WO2011015901A1

WO2011015901A1 - Method for entering data or programming codes into an actuation control device for roll-up shutters or barriers

Info

Publication number: WO2011015901A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/053421
Authority: WO
Inventors: Angelo Battistuzzi
Original assignee: Nice S.P.A.
Priority date: 2009-08-06
Filing date: 2009-08-06
Publication date: 2011-02-10
Also published as: EP2462302A1

Abstract

Described herein is a method for entering programming or configuration data or codes or functional parameters into a programmable control device or programmer operating in an actuation system for roll-up shutters or moveable barriers such as for example a gate. In the method there are steps for encoding data and/or codes into a data medium outside the device; and reading and/or acquiring said data or codes from said data medium through recognition and scanning thereof.

Description

METHOD FOR ENTERING DATA OR PROGRAMMING CODES INTO AN ACTUATION CONTROL DEVICE FOR ROLL-UP SHUTTERS OR BARRIERS

The invention refers to a method for entering data or programming codes into an actuation control device for roll-up shutters or barriers, the device implementing the method and a data medium cooperating with the device.

Known are radio transmitters for controlling automatisms or groups of automatisms for roller shutters and awnings. The term "group" is used to describe a set of automatisms always actuated together (for example a series of curtains).

Radio transmitters are generally divided into two categories. In the first category there are control transmitters having a number of buttons equivalent to the number of controllable channels (generally 1 - 4) with limited programming possibilities (copying a code, memorising a value, etc.), used solely for controlling the actuation of an automation (opening or closing gates and garage doors, curtains and roller shutters,...). It is easily deducible that the limited number of buttons available makes any programming procedure long, complicated, articulated and limited.

The second category is made up of control transmitters having a larger number of buttons alongside display means (luminous LEDs or graphical display). Simultaneous use of buttons and display means allows an easier, but not yet ideal, programming and definition of the automation settings even in presence of complex procedures.

This second category of transmitters are smart units that allow managing and controlling various functions of the automatisms according to a daily, weekly or monthly, schedule, i.e. it is possible to programme an action, or specific activity (opening or closing roller shutters, raising and lowering curtains, managing rain, wind or sun sensors, timers, etc.) at a given time of a given day.

Commands are sent to a single drive or a group. Definition of the composition of the groups occurs during the installation step, wherein the respective radio codes are memorised, according to specific requirements of the user.

The transmitters have a "programming mode" by means of which it is possible to create commands, modify, copy and delete them, set and memorise values and positions, sensitivity and safety level, intended use of the automation, etc. Fig. 1 shows a known transmitter 10 of the second category, provided with a display 12 and buttons 14. The display 12 shows, often by means of a menu, all the information required by the user, who enters data, commands and settings through the buttons 14, according to programming procedures preset by the manufacturer.

No matter how much one tries simplifying the programming procedure to the maximum, commands and variables to be set are often numerous, quite difficult to manage for non-experts, in particular when the programming procedures are scanned by precise non-modifiable execution times. Furthermore, the buttons 14, due to overall dimension reasons, are almost always multipurpose, thus require pressing several times, which requires good ability and knowledge of the apparatus such not always being the case of the users. An object of the present invention is providing a programming method and respective transmitter device of the abovementioned type, which implements the method, allowing an easy entry of the sequence of programmable commands/data/settings.

Another object is generally that of facilitating entry of information into the device. Another object is that of providing an efficient method for recalling settings and data already memorised in the automation.

Another object is that of creating an efficient code capable of summarising all the settings executed, readable and interpretable by another device.

Such objects are attained by means of a method for entering programming oi^¬ configuration data or codes or functional parameters into a programmable control device or programmer operating in an actuation system for roll-up shutters or moveable barriers such as for example a gate, characterised by

- encoding data and/or codes in a data medium outside the device;

- reading and/or acquiring said data or codes from said data medium through recognition and scanning thereof.

The possibility to memorise the data required for programming on an external medium and then reading them comfortably and quickly practically reduces actuation programming times to zero. The external medium for example may be generated directly by a reader device of the medium (see below) or be an independent unit.

Advantageously, in order to prevent abuse or inadvertent deletion, data and codes are encoded in unalterable form.

Advantageously, in order to quicken data transfer and maximise information content, data or codes may be read and/or acquired (i) in blocks or (ii) organised in records or (iii) in a data structure. A device of the invention that implements the method is a programmable control device and/or programmer operating in an actuation system for roll-up shutters or moveable barriers such as for example a gate, the device being adapted to memorise, and/or send to another remote device, programming or configuration codes or data or functional parameters regarding the actuation system, characterised in that it comprises means for acquiring said data or codes through recognition or loading encoded information present in a medium outside the device.

The device is automatically capable of reading the data required for programming and configuration thereof. The user is just required to select a medium containing the desired encoded information and interact it with the acquisition means of the device, through which the information is extracted, decoded and for example orderly transferred into a memory. It is clear that all operations regarding entering and transferring information and data are carried out by the device and no longer manually, obtaining the advantage of saving considerable time and eliminating data/information entry errors. All that is required is to foresee a suitable number of media capable of providing a wide range of data/information to save the user at least the most complicated and long entry procedures (timed sequence of pressing remote control buttons).

