WO2000060557A1

WO2000060557A1 - Modular paging receiver

Info

Publication number: WO2000060557A1
Application number: PCT/DE2000/000662
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christian Lebduska; Alois Pochmann
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 1999-03-30
Filing date: 2000-03-02
Publication date: 2000-10-12
Also published as: HUP0200542A2; EP1166247A1; CN1346483A

Abstract

The invention relates to a paging receiver system (FES) for decoding a radio signal (fsg) received via a pager service of a telecommunications network and for controlling units (ELG) on the basis of control information retrieved from the radio signal. The system comprises a receiver module (EMM) and a control module (STM) which are configured such that they can be separated from each other and can be temporarily joined via interface devices (STS, STS'). The receiver module (EMM) comprises a receiver device (REC) for receiving the radio signal, a first interface device (STS) and a decoding device (DEC) for decoding the radio signal into a paging signal (rsg), for detecting an intermediate signal (ssg) from the paging signal in accordance with a set specification and for outputting the intermediate signal (ssg) via the first interface device (STS). The control module (STM) comprises a second interface device (STS') and a conversion device (UMR) for converting the intermediate signal (ssg) received via the interface device into defined control states of at least one controlling element (S1-S3, R1-R3) which is provided for on the control-module side and to which the units (ELG) can be connected.

Description

description

Modular pager

The invention relates to a paging receiver system for decoding a radio signal received via a paging service of a telecommunications network into a call signal and for controlling at least one device on the basis of control information determined from the call signal.

A radio paging receiver of this type is taught in the applicant's WO 98/12679, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated as part of the present document.

Paging services, also known as pager services, enable the unidirectional transmission of messages to a pager, where a message can consist of a tone or a message made up of numeric or alphanumeric characters. A paging receiver, also called a pager or pager, is used as the terminal of a paging service and is set up to receive and decode paging signals. WO 98/12679 discloses a radio paging receiver which, in addition to a means for decoding the call signal, has a means connected to this decoding means for generating a control signal from a control part of the call signal, the control signal being applied to an interface of the radio pager to control an electrical device is. This paging receiver is based on a conventional pager, which can be dialed in a known manner by dialing the associated number from, for example, a telephone device and receives a message in the form of, for example, a sequence of digits. Instead of being shown on a display, the selected digits are broken down into blocks by an electronic circuit and evaluated, a number block serving as a password and other parts of the number sequence determining the control state of the output to be controlled. This known solution enables the control of electrical or electronic devices over long distances via a paging service, with low purchase and operating costs. However, there is often a desire to control a wide variety of devices with a pager. Due to the large number of possible areas of application of the radio paging receivers disclosed in WO 98/12679 (e.g. control of heating or air conditioning systems in buildings or vehicles, control of irrigation systems, anti-theft devices, control of household appliances such as an oven or the like) would be possible for every conceivable application to provide a specific pager control of its own type. This can lead to considerable effort on the part of the manufacturer.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a paging receiver for controlling electrical devices, in particular electronic devices, which can cover the various possible applications in the simplest possible way.

The object is achieved by a paging receiver system of the type mentioned in the introduction, in which according to the invention

- A receiver module with a receiver device for receiving the radio signal, with a first interface device and with a decoding device, which is set up to decode the radio signal into a call signal, to determine an intermediate signal from the call signal according to a predetermined regulation and to output the intermediate signal via the first interface device is, as well

- A control module with a second interface device, by means of which a releasable interface connection can be established with the first interface device of the receiver module, and with a converter device for converting the intermediate signal received via the interface connection into predetermined control states, which is provided by the control module and to which the Device or one of the devices can be connected, wherein the receiver module and the control module are designed as separable devices.

Due to the modular structure of the paging receiver system according to the invention, a variety of different applications, e.g. Ranging from electronic devices with low power supply to heavy current applications to be controlled via a paging service. By dividing it into modules, the paging receiver control is divided into simple, easy-to-manufacture components that can be easily combined by laypersons and without any special knowledge into a paging receiver system that corresponds to the application required. It is particularly advantageous here that the actual paging receiver, which is designed as a receiver module according to the invention, can now be produced in only one design.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, electrical contacts are provided for a current / voltage supply of the receiver module in the first interface device, which correspond to supply contacts on the part of the second interface device, which are connected to a current / voltage device of the control module. This modular design of the power supply also simplifies operation for the user.

It is furthermore favorable in the sense of easy operability by the user, who yes the signal e.g. via a telephone, and a simple evaluation of the call signal if the call signal has a sequence of characters, and the decoder is set up to form the intermediate signal from a predetermined section of this character sequence.

