ES2358265T3 - PROGRAMMING PROCEDURE OF THE TIMING DURATION OF A MINUTE. - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves changing electronics associated to a normal mode to a programming mode by specific activation of a time switch activating button (104). The recording of time delay duration is started and terminated by specific activation of a start/stop button (102). The electronics associated to the programming mode is changed to the normal mode during which the time delay duration is recorded in the electronics. An independent claim is also included for a time switch.

Description

The invention relates to a method for programming the timer duration of a minute hand, as well as a programmable minute switch for such a procedure. It has its application in the field of home automation, mainly in the field of switches. 5

For a minute switch, the duration for which the lamp controlled by that switch remains on is called “timer duration”.

Minute switches whose timing duration is controlled by a rotary knob are known. The user who wants to use the minute hand turns the rotary knob a more or less large angle from its stop position according to the desired timing duration. After releasing the rotary knob, it begins to rotate in the reverse direction until it reaches its stop position where the light goes out. Document FR-A-2 774 528 discloses a programmable minute hand.

This type of minute switch is made up of mechanical elements, such as noisy springs, and that need to have a certain volume inside the switch housing, which increases the dimensions and affects their aesthetics. fifteen

The use of this type of switch is also uncomfortable, since the user does not know at what angle of rotation the necessary timing duration corresponds, and then systematically rotates the rotary knob to its maximum position, which causes a superfluous consumption of electricity.

Minutes were created whose timing duration can be regulated by a screw from a box attached to the switch and placed in the electrical panel of the building. twenty

The change in timing duration is complicated, since the user must have certain technical knowledge to safely access the electrical panel. When the building comprises several minutes and therefore several adjustable boxes, the user must know the boxes that correspond to the different minutes or have to perform a series of long and complicated tests that discourage him to make regulations.

An object of the present invention is to propose a method for programming the timing duration of a minute hand that does not have the drawbacks of the prior art.

For this purpose, a method of programming the timing duration of a minute of a switch comprising a first start / stop button, a second start button of the minute during the duration of timing and an associated electronics is proposed.

The procedure is characterized in that it comprises: 30

- A step of passing the electronics associated in a normal way to a programming mode by means of a specific activation of said second button.

- A starting stage of the recording of the timing duration by means of a specific activation of said first button.

- An end stage of recording the timing duration by means of a specific activation of said first button; Y :

- A step of passing the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode during which the timing duration is recorded in the associated electronics.

Advantageously, the specific activation of the second button in the course of the step of passing the electronics normally associated with the programming mode consists of a long pressure. 40

According to a first embodiment, the step of passing the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode is controlled by the specific activation of the first button during the final stage of recording the timing duration.

According to a second embodiment, the step of passing the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode is controlled by the specific activation of the second button. Four. Five

Advantageously, the specific activation of the second button during the step of passing the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode is a long pressure.

The invention also proposes a minute switch comprising a first start / stop button, a second minute start button for a duration of timing and an associated electronics, characterized

because the timing duration is programmable by means of a programming procedure according to one of the previous variants.

Advantageously, the first button and the second button are by impulse contact.

The features of the invention mentioned above as well as others, will emerge more clearly upon reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, description made in connection with the accompanying drawings 5 where:

- Figure 1 represents a programmable minute switch according to the invention, and:

- Figure 2 represents a programming algorithm for the timer duration of a minute hand according to the invention.

Figure 1 represents a control switch 100 of a particular electric device a lamp. Said switch 10 100 comprises a box 106 that is fixed to a wall, a first button 102 that serves as a switch for switching the lamp on and off and a second button 104 that serves as the start button for the minute hand.

The switch 100 and in particular the first button 102 and the second button 104 are connected to an associated electronics for managing the state of the switch and the lamp. The electronics associated with switch 100 comprise the necessary elements such as a microcontroller connected to buttons 102, 104 and a counter. fifteen

The associated electronics can have a normal mode where it manages the lamp status and a programming mode where it records the value of the timing duration desired by the user. The counter is used to measure the timer's timer duration when it is activated or to measure the timer duration that the user wishes to register when the associated electronics are in the programming mode.

