Method for communicating between a remote control and home appliances using a relay

[0001] The invention relates to a method of operating a home installation comprising a portable remote control, a relay and home furnishings, and wherein at least some home furnishings can receive wireless control commands sent by a portable remote control. The invention also relates to a home installation operating in accordance with the invention.

[0002] In the home field, it is possible for the user to remotely control, in a wireless manner, various electrical equipment provided for building openings (e.g. electric blinds, electric garage doors, electric locks) thanks, in particular, to remote control emitters. control orders by means of electromagnetic waves, in particular radioelectric ones.

[0003] This and neighboring fields associated with the control of Hi-Fi equipment and video have a desire to improve the user's comfort and simplify control. Thus, scenario type control buttons are available at the remote control level. They allow control in accordance with a predefined scheme not only of Hi-Fi equipment and video, but also the level of illumination in the room in which the equipment is located. In order to register these scenarios, various configuration methods are known in the art.

[0005] An example of a scenario by a user's exit. According to the user leaves his home, he wishes that all the electronic equipment of his house should be switched off, that is, that his access should be blocked.

[0006] From patent US 6,297,746, a home-controlled system controlled by a control center having a button is known to be a scenario associated with this scenario when

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EP 1 816 620 B1 << All-off >>. A simple press on this button allows you to turn off all equipment that is no longer needed. In the same way, a specific button dedicated to the user's output can be provided. This control center can be portable. It is relatively complicated to the extent that it allows control of all very heterogeneous equipment. Due to the fact that it communicates, in the course of certain activities, with a large number of equipment, it must have large resources for supplying and processing information. Finally, due to its portable nature, it is uncertain at the time when it is used to control a large number of equipment that we are within the range of all this equipment.

[0007] Furthermore, from the application US 2004/0203387 a home system comprising a remote control relay and electrical equipment is known.

electric is controlled by a remote control via a relay. Control commands are defined at the remote control level and converted at the relay level. In this way, the remote control does not generate an order to run the scenario, but rather a series of commands that are emitted to the relay, and then sent to the appropriate equipment from that in the document, the pilot of the control,

Relay equipment. In addition, the control can not remote control a priori directly with the equipment.

[0008] It is also known from the application US2005 / 0110652 a system comprising a remote control, a relay and electrical equipment. The electrical components are controlled by a remote control via a relay. The relay is capable of executing different mrr r after receiving the code from the remote control side.

[0009] The object of the invention is to provide a communication method that is able to meet the aforementioned drawbacks and

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EP 1 816 620 B1 enhances the methods known in the art. In particular, the invention proposes a simple method to simplify scenario control in the field of remote control of opening and closing access to a building, while offering a large range of possibilities.

[0010] The method of operation according to the invention is defined by claim 1.

[0011] Different modes of implementing the mode of operation are defined by the dependent claims 2 to 11.

[0012] A home installation according to the invention is defined by claims 12 to 14.

[0013] The relay may include means for converting a specific instruction controlling the execution of the scenario into various control commands for the home furnishing message. [0014] The attached drawing shows, by way of example, the mode of implementing the home installation according to the invention and the mode of performing the operation mode of the installation.

[0015] Figure 1 is a diagram of a mode of house installation according to the invention.

[0016] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a mode of implementing a method of operating an installation.

[0017] Figures 3 to 5 are variants of the mode of operation of the method of operating the installation.

[0018] The house installation 1, shown in figure 1, essentially comprises a portable remote control 2, a relay 3 and a set of home furnishings 4, 7, 10 and 11 provided on the building 20.

[0019] The portable remote control 2 includes a transceiver 21 control commands in the form of electromagnetic waves and an associated antenna 28. It is powered by an internal power source 23 (e.g. a cell). It also includes a user interface 24 in a set of 26 control buttons that trigger direct and

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EP 1 816 620 B1 also includes enabling individual control commands for various equipment. The microcontroller 22 is connected to the transceiver 21 and the user interface 24. For example, it can be a remote access control enabling the control of opening and closing the door, opening and closing the garage door, lighting and extinguishing the exterior light of the door and locking and unlocking the door lock input.

