AU2022305111A1

AU2022305111A1 - System for building automation

Info

Publication number: AU2022305111A1
Application number: AU2022305111A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Dirk Breslawski; Christian GIEREND-BECK
Original assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Current assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Priority date: 2021-06-30
Filing date: 2022-06-30
Publication date: 2024-02-01
Also published as: DE102021116895A1; WO2023275294A1; EP4353053A1; CN117598031A

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for building automation, comprising at least one control device, wherein the control device has at least one wired interface, more particularly for outputting signals in accordance with the DALI protocol. The control device comprises at least one first wireless interface for establishing a point-to-point connection, more particularly to a terminal, and at least one second wireless interface for establishing a connection to a mesh network. The system comprises one or more operating devices, which communicate with the control device by means of the wired interface, the control device being designed to store status data regarding the operating devices and/or to retrieve said status data from the operating devices and/or to notify the operating devices of changes. The system comprises a terminal, which communicates with the control device by means of the point-to-point connection. The system comprises a plurality of mesh devices, which jointly form a mesh network. At least one of the mesh devices communicates with the control device by means of the second wireless interface.

Description

System for building automation

The present invention relates to a system for building automation comprising at least one control device, wherein the control device has at least one wired interface, in particular for outputting signals in accordance with the DALI protocol (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface).

In building automation, the wired DALI protocol has become established for controlling lighting operating devices. The operating devices are in this respect each connected via lines to control and input devices that parameterize and thereby control the operating devices. The control devices can e.g. be so-called masters or multimasters.

The disadvantage of such building automation is that a high installation effort has to be made to be able to access the DALI system from different locations in a building since all the switching points must be equipped with DALI control devices and connected to the DALI system. It is furthermore disadvantageous that DALI control devices must generally be used to control the operating devices, which makes it difficult to integrate the DALI system into switch programs from different manufacturers, for example.

It is therefore an underlying object of the invention to specify a simpler system for building automation that in particular requires a reduced installation effort and enables a simplified control.

This object is satisfied by a system according to claim 1.

According to the invention, a system for building automation is specified that has at least one control device, wherein the control device has at least one wired interface, in particular for outputting signals in accordance with the DALI protocol. The control device comprises at least a first wireless interface, in particular a data interface, for establishing a point-to-point connection, in particular with a (mobile) end device. Furthermore, the control device comprises at least a second wireless interface, in particular again a data interface, for establishing a connection with a mesh network. The system has one or more operating devices that communicate with the control device via the wired interface. For example, the operating devices are connected to the control device in a wired manner, e.g. via control lines and/or power supply lines. The control device is configured to store status data of the operating devices and/or to retrieve status data from the operating devices and/or to communicate changes to the operating devices. The control device can therefore, for example, be a DALI control device. The system also has a (mobile) end device that communicates with the control device via the point-to-point connection. The end device can, for example, be a smartphone or a tablet. Finally, the system comprises a plurality of mesh devices that together form a mesh network, wherein at least one of the mesh devices communicates with the control device via the second wireless interface.

According to the invention, it is thus possible to connect the control device via the wired interface, for example, to DALI operating devices, wherein the control device can furthermore, for example, establish a point-to-point connection to a smartphone via the first wireless interface in order in particular to control the operating devices via the point-to-point connection. Furthermore, it is possible to connect the control device to the mesh network, i.e. to at least one of the mesh devices, via the second wireless interface, wherein, for example, a control of the operating devices via the mesh network is then made possible.

According to the invention, it is therefore advantageous that a control purely via the wired interface can be extended by a control via the first and second wireless interface. In this way, it is possible to access the control device and, via the latter, the operating devices in a building, even if an operator is only in the region of the mesh network, even though there are, for example, no wired input or switching devices there that communicate with the control device via the wired interface. The same applies to the communication with the control device via the first wireless interface, for example using Bluetooth.

