WO1992008270A1

WO1992008270A1 - Method and device providing remote control via the mains supply

Info

Publication number: WO1992008270A1
Application number: PCT/BE1991/000078
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brunello Lai
Original assignee: Brunello Lai
Priority date: 1990-11-06
Filing date: 1991-11-04
Publication date: 1992-05-14
Also published as: EP0523193A1

Abstract

A novel method is provided for remotely controlling one or more apparatuses wherein one or more transmission points are combined with one or more reception points and control takes place according to whether or not the signal received by the reception point coincides with the status signal across the terminals of the receiver, said signals describing the state of the controlled apparatus. Actual use is made of the feed circuit frequency for remote control purposes. A preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment is highly specific but widely applicable, and provides for the remote control of a sitting room light fitting of which one of the switches of the two-way control is inoperative for lack of room, or simply does not exist.

Description

Interim network remote control method and device

The present invention relates to a new method of remote control of one or more devices in which one or more transmission points are associated with one or more reception points "the command or the absence of command having place depending on whether the signal received by the reception point is in agreement or not with the existing status signal at the reception terminals and describing the state of the device controlled.

It is well known that the remote control or remote control is used whenever it is desired to change the on or off state of a device which, for various reasons, cannot be operated directly. The method according to the invention and the devices associated with it are applicable to the three main types of remote control:

- the remote control in open loop: generally immediate visual appreciation of the result on the device. maneuver,

- the closed loop remote control: existence of a physical return channel which informs of the execution of the order,

- the remote control with coordinated actions: the order transmitted to an organ depends not only on its current functioning but also on that of other organs. The latter type, which therefore also forms part of the field of application of the present invention, gives rise to orders or to absences of order, resulting from a comparison of states, which are descriptive of an operating situation which exists, no longer following an "all or nothing" regulation, but under the action of a proportional, integral and derived action regulation (PID).

Currently the stability of systems controlled or remotely controlled by a regulation (P.I.D.) is achieved by digital computers equipped with memories. The signals resulting from the comparison of states made within the framework of the present invention can serve as input signals to such digital computers.

The present invention relates to a remote control method and, from this point of view, it includes a means of transmission to act remotely and to be, when desired, informed in return of the situation and to take measures. The transmission means can be a physical object such as an optical fiber, a conductor; it can also be an electromagnetic wave, a material wave. In particular, for their good directivity, on the one hand, the electromagnetic waves of the infrared range are particularly important and, on the other hand, very high frequency acoustic waves (greater than 16 kiloherz) are recommended.

To implement remote control systems of the types mentioned above, numerous methods and devices resulting therefrom have been proposed. US-A-3422.384 relates to an electro-mechanical circuit switch controlled remotely following the reaction of a thermo-sensitive blade subjected to the heat emitted by an overload current which passes through a setting up contact. A thermal insulation barrier located between the blade and the assembly is movable under the action of a solenoid actuated by a remote-controlled s itch.

The previous example concerned remote-controlled electro-mechanical switches. In the electro-optical field, FR-A-2.527328 (General Electric) describes a circuit for attenuation of remotely controlled fluorescent lamps which controls the frequency of the pulses and therefore alters the effective intensity of the light. Among the frequencies envisaged, there is the frequency of the supply current. The pulse timing circuit includes a photodiode, a phototransistor. A remote control system for controlling the lighting of an office complex, using infrared light associated with a coding is described in "Energy & Automation". Flight. 9, n * l, Jan. Feb. 1987, p. 37-39. Article by B. Schade (Siemens A.G.) entitled "Convenient remote-control light switching saves energy".

All the methods of the prior art carry out shaping of analog or digital signals, their propagation, their reception and their comparison. In general, the signals have a certain cadence except in the elementary case of remote controls by "all or nothing" of which a daily example is the automatic opening of doors by interruption of a beam of light, interruption which is transformed into an electrical signal using a photocell. In remote control systems which carry signals, cadence generators are needed which, in general, define a frequency for positive or negative rectangular or square pulses, or even curvilinear. To generate the reference frequency, it is usual to use electronic circuits called multivibrators. The need to use such circuits, to generate an identical cadence between transmitter and receiver is a source of costs, of delicate development and when the proximity between transmitter and receiver allows it, one resolves to lay an additional line which is not advantageous. This has a disadvantage of the prior art. The present invention is based entirely on the exploitation of the frequency of the supply network as a signal whose frequency (50 or 60 Hz) is the basic reference.

In the field of lighting remote control, the use of the trunk to switch or dim the lighting is known. US-A-3970893 (General Electric) describes an electronic system in which processes the mains supply current. The distortion signals of the sinusoidal current coming from the sector are only injected in the vicinity of the zeros of the sinusoidal current. This mode of processing the network signal is very limiting and, in fact, here it acts either to cut the lighting or to attenuate it. The present invention particularly relates to a real exploitation of the frequency of the power supply circuit for the purpose of remote control.

