DE102011004655A1 - Central unit for building-bus system, has memory in which time point or time period of activation/deactivation of building-bus devices assigned to address is stored, where central unit is functionally connected with memory - Google Patents

Abstract

The central unit has a memory in which time point or time period of activation/deactivation of building-bus devices e.g. switches, assigned to an address is stored. The central unit is functionally connected with the memory and the bus devices via a bus. The central unit is set in operation mode in which continuous time metering is started from a defined time point. One of the bus devices is activated and deactivated by an addressed bus command until successive bus devices are activated. The central unit receives a signal via the bus during activation/deactivation sequence. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) an input device (2) a system comprising a central unit (3) a method for locating bus devices.

Description

The present invention relates to a system and its components for the connectionless localization of addressable bus subscribers in the field of building technology, especially in bus systems that have at least as part of the bus users operating equipment for lighting. Other addressable participants can be actuators (blind control etc.) and / or sensors (light sensor, motion detector, smoke detector, ...).

The invention may be used, for example, when a bus subscriber arrangement, for example bus subscriber installed in a building, is put into operation or when the bus subscribers of the bus subscriber arrangement are to be rearranged (to). Bus subscribers can be in particular lights or groups of lights that are controlled by a central unit.

For lighting (control) systems, this is usually a mobile device to use when commissioning that requires either visual contact with the central unit or is connected to the central unit via long cable runs. The use of radio links is known, but a radio link between the mobile device and the central unit in large-scale installations or inside buildings only works unreliable. When using a wired connection, it should be remembered, among other things, that the fire regulations in various countries prohibit cable routing across fire compartments. Under certain circumstances, the identification of the bus subscribers means that the central unit also has to be moved.

The starting point of the invention is the patent AT 507 908 B1 in which a system is described, in which a clocked base unit addressed bus subscriber clocked on and off and is logged in the on an equally clocked mobile device, to which clock a specific operating device is activated / deactivated.

With the system according to the prior art, an assignment of the devices to the control bus to an address should be made. The base unit assigns addresses to all devices and switches all devices on (off) according to their addresses. Subsequently, the individual devices are switched off in sequence. At the same time, the base unit stores the counter reading at the time of switching off the device. After all components are switched off, the process starts again from the beginning until the entire process is terminated. A user moves through the building with the mobile device and transmits a trigger command to the mobile device when a bus user is turned off. The triggering command stores the current counter reading in the mobile device for this triggering command and the user notes in a device diagram the designation of the device which has been switched off. If all the rooms of the building or all the components have passed the control bus, a triggering command should have been sent to each device. Subsequently, the switching on / off of the devices can be terminated by the base device and a communication connection between the base device and the mobile device can be activated. By comparing the counter readings in the mobile device at the time of the trigger command and at the time of the triggering action by the base unit, the addresses are assigned to the order of keystrokes and the device plan is assigned to a device address.

However, the approach described in the prior art has several disadvantages.

Either it is necessary, since the mobile device is only able to accept a trigger command and store a clock, additional information, eg. B. in a device plan to later to be able to assign the clock at which the trigger command was stored to the off device. The state of the art leaves open, as here an association between the actual device name and the device address comes about. Although the prior art describes that the mobile device stores a trigger command at a particular clock and then that a description for the corresponding device is noted in a separate building / device plan. However, the prior art does not describe how the description of the device can be associated with the address since the mobile device is merely adapted to accept a trigger command and no further input by the user is necessary.

Or the devices must be captured in a predetermined order, so first device 1 must be searched for and the trip is stored on a tripping order on the device 1 is turned off. Thus, a device can then be associated with an address of the base unit via the clock. Until a device can be recaptured, it is then necessary to wait for a full off / on cycle.

Since the cycle length is fixed, there is thus no possibility of accelerating the assignment procedure in certain situations. In addition, the mobile device must be designed to precisely track the specific timing.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system and corresponding components which enable a simple association between addresses of bus subscribers and subscribers' subscriptions / to make the acquisition process as efficient as possible without the disadvantages described above occurring.

