EP1488347A2

EP1488347A2 - Remove control device for an actuator

Info

Publication number: EP1488347A2
Application number: EP03708400A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernard Grehant
Original assignee: Somfy SA
Current assignee: Somfy SA
Priority date: 2002-03-28
Filing date: 2003-03-21
Publication date: 2004-12-22
Also published as: AU2003212575A8; WO2003083803A3; US20050116835A1; ES2229967T1; AU2003212575A1; CN1643523A; FR2837966A1; JP2005522077A; WO2003083803A2; FR2837966B1; CN101383085A

Abstract

The remote control device for an actuator and/or sensor of a system for the protection and/or comfort and/or control of a building comprises a processing unit (10) and a device for transmitting orders (200). The invention is characterized in that it comprises means (4,20) for transferring a processing program, which relates to the operation of the actuator and/or the sensor, from the device for transmitting orders (200) to the processing unit (10), said program being provided and stored in a form which can be executed directly. The device enables the functions of the actuator to be updated easily.

Description

REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE OF AN ACTUATOR

The invention relates to a device defined by the preamble of claim 1 and a method defined by the preamble of claim 8. The invention relates to the field of wireless remote control of actuators intended for protection or comfort in the home, and particularly when the order receiving module intended to control said actuators is not easily accessible. Such actuators are for example motors intended for the operation of solar protection, of building closings. The order-receiving modules are, depending on the case, directly integrated into the motors or housed in boxes above the bay windows, or else are housed in false ceilings in the vicinity of the actuators.

These order receiving modules are commonly of the radiofrequency type, and in fact have a bidirectional nature (radio transmitter / receiver) which makes it possible, for example, to acknowledge receipt of orders received and of their proper execution.

The invention also relates to the sensors associated with the control system of the cited actuators. These sensors are of the intrusion, or movement, smoke, temperature, or even meteorological (wind, sun, etc.) type, or even control type. They have in common the fact of being generally inaccessible, and of transmitting their information also by means of non-wired communication.

Both the sensors and the actuators are capable of communicating with each other and with remote command transmitters of the type nomadic or fixed. This communication is therefore done wirelessly, in particular by radio frequency link, and respecting a common protocol.

The problem encountered with these devices concerns the plurality of uses which can be made of them at a given stage of the state of the art, on the one hand, and on the other hand, the evolution of these uses with the evolution technologies.

This plurality makes it necessary for the manufacturer to create numerous references for actuators and sensors and therefore transforms into a plurality of products what should simply be a plurality of functions. This results in a significant cost, without consideration for the user. For example, a motor with on-board electronics has different functional characteristics depending on whether it drives a blind or a roller shutter. They are commonly two different products, while nothing fundamentally distinguishes them.

The evolution of technologies, and in particular in terms of transmission protocol and information security, tends to make the different generations of products incompatible, except also to increase their cost. The difficulty of accessing these products also makes any improvement or update intervention, common in other areas ("upgrade") problematic.

Processes allowing the transfer of executable programs between different devices are known in fields other than that of controlling electrical appliances in the building. This is common practice in microcomputing, a field in which we have sought to integrate into the BIOS the strict minimum necessary for the implementation of means of communication and recording in a computer machine of the type commonly called "PC", the operating system itself being loaded or downloaded. The field of internet communication has multiplied this kind of applications.

American patent US 5,321,840 gives an example where even the programmable logic network (PLA) of a PC can be reconfigured remotely. A FLASH type EPROM memory is used to store the reconfiguration code. Anti-virus treatment and / or new functions can thus be implemented remotely.

American patent US Pat. No. 5,210,854 describes a method of storing software version updates in a reprogrammable electronic memory EEPROM, in a computer system. In this patent, a single reprogrammable electronic memory is used to replace a ROM association, EEPROM, but a logic control unit allows a partition of this EEPROM between protected areas, containing the unalterable parts of software, and unprotected areas. . This partition is itself fixed, or dynamically reconfigurable.

By remaining in the field of remote modification of executable software, the American patent US Pat. No. 6,141,795 proposes a technique minimizing the transfer memory required and giving robustness in the event of a break in the transfer of the program. This patent is notably filed in the field of remote maintenance systems. Similarly, American patent US Pat. No. 5,787,288 describes a method of replacing an old program with a new one, taking the necessary verification precautions beforehand. It is a remote maintenance application for fax machines accessible via the telephone line.

