WO2006059833A1

WO2006059833A1 - Home automation device and its control method

Info

Publication number: WO2006059833A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/002136
Authority: WO
Inventors: Won-Kook Park; Hyung-Min Kook; Jong-Myung Lee
Original assignee: Dci Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2004-12-03
Filing date: 2005-07-05
Publication date: 2006-06-08

Abstract

The present invention relates to a home automation apparatus and control method thereof, and more particularly, to a home automation apparatus that can be conveniently installed in existing buildings as well as new buildings, and a method of controlling communication and an operation between a main body and various to-be-controlled devices in the home automation apparatus. The home automation apparatus of the present invention includes a home automation main body that is connected to an external PSTN network and can be controlled through ARS; a boiler controller mounted in a room controller of the existing boiler; an electric lamp controller attached to a general electric lamp switch; and a gas valve controller that is connected to a general gas valve driving unit attached to a manual gas valve, for opening and shutting a gas valve. The controllers transmit and receive a control signal to and from the home automation main body through a RF communication method. An ID of each controller is set by the home automation main body in which a group ID is set.

Description

Description HOME AUTOMATION DEVICE AND ITS CONTROL METHOD

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a home automation apparatus and control method thereof, and more particularly, to a home automation apparatus that can be conveniently installed in existing buildings as well as new buildings, and a method of controlling communication and operation between a main body and various to- be-controlled devices in the home automation apparatus.

[2]

Background Art

[3] In recent years, there is an increasing demand for a home automation system. In new apartments, there are many cases where the home automation system has been adopted basically or optionally. The home automation system is adapted for remotely controlling a variety of to-be-controlled devices within the house. The system is generally connected to an external network, such as the Internet or a telephone network, and receives various external control signals and transmits a state signal to the outside.

[4] To implement the home automation system, an additional network device for connection to an external network is required. There is also a need for a wiring work for installing lines necessary to control various to-be-controlled devices within the house. Furthermore, there are a variety of problems, such as a connection method between a home automation main body within the house and an external network, and a communication problem between the home automation main body and various to- be-controlled devices.

[5] The connection method between the home automation main body within the house and the external network generally includes a method of using the Internet and a method of using a telephone network. Applications regarding home automation using the Internet, such as Korean Patent Application No. 1996-43115, are continuously filed. Applications regarding home automation using the telephone network are also continuously filed.

[6] In the method using the Internet, however, there are problems in that an external user must have a computer or a mobile phone that can gain access to the Internet and an Internet line must be supplied to a place where the home automation system is installed. Therefore, a problem arises because the home automation system cannot be applied in farming and fishing villages and/or remote mountain villages where a highspeed Internet is not provided. [7] The communication method between the home automation main body and various to-be-controlled devices within the house can be varied depending on whether a to- be-controlled device including the Internet or additional communication means can be controlled or is a device requiring additional communication and control means.

[8] Even if the Internet is installed in the house, to-be-controlled devices within the house must have a network function capable of gaining access to the Internet in order to implement home automation. It is therefore almost impossible to implement such home automation without devices having such a network function.

[9] Furthermore, a recent home automation system is generally developed for new apartments. Therefore, to apply the recent home automation system to the existing apartments, additional lines must be installed and a network must be configured. To solve these problems, a variety of methods such as power line communication, IR communication and RF communication have been proposed.

[10] A home networking system using low-speed power line communication (60bps to lOKbps) has been commercialized. However, intermediate- speed or high-speed power line communication for connecting a home networking system and an external network has not yet been commercialized due to problems such as noise. For this reason, a low- speed power line communication network for home networking and an additional communication network for external connection must be provided in the existing apartments. Therefore, there is a disadvantage in that the cost necessary to configure the network is increased.

[H]

[12] *Furthermore, a wireless communication method such as IR communication or RF communication is proposed except for a wired communication method requiring a line. The IR communication method can be applied to places where infrared rays are covered. Therefore, this communication method is disadvantageous in that it is not suitable for the recent 3-bay or 4-bay apartment structure. The RF communication method does not have the problems inherent in the IR communication method or the power line communication method, but have problems, such as interference with home automation devices within the house, which are used in the RF communication method and have different frequencies.

