Method and system of programming at least one appliance to change state upon the occurrence of a trigger event
First Claim
1. A method of programming at least one appliance to change state upon the occurrence of a trigger event, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one programmable device coupled to the at least one appliance;
providing a programmable controller coupled to the programmable device wherein the programmable controller and programmable device communicate with one another, the programmable controller having a training mode which, when selected, allows the at least one programmable device to be programmed to change the state of the first appliance upon the occurrence of the trigger event;
placing the programmable controller in training mode;
providing a trigger event while the programmable controller is in training mode;
changing the state of the first appliance from an unprogrammed state to a programmed state while the programmable controller is in training mode;
taking the programmable controller out of training mode wherein the first appliance is now programmed so that upon the next occurrence of the trigger event the first appliance will change state from its unprogrammed state to its programmed state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automation system for programming appliances having programmable controllers, programmable devices and trigger devices that communicate over a communication link. The user programs the programmable devices by placing the programmable controller in its training mode, activating the trigger device to generate a trigger signed and places select programmable devices in their programmed state. After all of the desired programmable devices have been put in then programmed states, the user takes the programmable controller out of its training mode. When the programmable controller is out of its training mode, it monitors the communication link for the trigger event. Upon detecting the trigger event, the programmable controller sends messages to the selected programmable devices instructing them to go to their programmed state.
221 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of programming at least one appliance to change state upon the occurrence of a trigger event, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one programmable device coupled to the at least one appliance; providing a programmable controller coupled to the programmable device wherein the programmable controller and programmable device communicate with one another, the programmable controller having a training mode which, when selected, allows the at least one programmable device to be programmed to change the state of the first appliance upon the occurrence of the trigger event; placing the programmable controller in training mode; providing a trigger event while the programmable controller is in training mode; changing the state of the first appliance from an unprogrammed state to a programmed state while the programmable controller is in training mode; taking the programmable controller out of training mode wherein the first appliance is now programmed so that upon the next occurrence of the trigger event the first appliance will change state from its unprogrammed state to its programmed state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system of programming at least one appliance, the system comprising:
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a programmable device coupled to at least a first appliance wherein the programmable device detects the state of the first appliance; a programmable controller coupled to and communicating with the programmable device over a communication link wherein the programmable controller has a training mode which, when selected, allows the programmable device to be programmed to change the state of the first appliance upon the occurrence of the trigger event wherein, to program the appliance the programmable controller is put in the training mode, a trigger event is generated, and the state of the first appliance is changed to a programmed state and the programmable controller is taken out of the training mode, wherein the first appliance is then programmed to change to its programmed state upon the next occurrence of the trigger event when the programmable controller is not in its training mode. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for programming a home automation system, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing programmable devices located throughout a home wherein each programmable device is coupled to an appliance and each programmable device can detect the state of the appliance coupled to it; providing a programmable controller located in the home and coupled to the programmable devices by a communication link, wherein the programmable controller has a training mode which, when selected, allows selected programmable devices to be programmed to change the state of the appliance connected thereto; programming selected appliances to change from an unprogrammed state to a programmed state wherein the user first places selected appliances in their respective unprogrammed state, then places the programmable controller in the training mode, provides a trigger event, changes the states of selected appliances from their unprogrammed to their programmed state while the programmable controller is in its training mode and takes the programmable controller out of the training mode wherein the home is now programmed so that the next occurrence of the trigger event while the programmable controller is not in its training mode will cause the selected appliances to change from their unprogrammed states to their programmed states. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A method of programming at least one appliance, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a programmable controller coupled to a communication link to the at least one appliance; placing the programmable controller in the training mode; broadcasting a trigger event over the communication link wherein the trigger event is received and stored by the programmable controller while the programmable controller is in its training mode; changing the state of the at least one appliance from an unprogrammed state to a programmed state after the trigger event has occurred and the programmable controller is in its training mode; broadcasting a message over the communication link indicating that the programmed state of the at least one appliance has changed wherein the message is received and stored by the programmable controller; and taking the programmable device out of the training mode wherein the at least one appliance is programmed to go to its programmed state upon the occurrence of the trigger event while the programmable controller is not in its training mode. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A method for automating an environment, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a programmable device coupled to a communication link; providing a programmable controller having a memory, wherein the programmable controller is coupled to the communication link wherein the programmable controller and programmable device communicate with one another over the communication link; providing a trigger device coupled to the communication link wherein the trigger device and the programmable controller communicate with one another; placing the programmable controller in a training mode; activating the trigger device to generate a trigger signal while the programmable controller is in its training mode; storing the trigger signal in the memory of the programmable controller; placing the programmable device in a desired state after the occurrence of the trigger signal and while the programmable controller is in its training mode; broadcasting a message that the programmable device is in the desired state; storing the message in the memory of the programmable controller; taking the programmable controller out of the training mode; monitoring the communication link for the trigger event while the programmable controller is not in its training mode; detecting the trigger event; and broadcasting a control signal over the communication link to the programmable device to change its desired state. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification