FR3021467A1 - IMPROVED SWITCHING DEVICE FOR PILOTING THE POWER SUPPLY OF AT LEAST ONE APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved switching device (1) for supplying electrical power to at least one device (2) in a residential or professional single-phase electrical installation according to a setpoint. The invention also relates to a system for controlling the supply of at least one device (2) comprising an improved switching device (1), additional hardware resources and program specific to the use of the system. Another aspect of the invention is a method associated with an improved switching device according to the invention as well as the applications of this method for saving energy by reducing the standby power consumption of at least one device and for remotely controlling at least one apparatus in a residential or professional electrical installation in the context of automation relating to the management of comfort and / or energy.

Description

The present invention relates to a device and a method intended to be integrated in an electronic device forming a system which is connected to an electronic device forming a system. intercalates between the power supply network of a residential or professional building and at least one device that is to feed or not according to the needs of the context of use.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART Devices that are inserted between the electrical network of a building and other appliances to control the power supply, include switching means to ensure or not the continuity of the electrical circuit between the electrical network and the controlled device. Such devices are for example energy saving devices or interface boxes used in the context of remote control systems or home automation. The switching means most often used is a simple unipolar electromechanical relay connected in series between one of the poles of the power supply of the device to be driven and one of the potentials of the electrical installation. These electromechanical switching means have their main advantages their low cost of implementation and their compactness relative to the maximum power of the load that can be controlled. Their most well-known drawbacks are the noise reinjected into the electrical installation and the radiated noise due to switching at random times relative to the frequency of the electrical network. Another disadvantage of small electromechanical relays and wear of the contacts that eventually induce malfunctions by their inadvertent bonding. In addition, switching at random times causes stress in the power components of the controlled devices since most of the devices controllable by their power supply include switching power supplies, this stress being detrimental to their longevity. More sophisticated and expensive devices incorporate electronic switching means based for example thyristors, triac, IGBT, MOS FET. These components have the advantage of the possibility of a switching of the load synchronized to zero of the AC voltage, which is a stress reduction factor in the power components of the controlled load, and reduction of the load. the generation of parasites. The disadvantages of the electronic switching means are mainly their fragility with respect to overvoltages, the risk of asymmetrical failure affecting only the switching of one of the two alternations which is known to be likely to be destructive for certain loads. Another disadvantage of current semiconductor switches is the need for a cumbersome heatsink from a certain load power. These constraints lead to a high cost of implementation of the electronic switching means in the rules of the art that is to say with a suitable protection against overvoltages and the risk of partial failure, as well as significant congestion due to mechanical complications that arise from the need to collect and evacuate calories. The technical problem of a serious protection of the electronic switching means vis-à-vis the risk of destruction or malfunction incurred diverts the skilled person from the use of electronic switching means in devices related to accessories, in particularly in the context of consumer applications where the overall cost of technical solutions determines the choice of technical means implemented. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to at least partially overcome the technical problems mentioned above, which have been known for a long time, by proposing a switching device using electronic switching means to provide or not energy. at least one appliance in a single-phase residential or professional electrical installation. The device comprises means for connection to the electrical installation, means for connecting the supply of at least one device, means for supplying the internal resources of the device, a microcontroller. The device further comprises electronic switching means arranged to control the supply of an alternating current to one of the two poles of the single-phase power supply of the at least one device, electromechanical switching means. arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation, means for receiving an electrical energy supply instruction and a stopping instruction of the supply of electrical energy to the at least one apparatus and one memory containing a program executed by said microcontroller to appropriately manage the switching means of the device according to the setpoint received. By electromechanical switching means is meant any subassembly based on at least one moving part, where the opening and closing of an electric power circuit is caused by an electrically controlled mechanical action. The best known means in this category is the electromechanical relay in which a coil according to whether it is energized or not causes or not the closure of the contacts mounted on flexible conductive blades via a mobile armature. This type of switching means is essential in the invention as a means for physically isolating the electronic switching means of the power supply network. This type of switch is indeed able to allow efficient isolation between the two poles of an open electrical circuit. The isolation voltage of a pair of open mechanical contacts, where the dielectric is air, is in fact commonly greater than or equal to 1000V and its resistance between contacts is of the order of 100 MOhms. Electronic switching means means any subassembly based on the use of semiconductors, wherein the opening and closing of an electrical power circuit is electrically controlled without moving parts. This type of switching means is essential in the invention as a fast switching means capable of being synchronized with the frequency of the AC voltage of the electrical network and, where appropriate, with the current flowing in the at least one device to which it is to provide electrical energy. Electronic switching means can be made for example from elementary components such as triacs, thyristors, IGBTs MOS FET etc. It is known to those skilled in the art for a long time that semiconductors are fragile components, especially with respect to overvoltages that may appear between their terminals. Adequate protection to achieve a life expectancy corresponding to the expectations of users - 4 - achieved by the addition of appropriate ancillary components, sufficient in number and quality, is expensive and cumbersome. The invention responds to this problem mainly by the interposition of electromechanical switching means which are in fact used as means of electrical insulation of the switching components sensitive to overvoltages of the main source of high energy disturbance which is the electrical distribution network. The need for protection of sensitive components is reduced even more in the device according to the invention that they are exposed to disturbances only when the at least one device is powered. The invention also benefits from the significant self-protection obtained when the electronic power components are in the on state so that the actual exposure to a risk of overvoltage damage is naturally reduced to only those periods during which the electronic switching means are connected to the electrical distribution network by the electromechanical switching means and are in the open state. These periods of exposure to a risk of damage will have advantageously reduced durations in the implementation of the invention. Means are understood to receive an electrical energy supply instruction and an instruction to stop the supply of electrical energy to the at least one device, any means for executing the appropriate program in the microcontroller to provide the electrical energy to the at least one device or to stop supplying it according to the invention, according to a set external to the invention. For example it may be programmatic means contained in the program memory of the microcontroller to implement the invention appropriately depending on the need to supply or not the at least one device resulting from the execution of at least one higher level application program. The at least one higher level application program can be executed in the same microcontroller as that running the program implementing the method according to the invention or in an external microcontroller. Such external application programs may for example be a program offering the functionality of a "watch-saver" type device in combination with complementary means such as means for measuring the current flowing in the load and for comparing it with a threshold and control means for the user to operate the at least one device. The external application program may also form a remote control receiver in combination with complementary means such as a signal receiver. The means for receiving an electrical power supply instruction and a stopping instruction of the supply of electrical energy to the at least one apparatus can also be material means in functional connection with the microcontroller executing the program implementing the method according to the invention via an appropriate interface such as one or more input-output lines, an I2C link, SPI, UART type, etc.

