EP0923060A2 - Commande à distance sans fil pour appareils électriques - Google Patents

Commande à distance sans fil pour appareils électriques Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0923060A2
EP0923060A2 EP98123245A EP98123245A EP0923060A2 EP 0923060 A2 EP0923060 A2 EP 0923060A2 EP 98123245 A EP98123245 A EP 98123245A EP 98123245 A EP98123245 A EP 98123245A EP 0923060 A2 EP0923060 A2 EP 0923060A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
receiver
transmitter
switch
remote control
control system
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98123245A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0923060A3 (fr
Inventor
Frank NV Verpas SA Depauw
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0923060A2 publication Critical patent/EP0923060A2/fr
Publication of EP0923060A3 publication Critical patent/EP0923060A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08C—TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS
    • G08C17/00—Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
    • G08C17/02—Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link using a radio link

Definitions

  • the field of the invention is controls for electrical devices.
  • remotely located switches or other controls remotely located from the electrical devices.
  • one or more remotely located switches or other control devices also control electrical wall outlets where devices are plugged in for electrical power.
  • the remotely located switches or other remote controls are typically installed within a building's structure, such as the interior or exterior walls, and are physically hardwired into the particular circuit in the wiring system which supplies electric power to the device, or are otherwise connected via wiring to the device to be controlled. For example, when a building's electrical wiring is installed to service the building's various light fixture locations and light switches, additional wiring must also be installed and routed through each individual light switch installation at their remote locations.
  • the wireless remote control system eliminates the need for the unnecessary wiring used with conventional light switches and other remote switches.
  • the wireless remote control system can be used to control a number of different electrical devices such as pumps, motors, heaters, lights and systems of light fixtures to name a few.
  • a wireless remote control system has a RF receiver located near the device to be controlled and electrically connected to the device and the electrical power supply to the device.
  • the wireless remote control system also includes a RF transmitter remotely located from the RF receiver and the device to be controlled.
  • the RF transmitter emits a RF signal that is receivable by the RF receiver.
  • the RF receiver activates a switch, which thereby controls the electrical power to the device to be controlled.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a conventional installation of electrical devices in a residential structure.
  • the electrical devices to be remotely controlled in the conventional installation shown in Figure 1 are light fixtures 10.
  • the means of remotely controlling light fixtures 10 is a series of conventional light switches 12 that are included in the electrical wining installation 14 of the residential structure.
  • Figure 1 also illustrates various electrical wiring routes 16 that are necessitated by the use of conventional wired light switches 12. Electrical wiring routes 16 are unnecessary when a wireless remote controlled system 20 is utilized to control light fixtures 10.
  • Figure 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a wireless remote control system 20 used to control the same configuration of multiple light fixtures 10 depicted in Figure 1. It can be seen that wiring routes 16 shown in Figure 1 have been eliminated as unnecessary when the wireless remote control system 20 is used.
  • the preferred embodiment wireless remote control system 20 of Figure 2 is comprised of multiple RF transmitters 22 and RF receivers 24.
  • RF transmitters 22 can be advantageously mounted within the walls 28 of the residential structure at locations where remote control switches 26 are desired.
  • Each RF transmitter 22 is a compact unit having a conventional RF signal emitter operating preferably in a FM band within the range of 400 MHz-900 MHz.
  • each RF transmitter 22 in wireless remote control system 20 uses the same frequency band.
  • the selection of a particular frequency band for the wireless remote control system 20 depends on the geographical area where the system is to be used and the availability of frequency bands in that area. A preferred system for Europe operates in the 430 MHz band at 433.32 MHz.
  • RF transmitter 22 is preferably operated at a relatively low voltage and can be battery powered using, for example, a pair of N-size 1.5 V battery cells. Other low voltages are possible. The power associated with operating RF transmitter 22 is thus very low. Because of the relatively low voltage (for example, 1.5 V) and low power of RF transmitter 22, the resulting electrical current is extremely low, in the microamp range. As a result, the risk of sparks at RF transmitter 22 is greatly reduced or even eliminated, which greatly reduces the fire risk from present system.
  • each RF transmitter 22 is activated by a transmitter switch 26 which is preferably wall mounted along with RF transmitter 22 and effectively replaces the conventional wall mounted push button or toggle switches 12 presently used in many conventional installations, such as the lighting system shown in Figure 1.
  • RF transmitter 22 can be advantageously mounted within the wall 28 and behind the transmitter switch 26.
  • the transmitter switch 26 is a push button type.
  • Transmitter switch 26 can also be a toggle switch or other type of conventional switch, including, for example, a thermostat controlled switch or a switch activated by an alarm system.
  • a thermostat-controlled switch could be used to control, for example, an air conditioning device or a heating device.
  • RF transmitter 22 can effectively emit a RF signal 23 through non-ferro obstacles such as walls, panels, ceilings, and the like.