According to the invention, the installation effort is therefore reduced since, for example, lines do not have to be laid in every building part to be able to address the wired interface. The building automation is also made more flexible since there can be a plurality of possibilities for an operator to access the control device and thus, for example, the operating devices and/or the mesh devices.

The control device is configured to store status data of the operating devices and/or to retrieve status data from the operating devices and/or to communicate changes in the status data to the operating devices. The status data can in this respect include all the data, settings, parameters, commands and/or the like required for the operation of the operating devices. In particular, a change in the status data (e.g. of an operating device) brought about or communicated by the control device can be effected or communicated by a control command to that operating device.

Alternatively or additionally, the status data can generally be data that reflect the operating state of e.g. the operating devices and/or the mesh devices and/or that make it possible to change the operating state of the operating devices and/or the mesh devices. The status data can, for example, also include configuration data, in particular for groups in a DALI system.

In this connection, a wireless or wired interface can in particular mean that the control device can exchange data via the interface in a wired or wireless manner, for example, with the operating devices, the end device or one of the mesh devices. The control device can have wired transceivers and/or (wireless) radio transceivers for the communication. The radio transceiver(s) can, for example, emit a frequency of approximately 2.4 GHz and can comprise a suitable antenna.

Provision can in particular be made that the first and the second wireless interface are not simultaneously active, but that the first and second wireless interfaces are realized via a switchable radio interface, as will be explained in more detail later. For example, a connection to the mesh network can be automatically established after the point-to-point connection has been disconnected (or vice versa). Furthermore, it is possible to regularly switch briefly between the wireless interfaces to check whether a connection by means of the point-to-point connection or with the mesh network is currently required.

The operating devices can in particular be lighting operating devices, for example ballasts and the like. However, the operating devices can also comprise other building automation devices, e.g. devices for heating, shading, ventilation and the like. The operating devices can be electrically coupled to the wired interface of the control device by means of lines.

Advantageous further developments of the invention can be seen from the description, from the claims, and from the drawing.

According to a first advantageous embodiment, the control device is configured to output the status data via the first and/or the second wireless interface and/or to enable a change by means of the first and/or second wireless interface. The status data can e.g. reproduce the operating state of the operating devices (switched on, switched off, dimmed, etc.). The status data can have been received by the control device from the operating devices via the wired interface. The control device can then, for example, output the status data to the end device via the first wireless interface and/or to at least one of the mesh devices via the second wireless interface. In this way, there is the possibility to call up and display the status data of the operating devices (i.e., for example, a DALI system) on the end device, for example. It is likewise possible to change the status data on the end device, wherein a change is transmitted to the control device via the first wireless interface, whereupon the control device forwards the change to the operating devices (e.g. as control commands) in order thus to change the operating state of the operating devices. For example, an operating device can thus be switched on or off or, for example, dimmed by the end device.

The same procedure is also possible with the mesh network and/or at least one of the mesh devices. The status data can here be transmitted to a mesh device via the second wireless interface. The mesh device (e.g. a display-capable mesh device) can then visualize the status data and/or allow an operator to change the status data. The change can then in turn be communicated to the control device via the second wireless interface, wherein the control device forwards the change to the operating devices (e.g. as control commands), whereby a change in the operating state of the operating devices can then take place. In particular, it is therefore made possible to control the operating devices from an end device and/or a mesh device. Many new application scenarios hereby result that are not possible with a wired control alone.

