FI109441B - Control system control method - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 109441 Control method for control system - Förfarande for control av en styrsystem

The invention relates to methods of controlling control and regulation systems by means of wireless terminals, such as mobile phones or the like. In particular, the invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1.

Description of the technical background

The use of a mobile station such as a GSM system (Global System for Mobile communication) as a remote control device for control systems is known. In particular, systems are known which enable control system, such as building heating system parameters, to be communicated via SMS (short message service) to a person controlling the system, and on the other hand enable control system operation commands and control values to be transmitted to the control system.

15 However, there are some drawbacks to such systems, which are inherent in the fact that SMS systems for mobile systems are not designed | optimized for this particular activity. Easy-to-use user interface software is not available for the mobile station to operate the control systems, which then com. to communicate with the control system, for example via SMS.

i ·; !, · · 20 Using text messages, for example, to read setpoints and control information and / or: A requires that the user be able to key in commands in the correct format:: ··: in his mobile station. Different code tables are needed to refresh the memory:. that indicate whether things were used to separate a punctuation mark, space, comma, or. · ·. some special character, which keyword is used to call various things in the system, and the other 25 matching syntax details.

ί * ...: In the absence of software installed on the mobile device, users must type-! va SMS messages containing control commands themselves, and remember the command names and: /. spellings, number formats, and other syntax details. This is often very cumbersome, as there may be many options, and because systems that receive Ί * 30 text commands are typically very good:! inflexible in keystroke errors in commands. This abrasion: / ·· is multiplied when a single service technician is responsible for a large number of 2,109,441 control systems, possibly manufactured by different manufacturers, connected to different actuators, and possibly of very different ages. Because of these considerations, command options and syntax vary greatly, so the service technician should be able to remember all the details of all the ice-5 technology under their responsibility. This is, of course, completely unrealistic, which is why the service person must carry sticky notes, booklets or the like, from which he can check the necessary commands and their syntax. Of course, the mobile phone's awkwardness when writing a text message is an additional difficulty, especially for a slightly thick-hearted and rigid service technician, it is very difficult, or at least too slow, to post a long text message to control a function.

Brief Description of the Invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a method for controlling a control system which avoids the above-mentioned drawbacks as much as possible. It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for controlling a control sequence that does not require the maintenance person to memorize commands and their syntax externally. It is a further object of the invention to provide a rigid system for carrying out such a method.

The objects of the invention are achieved by using essentially the same syntax in generating report messages to be sent and in interpreting incoming control command messages, whereby the user may, for example, command a change parameter of a control parameter by modifying the parameter value mentioned in the report message and returning the report message to the control system.

The method according to the invention is characterized by what is mentioned in the characterizing part of the independent claim to the method. The system according to the invention is characterized by what is mentioned in the characterizing part of the 25 independent claims directed to the system. Preferred embodiments of the invention. · · ·. the forms are described in the dependent claims.

Brief description of the pictures. * ·. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the preferred embodiments shown by way of example and the accompanying drawings, in which: '' ': Figure 1 illustrates an example of a preferred embodiment of the invention. '. system, and •; *; Figure 2 illustrates some preferred embodiments of the invention.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION A. Example of a system according to the invention

Figure 1 illustrates a system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 illustrates a control device 10, a control device control unit 100, a mobile communication system terminal 110 connected to the control unit, a user mobile station 20, and a mobile communication network 30 and base stations 31 transmitting messages via mobile communication network terminals. The control devices 10 may be, for example, a system for controlling the heating of the property, or a control system for some other process. Preferably, terminal 110 may be a conventional mobile station 10 of a mobile communication system that is only coupled to a control system for transmitting messages. Preferably, the terminal 110 may also use special mobile communication components which provide the same functionality as a conventional mobile station but omit a user interface such as a keyboard and display as they are intended to be integrated into other systems. Generally, terminal 15 110 is a system capable of transmitting text messages to a mobile communication system for transmission to its terminals and receiving text messages from a mobile communication system. The control unit 100 comprises means 120 for generating and transmitting text messages via a terminal 110 to a mobile network, means 122 for receiving text messages via a terminal 110 from a mobile network and means 124 for interpreting received text messages. The control unit 100 may advantageously be implemented, for example, by means of a computer or an embedded microprocessor, wherein said means 120, 122, 124 may be implemented by means of program code elements stored in a memory means used by the processor, and; \ J which program code elements the processor executes.

