C, with the front end of each wire termination tab 112A configured to insert into a corresponding slot 108B in the power PCB 108.

[0031] In an embodiment, the in-wall PCB 104 is configured to perform various functions / computing tasks of the modularized smart plug-in receptacle system 2D. The yoke 102 and yoke receiving barrier 109 are configured to support and couple the in-wall PCB 104 to the power PCB 108. In a particular embodiment, the yoke receiving barrier 109 creates a barrier configured to provide sufficient creepage requirements such that the receptacle and plug may be safely connected to a high voltage system, while the yoke 102 provides a ground connection between the receptacle 88 (including the plug inserted therein) and the wire 42.

[0032] In certain embodiments, the yoke receiving barrier 109 may include clip legs 100 configured to be received within leg notches 110 of the power PCB 108. In some embodiments, the metal arm 118A may be soldered to a slot 118B provided on the power PCB 108 and may include a metal receiving clip 116. In some embodiments, the tamper-evident cover 114 may be used to protect personnel safety by preventing direct or indirect connection (e.g., via hands and / or conductive items) with the metal receiving clip 116. The inserted plug is grounded to the yoke 102 via a ground screw 121 that engages within the yoke 102 through a ground screw hole 120. The PCB 104 may further include a reset button 98, which may be held in place via the receptacle 88. The reset button 98 may be exposed on the receptacle 88 through an opening and configured to allow a user to reset the systems and / or mechanisms of various functions.

[0033] In certain embodiments, the power PCB 108, the in-wall PCB 104, and the wallboard PCB 72 may be in electrical communication via electrical pin connectors. In one embodiment, a pogo pin connector unit 108A may be provided in the power PCB 108. The pin connector unit 108A may be configured to engage a pin connector 106 provided on the in-wall PCB 104, which may pass through openings in the yoke 102 and the yoke receiving barrier 109. The pin connector 106 may further engage a receptacle housing pin connector hole 92, pass through a plate pin connector slot 91 on the front receptacle plate 90, pass through a connector hole 82 provided on the back plate 78, and engage a PCB pin 76 on the wallboard PCB 72. It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the in-wall PCB 104 and the wallboard PCB 72 may be configured for wireless communication and / or wireless power transmission.

[0034] In some embodiments, the wall plate 4D may be interchangeable with different types of smart modular in-wall systems 2. For example, as depicted in FIGS. 19A and 20, the wall plate 4D may be interchangeable between a modular smart outlet system 2D and a smart switch system 2E including an in-wall switch unit 3E, which may be similar to the in-wall outlet unit 3D, but including a switch 126 instead of an outlet unit 88. It should be appreciated that the wall plate 4D may further be interchangeable with other in-wall systems, such as systems including both plug sockets and light switches, a combination of outlet switches, etc. As a result, the smart modular in-wall system 2 may provide a plurality of types of different in-wall units (e.g., 3D, 3E) that are compatible with a plurality of types of different wall plates (e.g., 4D1, 4D2), each in-wall unit may be configured to interchangeably receive any one of the different wall plates, and each wall plate may be configured to interchangeably attach to any one of the different in-wall units (see FIGS. 19A and 19B).

[0035] The disclosed system provides users with a convenient way to add more features or change the features of a smart in-wall system. The disclosed system may further reduce the number of outlets required to benefit from multiple features of smart systems that are or may become available with emerging technologies.

[0036] It should be appreciated that the disclosed modularized smart in-wall system may have multiple configurations in different embodiments. It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, alternative connection elements and / or alternative connection configurations may be utilized. In some alternative embodiments, an external antenna may be added or extended from the in-wall unit to the wallboard to improve wireless signal strength and direction. In some alternative embodiments, pogo pins may be used to eliminate the use of connectors, which may make wallboard replacement easier. In some alternative embodiments, a microcontroller may be provided in the wallboard itself instead of the in-wall unit, which may increase the versatility of the overall system.

[0037] It should be appreciated that the components of the modular smart in-wall system 2 described in some embodiments herein may include any alternative materials known in the art and may be of any size and / or dimensions. It should be appreciated that the components of the modular smart in-wall system described herein may be manufactured and assembled using any techniques known in the art. Additionally, the components of the modular smart in-wall system 2 may be provided as assembled units or kits / assemblies of parts according to alternative embodiments.