The control device can also control one or more of the mesh devices via the second wireless interface. The mesh devices can in particular be treated by the control device as operating devices so that the mesh devices can e.g. be switched by means of a switch or the like that is connected via the wired interface.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the control device is configured to carry out at least one data exchange between one of the wireless interfaces and the wired interface. As already indicated above, the control device can, for example, forward status data of the operating devices received via a wireless interface to the operating devices by means of the wired interface (and vice versa). The control device can therefore enable a data exchange between the wireless interfaces and the wired interface, wherein the control device can e.g. be configured to convert the data to a different protocol. In particular, the data can be received via the wired interface by means of the DALI protocol, whereas the transmission via the first wired interface can take place in accordance with a protocol compatible with Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). The transmission via the second wireless interface can take place in accordance with a protocol for a mesh network, for example Zigbee or Z-Wave. The control device can in particular also enable a direct passing of data between the wireless interfaces and the wired interface, wherein use data remain unchanged and the control device e.g. only changes headers and/or address data.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the control device is configured to enable a control of the operating devices via the end device and/or via at least one of the mesh devices. As already explained above, changes to status data of the operating devices (for example in the form of control commands) that are received via one of the wireless interfaces can be forwarded to the operating devices. The control device can in particular also be configured to recognize changes to the status data and/or control commands of the end device and/or of at least one of the mesh devices and to convert them into corresponding control commands to the operating devices. In this way, a control of the operating devices from the end device and/or from at least one of the mesh devices is made possible.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the end device is configured to establish a connection to an external data memory, in particular a cloud memory, and to store at least some of the status data of the operating devices in the external data memory. The end device can be connected to the Internet, for example via a WLAN network. The end device can, for example, first retrieve at least some of the status data of the operating devices and then transmit the retrieved status data to the external data memory, in particular via the Internet. For example, the configuration of a DALI system can thus be stored in the cloud so that a reestablishing of the configuration is easily possible. It is furthermore possible to evaluate and/or optimize the status data stored in the cloud.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the mesh network is configured to establish a connection to an external data memory, in particular a cloud memory, and to store at least some of the status data of the operating devices in the external data memory. As an alternative or in addition to the storage in an external data memory by means of the end device, the mesh network can also serve to store the status data of the operating devices in the external data memory. It can therefore in particular be an alternative data path. The external data memory and/or the cloud memory can preferably be the same memory as described in relation to the end device. At least one of the mesh devices can preferably establish a connection to the Internet, likewise again e.g. via a WLAN network, wherein the status data can then be retrieved by the control device via the second wireless interface and stored in the external data memory. The statements regarding the storage in the external data memory by means of the end device therefore apply accordingly.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the mesh network and/or the end device is/are configured to store at least some of the status data of the operating devices in the external data memory in an automated manner and/or repeatedly. A data logging can take place in this manner. The storing can in particular take place regularly and/or after a change in the status data has been detected. Due to the data logging, a rectification of faults, an optimization of the operating devices (for example the DALI system) or a visualization of the operating state of the operating devices over time can take place.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the mesh network and/or at least some of the mesh devices is/are configured to change its/their operating state based on the status data. The status data can be processed to change the operating state in at least one of the mesh devices and/or in the control device. The operating state of a mesh device and/or of the mesh network is, for example, to be understood as a mesh device being switched on or off, dimmed, provided with a timer function and the like. For example, the mesh network can gather from the status data that a predetermined operating device has been activated or deactivated, whereupon one or more mesh devices then change their operating state and, for example, are likewise activated or deactivated, change the light color, emit a sound signal and/or trigger a timer. For example, provision can be made that, when switching on an operating device (for e.g. a luminaire in an entrance area), the mesh devices (which control or include luminaires in the adjacent rooms) can then also be activated.

Furthermore, it is also possible for the status data to be changed based on the operating state of the mesh network and/or of at least some of the mesh devices. In this way, a change in the operating state in the mesh network can entail a functional change in at least one of the operating devices. For example, the switching on of a mesh device (for example a luminaire) can result in the activation or deactivation of an operating device. In this way, an interoperability between e.g. a DALI system and a Zigbee system is provided, whereby completely new functional sequences are made possible.

