Learning Method for a Device for Controlling Home Automation Apparatuses in a Building

• US 20110302517A1
• Filed: 12/10/2009
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somfy Activites SA (Somfy SA)
• Original Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Inventors: Duchene, Isabelle, Marais, Luc, Loiseau, Jean-Noël
• Granted Patent: US 9,202,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

The invention relates to a training method for a device for controlling home automation apparatuses in a building, said method including: a display screen on which each home automation apparatus is represented by any apparatus icon or, failing that, by an apparatus-type icon combined with an apparatus name, an information reception means, characterised in that an action at a control means specific to a home automation apparatus results, at the control device, in the initiation of a step for the automatic search for and selection of the apparatus or apparatus-type icon representing said home automation apparatus.

Claims

1. Learning method for a control device for home automation equipment items of a building, comprising:

a display screen on which each home automation equipment item is represented by an equipment icon or by default by an equipment type icon associated with an equipment name,

a reception means for receiving an information item,

wherein an action on a specific control means of a home automation equipment item results in the triggering, on the control device, of a step for automatically searching for and selecting the equipment or equipment type icon representing this home automation equipment item.

2. Learning method according to claim 1, wherein the action on the specific control means provokes, prior to the automatic search and selection step, a step for reception of an information item, for example an identifier of the home automation equipment item, on the control device, this information item being transmitted by the home automation equipment item or by the specific control means.

3. Learning method according to claim 1, wherein the step for automatically searching for and selecting the equipment or equipment type icon is followed by a step for automatically searching for and selecting a location icon if the home automation equipment item has been previously associated with a group of equipment items represented by the location icon.

4. Learning method according to claim 1, wherein the step for automatically searching for and selecting the equipment or equipment type icon is followed by a step for modifying the equipment name and/or modifying the equipment type icon and/or the association of the home automation equipment item with one or more equipment groups.

5. Learning method according to claim 4, wherein the association of the equipment item whose icon is selected with a group of home automation equipment items causes the equipment item whose icon is selected to be assigned a compound name comprising at least a name attached to the group of equipment items or a predefined equipment name and a serial number.

6. Operating method for a control device comprising a learning phase comprising the implementation of the learning method according to claim 1 and a scanning phase, comprising a request step sent by the control device to the equipment items for the equipment items to reply with information on their state and a step for detecting the transmission of control commands or control command execution information, the request step being anticipated when the result of the detection step is positive.

7. Control device for home automation equipment items of a building, comprising:

a display screen on which each home automation equipment item is represented by an equipment icon or by default by an equipment type icon, associated with an equipment name,

a reception means for receiving an information item,

wherein it comprises hardware and/or software means for implementing the learning method according to claim 1.

8. Computer program comprising a computer program code means suitable for performing the steps of the method according to claim 1, when the program is run on a computer.

9. Control device for home automation equipment items of a building, comprising:

a display screen on which each home automation equipment item is represented by an equipment icon or by default by an equipment type icon, associated with an equipment name,

a reception means for receiving an information item,

wherein the device comprises hardware and/or software means for implementing the operating method according to claim 6.

10. Computer program comprising a computer program code means suitable for performing the steps of the method according to claim 6, when the program is run on a computer.