[13] Furthermore, in the related art home automation apparatus that can be connected to the Internet or the telephone network, it is almost impossible to add an additional control device to various devices within the house, which do not have a network apparatus.

[14] For example, recently, villas, pensions, etc. have been in the spotlight. In these villas, pensions and so on, however, it is necessary to provide heating before persons who will enjoy leisure reach the villas, pensions and the like. To prevent winter- sowing in the severe cold weather, it is necessary to control the power of the boiler at a remote place. It is, however, difficult to purchase a home automation apparatus which can control the boiler without a network function in order to achieve the above need.

[15] The reason is as follows. Boilers having the network function cannot be used even if they are incompatible with the network function of the home automation apparatus. Furthermore, the network function has a different protocol for every boiler manufacturer. Accordingly, there are disadvantages in that the availability is limited upon replacement of the home automation apparatus and/or the boiler and these boilers cannot be easily installed by users.

[16] Furthermore, to avoid interference with neighboring home network apparatuses, there was proposed a method of searching and employing extra transmitting and receiving frequencies that can be used for communication, such as in Korea Patent Registration No. 435993. When lots of households such as the apartments are crowded, it is difficult to secure extra transmitting and receiving frequencies, i.e., a lot of channels. Furthermore, the communication efficiency is low because data are transmitted after a wireless beacon signal and a home server broadcasting signal are transmitted.

[17]

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[18] Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a home automation apparatus that can be applied to a variety of devices within the house, which can be controlled through a home network, such as a boiler, crime prevention, electric lamp control and a gas valve, and a method such as address allocation and protocol setting within various devices so that the home automation apparatus does not interfere with neighboring home network apparatuses.

[19] It is another object of the present invention to provide a home automation apparatus in which communication environment with various devices within the house can be smoothly set while not interfering with neighboring home network apparatuses in a home automation apparatus that can be used in the existing buildings and/or apartments as well as new buildings and/or apartments and that can be controlled through ARS via a telephone network, and control method thereof.

[20] It is further another object of the present invention to implement inexpensive home automation without an additional wiring work and/or replacing various devices within the house.

[21] It is further another object of the present invention to provide a home automation apparatus that can be easily installed without an additional indoor wiring work even if various to-be-controlled devices do not have a network function in the existing apartments and/or houses, that can be controlled without information about a protocol of a to-be-controlled device having the network function and that can be easily installed in a new house after house-moving, and control method thereof.

[22]

Technical Solution

[23] To achieve the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a home automation apparatus including a telephone line interface unit connected to an external PSTN network; a telephone ring tone sensor connected to the telephone line interface unit, for sensing the number of ring tones of the telephone; a DTMF signal analysis processor connected to the telephone line interface unit, for encoding or decoding a DTMF signal; a RF module for RF communication with control devices within the house; a voice processor for storing and transmitting voice; and a home automation main body including a first CPU connected to the telephone ring tone sensor and the DTMF signal analysis processor. The first CPU receives the DRMF signal, controls the RF module in response to the received DRMF signal, and solely controls the voice processor according to information received from the RF module or controls the voice processor and the DTMF signal analysis processor at the same time. The home automation apparatus includes a controller group consisting of two or more of a boiler controller, an electric lamp controller, a gas valve controller, a door phone controller and a crime prevention controller.

[24] The controller group transmits and receives a control signal to and from the home automation main body through a RF communication method. A controller ID of each controller of the controller group is allocated by the home automation main body in which a group ID is set.

[25] The boiler controller includes a sensor disposed in a boiler; a signal generating unit connected to the sensor, for generating a boiler state signal depending on a value measured by the sensor; and a remote switch unit that receives the boiler state signal from the signal generating unit and notifies the home automation main body of the boiler state signal, wherein the remote switch unit includes a switch driving unit attached to the room controller, for opening and closing a power switch of the room controller according to an instruction of the home automation main body.

[26] The electric lamp controller is attached to a general electric lamp switch and is powered by the electric lamp control switch, wherein the electric lamp controller drives an electric lamp driving unit according to the instruction of the home automation main body. [27] The gas valve controller is connected to a general gas valve driving unit attached to a manual gas valve, for opening and shutting a gas valve, wherein the gas valve controller receives the instruction of the home automation main body, notifies an on/ off state of a gas control valve and issues an operation instruction to the gas valve driving unit.