It is particularly advantageous here if the intermediate signal has a character string and the converter device for this purpose is set up to take a first section from the character string and to determine therefrom which control element (s) is / are to be controlled, as well as to take a second portion of the character string and to determine the actuating state for the control elements selected on the basis of the first portion.

To achieve the stated object, a pager receiver module according to the invention is suitable for decoding a radio signal received via a paging service of a telecommunications network into a call signal, with a receiver device for receiving the call signal, with an interface device, by means of which a releasable interface connection to a control module can be established , and with a decoding device for decoding the radio signal into a call signal, for determining an intermediate signal from the call signal according to a predetermined regulation and for outputting the intermediate signal via the interface device.

In terms of a modular voltage supply in accordance with what has been said above, an advantageous embodiment of the receiver module has electrical contacts provided in the interface device for a current / voltage supply.

The receiver module advantageously has a means for checking the authorization, which is set up to determine an authentication code from the call signal and to check that it matches a preset access code, and depending on the result of the check, to permit or to output the intermediate signal via the interface device . to suppress. In this way, an erroneous or improper triggering of a control function by unauthorized persons can be prevented.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the call signal has a sequence of characters and the decoding device has been is directed to form the intermediate signal from a predetermined portion of this string.

Furthermore, the stated object is achieved by means of a control module according to the invention for controlling at least one device, with an interface device, by means of which a releasable interface connection to a receiver module can be established, and with a converter device for converting an intermediate signal received via the interface connection into predetermined control states of at least one on the part of the control module provided actuator, to which the device or one of the devices can be connected, solved.

In the sense of a modular voltage supply in accordance with what has been said above, a preferred embodiment of the control module according to the invention has a current / voltage device and supply contacts connected to it and provided in the interface device for a current / voltage supply of the receiver module.

It is furthermore favorable in the sense of easy operability by the user, who yes the signal e.g. via a telephone, and a simple evaluation of the call signal if the intermediate signal has a character string and the converter device is set up to take a first section of the character string and to determine from it which control element (s) is / are to be controlled, and to take a second section of the character string and to determine therefrom the setting state for the setting elements selected on the basis of the first section.

In another expedient embodiment, on the part of the control module, the converter device is used as a remote control converter, for example as an installation bus converter, for controlling control elements assigned to the control module via a Remote control interface, e.g. an installation bus interface.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the control module can be releasably connected to a follow-up module, the control elements, but at least one, being connected to control inputs of the follow-up module in the connected state and the at least one device being connectable to control outputs of the follow-up module. This allows very different types of devices to be controlled, with a suitable subsequent module being connected downstream of the control module.

To achieve the stated object, a follow-up module is expedient, which can be releasably connected to a control module, with control inputs which are connected to at least one control element of the control module in the connected state, with control outputs to which one or more devices can be connected, and with one or several slave actuating elements that can be controlled via the control inputs and are connected to the control outputs.

The invention and further advantages are explained in more detail below with the aid of an exemplary paging receiver system with interchangeable modules, which are shown in the attached figures. The figures show:

1 shows in a block diagram the components of the paging receiver system with a control module designed as a switching module;

2 shows the structure of a call signal and the intermediate signal obtained therefrom in schematic form;

3 shows the switching module of FIG. 1 with an associated follow-up module; 4 shows a step control module with an associated follow-up module; Fig. 5 shows a control module with an installation bus interface.

With reference to FIG. 1, the radio paging receiver system FES is composed of modules - these are shown separated from one another in FIG. 1 - namely a receiver module EMM and a control module STM, to which electrical devices ELG, ELG 'can be connected.

The basic component of the paging receiver system FES is the receiver module EMM, which has a receiver device REC of a known type for receiving radio signals fsg of a paging service and a decoding device DEC. The decoding device DEC is divided into a call signal decoding unit PAG, which decodes the call signal rsg contained therein from the radio signal fsg, a password component PSK which transmits the paging message to an authentication code

Password checked, and an evaluation unit ASW, which determines an intermediate signal ssg from the paging message and forwards it via an interface STS to a control module STM which can be connected to the receiver module EMM.