Summary of the invention

The invention therefore provides a central processing unit, an input device and a system as claimed by the independent claims. In addition, a method for localization (address assignment) is disclosed. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the independent claims.

• – eine durchlaufende Zeitzählung ausgehend von einem definierten Zeitpunkt startet, und
• – jeweils einen Busteilnehmer durch einen adressierten Busbefehl aktiviert, vorzugsweise bis nacheinander sämtliche Busteilnehmer aktiviert wurden. Die Zentraleinheit weist auf oder ist funktionell verbunden mit einem Speicher, in dem die Zentraleinheit einen Zeitpunkt oder einen Zeitraum der Aktivierung des Busteilnehmers zugeordnet zu seiner Adresse ablegt.

In one aspect, the invention provides a central unit for a building services bus system connectable to a plurality of building services bus subscribers via a bus. In addition to the normal operating mode in which addressed bus telegrams are transmitted and / or received by the central unit, the central unit can be set into a further operating mode. In the further operating mode, a control unit of the central unit is designed to:

• - starts a continuous time counting from a defined time, and
• - Activated in each case a bus subscriber by an addressed bus command, preferably until all bus subscribers were activated in succession. The central unit has or is operatively connected to a memory in which the central unit stores a time or a period of activation of the bus subscriber assigned to its address.

The time can be, for example, the time of sending the addressed bus command. The activation period can be specified in this bus command. However, the activation period preferably ends with a further addressed bus command causing the deactivation.

The bus command may be configured such that the following activation / deactivation is shorter than the previous activation / activation being terminated and / or another bus participant being activated / deactivated.

The central processing unit may be configured to receive a signal via the bus during the activation / deactivation sequence and subsequently to change the bus command / to activate / deactivate another bus subscriber.

The central processing unit may include a timer and / or be configured to receive a time signal.

The defined time and / or the time count can be synchronized with an input device.

The central unit may have at least one interface for connection and / or for data exchange with a mobile part.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a portable and thus mobile input device having a memory or functionally connected to a memory, wherein the input device starts a continuous time counting from a defined time and in the memory a time or period associated with a Identifier is stored and wherein the input device is adapted to save the time or period associated with the identifier on a user interaction on a user interface.

The input device may include a timer and / or be configured to receive a time signal.

The defined time and / or the time count can be synchronized with a central unit.

The input device may have at least one interface for connection and / or for data exchange with a central unit.

A system comprising a central processing unit and a portable or at least mobile input device, as described above, is provided in a still further aspect of the invention, wherein the central processing unit and / or the input device are adapted in a matching process to the time stored by the input device or period to allocate a time or period stored by the central unit and so to establish an association between the time or period in the central unit associated address and the time or period in the input device associated identifier.

The invention further provides a method for locating bus subscribers connected to a bus, wherein a central unit which starts a continuous time counting starting from a defined time activates / deactivates in each case one bus subscriber by an addressed bus command, preferably activates / deactivates all bus subscribers one after the other and, upon activation / deactivation of a bus subscriber for a time or period, an address of the bus subscriber associated with the Time or period stores, an input device starts a continuous time counting from a defined time and stores in memory a time or period associated with an identifier on a user interaction, and wherein the central unit and / or the input device in a matching process that of the input device a time or period stored by the central unit and thus to establish an association between the time or period assigned in the central unit address and the time or period in the input device associated identifier.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method in which a central processing unit initiates a continuous time counting from a defined time, activates / deactivates one bus user at a time by an addressed bus command, preferably until all bus users have been activated one after the other, and wherein the central unit has a memory or is functionally connected to a memory in which a time or period of activation / deactivation of the bus subscriber associated with its address is stored.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method in which an input device having a memory or operatively connected to a memory starts a continuous time count from a defined time and in the memory a time or period associated with an identifier and wherein the input device stores the time or period associated with the identifier to a user interaction on a user interface.

