Managing application failures in a system of domestic appliances

• US 9,709,981 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Blache, Fabrice, Demottie, Christophe, Martigne, Patricia
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foxx, Chico A
• Application Number:
  US13/807,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20130187750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,220 Days
• Field of Search: 340 344, 340 105
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0259 characterized by the response to fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality

Abstract

A method of managing a system provides a minimum service in the system. The system includes a set of pieces of equipment including data-gathering equipment and/or equipment that is to be controlled, the pieces of equipment being connected to a management module via respective first communications links. The management module is suitable for determining a control command as a function of data received from at least one piece of data-gathering equipment via a first communications link and for transmitting the control command to at least one piece of equipment that is to be controlled. The method is adapted to detect an absence of application signaling activity from the management module over a predetermined time period and to trigger a minimum service by sending an alert message to at least one piece of equipment of the system.

Claims

1. A method of managing a system comprising a management module, a detection device, and a set of pieces of equipment connected to the management module via respective first communications links, said set comprising at least one piece of equipment that is to be controlled and at least one piece of data-gathering equipment, each piece of equipment of said set that is to be controlled comprising a domestic appliance having an actuator configured to perform functional adjustments of the domestic appliance, said management module being configured for determining at least one control command as a function of data received from at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of the set via the corresponding at least one respective first communications link and for transmitting said at least one control command that has been determined to at least one piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled;

wherein the method comprises the following acts performed by the detection device;

monitoring application signaling activity from said management module via the respective first communications link;

detecting from said monitoring an absence of the application signaling activity over a predetermined time period; and

triggering a minimum service by sending an alert message to at least one piece of equipment of the set of pieces of equipment in the event of detecting the absence of application signaling activity for the predetermined time period, wherein the minimum service corresponds to a service in which the pieces of equipment of said set communicate directly with one another via a second communications link instead of the respective first communication link used to communicate with the management module, and wherein a piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled receives from the at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of said set at least one command message via said second communications link, directly between said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of said set and said piece of equipment of said set that is to be controlled by the at least one command message, said at least one command message being determined by said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment as a function of data received by this data-gathering equipment to control the functional adjustments of the corresponding domestic appliance, said at least one command message being sent after reception of said alert message by said piece of data-gathering equipment.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises receiving operating messages from the management module, and wherein the application signaling activity is detected as being absent in the event of not receiving an operating message over a predetermined time period.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises regularly sending a monitoring message, and wherein the application signaling activity is detected as being absent in the event of not receiving a message in response to said monitoring message within the predetermined time period.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the respective first communications links are wireless links over which transmitting the alert message is performed in broadcast mode.

5. A method of providing a minimum service in a system comprising a management module and a set of pieces of equipment connected to the management module via respective first communications links, said set including at least one piece of equipment that is to be controlled and at least one piece of data-gathering equipment, each piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled comprising a domestic appliance having configured to perform functional adjustments of the domestic appliance, said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of the set being configured for transmitting data to said management module via the corresponding at least one respective first communications link, the method comprising the following acts performed by a piece of equipment of said set:

receiving, by the piece of equipment of the set, an alert message, the alert message indicating an absence of signaling activity from said management module, and the alert message triggering the minimum service, which corresponds to a service in which the pieces of equipment of said set communicate directly with one another via a second communications link instead of via the first respective communication link used to communicate with the management module; and

after receiving the alert message, transmitting or receiving, by said piece of equipment of the set, at least one command message for at least one piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled via said second communications link, directly between said one piece of equipment of the set and said piece of equipment of said set that is to be controlled by the at least one command message, wherein said at least one command message is determined by a piece of data-gathering equipment of the set as a function of data received by this data-gathering equipment to control the functional adjustments of the corresponding domestic appliance.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the transmitting is preceded by activating said second communications link with said at least one piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second communications link remains activated until a connection request message is received from the management module.

