Building automation system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A building automation system comprising:
- a plurality of programmable user interface units, each of said user interface units located in a room or associated area of a building;
a plurality of power drivers, each of said power drivers located in a room or associated area of said building;
a controller comprising a processor and a memory; and
an electrical signal trunk connected to said controller;
wherein each of said user interface units and each of said power drivers are connected to said electrical signal trunk.
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Abstract
A building automation system including user interface units with touchscreens, power drivers, and a controller, all connected to a common trunk conductor. The power drivers are connected to the electrical devices and AC wiring. The building automation system further includes wireless remote controls that are connected to the trunk either through a user interface unit or a wireless transceiver. Any electrical device in the building may be controlled by any of the user interface units and wireless remote controls.
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Citations
72 Claims
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1. A building automation system comprising:
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a plurality of programmable user interface units, each of said user interface units located in a room or associated area of a building;
a plurality of power drivers, each of said power drivers located in a room or associated area of said building;
a controller comprising a processor and a memory; and
an electrical signal trunk connected to said controller;
wherein each of said user interface units and each of said power drivers are connected to said electrical signal trunk. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A building automation system comprising:
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a controller comprising a microprocessor and a memory;
a plurality of programmable user interface units, each of said user interface units located in a room in a building;
each user interface unit comprising;
a touchscreen, a speaker, and a microphone;
each user interface unit is capable of controlling an electrical device in a room in which said controller is located; and
each user interface unit is capable of controlling an electrical device in a room different than the room in which said controller is located. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A building automation system comprising:
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a plurality of programmable user interface units, each of said user interface units located in a different room in a building; and
each user interface unit is capable of controlling three or more appliances selected from the group consisting of lighting fixtures, fans, security systems, audio/video systems, heating systems, air conditioning systems, garage doors, doorbells, window controls, sprinkler controls, garage door openers, electronic gate openers, driveway heaters, sidewalk heaters, fireplace controls, intercoms, speakers, microphones, dampers, digital cameras, hot water heaters, telephones, aquarium controls, water feature controls, pool/spa controls, fire protection systems, thermostats, and switched outlets. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A user interface unit for a building automation system, said user interface unit comprising:
- a touch screen;
a speaker;
a microphone; and
control electronics capable of controlling three or more appliances selected from the group consisting of lights, fans, security systems, audio systems, heating systems, air conditioning systems, garage doors, doorbells, window controls, sprinklers, fireplaces, intercoms, and thermostats. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
- a touch screen;
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40. A user interface unit for controlling an appliance in a selected room in a building, said user interface unit comprising:
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a graphical display;
a memory for storing a plurality of displays to be displayed on said graphical display, said plurality of displays including a selected room display suitable for controlling said appliance in said selected room and at least one display suitable for controlling an electrical appliance in a room different than said selected room;
a room button on said user interface unit; and
a processor responsive to said room button for displaying said selected room display. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of controlling a selected electrical appliance located in a first room in a building, said method comprising:
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pressing a program screen object on a touchscreen user interface unit located in a second room different than said first room;
responsive to said pressing, displaying on said touchscreen user interface unit a list of a plurality of appliances in said building and an indication of which room in said building in which each of said appliances is located;
touching said screen to select said selected appliance from said list, responsive to said selecting, displaying on said touchscreen a list of attributes of said selected appliance; and
programming said attributes. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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48. A product for controlling a selected electrical appliance located in a first room in a building, said product comprising:
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instructions for directing a processing unit to;
display a program screen object;
receive an input that said program screen object has been activated;
responsive to said input, display a list of a plurality of appliances in said building and an indication of which room in said building in which each of said appliances is located;
receive an input identifying a selected appliance on said list;
display a list of attributes of said selected appliance;
receive a value for a selected attribute; and
communicate a signal for setting said selected attribute of said selected appliance in accordance with said value; and
a media readable by said processing unit that stores said instructions.