The control device can have a human-machine interface. For example, the control device can have a display device, a touchscreen, a keyboard, switches or other suitable input and output devices. Via the human-machine interface, the control device can likewise be enabled to display and/or to change the status data of the operating devices (and to control the operating devices in this way). A control of the mesh devices can likewise be possible from the control device, in particular via the human-machine interface.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the wired interface comprises a DALI interface and/or a KNX interface. The operating devices can therefore be DALI operating devices or operating devices that can be controlled by the KNX field bus.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the first wireless interface comprises a Bluetooth interface or a Bluetooth Low Energy interface (BLE interface). The point-to-point connection can be established via Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy, wherein the point-to-point connection is a connection only between the control device and the end device. Further devices cannot participate in the point-to-point connection. A direct data forwarding to further devices is also preferably not provided with the point-to-point connection.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the second wireless interface comprises a Zigbee mesh interface and/or a Bluetooth mesh interface (e.g. a BLE mesh interface). Accordingly, the mesh network can comprise a Zigbee mesh network and/or a Bluetooth mesh network and/or a Bluetooth Low Energy mesh network. Furthermore, the mesh network can also comprise a Z-Wave network.

In contrast to the point-to-point connection, with the connection to the mesh network, not only a (direct) data transmission between two participants is possible. Instead, with the connection to the mesh network, a forwarding of data between the mesh devices is assumed. In this way, the control device can also, for example, communicate with distant mesh devices by the mesh devices forwarding the data of the control device to the distant mesh device.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the first and the second wireless interface use the same transceiver, wherein the control device is configured such that preferably in each case only the first or the second wireless interface uses the transceiver at a point in time. Only one piece of transceiver hardware therefore has to be present for the two wireless interfaces so that the control device can be compact and economical to manufacture. The communication via the first wireless interface can in particular be terminated before the communication via the second wireless interface begins, and vice versa.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the control device uses a software-defined radio (SDR) to establish the point-to-point connection and the connection with the mesh network. The same software-defined radio is in particular used to establish the wireless point-to-point connection and the wireless connection with the mesh network (in each case with a different software configuration). A software-defined radio in particular designates a transceiver in which a portion, and preferably the main portion, of the signal processing is implemented by means of software or is at least influenced by software.

The control device preferably uses a PTP (point-to-point) software image to establish the point-to-point connection and a mesh software image to establish the connection with the mesh network. The software images preferably each include the data which the software-defined radio requires to be able to correspondingly communicate by means of a point-to-point connection or a mesh network. Due to the use of the software-defined radio in the control device, the switching from the point-to-point connection and the establishing of the connection with the mesh network are particularly simple since only the PTP software image has to be replaced with the mesh software image in the control device. As soon as the mesh software image is used in the software-defined radio, a wireless point-to-point connection cannot be established; however, it is then in return possible to establish a connection with the mesh network.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the PTP software image and the mesh software image are both stored in the control device. Alternatively or additionally, the mesh software image (and/or also the PTP software image) is transferred by means of the point-to-point connection to the control device. Further alternatively or additionally, the PTP software image (and/or also the mesh software image) is transferred by means of the mesh network to the control device. In both cases, the PTP software image or mesh software image can be downloaded from the external memory, e.g. a cloud.

If both images are stored in the control device, the currently required software image can be executed in each case, e.g. by means of the software-defined radio. For example, the control device can comprise a data memory (e.g. a flash memory) in which the PTP software image and the mesh software image are stored. In addition to these two software images, a factory setting software image can also be stored that allows the control device to be reset to its delivery state.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the operating devices and/or the mesh devices are at least in part luminaires or components of luminaires. The mesh devices can, for example, be lighting means with installed radio transceivers, wherein the radio transceivers connect the mesh devices to the mesh network. The operating devices and/or the mesh devices can also be designed to control and/or evaluate actuators and/or sensors in the building automation. The actuators can be, for example, motors for roller shutters and/or air-conditioning units and the sensors can be wind sensors, humidity sensors and/or temperature sensors.

The mesh network can generally also be extended by further wireless networks or by a wire connection to extensions or other wired networks.