Manufacturers have naturally thought of applying such configuration methods in the field of remote control of domestic applications, in particular sets of television sets and video recorders, by taking advantage of the flexibility of a PC. This is the case of the device described in American patent US Pat. No. 5,774,063, in which the PC replaces the infrared remote control and therefore allows programming of the equipment at will. It is also the same goal of flexibility found in US patent US 5,414,761 according to which it is a matter of reprogramming at will an infrared remote control of the "universal" type.

In the field closer to that of the invention, there are devices for communicating data to a thermal comfort control device (HVAC). In European patent EP 0 652502, the introduction of one or more smart cards is described in the reader of a control device (programming thermostat). The card contains "programming data" which can also be entered by the user using a keyboard. This operation is long and tedious since it is necessary to enter set temperatures, time periods and possibly other parameters. This programming data can be transferred from the card to the resident memory unit or in the opposite direction, which allows programming entered on the keyboard to be kept on a card. Note that this is a transfer "heating program", consisting in fact of data (set temperature, zone concerned, hour, day of the week, etc.), and not of an "executable program" in the computer sense, intended for direct control of the contained microprocessor in equipment.

In the same area of thermal comfort, in US patent US 5,156,203 there is provided a remote identification of the occupant of a room (by smart card and / or radio transponder). All the data relating to the comfort situation of the occupant are memorized, so as to reproduce the same data when the same person appears again on the premises. There is therefore learning and switching from one data set to another according to the users, using a resident program, and not modification of this resident program. This operation in the building is similar to the automatic adjustment of seats and mirrors in a motor vehicle as soon as the driver is recognized using his key.

In the field specific to that described in the invention, that of actuators and / or sensors intended for protection or comfort in a building, there are radio transmission systems of authorized identifiers, in particular in American patent US Pat. No. 4,750,118, systems for putting identifiers into learning mode by means of radio transmission normally used for transmitting commands, in particular in European patent EP 1 031 953, or also systems for distance learning of the limit switches of the motor or remote implementation of a direction reversal program, as for example in European patent EP 0 493 322, or finally parameter setting by means of the sector of an actuator normally controlled by radio, such as as disclosed by patent application FR 2 826521. But it has never been imagined to transmit, by means of the radio communication link normally used between an order transmitter, even of a particular type, and an actuator, or between an order transmitter and a sensor, or between an actuator and a sensor, one or more programs executable (s) directly by the microprocessors contained in said products.

EP 0 770 965 discloses a universal remote control, the operating program of which can be updated by transmitting the devices controlled to the remote control.

However, it has never been imagined to improve the existing functionalities of actuators or sensors by replacing all or part of their executable programs.

And it was even less imagined to confer on actuators or sensors new functionalities, not installed at the time of their first installation.

The control device according to the invention is characterized by the characterizing part of claim 1.

This device makes it possible to improve the existing functionality of building equipment on site. It also makes it possible to confer new functionalities on the equipment, not installed in this equipment at the time of its installation. Dependent claims 2 to 7 define variants of this process.

The updating method according to the invention is defined by independent claim 8.

A variant of this process is defined by dependent claim 9.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings which are given only by way of nonlimiting examples.

Figure 1 shows schematically the hardware configuration necessary for the implementation of the invention.

Figure 2 shows in flowchart the process applicable to the invention.

In Figure 1 is shown an actuator (1) which is for example, an electric motor, intended to actuate a movable element (50), such as for example a door, a shutter, a blind or any other solar protection. This actuator (1) is for example electrically connected by a wire connection (2) to a processing unit (10).

This processing unit (10), containing at least one microprocessor (3), is in relation with a radio-frequency communication means such as a bidirectional radio transmitter (4). This radio transmitter (4) is therefore capable of communicating in reception and transmission with any radio frequency device sharing the same transmission protocol.

The processing unit (10) executes the programs contained in a defined unalterable program memory (7) and, according to the embodiments, in at least a first reprogrammable memory (8) and / or a second reprogrammable memory (9) , as explained below.

The actuator (1) is a drive motor for doors, ventilation openings, roller shutters, blinds or various sun protection screens. It can also be a lighting or alarm device whose access is difficult. The radio transmitter (4) then plays an essentially receiving role in normal operation.

One or more sensors can be associated with the actuator. A simple sensor can also act as an actuator in the description of the following. In this case, the information essentially passes from the sensor to the processing unit (10), and the radio transmitter (4) then plays an essentially transmitting role in normal operation.

Simply put, the connection (2) between the actuator (1) and the processing unit (10) is a wired connection.

In FIG. 1, which is schematic, the electromagnetic or static contactors making it possible to supply the actuator with a response to the orders of the processing unit, have not been shown, because all these devices are well known of the skilled person. If it is a non-autonomous actuator (1), as illustrated in FIG. 1, the assembly is supplied with a converter (5) from the alternating current network (6).