The implementation of the invention, in its basic variant, where only the pole of the sector which is in contact with the electronic switching means is disconnected by the electromechanical switching means, substantially improves the reliability of the system which integrates it by compared to state-of-the-art solutions. The increase in reliability obtained is further enhanced when the two poles of the electrical installation are disconnected from the electronic switching means and the at least one device when the latter no longer needs to be powered. It is thus provided that said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation, comprise switching means for each of the two poles of the single-phase electrical installation. This technical characteristic can advantageously be implemented for example by means of a so-called bipolar relay, comprising a coil and two pairs of independent contacts and sufficiently isolated from one another to be connected to the two poles of the electrical installation. . Of course two independent relays can also be implemented without departing from the scope of the invention. The invention also provides means for synchronizing switching times of the electronic switching means relative to an alternating signal. This is so as to reduce the conducted and radiated disturbances during switching and to minimize the stress of the components of the device and the at least one device which are exposed to its supply voltage. For example, it is intended to synchronize the transition from the open state to the on state of the electronic switching means with the zero crossing of the AC voltage of the electrical installation. It is also intended to synchronize the transition from the on state to the open state of the electronic switching means with the zero crossing of the alternating current flowing in the at least one apparatus forming the load of the device according to the invention. invention. This latter variant is implemented implicitly in the electronic switching means based on thyristors or at least one triac. It is also planned to reuse the synchronization means with the alternating voltage of the electrical installation also to determine the switching times of the state passing to the open state. This makes it possible to simplify the implementation of the invention knowing that modern devices having a significant power are arranged to have a power factor close to 1. The phase difference between the alternating current flowing in the load and the AC supply voltage is thus considered negligible and this simplification as advantageous. In order to reduce the residual risk of damage likely to affect the electronic switching means when they are connected to the electrical installation and to the open state, provision is made for the device according to the invention to further comprise protection means. against overvoltages arranged to be exposed to disturbances of the electrical network only when the electronic switching means are connected to the electrical installation by said electromechanical switching means. The overvoltage protection may advantageously be extended to the at least one device insofar as it is exposed to a risk of consumption of its lifetime when the at least one device is powered. In addition, protective components such as MOV type varistors, known to consume energy and dissipate it by Joule effect when they have undergone high energy overvoltages, can advantageously be used in that they are not susceptible to consume energy only when the at least one device is powered. It is further provided in the invention that all or part of said surge protection means are included in a removable subassembly arranged to be optionally mounted and replaced by the user if necessary, said subassembly removable member further comprising means for signaling to the user the need for its replacement. This is advantageous in the context of an implementation of the invention in the form of a durable apparatus in which consumable protection components comparable to consumables are collected in a user replaceable cartridge and / or proposed as optional accessory. The means for signaling to the user the need for the replacement of the subassembly are for example a red light which lights up, or a green light that goes out at the end of life, or a marking indicating the need for replacement in case of temperature rise of a protective component, for example by means of thermal liquid crystals. It is envisaged that the device according to the invention further comprises surge protection means based on the ionization of a gas placed at least between the two poles of the single-phase power supply and, where appropriate, between each of both poles and the earth. It is also envisaged that the device comprises overcurrent protection means, these protection means being positioned between said connection means to the electrical installation and said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation. This type of surge protection means has the main advantage of not consuming any energy in the absence of overvoltage and of having an unlimited life under normal conditions of use. The overcurrent protection means, connected in series in a power supply line of one or both of the poles, are mainly intended to protect against the risk of fire following the short-circuiting of a component of the device. Variations where the overcurrent protection means are replaceable or resettable are provided to protect against overcurrents caused by the at least one device. In this case, the protection means are advantageously calibrated at a lower intensity than in the case of a non-replaceable protection against overcurrent of internal origin. The overcurrent protection means are, for example, replaceable or non-replaceable fuses, thermal or magnetoelectric circuit breakers, PTCs, means based on the detection of a current exceeding a threshold and leading to the open state of said means. electromechanical switching devices arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation. The protection means which do not have a consumable nature or energy consumer are preferably positioned between said connecting means to the electrical installation and said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation. The ignition voltage of the gas ionization protection means is between an acceptable overvoltage level, for example the nominal voltage of the mains increased by ten percent, ie 253 V for the 230V and 121V networks. for the networks at 110V, and the insulation voltage between open contacts of said electromechanical switching means, for example 1000 V, so that the ignition is done wisely and surely before the electromechanical switching means to the Open state do not become passers by insulation break under the effect of overvoltage.

The invention provides that the means for protection against overvoltages based on the ionization of a gas are made from electrodes etched on a printed circuit, the gas being the air between said electrodes and / or in that overcurrent protection means are made by reducing the width of at least one conductive area etched on a printed circuit.