The first button 102, which is a start / stop button, is used to manually turn the lamp associated with switch 100 on and off 20. Preferably, this first button 102 is by impulse contact.

The second button 104 is also preferably by impulse contact and serves as the starter of the minute hand, that is to say that its activation initiates the lighting of the lamp for a duration equal to the recorded timing duration.

Figure 2 is an algorithm for programming the timer duration of the minute start from the switch 100, that is to say that the result of said algorithm is the recording of the timing duration desired by the user in the associated electronics.

Programming the timing duration is easier because it is done at the switch level, in particular it is not necessary to have technical knowledge or know the correspondence between the minute boxes and the electrical panel boxes. 30

To program the timer's timer duration, the lamp should preferably be off.

The procedure for programming the timer duration of the minute hand comprises:

- a step 202 of passing the electronics associated from the normal mode to the programming mode by means of a specific activation of the second button 104;

- a step 204 of starting the timing duration register by means of a specific activation of the first button 102;

- a step 206 for the end of recording the timing duration by a specific activation of the first button 102 and,

- a step 208 of passing the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode during which the timing duration is recorded in the associated electronics. 40

The timing duration can be precisely regulated, which prevents the lamp from being switched on for a long time with respect to the lighting needs and the use of electronic programming means allows to limit the size of the switch. Said programming mode is particularly simple since it only requires a limited number of manipulations of the first button 102 and the second button 104.

The recorded timing duration is then the duration between the activation of the first button 102 in the course of the start-up stage of the register 204 and the activation of the first button 102 during the end-of-registration stage 206. The timing duration may be determined by the counter of the associated electronics that starts the account from the first activation of the first button 102 and stops it at the time of the second activation of the first button 102.

The activation of the first button 102 during the start-up stage of the register 204 corresponds to the lighting of the lamp and the activation of the first button 102 during the end-of-registration stage 206 corresponds to the turning off of the lamp, thus at the end the lamp is off from programming, which corresponds to its return to normal operation.

The specific activation of the second button 104 in the course of the step of the electronics associated from the normal mode to the programming mode 202 preferably consists of a long pressure on the second button 104.

The specific activation of the first button 102 during the start-up stage of the register 204 and during the end-of-registration stage 206 preferably consists of a normal pressure on the first button 102.

The passage of the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode 208 can be performed by pressing the first button 102 in the course of the registration end stage 206. The registration end stage 206 and the step stage of the associated electronics from programming mode to normal mode 208 are then performed simultaneously.

To distinguish the two stages, the passage of the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode 208 can be performed by a specific activation of the second button 104, for example a long press. fifteen

The long pressures of the step of the associated electronics from the normal mode to the programming mode 202 and of the step of the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode 208 are preferably greater than two seconds and in particular of the order of three seconds.

After recording the timing duration, a simple press on the second button 104 starts the minute hand for a duration equivalent to the recorded timing duration. twenty

Claims (4)

1. Procedure for programming the timing duration of a minute timer of a switch comprising a first start / stop button (102), a second minute start button (104) during said timing duration and an associated electronics;

procedure comprising: 5

- a step (202) of passing the electronics associated in a normal way to a programming mode by means of a specific activation of the second button (104);

- a step (204) of starting the recording of the timing duration by means of a specific activation of the first button (102);

- a step (206) of the end of recording of the timing duration by a specific activation of the first button (102) and,

- a step (208) of passing the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode during which the timing duration is recorded in the associated electronics,

with said step (208) of passing the associated electronics from the programming mode to the normal mode controlled by the specific activation of the first button (102) during the end stage (206) of recording the duration of 15 timing.

2. Programming method according to claim 1, characterized in that the specific activation of the second button (104) in the course of the step (202) of the electronics associated with the normal mode to the programming mode consists of a long pressure.

3. Minute switch (100) comprising a first start / stop button (102), one according to the 20 minute start button (104) for a duration of timing and an associated electronics, characterized in that the minute switch (100) It is equipped in such a way that the timing duration is programmed by a programming method according to one of the preceding claims.

4. Minute switch (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first button (102) and the second button (104) are by impulse contact. 25