Supervisory, control and communication system.

p0001The invention relates to a control, control and communication system specified in the preamble of claim 1..

p0002Such a system is known from DE-OS 35 24 094th There, a messaging system for houses with a door intercom and control signals for a doorbell and the door opener will be described. The only communication path the existing antenna system is exploited, their antenna cable leads in all apartments. The famous night straightening system has all apartments joint headquarters to control and preparation of the respective voice calls. digital Steuerbefehlbe be via the provided as single communication path antenna cable in addition to the speech signals yet transmitted (data) that are used to select and control the respective required speech connection, and in addition, other electrical quantities, for example, for a reading of heating or an alarm for a fire in an apartment, can beihalten.

p0003However, the known system is not suitable for comprehensive monitoring, control and communication tasks.

p0004The invention has for its object to provide a control, control and communication system described in the preamble of claim 1., which allows processes and states in the living room or common areas of a building or therein facilities of any internal or off-site location to monitor and control. Furthermore, the system is easily installed, easily adapt to individual needs and can be expanded at any time as desired.

p0005This object is achieved according to the invention by the features stated in the characterizing part of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.

p0006In the monitoring, control and communication system according to the invention suitable communication interfaces are provided in an advantageous manner, connect the in-house data with the postal network and / or other external control and / or communications services. Further, each residence or stay area is associated with a distribution interface with electronically switchable inputs and outputs, via the data bus can be connected to the monitoring and / or control means. In this case are provided as monitoring means electronic and optical sensors, the particular proceeding in a space operations therein monitor prevailing conditions or conditions of in the room facilities, and moreover, corresponding data in response to desired or undesired events or states via suitable control and signal processing parts emit. As control means electronically controllable switching means are provided according to the invention, on the specific after the decoding of received data states in a room or from devices located therein are electronically triggered or influenced. Finally, the system prevailing in the individual work or residence areas states and / or processes taking place has according to the invention or internal and / or external video and / or audio devices from which to corresponding (remote) control panels selectively retrieved and displayed are ,

p0007The monitoring, control and communication system according to the invention is preferably designed as a modular system with solid components for the headquarters, for the distribution and interfaces for the control and signal processing components and in any stage modular and upgradeable.

p0008Due to the modular expandability, the system can easily be adapted to individual needs. Furthermore, such a system has the great advantage that its installation is feasible easily by laymen.

p0009Embodiments of the invention are explained in detail below with reference to drawings. Show it:<ul><li>FIG. 1 is a block diagram for a module "Central"</li><li>Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a module "Distribution Interface"</li><li>FIG. 3 is a block diagram for a module "screen keypad"</li><li>Fig. 4 is a block diagram for a module "communications control unit"</li><li>Fig. 5 Block diagram for a monitoring, control and communication system according to the invention in a first stage</li><li>Fig. 6 Schematic diagram of a monitoring, control and communication system according to the invention in a second expansion stage </li><li>Fig. 7 Block diagram of a monitoring, control and communication system according to the invention in a third stage</li></ul>

p0010In Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a central 4 is shown as it would for example be provided in a first stage of a monitoring, control and Kommunikationssytems according to the invention (see. Also FIG. 5). The Central 4 essentially consists of a power supply 5, an LC display 6, an acoustic signal transmitter 7, a microprocessor system controller 8, a nonvolatile memory 9, as well as suitable controls 10. Further, the center 4 per one input and output 11 , 12 for a control bus. 1

p0011For further expansion of the system is the Central 4 advantageously through appropriate input and output connections for video and audio bus 2, 3, by a video / audio switch, a microphone, an audio amplifier and by a modulator for RF moderate feed expandable video and / or audio information in an antenna system. Video devices then come advantageously all betiebenen to the antenna system televisions and / or VCR into consideration. Preferably, the respective units are equipped with teletext decoders and encodes the data to be received accordingly. This control information can also be displayed in plain text. As a control information such as reports of fire, gas and water outlet, room temperature, states of doors and windows come (open, closed, locked, unlocked), states of disks (intact or broken), movements in space (eg motion detectors or cameras) and sounds (eg babysitting) in question.

p0012Another element that according to the invention modular portable monitoring, control and communication system is the distribution interface 13, whose block circuit is shown in Fig. 2. It has its own power supply 14, an adjustable address memory 15, a control bus connector 16 as well as microprocessor-controlled switch 17 and associated inputs / outputs 18 for connection of sensors or switching devices.

p0013Using a center 4 in FIG. 1, one or more distribution interfaces 13 shown in FIG. 2, and a control bus connection between the center and the individual distributor interfaces 5 can be shown in FIG. Already a simple monitoring, steering build and communication system. Here, blocks denoted by the capital letters A, B, C, D, G and I, the residential and recreational areas of a building. Each area is equipped with a transfer interface. 13 The control bus 1 connects all areas of the Central 4, arranged for example in the lounge C. The system illustrated in FIG. 5 also has additional communication interfaces 37, 38, 39, which connect the company's internal control bus with the postal network and / or other external control and / or communications services (eg telephone dialer or Temex-terminal).

