Communication protocol for transmission system for controlling and determining the status of electrical devices from remote locations

• US 5,838,226 A
• Filed: 02/07/1996
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Mosebrook, Donald R., Palmer, Robert G. Jr., Houggy, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/597,706
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 340/310.01, 340/310.04, 340/310.06, 340/310.08, 340/425.1, 340/825.06-825.13, 340/825.18, 340/825.56, 340/825.54, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 455/3.3, 455/4.1, 455/7, 455/9, 455/11.1, 455/13.1, 375/211, 375/219, 375/220, 375/259, 375/257, 370/226, 370/243, 370/246, 370/315, 370/321
• US Class Current: 340/12.32
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence

Abstract

A communication protocol for a two way transmission system having at least one first transmitter/receiver device, at least one second transmitter/receiver device and at least one repeater for relaying signals between the first and second devices. The protocol includes the steps of transmitting a first signal comprising a command from the first device, repeating the first signal with each repeater in a respective repeater time slot, receiving the first signal at the second device, transmitting status information from each second device in a respective status time slot, forming a status bit map comprising all status information in the at least one repeater, and transmitting the status bit map with the repeater so that the at least one first device has received the status bit map. Preferably, the transmission system comprises an R.F. communication system. If a plurality of repeaters are employed, the repeaters repeat the transmitted signals in a defined repeater sequence. The repeaters build a bit map of all status information received by the respective repeaters during the repeater sequence. In this way, it is assured that all first and second devices receive those signals intended for the respective devices.

Claims

1. A method of communication for a two way transmission system having at least one first transmitter/receiver device, at least one second transmitter/receiver device and at least one repeater for relaying signals between the first and second devices comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal comprising a first command from the first device;

repeating the first command with each repeater in a respective repeater time slot;

receiving the first command at the second device;

transmitting status information regarding the status of each second device from each second device in a respective status time slot;

forming a status bit map comprising all status information regarding each second device in the at least one repeater; and

transmitting the status bit map with the repeater so that the at least one first device has received the status bit map.

2. The method of communication of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the first command a second time from the first device; and

repeating the first command a second time with each repeater in a respective second repeater time slot.

3. The method of communication of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the first command a third time from the first device; and

repeating the first command a third time with each repeater in a respective third repeater time slot.

4. The method of communication of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the first command a fourth time from the first device; and

repeating the first command a fourth time with each repeater in a respective fourth repeater time slot.

5. The method of communication of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting a first command from the first device comprises the steps of:

transmitting a link claim; and

thereafter transmitting a command packet.

6. The method of communication of claim 5, wherein the step of repeating the first command with each repeater in respective repeater time slots comprises the steps of:

repeating the link claim a plurality of times after the first device transmits the link claim; and

repeating the command packet a plurality of times after the first device transmits the command packet.

7. The method of communication of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the first command a second time; and

repeating the first command a second time with each repeater in a respective second repeater time slot;

the step of transmitting the first command a second time comprising the steps of;

dividing a time period in which to transmit the first command a second time into a plurality of backoff time slots;

selecting one of the backoff time slots for transmission of the first command a second time; and

transmitting the first command a second time by transmitting the link claim and thereafter the command packet;

the step of repeating the first command a second time with each repeater in a respective second repeater time slot comprising the steps of;

repeating the link claim a plurality of times after the first device transmits the link claim the second time; and

repeating the command packet a plurality of times after the first device transmits the command packet the second time.

8. The method of communication of claim 7, wherein the step of selecting one of the backoff time slots comprises the step of randomly selecting one of the backoff time slots.

9. The method of communication of claim 1, further wherein the first device comprises a master control unit and each second device comprises an electrical device control device, the master control unit having a plurality of actuators, at least one of the second devices being assignable to an actuator, and further comprising the steps of:

assigning at least one of the second devices to the actuator;

transmitting an assignment bit map of the second devices assigned to each actuator;

determining, at the second devices, the number of second devices assigned to the actuator of the master unit; and

determining the status time slot from the number of second devices assigned to the actuator in which to transmit said status information.