For the protection against overvoltages, such an implementation is particularly advantageous with respect to the use of dedicated components such as gas dischargers in that no additional component is necessary. For the ignition voltage to be within the useful range, regardless of the humidity level of the ambient air, preferably with an inter-electrode distance of more than one millimeter for ease of manufacture with the usual methods, it is planned to use the peak effect. Thus tip-shaped electrodes are etched opposite each other on the one or the other side of a total or partial recess of the insulator of the printed circuit, the end of the tips of the electrodes being not covered with an insulating varnish for allow ionization of the surrounding air. For overcurrent protection, such an implementation is more economical and less congested compared to the use of a fuse component. The very wide tolerance on the intensity of rupture and the end of life or the repair of the device implied by this solution, the reserve - 9 - preferentially to an ultimate protection against a major failure likely to cause an ignition of the device. The device according to the invention further comprises electromechanical switching means capable of short-circuiting said electronic switching means, these additional electromechanical switching means being appropriately managed by the program executed by said microcontroller. The short-circuiting of the electronic switching means by electromechanical switching means is advantageous in that it makes it possible to avoid having to equip the semiconductors with a heat sink, which allows a saving in cost and substantial bulk, in particular Particularly when using a triac which is characterized by a potential difference across its terminals of the order of 1.5V in the on state which generates a significant heat dissipation as soon as the at least one device accumulates a power of several hundred watts. In addition, the short-circuiting protects potentially destructive effects for the at least one device of a residual mono-alternation switching in the event of partial failure of the electronic switching means. The invention provides that said microcontroller controls said electronic switching means and the additional electromechanical switching means of short-circuiting so as to benefit from the cumulative advantages of the two categories of switching means while avoiding their respective disadvantages. Thus the electronic switching means provide the initial phase and the final phase of the supply of electrical energy to the at least one device, this advantageously in synchronism with a suitable sinusoidal signal. The additional electromechanical switching means of short-circuiting ensure a direct continuity between the supply circuits of the at least one device and the electrical installation. This setting in direct continuity being free of any non-linearity generating harmonic, energy loss and fragile circuits likely to fail completely, or worse, partially on one of the two alternations. In addition, electronic switching means judiciously chosen in the context of the implementation of the invention, offer a large capacity of flow of the inrush current at the power of the at least one device during the first alternations of the supply voltage of the electrical installation before reaching a critical internal temperature of the semiconductor which makes the combination of the two categories of switching means particularly efficient and effective. The invention provides that at least one of the electromechanical switching means used is monostable, in the open state in the rest position. It is also expected that at least one of the electromechanical switching means used is monostable, in the on state in the rest position. This has advantages in certain variants of the invention for example for said electromechanical switching means capable of short-circuiting said electronic switching means. The invention provides that at least one of the electromechanical switching means used in the context of the invention is bistable. This category of electromechanical switching means being characterized by its lack of energy consumption outside periods of short periods of state changes. This category of electromechanical switching means is particularly advantageous for said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation because their power needs can be shifted out of the time ranges where said electronic switching means and where appropriate said electromechanical switching means adapted to short-circuit said electronic switching means consume energy. Such scheduling of consumption periods of the internal resources of the invention makes it possible to reduce the power, the size and the cost of said means for supplying the internal resources of the device. The program executed by the microcontroller is arranged according to the variants of switching means implemented. The choice of bistable switching means is advantageously complemented by the addition of means for detecting whether their state is open or running so as to modify the program executed by the microcontroller accordingly if necessary. Detection means placed between the electronic switching means and the load of the at least one device can further detect a partial failure of the electronic switching means affecting only one of the two alternations. When this is the case, the program executed in said microcontroller puts the at least one device safely by turning on the electromechanical switching means capable of short-circuiting said electronic switching means. The device can then continue to operate in a degraded mode in which the electromechanical switching means capable of short-circuiting said electronic switching means are maintained in the on state and control of the supply of the at least one device is made exclusively by means of said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation. Means, for example a light, are advantageously provided to inform the user that the system according to the invention now operates in a degraded mode which no longer offers all the advantages of the invention but which nevertheless remains globally functional . It is furthermore provided in the invention that at least one electromechanical switching means for connecting or disconnecting the electronic switching means of the electrical installation is bistable so as not to consume energy to maintain them in the state open or passing but only during state changes. For example magnetic memory relays that can be turned on or off by a pulse in a reversible polarity coil or in one of two separate coils are particularly suitable for limiting the average eigenvice of the device according to the invention.

The device according to the invention further comprises means for detecting the open state and the on state of at least one electromechanical bistable switching means so as to modify the program executed by the microcontroller accordingly if necessary. The detection of the open or passing state of the bistable switching means enables the microcontroller, for example, to restore a fully determined functional state when the device according to the invention is turned on. The powering up of the device involving a resumption of the execution of the microcontroller program from the initial conditions (RESET in English). For example, to resume the execution of the switching process for supplying electrical energy to the at least one apparatus from a state that has remained passing bistable means after a power failure in the distribution network . Conversely, another variant embodiment of the invention may be to unconditionally replace the bistable electromechanical switching means in the open state when they are detected as being in the on state at power up. of the device. The detection of the open or running state of the bistable switching means also allows the microcontroller for example to repeat or increase the duration of a change of state control pulse which would not have caused the change of state expected, as part of a method of optimizing the own energy consumption of the device. If means for synchronizing switching times of the electronic switching means relative to an alternating signal are implemented in the device according to the invention, it is advantageous to use all or part of these same means to detect the open state and the passing state of at least one bistable electromechanical switching means, the reverse being provided as well. The device according to the invention further comprises means for increasing the power delivered by said means for supplying the internal resources of the device when at least one electromechanical switching means for connecting or disconnecting the electronic switching means of the electrical installation is in the passing state. This technical feature of the invention aims to limit the own consumption of the device when the supply of electrical energy to the at least one device is stopped. The invention is advantageously implemented so that the power supplied by said means for supplying the internal resources of the device is limited to the power required to power the only functions of the device that are useful when the supply of electrical energy to the device. at least one device is stopped. In practice it is for example to provide only the power necessary for the power supply of the microcontroller, which will advantageously be placed in one of its modes of operation with low power consumption, and for the putting into the on state of said means of electromechanical switching for connecting or disconnecting the electronic switching means of the electrical installation. When these are put in the on state, the device according to the invention is provided so that said means for supplying the internal resources of the device are capable of providing the extra power necessary for the setting in state said electronic switching means and, if appropriate, to allow the appropriate changes of state of said electromechanical switching means able to short circuit said electronic switching means. Another aspect of the invention is a system for controlling the supply of at least one apparatus comprising an improved switching device, hardware means and at least one additional program specific to the use of the system. The additional program is advantageously executed by said microcontroller but it is not beyond the scope of the invention if it is executed in another microcontroller having a functional link with said microcontroller, for example by an output of the other microcontroller connected to a microcontroller. input of said microcontroller to control the state of the device.