8. A detection device comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon; and

a processor configured by the instructions to perform acts comprising;

monitoring application signaling activity from a management module, which is connected to a set of pieces of equipment via respective first communications links, said set comprising at least one piece of equipment that is to be controlled and at least one piece of data-gathering equipment, each piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled comprising a domestic appliance having an actuator configured to perform functional adjustments of the domestic appliance, said management module being configured for determining at least one control command as a function of data received from at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of the set via the corresponding at least one respective first communications link and for transmitting said at least one control command that has been determined to at least one piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled;

detecting an absence of the application signaling activity from the management module over a predetermined time period, monitored during the act of monitoring; and

triggering a minimum service by transmitting an alert message to at least one piece of equipment of the set in the event of detecting the absence of the application signaling activity, wherein the minimum service corresponds to a service in which the pieces of equipment of said set communicate directly with one another via a second communications link instead of the respective first communication link used to communicate with the management module, and wherein a piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled receives from the at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of said set at least one command message via said second communications link, directly between said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of said set and said piece of equipment of said set that is to be controlled by the at least one command message, said at least one command message being determined by the at least one piece of data-gathering equipment as a function of data received by this data-gathering equipment to control the functional adjustments of the corresponding domestic appliance, said at least one command message being sent after reception of said alert message by said piece of data-gathering equipment.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the device further comprises:

the data-gathering equipment, which transmits at least one result of measurements to the management module via the corresponding at least one respective first communications link.

10. A device for providing a minimum service in a system comprising a management module and a set of pieces of equipment, including the device, connected to the management module via respective first communications links, said set including at least one piece of equipment that is to be controlled and at least one piece of data-gathering equipment, each piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled comprising a domestic appliance having an actuator performing functional adjustments of the domestic appliance, said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of the set being configured for transmitting data to said management module via the corresponding at least one respective first communications link, the device comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon; and

a processor configured by the instructions to perform acts comprising;

receiving an alert message, the alert message indicating an absence of signaling activity from said management module, and the alert message triggering the minimum service, wherein the minimum service corresponds to a service in which the pieces of equipment of said set communicate directly with one another via a second communications link instead of via the respective first communication link used to communicate with the management module; and

transmitting at least one command message for at least one piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled via said second communications link, directly between said device and said piece of equipment of said set that is to be controlled by the at least one command message, after receiving the alert message, said at least one command message being determined by a piece of data-gathering equipment of the set as a function of data received by this data-gathering equipment to control the functional adjustments of the corresponding domestic appliance, wherein the at least one command message is transmitted after the processor receives data indicative of said received data.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the processor further activates said second communications link with said at least one piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the device further comprises:

the data-gathering equipment, which transmits at least one result of measurements to the management module via the corresponding at least one respective first communications link.

13. Equipment that is to be controlled, the equipment comprising a domestic appliance and being a member of a set of pieces of equipment connected to a management module via respective first communications links, said set including the equipment that is to be controlled and at least one piece of data-gathering equipment, wherein the equipment to be controlled comprises:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon; and

a processor configured by the instructions to perform acts comprising;

receiving at least one control command coming from the management module via the respective first communications link;

receiving, by a piece of equipment of the set, an alert message, the alert message indicating an absence of signaling activity from said management module and the alert message triggering a minimum service in which the pieces of equipment of said set communicate directly with one another via a second communications link instead of via the respective first communications links used to communicate with the management module;

receiving at least one command message coming from a piece of data-gathering equipment of the set via said second communications link, directly between said piece of data-gathering equipment of said set and said equipment that is to be controlled by the at least one command message, after receiving the alert message, said at least one command message being determined by the piece of data-gathering equipment as a function of data received from this data-gathering equipment to control functional adjustments of the equipment to be controlled; and

an actuator, which is controlled by the at least one command message to perform the functional adjustment of the equipment to be controlled.

14. A system comprising:

a management module;

a set of pieces of equipment connected to the management module via respective first communications links, said set comprising at least one piece of equipment that is to be controlled and at least one piece of data-gathering equipment, each piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled comprising a domestic appliance having an actuator configured to perform functional adjustments of the domestic appliance, said management module being configured to determine at least one control command as a function of data received from at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of the set and to transmit said at least one control command that has been determined to at least one piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled;

at least one detection device comprising;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon; and

a processor configured by the instructions to perform acts comprising;

monitoring application signaling activity from the management module via the respective first communications link;

detecting an absence of the application signaling activity over a predetermined time period, monitored during the act of monitoring; and

triggering a minimum service by transmitting an alert message to at least one piece of equipment of the set in the event of detecting the absence of the application signaling activity, wherein the minimum service corresponds to a service in which the pieces of equipment of said set communicate directly with one another via a second communications link instead of via the respective first communication links used to communicate with the management module, and wherein a piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled of said set receives from the at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of the set at least one command message via said second communications link, directly between said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of said set and said piece of equipment of said set that is to be controlled by the at least one command message, said at least one command message being determined by said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of said set as a function of data received by this data-gathering equipment to control the functional adjustments of the corresponding domestic appliance, said at least command message being sent after reception of said alert message by said piece of data-gathering equipment; and

