Messaging in a home automation data transfer system

• US 7,870,232 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intermatic Incorporated (Wpa Participações e Serviços SA)
• Original Assignee: Intermatic Incorporated (Wpa Participações e Serviços SA)
• Inventors: Doorhy, Brendan, Reckamp, Steven R., Duitsman, Tim, Pelland, Michael, Bovee, Jeffrey K., Gaza, Brian, Aper, Gregory J., Mazza, Joseph, Dinescu, Miky
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams; Clayton R
• Application Number:
  US11/590,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

An automation network includes automation network devices connected to the network and a system layer interface that interfaces with a transport layer and an application layer of the automation network. The system layer interface includes messaging command libraries configured to implement human-readable messages for the automation network devices, where the automation network devices include at least one message output device. The system layer interface may provide commands and functions to establish messaging in the network, the length of supported messages, and scrolling of messages on output display devices.

Claims

1. A method for updating a message display device in an automation network, the method comprising:

installing a message display device in communication with the automation network, where the message display device is configured to display a human-readable message indicating a status passed to the message display device by the automation network;

determining a messaging revision level indicating a currency of software included with the message display device;

assigning the message display device to the automation network when the message display device has a non-zero messaging display size;

comparing the messaging revision level with a most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the home automation network;

wherein the most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the home automation network is associated with a pre-existing display device designated as an output display device;

designating the message display device as an output display device for network system messages to be displayed for the automation network when the messaging revision level is higher than the most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the automation network and not designating the message display device as an output display device when the messaging revision level is not higher than the most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the automation network; and

de-designating the pre-existing display device as an output display device when the messaging revision level is higher than the most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the automation network.

2. The method of claim 1, where the automation network comprises a sending node and a system layer interface, the system layer interface including a command library configured to implement messaging in the automation network, the method further comprising:

requesting a network system message from the sending node using a messaging command selected from the command library;

routing the network system message from the sending node to the output display device; and

processing the network system message at the output display device.

3. The method of claim 2, where processing the network system message comprises displaying the network system message on the output display device.

4. The method of claim 3, where displaying the network system message comprises scrolling the network system message on the output display device when the network system message has a string length greater than or equal to a display width of the output display device.

5. The method of claim 3, where processing the network system message comprises truncating the network system message and adding an ellipsis symbol to an end of the network system message when the network system message has a string length longer than a memory width of the output display device.

6. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable medium tangibly embodying computer executable code for implementing messaging in an automation network, where the automation network includes at least one message display device, the computer program product comprising:

computer-executable code for installing the message display device in communication with the automation network, where the message display device is configured to display a human-readable message indicating a status passed to the message display device by the automation network;

computer-executable code for determining a messaging revision level indicating a currency of software included with the message display device;

computer-executable code for assigning the message display device to the automation network when the message display device has a non-zero messaging display size;

computer-executable code for comparing the messaging revision level with a most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the automation network;

wherein the most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the home automation network is associated with a pre-existing display device designated as an output display device;

computer-executable code for designating the message display device as an output display device for network system messages to be displayed for the automation network when the messaging revision level is higher than the most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the automation network and not designating the message display device as an output display device when the messaging revision level is not higher than the most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the automation network; and

computer-executable code for de-designating the pre-existing display device as an output display device when the messaging revision level is higher than the most current pre-existing messaging revision level stored in the automation network.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, where the automation network comprises a sending node and a system layer interface, the system layer interface including a command library configured to implement messaging in the automation network, further comprising:

computer-executable code for requesting a network system message from the sending node using a messaging command selected from the command library;

computer-executable code for routing the network system message from the sending node to the output display device; and

computer-executable code for processing the network system message at the output display device.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, where the computer-executable code for processing the network system message comprises computer-executable code for displaying the network system message on the output display device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, where the computer-executable code for displaying the network system message comprises computer-executable code for scrolling the network system message on the output display device when the network system message has a string length greater than or equal to a display width of the output display device.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, where the computer-executable code for processing the network system message comprises computer-executable code for truncating the network system message and adding an ellipsis symbol to an end of the network system message when the network system message has a string length longer than a memory width of the output display device.