System comprising at least a master unit and a plurality of slave units

• US 8,996,643 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2005
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VKR Holding A/S (Villum Fonden)
• Original Assignee: VKR Holding A/S (Villum Fonden)
• Inventors: Ebbe, Ulrik Vagn, Vestergaard, Jeppe, Christiansen, Thomas, Byberg, Henrik Raun, Kjrsgaard, Preben
• Primary Examiner(s): SMARTH, GERALD A
• Application Number:
  US11/994,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,557 Days
• Field of Search: 709/208
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

System having at least one master unit and a plurality of slave units, the master unit and the slave unit including means for performing communication via radio frequency channels. The at least one master unit includes means for transmitting control signals to the slave units, the slave units each being provided with a unique address and each being associated with a controllable device. The at least one master unit includes means for configuring the slave units addressable by the master unit in a number of sectors, and the master unit has further means for allocating predefined identifications to the slave units. Further, the master unit has display means, by means of which the predefined identifications may be displayed.

Claims

1. A system comprising at least one master unit and a plurality of slave units, said master unit and at least one of said slave units comprising means for performing communication via radio frequency channels, wherein said at least one master unit comprises means for transmitting control signals to said slave units, said slave units each being provided with a unique address and each being associated with a controllable device, and wherein said at least one master unit comprises means for configuring said slave units addressable by said master unit in a number of sectors, wherein said master unit further has means for allocating predefined identifications to said slave units, wherein said master unit has display means, by means of which said predefined identifications are selectively displayable on said display means, and wherein said master unit is designed for performing an initial auto-configuration to perform an initial automatic registration of at least a subset comprising a plurality of said slave units said initial auto-configuration comprising that communication with said at least a subset of slave units is established sequentially in an automated manner, whereby addresses and properties for said at least a subset of slave units are stored and arranged in a predefined manner by said master unit;

wherein said master unit is configured for facilitating a naming and/or re-naming of slave units and/or sectors; and

wherein said master unit comprises timing means for facilitating delayed or real-time execution of said transmission of control signals; and

wherein the controllable device is a window operator, a window actuator, a window opener, a drive, a blind, a motorized shutter, curtains, garage doors, roof window, heating systems, cooling systems, alarms, lighting equipment, locks, an awning or an awning light.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said predefined manner, in which said slave units are automatically arranged, comprises an arrangement in consideration of the property of the device associated with the slave unit, in such a manner that slave units having similar properties are arranged in a consecutive manner.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said master unit is configured for establishing a group comprising all slave units of a of a specific type when at least two slave units of said specific type have been registered in a sector.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sectors may be associated with a locality and slave units located at said locality may be arranged in said sectors.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said sectors is associated with a room and one or more slave units of any type located in said room.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said sectors is associated with a room and comprises at least two slave units of one or more specific types.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said sectors is associated with a plurality of rooms and comprises at least two slave units of one or more specific types.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control signal transmitted to at least one of said slave units comprises in addition to an address and information related to the type of operation, information related to a ratio, or a predefined level or presetting.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said master unit is designed in order to transmit an additional control signal, requesting a status report from the slave unit in question, and wherein the slave unit calculates and transmits to the master unit a transmission time for said additional control signal in consideration of information related to a ratio.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said slave units are configured for providing feedback to the master unit upon completion of an operation.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said feedback is limited to feedback relating to non-executed operations.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said master unit is configured for performing a data transfer to a similar additional master unit, said data transfer in addition to addresses of slave units includes labels, configuration of the slave units in sectors, and other user-defined settings.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said master unit is configured for facilitating an editing of the configuration of the slave units in sectors.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said master unit is configured for operating in a predestined mode, wherein slave units and/or sectors relating to a specific locality may be selected for operation.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said master unit is configured for operating slave units and/or sectors relating to other localities but that the master units returns automatically to the predestined units and/or sectors.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said master unit is configured for operating only slave units and/or sectors in said predestined mode.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of said sectors includes at least two slave units.

18. A system comprising at least one master unit and a plurality of slave units, said master unit and at least one of said slave units comprising means for performing communication via radio frequency channels, wherein said at least one master unit comprises means for transmitting control signals to said slave units, said slave units each being provided with a unique address and each being associated with a controllable device, and wherein said at least one master unit comprises means for configuring said slave units addressable by said master unit in a number of sectors, wherein said master unit further has means for allocating predefined identifications to said slave units, wherein said master unit has display means, by means of which said predefined identifications are selectively displayable on said display means, and wherein said master unit is designed for performing an initial auto-configuration to perform an initial automatic registration of said slave units, said initial auto-configuration comprising that communication with said slave units is established sequentially in an automated manner, whereby addresses and properties are stored and arranged in a predefined manner by

said master unit;

wherein said master unit is configured for facilitating a naming and/or re-naming of slave units and/or sectors; and

wherein said master unit comprises timing means for facilitating delayed or real-time execution of said transmission of control signals;

wherein said master unit further is designed in order to transmit an additional control signal, requesting a status report from the slave unit in question, and wherein the slave unit calculates and transmits to the master unit a transmission time for said additional control signal in consideration of information related to a ratio; and

wherein the controllable device is a window operator, a window actuator, a window opener, a drive, a blind, a motorized shutter, curtains, garage doors, roof window, heating systems, cooling systems, alarms, lighting equipment, locks, an awning or an awning light.