A further subject of the invention is a method for building automation in which - a control device communicates with operating devices by means of a wired interface and the control device stores status data of the operating devices and/or retrieves status data from the operating devices and/or communicates changes to the operating devices, - the control device establishes a point-to-point connection to an end device by means of a first wireless interface and the end device communicates with the control device via the point-to-point connection, - the control device establishes a connection to a mesh network comprising a plurality of mesh devices by means of a second wireless interface and at least one of the mesh devices communicates with the control device via the second wireless interface.

The invention likewise relates to a control device for building automation, comprising at least one wired interface, in particular for outputting signals in accordance with the DALI protocol, at least a first wireless interface for establishing a point-to-point connection, in particular with a (mobile) end device, and at least a second wireless interface for establishing a connection with a mesh network, wherein the control device is configured to store status data of operating devices and/or to retrieve status data from the operating devices and/or to communicate changes to the operating devices.

The statements regarding the system according to the invention apply accordingly to the method according to the invention and the control device according to the invention; this in particular applies with respect to advantages and preferred embodiments.

The invention will be described in the following purely by way of example with reference to the drawing. There is shown:

Fig. 1: a schematic view of a system for building automation.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a home automation system 10. The system 10 comprises a control device 12 that is coupled to operating devices 16 of a DALI system 18 by means of a wired interface 14. The operating devices 16 can in this respect also include multimasters.

The control device 12 comprises only one radio transceiver 20 that provides two wireless interfaces via an antenna 22. A first wireless interface 24 enables a Bluetooth connection or a BLE connection with an end device configured as a smartphone 26. A second wireless interface 28 establishes a connection to a mesh network 30 by means of Zigbee. The mesh network 30 comprises a plurality of mesh devices A-J.

The control device 12 establishes the connection to at least one mesh device A-J via the second wireless interface 28; in Fig. 1 this is the mesh device D.

At least one of the mesh devices A-J and also the smartphone 26 establish a connection to a cloud memory 36 by means of WLAN 32 and a WLAN router 34.

During operation of the system 10, the control device 12 can now collect status data of the operating devices 16 of the DALI system 18 and forward said status data to the smartphone 26 or one of the mesh devices A-J for a display, for example. Furthermore, it is possible, from the smartphone 26 or from one of the mesh devices A-J, to make a change to the status data, wherein the change is communicated to the control device 12 via one of the wireless interfaces 24, 28 and the control device 12 then transmits changed status data (i.e. commands) to the operating devices 16 via the wired interface 14 in order to change the operating state of the operating devices 16. For example, a luminaire (not shown) connected to an operating device 16 can be activated or deactivated by the smartphone 26.

Via the WLAN 32, an image of the current status data can be transferred both by means of the smartphone 26 and the mesh network 30 to the cloud memory 36 in order to be stored there. Evaluations of the status data can then take place in the cloud memory 36. Furthermore, it is possible to restore the status data, for example when reinstalling the DALI system 18.

The radio transceiver 20 can provide either the first wireless interface 24 or the second wireless interface 28 at a point in time and can thus switch between the two wireless interfaces 24, 28. The switching can take place by loading software images.

In this way, a connection to both the smartphone 26 and the mesh network 30 can be established with little hardware effort. In combination with the wired interface 14, a flexible exchange of data, and in particular status data, is thus enabled so that the system 10 can be easily adapted to the respective conditions in a building and a flexible control of both the operating devices 16 and the mesh devices A-J is made possible with little effort.

Reference numeral list

10 system 12 control device 14 wired interface 16 operating device 18 DALI system 20 radio transceiver 22 antenna 24 first wireless interface 26 smartphone 28 second wireless interface 30 mesh network 32 WLAN 34 WLAN router 36 cloud memory A-J mesh device

Claims

1. A system (10) for building automation, comprising at least one control device (12), wherein the control device (12) has at least one wired interface (14), in particular for outputting signals in accordance with the DALI protocol, comprises at least a first wireless interface (24) for establishing a point-to-point connection, in particular with an end device (26), and comprises at least a second wireless interface (28) for establishing a connection with a mesh network (30), wherein the system (10) has one or more operating devices (16) that communicate with the control device (12) via the wired interface (14), wherein the control device (12) is configured to store status data of the operating devices (16) and/or to retrieve status data from the operating devices (16) and/or to communicate changes to the operating devices (16), wherein the system (10) has an end device (26) that communicates with the control device (12) via the point-to-point connection, wherein the system (10) comprises a plurality of mesh devices (A-J) that together form a mesh network (30), wherein at least one of the mesh devices (A-J) communicates with the control device (12) via the second wireless interface (28).

