Electrical control system

• US 7,817,060 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Fair, James, Goyal, Rahul, Malkowski, Mariusz
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Vernal U
• Application Number:
  US11/332,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20070046489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.22, 340/825.29, 340/5.72, 340/5.5, 709/209, 709/211, 341/176, 710/110
• US Class Current: 700/3
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

An electrical control system includes one or more master nodes that are adapted to control and monitor the operation of one or more slave nodes. The master nodes and the slave nodes are operably coupled by one or more communication interfaces, such as radio frequency, Internet Protocol, power line, or other conventional communication interfaces. A hand-held radio frequency controller includes a controller that is operably coupled to an radio frequency transceiver. The controller includes an operating system and application programs, including a device engine, a scenes engine, an events engine, a system engine, and an away engine. The device engine, scenes engine, events engine, system engine and away engine permit a user of the hand-held radio frequency controller to customize the operation of at least some of the aspects of the master and slave nodes.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

at least one master node;

at least one slave node operable to be operably coupled to the at least one master node; and

at least one radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the master and slave nodes;

wherein the master node is adapted to remotely control the operation of the slave nodes;

wherein at least one of the master nodes comprises;

a controller operably coupled to the radio frequency communication interface;

a user interface operably coupled to the controller; and

memory operably coupled to the controller the memory comprising;

a devices database comprising one or more node information frames corresponding to one or more of the slave devices comprising;

a generic device class;

a specific device class;

a command class;

a protection command class;

a version command class;

a manufacturing command class; and

an all switch command class;

wherein the controller further comprises;

a scenes engine adapted to configure and control one or more scenes comprising one or more of the slave devices.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises an events engine adapted to configure and control one or more events comprising one or more scenes comprising:

an events create engine adapted to create one or more events, wherein each event comprises;

a time of occurrence, a day of occurrence, and a scene for operating during the event;

an events delete engine adapted to delete one or more events;

an events edit engine adapted to edit one or more events;

an events activate engine adapted to activate one or more events; and

an events deactivate engine adapted to deactivate one or more events.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises an away engine adapted to configure and control one or more aspects of an away group of slave devices comprising:

an away edit engine adapted to edit the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices;

an away activate engine away activate engine is adapted to activate the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices; and

an away deactivate engine adapted to deactivate the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a system engine adapted to configure and control one or more system wide modes of operation comprising:

a panic engine adapted to control one or more of the slave devices in a panic mode of operation; and

a replicate engine adapted to replicate one or more of the master devices.

10. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a scenes program operably coupled to the controller, the scenes program comprising:

a create scenes program adapted to create one or more scenes;

a delete scenes program adapted to delete one or more scenes;

an edit scenes program adapted to edit one or more scenes;

an activate scenes program adapted to activate one or more scenes; and

a deactivate scenes program adapted to deactivate one or more scenes.

11. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a devices program operably coupled to the controller, the devices program comprising:

an install devices program adapted to install one or more of the slave devices into the system;

an associate devices program adapted to associate one or more of the slave devices with a communication pathway;

an uninstall devices program adapted uninstall one or more of the slave devices from the system;

a remove devices program adapted to remove one or more of the slave devices from the system;

a replace devices program adapted to replace one or more of the slave devices of the system with one or more other slave devices;

a control devices program adapted to control the operation of one or more aspects of the slave devices of the system;

a child protection devices program adapted to control the operation of one or more of the slave devices during a child protection mode of operation; and

an all switch devices program adapted to control the operation of one or more of the slave devices during an all switch mode of operation.

12. The control system of claim 1, further comprising an events program operably coupled to the controller, the events program comprising:

a create events program adapted to create one or more events, wherein each event comprises;

a time of occurrence, a day of occurrence, and a scene for operating during the event;

a delete events program adapted to delete one or more events;

an edit events program adapted to edit one or more events;

an activate events program adapted to activate one or more events; and

a deactivate events program adapted to deactivate one or more events.

13. The control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a system panic program operably coupled to the controller, the system panic program adapted to control one or more of the slave devices in a panic mode of operation; and

a system replicate program operably coupled to the controller, the system replicate program adapted to replicate one or more of the master devices.

14. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a device control program for turning a slave device on or off with a delay operably coupled to the controller.

15. The control system of claim 14, further comprising a device control program for brightening or dimming a slave device operably coupled to the controller.