In the following the invention will be described with reference to the figures, which show further developments of the invention.

Brief description of the figures

1a - 1r show a method using the system and its components according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

An object of the invention is therefore to provide identification information such. B. addresses of the bus subscribers with additional information in connection. In particular, the invention is intended to make it possible for bus subscribers to be assigned a user address or user identification with addresses assigned in advance to the factory or by a central unit.

The inventive system uses, for example, at least one central unit, which is used in conjunction with a corresponding input device to achieve a corresponding assignment.

According to the invention, the central unit is connected to a plurality of bus subscribers and assigns addresses, for example short addresses, to the bus subscribers. Since the central unit has no knowledge of the actual position / location / affiliation to an organizational unit of the bus subscribers, for example in a building, an association must be made between this information of the bus subscriber and his address.

According to the invention, the bus subscribers are now activated according to their address, for example according to the ascending / descending address. In the case of bus subscribers that represent output devices, for example lights, they are simply switched on or off. In the case of bus subscribers, which are configured as input devices, for example switches, a feedback to the central unit can take place via a manual actuation of these bus subscribers.

The input device according to the invention serves in addition to a logging of a time or a period for which a bus subscriber is activated / deactivated, also for entering at least one identifier that describes, for example, the corresponding bus subscriber, his position / position or his affiliation to an organizational unit. It is Z. B. also possible to assign the bus participants on the identifier a new address.

For example, the central unit activates one bus subscriber after another and a user goes to the place where he wants to catalog the bus users.

At the location concerned, the user waits until all bus users have been activated and uses the input device to log the power-on processes. In this case, the input device automatically stores the time at which it receives an input command and also stores the identifier also entered for the corresponding bus subscriber. For bus devices that represent input devices, the user actuates the input device and simultaneously logs the time / period of actuation via the input device and also assigns an identifier for the corresponding bus device. The user then moves to another location to catalog further bus subscribers. Thus, the designation of the identifiers / user addresses takes place in a state in which the user or his assigned input device does not communicate with the bus system.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that both the central processing unit and the input device operate with a uniform time base. For this purpose, for example, be provided that the central unit, as well as the input device, each having a timer, which is synchronized, for example, in a connection of central processing unit and input device. This can be z. B. so that the starting point for each timer is set at a connection of input device and central processing unit to a defined start time from which then the logging takes place (for example, analogous to the simultaneous start of two stopwatches). The central unit then stores, for example starting from the defined time, the times or periods for which the bus subscribers are activated.

However, it is also possible that the timer of the input device to the timer of the central processing unit (or vice versa), for example, during a connection.

Further, it is possible for both the central processing unit and the input device to be configured to receive a time signal after the respective timer is set (eg a radio clock). This can be omitted synchronization in a connection. A certain deviation between the runs of the timer is tolerable and can by appropriate precautions, eg. B. buffer times are intercepted.

After the user has detected all bus subscribers in the input device, an association between the input device and the central unit is established for a connection between identifier and address of the bus subscriber. In this case, the time points / time periods which were recorded by the central unit for activation / deactivation of the bus subscriber are compared with the times / periods which the user has logged with the input device. Since the corresponding address of the activated / deactivated bus subscriber is stored by the central unit for each period, and the identifier entered by the user is stored on the input device for each period / time, an association can be made between coincidences between the periods / times on both sides Address and identifier take place. The user is not bound to a particular order in which he must log the activation of the bus participants, but, for example, can first catalog all bus subscribers in one room before cataloging the bus subscribers in another room.

The, for example, successive, activation of the bus subscribers begins anew, so that if the user is not in the right place when the corresponding bus subscriber is activated / deactivated, the user can log the activation / deactivation to another time period.

The central unit always activates / deactivates a bus subscriber for a predetermined period of time. Activation of all bus subscribers therefore takes a certain amount of time, for a run this can result, for example, from a product of the number of bus subscribers with the activation period. Of course, this period of time will be extended if several passes of bus subscriber activations / deactivations have to be made.

