Method for transmitter and receiver matching

• US 7,639,155 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2002
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somfy Activites SA (Somfy SA)
• Original Assignee: SIMU
• Inventors: Cheron, Eric, Symoen, Lionel, Gauthier, Laurent, Fournet, Michel, Neuman, Serge
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam V
• Application Number:
  US10/482,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20040240395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,744 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.22, 340/825.23, 340/10.32, 340/5.65, 340/5.6, 340/825.36, 370/254, 455/67.11
• US Class Current: 340/4.3
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A transmitter is adapted to transmit a command, toward one or more receivers. Each receiver is adapted to receive said command and identify said transmitter, which as transmitted it. Furthermore, each receiver is adapted to supply a signal addressed to an installer, for example, a visual signal, by actuating an operator connected to the receiver. The method for matching a transmitter and a receiver includes assigning a subset or a rank to each receiver; then the receivers supply a signal, depending on their subset or their rank, for example, in response to a rank modifying command. When only the receiver to be matched supplies a signal, the installer emits a command from the transmitter. The receiver, which has just supplied the signal, receives the command and is matched to the transmitter, which has transmitted it. the matching is carried out without any action on the receivers, simply by means of commands transmitted from the transmitter.

Claims

1. A method for pairing a transmitter and one given receiver out of at least two unpaired receivers, the transmitter being adapted for sending an identification message and an actionable command and a pairing command, each receiver being adapted to receive this identification message and actionable command and pairing command and to identify the transmitter and to supply a signal for the attention of a user, the method comprising:

(a) automatically defining a subset from among the set of unpaired receivers;

then

(b) supplying the signal for the attention of the user by each receiver of the subset; and

then

(c) if only the one given receiver to be paired has supplied the signal for the attention of the user, transmitting the pairing command by the transmitter and pairing the receiver having supplied the signal for the attention of the user with the transmitter which transmitted the pairing command, thus completing the pairing of said one given receiver, and

(c′

) if more than one receiver to be paired has supplied the signal for the attention of the user or if the receiver to be paired has not supplied the signal for the attention of the user, automatically defining a new subset and repeating steps (b) and (c).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of defining the new subset comprises defining a new subset of cardinality less than the preceding one.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of defining a new subset comprises

defining a new subset included in the preceding subset if the receiver to be paired has supplied the signal and

defining a new subset disjoint from the preceding subset if the receiver to be paired has not supplied the signal.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the receivers are represented by leaves of a tree.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the steps (a), (b) and (c) are carried out according to a dichotomic traversal of the tree.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of defining the new subset comprises

defining a new subset included in the preceding subset if the receiver to be paired has supplied the signal and

defining a new subset disjoint from the preceding subset if the receiver to be paired has not supplied the signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receivers are represented by leaves of a tree.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the steps (a), (b) and (c) are carried out according to a dichotomic traversal of the tree.

9. The method of claim 1, further including assigning each receiver with a rank;

wherein defining a subset comprises the choice of a receiver of a given rank, and wherein defining a new subset comprises the choice of a receiver of another rank.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the assigning step comprises, for each receiver, the choice of an order number independently of the other receivers.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the choice is random.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the receivers can communicate, and wherein the assigning step comprises the assigning of a separate number to each receiver.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the separate numbers are consecutive.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of defining a new subset includes changing of rank and comprises the transmission by the transmitter of a change of rank command.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the transmitter comprises a unique identification number sent in a command, and wherein the pairing step comprises the storage by the receiver of the number contained in the command.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal for the attention of the user is at least one of a sound signal, a light signal, or a movement signal driven by an operating unit associated with the receiver.

17. A method of pairing for a receiver out of at least two unpaired receivers adapted to receive an identification message and an actionable command and a pairing command sent by a transmitter and to identify the transmitter and to supply a signal for the attention of a user, the method comprising:

(a) automatically assigning a rank to each receiver;

then

(b) activating a rank;

then

(c) supplying the signal for the attention of the user as a function of this active rank and then

(d) determining that only one receiver to be paired supplied the signal and on receipt of the pairing command following the supplying step, pairing the transmitter which sent the pairing command.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the assigning step comprises the choice of an order number.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the choice is random.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the receiver can communicate with other receivers, and wherein the assigning step comprises communicating to other receivers and the possible receiving of responses from the other transmitters.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of supplying the signal comprises receiving of at least one change of rank command and the supplying of the signal as a function of the number of change of rank commands received.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the command sent by a transmitter comprises a unique identification number and wherein the pairing step comprises the storage of the number contained in the command.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal for the attention of the user is at least one of a sound signal, a light signal, or a movement signal driven by an operating unit associated with the receiver.

24. A receiver having:

a circuit for receiving and for decoding commands sent by a transmitter;

means for supplying a signal for the attention of a user;

a program executing a method of pairing for a receiver adapted to receive an identification message and an actionable command and a pairing command sent by a transmitter and for the receiver to identify the transmitter and for the receiver to supply a signal for the attention of a user, the method comprising the steps of;

(a) automatically assigning a rank;

then

(b) the receiver supplying the signal for the attention of the user as a function of this rank; and

then

(c) on receipt of the pairing command following the supplying step, pairing with the transmitter which sent the pairing command; and

(c′

) on no receipt of the pairing command following the supplying step, automatically assigning a new rank and repeating steps (b) and (c);

or

the method comprising the steps of;

(A) automatically assigning a rank;

then

(B) activating a rank;

then

(C) supplying the signal for the attention of the user as a function of this rank; and

then

(D) on receipt of the pairing command following the supplying step, pairing the transmitter which sent the pairing command.

25. The receiver of claim 24, wherein the receiver comprises a storage memory.

26. The receiver of claim 24, wherein the circuit is also adapted for transmitting.

27. The receiver of claim 24, wherein the signal for the attention of the user is at least one of a sound signal, a light signal, or a movement signal driven by an operating unit associated with the receiver.