Acquisition means may for example be:

- optical reading means, such as a laser beam or infrared reader (for a medium with a barcode), or visual or graphical information sensor, for example capable of acquiring from the medium, for example a photo or even a graphical file, an image, process it, or decompose it into pixels and extract decoded information therefrom, such as for example a CCD sensor, - a transponder reader (in this case the transponder medium interacts through magnetic field);

- an optical scanner

- a fingerprints reader.

It should be noted how a medium with a barcode fully meets the described needs. It is extremely robust, simple, densely presentable and adapted to provide the user with numerous variants for entering data and/or information (for example making a codes book). Equally intuitive is the pass movement of the optical sensor of the device over a barcode, which advantageously may be defined by a precise and invariable procedure.

Advantageously the device may comprise:

- means for generating a medium outside the device which includes - in encoded form - information readable afterwards by the device itself and containing said data or codes, for example a barcode printer, a numeric sequence or a transponder programmer, an eprom programmer;

- means for saving - on a medium or mass-memory outside the device in encoded form - information containing said data or codes and readable afterwards by the device itself, or another compatible device, for example a USB port for transferring data to a USB flash drive or a Hard Disk. The data itself may be subsequently reloaded from the external medium.

Preferably data or codes are organised in blocks, records or database. Therefore, making said acquisition means suitable to load or read said data or codes from the external medium in blocks or organised in records or data structures (database or dedicated data structure), allows quick and simultaneous transfer of a lot of data or information, to a point that one medium alone may contain encoded information regarding the entire or most of the internal configuration of the device. For example time planning, end-of-travel values and levels of rain, wind and sun, type of application and operating conditions etc may be encoded together in a block or record.

Furthermore, the invention regards a data medium outside the device containing programming or configuration data or codes or functional parameters regarding the actuation system readable or scannable by the device of the invention. Preferably, to simplify the architecture, the external medium contains information readable through optical reading (for example a barcode, an image), or electromagnetic waves in general (for example a transponder).

Preferably, to maximise efficiency, the external medium memorises or contains data or codes (i) in blocks or (ii) organised in record or (iii) in a dedicated data structure.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention shall be more apparent from the exemplified description of a device, alongside the attached drawings wherein:

figure 1 shows a known device;

figure 2 shows a device according to the invention;

figures 3 and 4 show possible barcodes for the device of fig. 2;

figure 5 shows a table of codes to be used according to a method of the invention for the time programming of an actuation system;

figure 6 shows a barcode which encodes parameters/codes/data/settings of a group of drives.

A device according to the invention is indicated with 20, and it comprises an external plastic casing mounted exposed on which is a display 22 and a keypad 24. The display 22 shows information to the user and the keypad 24 serves for entering commands.

Present in the casing on the front side 60 thereof is a slit 30 which provides light to an underlying optical sensor 32. The sensor 32 is capable of reading, through known techniques, a barcode approached close to the slit 30. The slit 30 and the sensor 32 are preferably arranged in the most suitable position, i.e. more easily useable by the end user. For example they may be arranged on the or in the lateral surface 62 of the device 20, otherwise on or in its rear surface, in a position opposite to the display 22 and keypad 24.

Some examples of codes are observable in figs. 3 and 4, indicated with reference 40, 50. Each code may encode a given command or determined information to be entered into the device 20. For example in the case of time planning, a plurality of codes may encode each day of the week, each 24^th hour of the day, and the hour fractions (for example every 10 minutes). During programming and installation all that is required is to read - using the sensor 32 - the code corresponding to the desired time and day so that the device 20 acquires the respective time data, without having to enter it through a long procedure using the keypad 24. The same may be achieved for example by encoding the commands for closing/opening the roll-up shutter or gate (to be combined with the time information), stop element references, level of the sun, wind, or rain. There are no limits regarding the type of information encodable.

For example fig. 5 shows a table 90, that could be a page of an instructions manual, containing a pre-ordered series of codes, such as for example the programming "start" or "end" code, the day code, the time code (H) and the hour fraction code (M).

The device according to the invention may be advantageously and simply obtained with only one sensor 32 and only one button 24, used for commanding an automation and for confirming the command read by the sensor 32.

The sensor 32 may be integrated into any structure or accessory of an automation for gates, doors, main entrances, rolling shutters and curtains, and also used for "reading" an installing command. For example the sensor 32 may be integrated into the structure of a geared motor and used to read a barcode, whose information is a command that recalls a particular configuration already present in the memory (for example it can recall a configuration for residential use wherein the sensitivity for detecting the obstacle is maximum, due to the presence of children, while the provided pair is minimum. The configuration is different in case of industrial use).