2 shows the structure of an exemplary paging message. This contains a sequence of numeric or alphanumeric characters, for example a sequence of characters accessible by the DTMF method (ie digits 0 to 9, as well as asterisk and grid characters *, #). The character string contains the call number rfn of the pager, the access password psw, and a control code stc in successive sections; any subsequent characters are ignored. In the call signal decoding unit PAG, the received paging message is evaluated in a known manner and the characters following the number rfn are forwarded to the password component PSK as a call signal rsg (which would be shown on a display in the case of a conventional pager). This checks the correspondence of the password section psw, for example consisting of the first four digits of the call signal rsg, with a nem access code, which can be set, for example, on a DIP switch connected to the password component PSK. The call signal rsg is only passed on to the evaluation unit ASW if the password section psw matches the set access code. The evaluation unit ASW determines an intermediate signal ssg from a control code section stc following the password section psw. This can be recoded, for example, character by character from a 4-bit code for the DTMF characters to an 8-bit code for alphanumeric characters. For example, the intermediate signal ssg generated in this way contains two 8-bit characters sel, stz, that is to say a total of 16 bits.

No further evaluation of the intermediate signal ssg or the characters sel, stz contained therein takes place in the receiver module EMM; rather, the intermediate signal is passed to an interface connection, for example in the form of a bus connector STB of a parallel bus, via which the 16-bit signal of the intermediate signal ssg can be exchanged. The interface connection STB - again with reference to FIG. 1 - is part of an interface device STS, by means of which a detachable connection can be established with a corresponding interface device STS 'of a control module STM. To mechanically secure the interface connection, the interface devices STS, STS have fastening means BEF, BEF, e.g. in the form of a snap-in connector to secure the connection of the modules EMM, STM with each other.

A voltage supply SPV is provided for the power supply of the receiver module EMM, which is to be supplied with a regulated DC voltage GSV of 5 V, for example. (For the sake of clarity, the supply lines for the components of the receiver module and of the control module are not shown in the figure.) The connecting contacts for the DC voltage supply are advantageously integrated in the interface device STS, the voltage supply being supplied by the control module STM. The control module STM has an interface device STS ', which has the corresponding elements with respect to the interface device STS of the receiver module EMM. In this way, the receiver module EMM and the control module STM in the connected state, that is to say if there is an interface connection between them, form a mechanical unit as a paging receiver system FES. In particular, an interface connection, for example in the form of a bus connector STK, is provided as part of the interface device STS ', corresponding to the bus connector socket of the receiver module EMM.

The intermediate signal ssg is passed via the bus connector STB to the control module STM, more precisely to a converter device UMR. In the example shown, this is designed as a processor device which receives the 16-bit intermediate signal ssg received via the interface STS ', evaluates it and derives control states for control elements provided by the control module STM. The control module STM is equipped with a power supply unit NTZ of a known type, the power supply of which is designed as a mains connection NSV for the conventional power supply system and which supplies the direct voltage (5 V or 12 V) required by the converter device UMR as the supply voltage. The supply voltage is also made available to the receiver module EMM via supply contacts in the interface device STS '. The power supply unit NTZ can advantageously also be designed in the form of a universal voltage supply that can be operated with direct or alternating voltage. Such devices are well known and can be set to a required supply voltage.

The control module STM shown in FIG. 1 is designed as a switching module in which, for example, three switches S1, S2, S3 are provided as control elements. A paging receiver system with such a switching module can be used, for example, for direct applications for the voltage range of 12-48 V in vehicle technology (cars, trucks, mobile homes, boats), for example for Switching on / off an auxiliary heater, an air conditioning system or an anti-theft alarm system. Other applications come into consideration for consumers operated by means of solar systems, as well as for applications with low switching powers in the field of domestic installation technology (240 V).

These electrical or electronic devices ELG, ELG 'which can be connected to the actuating elements S1-S3 are indicated symbolically in FIG. 1.

In the converter device UMR, a first section - the first character in the example shown - is taken from the intermediate signal ssg (cf. FIG. 2) as a selection code and it is determined from this which control element S1-S3 is / are to be controlled. The control status for the control elements selected on the basis of the selection code is determined from a second section, referred to here as control status code stz - the second character in the example.

In the example considered here, in which a DTMF signal is assumed, the selection code consists of a number. This can be assessed, for example, as follows:

1 1st control element, i.e. Switch Sl;

2 2nd control element, i.e. Switch S2;

3 3rd control element, i.e. Switch S3;

4 1st and 2nd control element; 5 1st and 3rd control element;

6 all control elements; another value of the selection code is ignored. The following control states can be selected using the control status code stz: 0 OFF;

1 ON;

2 pulse - e.g. 1 second ON;

3 double impulses - e.g. twice 1 second ON, separated from 1 second OFF; the pulse control states are e.g. usable for push button applications.