The present invention relates to a remote control method from a point or several transmitting points, associated by a physical physical channel, such as an electromagnetic wave or an acoustic wave, via a periodic or impulse signal, to a receiver-compara ¬ signal generator. The invention is characterized in that the signal carrying the wave has identification parameters which are a direct result of the processing of the network signal when the frequency, phase and amplitude of this signal are the subject of a division, of a multiplication, of a cancellation which is printed separately, in combination, two by two, or simultaneously with each of the three parameters of the wave of the sinusoidal electric network or developable in series of Fourier. Other objects, advantages and characteristics will appear on reading the description of embodiments of the invention made without implied limitation of the appended drawings in which: - Figure 1 illustrates the receiver side corresponding to an embodiment very simple and very particular of the invention applied to the remote control of a household appliance, the second conventional control point of which (back and forth system) would be inaccessible but whose power would be switchable according to the device resulting from the present invention.

- Figure 2 shows the frequency cut divided by two to achieve a propagation path of a half-wave signal. In the example given, the propagation path is light. FIG. 3 is the overall diagram of the installation relating to the simple and particular embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

- Figure 4 is the general diagram of the electronic circuit of the receiver-actuator corresponding to the embodiment of the first three figures.

- Figure 5 is an illustration of a general remote control device according to the method of the present invention in the case where the sinusoidal signal of period "1/50" has been transformed into a train of square pulses of frequency derived directly from that of the power network signal. The figure is practically symmetrical: the transmitter side having a magnitude similar to the receiver side as will be understood below. - Figure 6 is an illustration of a remote control according to the invention, devoid of logic level selectors.

FIG. 7 illustrates the mode of application of the multi-remote control according to the invention in computer management of a complicated process.

The general remote control method according to the invention will be best understood in the light of an example from everyday life. Referring to Figure 3 we can imagine the luminaire (LM) of a living room powered in a conventional manner with a single phase current of 50 herz. The receiver (R) of the remote control is incorporated into the luminaire (LM) and fits either near the ceiling (PF) or near the lamp itself, the two possible positions are shown in Figure 3. An assembly designated by (BC) (control box) includes an adapter (A) which connects (LC) to the socket outlet PI or P2 (or in general Pk), because the location in the living room is not important . The cable has two conductors which connect the adapter to the control unit. By paying attention to Figure 2 we see that in the same manipulable unit we can choose between two push buttons (S2) or (T). (S2) allows a conventional use of the bedside lamp (LC); (T), on the contrary, multiplies the period by 2 (divides the frequency) and forces (LC) to operate at half-wave of the signal from the supply network. The direction of the diode (D) has no importance as will be seen below. The operation of this very simple and very particular embodiment of the invention applied to the remote control of the lighting of a bedroom is easy to understand.

After switching on the luminaire (LM) in Figure 3 by the ordinary switch (SI) (usually near the threshold of the room), if using (LC) by switching from (S2), (LM) stays on; on the other hand if (LC) is switched on via (T), the light goes out, the small indicator (V) (see fig. 4) indicates that the receiver (R) remains in service. (R) receives a light signal which reaches the phototransistor in (1). The resulting electrical signal is processed so that the 25 (50/2) herz signal is effectively compared to the 50 network effective signal. We first call on 3 comparators (2,3,4) difference (exclusive OR) after having shaped the level of the transistor (T2) the pulse train which thus undergoes dynamic compression. In fact, the upper partial electronic assembly of FIG. 4, assembly which includes the transistors (T1, T2, T3) constitute a whole which is an amplification and shaping stage of the signal received from the light flux reaching (1). The electronic assembly of the bottom of figure 4 including

(TR, OC, B and the comparator or exclusive 5) achieves the voltage lowering, realizes its rectification, its stabilization; the same arrangement gives the comparison signals. The element (exclusive OR 5) acts as a threshold detector for a difference in the stabilized voltage occasioned by the opening and closing of (SI), independently of the circuit. (T1, T2, T3) above- mentioned and allows the switching of the rocker which has the final result the same result as that due to a signal which would come from the electronic assembly from the top of FIG. 4, and which would actually result from the illumination of the phototran¬ sistor ( 1). From the above it is understood that the change in state of the lamp of the luminaire has been effected for any difference between the signals from (1) and those from the supply network.

The first embodiment therefore illustrated a remote control device for an appliance for domestic use based on a comparison of signals between a reference signal and a transmitted signal. It is characterized by the fact that the transmitted signal is produced so as to have a frequency which is a submultiple of that of the network. The first embodiment makes it possible for example in the case of 50 herz to design, in one second, a possible succession of 100 states each having a length of 0.01 seconds. In this first embodiment, a state is either positive or negative or either positive or null (usual case of the binary system).

Figure 5 envisages a larger number of possibilities: the hash of the network sine wave can be much finer than a multiplication by two of the frequency, which corresponds to full wave rectification: either, after shaping at, for example 1 sequence of 0.1 seconds or 10 successive pulses of 0.01 second, this being no longer limiting, given the possibilities of multiplication of the pulses which are conventional and can be materialized into microcircuits.