The system according to the invention is a complete apparatus which comprises within it the improved switching device according to the invention. The system thus formed being an industrializable object capable of providing one or more services in relation to the needs of a user. The system according to the invention further provides that the additional material means are measuring means giving information representative of the power consumed by all or part of the at least one device, means for controlling the power supply of the device. least one device, the additional program executed by the microcontroller now unconditionally powering the at least one device for a predetermined first time from the detection of the power control, and now feeding the at least a device as long as the power consumed by at least one powered device is greater than a first predetermined threshold, the additional program automatically stopping the supply of the at least one device when the power consumed is less than a second predetermined threshold during a second predetermined threshold predetermined time. The system thus formed is a so-called "watch-breaker" device with improved switching capabilities that are intrinsically more reliable and better able to protect the at least one device. This is all the more important since the at least one device is often made up of one or more expensive audiovisual or computer equipment. The system according to the invention further provides that the additional hardware means are means for receiving at least one remote control command, the additional program executed by the microcontroller for determining the control setpoint of the power supply of the at least one device according to the received remote control command. The remote controllable devices are all the more appropriate for the implementation of the invention that they are generally called to perform frequent switching of the supply of the at least one device. Therefore, the reliability and safety of switching is an issue of importance to which the invention provides an effective response. Another aspect of the invention is a method associated with an improved switching device according to the invention. The method, differentiated according to the direction of the transition between the two stable states of the device, comprises, for the transition from the state in which the device does not supply electrical energy to the at least one device, to the state where it provides it with electrical energy for an indefinite period, the successive steps of: - putting into the on state of said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation, said switching means electronic being in the open state; - putting the electronic switching means in the on state; and; for the transition from the state in which the device supplies electrical energy to the at least one device, to the state where it does not supply it with electrical energy for an indefinite period of time, the successive steps of: the open state of the electronic switching means, said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation being in the on state; - The open state of said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation. The method according to the invention in fact comprises the steps necessary for the appropriate management of the means included in the device to ensure the passage of one of the two stable states of the device to the other. The device according to the invention is a priori able to remain for an indefinite period in each of its two stable states which are reached at the end of the last step of the process relating to each transition. The intermediate steps of the process, if any, have defined durations. For example to supply electrical power to the at least one device via electronic switching means sized to transmit the power only during the first and / or during the last alternations when it comes to synchronize the switching with respectively the zero crossing of the supply voltage of the at least one device and the zero crossing of the current flowing in the latter. Pausing times having appropriate predetermined durations, for example of a few half-cycles or a few alternations, are provided between steps of the method to wait for the stabilization of the voltages and currents after switching, to synchronize the switching at the zero crossing alternating voltages or currents and / or to supply the at least one apparatus with an even number of half-wave power supply.

It is provided that the method according to the invention further comprises, for the passage of the state where the device does not provide electrical energy to the at least one device, to the state where it provides him with the electrical energy for an indefinite period, - a step of turning on the electromechanical switching means capable of short-circuiting said electronic switching means after a third predetermined time of putting said electronic switching means in the on state; and; for the transition from the state in which the device supplies electrical energy to the at least one device, to the state where it does not supply it with electrical energy for an indefinite period of time, a setting step open state of the electromechanical switching means adapted to short-circuit said electronic switching means, said electronic switching means then being in the on state, for a fourth predetermined time before the end of the open state said electronic switching means. It is expected that the method according to the invention further comprises at least one step for appropriately managing electromechanical bistable switching means. Indeed, in the case where all or part of the electromechanical switching means used are bistable type, such as a bistable relay with one or two coils, it is expected that at least one additional step is added to control the at least one bistable component suitably for carrying out the process steps described above. The at least one additional step concerns, for example, the initial state of the electromechanical switching means which is bistable when the device is energized and / or any change of state of the electromechanical bistable switching means. The at least one additional step is for example an open state test or passing electromechanical bistable switching means and, where appropriate, the generation of at least one pulse to place the bistable switching means in the state expected functional. It is expected that the method according to the invention further comprises at least one step of synchronizing the switching times relative to an alternating signal. For example, the instants of the switching of the electronic switching means from the open state to the on state are advantageously at the zero crossing of the voltage of the electrical installation or at times when this alternating voltage has a low value. amplitude, for example a value less than 24V; The instant of the switching of the electronic switching means of the state passing to the open state is advantageously carried out at the zero crossing of the alternating current flowing in the at least one apparatus, or at times when this alternating current has a value of low amplitude, or as in the case of the transition from the open state to the on state, in synchronism with the zero crossing of the voltage of the electrical installation. Moreover, the power supply of the at least one device will be advantageously for whole periods of the AC voltage of the electrical installation. The invention provides that the method further comprises at least one intermediate time step between two successive steps to allow the tensions to stabilize, where appropriate to the currents to be established, or to a reserve of energy of reconstitute before changing the state of at least one of the switching means implemented. Indeed, the addition of at least one delaying step of a predetermined duration between consecutive steps of the method makes it possible to limit the stresses experienced by the switching components and / or by the at least one device powered by the device . This refinement of the invention promotes the longevity of the device. It is a question of taking into account the necessary establishment times of the switching means used as well as the time required for the electric circuits to reach stabilized electrical states so that the commutations are carried out outside the transient regimes. This at least one step is implemented in the program of the microcontroller for example by the execution of a time-out whose expiry conditions the passage to the next step. Its duration is determined during the design of the device according to the technical characteristics of the components used and if necessary the at least one device to supply. For example, the at least one timer will advantageously use the half-alternation or full alternation of the AC voltage of the electrical installation as a time base so that the actions that result are directly synchronized to the zero crossing. the AC voltage of the electrical installation. The orders of magnitude of the delay times range from a few half-waves to several hundred alternations. The longest delay times are necessary, for example, to recharge a tank capacitor included in the supply subassembly 4 whose role is to accumulate the energy required to respond to the current draw of the coils of the switching means. electromechanical by limiting the average power of the supply subassembly 4. For example, the addition of delay stages in the method according to the invention can give rise to the following scheduling steps: For the passage of the a state in which the device does not supply electrical energy to the at least one device, in the state where it supplies it with electrical energy for an indefinite period of time, the successive stages of: - putting in the on state said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation, said electronic switching means being in the state open; switching on the electronic switching means after a fifth predetermined time in the open state following the turning on of the electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the installation electric; and; for the transition from the state in which the device supplies electrical energy to the at least one device, to the state where it does not supply it with electrical energy for an indefinite period of time, the successive steps of: the open state of the electronic switching means for a sixth predetermined time before the open state of the electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation; setting said electromechanical switching means arranged in the open state to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation.

