Method for interpretation of a radio-electrical command

• US 7,786,892 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Original Assignee: Somfy Sas (Somfy SA)
• Inventors: Marty, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Vernal U
• Application Number:
  US10/510,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20050151668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,699 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 340/426.13, 340/426.24, 340/825.77, 340/5.7, 340/952, 340/7.37, 340/825.43, 342/118, 342/127, 455/107, 455/41.2, 455/41.1
• US Class Current: 340/13.37
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/02 using radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves

Abstract

A method for the interpretation of a radio-lectrical command for equipment in which the command is interpreted as a function of the emission zone is provided. This is achieved whereby the electromagnetic characteristics of the field generated by the radio-electrical command in the vicinity of a device for reception of radio-electrical commands are determined. The characteristics are compared to determine if the point of the radio-electrical command is located in a near-field or in a far-field zone. A command is then carried out as a function of the command received and as a function of the emission zone of the command. This permits the same command to have two meaning for the equipment.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a radio-electrical command transmitted in a single radio-electrical signal, the command being for the control of a home automation device where the command includes at least one of an instruction to move a movable element of the home automation device and a learning-mode instruction of the home automation device, the radio-electrical command being generated by the action of a user on a remote control, the method comprising:

a command receiver receiving the radio-electrical signal directly from the remote control;

measuring at least a first electromagnetic characteristic and a second electromagnetic characteristic of the single radio-electrical signal received directly from the remote control;

comparing the first characteristic to the second characteristic to determine whether a transmission zone of the remote control is a near-field zone or a far-field zone, wherein comparing the first characteristic to the second characteristic includes at least one of calculating a ratio based on the first and second characteristics and calculating a difference based on the first and second characteristics; and

controlling the movable element as a function of the received command and as a function of the transmission zone of the remote control, wherein, at least in one operating mode, a transmission of commands is validated only when the remote control is in the near-field zone, the near field zone is a zone substantially immediately proximate to the command receiver.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics of the radio-electrical signal comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command, at two points lying substantially one behind the other and in the direction coming from a transmission point; and

measuring the amplitude of the first signal at each of said two points.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command, at two points lying substantially one behind the other in a direction coming from a transmission point; and

measuring the power of the first signal at each of said two points.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command, at two points lying substantially one behind the other in a direction coming from a transmission point; and

measuring a quantity associated with an amplitude of the first signal at each of said two points.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command, at two points lying substantially one behind the other in a direction coming from a transmission point; and

measuring a quantity associated with a power of the first signal at each of said two points.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command at a first point, and receiving a second signal that relates to an electric component of the electromagnetic wave at another point, which may be the same as the first point; and

measuring an amplitude of each of the first signal and the second signal.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics includes:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command at a first point, and receiving a second signal that relates to an electric component of the electromagnetic wave at another point, which may be the same as the first point; and

measuring a power of each of the first signal and the second signal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command at a first point, and receiving a second signal that relates to an electric component of the electromagnetic wave at another point, which may be the same as the first point; and

measuring a quantity associated with an amplitude of each of the first signal and the second signal.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command at a first point, and receiving a second signal that relates to an electric component of the radio-electrical signal at another point, which may be the same as the first point; and

measuring a quantity associated with the power of each of the first signal and the second signal.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command at a first point, and receiving a third signal that relates to a combination of the magnetic component and the electric component of the radio-electrical signal at another point, which may be the same as the first point; and

measuring an amplitude of each of the first signal and the third signal.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command at a first point, and receiving a third signal that relates to a combination of the magnetic component and the electric component of the radio-electrical signal at another point, which may be the same as the first point; and

measuring a power of each of the first signal and the third signal.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristics comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command at a first point, and receiving a third signal that relates to a combination of the magnetic component and the electric component of the radio-electrical signal at another point, which may be the same as the first point; and

measuring a quantity associated with an amplitude of each of the first signal and the third signal.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the electromagnetic characteristic comprises:

receiving a first signal that relates to a magnetic component of the radio-electrical signal carrying the radio-electrical command at a first point, and receiving a third signal that relates to a combination of the magnetic component and the electric component of the radio-electrical signal at another point, which may be the same as the first point; and

measuring a quantity associated with a power of each of the first signal and the third signal.

14. A device for receiving a single radio-electrical signal including a radio-electrical command generated by a user-operable remote control, the remote control being configured to control movement of a movable element of a home automation device, the radio-electrical command including at least one of an instruction for moving the movable element and a learning-mode instruction, the device comprising:

a unit for controlling the equipment;

a radio-electrical wave receiver having a main antenna, at least an amplification stage and a demodulation stage, the output of which is connected to the control unit of the equipment;

means connected to the control unit for comparing first and second electromagnetic characteristics of the single radio-electrical signal to determine whether a transmission zone of the radio-electrical signal is a near-field zone or a far-field zone, having at least two antennas and means for analyzing and/or processing the single radio-electrical signal received directly from the remote control by each antenna so as to determine whether the transmission zone of the radio-electric signal is the near-field zone or the far-field zone, wherein the means for comparing the first electromagnetic characteristic to the second electromagnetic characteristic include at least one of calculating a ratio based on the first and second electromagnetic characteristics and calculating a difference based on the first and second electromagnetic characteristics; and

wherein the antennas forming part of the means for determining the transmission zone are all of the coil type and are substantially arranged one behind the other in the direction coming from a transmission point of the radio-electric wave.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the means for determining the transmission zone of the radio-electric command comprises the main antenna and an auxiliary antenna.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the means for determining the transmission zone of the radio-electric command comprises two auxiliary antennas.

17. A device for receiving a single radio-electrical signal including a radio-electrical command generated by a user-operable remote control, configured to control movement of a movable element of a home automation device, the radio-electrical command including at least one of an instruction for moving the movable element and a learning-mode instruction, the device comprising:

a unit for controlling the equipment;

a radio-electrical wave receiver having a main antenna, at least an amplification stage and a demodulation stage, the output of which is connected to the control unit of the equipment;

means connected to the control unit for comparing first and second electromagnetic characteristics of the single radio-electrical signal to determine whether a transmission zone of the radio-electrical signal is a near-field zone or a far-field zone, having at least two antennas and means for analyzing and/or processing the radio-electrical signal received directly from the remote control by each antenna so as to determine whether the transmission zone of the radio-electric signal is the near-field zone or the far-field zone, wherein the means for comparing the first electromagnetic characteristic to the second electromagnetic characteristic includes at least one of calculating a ratio based on the first and second electromagnetic characteristics and calculating a difference based on the first and second electromagnetic characteristics; and

where the antennas forming part of the means for determining the transmission zone are of different types.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the means for determining the transmission zone of the radio-electric command comprises the main antenna and an auxiliary antenna.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein the means for determining the transmission zone of the radio-electric command comprises two auxiliary antennas.