  • the range of a preferred conventional RF transmitter 22 is about thirty (30) meters in an open space.
  • RF receiver 24 receives power from the main electrical power (e.g., 110 Volts AC) and is connected in the electrical circuit 25 to the light fixture 10 or outlet to be remotely controlled.
  • main electrical power e.g. 110 Volts AC
  • RF receiver 24 preferably comprises a relatively lower voltage component 32, operating at about 12 Volts, and a higher voltage component 34, operating at the main electrical voltage of the house or structure (about 220 V to 240 V in Europe or about 100 V to 140 V in the United States).
  • Lower voltage component 32 comprises the conventional electronic RF receiver components associated with the receiving of RF signal 23.
  • Higher voltage component 34 of the RF receiver 24 is comprised of receiver switch 36 that controls the electric power to light fixture 10 or other device to be controlled.
  • Higher voltage component 34 of RF receiver 24 can be advantageously contained in a small sealed case 38.
  • Sealed case 38 is preferably made of a hard and fire resistant plastic-type material which serves to seal the higher voltage component 34, including receiver switch 36, from the outside environment and to galvanically separate higher voltage component 34 from the electronic RF receiving components of lower voltage component 32.
  • Sealed case 38 allows RF receiver 24 to be installed outdoors or in very humid or wet environments, such as bathroom light fixtures, without the risk of electrical shorts or sparks from receiver switch 36. Sealing receiver switch 36 within sealed case 38 thus results in enhanced safety from fire when the present remote control system 20 is utilized.
  • RF receiver 24 In response to RF signal 23 emitted by RF transmitter 22, RF receiver 24 activates receiver switch 36, which switches on or off the electrical power to light fixture 10 or to the electrical outlet or other device to which it is connected. Alternatively, RF receiver 24 can also be used to variably control the electric power of a device to which it is connected by varying the electrical resistance in response to the RF signal 23 received from the RF transmitter 22.
  • RF receiver 24 is programmable and can be automatically programmed to respond to a particular RF signal 23 from a particular RF transmitter 22.
  • RF transmitter 22 is provided with one or more conventional on/off DIP switches which can be configured to permit the control of a large number of different light fixtures or other devices with a single remote control system operating within a single frequency band. For example, when there are six (6) DIP switches, there are 64 different codes or addresses that can be set depending on the on/off combinations of the DIP switches. Each combination of DIP switch settings represents a unique code or address that can correspond to a particular light fixture 10 or set of light fixtures to be controlled.
  • RF transmitter 22 can also have multiple channels, with each channel having its own set of DIP switches. In this manner, a single RF transmitter 22 can control multiple sets of light fixtures 10 or other devices through RF receivers 24 programmed to the appropriate codes or addresses.
  • Figure 3 depicts one channel and two channel RF transmitters 22.
  • RF receiver 24 When RF receiver 24 is automatically programmable, it is probed by setting it to a set/reset mode and emitting a RF signal 23 from the particular RF transmitter 22 desired to control that RF receiver 24. Once the RF receiver 24 responds to the RF signal 23, it is then programmed to thereafter respond only to RF transmitters 23 with the same code or address (i.e. the same DIP switch settings).
  • both RF transmitter 22 and RF receiver 24 are provided with one or more conventional on/off DIP switches to permit the individual control of a multiple light fixtures or other devices with a single remote control system operating within a single frequency band.
  • the DIP switches on a particular RF transmitter 22 are set to correspond with the DIP switch settings on a particular RF receiver 24.
  • each combination of DIP switch settings represents a unique code or address that can correspond to a particular light fixture 10 or set of light fixtures to be controlled.
  • wireless remote control system 20 operates multiple sets of light fixtures 10 on different electrical circuits. These circuits are shown as 10-A, 10B, 10-C and so on.
  • the wireless control of light fixtures 10 or other electrical devices on different electrical circuits by separate RF transmitters 22 operating on a single frequency band is achieved by programming RF receivers 24 to respond to the desired RF transmitters 22 or, alternatively, by setting the DIP switches on RF receivers 24 and RF transmitters 22 such that the desired light fixtures 10 or circuits are controlled by a desired remote transmitter switch 26.
  • any particular circuit which may have one or more light fixture 10 or other device there need be only one RF receiver 24 which can control the power to that circuit.
  • wireless remote control system 20 Once wireless remote control system 20 is installed, if an additional light switch location is desired, one can simply install an additional RF transmitter 22 and transmitter switch 26 and set the DIP switches on the new RF transmitter 22 to correspond to the programming or the DIP switch settings on a particular RF receiver 24 on the circuit to be controlled.
  • the DIP switches can also be easily reconfigured by a user of the system to change the light fixtures to be controlled by an existing transmitter switch 26. Additionally, existing transmitter switch 26 and RF transmitter 22 placements can easily be moved without the need for changing the electrical wiring of the structure.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Selective Calling Equipment (AREA)
EP98123245A 1997-12-12 1998-12-07 Commande à distance sans fil pour appareils électriques Withdrawn EP0923060A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US6965997P 1997-12-12 1997-12-12
US69659P 1997-12-12
US17555698A 1998-10-20 1998-10-20
US175556 1998-10-20

