EP1783716B1 - Operating process of a home automation network including a signalling interface - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method of operating a home automation network defined according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a home automation network defined according to the preamble of claim 5.

Such networks comprising at least one remote control communicating bidirectionally with at least one home automation equipment are for example used to control the movements of moving elements of a building such as for example blinds, shutters, doors or gates .

The bidirectional communication makes it possible in particular to indicate to the users the state in which the mobile element controlled is located. Such a remote status indication function is for example known from an alarm system described in the patent. US 6,255,944 . Methods for indicating the state of moving elements have also been described in the applications US 2004/0239482 , US 2004/0239496 and DE 20 2005 011 907 . The status indication may be performed in response to a status request or as soon as an action is completed or to allow the evolution of a scenario comprising various actions to be followed. The bidirectional communication also allows the user to be informed that a command order can not be executed or that the execution of an action has been interrupted before reaching its end.

Wireless remote controls for controlling home automation equipment often include a limited number of control buttons for issuing control commands. In some cases, these remote controls are still used to transmit different orders to different equipment. The transmitted control commands may correspond to state change orders: the control commands thus have meanings which depend on the states in which the domotic controlled equipment is located. Thus, for example, pressing a button on a remote control can give rise to an action to open a shutter if it is closed and give rise to a closing action of the shutter if it is open.

Insofar as it is possible for a user to control certain home automation equipment without these being in his field of vision, it is interesting that the remote control used provides a maximum of information to the user.

In addition to the documents referred to above, the document EP 1 014 326 an electronic key type remote control device for a vehicle, comprising a transceiver and means for displaying a feedback on the state of the controlled device. The transmitted control commands make it possible to modify the state of the controlled device, in particular they make it possible to lock or unlock a door. However, the order orders issued by the issuer of orders are not orders of type change of state. Indeed, the order transmitter comprises two buttons: a first to issue a lock command when it is activated and a second to issue an unlock command when it is activated.

The object of the invention is to provide a method of operating a network for solving the problem identified above and to improve the operating methods known from the prior art. In particular, the invention proposes a method of operation by means of which the user can obtain a maximum of information relating to the controlled equipment, especially in cases where very simple remotes with a minimum of control buttons are used.

The method according to the invention is characterized by the characterizing part of claim 1.

Different embodiments of the control method according to the invention are defined by the dependent claims 2 to 4.

The home automation network according to the invention is defined by claim 5.

Different embodiments of the control method according to the invention are defined by the dependent claims 6 to 7.

The appended drawing shows, by way of example, an embodiment of a network according to the invention and embodiments of an operating method according to the invention.

The figure 1 is a diagram of a network according to the invention.

The figure 2 is a diagram of a wireless remote control according to the invention.

The figure 3 is a flow chart of a first embodiment of the operating method according to the invention.

The figure 4 is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the operating method according to the invention.

The figure 5 is a flow chart of a third embodiment of the operating method according to the invention.

Although the invention can be applied to any type of home automation equipment network, it is described in its application to a motorized portal communicating bidirectionally with a remote control.

Network 1, represented at figure 1 , comprises a motorized gate device 2 and a wireless remote control 14, the motorized gate device and the wireless remote control communicating by means of electromagnetic signals 16 emitted by the motorized gate device 2 and electromagnetic signals 18 emitted by the remote control 14.

The motorized gate device comprises an actuator 10 driving the gate 12 of the gate. The actuator 10 comprises an electric motor 32, transmission means 36 and 38 for receiving electromagnetic signals, a logic processing unit 34 and means 33 for controlling the power supply of the electric motor. The logic processing unit 34 comprises a microprocessor and software means including programs for implementing the different modes of execution of the operating method which are described below. It makes it possible to interpret the signals received by the signal receiving means and consequently to generate motor control signals which are transmitted to the motor power control means and to the interpretation information signals of the motor. control command which are emitted by the electromagnetic signal transmitting means towards the remote control.

The signals emitted by the remote control comprise control commands of the motorized gate device. The signals emitted by the motorized gate device include portal status information. Examples of states of the motorized gate are for example: gate is completely open, the gate is completely closed, the gate is in an intermediate position, the gate opens, the gate closes, an obstacle has been detected, the gate movement has been reversed, the actuator is in a normal operating mode or the actuator is in an abnormal operating mode. Other states may be considered.

According to the invention, information identifying the nature of the command issued in the direction of the motorized gate is sent to the attention of the user. Thus, if the gate is, for example, controlled by the remote control in a four-cycle cycle: opening, stopping, closing, stopping ... by pressing the same button on the remote control and if pressing the button on the remote control is performed while the gate is stationary and the last gate move was an open move, gate closing command command information is sent to the user. The execution of this order may be delayed and / or require confirmation.

The advantage of the invention is therefore to allow the user to be immediately informed of the interpretation of the order by the motorized gate. This information is all the more useful if the portal is not necessarily visible at the moment when the change of state command is issued, and / or when a second user could cause a maneuver of the portal without the first user know it, for example, making his order unwarranted.

The wireless remote control 14 shown in FIG. figure 2 comprises a power supply 20, a logic processing unit 24, means for receiving electromagnetic signals 28, means for transmitting electromagnetic signals 26, a man-machine interface 22 and state signaling means 30.

The power supply may consist of an accumulator battery or a means for converting chemical, solar or mechanical energy into electrical energy, this means being combined with a means for storing electrical energy.

The human-machine interface may consist of a button or a keyboard comprising several buttons, a user action on one of these buttons causing the emission of an electromagnetic signal comprising a control command.

The logic processing unit comprises a microprocessor and software means including programs for implementing the different modes of execution of the operating method which are described below. It makes it possible to transform action information on the man-machine interface into an instruction for transmitting a control signal 18 by the transmission means 26 towards the motorized gate. It also makes it possible to transform an information signal received by the reception means into information transmitted by the state signaling means 30 and which can be recognized by the user.