[0020] The remote control is preferably of a small format, so that it can be easily carried, in particular with a keychain.

[0021] The remote control means 25 for informing the user, showing the user in a visible manner, correct execution of the control command, in particular when the controlled equipment is not visible to the user from the place where he is. Two electroluminescent diodes of different colors (for example green and orange) or a two-color electroluminescent diode may be used. [0022] The remote control also includes at least a button 27 for controlling the execution of the scenario. The button is marked with the name << home button >>. The remote control can contain other buttons to control the execution of the scenario.

[0023] In order to communicate with the various home electrical equipment cited above, the remote control is preferably paired with this equipment, i.e. an identifier is exchanged to allow the communication link between the remote control and the equipment to be created and recognize whom they are addressed to or where the emitted information comes from and whether the information is control commands or other messages.

[0024] Furthermore, the remote control is paired with a relay 3 located preferably inside the building. This

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The relay includes transceiver 31 of control instructions in the form of electromagnetic waves and an associated antenna 38. It also includes a user interface 34 equipped with a set of 36 configuration buttons and a means 35 for informing the user, such as a screen. The microcontroller 32 is connected to the transceiver 31 and the user interface 34.

[0025] The relay itself is paired with a number of equipment that may be different or common to the one with which the remote control is paired. It is hypothesized that the relay is paired with an electric lock device 11 comprising a lock and a sensor 13, an electrical roller shutter 4 comprising a roller blind 5 and a sensor 6, an alarm system 10, a lighting device 7 comprising a lamp 9 and a sensor 8, an electric door device 40 and a device [0026] In the case described, the remote control is for example paired with an electric entrance door, an electric garage door and an alarm.

[0027] The relay is housed in a housing and can communicate in a wireless manner with the equipment with which it is paired.

[0028] Pressings on the control keys of the remote control enable direct control of the equipment that is paired with the remote control.

[0029] Pressing the home button causes the remote control to send a specific control command to the relay message. The relay interprets this specific control command as ordering the run-up of the scenario and transforms it into control commands, which emits various equipment to realize the function of the scenario expected by the user.

[0030] According to the first mode of operation of the home installation, the specific control command is a general instruction

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The closure of the electrical equipment and / or the command to switch off other electrical equipment. The relay receives the control command, then simply repeats it to the various equipment elements with which it is paired and which are covered by the scenario. To the extent that the equipment paired with the relay can be different from the one paired with the remote control, it is possible to create a scenario involving movement or reaction to various equipment that is not directly controlled by the remote control. In this way, when the user exits, when he presses the home button, the blinds slip, the lights go out, the garage door and the entrance door close. To the extent that only the relay knows the equipment covered by the scenario, this scenario is determined at the level of the relay.

[0031] According to a second mode of operation of the home installation, the microcontroller 32 of the relay allows to generate control commands directed to different equipment in response to a specific control command that has received the relay. The specific control command coming from the portable remote control is always addressed directly to the relay with which it is paired. The different communication steps are described below with reference to Figure 2.

[0032] In the first step 100, the user presses the home button of the remote control. The pilot then sends a specific control command via his electromagnetic wave transmitter.

[0033] In step 110, the relay receives this instruction. It may optionally then send a confirmation of receipt which is received by the portable remote control and signaled to the user in step 115. The remote control may display an error message if it does not receive the acknowledgment message within a predetermined period of time. As soon as a specific control command is received by the relay, it switches

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EP 1 816 620 B1 then in stage 120 for determining the scenario. This scenario may be a function of all predetermined parameters at the level of the relay, e.g. during its configuration. Two specific examples of the scenario definition will be described below.

[0034] The definition of the scenario leads, at step 130, to generating and sending a number of control instructions to the addressees of the various equipment with which it is paired and which are covered by the scenario. These instructions may be specific to each equipment or group of equipment.

