METHOD FOR LOCATING A CONTROL UNIT FOR CONTROLLING AN ACTUATOR FOR OPERATING A WINDOW COVERING ELEMENT

• US 20110277946A1
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Original Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Inventors: Cheron, Eric
• Application Number:
  US13/102,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20110277946A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 160/340
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/32 Operating, guiding, or securing devices therefor operation of tilting bars E06B9/307
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• 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 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered

Abstract

Method for locating a first control unit (4) for controlling an actuator (2) for operating a window covering element (1). The method comprises, following a step for detecting the presence of a user, a step for activating a location means (7) for locating the first control unit.

Claims

1. Method for locating a first control unit (4) for controlling an actuator (2) for operating a window covering element (1), wherein the method comprises, following a step for detecting the presence of a user, a step for activating a means (7) for locating the first control unit.

2. Location method according to claim 1, wherein the step for detecting the presence of the user comprises a step for detecting an open or close action of the user on the covering element.

3. Location method according to claim 1, wherein the step for activating the means for locating the control unit takes place during a motorized movement of the covering element, this movement following the step for detecting the presence of the user.

4. Location method according to claim 3, wherein the motorized movement of the covering element is controlled by a second control unit.

5. Location method according to claim 3, wherein the motorized movement of the covering element is a step of a scenario executed automatically.

6. Location method according to claim 3, wherein the motorized movement is activated on expiry of a first time-out triggered by the step for detecting the presence of the user.

7. Location method according to claim 3, wherein the location means is deactivated on expiry of a second time-out.

8. Control system (10, 10a, 10b) for controlling a window covering element (1), comprising an actuator (2) for operating the covering element and a control unit (4) for controlling the actuator, wherein the system comprises hardware and/or software means for applying the method according to one of the preceding claims.

9. Control system according to claim 8, wherein the hardware and/or software means for applying the method comprise a means (7) for locating the control unit and a means (8) for detecting the presence of a user.

10. Control system according to claim 9, wherein the means for detecting the presence comprises a sensor (8, 8a, 8b) for sensing presence and/or activity, possibly separated from the first control unit.

11. Control system according to claim 10, wherein the sensor for sensing presence and/or activity comprises a means (8a) for detecting an open or close manual action of the user on the covering element.

12. Control system according to claim 11, wherein the means for detecting a manual action can be activated by an action (9a) of pulling on the covering element.

13. Control system according to claim 10, wherein the sensor for sensing presence and/or activity comprises an RFID element.

14. Control system according to claim 10, wherein the sensor for sensing presence and/or activity comprises a sensor for sensing insertion of a card into a device and/or a sensor for sensing operation of a door.

15. Control system according to claim 10, wherein the sensor for sensing presence and/or activity comprises an element of the volumetric type.

16. Control system according to claim 8, wherein the window covering element is a curtain.