System Comprising a Master Unit and a Plurality of Slave Units for Operating a Plurality of Devices

• US 20080309513A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VKR Holding A/S (Villum Fonden)
• Original Assignee: VKR Holding A/S (Villum Fonden)
• Inventors: Ebbe, Ulrik Vagn, Byberg, Henrik Raun, Lindby, Steen, Kjaersgaard, Preben
• Application Number:
  US11/994,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309513A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.21
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/10 Power supply of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

System including at least one master unit and a plurality of slave units, wherein the master unit and the slave units include means for performing communication via radio frequency channels. The at least one master unit includes means for transmitting control signals to the slave units, and the slave units are each provided with a unique address and are each associated with a controllable device. The at least one master unit includes means for executing a sequential transmission of control signals to at least one of the slave units.

Claims

1. System comprising at least one master unit and a plurality of slave units, said master unit and said slave units comprising means for performing communication via radio frequency channels, wherein said at least one master unit comprises means for transmitting control signals to said slave units, said slave units each being provided with a unique address and each being associated with a controllable device, wherein said at least one master unit comprises means for executing a sequential transmission of control signals to at least one of said slave units, and wherein said system is adapted for assigning said execution of a sequential transmission of control signals to one of at least two predetermined types of application programmes.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein said at least one master unit is adapted for executing said sequential transmission of control signals to at least one of said slave units in response to an initiation indication.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein said master unit comprises timing means for facilitating delayed execution of said transmission of control signals.

4. System according to claim 1, wherein said master unit comprises timing means for facilitating an execution of said transmission of control on a real time base scale.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein said master unit comprises storage means for information related to said sequential transmissions.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein said at least two types comprise a first type application programme being adapted for executing said sequential transmission of control signals in relation to a real time scale.

7. System according to claim 1, wherein said at least two types of application programmes comprise a second type being adapted for executing said sequential transmission of control signals in relation to an initiation indication.

8. System according to claim 7, wherein said second type application programme relates to a complete system table.

9. System according to claim 7, wherein said second type application programme relates to part of a complete system table.

10. System according to claim 1, wherein parameters for a first type application programme being executed are influenced by a second type application programme being executed concurrently.

11. System according to claim 1, wherein said first type application programme is activated or deactivated by at least one of a manual activation, a sensor input including a timer input, an input from a master control executing a sequential transmission of control signals of said second type application programme.

12. System according to claim 1, wherein said second type application programme (LS) is activated by an input from a master control executing a sequential transmission of control signals of said second type application programme (LS).

13. System according to claim 10, wherein said system is configured for executing only one global subtype application programme at any time.

14. System according to claim 1, wherein said system is adapted for establishing a prioritizing of said application programmes being executed.

15. System according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of slave units are adapted for establishing a table for handling of priorities relating to received input signals, said table facilitating a prioritizing of said application programmes of predetermined different types.

16. System according to claim 1, wherein said slave units are configured for transmitting an acknowledgement signal to said master unit in response to the reception of a control signal.

17. System according to claim 1, wherein said master unit is configured for transmitting a status request signal to said slave units that have received a control signal and said master unit is configured for transmitting said status request signal after a time delay corresponding to the time taken by the slave unit to perform an operation in response to the received control signal.

18. System according to claim 1, wherein said slave units are addressable by said master unit in a number of sectors, wherein said master unit further has means for allocating predefined identifications to said slave units, and wherein said master unit has display means, by means of which said predefined identifications may be displayed.

19. System according to claim 1, wherein said master unit is provided with at least one predefined sequential execution of control signals, said predefined sequence being executable upon manipulation of said function control key.

20. System according to claim 19, wherein said master unit is configured for facilitating modifications of said at least one predefined sequential execution of control signals.

21. System according to claim 19, wherein said master unit is configured for receiving and storing one or more application programmes comprising predefined sequential execution of control signals.

22. System according to claim 19, wherein said master unit is configured for comprising one or more application programmes comprising predefined sequential execution of control signals, wherein said master unit is configured for activating one or more of said programmes in dependence on properties of the system and in dependence of an approval.

23. System according to claim 2, wherein said initiation indication comprises an activation of a function control key, a timer signal or a control signal received from a controller or a sensor.

24. System according to claim 1, wherein said master unit comprises means for recording and storing a number of sequences corresponding to sequential transmission of control signals, said means comprising the use of at least one function control key.

25. System according to claim 24, wherein said master unit is configured for executing a sequence corresponding to sequential transmission of control signals by manipulating said at least one function control key and wherein said master unit is configured for executing at specific sequence in dependence on the manner, in which said function control key is manipulated.

26. System according to claim 24, wherein said master unit is configured for executing a sequence corresponding to sequential transmission of control signals by manipulating said at least one function control key and wherein said master unit is configured for executing a specific sequence in dependence on manipulation of said function control key, and wherein the stored sequences are activated cyclically.

27. System according to claim 24, wherein said master unit is configured for assigning a label or name to stored sequence corresponding to sequential transmission of control signals, and wherein a renaming is facilitated.

28. System according to claim 27, wherein said master unit is configured for facilitating the deletion of a stored sequence corresponding to sequential transmission of control signals, whereby the label or name is deleted without influencing on other labels or names.

29. System according to claim 1, wherein said master unit is configured for facilitating an editing of a stored sequence corresponding to sequential transmission of control signals.

30. System according to claim 1, wherein said system comprises at least one further master unit in the form of an application programme activator.

31. System according to claim 1 configured as a home automation system.

32. System according to claim 1 configured for control of operable devices in buildings.

33. System according to claim 1 configured for performing automatic operation of operable devices in buildings.

34. System according to claim 1 configured for performing automatic sequential operation of operable devices in buildings.

35. System according to claim 1 configured for performing automatic sequential and mutual prioritized operation of operable devices in buildings.

36. System according to claim 1 configured for performing automatic operation of operable devices in buildings in a manner allowing repetitive sequential operations as well as sequential operations requiring an initiation command each time it is wished to perform such an operation.