'* 25 B. Examples of Control Methods of the Invention • I ·! According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a user, such as a caretaker, a service technician, a householder, or other person in charge of a controlled process, ···, may request a report from the control system by sending a report request to the control telephone number. For example, a user can send a message "Settings?" 30 from a mobile station 20 to a telephone number corresponding to terminal 110, wherein the mobile: communication system forwards the message to terminal 110, which in turn forwards the message to: control unit 100. The control unit generates control parameters from the current: '·. worth of messages according to a certain predefined syntax. The message can here be an example! for example, "Room Heat = 21.5 / Maximum Limit = 45 / Minimum Limit = 20 / * ·» 4 109441

Wind Compensation = 4 / Night Drop = 8 / The syntax used in this message can be represented as name = value / [name = value f] where name is the name of the parameter, value is the value of the parameter and where the portion in brackets 5 can repeat zero or more times. Next, the control unit 100 sends the generated message back to the user's mobile station. If the user wants to change the value of any of the control parameters, they just need to edit the values mentioned in the received message and send back the edited message. For example, by modifying the message to "Room Heat = 20.5 / Maximum Limit-10 = 45 / Minimum Limit = 20 / Wind Compensation = 4 / Night Drop = 10" and sending the custom message back to the control unit 100, the user can adjust the "room heat" parameter to 20, 5, that is, decrease the room temperature by one degree, and adjust the "night-drop" parameter to 10, that is, increase the night-time drop by two units. The control system may also be programmed to send an acknowledgment in response to a received control message.

In the following, another example of utilizing the invention in connection with building thermal control systems will be considered. The invention enables the user to view and change, for example, the heating control curve. The temperature of the water entering the heating system can be set in the controller depending on the outdoor temperature. Gun values are typically given at three points: -20 ° C, 0 ° C and + 20 ° C. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the curve is set up as a text message. For example, the user sends a "Control curve?" Message to the control system, in response to which the control system returns the report message "Mountain View Apartements Control curve: -20 = 68/0 = 42 / + 20 = 18 ". User:: 25 returns a custom message" Adjustment curve: -20 = 70/0 = 43 / + 20 = 17 ". In this example: ..,: the syntax can therefore be represented as» I · [string] Adjustment curve: -20 = value / 0 = value / +20 = value

Thus, at the beginning of the message there may be zero or more free-form strings followed by the word "Control curve:", string "-20 =", first parameter value, character:! , 30 string 7 0 = ", second parameter value, and 7 +20 =" and third parameter value. In this example of '7', the control system will give its location property ID, ":" "Mountain View Apartements", which the user may choose to leave or:: remove.

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Hereinafter, a third example of preferred embodiments of the invention will be considered. In this example, the user selects a particular option from the available options. Initially, the user sends an "Controls?" Text message to the control system, and in response to receiving this SMS, control system 5 sends back to the user a control mode parameter message "Mountain View Apartements Controls: LI: * auto control / continuous day / continuous night / manual drive". The message shows four options, and the * character indicates the currently valid option. Also, by way of example, the identifier "LI" of the part of the adjustable system, i.e., in this example, the identifier of a particular heating circuit is shown.

10 In this fictional example, the user wants to change the "control mode" parameter to "continuous night", that is, to control the heating circuit to maintain the temperature continuously at a setpoint according to the night time. The user does this by deleting the * character value in front of "auto adjustment" and inserting the * character value in front of "continuous night" so that the message has the following format: 15 "Mountain View Apartements Controls: LI: auto adjustment / continuous day / ^ continuous night / manual drive / "

Finally, the user sends the custom message to the control system, which upon receiving the message changes the value of the parameter as desired. An additional example is the addition of more precise control values. Assume that the user wants to connect 20 heating circuits to manual control and set the heating control actuator to 25% of its total range. He can then edit the message in the following format:; "Mountain View Apartements Controls: LI: Auto Adjustment / Continuous Day / '·' Continuous Night / * Manual Drive 25%" 25 The control mode of the invention can also be utilized in many other types, ·· *. with rigid systems such as relay control. Such a relay control-based system may, for example, be a sauna heating control system, or, for example, a burglar alarm control system, a door lock ;;; * a control system or, for example, a system for controlling exterior and / or courtyard lighting; The on / off type selection may be implemented, for example, by means of the embodiment i described above, wherein the selected option is represented by a particular character: '* 1; such as *.

j.j · It should be noted that the above messages are for a specific application only: related examples, and do not limit the invention or its scope in any way. The above syntaxes are just examples, and many other types of syntax can be implemented by one skilled in the art.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the user does not need to send any specific command to the control system in order to receive a report from the control system. For example, the control system, or more specifically, the control system control unit 100, can be programmed to send a report at certain predetermined intervals to the user's mobile station, or, for example, when certain alarm limits are exceeded.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit 100 can also be programmed to send a report message in response to a user-sent SMS that does not follow a predetermined syntax. In this case, the user can order a report message from the system, for example, by sending an empty message to the system. This embodiment also has the advantage that if a user makes a syntax page while editing a message for a response, a report message reporting the old values informs the user that there was an error in the previous control message.