In order to shorten the time required to catalog all bus subscribers, in one embodiment, the present invention contemplates that one or more activation / deactivation periods of the bus subscribers may be shortened by the user. For this purpose, it is provided, for example, that the user sends a signal to the central unit via a bus subscriber, whereupon the central unit sends another, for. B. the next bus in the address sequence, activated / deactivated. The user can thus considerably shorten the time required for a run and, for example, catalog all bus subscribers in a room more quickly. A signaling can be done for example via a switch connected to the bus. It may be provided that the bus subscriber, z. As the switch is operated in a certain sequence to transmit the signal to the central unit. However, it should be understood that other bus subscriber interactions, e.g. As an interaction with a sensor, can be used to speed up the process.

The central processing unit and the input device can store the time points and the address or the identifier in a table, for example. It is possible for the central unit and input device to store (unambiguous) time stamps and for an assignment to take place, for example, if a time stamp which was stored by the input device lies within a time interval around a time stamp which was stored by the central unit for activation / deactivation.

Only after completion of the process is again a communication between the CPU and the input device to z. For example, to synchronize the tables created in the disconnected state.

The advantage is that, for. B. during the creation of tables, no communication between the Central unit and the input device takes place. Rather, as described above z. For example, separate tables are created. Thus, it is not necessary that the user or his input device is connected by means of a cable or wirelessly during the address assignment to the bus system. At the same time, the user device is logically connected to the central unit via the common time base.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a user in a hardcopy floor plan can easily note the time assigned to the respective bus subscriber, in addition to noticing the activation of the bus subscriber. Afterwards, the assignment of the perceived activation to the user address or user identification in the bus system could be made manually.

In yet another embodiment, a building plan may be displayed virtually on a display, e.g. B. a touch screen to the user. The user can thus press on perceived activation of a bus station on the perceived bus subscriber. For example, information and / or identifiers can be stored in the virtual building plan for each bus subscriber, which is then linked to a time / time period based on the user interaction (in the background, then runs on this input device (eg touchscreen, tablet PC). Tablet, the time base, and after completed address assignment, this user device with touch screen then wirelessly or wired to the central unit of the bus system to synchronize.

It should also be noted that the above-described shortening of the activation / deactivation period does not work with a clock / clock rate pay, as a steady increment of the clock must be made to allow a prior art assignment. Thus, the above-mentioned fast forward ("fast forward") function is not possible.

1a - 1r illustrate the localization method according to the invention using the inventive system (here with an activation of the bus users) by way of example:

1a : The central unit allocates (short) addresses 0 ... 35 at random.

1b : The user keeps z. For example, an addressing plan / list / floor plan with identifiers (eg IDs 1-36) is provided.

1c : The timers start synchronized.

1d : The first bus user (address 1) is activated. The other bus subscribers are successively activated, z. At intervals of 5 seconds.

1e : The next bus user (address 2) answers after 5 seconds.

1f : The next bus user (address 3) answers after 5 seconds.

1g : The next bus user (address 4) answers after 5 seconds.

1h : The user recognizes the activated bus device (eg switched on luminaire) (address 4) and operates the input device at 00: 00: 26,7 to save the time.

1i : The user assigns an identifier (ID) xy from the addressing plan at this time.

1j : Meanwhile the activation of the bus participants continues. At 00:00:30 the bus participant with address 5 is active.

1k : The user can shorten the activation period, eg. B. by interaction with an input device such. B. a switch.

1l : The shortening can be done several times ...

1m : ... until the next bus user is recognizably activated for the user.

1n : The user sees the activated / deactivated bus device (eg switched on light) (address 13) and operates the input device at 00: 00: 46.9 to save the time.

1o : The user assigns an identifier (ID) yz from the addressing plan at this time.

1p : Meanwhile, the successive activation continues (00:00:51, address 14). After the last activation (address 35) the activation starts again from the beginning (loop).

