Home automation system
First Claim
1. A method for packaging a home automation system, the home automation system having a plurality of components including a messenger hub and a lamp switch, the method comprising:
- fabricating a packaging structure having a plurality of wells that are formed therein, each of the wells being sized to receive an associated one of the components; and
illustrating an area proximate one or more of the wells with an illustration that provides a visual cue, the visual cue providing an indication of how the associated component is to be used and/or installed.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved home automation system that permits the user of the system to remotely control the operation of various devices. The system is packaged in a manner that “walks” the user through the initialization process to thereby reduce or eliminate errors associated with the initialization and set-up of the system. Furthermore, the configuration permits the user to initialize the system without the use of tools, such as screwdrivers. The system is configured with improved functionality that permits the user to readily control individual devices and/or selected groups of devices with a powerful hand-held remote transmitter.
79 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for packaging a home automation system, the home automation system having a plurality of components including a messenger hub and a lamp switch, the method comprising:
-
fabricating a packaging structure having a plurality of wells that are formed therein, each of the wells being sized to receive an associated one of the components; and
illustrating an area proximate one or more of the wells with an illustration that provides a visual cue, the visual cue providing an indication of how the associated component is to be used and/or installed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A home automation system comprising:
-
a messenger hub having a power input portion and a controller, the power input portion of the messenger hub including a pair of terminals that are adapted for coupling to an electrical power line, the controller of the messenger hub being configured to selectively generate an electronic message that is transmitted through the electrical power line; and
a remotely controlled switch having a power input portion, a power output portion, a controller and a housing, the power input portion of the remotely controlled switch including a pair of terminals that are adapted for coupling to an electrical power line and receiving the electronic message, the controller of the remotely controlled switch being coupled to the power input portion of the remotely controlled switch and configured to selectively enable or disable transmission of electrical power between the power input portion of the remotely controlled switch and the power output portion in response to the electronic message, the housing having first and second portions, which cooperate to define a cavity into which the controller of the remotely controlled switch is housed, and a seal member that is disposed between the first and second portions. - View Dependent Claims (7)
-
-
8. A home automation system comprising:
-
a plurality of remotely controlled switches, each of the remotely controlled switches being settable to a selected device address;
a messenger hub that is configured to transmit messages through an electrical power line for controlling the remotely controlled switches; and
a hand-held remote transmitter for transmitting commands to the messenger hub, the messenger hub being responsive to the commands to activate one or more of the remotely controlled switches, the hand-held remote transmitter including;
a first switch having a plurality of zones, each of the zones being associated with a set of device addresses, the first switch being selectively positionable into a desired zone, the set of device addresses including one or more of the device addresses to which the remotely controlled switches may be set; and
at least one second switch, each second switch being associated with a single device address in the set of device addresses such that operation of one of the second switches causes the hand-held remote transmitter to generate a command that causes the messenger hub to generate a message to activate any remotely controlled switch that has been set to a device address corresponding to the single device address. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A home automation system comprising:
-
a plurality of remotely controlled switches, each of the remotely controlled switches being settable to a selected device address;
a messenger hub that is configured to transmit messages through an electrical power line for controlling the remotely controlled switches; and
a hand-held remote transmitter having at least one mood switch for transmitting at least one mood command to the messenger hub;
wherein at least one of the messenger hub and the hand-held remote transmitter are programmable so as to be selectively associate the at least one mood switch with at least two of the device addresses.
-
-
15. A home automation system comprising:
-
a plurality of remotely controlled switches, the remotely controlled switches including a first switch type and a second switch type, each of the remotely controlled switches being settable to a selected device address;
a messenger hub that is configured to transmit messages through an electrical power line for controlling the remotely controlled switches; and
a hand-held remote transmitter having at least one whole house switch for transmitting a whole house command to the messenger hub, the whole house command being associated with one or more predetermined switch types, wherein receipt of the whole house command by the messenger hub causes the messenger hub to generate one or more messages to activate all of the remotely controlled switches that are of the one or more predetermined switch types. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. A home automation system comprising:
-
a plurality of remotely controlled switches, the remotely controlled switches including a first switch type and a second switch type, each of the remotely controlled switches being settable to a selected device address;
a messenger hub that is configured to transmit messages through an electrical power line for controlling the remotely controlled switches; and
a hand-held remote transmitter having at least one whole house switch for transmitting a whole house command to the messenger hub, the whole house command being associated with one or more predetermined switch types, wherein receipt of the whole house command by the messenger hub causes the messenger hub to generate one or more messages to deactivate all of the remotely controlled switches that are of the one or more predetermined switch types. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
-
20. A method for initializing a home automation system having a messenger hub and a remotely controlled switch, each of the messenger hub and the remotely controlled switch including a controller address switch and a device address switch, the method comprising:
-
manually adjusting the controller address switch on the messenger hub without tools to a desired controller address;
manually adjusting the controller address switch on the remotely controlled switch without tools to the desired controller address; and
manually adjusting the device address switch on the remotely controlled switch without tools to a desired controller address.
-
Specification