[0038] It will be understood that the orientations or positions indicated by terms such as "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", and the like are based on the orientations or positions shown in the accompanying drawings, and that this does not indicate or suggest that the devices or elements shown must have a particular orientation or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, but rather is merely for convenient simplification of describing the disclosed subject matter, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0039] As used herein, the articles "a" and "an" are intended to include one or more items and may be used interchangeably with "one or more." Where only one item is intended, the term "one" or similar words are used. As used herein, the terms "has," "have," "having," "comprising," or the like are also intended to be open-ended terms. Additionally, the phrase "based on" is intended to mean "based at least in part on," unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0040] The components of the disclosed devices and systems listed herein are intended to be examples only, and this list is not intended to be used to limit the devices of the present application to only these components. A person skilled in the art of the art to which this disclosure pertains can understand that there are equivalent components that can be substituted within this disclosure without changing the basic function or operation of the device. As used herein, terms such as "approximately," "approximately," and "about" indicate a difference within + / - 10%. The relationships between the various components of the disclosed devices as described herein are presented as examples only, and are not intended to limit the scope or nature of the relationships between the various components. A person skilled in the art can recognize that numerous design configurations may enjoy the functional advantages of the system of the present invention. Thus, in view of the various configurations and arrangements of the embodiments of the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not narrowed by the above embodiments, but rather is reflected by the breadth of the following claims.

[0041] Industrial Applicability The disclosed embodiments of the invention can be used to provide a modular, smart in-wall system.

Claims

1. 1. A modular smart in-wall system comprising: a first wall panel configured to releasably couple to an in-wall unit of the modularized smart in-wall system, the first wall panel being replaceable with the second wall panel by removing the first wall panel from a front side of the in-wall unit and attaching a second wall panel to the front side of the in-wall unit; the first wall panel and the second wall panel are both attachable to and detachable from the in-wall unit when the in-wall unit is installed in the wall without removing the in-wall unit from the wall; The second wall panel is configured to perform at least one function not provided by the first wall panel when the first and second wall panels are functioning properly.

2. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 1 , wherein the in-wall unit is a plug-in unit.

3. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 1 , wherein the in-wall unit is a circuit switch unit.

4. 10. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 1, wherein the in-wall units are Ethernet-based units.

5. 10. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 1, wherein the in-wall unit is configured to install within an outlet cavity in a wall via connection to existing wires in the outlet cavity.

6. 10. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 1, wherein the first wall panel is configured to releasably clip into the in-wall unit.

7. 10. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 1, wherein the first wallboard includes a wallboard PCB within a wallboard cover.

8. 8. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 7, wherein said in-wall unit includes at least one in-wall unit PCB, said in-wall unit PCB being in electrical contact with said wallplate PCB.

9. 9. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 8, wherein said in-wall unit PCBs make electrical contact with said wallplate PCBs via electrical pin connectors.

10. 9. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 8, wherein the in-wall unit PCB includes a power PCB configured to connect the modularized smart in-wall system to existing wires in a wall bay cavity.

11. 8. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 7, wherein said in-wall unit includes at least one in-wall unit PCB, said in-wall unit PCB in wireless communication with said wallboard PCB.

12. 8. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 7, wherein the wallboard cover includes a status light slot.

13. 8. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 7, wherein the wallboard cover includes a night light slot.

14. 8. The modular smart in-wall system of claim 7, wherein the wallboard cover includes one or more ventilation holes.

15. 1. A modular smart in-wall system comprising: a first wall panel configured to releasably and interchangeably couple to a first in-wall unit and a second in-wall unit of the modularized smart in-wall system; the first wall panel is attachable to and detachable from the first in-wall unit when the first in-wall unit is installed in the wall without removing the first in-wall unit from the wall; the first wall panel is further attachable and detachable to the second in-wall unit when the second in-wall unit is installed in the wall without removing the second in-wall unit from the wall; A modularized smart in-wall system, wherein the first and second in-wall units are functionally distinct from one another.

16. 16. The modularized smart in-wall system of claim 15, wherein the first wall panel is replaceable with the second wall panel by removing the first wall panel from a front side of either the first in-wall unit or the second in-wall unit and attaching a second wall panel to the front side of the in-wall unit from which the first wall panel was removed.

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