1q : If the user has detected all bus users in the room / line, he goes to the next room / to the next line for further recording. When all bus subscribers have been registered, it ends the time counter and the loop.

1r : There are now stored in the central unit and in the input device time-address or time-identifier assignments, for. For example, there are now two mapping lists. By a Synchronization takes place the assignment of the identifier (ID) to the address (= localization).

The advantage of being able to shorten an activation / deactivation time is now to be clarified.

• – Dauer bis alle Busteilnehmer eines Raumes sich gemeldet haben (worst case): 36·7 s = 252 s.
• – 6 Räume·252 s = 1512 s, entspricht 25 Minuten und 12 Sekunden (00:25:12) ohne Verwendung des Schnellvorlaufs.

In the worst case scenario, the time for localization for 6 rooms, 6 bus users (lights) per room and a set activation / deactivation time of 7 seconds is calculated as follows:

• - Duration until all bus subscribers of a room have reported (worst case): 36 · 7 s = 252 s.
• - 6 rooms · 252 s = 1512 s, corresponds to 25 minutes and 12 seconds (00:25:12) without using fast forward.

• – Dauer mit Verwendung der Schnellvorlaufs (Abkürzung des 7 s-Takts auf 3 s) (worst case): 6·7 s + 30·3 s = 132 s.
• – Bei 6 Räumen: 6 × 132 s = 612 s, entspricht 13 Minuten und 12 Sekunden (00:13:12).

On the other hand:

• - Duration when using fast forward (abbreviation of the 7 s clock to 3 s) (worst case): 6 · 7 s + 30 · 3 s = 132 s.
• - For 6 rooms: 6 × 132 s = 612 s, equivalent to 13 minutes and 12 seconds (00:13:12).

With a variation of the number of rooms and / or activation time, the advantage comes even more into the foreground.

• – Ohne Schnellvorlauf: 60·7 s = 420 s; 10 Räume·420 s = 4200 s. Das entspricht 01:10:00.
• – Mit Schnellvorlauf (Abkürzung des 7 s-Takts auf 3 s): 6·7 s + 54·3 s = 204 s; 10 Räume × 204 s = 2040 s. Das entspricht 0034:00 und damit einer Zeitersparnis von über einer halben Stunde.

Example for 10 rooms with 6 bus participants per room (= 60 bus participants) and set activation / deactivation time of 7 s:

• - without fast forward: 60 · 7 s = 420 s; 10 rooms · 420 s = 4200 s. That corresponds to 01:10:00.
• - With fast forward (abbreviation of the 7 s clock to 3 s): 6 · 7 s + 54 · 3 s = 204 s; 10 rooms × 204 s = 2040 s. This corresponds to 0034: 00 and thus a time saving of over half an hour.

• – Dauer bis alle Leuchten eines Raumes sich gemeldet haben (worst case) 64·7 s = 448 s [320 s].
• – Daraus folgt für 16 Räume: 16 Räume·448 s = 7168 s = 01:59:28 [01:25:20].

Mit Schnellvorlauf:

• – Dauer mit Verkürzung des 7 s-Takts auf 3 s (worst case) 4·7 s + 60·3 s = 208 s [200 s].
• – Daraus folgt für 16 Räume: 16 Räume × 208 s = 3328 s = 00:55:28 [00:53:20].

Example for 16 rooms with 4 bus subscribers and a set activation / deactivation time of 7 s [for 5 s the values are given in square brackets]:
Without fast forward:

• - Duration until all luminaires in a room have responded (worst case) 64 · 7 s = 448 s [320 s].
• - It follows for 16 rooms: 16 rooms · 448 s = 7168 s = 01:59:28 [01:25:20].

With fast forward:

• - Duration with shortening of the 7 s clock to 3 s (worst case) 4 · 7 s + 60 · 3 s = 208 s [200 s].
• - It follows for 16 rooms: 16 rooms × 208 s = 3328 s = 00:55:28 [00:53:20].

The actual times for fast-forward locations will generally be slightly below the worst case times. Nevertheless, the time gain when using fast forward is considerable (for example, between 30% and 60%).