In an extension of the invention, a control module STM can be expanded with a follow-up module, as shown in FIG. 3. The follow-up module FOM can be releasably connected to the control module STM with the aid of fastening means BFM, BFM ', and in the connected state the control elements S1, S2, S3 are each connected to follow-up elements L1, L2, L3 via control inputs of the follow-up module. The follower control elements L1-L3 can be controlled via the control inputs and are executed from the follower module FOM via control outputs, to which devices to be controlled can now be connected. Insofar as a voltage supply of the slave actuating elements is required, this is advantageously carried out by means of a follower voltage part FST provided in the follower module FOM, which - analogously to the voltage supply of the receiver module EMM - is fed by the power supply NTZ of the control module STM via feed contacts. (As in FIG. 1, the supply lines of the individual components of the modules STM, FOM are not shown in FIGS. 3-5.)

In FIG. 3, the switching module STM of FIG. 1 is shown by way of example together with a force switching module FOM. The FOM force switching module has switching relays Ll-L3 as slave actuating elements via which, for example, circuit breakers (e.g.

240 V / 16 A) can be controlled in order to switch devices or device groups with higher power consumption. An example of this is an irrigation system for garden irrigation, with a permanently installed submersible pump or a domestic waterworks, which by an inventive Paging receiver system with STM switching module and FOM force switching module can be remotely controlled in accordance with actual needs, depending on the specific weather situation. Other examples are feeding plants or processing plants in agriculture.

Fig. 4 shows a control module STM ', which is designed as a step control module, in which the adjusting elements are implemented as digitally adjustable resistors R1, R2, R3. Here, too, a selection code is taken from the intermediate signal ssg in the converter device UMR 'of the stage control module STM' and a control status code stz is taken. The selection of one of the resistance control elements R1-R3 on the basis of the selection code is carried out in the same way as the selection of the switch control elements S1-S3 in the switching module of FIG. 3. Via the control status code stz, various resistance values of the control elements R1-R3 are selected as control states , for example :

0 OFF;

1 1st resistance value; 2 2nd resistance value;

8 8. Resistance value;

9 ON; "ON" and "OFF" are equivalent to the corresponding switch states (short-circuit-like connection or interruption).

Possible applications of a radio paging receiver system with such a step control module STM 'are, for example, the remote control of a heating system, e.g. in a holiday home or in larger building complexes, or the control of a production plant, in which the laying of special cables can be dispensed with.

4 also shows a follow-up module FOM 'which is suitable for the step control module STM' and which acts as a force control module. module can be used, for example, to control devices or device groups in domestic installation technology. The force control module FOM 'has power dividers as follow-up control elements, for example thyristor controls T1, T2, T3, which are controlled as a function of the actuating state of the corresponding control element R1, R2, R3 of the step control module STM'.

A further advantageous variant of a control module STM '' according to the invention is shown in FIG. 5. This remote control module STM '' has an interface device with a remote control interface, e.g. an installation bus, via which the control elements assigned to the control module STM '' can be controlled. The control elements are spatially separated from the control module and are connected to the installation bus as bus components.

With an installation bus, e.g. The standardized EIB bus of the ^ European Installation Bus Association '(EIBA), for the components of an electrical installation (lighting, blinds, heating, ventilation system, etc.) all operational processes can be recorded, switched or switched over a bus shared by all components. to be controlled. In the case of the EIB bus, the bus has two lines through which the components can exchange messages and obtain their power supply. The assignment of components to switching groups and functions is not determined by the configuration of the connecting lines, as in conventional electrical cabling, but by the programming of the components connected as bus participants. A reconfiguration is usually limited to reprogramming the bus components.

The converter device UMR '' of the remote control module STM '' is configured as a remote control converter, for example as an installation bus converter, to evaluate the intermediate signal ssg and, depending on the intermediate signal, one of the Select and control switching groups. The connected components are grouped into several switching groups, so-called scenarios, with each scenario being assigned a number of possible control values; A control status is assigned to the possible control values for each component. For example, the selection code can be used to select a scenario from the given group of scenarios, whereas the control status code stz indicates the desired control value of the selected scenario.

The modular paging receiver system according to the invention is characterized by its compact size and low purchase costs, which partly result from the individual components - pagers, for example, are known for their small size - partly due to the modularity. By dividing it up into modules that can be combined in the manner of a "modular system", a suitable receiver system can be put together individually for each area of application. Of particular importance here is the fact that the division of the functions into a receiver module on the one hand and a control module (possibly with subordinate follow-up module), on the other hand, has a particularly advantageous effect.For example, if the paging network is changed or converted, simply replacing the receiver module is sufficient, and the installation of the control module and the subsequent components remains unchanged different controls can be exchanged, which means that it can be used to control a wide variety of devices and / or systems via one and the same radio call number.

