Upgradeable Automation Devices, Systems, Architectures, and Methods

• US 20080183307A1
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AUTANI Corporation
• Original Assignee: AUTANI Corporation
• Inventors: Rahme, Daniel, Antone, Michael, Clayton, Randy
• Application Number:
  US11/971,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20080183307A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/8
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

A multi-level automation control architecture, methods, and systems are disclosed, which provide enhanced scalability, functionality, and cost effectiveness for energy, access, and control. The systems include various combinations of automation controllers, remote controllers and peripheral devices that are used to provide monitoring and control functionality over the various systems in a structure, such as HVAC, water, lighting, etc. In various embodiments, the automation controller and various peripheral devices are implemented to provide an integrated energy management system for the structure. The system allows the user to manage energy based on the day, time, the presence of people, and the availability of natural lighting and heating, as well as prioritize and participate in demand-response program. The system can be implemented using a remote controller and expanded through the addition of automation controllers, remote controllers, and peripheral devices to enable the system to be tailored to specific user requirements.

Claims

1. An automation system comprising:

at least one peripheral device that performs a function;

a remote controller configured to send and receive information regarding the function to and from the peripheral device in a first state; and

,

an automation controller configured to

send and receive information regarding the function to and from the peripheral device, and receive information from the remote controller,

wherein, the remote controller is configured to

send information to the automation controller but not the peripheral device in a second state and

operate in the first state when the remote controller is unassociated with the automation controller and in the second state when the remote controller is associated with the automation controller.

2. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is one of a plurality of peripheral devices selected from the group consisting of on/off switches, dimmer switches, electrical receptacles, light sockets, sensors, audio equipment, video equipment, environmental, access, and electrical controls, and communication equipment.

3. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device is one of a first group of peripheral devices associated with the remote controller and the system includes a second group of peripheral devices unassociated with the remote controller, which are not controlled by remote controller in the first state, but are associated with the automation controller and controllable via information from the remote controller in the second state.

4. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller is unassociated with the automation controller upon the occurrence of at least one condition selected from the group consisting of the remote controller being manually unassociated with the automation controller and the automation controller not being detected by the remote controller.

5. The automation system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the automation controller and remote controller is configured to send and receive information regarding the function with at least one input/output device including at least one of a computer directly communicating with the automation controller, a computer communicating via internal and external networks including personal, local, metro, and wide area, public and private, intranet and internet networks, a monitor, a touch screen display, a keyboard, a mouse and other input and/or output devices.

6. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller is configured to communicate with secondary devices using a second signal type and the peripheral devices and automation controller via a first signal type.

7. The automation system of claim 6, wherein the second signal type includes signals sent in the infrared spectrum and first signal type includes signals sent in the radio frequency spectrum.

8. The automation system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one peripheral device includes a plurality of peripheral devices in a control group having a common transmitter and receiver; and

,

at least one of the remote controller and the automation controller is configured to send and receive information regarding the function of the plurality of peripheral devices in the control group via the common transmitter and receiver.

9. The automation system of claim 8, wherein the at least one of the automation controller and remote controller sends and receives information via a wireless transmission link and the control group is configured to send and receive information from the common transmitter and receiver to the peripheral devices via at least one wired transmission link.

10. The automation system of claim 8, wherein at least two of the peripheral devices are controlled by a common processor communicating with the common transmitter and receiver.

11. The automation system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one peripheral device includes at least one mobile peripheral device configured to emit a tracking signal and a plurality of stationary peripheral devices configured to receive the tracking signal and transmit information concerning the signal; and

,

at least one of the remote controller and the automation controller is configured to receive information from the plurality of stationary peripheral devices and determine at least a general location of the mobile peripheral device based on the information.

12. The automation system of claim 11, wherein the mobile peripheral device emits a tracking signal at a rate, which is a function of at least one of its movement, its location within the range of the system, and settings from the remote and automation controller.

13. The automation system of claim 11, wherein the mobile peripheral device emits a tracking signal that is not recognized by the remote controller or the automation controller, but by a stationary peripheral device, which transmits the information to at least one of the remote controller and the automation controller.

14. The automation system of claim 1, further comprising a limited purpose remote controller configured to send an automation instruction upon actuation to a reconfigurable group including at least one of the peripheral devices.

15. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the remote controller is configured to provide a line of sight signal to the peripheral device to initiate an association process between the peripheral device and at least one of the remote controller and the automation controller.

16. The automation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral device is configured to translate signals sent by at least one of the automation controller and remoter controller into signals for controlling secondary devices and communicating the translated signals to the secondary devices.

17. The automation system of claim 16, wherein the at least one peripheral device is configured to translate signals sent by at least one of the automation controller and remoter controller in one of Zigbee, Zwave, and PLC format into signals in one of RS-485 signal format for controlling at least one of HVAC units and hot water heaters, and application programming interface format for providing on/off control of a computer.

18. An automation system comprising:

at least first and second automation controllers configured to communicate and control peripheral devices in non-overlapping system ranges; and

, at least one peripheral device that is associated with both the first and second automation controllers and including at least one sensor configured to monitor at least one of the following conditions, temperature, shock, moisture, air composition including humidity, and contaminant levels, when the peripheral device is not within the range of the automation controllers, and a data storage devices to store at least some of the data from the sensor for retrieval by at least one of the automation controllers.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein configuring includes configuring a peripheral device to perform at least one of translating signals sent by at least one of the automation controller and remoter controller into signals for controlling at least one secondary device and communicating the translated signals to the secondary device, and, emitting a tracking signal at a rate, which is a function of at least one of its movement, its location within a signal range, and settings from the remote and automation controller.

19. A method of automating functions comprising:

configuring a remote controller to send and receive information regarding a function to and from at least one peripheral device in a first state and to send information regarding the function to an automation controller, but not the peripheral device, in a second state; and

,

operating the remote controller in the first state when the remote controller is unassociated with the automation controller and in the second state when the remote controller is associated with the automation controller.