FR2670590A1 - Communication between controller and appliance in domestic automation - has collision-sensing carrier-detection network for communication, single key and ICON based user interface - Google Patents

Abstract

The communication system automatically assigns addresses to appliances, using negotiation between microcontrollers at each appliance. A bidirectional communciation network links the microcontrollers. After the user presses a button on the controller a sequence of commands is displayed till the user presses the button again, selecting the command displayed. A sequence of icons representing each appliance is then displayed and an appliance similarly selected. Addresses of each are then automatically located and messages sent to all appliances. ADVANTAGE - Very simple user interface for selection of units in domestic automation installation.

Description

Method for matching, a control device with an action device, and automatic address allocation in a home automation network
The invention relates to a method which makes it possible to match a command or a sequence of commands, physically offered on a device called a control device, with one or more actions exerted by a device called a action device.

All the aforementioned devices have the possibility of communicating bidirectionally in a home automation network, the transmission medium or media of which may be carrier currents, a cable, optical or radio electrical means.

The network structure best suited to implement this method is a multi-master multi-slave structure with possible exchange of roles, the mode of access to the transmission medium will advantageously be of the multiple access type with prior listening to the medium and collision management.

For the method according to the invention to be used, at least one control device and one action device must be able to communicate.

The invention is intended to replace manual addressing methods, which generally require special skills and a technical mindset, by a fully automatic method which requires from the user only a few manipulations of a childlike simplicity based on the physical designation, first of the command, then of the action device on which the user wishes this command to act.

The method according to the invention makes it possible to present the user with satisfactory ergonomics even if the method is embodied in the form of a program in inexpensive devices; the minimum resources necessary for human-machine relations are for a control device: two push buttons and a warning light and for an action device: a push button and a warning light; these simple means are sufficient to guide the user and take into account his choices during all the stages of the process.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention: - Figure 1 shows the course of a matching session - Figure 1 'shows the block diagram of a device that can implement the method.

FIG. 2 represents an example of a home automation network comprising three control devices, a time programming unit and two manual control blocks, and three action devices, a lamppost, an electric convector, a washing machine; these devices can dialogue, for example using carrier currents; by way of example will be described the various stages of the mapping of the button (207) belonging to the control device (204) with the action device (214); we will assume that the device (204) will be chained with the device (209), the latter will have been previously chained with the central (210) to constitute a unique network in which all the members have the same address. House; at the end of the matching session the button (207) will allow the user to remotely control the lamp (214) and the indicator (205) will accurately reflect the state of the device (214) even if this state is modified by commands not coming from the button (207).

- Figure 3 shows the different steps of the method according to the invention for a control device.

- Figure 4 shows the different steps of the method according to the invention for an action device.

- Figure 5 describes more precisely the steps of the part of the process which concerns the automatic search for a free house address.

The invention must be implemented in devices consisting at least of: - a microcontroller (15), - a non-volatile memory and rewritable at will (16) such as an EEPROM, a saved RAM or a memory FLASH, - a bidirectional transmission means adapted to the medium (12), for example a modem for carrier currents, a high-frequency or infrared transmitter-receiver, - input-output means (11) and a program application (14) depending on the functions offered by each device, - an appropriate power supply (17), - a program ensuring the communication protocol (13) of which the method according to the invention is a subset.

The method according to the invention begins with a user action on a special push button present on all control or similar devices (201), (202), (203), this button will always have the same color, for example blue, whatever the device and whatever the manufacturer so that the user can easily identify it, this button will be called the button for requesting correspondence, it will be hidden in normal use or sufficiently difficult to access to avoid involuntary manipulations. The match request pushbutton (201), which opens the session, is that of the control device (204) on which the control (207) is located that the user wishes to match.

Pressing the match request button causes the local indicator lights (205), (206) assigned to the different control buttons (207), (208) of the control device (204) to flash.

The flashing of all the indicators on the control device is intended to prompt the user to designate the command to be matched with an action device. When the user has chosen the command (207), the corresponding indicator (205) remains on steady, the indicators linked to the commands not retained go out (206).

 If matching sessions start on several control devices at the same time, only the first device on which the local command has been chosen will be able to complete the session, this is achieved by rendering, the devices that have started a session , responsive to receiving a match request message (335) while awaiting the selection of a local command, the first device whose command is selected. sends a mapping request message which returns those who had done so but who remained at the stage of inviting to choose a local command to return to the state of a control unit that has not logged on.