at least one device for providing the minimum service, the device comprising;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising further instructions stored thereon; and

a processor configured by the further instructions to perform acts comprising;

receiving the alert message; and

transmitting or receiving, by said piece of equipment of the set, the at least one command message for the at least one piece of equipment that is to be controlled by the at least one command message via the second communications link, after receiving the alert message.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device comprising a computer program stored thereon and including instructions for implementing a method of managing a system when loaded and executed by a processor, the system comprising a management module and a set of pieces of equipment connected to the management module via respective first communications links, said set comprising at least one piece of equipment that is to be controlled and at least one piece of data-gathering equipment, each piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled comprising a domestic appliance having an actuator configured to perform functional adjustments of the domestic appliance, said management module being configured for determining at least one control command as a function of data received from at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of the set via the corresponding at least one respective first communications link and for transmitting said at least one control command that has been determined to at least one piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled by the at least one control command;

wherein the instructions comprise;

instructions that configure the processor to monitor application signaling activity from said management module via the respective first communications link;

instructions that configure the processor to detect an absence of the application signaling activity over a predetermined time period, from monitoring the application signaling activity; and

instructions that configure the processor to trigger a minimum service by sending an alert message to at least one piece of equipment of the set in the event of detecting the absence of the application signaling activity for the predetermined time period, wherein the minimum service corresponds to a service in which the pieces of equipment of said set communicate directly with one another via a second communications link instead of via the respective first communication links used to communicate with the management module, and wherein the piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled receives from the at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of said set at least one command message via said second communications link, directly between said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of said set and said piece of equipment of said set that is to be controlled by the at least one command message, said at least one command message being determined by said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of said set as a function of data received by this data-gathering equipment to control the functional adjustments of the corresponding domestic appliance, said at least one command message being sent after reception of said alert message by said piece of data-gathering equipment.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device comprising a computer program product stored thereon and including instructions for implementing a method for providing a minimum service in a system when loaded and executed by a processor, the system comprising a management module and a set of pieces of equipment connected to the management module via respective first communications links, said set including at least one piece of equipment that is to be controlled and at least one piece of data-gathering equipment, each piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled comprising a domestic appliance having an actuator configured to perform functional adjustments of the domestic appliance, said at least one piece of data-gathering equipment of the set being configured for transmitting data to said management module via the corresponding at least one respective first communications link, wherein the instructions comprise:

instructions that configure the processor of a piece of equipment of the set to receive an alert message that triggers the minimum service, wherein the minimum service corresponds to a service in which the pieces of equipment of said set communicate directly with one another via a second communications link instead of via the respective first communication links used to communicate with the management module; and

instructions that configure the processor of the piece of equipment of the set to, after receiving the alert message, transmit or receive at least one command message for the at least one piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled via said second communications link, directly between said piece of equipment of said set and said at least one piece of equipment of said set that is to be controlled by the at least one command message, wherein said at least one command message is determined by a piece of data-gathering equipment of the set as a function of data received by this data-gathering equipment to control the functional adjustments of the corresponding domestic appliance.

17. Data-gathering equipment, wherein the data-gathering equipment is a member of a set of pieces of equipment connected to a management module via respective first communications links, said set including the data-gathering equipment and at least one equipment that is to be controlled, each piece of equipment of the set that is to be controlled comprising a domestic appliance having an actuator configured to perform functional adjustments of the domestic appliance, wherein the data-gathering equipment comprises:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon; and

a processor configured by the instructions to perform acts comprising;

transmitting data to the management module via the respective first communications link;

receiving an alert message, the alert message indicating an absence of signaling activity from said management module, and the alert message triggering a minimum service in which the pieces of equipment of said set communicate directly with one another via a second communications link instead of via the respective first communication links used to communicate with the management module; and

transmitting at least one command message to the at least one equipment to be controlled of the set via said second communications link, directly between the data-gathering equipment and said at least one equipment to be controlled by the at least one command message, after receiving the alert message, said at least one command message being determined said data-gathering equipment as a function of data received from this data-gathering equipment to control the functional adjustments of the domestic appliance.