Home automation system

• US 7,082,339 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Murray, Christopher, Sorice, Cory
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THOMAS K
• Application Number:
  US10/418,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20030198938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 700/9, 700/274, 700/282, 700/79, 700/65, 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/310.04, 340/310.06, 340/310.11, 340/310.12, 340/310.14, 340/310.16, 434/429, 434/224, 434/365, 434/379, 434/382
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 25/00 Models for purposes not provided for in G09B23/00, e.g. full-sized devices for demonstration purposes model vehicles, tracks therefor, models in the nature of toys A63H
• 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 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

An improved home automation system that permits the user of the system to remotely control the operation of various devices. The system is packaged in a manner that “walks” the user through the initialization process to thereby reduce or eliminate errors associated with the initialization and set-up of the system. Furthermore, the configuration permits the user to initialize the system without the use of tools, such as screwdrivers. The system is configured with improved functionality that permits the user to readily control individual devices and/or selected groups of devices with a powerful hand-held remote transmitter.

Claims

1. A home automation system comprising:

a messenger hub having a power input portion and a controller, the power input portion of the messenger hub including a pair of terminals that are adapted for coupling to an electrical power line, the controller of the messenger hub being configured to selectively generate an electronic message that is transmitted through the electrical power line; and

a remotely controlled switch having a power input portion, a power output portion, a controller and a housing, the power input portion of the remotely controlled switch including a pair of terminals that are adapted for coupling to the electrical power line and receiving the electronic message, the controller of the remotely controlled switch being coupled to the power input portion of the remotely controlled switch and configured to selectively enable or disable transmission of electrical power between the power input portion of the remotely controlled switch and the power output portion in response to the electronic message, the housing having first and second portions, which cooperate to define a cavity into which the controller of the remotely controlled switch is housed, and a seal member that is disposed between the first and second portions.

2. The home automation system of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a cover and a cover seal, the cover being hingedly coupled to one of the first and second portions and movable between an open position, which provides access to the controller of the remotely controlled switch, and a closed position, the cover seal being employed to form a seal between the cover and the one of the first and second portions.

3. A home automation system comprising:

a plurality of remotely controlled switches, each of the remotely controlled switches being settable to a selected device address;

a messenger hub that is configured to transmit messages through an electrical power line for controlling the remotely controlled switches; and

a hand-held remote transmitter for transmitting commands to the messenger hub, the messenger hub being responsive to the commands to activate one or more of the remotely controlled switches, the hand-held remote transmitter including;

a first switch having a plurality of zones, each of the zones being associated with a set of device addresses, the first switch being selectively positionable into a desired zone, the set of device addresses including one or more of the device addresses to which the remotely controlled switches may be set; and

at least one second switch, each second switch being associated with a single device address in the set of device addresses such that operation of one of the second switches causes the hand-held remote transmitter to generate a command that causes the messenger hub to generate a message to activate any remotely controlled switch that has been set to a device address corresponding to the single device address.

4. The home automation system of claim 3, wherein changing the first switch to another desired zone associates each second switch with a different set of device address.

5. The home automation system of claim 3, wherein the first switch is a rotary switch.

6. The home automation system of claim 3, wherein a maximum quantity of device addresses that may be included in the set of device addresses is equal to a quantity of the second switches.

7. The home automation system of claim 3, wherein the set of device addresses associated with the desired zone includes only one device address and each of the second switches is associated with the only one device address.

8. The home automation system of claim 3, wherein the hand-held remote transmitter further comprises a zone switch, the zone switch being associated with each of the device addresses in the set of device addresses such that operation of the zone switch causes the hand-held remote transmitter to generate a command that causes the messenger hub to generate at least one message to activate any remotely controlled switch that has been set to a device address corresponding to one of the device addresses in the set of device addresses.