Home automation control architecture
First Claim
1. A home automation control system comprising:
- a plurality of control panels;
a communication network coupling the plurality of control panels;
a plurality of controlled devices wherein each controlled device implements an interface for communicating control messages;
processes implemented within the plurality of control panels operable to generate command messages relevant to at least one of the controlled devices; and
processes implemented within the plurality of control panels operable to handle status messages relevant to at least one of the controlled devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A home automation and control architecture that includes one or more controlled devices and one or more control panels coupled by a communication network. Each of the controlled devices is directly coupled to at least one control panel and configured to communicate control information with the coupled panel. The control panels comprise sufficient computing resources for implementing a user interface and executing application software to generate control messages based on user input and/or context information of which the control panel is aware. A message broker implemented within the pone or more control panels conveys control messages from a first control panel that initiates the control message to one or more other control panels that implement the control message. An inter-control communication path couples each of the control panels such that any one of the control panels can effect control over any of the controlled devices by communicating through another control panel that is directly coupled to a specific device.
487 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A home automation control system comprising:
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a plurality of control panels;
a communication network coupling the plurality of control panels;
a plurality of controlled devices wherein each controlled device implements an interface for communicating control messages;
processes implemented within the plurality of control panels operable to generate command messages relevant to at least one of the controlled devices; and
processes implemented within the plurality of control panels operable to handle status messages relevant to at least one of the controlled devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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- 7. The home automation control system of claim 7 wherein the plug-in framework comprises a web server to support a web browser graphical user interface.
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10. A control unit for a home automation system, the control unit comprising:
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a processor;
memory coupled to the processor for storing data and programmed instructions;
a communication interface configured to coupled to external control subsystems;
a network interface configured to couple to other control units and exchange control messages with the other control units;
a plug-in framework executing on the processor; and
a plurality of plug-in applications coupled with the plug-in framework and operable to perform specific functions related to generating and responding to home control messages using the serial communication interface and network interface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. An automation system comprising:
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a plurality of control subsystems where at least some of the subsystems have disparate command interfaces;
a control unit implementing a plurality of interfaces for communicating with each of the disparate command interfaces; and
a common user interface in the control unit for processing user commands related to each of the plurality of control systems.
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14. An automation and control system comprising:
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a plurality of network connected nodes each implementing interfaces for handling control message communication; and
at least one message broker is coupled to receive control messages and direct received control messages to a selected node. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A control panel for a home automation system, the control unit comprising:
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processing resources for executing programmed instructions;
server processes executing on the processing resources; and
application processes executing on the processing resources.
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Specification