When the local control has been designated, the control device (204) sends, in all of the network, a message of request for correspondence which opens the session by rendering inoperative the other control devices (209), (210) and causing all the indicator lights (220), (221), (222) of the action devices (213), (214), (215) to flash. The flashing of all the indicators is intended to prompt the user to press one of the local controls on one of the devices. The chosen action device signals its status by permanently lighting its start-up indicator then sends a response message to the network to a request for correspondence. As soon as they receive the message, the other action devices stop manifesting themselves visually and all the control devices (204), (209), (210) start to flash their indicators (205), (206) , (211), (212), (216) to prompt the user to press one of the buttons (202), (203), (217), (218), (219).

The control unit which opened the session (204) differs from the others by the rhythm of the blinking (205), (206), in fact, the designation (207), (208) of this unit causes the sending of 'a response message to a fictitious request for chaining, so that the other control devices cease all visual manifestation, and launches the search for a new free home address; the choice of another control device produces chaining. Chaining consists in transferring the home address of a device already installed in the memory of the one that is being matched, one can thus build up step by step a unified network where all the devices have the same address. In the example illustrated in Figure 2, the device (204) will be chained with the device (209) by pressing the button (218), the device (209) will have been previously chained with the device (210) when it was matched.

When the control unit which has opened the session (204) receives the response message to a chaining request sent by the apparatus (209), it compares the house address received with that which resides in its own memory not volatile and, if the two addresses are equal, it checks the uniqueness of its own control unit address relative to the house address received by sending a status request message to the address to be checked relatively to the house address received; the absence of response to this status request within the deadlines provided for in the protocol indicates the uniqueness of the address; if a response is received, then the control unit address relative to the house address received is not unique; in this case the control unit performs an automatic search for a free control unit address relative to the house address received.

When the control unit (204) knows its own address and knows that it is unique relative to the house address, which it also knows, then it sends a response message to a request for address Of house.

When the designated action device (214) receives the response message to a house address request, it compares the received house address with the house address which resides in its non-volatile memory; in the event of a tie, it checks the uniqueness of its own action device address contained in its non-volatile memory relative to the house address, if the address is unique, i.e. if there is n there is no response to a status request sent to this address, then the action device sends an end of session session message which causes all the devices on the network to return to normal operation (204) , (209), (210), (213), (214), (215) .In the case where the house address received is different from the house address contained in the non-volatile memory and in the case where the action device address relative to the house address is not unique, the action device automatically searches for a free address relative to the house address received, when this address is found, the device updates its non-volatile memory with the new home and action device addresses and then sends the session end message and returns to its normal operating state.

The method according to the invention can be arranged by eliminating or modifying the sequence of steps when it applies to certain control devices; this concerns special or similar control devices, for example an intelligent electric energy meter, does not require matching with a particular action device in this case, only the phase for acquiring house addresses and d the control unit will be executed. Certain sophisticated control devices, for example time scheduling units, can execute separately, by locally differentiated commands, the phase of acquiring the addresses of house and control device and the phase of matching with a device. of action.

The invention takes into account the particularities of certain action devices such as motorized roller shutters, these devices generally consist of a motor shaft which rotates at constant speed in one direction or the other so as to wind or unwind. a section; since the length of the shutter depends on the dimensions of the window, which are rarely standard, the installer must adjust the top and bottom stops of the drive device for each window. The method according to the invention, which consists in matching a command with an action device, additionally ensures the measurement of the time necessary to pass from one stop to another when the action device must act between Measuring this time and then storing it in non-volatile memory offers the advantage of being able to subsequently control the roller shutter by associating with the opening and closing orders an optional parameter representing a percentage of the opening or closing total closure; knowing the time required for a movement having an amplitude of 100%, the action device is capable of calculating the operating time necessary to reach a given percentage of opening or closing.

The invention consists in placing the flap in high or low abutment before proceeding to the matching, then the various stages of the matching are passed as for any action device according to the preceding description until the moment when the the user must designate the action device, the difference with the general case is that the user must continuously press the local control to bring the shutter to its opposite stop; releasing the command upon arrival at the stop completes the measurement of the total opening or closing time and causes this value to be stored in non-volatile memory then relaunches the rest of the matching session.

