DISTRIBUTED CONTROL SYSTEM OPERATION AND CONFIGURATION

• US 20130211548A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Leinen, Richard A., Burgess, David E., Parsons, Kevin, Anderson, Scott Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 9,639,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/11
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4148 characterised by using several processors for different functions, distributed (real-time) systems G05B19/4141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31143 Sds smart distributed system, can based
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A control system including an input component configured to receive an input and generate control information in response to the input; a communication link coupled to the input component; and a plurality of control components, each of the control components coupled to the input component through the communication link and configured to receive the control information and to actuate an associated actuator in response to the control information.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

an input component configured to receive an input and generate control information in response to the input;

a communication link coupled to the input component; and

a plurality of control components, each of the control components coupled to the input component through the communication link and configured to receive the control information and to actuate an associated actuator in response to the control information.

2. The control system of claim 1, the control components referred to as first control components, the control system further comprising:

at least one second control component coupled to the communication link.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein each of the control components is configured to operate according to a selected operating mode of a plurality of operating modes.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein each of the control components is configured to select the selected operating mode from among the operating modes in response to an associated schedule change signal.

5. The control system of claim 3, wherein each of the control components is configured to select the selected operating mode from among the operating modes in response to a single schedule change signal.

6. The control system of claim 3, wherein each of the control components is configured to transition to the selected operating mode from a deselected operating mode through a transition operating mode.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the input component is configured to operate according to a selected operating mode of a plurality of operating modes.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the input component is configured to select the selected operating mode from among the operating modes in response to an associated schedule change signal.

9. The control system of claim 7, wherein the input component is configured to transition to the selected operating mode from a deselected operating mode through a transition operating mode.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the input component is configured to transmit the control information in a message including an identification of at least one of the control components; and

the identification is different from an identification associated with the communication link of the at least one of the control components.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein the identification of the at least one of the control components identifies at least two of the control components.

12. The control system of claim 10, wherein the input component is configured to receive a message including the identification and update a status in response to the message.

13. The control system of claim 1, wherein for each control component:

the control component is configured to receive the control information in a message including an identification; and

the identification is different from an identification associated with the communication link of the control component; and

the control component is configured to actuate the associated actuator in response to the control information if the identification matches an identification associated with the control component.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein for at least two control components of the control components the identifications associated with the control components of the at least two control components are substantially identical.

15. The control system of claim 13, wherein for each control component, the control component is configured to transmit a message including the identification.

16. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the input component and a plurality of control components are associated with a group identification; and

further comprising a master component configured to receive a status from each of a control components associated with the group identification, and configured to transmit a group status to the input component.

17-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A control system, comprising:

a plurality of control system components, each control system component including;

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store a configuration for the control system component; and

a communication interface coupled to the processor;

wherein a memory of at least one of the control system components is configured to store a master configuration including the configuration for each of the control system components.

33. The control system of claim 32, wherein for at least one of the control system components, the memory is configured to store the configuration for only that control system component.

34. The control system of claim 32, wherein for at least one of the control system components, the configuration for the control system component includes a plurality of operating modes for the control system component.

35. The control system of claim 32, wherein each control system component of at least two of the control system components is configured to store the master configuration including the configuration for each of the control system components.

36. The control system of claim 35, wherein each of the at least two of the control system components is configured to determine which of the at least two of the control system components will act as a master component.

37. The control system of claim 35, wherein each control system component of the at least two of the control system components is configured to receive an update to the master configuration in response to a single update message.

38. The control system of claim 37, wherein only one control system component of the at least two of the control system components is configured to respond to the single update message at a time.

39. The control system of claim 32, wherein

an intermediate control system component of the control system components is coupled between the at least one of the control system components is configured to store the master configuration and another control system component;

and

the intermediate control system component is configured to receive the configuration for the other control system component and transmit the configuration to the other control system component.

40. The control system of claim 32, wherein the configuration for each of the control system components includes version identification.

41. The control system of claim 32, wherein one of the at least one of the control system components configured to store the master configuration is configured to lock the master configuration for all of the at least one of the control system components configured to store the master configuration.

42-49. -49. (canceled)