[0035] In a step, the control command coming from the relay is received by various home furnishings. This order, if possible, is performed in step 150. If the equipment has a bidirectional transmitter of the command receiver, it can send a message indicating that the control commands are in progress and the message can be transmitted from the relay to the portable remote control. In steps 151 and 152, the information is signaled to the user through the various means provided in the relay and the remote control.

If the equipment has a bidirectional instruction transmitter, it may also optionally generate, at step 160, and send, in step 170, an information message to confirm:

• that the order has been correctly received, • that the order has been correctly executed, • or, on the other hand, that some event has prevented the execution of this order.

[0037] In step 180, the relay receives information messages from the equipment included in the scenario. In step 190, he establishes an information message for information

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EP 1 816 620 B1 via a remote control scenario, this message generally contains all information messages emitted by the equipment. This message may be the easiest way to be positive, when all the equipment covered has confirmed that the order it received was correctly made, and a negative message when at least one of the equipment signaled an error in the execution of the order.

[0038] In step 195, this simplified information message is sent by the relay towards the remote control. In step 197, this information message signals to the user correct or incorrect execution of the scenario via the information means. The correct execution can be transformed into green diode ignition and the incorrect execution can be transformed into orange diode lighting. Any other means or combination of known display means may further be used. [0039] Alternatively, the information message emitted by the relay to the remote control message may be more elaborate. In this way, for example, an information message may contain information about a correct or incorrect receipt as well as about correct or incorrect execution of scenario orders.

[0040] Preferably, the relay also comprises display means, more elaborate than those of the remote control. These means may advantageously be used by the user in the event that the scenario has not been performed in order to understand where the problem originates from. Display media can be used only at the user's request. These display means may also be used to configure the relay.

[0041] The first variant of the scenario definition at the relay level is described below with reference to figure 3.

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[0042] In this first variant, it is assumed that the relay includes a user interface with buttons or contacts to which the user may interact to select certain states. For example, the relay housing includes a scenario selector 39 to select a specific scenario, such as for example:

• scenario << complete closure >>, • scenario << partial closure with ^ Le ^ rnen »,, • scenario << only alarm».

In order to simplify the use of the installation, the output scenario is saved by default in the relay.

[0043] Under normal conditions, the user selects the scenario << partial closure with alarmee. Pressing the home button on the remote control causes the access closure (entrance door, garage door) while the blinds remain open. The alarm is activated and the kit can operate as described in EP 1 405 280.

[0044] On the other hand, he may choose, before going on vacation ;, activating the << total closing >> scenario. At the time of departure, only one press on the same home button of the remote control then activates the general access lock, blinds and the alarm in the building. [0045] Alternatively, the user can choose a "just alarmee" scenario to only trigger an alarm outside the building, for example if he stays at home.

[0046] In this first variant, after step 110 receiving a control command already described previously, the relay reads in step 121 the state of its scenario selector. In step 122, it defines the scenario to be driven. As soon as this scenario is determined, in step 130 already

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EP 1 816 620 B1 described above, the relay generates and sends the control commands required for its implementation.

The second variant of determining the scenario at the level of the relay is described below with reference to Figures 4 and

5.

[0048] The relay is, for example, configured as described below. In step 000, the context of the scenario is circling. In particular, in this stage, the connection between the home button of the remote control and the scenario specified in the relay is specified, and the home furnishings covered by the scenario are selected. In addition to the selection of equipment that is performed in a known manner or simply by rearranging all equipment paired with the relay, the user may link one or more sensors or automation systems inside the relay or possibly used in the building for example by domestic equipment.

[0049] In step 210, if the installation of figure 1 is considered, the user may, for example, select a sensor 6 associated with the blind or sensor 8 associated with the lighting device 7. The sensor 6 may e.g. be an automation system including a timer to control the blind in depending on the time of day. The sensor 8 combines, for example, a presence detector and a light sensor. During this configuration, functional connections are created between these sensors and the relay in such a way that it can also receive data measured by these sensors.

[0050] In step 220, the user selects the events that will be used to define the scenario and that can be detected by the selected sensors, e.g. the specified time, the brightness threshold.