p0014With such a system, electrical or electronic equipment can (remotely) controlled be (remotely) queried and stimulated to automatic messages. The information is displayed on the LCD display 6 headquarters. 4 A remote control activated and manipulated the system. Man can differ as five different actions:<ul><li>1. Configure</li><li>Check 2 states</li><li>3. Trigger Actions</li><li>4. automatically output messages</li><li>5. communicate</li></ul>

p0015After activation by the remote control - the control unit, the Central - appears on the display 6 a main menu to select one of five options. With the help of the cursor and the enter key on the keypad 10 of the headquarters, the choice is made. Each menu is divided into suitable for its use submenus, which can also be processed using the controls 10th In addition to the menu control could be provided in a preferred approach as yet, the assignment of names to the individual distributor interfaces and their connections. In this way, in conjunction with a tele play similarly shaped graphic (living room, basement, bedroom, etc.) a user immediately comprehensible message is output on the display.

p0016About the communication interface with the postal network remote interrogation of the sensors and / or a remote control of the switching devices by on-screen text is also feasible. eg can generate through or calling a suitable screen text page from any location X from the state of equipment at a location Y be affected (to be monitored building), for example, programming a VCR or turning on / off the heater. Similarly, the query of certain conditions is possible. In another embodiment there is provided for generating a screen or text to decode encrypted data to be transmitted through the postal network.

p0017At each distribution interface itself can sensors, eg for the following messages are operated: - fire - Gas outlet - Water outlet - Status / fault on the electrical appliance - Door: open / closed - Door: locked / unlocked - Window: open / closed - Window glass: intact / broken - Movement in space - temperature - Babysitter - Alarm System

p0018For status messages that indicate a danger, it is useful to activate the video and / or audio device automatically. Advantageously, then, for example critical alarms such as fire, burglary, etc. regardless of the operating of a TV and the current program will be displayed immediately on the screen. Externally can in case of alarm preprogrammed numbers optionally prioritized, be selected to transmit a predetermined text. as can be alerted on less critical messages on the screen by displaying a given the flag.

p0019Also through a distribution interface - programmed as output - can spread locally - Audible alarms - Visual alarm - Directly controlled switches - Timed switch be provided. The installed switches are used eg to control heating, the blinds or the like.

p0020Further possibilities arise through the use of a telephone dialer, which can be connected via the communication interface to the postal network. Hereby, one or more pre-programmed phone numbers - Graduation by priority - be dialed in case of alarm, to transmit a predetermined text. Furthermore, it is conceivable that two equipped with the same system building mutually exchange and representing information.

p0021A monitoring, control and communication system according to FIG. 5 can now be expanded in a further expansion stage even by video and / or audio device (see. Fig. 6), whereby a still much more comfortable system arises.

p0022For this purpose, two other blocks or modules are provided according to the Efindung that allow the connection of any televisions, monitors, video recorders, cameras and intercom systems on the existing monitoring, control and communication system with little additional installation effort. Only the date consisting only of a control bus data bus is to be extended even to a video and / or audio bus.

p0023In one block, which is used for remote control and image processing and is shown in Fig. 3, is a suitable image-control unit 22. It contains its own power supply 24, a remote control receiver 25, a microprocessor 26, an image processing circuit 27 and an adjustable address memory 20. Further, the respective image-panel connections for the control, video and audio bus 1, 2, 3, for the want to control video and / or audio device, TV, VCR and a video and / or Audio modulator 28, via which the video and / or audio information can be RF-processed.

p0024As second module, which serves to transmit video and audio signals and which is shown in Fig. 4, a so-called communication control unit 23 is provided. It contains its own power supply 29, a microprocessor 30 for the connection setup, an adjustable address memory 31, a microphone 32, a speaker 33 and suitable amplifiers 34, 35 and controls 36. Further, the respective communication control unit has terminals for the control, Video - and audio bus 1, 2, 3, and serving for the monitoring and communication video devices, especially cameras on.

p0025About the image operating unit 22 can transmit or be fed there picture and sound depending on the equipment of the TV or monitor via RGB, CVBS or RF. VCR or other peripherals are looped through the control panel. About the communication control unit 23, it is additionally also possible to construct selective or group connections with sound and / or image. For example, there is the possibility of multiple video cameras (door / gate system, children, etc.) to install and received the picture and / or sound at each station. The configuration can be chosen so that, ever the nursery is shown on the screen, which is in the sight of the person in the household most frequently present. Pressing the doorbell of the screen would automatically switch to the image of the goal camera. Over the intercom connection 32, 34, 3, 35 33 can then both the person at the gate, as well as with a person in the house, for example, should be summoned to be spoken.

p0026An exemplary embodiment of a monitoring, control and communication system in an advanced stage of FIG. 7. In the betrffenden figure nine residential or public areas A are shown to I of a building, in which the various means of control, the control and the communications offer. So no active control of the other areas of the building and there is no communication to the other areas of the building is possible in buildings I eg. The area I rather can be monitored and controlled only from other regions of. The areas E and F on the other hand allow essentially an intercom communication with other building areas (D, G and H). Areas A and G finally offer a complete installation, with regard to the controlling of electrical or electronic equipment and communication with image and sound. The difference of these two turnkey furnishings is that in the range A to communicate with images and sound through RGB or composite video feed is carried out while this is done by RF feed in the region G.

p0027To make the system independent of the mains, all power supplies 5, 14, 24 and 29 also battery power is provided. Various acoustic and visual alarm in conjunction with the LC display of the central pass even with mains failure clearly describes the type and location of incoming reports.