16. The control system of claim 1, further comprising an away program operably coupled to the controller, the away program comprising:

an away edit program adapted to edit the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices;

an away activate program adapted to activate the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices; and

an away deactivate program adapted to deactivate the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices.

2. A control system, comprising:

one or more master nodes;

a plurality of slave nodes operable to be operably coupled to at least one master node; and

at least one radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the master and slave nodes;

wherein the master node is adapted to remotely control the operation of the slave nodes;

wherein one or more of the master nodes comprise;

a controller;

a radio frequency communication interface operably coupled to the controller;

a memory operably coupled to the controller, the memory comprising;

an operating system;

application programs comprising;

a devices program comprising;

 

an install devices program adapted to install one or more of the slave devices into the system;

 

an associate devices program adapted to associate one or more of the slave devices with a communication pathway;

 

an uninstall devices program adapted uninstall one or more of the slave devices from the system;

 

a remove devices program adapted to remove one or more of the slave devices from the system;

 

a replace devices program adapted to replace one or more of the slave devices of the system with one or more other slave devices;

 

a control devices program adapted to control the operation of one or more aspects of the slave devices of the system;

 

a child protection devices program adapted to control the operation of one or more of the slave devices during a child protection mode of operation; and

 

an all switch devices program adapted to control the operation of one or more of the slave devices during an all switch mode of operation;

a scenes program comprising;

 

a create scenes program adapted to create one or more scenes;

 

a delete scenes program adapted to delete one or more scenes;

 

an edit scenes program adapted to edit one or more scenes;

 

an activate scenes program adapted to activate one or more scenes; and

 

a deactivate scenes program adapted to deactivate one or more scenes;

an events program comprising;

 

a create events program adapted to create one or more events;

 

a delete events program adapted to delete one or more events;

 

an edit events program adapted to edit one or more events;

 

an activate events program adapted to activate one or more events; and

 

a deactivate events program adapted to deactivate one or more events;

a system program comprising;

 

a system panic program adapted to control one or more of the slave devices in a panic mode of operation; and

 

a system replicate program adapted to replicate one or more of the master devices;

an away program comprising;

 

an away edit program adapted to edit the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices;

 

an away activate program adapted to activate the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices; and

 

an away deactivate program adapted to deactivate the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices; and

an all devices on/off program for turning all slave device on/off; and

a device selection program for selecting a slave device comprising;

 

a device control program for turning a slave device on or off;

 

a device control program for brightening or dimming a slave device; and

 

a device control program for turning a slave device on or off with a delay; and

one or more databases comprising;

a devices database comprising one or more node information frames corresponding to one or more of the slave devices comprising;

 

a generic device class;

 

a specific device class;

 

a command class;

 

a protection command class;

 

a version command class;

 

a manufacturing command class; and

 

an all switch command class;

a scenes database comprising information corresponding to one or more scenes;

an events database comprising information corresponding to one or more events;

a system database comprising information corresponding to one or more system wide information;

an away database comprising information corresponding to an away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices;

a communications pathway database comprising information corresponding to one or more communications pathways associated with one or more of the slave devices; and

a failed node ID listing database comprising information corresponding to one or more failed slave devices;

a user interface; and

wherein the controller further comprises;

an operating system comprising;

 

a serial communications driver adapted to monitor and control the operation of the radio frequency communication interface;

 

a memory driver adapted to monitor and control the operation of the memory;

 

a display driver adapted to monitor and control the operation of the user interface; and

 

a button input driver adapted to monitor and control the operation of the user interface; and

application programs comprising a menu state engine comprising;

 

a devices engine adapted to configure and control the operation of one or more of the slave devices comprising;

an install engine adapted to install one or more of the slave devices into the system;

 

an associate engine adapted to associate one or more of the slave devices with a communication pathway;

 

an uninstall engine adapted to uninstall one or more of the slave devices from the system;

 

a remove engine adapted to remove one or more of the slave devices from the system;

 

a replace engine adapted to replace one or more of the slave devices of the system with one or more other slave devices;

 

a control engine adapted to control the operation of one or more aspects of the slave devices of the system;

 

a child protection engine adapted to control the operation of one or more of the slave devices during a child protection mode of operation; and

 

an all switch engine adapted to control the operation of one or more of the slave devices during an all switch mode of operation;

 

a scenes engine adapted to configure and control one or more scenes comprising one or more of the slave devices comprising;

 

a scenes create engine adapted to create one or more scenes;

 

a scenes delete engine adapted to delete one or more scenes;