[0051] In step 230, the user assigns these events to the response, i.e. one or more actions to be performed by one or more devices.

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[0052] In step 240, control commands are memorized for being assigned to the home equipment.

[0053] As soon as the relay is configured, it is capable of operation.

[0054] This operation is described with reference to figure 5.

After step 110 of receiving a control command already described previously, the transmitter sends, at step 300, to different selected sensors, the interrogation message to determine a scenario likely to affect a predetermined time, current events For example, before the exit scenario includes simply blocking access and activating the alarm, while after this time, the exit scenario includes not only blocking access and activating the alarm, but also closing the blinds.

[0056] In step 310, as only events are recognized in the relay, the relay searches in its memory the correlation between these events and the responses that have been previously determined.

[0057] In step 320, the relay defines the scenario, i.e. defines the control instructions to be sent to the different equipment covered by the scenario.

[0058] As soon as the scenario has been determined, in step 130 already described above, the relay sends the control commands required for its implementation.

[0059] In this way, after the same pressing on the home button of the remote control, many scenarios can be implemented so that no other user intervention is required (except the installation configuration stages).

[0060] Preferably, the two scenario defining variants described with reference to Figures 3 and 5 may be combined. As a result, the relay may define a scenario depending on one side of the data provided by the sensors and, on the other hand, the status of the scenario selector provided in the relay.

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[0061] Of course, other variants are possible, associated with the use of a relay at a level to which orders are defined for transmission to the equipment, upon receipt of a specific control command from a portable remote control.

[0062] The use of a relay in the described installation makes it possible to save resources of the portable information remote control).

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In and processing the result of the power supply, one command is emitted based on the remote control, and not many orders for different equipment.

[0063] The relay can meanwhile be connected to an electrical power source in a wired manner and manage the sending of different commands with more power and thus a greater range. This eliminates the risk that the equipment located on the edge of the range will not receive the order sent by the portable remote control. [0064] As it was seen above, the relay may include the functions of receiving information messages, confirming that the order has been correctly received and / or made by each equipment. Then the relay can transfer this information to the remote control. The user interface of the portable remote control can therefore be simplified, in favor of the relay, at the level of which the user can visualize the nature of the error that occurs.

[0065] The use of the relay also makes it possible to manage the whole building equipment in a more complete manner. As a result, the relay is not satisfied with retransmission of the control command of the scenario coming from the remote control, but generates and sends specific commands adapted to various equipment. It allows managing the control of all very heterogeneous home equipment.

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[0066] At the moment of the user output, for example, it is desirable not to be satisfied with a scenario in which all equipment is turned off. As a result, the user may choose to leave the external lighting on, possibly within a predetermined time, leave all or part of the blinds half open, start or not to start the alarm, depending on whether the persons are still or not already present in the building and turn on or no means of presence simulation.

[0067] The programming of the various exit scenarios is therefore carried out at the level of the relay. The fact that the relay interacts with a number of sensors simplifies programming. As a result, it is not necessary to program a fixed number of scenarios, but only a set of responses to events whose appearance is provided by the sensors. The scenario is therefore created in the function of these responses. These aspects can not be implemented at the level of the portable remote control, which is the cost of integrating all sensors at the same remote control level, while the relay housing can use sensors and automation systems used by other equipment.

[0068] In order to ensure the security of the installation, the relay may enable retransmission of the home remembrance orders.

In a particular case where only one scenario is defined in the relay (e.g., if there is no other scenario than just one user exit scenario), the single fact that the relay receives a message from the portable remote control is interpreted as a specific control command making a scenario regardless of the content of the received message.

[0070] The scenario may also be implemented directly by user action at the relay level.

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[0071] Preferably, the method of operation of the invention comprises a step of returning information from the home equipment to the relay to signal correct or incorrect receipt and / or execution of the control commands.

Preferably, the method of operation according to the invention further comprises the step of returning the information from the relay to the portable remote controller to signal correct or incorrect execution of the scenario.