It is provided that the method according to the invention further comprises, for the passage of the state where the device does not provide electrical energy to the at least one device, to the state where it provides him with the electrical energy for an indefinite period, a step of interrupting the on state of said electronic switching means at certain times during the initial power-up phase of the at least one device. It is to exploit the fast switching and switching capabilities that can be synchronized electronic switching means to reduce the amplitude of the current draw of certain loads at power on by spreading over time. These are, for example, devices comprising a magnetic circuit capable of saturation under transient conditions or which have at their power supply input a highly capacitive impedance, such as those whose switching power supply is preceded by a filter comprising capacitors of high value. The invention provides for eliminating entire half-waves, in the context of a cyclic alternating ratio provided / suppressed alternation which is fixed or progressive during the first cycles after the switching means are turned on. Advantageously, the cycles are provided or deleted during their passage to zero. The invention also provides for limiting the initial current to powering up by appropriate variation of the phase angle, the alternating portions advantageously being switched symmetrically for a given alternation of the voltage of the electrical installation. All the applications of the process according to the invention are included within the scope of the invention, that being so, the application of the method is particularly relevant in the context of the following applications: to save energy by reducing consumption electric standby of at least one device. - to control power loads in a residential or professional electrical installation as part of the management of the electrical energy distribution network. - To manage the time programming of the operation of devices. for remotely controlling at least one apparatus in a residential or professional electrical installation in the context of automation systems related to comfort and / or energy management. to reduce standby power while improving the reliability of a television or computer and reducing the risk of fire in case of failure of the apparatus, in the context of an implementation of the invention , not as in the previous examples in the form of an independent accessory but in a form integrated into the device itself. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other advantages and features of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments, and the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 illustrates a first alternative embodiment of FIG. the invention. Figure 2 illustrates a second variant of implementation of the invention. FIG. 3 illustrates protection means according to the invention. FIG. 4 illustrates a variant of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a variant of the system according to the invention. FIG. 6 illustrates the external form of the system illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 illustrates another external form of a system according to the invention. FIG. 8 illustrates a first variant of the method according to the invention. FIG. 9 illustrates a second variant of the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES AND EMBODIMENTS Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description. In the accompanying drawings given by way of non-limiting examples: FIG. 1 illustrates a first variant embodiment of the invention in which the improved switching device 1 for providing or not supplying electrical energy to at least one apparatus 2 is implemented in the simplest way using a reduced number of components. This minimum variant of the device 1 according to the invention comprises a connection to the electrical installation 3, a subset of low voltage power supply 4 for supplying the internal resources of the device from the AC voltage of the electrical installation. The internal resources of the device are a microcontroller 5 comprising a program memory 6 containing a program 7 executed by said microcontroller to appropriately manage the means of the device according to the invention as a function of an instruction determining the state of the device. The two possible states of the device are the supply of electrical energy to the at least one device and the non-supply of electrical power thereto. Means 8 for receiving the setpoint are for example an output of an application program external to the invention but executed in the same microcontroller as the method according to the invention. It is also expected that the means for receiving the setpoint is an input-output line of the microcontroller or any other means of interface internal or external to the microcontroller for receiving the control set of the device of hardware and / or internal programmatic means or external.

Electromechanical switching means 9 taking the form of, for example, an electromechanical relay are arranged for connecting or disconnecting the electronic switching means 10 of the electrical installation 3. The electronic switching means 10 are, for example, a relay static based on triac, thyristors, GTO, MOSfet or any other type or combination of power semiconductors. FIG. 2 illustrates a second alternative embodiment of the invention in which the improved switching device 1 for providing or not supplying electrical energy to at least one device 2 is implemented in a more sophisticated manner. In this variant, there is the connection to the electrical installation 3, a low-voltage supply subassembly 4, the microcontroller 5 comprising a program memory 6 containing the program of the device 7, the means 8 for receiving the driving instruction of the device. The electromechanical switching means 9a and 9b provide a complete disconnection of the means downstream through a contact for disconnecting each of the two poles of the single-phase power supply. The disconnection of the two power poles enhances the ability of the device according to the invention to protect the electronic switching means 10 and the at least one device to which it provides or not electrical energy vis-à-vis in particular overvoltages that may appear between the non-disconnected pole and the earth. This is especially true if the non-disconnected pole in an alternative to a contact turns out to be the phase of the electrical installation. FIG. 2 illustrates the possibility of using two separate electromechanical switching means 9a and 9b controlled separately, but of course electromechanical switching means with a control and two separate contacts such as a bipolar relay can also be used. Means 11 consisting for example of a divider bridge and protection diodes allow the microcontroller to receive on a suitable input the power supply voltage of the electrical installation after the electromechanical means for disconnecting the electronic switching means. Depending on the implementation variant, the appropriate input may be an analog digital converter input, an interrupt input, the input of a comparator or an unobtrusive input / output. This information enables the microcontroller to synchronize the instant of the on-state switching electronic means 10 with the zero crossing of the voltage of the electrical installation. In the case where the electromechanical switching means 9a and 9b are bistable type, this information also allows the microcontroller to know their effective state or open and act accordingly if necessary. Additional electromechanical switching means 12 short circuit the electronic switching means outside the transient phases to protect the latter by deriving the current flowing through them and by canceling the voltage at their terminals which makes them immune to any excess current or temperature and any overvoltage. Means 13, for example of the same nature as the means 11, allow the microcontroller to know the actual state of the electronic switching means and, if appropriate, that of the electromechanical communication means short-circuiting them by detecting a voltage difference with that from the means 11 which is characteristic of electronic means in the on state but not short-circuited. Surge protection means 14 are advantageously placed upstream of the electromechanical disconnection means. It is advantageous to choose at this location protection means that do not consume energy when they are not exposed to an overvoltage. For example, suitably dimensioned bidirectional Transil type gas spark gaps or semiconductor devices. Advantageously, the protection means 14a placed between the phase and the neutral of the single phase supply will be supplemented by a protection 14b against the overvoltages of each pole vis-à-vis the earth. Suitably dimensioned fuses are added in series with the protective components or in the two power supply lines if necessary. Complementary protection means 15 are provided downstream of the electromechanical disconnection means for protecting the electronic switching means.

