Messaging in a home automation data transfer system

• US 20070250592A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermatic Incorporated (Wpa Participações e Serviços SA)
• Original Assignee: Intermatic Incorporated (Wpa Participações e Serviços SA)
• Inventors: Doorhy, Brendan, Duitsman, Tim, Pelland, Michael, Gaza, Brian, Mazza, Joseph, Dinescu, Miky, Reckamp, Steven, Bovee, Jeffrey, Aper, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,870,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

An automation network includes automation network devices connected to the network and a system layer interface that interfaces with a transport layer and an application layer of the automation network. The system layer interface includes messaging command libraries configured to implement human-readable messages for the automation network devices, where the automation network devices include at least one message output device. The system layer interface may provide commands and functions to establish messaging in the network, the length of supported messages, and scrolling of messages on output display devices.

Claims

1. An automation network, comprising:

an automation network device in communication with the automation network; and

a system layer interface embodied in a computer-readable medium and configured to interface with a transport layer and an application layer of the automation network, wherein the system layer interface comprises a messaging command library configured to implement a human-readable message for the automation network device, where the automation network device includes a message output device.

2. The automation network of claim 1, where the human-readable message comprises a character string or an alphanumeric string.

3. The automation network of claim 1, where the message output device comprises an LCD-equipped switch, a controller, a monitor, a remote device, a speaker, a Braille terminal, a haptic interface, a force-feedback interface or a text message device.

4. The automation network of claim 1, where the messaging command library further comprises commands configured to establish at least one of message structures, lengths of messages, and whether messages scroll on the output display device.

5. The automation network of claim 1, where the messaging command library is further configured to allow an update of a status of a message display devices added to the automation network.

6. The automation network of claim 5, where the message display device is configured to retain a messaging revision level indicating a currency of software or a currency of firmware included with the message display device.

7. The automation network of claim 5, where the messaging display device is assigned by the automation network when the messaging display device is installed in the network and when the messaging display device has a non-zero messaging display version.

8. The automation network of claim 5, where the messaging display device further comprises an output module with an output width, and where the output module is configured to scroll a message when the message is longer than the output width.

9. A method for updating a message display device in an automation network, the method comprising:

installing a message display device in communication with the automation network, where the message display device is configured to display a human-readable message indicating a status passed to the message display device by the automation network;

determining a messaging revision level indicating a currency of software included with the message display device;

assigning the message display device to the automation network when the message display device has a non-zero messaging display size;

comparing the messaging revision level with a most current messaging revision level stored in the home automation network; and

designating the message display device as an output display device for network system messages to be displayed for the automation network when the messaging revision level is higher than the most current messaging revision level stored in the automation network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising de-designating a current output display device as the output display device when the messaging revision level is higher than the most current messaging revision level stored in the automation network.

11. The method of claim 9, where the automation network comprises a sending node and a system layer interface, the system layer interface including a command library configured to implement messaging in the automation network, the method further comprising:

requesting the network system message from the sending node using a messaging command selected from the command library;

routing the network system message from the sending node to the output display device; and

processing the network system message at the output display device.

12. The automation network of claim 11, where processing the network system message comprises displaying the network system message on the output display device.

13. The automation network of claim 12, where displaying the network system message comprises scrolling the network system message on the output display device when the network system message has a string length greater than or equal to a display width of the output display device.

14. The automation network of claim 12, where processing the network system message comprises truncating the network system message and adding an ellipsis symbol to an end of the network system message when the network system message has a string length longer than a memory width of the output display device.

15. A computer program product for implementing messaging in an automation network, where the automation network includes at least one message display device, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium comprising:

computer-executable code means executable to install the message display device in communication with the automation network, where the message display device is configured to display a human-readable message indicating a status passed to the message display device by the automation network;

computer-executable code means executable to determine a messaging revision level indicating a currency of software included with the message display device;

computer-executable code means executable to assign the message display device to the automation network when the message display device has a non-zero messaging display size;

computer-executable code means executable to compare the messaging revision level with a most current messaging revision level stored in the automation network; and

computer-executable code means executable to designate the message display device as an output display device for network system messages to be displayed for the automation network when the messaging revision level is higher than the most current messaging revision level stored in the automation network.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer-executable code means executable to de-designate a current output display device as the output display device when the messaging revision level is higher than the most current messaging revision level stored in the automation network.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, where the automation network comprises a sending node and a system layer interface, the system layer interface including a command library configured to implement messaging in the automation network, further comprising:

computer-executable code means executable to request the network system message from the sending node using a messaging command selected from the command library;

computer-executable code means executable to route the network system message from the sending node to the output display device; and

computer-executable code means executable to process the network system message at the output display device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, where the computer-executable code means executable to process the network system message comprises computer-executable code means executable to display the network system message on the output display device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, where the computer-executable code means executable to display the network system message comprises computer-executable code means executable to scroll the network system message on the output display device when the network system message has a string length greater than or equal to a display width of the output display device.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, where the computer-executable code means executable to process the network system message comprises computer-executable code means executable to truncate the network system message and add an ellipsis symbol to an end of the network system message when the network system message has a string length longer than a memory width of the output display device.