The state signaling means may be of different types. They may consist of one or more visual indicators such as light-emitting diodes or lamps, for example a graphic, alphanumeric or animated screen or a sound indicator emitting for example one or more sound signals or a voice message. It can still be mechanical means to vibrate the remote control according to one or more frequencies and / or several intensities.

The signaling can be ensured by the action of one of the means mentioned or by the action of a combination of the aforementioned means.

A first embodiment of the previously described network operating method is illustrated by the figure 3 .

In a first step 40, the user acts on the remote control 14. This gives rise in a step 45 to the issuance of a control command 18 through the transmission means, this order being sent towards the portal motorized 2. The action on the remote control causing a change of state order (or "toggle"), it contains either explicitly a statement of change of state, or, which amounts to the same, information about the action exerted on the remote control.

In a step 50, the order is received and interpreted by the motorized gate. In a step 55, the motorized gate transmits towards the remote control 14, an information signal 16. This signal includes information determining the interpretation of the control command transmitted in step 45. It may also include a second information concerning the state in which the motorized gate is located and / or an acknowledgment of receipt.

In a step 60, the information signal is received by the remote control and the interpretation of the control command issued in step 45 is signaled to the user by the state signaling means 30. For example, a gate opening command command can be signaled to the user by a light-emitting diode flash and a gate closure command command can be signaled to the user by three flashes of light emitting diode. This signaling is particularly useful when the gate is out of the user's field of vision, it allows him to verify that the action he has performed on the remote control has resulted in a command order consistent with his intention.

In a step 65, the motorized gate 2 begins to execute the command command it received in step 50. This step can be carried out simultaneously with steps 55 and 60.

In a step 70, it tests whether the user acts on the remote control again.

If this is the case, go to step 71 in which a new command order is issued towards the motorized gate. In a step 72, after receiving this new command command, the execution of the command command initiated in step 65 is interrupted. Alternatively, the motorized gate can return to the state that it initially occupied, that is to say before the transmission of the command order of step 45. Preferably, an information signal is transmitted to the remote control to signal to the user that the execution of the command order has been interrupted or that the portal is returning to its initial state.

In a step 75, the execution of the command order initiated in step 65 is continued to completion. Once this control command has been executed, the portal transmits during a step 80 an information signal signifying its change of state. For example, at the end of the execution of an opening command command, it transmits an information signal meaning that it is stopped and that it is open.

In a step 85, the remote control receives the information signal and indicates to the user the new state in which the motorized gate is located by using the state signaling means 30.

In case the command order could not be executed completely (for example because of an obstacle having blocked the gate or a malfunction), the motorized gate sends to the remote control an information signal allowing it to inform the user that the order has not been executed correctly. It is obviously the same if the execution of the order can not be initiated.

A second embodiment of the operating method according to the invention is described with reference to the figure 4 . It differs from the embodiment described above in that a timing step 95 is interposed between steps 60 and 70 and in that step 65 of order execution is performed after the test step 70.

This delay, which can last for example for 2 seconds, enables the user to verify that the action he has taken on the remote control has given rise to a command order corresponding to his intention and to act if it is not possible. not the case. Thus, for example, if the user does not react during the timeout step, the test result of step 70 is negative and the process loops on one end of the procedure. Conversely, if the user reacts during the delay step by operating the remote control, for example by pressing the same button that gave rise to the issuing of the command order, he confirms the command order and that This is done in the next step 65.

Alternatively, it can be expected that it is the passivity of the user during the timeout step that must be interpreted as a confirmation that the transmitted command order actually corresponds to the user's intent.

A third embodiment of the operating method according to the invention is described with reference to the figure 5 . It differs from the embodiments described above in that it comprises, during step 65 of execution of the control command, a step 115 of transmitting an information signal of the motorized gate to the remote control and a step 120 comprising a first sub-step of receiving the control command interpretation information signal and a second substep of meaning to the user of the interpretation of the control command. These steps 115 and 120 are for example iterated at regular intervals of time. Alternatively, only the second substep of meaning to the user is iterated as long as no information emitted by the motorized portal confirms the end of the execution of the command order (step 80).

The described execution modes are subject to numerous modifications. All communications may be followed by acknowledgment messages or be performed according to various protocols (eg Listen Before Talk).

As already explained above, in the present application, a "change of state" command command is understood to mean the same control command causing different actions at the level of a domotic equipment item controlled according to the state of this device.

Claims (7)

1. An operating method for a home automation network comprising at least one remote control in two-way communication with at least one piece of home automation equipment, characterized in that it comprises, after the transmission of a control command from the remote control to the home automation equipment, said control command being of the status change type and containing a status change instruction, a step for interpreting the control command by the home automation equipment, a step for transmitting information from the home automation equipment to the remote control, and a step for signaling the user, through the remote control, the information and signal being relative to the interpretation of the transmitted command.
2. The operating method according to claim 1, characterized in that a time-lag elapses between receipt of the control command and the beginning of performance of the control command.
3. The operating method according to claim 1, characterized in that the performance of the control command begins upon receipt of the control command.
4. The operating method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the step for signaling interpretation of the transmitted control command to the user is done periodically throughout the entire performance time of the control command.
5. A home automation network (1) comprising at least one remote control (14) in two-way communication with at least one piece of home automation equipment (2), characterized in that it comprises physical means (22, 24, 26, 28, 34, 36, 38) and software means for implementing the operating method according to one of claims 1 to 4.
6. The home automation network according to claim 5, characterized in that the home automation equipment is a motorized gate.
7. The home automation network according to claim 5, characterized in that the home automation equipment is a motorized closure device.

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