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0923060A2 true EP0923060A2 (fr) 1999-06-16
EP0923060A3 EP0923060A3 (fr) 2000-09-06

Family

ID=26750289

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98123245A Withdrawn EP0923060A3 (fr) 1997-12-12 1998-12-07 Commande à distance sans fil pour appareils électriques

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0923060A3 (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2002097753A1 (fr) * 2001-06-01 2002-12-05 Frank Ferrara Systeme de detection a distance
US6856236B2 (en) 2000-04-10 2005-02-15 Ensys A/S RF home automation system comprising nodes with dual functionality
US6879806B2 (en) 2001-06-01 2005-04-12 Zensys A/S System and a method for building routing tables and for routing signals in an automation system
AU2002312644B2 (en) * 2001-06-01 2007-11-29 Frank Ferrara Remote sensor system
WO2009053695A1 (fr) * 2007-10-23 2009-04-30 One Switch Limited Procédé visant à diminuer la consommation d'énergie et appareil associé
WO2017208262A1 (fr) * 2016-06-01 2017-12-07 Rodney Foley Michael Victor Système et procédé de gestion sans fil d'une pluralité d'unités fonctionnelles au moyen d'un dispositif informatique

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4995053A (en) * 1987-02-11 1991-02-19 Hillier Technologies Limited Partnership Remote control system, components and methods
EP0610532A1 (fr) * 1993-02-10 1994-08-17 CONADD srl Dispositif monocanal de commande et de régulation à distance, en particulier pour systèmes à force motrice électrique, systèmes d'éclairage et similaires
KR0163940B1 (ko) * 1994-03-11 1999-03-20 박형식 스위칭 시스템

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6856236B2 (en) 2000-04-10 2005-02-15 Ensys A/S RF home automation system comprising nodes with dual functionality
US6980080B2 (en) 2000-04-10 2005-12-27 Zensys A/S RF home automation system with replicable controllers
WO2002097753A1 (fr) * 2001-06-01 2002-12-05 Frank Ferrara Systeme de detection a distance
US6879806B2 (en) 2001-06-01 2005-04-12 Zensys A/S System and a method for building routing tables and for routing signals in an automation system
AU2002312644B2 (en) * 2001-06-01 2007-11-29 Frank Ferrara Remote sensor system
WO2009053695A1 (fr) * 2007-10-23 2009-04-30 One Switch Limited Procédé visant à diminuer la consommation d'énergie et appareil associé
WO2017208262A1 (fr) * 2016-06-01 2017-12-07 Rodney Foley Michael Victor Système et procédé de gestion sans fil d'une pluralité d'unités fonctionnelles au moyen d'un dispositif informatique

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0923060A3 (fr) 2000-09-06

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