Method for controlling a group of wirelessly controlled appliances

• US 9,092,971 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Original Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Inventors: Symon, Lionel, Sourain, Rmi
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Daniell L
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAMERT, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US12/498,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20100013609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,212 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/10 Power supply of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless

Abstract

A method for controlling a group of wirelessly controlled appliances comprising at least one appliance in a home automation network comprising a master controller, characterized in that it comprises:

• • a reception step in which the master controller receives a wireless command intended for an appliance of the group, then
  • a connection step in which the master controller connects the appliance to mains power, if the appliance was previously disconnected from the mains power, then
  • a disconnection step in which the appliance is automatically disconnected from mains power.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a group of wirelessly controlled appliances comprising one or more appliances, each one of said one or more appliances of the group being supplied with power from mains power through at least one cable and being controllable by one or more wireless remote controls, each wireless remote control having a transmitter for transmitting wireless commands, in a home automation network comprising a master controller, wherein

a wireless remote control sends a wireless command intended to control a concerned appliance of the group while said concerned appliance is disconnected from the mains power and its receiving means are inactive,

the master controller receives, by means of receiving means of the master controller, the wireless command, in a reception step, then, based on the reception step,

the master controller, which comprises a switching means that is configured to open or close a connection between said at least one cable linked to said concerned appliance and the mains power, connects the concerned appliance to mains power, in a connection step then the master controller evaluates whether the wireless command needs to be repeated by determining whether a sum of a time for the wireless command to be received and treated by the master controller and a reaction time of the concerned appliance as power to the concerned appliance is reinstated exceeds a duration of the sending of the wireless command, in a determination step, and, in response to determining the sum exceeds the duration, the master controller retransmits the wireless command to said concerned appliance, in a repetition step, then

the master controller, making use of said switching means, automatically disconnects the appliance from mains power in a disconnection step.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the determination step, the master controller determines whether the concerned appliance can receive the wireless command.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the master controller evaluates the remaining duration (rd) of transmission of the wireless command and compares the remaining duration to a previously determined reaction time (ε

i) of the concerned appliance after connection to mains power.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disconnection step performed by the master controller is caused by the passage of a determined time period after the connection step.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the duration of the determined time period is determined by analysis of the wireless command by the master controller.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disconnection step is triggered by a feedback received by the master controller and provided by the concerned appliance upon execution of the wireless command.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disconnection step is triggered by analyzing the current drawn by the concerned appliance.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the master controller analyses the wireless command in order to connect to the mains power only a minimal number of appliances including the concerned appliance.

9. A master controller for controlling a group of wirelessly controlled appliances comprising at least one appliance, wherein the master controller comprises switching means to connect the at least one wirelessly controlled appliance to mains power and disconnect the at least one wirelessly controlled appliance from the mains power, a receiving means to receive a wireless command, a transmitting means to transmit the wireless command and hardware and software means to implement the method according to claim 1.

10. The master controller according to claim 9, wherein said switching means include intensity measurement means.

11. The master controller according to claim 9, wherein it includes means to deactivate during daily periods and/or immediately after a change in environmental conditions.

12. A home automation network comprising:

a group of wirelessly controlled appliances comprising one or more wirelessly controlled appliances, each one of said one or more appliances of the group being supplied with power from mains power through at least one cable and being controllable by one or more wireless remote controls, each wireless remote control having a transmitter for transmitting wireless commands; and

a master controller for controlling said group of wirelessly controlled appliances, wherein the master controller comprises;

switching means to connect the at least one wirelessly controlled appliance to the mains power and disconnect the at least one wirelessly controlled appliance from the mains power,

a receiving means of the master controller to receive a wireless command,

a transmitting means to transmit the wireless command, and

hardware and software means adapted to implement a method of controlling said group of wirelessly controlled appliances, the method comprising the following steps;

receiving, by the receiving means of the master controller, a wireless command intended for a concerned appliance of the group while said concerned appliance is disconnected from the mains power and receiving means of the concerned appliance is inactive;

connecting, by the master controller, making use of said switching means, the concerned appliance to mains power, if the concerned appliance was previously disconnected from the mains power;

determining, by the master controller, whether the wireless command needs to be repeated by determining whether a sum of a time for the wireless command to be received and treated by the master controller and a reaction time of the concerned appliance as power to the concerned appliance is reinstated exceeds a duration of transmission of the wireless command by the one or more wireless remote controls and, in response to determining the sum exceeds the duration, retransmitting, by the master controller, the wireless command to said concerned appliance; and

automatically disconnecting, by the master controller, making use of said switching means, the concerned appliance from mains power.

13. A method for configuring the operation of a master controller controlling a wirelessly controlled appliance, said wirelessly controlled appliance being supplied with power from mains power through at least one cable and being controllable by one or more wireless remote controls, each wireless remote control having a transmitter for transmitting a wireless command to the wirelessly controlled appliance, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

a reception step in which the master controller receives, by means of receiving means, a wireless command to control a concerned appliance of the group while said concerned appliance is disconnected from the mains power and receiving means of the concerned appliance are inactive,

a connection step in which the master controller includes a switching means configured to open or close a connection between said at least one cable linked to said concerned appliance and the mains power, the master controller connecting the concerned appliance to mains power, the concerned appliance being previously disconnected from the mains power,

a determination step in which the master controller evaluates whether the wireless command needs to be repeated by determining whether a sum of a time for the wireless command to be received and treated by the master controller and a reaction time of the concerned appliance as power to the concerned appliance is reinstated exceeds a duration of transmission of the wireless command by the one or more wireless remote controls,

a transmission step in which the master controller transmits, in response to determining the sum exceeds the duration, a signal to the concerned appliance,

a detection step in which the master controller detects a reaction of the concerned appliance, and

a determination step in which the master controller determines the duration between the connection step and the detection step.