The invention allows the user not to worry about the different addresses in use in the network, the devices automatically search for the addresses they need during the mapping phase; the protocol requires that in a given network, each house address is unique and that relative to each house address, each control device address and each action device address is unique. automatically free addresses starting from an extreme address, the one that is always assigned to the first device in a house, by sending a status request to this address; if the transmitting device does not receive a response before the expiration of a time-out whose duration is specified in the protocol, then the address is declared free; if a response to the status request is received before the timer expires, then the address is not free, a new status request message is sent to the next address and so continued until no response is received within the allotted time; if no address is found after having explored the entire address field, the procedure is aborted and an error message is sent. For the search for a free address of a control or action device, the steps are the same as in the case of the search for a house address, only the status request differs from which the house address is constant and where the device address progresses each time a response to the status request is received.

The method according to the invention respects the general philosophy of the protocol in which it is applied, in particular with regard to the management of anomalies; each device has an internal timer which is activated when the device exits from its normal operating mode; in the strict sense, a matching session is an abnormal case since the control of the device is no longer ensured by the application program; at each normal stage of an abnormal operation case, the timer is reset; if an anomaly occurs in the course of operations, the timer expires which causes the abortion of the current procedure at the level of the device whose timer has expired then, the sending of a message of end of abortion session with indication of an error code; reception of this message by the other devices, which have the same home address, instantly causes the return to their normal operating state if it was not already there.

The invention also manages the overruns of addressing capacity during the procedures for automatic search for a free address, that is to say, when the last possible address in the address plan is not free, there is immediate abortion. of the procedure in progress, sending an end of session message on abortion with the appropriate error code then returning to the normal state of all the devices on the network.

The conditions necessary for a procedural abortion with the sending of an error message are also met in the event that a non-unique address is detected, the devices in question being indicated by the flashing of their indicator lights.

The invention is part of a protocol which manages, among other things, the dissemination of general interest information for devices having the same home address, this information is the time and date, the code associated with the language used in dialogs between devices and users, the price of electrical energy, etc.

The method according to the invention, that is to say the method of matching a control device with an action device, ends with the sending of an end of session message, the reception of this message by advanced control devices such as a programming unit or an intelligent electric energy meter causes the latter to send information of general interest at their disposal,

Claims (10)