 

a scenes edit engine adapted to edit one or more scenes;

 

a scenes activate engine adapted to activate one or more scenes; and

 

a scenes deactivate engine adapted to deactivate one or more scenes;

 

an events engine adapted to configure and control one or more events comprising one or more scenes comprising;

 

an events create engine adapted to create one or more events;

 

an events delete engine adapted to delete one or more events;

 

an events edit engine adapted to edit one or more events;

 

an events activate engine adapted to activate one or more events; and

 

an events deactivate engine adapted to deactivate one or more events;

 

a system engine adapted to configure and control one or more system wide modes of operation comprising;

 

a panic engine adapted to control one or more of the slave devices in a panic mode of operation; and

 

a replicate engine adapted to replicate one or more of the master devices; and

 

an away engine adapted to configure and control one or more aspects of an away group of slave devices comprising;

 

an away edit engine adapted to edit the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices;

 

an away activate engine away activate engine is adapted to activate the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices; and

 

an away deactivate engine adapted to deactivate the away mode of operation for one or more of the slave devices.

3. A method of operating a control system comprising one or more master devices and one or slave devices, wherein the master devices are adapted to remotely monitor and control the operation of the slave devices, comprising:

providing a menu state engine in one or more of the master devices for controlling the operation of the control system; and

allowing a user of the menu state engine to select the following;

a devices engine, a scenes engine, an events engine, a system engine, or an away engine.

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

upon receiving a selection by a user of the devices engine, permitting the user to child protect one or more of the slave devices comprising the steps of;

receiving a selection of a slave device for child protection,

transmitting node information for the selected slave device to one or more of the master devices; and

upon the node information for the selected slave device being received by one or more of the master devices within a timeout, permitting the user of one of the master devices to select a level of child protection for the slave device.

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

upon receiving a selection by a user of the scenes engine, permitting the user to create one or more scenes;

permitting the user to define the scene using one or more of the slave devices; and

permitting a user of one of the master devices to define the operational level for each of the slave devices within the scene.

19. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of permitting the user to delete one or more scenes upon receiving a selection by a user of the scenes engine.

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

upon receiving a selection by a user of the scenes engine, permitting the user to edit one or more scenes;

receiving a selection from the user to edit one or more scenes;

permitting the user to define the scene using one or more of the slave devices; and

permitting the user to define the operational level for each of the slave devices within the scene.

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

upon receiving a selection by a user of the system engine, permitting the user to define a panic group for operation in a panic mode of operation;

permitting the user to select a slave device for inclusion in the panic group;

receiving a selection from the user of the slave device for inclusion in the panic group;

determining if the selected slave device enables a panic mode of operation; and

adding the selected device to the panic group based on a positive determination that the selected slave device enables the panic mode of operation.

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

upon receiving a selection by a user of the system engine, permitting the user to replicate a configuration of a first master or slave device into a second master or slave device;

receiving a selection of the first and second devices from the user;

transmitting the node information for the first and second devices to the one master device;

if the node information for the selected first and second devices is receiving the node information for the first and second devices at one or more of the master devices within a timeout;

permitting a user of one of the master devices to select at least one portion of the configuration of the first device to be replicated into the second device;

receiving a selection of the at least one portion of the configuration of the first device to be replicated into the second device from the user; and

replicating the selected portion of the configuration of the first device into the second device.

23. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of permitting the user to edit an away group comprising one or more slave devices for operating in an away mode of operation.

24. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of permitting the user to activate an away group comprising one or more slave devices for operating in an away mode of operation, wherein in the away mode of operation, the slave devices of the away group are randomly operated by the system to all of the possible operational states for each slave device.

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

receiving a selection from a user of a value associated with a slave device;

providing control to the user of the slave device associated with the selected value; and

permitting the user to turn the selected slave device on or off with a time delay.

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

receiving a selection from a user of a value associated with a slave device;

providing control to the user of the slave device associated with the selected value; and

permitting the user to dim or brighten the selected slave device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of permitting the user to turn the selected slave device on or off.

