Process for hooking up a group control module with a control module and/or an action module and/or a measurement module

• US 6,339,798 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1997
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Somfy SA
• Original Assignee: Somfy SA
• Inventors: Pépin, Laurent, Cheron, Eric, Motte, Emeric
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prieto, Beatriz
• Application Number:
  US08/956,068
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/220, 709/228, 710/47, 710/8, 710/9, 710/10, 710/16, 370/93, 340/815.4, 340/313, 340/825.06, 340/310.01, 714/5
• US Class Current: 710/9
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence

Abstract

The process comprises a user acting on an initial group control module so as to commence the hooking up as a first step. It also includes the following steps: a request for signaling in the network of all the modules which are hooked up with the initial group control module by comparing the addresses which they have stored with the address of the initial group control module, the user acting on one or more of the modules of the network so as to hook it up with the initial group control module or to cancel it s hookup with the initial group control module. The process is terminated by the user acting on the initial group control module in order to terminate the hookup.

Claims

1. A process for the hooking up by a user of a group control module with at least one other group control module and/or an action module and/or a measurement module in a network, comprising the following step as the first step:

action by a user on an initial group control module having an initial address so as to commence the hooking up, said process being one wherein the following steps are also included;

request for signaling in the network of all the group control and/or action and/or measurement modules which are hooked up with the initial group control module by comparing the addresses which they have stored in a memory with said initial address which is included in said request,

action by the user on one or more of the control modules and/or on one or more of the action modules and/or on one or more of the measurement modules of the network so as to hook it up with the initial group control module if it is not already hooked up with this initial group control module by storing said initial address in said control modules memory and/or in said action modules memory and/or in said measurement modules memory so that said initial address is stored in a decentralized manner in each of said modules, or to cancel the hookup with the initial group control module if it is hooked up with the initial group control module by removing said initial address from said control modules memory and/or from said action modules memory and/or from said measurement modules memory, so that said initial address is removed in a decentralized manner from each of said modules, and

action by the user on the initial group control module so as to terminate the hookup.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein, during the creation of a new group of hooked up modules, the process comprises the following step as the second step:

search in the network for a free group address and storage of this address in the initial group control module.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modules which are hooked up with the initial group control module, or which become hooked up with the said initial module, signal themselves to the user via a continuously lit indicator light.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modules which are not hooked up with the initial group control module, or whose hookup with the said initial module is canceled, signal themselves to the user via an indicator light which is permanently switched off.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein in order to commence a hooking up operation, the user must act on an initial group control module for at least 5 seconds.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein during the hooking up of a group control module with the initial group control module, the address present in the memory of the control module is replaced with the actual address of the initial group control module.

7. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein during the hooking up of an action module or of a measurement module with the initial group control module, the unused addresses on the network located in the memory of the action module or measurement module are erased and the address of the initial group control module is added to the memory of the action module or measurement module.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user acts differently on the initial group control module in order to commence hooking up if the user wishes to modify an existing group or create a new group.

9. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein if the user wishes to modify an existing group, the action involves pressing a hookup modification button and, if the user wishes to create a new group, the action involves pressing a hookup creation button.

10. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step involving a request for signaling in the network of all the group control and/or action and/or measurement modules which are hooked up with the initial group control module also occurs each time the user acts on a control module or on an action module or on a measurement module of the network so as to hook it up with the initial group control module or to cancel its hookup with the initial group control module.

11. The process of claim 1 further comprising:

said group control module being a first module operatively coupled through a network input/output to a second module;

said action by the user being accomplished through the manual operation of a first and second hookup button which selectively illuminate or extinguish first and second indicator lights to show hooking up or disconnecting, respectively;

said first and second modules being operatively coupled through a respective first and second input/output to an actuator input/output wherein said actuator input/output controls a motor, said motor moving roller blinds responsive to an operatively coupled measurement module and a linked sensor.

12. A process for the hook up by a user of a group control module with at least one other group control module and/or an action module and/or a measurement module in a network, comprising the following step as the first step:

action by a user on an initial group control module so as to commence the hooking up, said process being one wherein the following steps are also included;

requesting a signal in the network of all the group control and/or action and/or measurement modules which are hooked up with said initial group module by comparing the addresses which they have stored in a memory with the address of said initial group control module sent in the network,

action by the user on one or more of the control modules and/or on one or more of the action modules and/or on one or more of the measurement modules of the network so as to hook it up with said initial group control module if it is not already hooked up with said initial group control module by storing said address of said initial group control module in a decentralized manner in said memory of each of said modules or to cancel its hook up with said initial group control module if it is hooked up with said initial control module by removing said address of said initial group control module in a decentralized manner from said memory of each of said modules, and

action by the user on said initial group control module so as to terminate the hookup, and in which the address of the controller of the group is at the same time the group address thus simplifying the data necessary.

13. A hook up to interconnect a first and second modules in a network, said first module being a group control module and said second module being another group control module, an action or a measurement module, comprising:

commencement means for a user to act on said first module so as to initiate a hook up from said first module having a first address;

network signal requesting means for sending said first address in said network;

comparison means for comparing said first address with a second address stored in a memory of said second module,

signaling means for signaling said second module if said second address is equal to said first address,

hook up means for operatively controlling said first and said second module so as to hook up said modules if not already hooked up by storing said first address in said memory of said second module, or to cancel the hookup if already hooked up by removing said first address from said memory of said second module, and

termination means for terminating the hookup.

14. The network hook up of claim 13 wherein:

said first module address is at the same time the group address thus simplifying the data necessary.

15. The network hook up of claim 13 further comprising:

said first module being operatively coupled through a network input/output to at least a second module;

said network signal requesting means being a manually operable first hookup button to modify an existing group or a second hookup button to create a new group and said signaling means being an indicator light;

said second module being operatively coupled through a first input/output to said network and through a second input/output to a motor, said motor moving roller blinds, and said second module being hooked up in said group or being unhooked of said group by said hook up means which comprise a hookup button.

16. The network hook up of claim 14 further comprising:

said first module being operatively coupled through a network input/output to at least a second module;

said network signal requesting means being a manually operable first hookup button to modify an existing group or a second hookup button to create a new group and said signaling means being an indicator light;

said second module being operatively coupled through a first input/output to said network and through a second input/output to a motor, said motor moving roller blinds, and said second module being hooked up in said group or being unhooked of said group by said hook up means which comprise a hookup button.