Method for matching bidirectional objects

• US 20050088275A1
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Somfy Activites SA (Somfy SA)
• Original Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Inventors: Valoteau, Francis, Autret, Capucine, Maistre, Valerie
• Granted Patent: US 7,639,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 25/02 by signalling back receiving station to transmitting station
• 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 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A method for pairing a bidirectional object acting as a command receiver with a bidirectional object acting as a command transmitter, includes the stages of: (a) temporary allocation of at least one bidirectional object acting as a command receiver to a bidirectional object acting as a command transmitter; (b) selection of a bidirectional object acting as a command receiver from among the temporarily assigned objects; and (c) pairing of the selected object.

Claims

1. A method for pairing a bidirectional object acting as a command receiver with a bidirectional object acting as a command transmitter, comprising the following stages:

(a) temporary allocation of at least one bidirectional object acting as a command receiver to a bidirectional object acting as a command transmitter;

(b) selection of a bidirectional object acting as a command receiver from among said temporarily assigned objects; and

(c) pairing of the selected object.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including an iteration of the selection (b) and pairing (c) stages.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the pairing (c) stage, a release stage (d) of the objects is allocated temporarily distinct from the paired object(s).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temporary allocation stage comprises:

(a1) in response to an initiator event, sending by at least one bidirectional object acting as a command receiver of its identifier;

(a2) sending by a bidirectional object acting as a command transmitter of its identifier;

(a3) storage by a bidirectional object acting as a command receiver of the identifier of the bidirectional object acting as a command transmitter; and

(a4) storage by the bidirectional object acting as the command transmitter of the identifier of each bidirectional object acting as a command receiver.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the stage (a1) comprises sending with the identifier a time reference dependent at the instant of the initiator event.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the stage (a4) comprises storage of the identifiers of the bidirectional objects acting as command receivers having identical or similar time references.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection stage comprises:

(b1) sending a response request command from the object acting as command transmitter to one the objects allocated temporarily;

(b2) a response from that one of the temporarily allocated objects to which the response request command is sent; and

(b3) if the object that has responded is not the desired object, repetition of the stage of sending a response request, but to another of the temporarily allocated objects.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the release-stage comprises releasing the temporarily allocated objects distinct from the paired object, in the absence of receiving the command during a set period.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the release stage comprises the release of a temporarily allocated object on receiving a pairing command addressed to another temporarily allocated object.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the release stage comprises the sending by the object acting as command transmitter of a release command.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pairing stage comprises the pairing to the selected object of the bidirectional object to which the selected object was allocated.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pairing stage comprises the pairing to the selected object of a different bidirectional object to the bidirectional object to which the selected object was allocated.

13. A method of operating a bidirectional object acting as a command receiver, comprising:

(a) a temporary allocation stage to a bidirectional object acting as a command transmitter; and

according to the user'"'"'s choice, one of the following stages;

(b) pairing to a bidirectional object acting as a command transmitter, or

(c) release ending the temporary allocation.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the temporary allocation stage comprises:

(a1) in response to an initiator event, sending an identifier;

(a2) receipt of an identifier; and

(a3) storage of a received identifier.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the sending stage comprises sending with the identifier a time reference dependent on the instant of the initiator event.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the release stage comprises release on receipt of a pairing command addressed to another object.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the release stage comprises release on receipt of a release command.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the pairing stage comprises pairing to the said bidirectional object acting as the command transmitter.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the pairing stage comprises pairing to a bidirectional object other than said object acting as the command transmitter.

27. The method of claim 13 including a bidirectional object, the object having:

a reception stage;

a transmission stage; and

a logic unit controlling the reception stage and the transmission stage.

20. A method for operating a bidirectional object acting as a command transmitter comprising the following stages:

(a) receipt and storage of the identifier of at least one bidirectional object acting as a command receiver;

(b) sending a temporary allocation command;

(c) sending a response request command to one of the objects whose identifier has been stored; and

(d) depending on an instruction from the user, sending a pairing command to said object.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the stages (c) and (d) are repeated.

22. The method according to claim 20, further including a sending stage (e) of a command releasing objects whose identifiers have been stored and separate from a paired object to which the pairing request command has been sent.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the reception stage comprises the comparison of received time references with said identifiers and storage of identifiers having the same or similar time references.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the sending stage (c) comprises:

(c1) sending a response request command to one of the objects whose identifier has been stored;

(c2) sending a response request command to another of the objects whose identifier has been stored;

and in that stage (d) comprises sending a pairing command to the object to which the previous response request command was addressed.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the sending stage (e) comprises sending a release command.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the stage (d), the pairing command includes the identifier of another object.

28. The method of claim 20 including a bidirectional object, the object having:

a reception stage;

a transmission stage; and

a logic unit controlling the reception stage and the transmission stage.