10. The method of communication of claim 9, further comprising the step of assigning the repeater, the first device, and the second devices a unique address and further wherein the step of determining the status time slot of a first second device from the number of second devices assigned to the actuator comprises the step of counting the number of second devices assigned to the actuator with a lower address than the address of the first second device.

11. The method of communication of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining with the second devices a beginning of the status time slots from the zero crossings of a particular phase of a three phase power system to which the second devices are connected and further comprising the step of connecting said second devices to any of the phases of the three phase power systems, the step of transmitting status information comprising the step of providing a sufficiently long status time slot to ensure the status information sent by the second devices connected to different phases of the three phase power system do not overlap.

12. The method of communication of claim 1, wherein the step of repeating the first command with each repeater in a respective repeater time slot comprises the step of:

repeating the first command with each repeater in a defined repeater sequence to ensure that each second device receives the first command pertinent to the respective second device.

13. The method of communication of claim 1, wherein the steps of forming and transmitting the status bit map with each repeater comprises the steps of:

inserting into the status bit map at each repeater the status information known to that repeater; and

transmitting the status bit map as known to that repeater in an assigned repeater time slot according to a predefined repeater sequence to ensure that at the end of the sequence, all status information will have been inserted into the status bit map and all first devices will have received the complete status bit map at least once.

14. The method of communication of claim 13, wherein the step of forming the status bit map comprises determining the on/off status of an electrical device coupled to a second device.

15. The method of communication of claim 14, wherein the step of forming the status bit map further comprises the step of determining the intensity level of the electrical device where the electrical device is an electric lamp.

16. The method of communication of claim 13, wherein there are two repeaters identified as R1 and R2 and the step of transmitting the status bit map as known to each repeater in an assigned repeater time slot according to a predefined repeater sequence comprises the step of transmitting in the predefined repeater sequence R1-R2-R1, wherein R1 means repeater 1 transmits and R2 means repeater 2 transmits.

17. The method of communication of claim 13, wherein there are three repeaters identified as R1, R2 and R3 and the step of transmitting the status bit map as known to each repeater in an assigned repeater time slot according to a predefined repeater sequence comprises the step of transmitting in the predefined repeater sequence R1-R2-R3-R1-R2-R3-R1, wherein R1 means repeater 1 transmits, R2 means repeater 2 transmits and R3 means repeater 3 transmits.

18. The method of communication of claim 13, wherein there are four repeaters identified as R1, R2, R3 and R4 and the step of transmitting the status bit map as known to each repeater in an assigned repeater time slot according to a predefined repeater sequence comprises the step of transmitting in the predefined repeater sequence R1-R2-R3-R4-R1-R3-R2-R1-R4-R3-R1-R2, wherein R1 means repeater 1 transmits, R2 means repeater 2 transmits, R3 means repeater 3 transmits and R4 means repeater 4 transmits.

19. The method of communication of claim 13, wherein there are four repeaters identified as R1, R2, R3 and R4 and the step of transmitting the status bit map as known to each repeater in an assigned repeater time slot according to a predefined repeater sequence comprises the step of transmitting in the predefined repeater sequence R1-R2-R3-R4-R1-R2-R3-R4-R1-R2-R3-R4-R1, wherein R1 means repeater 1 transmits, R2 means repeater 2 transmits, R3 means repeater 3 transmits and R4 means repeater 4 transmits.

20. The method of communication of claim 13, wherein each repeater time slot is 25 msec. and further comprising the step of, in order that each repeater only communicate once in a 100 msec. time period, inserting wait slots in which no repeaters communicate.

21. The method of communication of claim 1, wherein the two way transmission system comprises a radio frequency transmission system and each of the steps of transmitting comprises the step of transmitting with radio frequency radiation.

