Method of operating a device for controlling home automation equipment

• US 9,015,613 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2009
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somfy Activites SA (Somfy SA)
• Original Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Inventors: Duchene, Isabelle, Marais, Luc, Loiseau, Jean-Nol
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US12/634,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20100146423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: 715/839, 715/837, 715/765, 715771-773, 715734-739, 345473-475
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23156 Show upper, lower value, position with upper, lower segment of 7-segment display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23171 Display dynamic change of process, animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface

Abstract

Method of operating a device (60; 100) for controlling home automation equipment (1a, 2a, 2b, 2c, 3a, 3b, 5a) for orienting and/or displacing a moving product of a building, comprising a display screen (101), on which a portion of the screen is assigned to the display of a first graphic representation, such as an equipment icon (4, 5, 123, 125, 131), symbolizing this equipment, which method comprises a step for graphic adjustment of the first graphic representation so that it represents, at least approximately, the real degree of orientation and/or deployment of the moving product.

Claims

1. Method of operating a device for controlling home automation equipment for orienting and/or displacing a moving product of a building, comprising a display screen, on which a portion of the screen is assigned to the display of a first graphic representation, the first graphic representation being an icon representing the moving product, which method comprises

a step for graphic adjustment of the first graphic representation so that the first graphic representation represents, at least approximately, the real degree of orientation and deployment of the moving product,

wherein a user modifies the degree of orientation of slats or deployment of the moving product between two extreme positions by acting on means of transforming or modifying the appearance of a representation of the moving product, and

automatically updating the first graphic representation in response to the modification to represent an updated real degree of orientation and deployment of the moving product,

wherein the moving product is a window covering, wherein the window covering comprises:

a venetian blind and the degree of orientation and deployment includes the angular orientation of slats of the venetian blind, or

a blind, or venetian blind wherein the real degree of orientation and deployment includes a position of a bottom slat of the blind, or venetian blind, or

a roller shutter or awning, wherein the degree of orientation and deployment includes a position of an apron of the roller shutter or awning.

2. Operating method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the first graphic representation causes the display on the screen of a second graphic representation of the moving product.

3. Operating method according to claim 2, which comprises a step for action on an area of the second graphic representation, causing a modification of the appearance of the second graphic representation, the duly modified second graphic representation being representative of a desired degree of orientation and/or deployment of the moving product.

4. Operating method according to claim 3, which comprises a validation step causing the transmission of control commands to activate the home automation equipment so that the moving product reaches the desired degree of orientation and/or deployment.

5. Operating method according to claim 4, wherein the execution of the control commands causes the step for graphic adjustment of the first graphic representation.

6. Operating method according to claim 4, wherein the execution of the control commands causes the disappearance of the second graphic representation.

7. Operating method according to claim 1, wherein the means of transforming or modifying the appearance of a representation of the moving product appear in a control window.

8. Operating method according to claim 1, which comprises a scanning phase including a request step sent by the control device to the equipment for the equipment items to respond with information on their state and a step for detecting the transmission of control commands or control command execution information, the request step being early (903) when the result of the detection step is positive, the scanning phase making it possible to update the first graphic representation of the operating method.

9. Device for controlling home automation equipment for manoeuvring a moving product of a building, comprising a display screen on which a portion of the screen is assigned to the display of a first graphic representation, such as an equipment icon, symbolizing this equipment and/or of a second graphic representation representing this equipment, which device comprises hardware and/or software means for implementing the operating method according to claim 1.

10. Control device according to claim 9, wherein the hardware means comprise a means of acting on an area of the first or second graphic representation able to causing a modification of the appearance of the first or second graphic representation and a validation means able to causing the transmission of control commands to activate the home automation equipment.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program code for implementing the steps of the method according to claim 1, when the program runs on a computer.