Figure 5 illustrates the use of an electronic switch (CE) followed by microswitches (SNL) - S - which, on the transmitter side, (either on the left in FIG. 5) are set, manually in a certain sequence corresponding to physical situations of opening or closing of branches 1 to 10 of the 10 circuits connected in parallel. This type of electronic switch (CE) is usual in the trade and is located under an integrated circuit. This integrated circuit following the rhythm of the possible chopping of the wave of the network gives, in cascade, a number of 0 and 1 "logic states, in a predetermined order. The 10 micro-switches (SNL) and the push button

(BP) which is associated therewith (in the example given) present a total of possible combinations of 2 ^ao = 1024 which, according to the invention are representative of the different possible states of the devices controlled. Each sequence corresponds to a command. The physical link (conductors, or trains of electrical or material pulses) cou¬ plent the electronic switch. a sensor (not shown) which receives the train of pulses at the start rate. Having been received not far from the device to be controlled, the pulse train attacks the receiver circuit, this results in a signal (SR) received. The receiver side is symmetrical on the transmitter side, except that a comparison is made, command after command, between the local signal of the receiver (SLR) and (SR). We implement (see fig. 5) on the receiver side, an identity matching circuit (OR EXCLUSIVE), the key to which is

A (SR) B (SLR) A + B

0 0 0 0 1 1

1 0 1 1 1 0

The identity between (SLR) and (SR) results in the action of remote control as the first simple embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that perfect logical analysis can only be achieved with A + B wiring if a sequence signal from the transmitter initiates the process.

Referring to Figure 6, we will discover a version or embodiment of the simplified invention. As before, the same network rate, intact or modified, is present at the ends of the physical remote control channel and the same switch (CE) is present. There is, on the transmitter and receiver side, no logic level selectors. This version has the merit, compared to the previous one, of making available, over the duration of a cycle (or train of pulses), several real commands for different devices. As shown in Figure 6 at the network level, we pulse by i pul- sion the logical intersection of (SR) with (SLR) followed by a negation performed by an inverter. In other words to the result of (SR) ^* (SLR) we apply the logical negation operator. The logic functions here are very different from those given in FIG. 5 and the circuit (RC) now no longer has a canceling function but rather an exact identification of the signal leaving the logic operation (AND) before the treatment by the inverter, which immediately causes an action or a non-action on the remote-controlled system.

It is clear that the possibilities of digitizing the remote control from the network and for any physical vector are numerous. Any further extension of the latter embodiment by an adequate combination of pulses will increase the possibilities. This is also part of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of the natural integration of the remote control system into a set of digital automation systems, the present invention providing for remote action, the commands of which are for example hierarchized under the control of a device data processing, for example IT. The clock frequency of the latter is not necessarily that which is a multiple or a sub-multiple of the network frequency.

The actuation of the remote control member according to the invention therefore requires a synchronization adapter such that the sequences described above can be done in real time. The computers have all the starting data, except those corresponding to the remote control, for which, only memory addresses are provided where the results of the first sequence come (via the dashed line plot on the left) remote control. The calculation unit (basic block) is then responsible for initializing the subsequent monitoring and controls (right dotted line).

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but it is capable of numerous variants accessible to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. 'invention.

Claims

1- Remote control method from one or more transmitter points, associated by a physical hardware channel, such as an electromagnetic wave or an acoustic wave, via a periodic or pulse signal, to a signal receiver-comparator, characterized in that the signal carried by the wave has i¬ dentification parameters which are a direct result of the processing of the signal from the power supply network, when the frequency, the phase, the amplitude of this signal are subject to a division, a multiplication, a cancellation which is printed, separately, in combination, two by two or simultaneously on each of the three parameters of the wave signal of a network electric of sinusoidal type or developable in Fourier series. 2- Computerized remote or hierarchical remote control method, controlled by a data processing unit characterized in that the remote control is a slave and produced according to the method of claim 1.

3- Remote control device from a point or several transmitting points, associated by a physical physical channel, such as an electromagnetic wave or an acoustic wave, via a periodic or pulsed signal, with a signal receiver-comparator, this device being a alternating reducer, a chopper or frequency multiplier, a phase or amplitu¬ modulator, characterized in that the device is symmetrical in that it comprises on transmission and on reception , identical electronic circuits, the transmission circuit processing the network signal and sending it at predetermined intervals, further characterized in that the reception circuit is associated with a synchronization circuit giving a sequence signal and / or a comparison-actuation circuit.

4. Device according to claim (3), characterized in that it is applied to the control of household electrical equipment, in particular to that of the luminaire of a ceiling, in such a way as a simple frequency division, associated with a light wave as a remote control vector gives a signal to a phototransistor, which signal is shaped and generates the opening of the circuit of the preliminary if there is no identity between expected signal and received signal, fundamental reference of the comparison being either the signal of the network unchanged or the latter modified in one of its parameters. 5- Integrated hierarchical or non-hierarchical remote control system, the control information of which is binary coded, characterized in that the sequence of bits is directly a function of the network signal and that it causes the command, by pulses, either by ca pulse pulse trains which are initially printed manually or which can be combined.