22. A method of communication for a two way transmission system having at least one first transmitter/receiver device and at least one second transmitter/receiver device comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal comprising a command from the first device;

receiving the first signal at each of the second devices; and

transmitting a status signal regarding the status of the second device from each second device in a respective time slot; and

further wherein each of the second devices have individual device addresses, and further comprising the step of using the addresses to determine the time slots.

23. The method of communication of claim 22, further comprising the step of transmitting the first signal with the first device to each of the second devices at the same time.

24. The method of communication of claim 22, further comprising the step of transmitting the first signal with the first device to each of the second devices in sequence.

25. The method of communication of claim 22, further comprising the steps of providing as a master control unit and providing the second device as a control device for controlling an electrical device.

26. The method of communication of claim 25, further comprising the steps of providing the electrical device as an electric lamp and providing the second device as a lamp dimmer.

27. A method of communication for a two way transmission system, having at least one first transmitter/receiver device, at least one second transmitter/receiver device, and a repeater for relaying signals between the first and second devices comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal comprising a command from the first device;

receiving the first signal at the repeater;

transmitting the command in a second signal from the repeater;

receiving at least one of the first signal and the second signal at each of the second devices;

transmitting a first status signal regarding the status of the second device from each second device in a respective time slot;

receiving the first status signals regarding the status of the second device from each second device at the repeater and combining them into a combined status signal;

transmitting the combined status signal from the repeater;

receiving at least one of said first status signals from said second devices and said combined status signal at said first device.

28. (Amended) The method of communication communications protocol! of claim 27, further comprising the steps of providing wherein! the first device comprises! as a master control unit and providing the second device comprises! as an electrical device control device, and further comprising providing the master control unit having! with a plurality of actuators.

29. The method of communication of claim 27, further comprising the steps of providing the second device as a lamp dimmer that controls power to an electric lamp, and providing the first device with at least one status indicating device, and further comprising the steps of:

indicating the status of the lamp dimmer at the first device in response to the receipt of at least one of said first status signal and said combined status signal at said first device.

30. The method of communication of claim 27, further comprising the step of providing the first device with at least one actuator and further wherein the step of transmitting the first signal is initiated by the step of actuating said at least one actuator.

31. The method of communication of claim 29, further comprising the step of providing the second device with a manual actuator for controlling the power to the electric lamp and further comprising the step of actuating the manual actuator, said step of actuating the manual actuator causing the further steps of:

transmitting a second status signal containing status information from the lamp dimmer;

receiving the second status signal at the repeater and transmitting a third status signal containing the status information from the second status signal from the repeater;

receiving at least one of the second status signal and the third status signal at the master; and

indicating the status of the lamp dimmer at the first device.

32. A method of communication for a two way transmission system, having at least one first transmitter/receiver device, at least one second transmitter/receiver device and at least two repeaters for relaying signals between the first and second devices comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first signal comprising a command from the first device;

receiving the first signal at a first repeater;

transmitting the command in a second signal from the first repeater;

receiving at least one of the first signal and the second signal at the second repeater;

transmitting the command in a third signal from the second repeater;

receiving at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal at each of the second devices;

transmitting a status signal regarding the status of the second device from each second device in a respective time slot;

receiving the status signals regarding the status of the second device from each second device at least one repeater and combining them into a combined status signal;

transmitting the combined status signal from the repeater;

receiving the combined status signal at the other repeater, adding additional status information received by that repeater regarding the status of each second device and transmitting an updated combined status signal from the other repeater; and

receiving at least one of said status signal from said second device, said combined status signal, and said updated combined status signal at said first device.

33. The method of communication of claim 32, further comprising the steps of providing the first device as a master control unit with status indicating devices and providing the second device as a lamp dimmer that controls power to an electric lamp and further comprising the step of:

indicating the status of the lamp dimmer at the first device in response to the receipt of at least one of said first status signal, said combined status signal and said updated combined status signal at said first device.

34. The method of communication of claim 32. further comprising the step of providing the first device with at least one actuator and further wherein the step of transmitting the first signal is initiated by the step of actuating said at least one actuator.