The modularity also has a favorable effect on a quick and simple setup of the radio paging receiver system according to the invention, since the individual modules can be installed and set independently of one another. This also makes it easier for the user to operate. In addition, modules from different manufacturers can be connected to one another via a uniformly designed interface.

Claims

claims

1. paging receiver system (FES) for decoding a radio signal received via a paging service of a telecommunications network (fsg) into a call signal (rsg) and for controlling at least one device (ELG) based on the call signal of certain control information, characterized by

- A receiver module (EMM) with a receiver device (REC) for receiving the radio signal, with a first interface device (STS) and with a decoding device (DEC), which for decoding the radio signal into a call signal (rsg), for determining an intermediate signal (ssg ) is set up from the call signal according to a predetermined rule and for outputting the intermediate signal (ssg) via the first interface device (STS), and

- A control module (STM) with a second interface device (STS '), by means of which a detachable interface connection can be established with the first interface device of the receiver module (EMM), and with a converter device (UMR) for converting the intermediate signal received via the interface connection ( ssg) in predetermined control states of at least one control element (S1-S3, R1-R3) which is provided by the control module and to which the device (ELG) or one of the devices can be connected, the receiver module (EMM) and the control module (STM) are designed as separable devices.

2. Receiver system according to claim 1, characterized in that for a current / voltage supply of the receiver module in the first interface device (STS) electrical contacts (GSV) are provided, which correspond on the part of the second interface device (STS) supply contacts, which with a current / voltage device (NTZ) of the control module are connected.

3. Receiver system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the call signal (rsg) has a sequence of characters, and the decoding device is set up to form the intermediate signal (ssg) from a predetermined section (stc) of this string.

4. Receiver system according to claim 3, characterized in that the intermediate signal (ssg) has a character string and the converter device (UMR) is set up to take a first section (be) from the character string and to determine therefrom which one (s) of the control elements (S1-S3, R1-R3) is / are to be controlled, and a second section (stz) is to be taken from the character string and the actuating state for the actuating elements selected on the basis of the first section is determined therefrom.

5. paging receiver module (ETM) for decoding a radio signal received via a paging service of a telecommunications network (fsg) into a call signal (rsg), characterized by a receiver device (REC) for receiving the call signal, an interface device (STS), by means of which a detachable Interface connection to a control module (STM) can be established, and a decoding device (DEC) for decoding the radio signal into a call signal (rsg), for determining an intermediate signal (ssg) from the call signal according to a predetermined regulation and for outputting the intermediate signal (ssg) the interface device (STS).

6. Receiver module according to claim 5, characterized by electrical contacts (GSV) provided in the interface device (STS) for a current / voltage supply.

7. Receiver module according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by a means (PSK) for authorization gungsprüfung, which is set up to determine an authentication code (psw) from the call signal and to check this for a match with a preset access code, and depending on the result of the check to allow the output of the intermediate signal (ssg) via the interface device or to suppress.

8. Receiver module according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the call signal (rsg) has a sequence of characters, and the decoding device is set up to form the intermediate signal (ssg) from a predetermined section of this character string (stc).

9. control module (STM) for controlling at least one device, characterized by an interface device (STS '), by means of which a releasable interface connection to a receiver module (EMM) can be established, and a converter device (UMR) for converting an intermediate signal received via the interface connection ( ssg) in predetermined control states of at least one control element (S1-S3, R1-R3) provided by the control module, to which the device (ELG) or one of the devices can be connected

10. Control module according to claim 9, characterized by a current / voltage device (NTZ) and connected thereto, in the interface device (STS) for a current / voltage supply of the receiver module (EMM) provided supply contacts.

11. Control module according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the intermediate signal (ssg) has a character string and the converter device (UMR) is set up to take a first section (sei) from the character string and to determine from it which one (s) the control elements (S1-S3, R1-R3) are to be controlled, as well as to take a second section (stz) of the character string and to determine the setting state for the setting elements selected on the basis of the first section.

12. Control module according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that on the part of the control module (STM '') the converter device (UMR '') as a remote control converter, e.g. as an installation bus converter, for controlling control elements assigned to the control module via a remote control interface (INB), e.g. an installation bus interface.

13. Control module according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that it can be releasably connected to a follow-up module (FOM), the control elements, but at least one, being connected to control inputs of the follow-up module in the connected state, and the at least one device (ELG) can be connected to the control outputs of the subsequent module.

14. Follow-up module (FOM), which can be releasably connected to a control module (STM) according to claim 13, with control inputs, which are connected in the connected state to at least one control element of the control module, with control outputs to which one or more devices (ELG) can be connected and with one or more slave actuating elements (L1-L3, T1-T3) that can be controlled via the control inputs and which are connected to the control outputs.