In the event that the actuator (1) is autonomous or is a simple sensor, the converter (5) and the alternating current network (6) are replaced by an autonomous source, for example a photovoltaic panel and a converter with battery.

As seen above, the processing unit (10) comprises a microprocessor (3). It can also be any type of microcontroller, in which case the memory (7) can be integrated into the microcontroller. The radio transmitter (4) can contain its own microcontroller for managing the communication protocol, but this function can be provided by the processing unit (10) or even distributed between the two units, namely between said processing unit ( 10) and the transmitter (4).

It should be noted that the processing unit (10), the actuator (1), the converter (5) and the transmitter (4) can constitute a single hardware assembly which will be called the processing communication unit and actuation (100).

There is provided a command transmitter (200) which is used on the same communication network, symbolized by the bidirectional arrow (300). This order transmitter (200) consists of a bidirectional transmitter (20) analogous to the radio transmitter (4) of the communication, processing and actuation unit (100), and of a control unit ( 21) of which operation will be described below. The order transmitter (200) contains an executable program to be transferred.

The memory (7) contains the program part and the data which will in no case be modified during the life of the product. This is the program providing the basic functions linked to the interface with the communication module (4) and linked to the operation of the first reprogrammable memory (8) and / or the second reprogrammable memory (9). This memory (7) is therefore of ROM type, and its content is defined by the manufacturer of the processing unit (10). The memory (7) contains in particular a storage area (71) making it possible to store at least one code relating to the type of material installed in the processing unit (10).

The first reprogrammable memory (8) is of the EEPROM type, therefore electrically erasable. In current technology, it will be a FLASH type EEPROM. This memory contains in particular a storage area (81) making it possible to store at least one code relating to the application.

The second reprogrammable memory (9) is either of the RAM type, or also of the EEPROM type according to the embodiments explained below.

Figure 2 is a flowchart view, intended to explain in simplified form, the introduction of new functionality in the actuator and / or sensor control equipment.

In a first step, (SI), the communication, processing and actuation unit (100) receives from the order transmitter (200) a learning request for executable program update.

It should be noted that several equivalent processing and actuation communication units (100) can, according to the invention, receive the same request. This request is transmitted by the order transmitter

(200) by making a particular learning code appear in the transmission frame and preferably at least one of the following two pieces of information: - the hardware configuration code, as housed in the storage area (71) from memory (7).

- the application code, as housed in the storage area (81) of the memory (8).

Advantageously, the two pieces of information will be addressed in the transmission frame coming from the order transmitter (200). Thus, during a collective process of updating application programs within the same dwelling, there is therefore, thanks to the means of the invention, the possibility of not sending the command to put in learning mode. only to the products concerned by the introduction of this new version.

In a variant of the invention, the order transmitter (200) is also required to also transmit a “common key” code known in the form of a group name by all of the products constituting the home automation network. This avoids simultaneously modifying the executable programs in products not belonging to the network. During the first step represented by (SI), the communication, processing and actuation unit (100) receiving the request for learning an executable program therefore advantageously verifies that it is concerned, by verifying the code of hardware configuration, as housed in the storage area (71) of the memory (7) and / or of the application code, as housed in the storage area (81) of the memory (8), and possibly by verification of belonging to a group name or to a common address disseminated by the order transmitter (200). According to a characteristic of the invention, only the receivers satisfying these criteria continue the procedure illustrated in FIG. 2.

During the second step represented by (S2), the command transmitter (200) transmits a program executable by the processing unit (10). This program is received by the processing unit (10) and housed in random access memory

(RAM, 9) by the microprocessor (3) under the control of a memory program (7).

During the third step, which is a test represented by (S3), the microprocessor (3) ensures that the transmission and the storage of the program are completed. Of course, this test is accompanied by a test on the validity of the binary values received and recorded, using the known tests for detection, or even correction of errors (CRC etc.).

The invention takes advantage of the bidirectional nature of the communication between the command transmitter (200) and the communication, processing and actuation unit (100) so that badly received parts due to a interference. Only the elements of the communication, processing and actuation unit (100) having satisfied all of the validity tests pass to the next step.

During the fourth step (S4), there is transfer from the random access memory (RAM, 9) to the read-only memory (EEPROM, 8) of the transmitted program. Depending on the case, this program concerns all of the functions, or simply a few specific functions, but the whole therefore constitutes an update of the application. The application code, as housed in the storage area (81) of the memory (8) of the new application is part of the transmission and is therefore seen updated in all modified products.

