CONTROLLING LOADS AND COLLECTING BUILDING INFORMATION VIA IP NETWORKS

• US 20140371876A1
• Filed: 06/18/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mechoshade Systems, LLC.
• Original Assignee: Nuleds, Inc.
• Inventors: Isaacson, Chris A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,025,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/9
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21042 Address a group, a zone
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25111 Using broadcast message
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25168 Domotique, access through internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods for controlling loads in an IP network that is divided into one or more zones and/or subzones. In one aspect, there is provided a method that can associate a plurality of controllers with one of a plurality of zones. Each controller can be connected to one or more loads. The method can associate each controller with an address. The address can include a network address and a host identifier. The network address for each controller in a first zone can be the same. The method can transmit over a network a control message to each controller in the first zone. The control message can cause one or more operational parameters of the loads connected to each controller in the first zone to change. Related apparatus, computer program products, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating, by at least one data processor, a plurality of controllers with one of a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of controllers connected to one or more loads;

associating, by the at least one data processor, each of the plurality of controllers with an address, the address comprising a network address and a host identifier, wherein the network address for each controller in a first zone is the same;

transmitting over a network, by the at least one data processor, a control message to each of the one or more controllers in the first zone, the control message causing one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to each of the one or more controllers in the first zone to change.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting further comprises addressing the control message to a broadcast address associated with a subnet of the zone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving environmental data from the one or more controllers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the control message is based at least on the received environmental data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the environmental data is detected by one or more sensors connected to each of the one or more controllers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the address for each of the plurality of controllers is a statically assigned IP address or a dynamically assigned IP address.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating each zone with two or more subzones.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising associating each of the plurality of controllers with a subzone parameter, the subzone parameter representing a subzone that each controller is located in.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the control message causes the operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to a subset of the controllers in the first zone to change, the subset indicated by the subzone parameter in the control message.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable medium containing instructions to configure a processor to perform operations comprising:

associating a plurality of controllers with one of a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of controllers connected to one or more loads;

associating each of the plurality of controllers with an address, the address comprising a network address and a host identifier, wherein the network address for each controller in a first zone is the same;

transmitting over a network a control message to each of the one or more controllers in the first zone, the control message causing one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to each of the one or more controllers in the first zone to change.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the transmitting further comprises addressing the control message to a broadcast address associated with a subnet of the zone.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10, the operations further comprising receiving environmental data from the one or more controllers.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the control message is based at least on the received environmental data.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the environmental data is detected by one or more sensors connected to each of the one or more controllers.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the address for each of the plurality of controllers is a statically assigned IP address or a dynamically assigned IP address.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 10, the operations further comprising associating each zone with two or more subzones.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, the operations further comprising associating each of the plurality of controllers with a subzone parameter, the subzone parameter representing a subzone that each controller is located in.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the control message causes the operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to a subset of the controllers in the first zone to change, the subset indicated by the subzone parameter in the control message.

19. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the processor and the memory are configured to perform operations comprising;

associating a plurality of controllers with one of a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of controllers connected to one or more loads;

associating each of the plurality of controllers with an address, the address comprising a network address and a host identifier, wherein the network address for each controller in a first zone is the same;

transmitting over a network a control message to each of the one or more controllers in the first zone, the control message causing one or more operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to each of the one or more controllers in the first zone to change.

20. The system of claim 19, the operations further comprising:

associating each zone with two or more subzones; and

associating each of the plurality of controllers with a subzone parameter, the subzone parameter representing a subzone that each controller is located in,

wherein the control message causes the operational parameters of the one or more loads connected to a subset of the controllers in the first zone to change, the subset indicated by the subzone parameter in the control message.