These means are preferably rapid protection means such as semiconductors and / or VDR-type components that can consume end-of-life energy. The use of this type of protection component downstream of the disconnection means is not a problem because they are exposed to overvoltages of the electrical network and are likely to consume energy at the end of life when the device provides electrical energy to the at least one device. Even more advantageously, these additional protection means capable of having their lifetime consumed by one or more exposures to high energy overvoltages are included in a replaceable cartridge so as to extend the life of the device beyond that of the protective components that he understands. FIG. 3 illustrates protection means according to the invention made by the functionalization of a printed circuit. Most often it is the same circuit board that receives the electronic and electromechanical components of the device. Figure 3 brings together two types of protections, against overvoltages and against overcurrents. That being so, neither of the two or both types of protection can be implemented without departing from the scope of the invention. The overvoltage protection 14 comprises a spark gap function 14a between the phase and neutral potentials of the single-phase power supply and / or two spark gap functions 14b respectively between the phase and ground potentials and between the neutral and earth potentials. The spark gap functions are performed by means of electrodes 16 located opposite each other and which are formed by appropriate etchings in an outer conductive layer of the printed circuit. The ability to ionize the surrounding air from a given potential difference that corresponds to a starting voltage assumes that all or part of the surface 17 of the electrodes are not covered with resist varnish. The peak effect will be used to promote the priming of the spark gap. Thus the electrodes of each spark gap function will advantageously be etched in the form of one or more pairs of points vis-à-vis. The inter-electrode space 18 will be a simple non-conductive zone formed of the insulating substrate of the printed circuit. The operation of the spark gap will however be improved by the creation of a blind recess or opening between the two electrodes. Since such a recess is made by milling, it also makes it possible to precisely determine the inter-electrode distance which, under given environmental conditions, in particular of humidity, determines the starting voltage of the spark gap thus formed. The overcurrent protection 19 comprises a fuse function 19a placed in series in the phase supply line and / or a fuse function 19b placed in series in the supply line of the neutral. The phase and neutral connections being undifferentiated in most electrical networks, this differentiation is only theoretical. Thus, a fuse function placed in series in one of the two supply lines is sufficient to provide the desired protection, especially if the at least one device does not have a connection to the ground and therefore can not present an overcurrent between phase and neutral. The fuse functions are realized by means of conductive areas of reduced width 19a, 19b, 20a, 20b over a sufficient length, because the thickness of the conductors is uniform in a printed circuit. In case of obvious overcurrent, the area of reduced width volatilizes and thus opens the electrical circuit. In practice we can calculate the track width associated with the fuse function to drive the maximum current that can flow in normal operation in the load at 20 ° C. It is agreed that about 3 A at 20 ° C per millimeter of copper track width of a standard thickness of 35 μm may be discharged. This track will intersect at an intensity suddenly passing several times this value which corresponds to the type of brutal failure against which it is a question of protecting itself. It is advantageously provided to make a "comb" comprising several tracks of adequate width, a single track ensuring the continuity of the circuit during the manufacture of the printed circuit. The other tracks 20a, 20b are spare tracks that can be individually put into service as required by depositing a drop of solder with tin on a zone 21a, 21b devoid of varnish savings and provided for this purpose. FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention. In this variant, we find the connection to the electrical installation 3, a simple and robust low voltage supply subassembly 4 delivering a first voltage 22, for example 12V or 24V, for the supply of standard electromechanical switching means. 9, 12, and a second voltage 23, for example 5V1, for the power supply of the microcontroller 5. Naturally, those skilled in the art will be able to add the ancillary components such as the decoupling capacitors required for proper operation of the device. At the heart of the device is the microcontroller 5 which manages the resources of the device by means of software 7 contained in its program memory 6, a working RAM memory and a non-volatile memory intended, where appropriate, permanent storage of operating parameters and / or functional states of the device. The microcontroller also comprises interfaces 24 that can be used in the context of the device according to the invention. These interfaces are for example generic input-output lines, inputs of an analog-digital converter, inputs of interrupt generators or a comparator, etc. Models from Atmel's 8bit AVR family of microcontrollers, such as the ATtiny44A (registered trademarks), or models from Texas Instruments' 16-bit 'MSP430' family of microcontrollers, are particularly appropriate, but many more Usable references also exist at other semiconductor manufacturers. The means 8 for receiving the control setpoint of the device are of the appropriate type depending on the system in which the device is implemented. The electromechanical switching means 9 are here preferably a bistable relay with 2 coils actuating at least one contact 25a for disconnecting the at least one device from one of the two poles of the single-phase supply. A relay with 2 contacts 25a, 25b is preferred to provide a complete disconnection of the means downstream of the single-phase power supply. A circuit 11 formed of a divider bridge, optionally supplemented by external protection means such as diodes connected to the supply rails, to protect the input of the microcontroller from any risk of excursion outside the voltage range allowed, allows the microcontroller 5 to know the open or passing state of the contacts of the bistable relay and to manage the pulses necessary for its change of state appropriately to best use the small amount of energy delivered by the power supply 4 The circuit 11 is also used by the microcontroller to synchronize the control of the electronic switching means in order to change their state in the vicinity of the zero crossing of the voltage of the electrical installation in order to reduce the conducted and radiated disturbances and to reduce the stress in the power components of the device and in those of the mains power supply of the at least one device. Interface circuits 26 based on bipolar transistors or FETs which are dimensioned according to the characteristics of the coils of the electromechanical switching means, allow the microcontroller to drive the latter via input-output lines. In this example, the electronic switching means 10 are formed of a triac 27 controlled by an opto-triac 28. This arrangement has the advantage of decoupling the switched potentials and those from the microcontroller driving them. Of course, the triac can also be controlled via a single transistor, see directly through an input-output line of the microcontroller and another type of power semiconductor -26- that a triac can be used according to the context of the system in which the device is included. In the case of a triac which has a significant potential difference at its terminals in the on state which leads to a potentially significant power dissipation for some loads, electromechanical switching means 12 short-circuit the terminals of triac power after a few alternations of the voltage of the electrical installation to protect the triac and eliminate any energy loss by Joule effect. Secondary protection means 15 are advantageously provided to protect the electronic switching means from any excursion in a voltage zone likely to lead to inadvertent start-ups and / or to cause their destruction. Means 29 clip the voltage and absorb the corresponding energy. Depending on the technology of the component or component assembly 29, a thermal fuse 30 in mechanical and thermal contact with the end-of-life heating component such as a MOV varistor. A fuse 31 connected in series with the charges placed downstream to isolate them also in the event of a fault, is more appropriate when the protection component 29 is of the semiconductor type such as a bidirectional transil diode, this type of component entering in short. -free circuit by fusion of the junction when its reversible energy absorption capacities are exceeded. Protection means 14, for example made by functionalization of the printed circuit as illustrated in FIG. 3, are advantageously added at the head of the device immediately behind the connection means to the electrical installation. Means 32 for connecting the power supply of at least one device are of the appropriate type depending on the context of the system in which the device is included. It can be one or more bases to the standard of the power plugs of the at least one device. It can also be specific connectors, terminal blocks or direct soldering of the supply wires of the at least one device according to whether the system containing the device and the at least one device are in separate envelopes or not, that it is of the public equipment of the "plug and play" type, of an electric installation requiring the intervention of an electrician or of a device and system according to the invention integrated to the manufacture in the envelope of a device.