This fourth step (S4) can end with an acknowledgment of radio reception or by the emission of a signal by the excluded products during the second step (S2) or the third step (S3) so that the installer can possibly repeat the whole procedure for these products.

Once the procedure is complete, all the products concerned are therefore endowed with functionalities which they did not present at the time of installation, or certain existing functionalities are improved.

It should be noted that variants of the modification procedure are possible, as is known to those skilled in the art. Thus, it can be chosen to give the second reprogrammable memory (9) the same EEPROM structure as the first reprogrammable memory (8) by also providing for it. a storage area (91) for the application code. If this choice is made, it will be decided that only the first memory (8) or the second memory (9) contains the active application at a given time. If, as before, it is the first memory (8), then the instructions of the new program will be stored in the second memory (9) during the second step (S2) and vice versa. After the consistency test, the fourth step (S4) simply becomes a switch command: the active program memory becomes the second memory (9), and the first memory (8) will be used to store a new program if necessary. later update.

The principle of the invention applies just as well to the functionalities specific to the operation of actuators and / or home automation sensors as to the various treatments relating to the transmission on the communication network, in the context of the control products of said actuators and / or home automation sensors.

Furthermore, it is clear that the binary words constituting the program can be transmitted in a compacted form requiring unzipping, or else can be encrypted and decrypted etc.

After these various treatments which do not intervene in the principle of the invention, the binary words stored in memory will be directly interpreted as programming instructions, say

"Machine language" or "assembler" by the microprocessor (3) of the processing unit (10).

With regard to the command transmission unit (200), its shape is not an essential characteristic of the invention. It can be a general control unit, already known to the installation during prior pairing procedures, in which a memory card reader is provided, allowing the owner himself to carry out an update. It can also be a general control unit linked to other communication gateways (Internet, etc.) or even a computer equipped with a communication system of the transmitter type (20). The control unit (21) contains enough control keys to initiate the update request procedure, and if possible a screen allowing to follow its good progress. This procedure can also be activated in combination with a specific action on the supply network, as is known from the state of the art.

Let us add that the memory (ROM 7) and the first memory (EEPROM 8) could be replaced by a single memory of the EEPROM type, in which a fixed or dynamic partition is produced.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of examples, but it also includes all the technical equivalents and their combinations.

Claims

1. Device for remote control of an actuator (1) and / or a sensor of a protection and / or comfort installation, and / or control of a building, comprising a processing unit (10 ) and a command transmitter (200), characterized in that it comprises transfer means (4, 20) making it possible to transfer to the processing unit (10), from the command transmitter (200), a processing program relating to the operation of the actuator and / or of the sensor, this program being supplied and recorded in directly executable form.

2. Remote control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator (1) is intended for driving a concealing or closing element (50).

3. Remote control device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing unit (10) is in relation with a radio transmitter (4), and with the actuator (1), to constitute a communication, processing and actuation unit (100), said radio transmitter (4) being capable of communicating in reception and in transmission with any radio frequency device sharing the same transmission protocol, while the communication unit , processing and actuating (100), is adapted to receive and record in a sustainable manner, and to execute the processing program.

4. Remote control device according to claim 3, characterized in that the processing unit (10) comprises a microprocessor (3) which executes the programs contained in a program memory (7, 8, 9) at least part of which (8, 9) is reprogrammable (EEPROM, FLASH).

5. Remote control device according to claim 4, characterized in that the unalterable program memory (7) contains a storage area (71) making it possible to store at least one code relating to the type of material installed in the unit. treatment (10).

6. Remote control device according to claim 5, characterized in that the reprogrammable memory (8, 9) contains a storage area (81, 91) for storing at least one code relating to the application.

7. Remote control device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the command transmitter

(200) contains the executable program to be transferred, and consists of a bidirectional transmitter (20) analogous to the radio transmitter (4) of the communication, processing and actuation unit (100), and of a unit control (21), in which the program to be transferred is stored at least temporarily.

8. Method for updating the functionality of an actuator and / or a sensor controlled by at least one processing unit (10) and intended for the protection and / or comfort and / or control of a building , characterized in that it consists in transmitting by means of radio waves to the actuator and / or the sensor after its installation or their installation, binary data comprising: - at least one code program directly executable by the actuator and / or sensor processing unit,

at least one product and / or application identification code, the program and the identification code being stored in an electrically reprogrammable memory of the processing unit.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that it consists in providing the processing unit (10), a processing program relating to the operation of the actuator and / or the sensor, this program being provided by a order transmitter, and recorded in a form directly executable by the microprocessor used in said unit.