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• AT 507908 B1 [0004]

Claims (21)

Central unit which can be connected via a bus to a number of building services bus users, wherein the central unit can be put into an operating mode in which it: Starting a continuous time counting from a defined time, - Activated / deactivated, in each case a bus subscriber by an addressed bus command, preferably until all bus subscribers have been activated, and wherein the central processing unit comprises a memory or is operatively connected to a memory in which a time or period of activation / deactivation of the bus subscriber assigned to its address is stored. Central processing unit according to claim 1, wherein the bus command is designed such that the following activation / deactivation is shorter than the previous activation / a current activation / deactivation is terminated and / or another bus participant is activated / deactivated. Central processing unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the central unit is adapted to address the bus users. Central processing unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the central unit is adapted to receive a signal via the bus during the activation / deactivation sequence and then to change the bus command / activate / deactivate another bus subscriber. Central processing unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the central unit has a timer and / or is adapted to receive a time signal. Central unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the defined time and / or the time count is synchronized with an input device. Central unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the central unit has at least one interface for connection and / or for data exchange with a mobile part. Input device that - Has a memory or is functionally connected to a memory, wherein - The input device starts a continuous time counting from a defined time and in the memory is stored a time or period associated with an identifier and wherein - The input device is adapted to save the time or period associated with the identifier on a user interaction on a user interface. The input device of claim 8, wherein the input device comprises a timer and / or is adapted to receive a time signal. Input device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the defined time and / or the time count is synchronized with a central unit. Input device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the input device has at least one interface for connection and / or for data exchange with a central unit. System comprising a central processing unit according to any one of claims 1-7 and an input device according to any one of claims 9-11, The central processing unit and / or the input device are set up to allocate, in a matching process, the time or period stored by the input device to a time or period stored by the central processing unit, thus assigning an address between the time or period assigned to the central processing unit and the time or Produce period associated with the input device identifier. Method for locating bus subscribers connected to a bus, wherein a. a central unit which starts a continuous time counting starting from a defined time, activates / deactivates in each case one bus subscriber by an addressed bus command, preferably until all bus subscribers have been activated / deactivated one after the other, and an address of the bus subscriber for a time or period of time when activating / deactivating a bus subscriber Bus subscriber in association with the time or period stores, b. an input device starts a continuous time count from a defined time and stores in memory a time or period associated with an identifier upon user interaction, and wherein c. the central processing unit and / or the input device in a matching process assigns to the time or period stored by the input device a time or period stored by the central processing unit, thus associating an association between the time or period associated with the central processing unit address and the time or period in the input device Identifier to produce. The method of claim 13, wherein the bus command may be configured such that the subsequent activation / deactivation is shorter than that preceding activation / a current activation is terminated and / or another bus subscriber is activated / deactivated. The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein the central unit is adapted to address the bus users. Method according to one of claims 13-15, wherein the central unit is adapted to receive a signal via the bus during the activation sequence and then to change the bus command / to activate another bus subscriber. Method according to one of claims 13-16, wherein the central unit has a timer and / or is adapted to receive a time signal. Method according to one of claims 13-17, wherein the defined time and / or the time count is synchronized with an input device. Method according to one of claims 13-18, wherein the central unit has at least one interface for connection and / or for data exchange with a mobile part. Method for locating bus subscribers, in which a central unit enters an operating mode: Starting a continuous time counting from a defined time, - Activated / deactivated, in each case a bus subscriber by an addressed bus command, preferably until all bus subscribers have been activated, and wherein the central processing unit comprises a memory or is operatively connected to a memory in which a time or period of activation / deactivation of the bus subscriber associated with its address is stored. Method for locating bus subscribers in which an input device, the Has a memory or is functionally connected to a memory, - Starting a continuous time counting from a defined time and stored in the memory, a time or period associated with an identifier and wherein - The input device stores the time or period associated with the identifier on a user interaction on a user interface.

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