Also other peripheral devices, for example pairs of photocells, may have a sensor 32 integrated. Should they be associated to the abovementioned geared motor it is advantageous that reading the same barcode, they internally recall a functionally corresponding configuration.

The code, barcode or any other type of code, summarising the configuration adopted by the configuration is very useful in cases where a further accessory such as a remote control, a safety device or any other accessory is to be added to the existing automation.

Let us consider for example an automation of a glass wall in which several motors are installed and there arises the need to add a new remote control. AU that is required is to read using the new remote control, even in a different place with respect to the location of the automation, the summary barcode and the remote control is active (for example acquiring the stop element values and the intermediate position of each motor even in a different place).

Let us for example consider an existing anti-burglary system wherein there arises the need to add new anti-break-in sensors for the windows. The anti-break-in sensor reads the summary barcode and it is active. The reading of the summary code allows configuring the automatic time activation or deactivation commands, activating the entire or only part of the alarm system and acquires the parameters of the central system with which it is to interact. It should be observed that the barcode is modular, i.e. with several adjacent code

"strips", the number of parameters to be configured and/or entered can be multiplied. For example, should one want to configure a device whose list of parameters is as follows:

Parameter Number of bits Value

Hysteresis 8 80

Min/max 16 20 E4

Block Keyboard 1 00

Mode 2 02

Code 2 01

Sensor 2 01

Twilight 7 30

Season 1 00

Presentation 1 00

Language 4 02

The parameters of the example have a different bit length (some may be represented by 8 bits, others by 16 bits, some are booleans and require only 1 bit). The list of parameters totally requires 44 bits in length. Encoding "39" is selected to encode or

"summarise" a suitable barcode. This encoding has the advantages of: low bar density, therefore easily reproducible by printing, it is universal, thus it can be read and decoded by commercial readers and lastly it can be read and decoded in both directions. The code 39 meets the MIL-STD-1189 and ANSI MH 10.8M-1983 standards, and allows encoding

43 characters, each of which is represented by 9 elements, 5 bars and 4 spaces; 3 elements are broad and 6 narrow.

The size of the symbol depends on the thickness of the module and the printing ratio. The height of the bars depends on the application field. The minimum height for use of electronic pens or CCD readers, to facilitate reading, is preferably 6.5 mm or 15% of the length of the code. When using laser or scanner guns instead, the height of the bars shall be preferably at least 20 mm or 20% of the width of the symbol. The lowest nominal thickness of the module is 0.19 mm, for high density print codes.

The printing ratio may vary for example in the range between 2: 1 - 3: 1, reduced to 2.25: 1 - 3: 1 in case the thickness of the module is lower than 0.5 mm. The inter-character space usually has the thickness of a module, but it can be wider, up to three times as much.

In this case summarising a strip representing the 44 bits present in the table shall require employing 8 symbols (letters and figures) plus the "*" start/end symbol characterising this code. The table is thus summarised in a barcode having the aspect and length indicated in fig. 6.

Claims

1. Method for entering programming or configuration data or codes or functional parameters into a programmable control device or programmer operating in an actuation system for roll-up shutters or moveable barriers such as for example a gate, characterised by

- encoding data and/or codes in a data medium outside the device;

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the data or codes are encoded in unalterable form.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the data or codes are read and/or acquired (i) in blocks or (ii) organised in records or (iii) in a data structure.

4. Device (20) for programmable control and/or programmer operating in an actuation system for roll-up shutters or moveable barriers such as for example a gate, the device being adapted to memorise, and/or send to another remote device, programming or configuration data or codes or functional parameters regarding the actuation system, characterised in comprising means (32) for acquiring said data or codes through recognition or loading of encoded information present in a medium outside the device.

5. Device (20) according to claim 4, wherein the acquisition means comprise optical reading means (32).

6. Device (20) according to claim 5, wherein the optical reading means comprise a laser beam reader.

7. Device (20) according to claim 5, wherein the optical reading means comprise a visual or graphical information sensor.

8. Device (20) according to claim 5, wherein the optical reading means comprise a CCD sensor.

9. Device (20) according to claim 4, wherein the acquisition means comprise a transponder reader.

10. Device (20) according to any one of claims 4 - 9, comprising means for generating a medium outside the device which includes - in encoded form - information readable afterwards by the device itself and containing said data or codes.

11. Device (20) according to any one of claims 4 - 10, comprising means for saving on a medium or a mass-memory outside the device - in encoded form - information containing said data or codes and readable afterwards by the device itself or another compatible device.

12. Device (20) according to any one of claims 4 - 11, wherein said acquisition or reading means are adapted to load or read - from the external medium - said data or codes (i) in blocks or (ii) organised in records or (iii) in a data structure.

13. Data medium outside the device containing programming or configuration data or codes or functional parameters regarding the actuation system readable or scannable by a device (20) according to claims 4 - 12.

14. Medium according to claim 13, containing information readable through optical reading or electromagnetic waves.

15. Medium according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in memorising or containing data or codes (i) in blocks or (ii) organized in records or (iii) in a dedicated data structure.

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