4. A method of operating a control system comprising one or more master devices and one or slave devices, wherein the master devices are adapted to remotely monitor and control the operation of the slave devices, comprising:

providing a menu state engine in one or more of the master devices for controlling the operation of the control system; and

allowing a user of the menu state engine to select one of the following;

a devices engine, a scenes engine, an events engine, a system engine, or an away engine;

upon selection of an on button associated with the master device, all of the slave devices in an all on/off group are turned on;

upon selection of an off button associated with the master device, all of the slave devices in an all on/off group are turned off;

upon selection of a value, a slave device associated with the selected value is selected for control by the user;

allowing the user to turn the selected slave device on or off;

allowing the user to turn the selected slave device on or off with a time delay;

allowing the user to dim or brighten the selected slave device based on a positive determination that the selected slave device may be dimmed or brightened;

upon selection of the devices engine, permitting the user to install one or more master or slave devices into the system;

upon the user depressing an install button associated with the device, determining if a node information associated with the device has been received by one of the master devices;

canceling the installation of the device based on a positive determination that the node information has not been received by one of the master devices within a timeout;

installing the device in the system based on a positive determination that the node information has been received by one of the master device within a timeout;

upon selection of the devices engine, permitting the user to associate first and second slave devices with a communication pathway;

upon the user depressing an associate button for the first slave device, determining if a node information for the first slave device was received by one of the master devices;

determining if a user of the second slave device depresses an associate button for the second slave device based on a positive determination that the node information for the first slave device was received by one of the master devices;

determining if a node information for the second slave device was received by one of the master devices based on a positive determination that the user of the second slave device depressed the associate button for the second slave device;

creating a transmission pathway comprising the first and second slave devices based on a positive determination that the node information of the second slave device was received by one of the master devices;

upon selection of the devices engine, permitting the user to uninstall one or more master or slave devices from the system;

upon the user depressing an uninstall button associated with the device, determining if a node information associated with the device has been received by one of the master devices;

canceling the uninstallation of the device based on a negative determination that the node information associated with the device has been received by one of the master devices within a timeout;

uninstalling the device from the system based on a positive determination that the node information associated with the device has been received by one of the master devices within a timeout;

upon selection of the devices engine, permitting the user to remove one or more master or slave devices from the system;

upon selection of devices engine, permitting the user to replace one or more first master or slave devices with one or more second master or slave devices;

replacing the first device with the second device by installing the second device in the system;

upon selection of the devices engine, permitting the user to child protect one or more of the slave devices;

upon selection of a slave device for child protection, transmitting node information for the selected slave device to one or more of the master devices;

determining if the node information was received by one or more of the master devices within a timeout;

canceling selecting child protection based on a negative determination that the node information was received by one or more of the master devices within the timeout;

permitting a user of one of the master devices to select a level of child protection for the slave device based on a positive determination that the node information was received by one or more of the master devices within the timeout.

5. A system for operating a control system comprising one or more master devices and one or more slave devices, wherein the master devices are adapted to remotely monitor and control the operation of the slave devices, comprising:

means for providing a menu state engine in one or more of the master devices for controlling the operation of the control system;

means for allowing a user of the menu state engine to select one of the following;

a devices engine, a scenes engine, an events engine, a system engine, or an away engine;

wherein upon a user depressing an install button associated with one of the slave devices, means for determining if a node information associated with the slave device has been received by one of the master devices; and

based on a negative determination that the node information associated with the slave device to be installed in the system has not been received by one of the master devices within a timeout, means for canceling the installation of the slave device.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

based on a positive determination that the node information associated with the slave device to be installed in the system has been received by one of the master devices within a timeout, means for installing the slave device in the system.

28. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for installing the slave device in the system as a system information server.

29. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for installing the slave device in the system as a member of an away group.

30. A method of operating a control system comprising one or more master devices and one or slave devices, wherein the master devices are adapted to remotely monitor and control the operation of the slave devices, comprising:

receiving a request to install a slave device at an install button associated with one of the slave devices;

determining by the master device if a node information associated with the slave device has been received by one of the master devices; and

based on a negative determination that the node information associated with the slave device to be installed in the system has not been received by one of the master devices within a timeout, canceling the installation of the slave device.

31. A control system, comprising:

at least one master node comprising;

a controller operably coupled to the radio frequency communication interface; and

memory operably coupled to the controller comprising;

a devices database comprising at least one node information frame corresponding to at least one of the slave devices, the device database further comprising;

a generic device class;

a specific device class;

a command class;

a protection command class;

a version command class;

a manufacturing command class; and

an all switch command class.

32. The control system of claim 31, further comprising an events create engine, wherein the events create engine is operable to create one or more events, each event comprising:

a time of occurrence, a day of occurrence, and a scene for operating during the event.

33. The control system of claim 31, further comprising a replicate engine, wherein the replicate engine replicates at least one of the master devices.