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49. A method of controlling at least three different appliances in a building having at least three rooms, each of said three appliances being in a different one of said rooms, said method comprising:
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entering any one of said three rooms; and
operating a touchscreen control panel in said entered room to control any one of said three appliances. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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51. A method of programming a building automation system comprising:
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a plurality of programmable user interface units, each user interface unit located in a different room of a building;
a controller; and
an electrical signal trunk connecting said controller and said user interface units;
said method comprising;
electrically connecting a non-volatile memory unit storing a program to said controller;
said controller recognizing that said non-volatile memory contains a program appropriate for programming said control system; and
said controller uploading said program into each of said user interface units. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
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55. A method of backing up a building automation system comprising:
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a plurality of programmable appliance user interface units, each user interface unit located in a different room of a building;
a controller; and
an electrical signal trunk connecting said controller and said user interface units;
said method comprising;
electrically connecting a non-volatile memory unit storing to said controller;
said controller recognizing that said non-volatile memory is blank; and
said controller downloading data from said user interface units to said non-volatile memory. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A method of installing a building automation system in a building having a circuit panel including a plurality of electrical power lines, a first electrical device installed in a first room in said building, a second electrical device installed in a second room in said building, said method comprising:
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installing a first user interface unit in said first room and a second user interface unit in said second room;
electrically connecting said first user interface unit and said second user interface unit to a controller having a CPU and a memory;
electrically connecting said first electrical device to a first power driver and said second electrical device to a second power driver;
electrically connecting said first user interface unit to said first power driver and said second user interface unit to said second power driver; and
using said plurality electrical power lines to supply power to said first power driver and said second power driver.
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58. A method of programming a building automation system comprising:
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providing a first building automation system in a first building;
programming said first building automation system;
providing a second building automation system in a second building; and
copying said programming of said first building automation system to said second building automation system. - View Dependent Claims (59)
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60. A slave device for use in a building automation system, said slave device comprising:
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a memory;
a processor;
a signal input/output for connecting said processor to an electrical signal trunk;
a touchscreen display; and
a room button separate from said touchscreen display for controlling an electrical device.
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61. A slave device for use in a building automation system, said slave device comprising:
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a memory;
a processor;
a signal input/output for connecting said processor to an electrical signal trunk;
a touchscreen display; and
software or firmware stored in said memory for causing said touchscreen to display a screen object for listing the electrically controllable devices in the rooms and associated areas in said building.
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62. A slave device for use in a building automation system, said slave device comprising:
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a memory;
a processor;
a signal input/output for connecting said processor to an electrical signal trunk;
a touchscreen display; and
software or firmware stored in said memory for causing said touchscreen to display a screen object for listing the rooms and associated areas in said building.
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63. A remote control device for use in a building automation system, said remote control device comprising:
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a memory;
a processor;
a selector key for selecting a function to be controlled;
a display for displaying an indication of the function to be controlled; and
an up/down key for controlling said function. - View Dependent Claims (64)
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65. A level control for use in a building automation system, said level control comprising:
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a memory;
a processor;
a signal input/output for connecting said processor to an electrical signal trunk;
an infrared receiver; and
a level control indicator to indicate the level at which said level control is set.
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66. A slave device for use in a building automation system, said slave device comprising:
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a memory containing a protective code;
a processor;
a trunk output connected to said processor; and
software or firmware directing said processor to output said code on said trunk output in response to a predetermined signal received on said trunk. - View Dependent Claims (67)
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68. A method of doing business comprising:
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licensing an electronic system technology to a licensee, said electronic system including an electronic slave device and an electronic controller;
assigning said licensee a protective code;
storing in said controller software or firmware instructing said controller to;
receive said protective code from said slave device; and
not recognize or communicate with said slave device if said code is not received. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70)
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71. A method of enforcing copyright protection for software or firmware, said method comprising:
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providing an electronic system including a system controller and a electronic device, said system controller including a processor and a memory, said electronic device including protectable software or firmware;
said memory including instructions to cause said processor not to communicate with or recognize said device if said software or firmware does not include a proper copyright notice. - View Dependent Claims (72)
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Specification