FIG. 5 illustrates a first type of apparatus embodying the invention. In this variant of system 33 there is a device 1 according to the invention similar to that of FIG. 4 to which material means 34 have been added, 35, 36, 37 and an additional program 38 specific to the use of the system, the additional program being also executed by said microcontroller 5. The additional hardware means are measuring means giving information representative of the power consumed by all or part of of the at least one apparatus, means for controlling the supply of the at least one apparatus. In this example, the measuring means 34 comprise a shunt and a few components such as a diode eliminating the negative component of the signal and a filter RC. These external components are supplemented by internal resources of the microcontroller 39 such as a multiplexer, a signal amplifier and an analog-digital converter. In a simplified sub-variant, only the measurement of the current flowing in the at least one device is used and compared to a threshold, the voltage being considered constant. In a more elaborate sub-variant, the signal coming from the means 11, which is representative of the voltage of the electrical installation, is digitized by means of another input of the analog-digital converter and then multiplied by the current to obtain a homogeneous result to a power.

The additional hardware means also comprise a push button 35 for starting, a led indicator 36 for displaying the functional state of the system and an infrared remote control receiver 37. The additional program 38 executed by the microcontroller unconditionally maintains the power supply of the system. the at least one device for a first predetermined time from the detection of the power control from the push button 35 or the remote control receiver 37, and maintains the power supply of the at least one device as the power consumed by at least one powered device is greater than a first predetermined threshold. The additional program 38 automatically stops powering the at least one device when the power consumed is less than a second predetermined threshold for a second predetermined time. The system thus formed is a so-called "standby" device with improved switching capabilities. The connection to the electrical installation 3 takes the form of a standard mains plug which is supplemented if necessary by a female socket 40 able to restore the capacity of connection of the base in which the plug 3 is connected. . The means 32a for connecting the power supply 41a of at least one "master" device 2a whose current is measured, are advantageously supplemented by one or more bases 32b enabling the connection 41b of one or more "accessory" devices 2b of which the functional state follows that of the at least one "master" apparatus 2a. The capacitor 42 added in the low voltage supply subassembly 4, which is connected to the power pole behind the electromechanical switching means 9, makes it possible to increase the power delivered by said means to feed the internal resources of the device when the electromechanical switching means for connecting or disconnecting the electronic switching means of the electrical installation are in the on state. Thus the own consumption of the device in standby can be lowered to only the value necessary for the device to be able to receive the instruction of supply of energy to the at least one device and to activate the electromechanical switching means to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means from the electrical installation. The component 42 is sized to provide the additional power required to activate the resources involved in supplying power to the at least one device, in particular for controlling the electronic switching means 10 and the electromechanical switching means for 12. In this example, the power increase results from the paralleling of the series capacitors of the supply subsystem 4 when the contacts of the relay are closed. FIG. 6 illustrates the external form of a system illustrated in FIG. 5. The system 33 which comprises a device 1 according to the invention forms in this example a so-called "standby" device having improved switching capabilities.

Figure 7 illustrates another external form of a system according to the invention. The system 33 which comprises a device 1 according to the invention forms in this example an interface to be inserted between a wall outlet and one or more devices to be controlled and / or monitored. The additional hardware resources specific to the use of the system are, for example, local control means, for example a push button and an LED indicating the functional state of the device, radio frequency remote control receiving means, by infrared or power line. The system may also include metrology means for monitoring the consumption of the at least one apparatus, transmission means for transmitting the measurements to remote storage and data analysis means, etc. The at least one additional program specific to the use of the system is for example a software providing the functional link between the local and remote control means and the device according to the invention. If the system embeds means for measuring and transmitting the data, the at least one additional specific software is then the program using the appropriate hardware means to perform the measurements and transmit the results according to a communication protocol advantageously of the type " Internet Protocol "to facilitate interoperability with complementary technical means.

FIG. 8 illustrates a first variant of the method according to the invention. The method begins with a treatment 43 setting the initial conditions that is executed each time the device is powered up. A test 44 with three outputs is continuously executed during operation of the device. This test detects the status change requests received by the device and the direction of the state changes. The output 45 corresponds to the absence of receipt of a change of state instruction. When the device receives a setpoint of passage from the state where it does not supply electrical energy to the at least one device to the one where it supplies it with energy, test 44 is exited from the output 46. then executes the processing 47 turned on said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation, said electronic switching means being in the open state. Then, the processing 48 for turning on the electronic switching means is carried out, if necessary after a fifth predetermined time in the open state following the on-state setting of the electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means from the electrical installation. When the device receives a request to go from the state where it provides electrical energy to the at least one device to the one where it no longer provides energy, it leaves the test 44 by the output 49. then performs the processing 50 of open-state electronic switching means, if necessary for a sixth predetermined time before the open state of the electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the means of electronic switching of the electrical installation. Then the processing 51 of the open state of said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation. It is also planned to make the electronic switching means go to the open state only when an even number of half-cycles has been supplied to the at least one device. It should be noted that the thyristor-based components such as the triacs naturally synchronize their passage in the open state with the zero crossing of the current flowing through them. FIG. 9 illustrates a second variant of the method according to the invention. This second variant differs from the previous one by the addition of a treatment in each branch resulting from the outputs 46 and 49 of the test 44. The order of execution of the treatments being an essential characteristic of the invention. Thus, in the branch resulting from the output 46 of the test 44, the processing 52 is executed after the processing 48. The processing 52 is the putting into the on state of the electromechanical switching means able to short circuit said electronic switching means after a third predetermined time of turning on said electronic switching means. In the branch coming from the output 49 of the test 44, the processing 53 is executed before the processing 50. The processing 53 is the setting in the open state of the electromechanical switching means able to short-circuit said electronic switching means, said electronic switching means being then in the on state, for a fourth predetermined time before the end of the open state of said electronic switching means. Said third and fourth predetermined time, for example a few cycles of the voltage of the electrical installation, are intended to achieve the zero crossing synchronization relative to the appropriate AC signal, to allow the establishment of potentials to their values. in steady state and reduce the stress on the components. These times, however, will be advantageously of a duration to be able to use electronic switching means without additional heat sink other than if necessary a printed circuit surface. Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous adjustments can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, in particular by combining several variants in the same implementation or by combining differently from the elements taken in several examples.