2. A system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the control device (12) is configured to output the status data via the first and/or the second wireless interface (24, 28) and/or to enable a change by means of the first and/or second wireless interface (24, 28).

3. A system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device (12) is configured to carry out at least one data exchange between one of the wireless interfaces and the wired interface.

4. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device (12) is configured to enable a control of the operating devices (16) via the end device (26) and/or at least one of the mesh devices (A-J).

5. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end device (26) is configured to establish a connection to an external data memory (36), in particular a cloud memory, and to store at least some of the status data of the operating devices (16) in the external data memory (36).

6. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mesh network (30) is configured to establish a connection to an external data memory (36), in particular a cloud memory, and to store at least some of the status data of the operating devices (16) in the external data memory (36).

7. A system (10) according to claim 6, wherein the mesh network (30) is configured to store at least some of the status data of the operating devices (16) in the external data memory (36) in an automated manner and repeatedly.

8. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mesh network (30) and/or at least some of the mesh devices (A-J) is/are configured to change its/their operating state based on the status data.

9. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wired interface (14) comprises a DALI interface and/or a KNX interface.

10. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first wireless interface (24) comprises a Bluetooth interface or a Bluetooth Low Energy interface.

11. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second wireless interface (28) comprises a Zigbee mesh interface and/or a Bluetooth mesh interface.

12. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and the second wireless interface (24, 28) use the same transceiver (20), wherein the control device (12) is configured such that preferably in each case only the first or the second wireless interface (24, 28) uses the transceiver (20) at a point in time.

13. A system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating devices (16) and/or the mesh devices (A-J) are at least in part luminaires or components of luminaires.

14. A method for building automation in which - a control device (12) communicates with operating devices (16) by means of a wired interface and the control device (12) stores status data of the operating devices (16) and/or retrieves status data from the operating devices (16) and/or communicates changes to the operating devices (16), - the control device (12) establishes a point-to-point connection to an end device (26) by means of a first wireless interface (24) and the end device (26) communicates with the control device (12) via the point-to-point connection,

- the control device (12) establishes a connection to a mesh network (30) comprising a plurality of mesh devices (A-J) by means of a second wireless interface (28) and at least one of the mesh devices (A-J) communicates with the control device (12) via the second wireless interface (28).

15. A control device (12) for building automation, comprising at least one wired interface (14), in particular for outputting signals in accordance with the DALI protocol, at least a first wireless interface (24) for establishing a point-to-point connection, in particular with an end device (26), and at least a second wireless interface (28) for establishing a connection with a mesh network (30), wherein the control device (12) is configured to store status data of operating devices (16) and/or to retrieve status data from the operating devices (16) and/or to communicate changes to the operating devices (16).

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 2023/275294 PCT/EP2022/068152

Fig. 1 1/1

DALI system Cloud

30 Operating 10 device 1 Operating I device 1 WLAN H J Operating router E device 2 G D 20 12 Operating F Smartphone interface device 2 14 A DALI-HMI Operating Wireless C 28 device 3 B 24 device 3 Operating 32 Smartphone device 2 Wireless Operating 16 DALI-HMI device 2 interface router 16 WLAN Operating

34 32 device 1 22 16 Operating 26 device 1 Operating 16 Cloud 18 16 DALI system 36

1/1

WO 2023/275294 PCT/EP2022/068152

Fig. 1

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)