 CLAIMS 1. Method for matching a control device with an action device and automatically assigning addresses to these devices in a home automation network; the method is based on negotiation between devices which must be able to communicate with each other in a bidirectional manner; the devices consist of a microcontroller, a non-volatile memory and rewritable at will, a two-way transmission means adapted to the media, input-output means and an application program depending on the functions offered by each device, from an appropriate electrical supply, from a program ensuring the communication protocol of which the method of matching with automatic address allocation is a subset characterized by the fact that the method begins with an action of the user on a control device by pressing a specialized button and voluntarily difficult to access; the control device which opens the matching session is the one on which is the control to which the user wishes to associate an action; a particular control means is chosen if the device comprises several; all the action devices of the network then manifest themselves visually to invite the user to physically designate a device by pressing one of the buttons that it includes; pressing a button on an action device causes, by sending an appropriate message, the cessation of any visual manifestation on the part of action devices, with the exception of that which has been designated, and reporting of all control devices; this signaling is an incentive to chain with an already installed control device, the user can, if desired, create a sub-network isolated from that of the devices already installed by pressing one of the buttons on the control device who has opened the session, in this case a new free house address is automatically sought and then a free control unit address relative to the house address found; in the case of chaining, the house address stored in the memory of the designated control device is transferred to the memory of the control device being matched, then search for a free address control unit relative to the house address received; the control unit which has opened the session sends a message containing the house address found by chaining or by search, which allows the designated action device to automatically search for a free action device address relatively to the house address received; the action device stores the new addresses in its non-volatile memory and sends a message at the end of the matching session which makes all the devices on the network return to their normal operating state; the command and the action are matched at the end of the session by storing in the control device the address of the action device that has been associated with the chosen command; 2. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the steps which relate to the control apparatus, by which the process begins, are the following: - Opening of the matching session by pressing the push button said to matching (301), - reassignment of the role of the local controls of the device and its display means, - visual manifestation (302) inviting the user to choose the command or the sequence of commands he wishes to set correspondence with the action of his choice, - waiting for an action by the user (303) or for the reception of a message for request for correspondence (335), the reception of such a message requires the exit of the role of control device having opened a matching session, the device then follows the steps described in claim 3, starting with that which consists in suppressing any visual manifestation (325), - as soon as the utility isator has chosen the local command, there is display of the choice (304) and sending of a message of request for correspondence (305), - waiting for reception of a message of response to the request for correspondence (306), - the reception of a response message to the correspondence request is followed by the display of the differentiated invitation state to select (307), - waiting for the reception of a response message to a chaining request (308) or to the pressing of a local control button (323) - if a response message to a chaining request is received, there is a comparison (310) of the house address received in the message with that which resides in the non-volatile memory of the device, - if the two house addresses are different (311), there is execution of a procedure of automatic search for a free address of device of order relative to the house address received (312), sending a response message a house address request (313), awaiting receipt of an end of session match message (314); when the end of session message is received (315), the new addresses are stored in non-volatile memory (316) and the device returns to its normal operating state (317) where the control and display means return to the service from the application program characteristic of the device, - if the two house addresses are equal (319), the uniqueness of the control unit address is verified relative to the house address (320) ; in the affirmative (321) the response message to an address request is sent (313) then, as before, there is waiting for the reception of an end of session message (314) and return to normal operation (317) after updating the non-volatile memory (316); if the device address is not unique (322) then there is an automatic search for a free control device address (312) then sending the response message to a request for an address (313), waiting for the message to end the matching session (314), updating the non-volatile memory (316) and returning to normal operation (317), - pressing a local command button is followed by sending d a response message to a fictitious chaining request (334), an automatic search procedure for a free home address (324) is executed as well as a procedure for automatic search for a free address of a control unit relative to the house address found (312), sending a response message to a house address request (313), then waiting for the reception of an end-of-session message (314), updating of non-volatile memory (316) and return to the normal operating state of the control device (317), 3. Method according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the steps which relate to the control devices excluding that by which the process begins are as follows: - The matching process begins for this class of devices by receiving a matching request message, - taking control of the local control and display means of the control devices by the program providing the matching process, stopping all visual manifestation (325) , - waiting for the reception of a response message to a correspondence request (326), - as soon as the message is received, visual manifestation inviting the user to act on a local control means of the device ( 327), - waiting for an action on a local control means (328) or for the reception of a response message to a chaining request, - if the action on the command takes place, sending d 'a message from r In response to a chaining request (330), this message contains the house address which resides in the non-volatile memory of the device, the device stops any visual manifestation (331) and waits for the reception of an end message. match session (332), receiving the end of session message (333) causes the device to return to normal operation under the control of the application program, - if a response message to a request for chaining is received, the device stops any visual manifestation (331) and waits for the reception of a message of end of session of correspondence (332), the reception of the message of end of session (333) causes the return to operation normal of the device under the control of the application program, 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the steps which relate to the action device matched with an order by the user are the following: - The matching process begins for devices of this class by receipt of a correspondence request message (401), - taking control of the local control and display means of the action devices by the program ensuring the correspondence process, - visual manifestation inviting the user to act on a local control means of the device (402), - One of the local control means of the action device has been activated (403), - display of the state of the selected device (404 ), - sending a response message to a mapping request (405), - waiting for the receipt of a response message to a house address request (406), - as soon as the expected message is received (407), address comparison s of houses received and stored in the non-volatile memory of the device (408), - if these addresses are different (409), execution of an automatic search procedure for a free address of action device relative to the house address received (410), non-volatile storage of the new addresses (411), sending of an end of match session message (412), reassignment of the local control and display means to the program of characteristic application of the action device, return to normal operation (413), - if the house addresses are identical (414), there is verification of the uniqueness of the address of the action device relative to the house address (415); in the affirmative (416) there is sending of the message for the end of the matching session (412) and return to normal operation (413); if there is no uniqueness of the action device address relative to the house address (417) we are brought back to the previous case of the automatic search for a free action device address relatively at the home address (410), updating the non-volatile memory (411), sending a message for the end of the mapping session (412), and returning to the normal operating state (413). 5. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the steps which relate to the action devices with the exclusion of that which is selected by the user are the following: - The matching process begins for the devices of this class by receipt of a matching request message (401), - taking control of the local control and display means of the action devices by the program ensuring the matching process, - inviting visual manifestation the user to act on a local control means of the apparatus (402), - the reception of a response message to a request for correspondence (418) lets all the action apparatuses of the network know that '' they were not selected, - deletion of any visual manifestation (419), - local control means deactivated, - waiting for the reception of a message for the end of the matching session (420), - if theexpected message is received (421) then return to normal operating state under the control of the application program characteristic of the device. 6. Method according to claims 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that steps can be omitted and others can no longer be chained when the process applies to certain particular control devices: - Special or similar control devices do not require matching with a particular action device, only the phase of acquiring the addresses of house and control device will be executed in this case, - sophisticated control devices can execute separately, thanks to locally differentiated commands, the phase of acquiring house and control device addresses and the phase of matching with an action device. 7. Method according to claims 1, 4 or 5 characterized in that steps can be modified when the method applies to certain action devices which require a setting according to the characteristics of installation or use; the steps for this type of device are as follows: - Firstly, the user places the action device in the extreme position, high or low, using the local command, then launches the match session by pressing the match button on a control device, - The match process begins for devices in this class by receiving a match request message , - takeover of the local control and display means of the action devices by the program ensuring the matching process, - visual manifestation inviting the user to act on a local control means of the device, - instead of designating the action device by acting fleetingly on a local command, the user continuously maneuvers the command to bring the device to the stop opposite to that where it was before the start of the setting session in correspondence, - as soon as the device reaches the stop, the local command is released, - the time taken to go from one stop to the other is measured and stored in the non-volatile memory of the action device, - display of the status of the selected device, - sending of a response message to a correspondence request, - waiting for the reception of a response message to a house address request, - as soon as the expected message is received, there is comparison of the house address received with that which is stored in the non-volatile memory of the device, - if these addresses are different, execution of an automatic address search procedure free of action device relative to the house address received, non-volatile storage of new addresses, sending of a message at the end of the mapping session, reassignment of the local control and display means to the program of characteristic application d e the action device, return to normal operation, - if the house addresses are identical, there is verification of the uniqueness of the action device address relative to the house address; in the affirmative, the end of matching session message is sent and return to normal operation; if there is no uniqueness of the action device address relative to the house address, we are brought back to the previous case of the automatic search for a free action device address relative to the home address, updating of non-volatile memory, sending of message for end of matching session and return to normal operating state. 8. Method according to claims 1, 2 or 4 characterized in that the automatic search for free address of house, control device or action device is based on the fact that, in a given network, each address house is unique and that for each house address, each control unit address and each action unit address are unique; therefore, the following steps are described for the search for a free house address: - Initialization of the first house address (501), - sending of a status request addressed to the first control unit address of the house whose address has been initialized (502), - waiting for a response (503) for a time which is counted only when the transmission channel is free, for example five seconds of waiting; if a response is received (504), it is because the house address is not free, we go to the next house address (505) and a new status request is sent (502); if there is no response to a status request during the allotted time (506) then the current address of the house tested is declared free (507); - for the search for a free address for a control or action device, the steps are the same as the previous ones, only the status request differs whose house address is constant and where the address progresses device whenever a response to the status request is received. 9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating anomalies which may arise during the mapping session are processed and indicated by error messages which are broadcast in the network to possible devices. having network management functions, - all control and action devices have an internal time delay which is triggered as soon as the device leaves its normal operating mode, for example during a mapping procedure between control and action devices, the timing of each device is reset at each normal step of the process, if it happens that a procedure is not followed, at least one device sees its timing expire, the latter sends a message end of session on abortion with an error code characteristic of the origin of the problem and returns to its normal state of functioning operation as well as all the devices having the same house address which receive the message, - during an automatic search for a free house or device address, exceeding the addressing capacity of the system (508) causes the abortion of the procedure with the sending of an end of session message on abortion with error code (509), - if during an address verification the uniqueness of this address is detected, there a visual highlighting of devices with the same address and dissemination of an error message. 10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reception by an advanced control device of a message at the end of the matching session causes the dissemination of information of general interest available to these devices, the broadcast is extended to the whole network but limited to the house address considered.