Claims (22)

REVENDICATIONS1. Switching device using electronic switching means for controlling the supply of electrical energy to at least one apparatus in a residential or professional single-phase electrical installation, the device comprising means for connection to the electrical installation, means for connecting the supplying at least one apparatus, means for supplying the internal resources of the device, a microcontroller, the device being characterized in that it comprises electronic switching means arranged to control the supply of an alternating current to the one two poles of the single-phase power supply of the at least one device, electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation, means for receiving a power supply instruction and an instruction to stop the supply of electrical energy to the at least one device and a memory containing a program executed by said microcontroller to appropriately manage the switching means of the device according to the received instruction. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said electromechanical switching means 20 arranged for connecting or disconnecting the electronic switching means of the electrical installation, comprise switching means for each of the two poles of the single-phase electrical installation. . 3. Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises means for synchronizing switching times of the electronic switching means relative to an alternating signal. 4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises overvoltage protection means arranged to be exposed to the disturbances of the electrical installation only when the electronic switching means are connected to the electrical installation by said electromechanical switching means. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that all or part of said surge protection means are included in a removable subassembly arranged to be optionally mounted and replaced by the user if necessary, said sub detachable assembly further comprising means for signaling to the user the need for its replacement. 6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises surge protection means based on the ionization of a gas placed at least between the two poles of the single-phase power supply. and, where appropriate, between each of the two poles and the earth, and / or overcurrent protection means, these protection means being positioned between said connection means to the electrical installation and said arranged electromechanical switching means for connecting or disconnecting the electronic switching means of the electrical installation. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the surge protection means based on the ionization of a gas are made from electrodes etched on a printed circuit, the gas being the air between said electrodes and / or in that overcurrent protection means are made by reducing the width of at least one conductive area etched on a printed circuit. 8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises electromechanical switching means capable of short-circuiting said electronic switching means. 9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the electromechanical switching means are bistable. 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises means for detecting the open state and the on state of at least one electromechanical switching means bistable so as to modify the program executed by the microcontroller accordingly where appropriate. 11.Dispositif according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises means for increasing the power delivered by said means for supplying the internal resources of the device when at least one electromechanical switching means for connecting or disconnecting the electronic switching means of the electrical installation is in the on state. 12. System for controlling the supply of at least one apparatus comprising an improved switching device according to claim 1, hardware means and at least one additional program specific to the use of the system. 13. System according to claim 12 characterized in that the additional material means are measuring means giving information representative of the power consumed by all or part of the at least one device, means for controlling the power supply of the device. at least one device, the additional program executed by the microcontroller now unconditionally powering the at least one device for a first predetermined time from the detection of the power control, and now the power supply to the least one device as long as the power consumed by at least one powered device is greater than a first predetermined threshold, the additional program automatically stopping the supply of the at least one device when the power consumed is less than a second predetermined threshold during a second predetermined time. 14.System according to claim 12 characterized in that the additional hardware means are means for receiving at least one remote control command, the additional program executed by the microcontroller ensuring the determination of the control setpoint of the power supply. at least one apparatus according to the received remote control command. 15. A method for implementing the improved switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the method, differentiated in the direction of the transition comprising, for the passage of the state where the device does not provide electrical energy to the at least one device, in the state where it provides it with electrical energy for an indefinite period, the successive steps of: - putting into the on state of said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnecting the electronic switching means from the electrical installation, said electronic switching means being in the open state; - putting the electronic switching means in the on state; and; for the passage from the state where the device supplies electrical energy to the at least one device, to the state where it does not supply electrical energy to it for an indefinite period, the successive steps of: - setting in the open state of the electronic switching means, said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation being in the on state; - The open state of said electromechanical switching means arranged to connect or disconnect the electronic switching means of the electrical installation. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, for the passage of the state where the device does not provide electrical energy to the at least one device, in the state where it provides him with electrical energy for an indefinite period, - a step of turning on the electromechanical switching means capable of short-circuiting said electronic switching means after a third predetermined time of putting said electronic switching means in the on state; and; for the transition from the state in which the device supplies electrical energy to the at least one device, to the state where it does not supply it with electrical energy for an indefinite period of time, -a step of setting in the open state of the electromechanical switching means adapted to short-circuit said electronic switching means, said electronic switching means then being in the on state, for a fourth predetermined time before the end of the open state said electronic switching means. 17. A method according to any one of claims 15 or 16, further comprising at least one step for managing electromechanical switching means bistable according to the result of a test of the state of said electromechanical switching means bistable. The method of any one of claims 15 to 17, further comprising at least one step of synchronizing the switching times with respect to an AC signal. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, further comprising at least one intermediate timing step between two successive steps to allow the voltages to stabilize, where appropriate to the currents to be established, or to a reserve energy to recover before changing the state of at least one of the switching means. 20. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 19, further comprising for the passage of the state where the device does not provide electrical energy to the at least one device, in the state where it provides it electrical energy for an indefinite period, a step of interrupting the on state of said electronic switching means at certain times during the initial power-up phase of the at least one device. 21. Use of the method according to any one of claims 15 to 20 for reducing the standby power consumption of at least one device. 22. Use of the method according to any one of claims 15 to 20 for remotely controlling at least one device in a residential or professional electrical installation in the context of automation related to the management of comfort and / or energy.