If, for convenience and clarity, the values of all control parameters do not fit in the same text message or for other reasons, such as convenience and clarity, the user may request a report on a particular parameter group by sending a control keyword or command to the control system.

Examples of such parameter groups and keywords may be, for example, "Measurements", "Arming Values", I, ";" Relay Controls ", and" Time Controls "in the example of a property heating control system.

• * · »: '. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control system sends a message to the user:: * · · listing the available keywords / commands if the user. 25 sends an empty or otherwise control command message syntax, · ·. message.

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In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control system sends a message to the user listing the available keywords / commands if the user sends a request to the heating system. The command can be, for example; "·. 30" Keywords? "Or some other command. The user can, of course, send a list of keywords / commands sent by the storage system to his mobile station r * ';' for later use.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control system checks from which subscriber or telephone number the user sends SMS messages and sends reports and 7109441 performs actions according to the control commands sent by the user only if the user's SMS messages are sent from a particular predefined telephone number or subscription. Such an arrangement can prevent the access of strangers to control the waste system. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the system requires the user to trace a password, identification number, or similar code, such as a PIN (personal identity number), to the control command message before the system approves the parameter changes of the message.

C. Examples of other embodiments of the invention

According to some embodiments of the invention, the invention is directed to a control system comprising means for transmitting at least one control parameter value as a text message to a mobile station having a particular first representation. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, such a control system further comprises at least means for receiving a control command changing the value of at least one of the control parameters from said at least one control parameter as a text message having a particular representation which is the same as said first representation.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control system is a heating system for controlling the building.

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According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control system is an air conditioning control system for the property 20.

• ♦:. ·. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control system is a heating control system for the sauna * 4 *:.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control system is a control system for the external lighting of the building.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control system is a control system for locking the doors of a building.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the invention is directed to a method; ; '·, To control the value of at least one control parameter of the control system. Such embodiments are illustrated in Figure 2. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the method comprises at least steps in which. sending 210 messages about the value of at least one control parameter via a given syntax via SMS to the mobile station, 8 109441 receiving 220 SMS messages, and interpreting 230 received SMS messages based on said syntax to determine the value of at least one control parameter in the SMS message.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises at least the steps of: comparing at least one control parameter value reported in the interpreted SMS message with valid control parameter values, and - changing the corresponding control system control parameter value if the SMS message value differs from the valid value.

10 In step 255, it is checked whether any further parameter values were mentioned in the text message, and if so, return to step 240.

D. Other Issues Related to the Invention

The invention has been described above with particular reference to heating control systems, but the invention is by no means limited to use with such control systems. The invention can also be applied to many other types of control and control systems, such as: - heating and air-conditioning systems for buildings - controlling the start, temperature and timing of the sauna - controlling the alarm systems (buildings, cars, boats, other objects), 20 control of setpoints

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; - control the timing of the lilac lights in the buildings' · 1! - control of production process parameters c t - control of parameters of automation systems.

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The invention has been described above with reference to some preferred embodiments thereof, but it is to be understood that the invention may be modified in many ways in accordance with the inventive concept defined in the appended claims.

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Claims (8)

A control system comprising means for transmitting the value of at least one control parameter as text message to a mobile station, wherein the text message is displayed in a given first form, characterized in that it further comprises at least means 5 for receiving a control command as a text message which changes the value. for at least one control parameter among said at least one control parameter, wherein text message is displayed in a given form which is the same as said first display form. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a control system for heating a property. ίο Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a control system for! ventilation of a property. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a control system for heating a sauna. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a control system for the outdoor lighting of a building. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a control system for reading the door frames of a building. • · ♦ 7. A method for checking the value of at least one control parameter in a | control system, characterized in that it comprises at least steps to transmit message about the value of at least one control parameter with a text message displayed with a given syntax to a mobile station,: '*': - receive a and - interpreting the received text message at the base of said syntax to find out., ..: the value of at least one control parameter displayed in the text message. 25 Method according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises: '; at least step in to that! - compare the value of at least one control parameter specified in the interpreted text: Y: message with the current control parameter values, and - if the value specified in the text message differs from the current values, the corresponding control parameter value is changed in the control system.