[28] The door phone controller is connected to a door phone, wherein if a visitor confirmation function of the door phone is activated, the door phone controller transmits this fact to the home automation main body, and the first CPU of the home automation main body informs a user's external telephone of the fact through the DRMF signal analysis processor, transmits a voice signal, which is input through a microphone of the door phone, to the user's external telephone via the home automation main body and also controls voice information received from the user's external telephone to be played through a speaker of the door phone.

[29] The crime prevention controller is connected to a crime prevention sensor such as a human body sensor or a door sensor and transmits a signal sensed by the crime prevention sensor to the home automation main body, wherein the first CPU of the home automation main body can inform the user's external telephone of a crime prevention state through the DRMF signal analysis processor and the voice processor.

[30] The signal generating unit and the remote switch unit of the present invention can transmit and receive the boiler state signal through a room controller connection line connected between the room controller and the boiler or can transmit and receive the boiler state signal through RF communication.

[31] In the case where the boiler state signal is transmitted and received through the room controller connection line connected between the room controller and the boiler, the signal generating unit may include a sensor monitoring unit that if a value sensed by the sensor is higher than a reference value, informs a modulator of the fact, and the modulator that generates the boiler state signal according to the notification of the sensor monitoring unit and transmits the generated boiler state signal through the room controller connection line. The remote switch unit may include a second CPU, a demodulator that demodulates the boiler state signal received through the room controller connection line and informs the second CPU of whether the boiler state signal exists, a RF communication interface module that transmits and receives the control signal to and from the controller main body, a switch driving controller that generates a signal to control a switch driving unit according to an instruction of the second CPU, and the switch driving unit attached to the room controller, for driving an on/off switch of the boiler.

[32] In the case where the boiler state signal is transmitted and received through RF communication, the signal generating unit may include a sensor monitoring unit that if a value sensed by the sensor is higher than a reference value, informs a third CPU of the fact, a RF communication interface module that communicates with the remote switch unit, and the third CPU that transmits the boiler state signal to the remote switch unit through the RF communication interface module if a signal is received from the sensor monitoring unit. The remote switch unit may include a second CPU, a RF communication interface module that receives the boiler state signal from the signal generating unit and transmits/receives the control signal to/from the controller main body, a switch driving controller that generates a signal to control a switch driving unit according to an instruction of the second CPU, and the switch driving unit.

[33] Furthermore, the crime prevention controller of the present invention may further include a microphone for transferring sound within the house to the user's external telephone.

[34] The switch driving unit of the present invention may further include a lower frame having an attachment unit attached to the room controller and having opening holes formed at its top and bottom ends, respectively; an upper frame having a through hole formed in its upper surface and having a manual button inserted into the through hole; a movable part fixedly disposed within the upper frame, wherein a top end of an operational member is fixedly coupled to the manual button and a bottom end of the operational member is adapted to press an on/off switch of the boiler of the room controller when the operational member is driven; a position controller for controlling a gap between the operational member of the movable part and the on/off switch of the boiler; and a spring resiliently supported between the manual button and the movable part.

[35] The movable part can be preferably a solenoid driving device. Furthermore, the position controller may control a male screw coupled to a screw hole formed at the side of the lower frame to compress the side of the upper frame.

[36] The position controller may fix positions of both frames using a through slot formed at the side of the lower frame and a screw coupled to a screw hole formed at the side of the upper frame.

[37] According to the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling the aforementioned home automation apparatus, including an initial setting step including the steps of setting a group ID of a home automation main body; setting the home automation main body to a RF receive mode; allowing a controller to transmit an initial ID allocated according to the type of a controller to the home automation main body, and allowing the home automation main body to generate a controller ID; allowing the home automation main body to transmit the generated controller ID and the group ID of the home automation main body to the controller; allowing the controller to store the received controller ID and the received group ID of the home automation main body and to transmit an ID confirmation packet to the home automation main body; and allowing the home automation main body to receive the ID confirmation packet and to register the controller ID.

[38] Furthermore, a protocol used in the entire communication steps including the initial setting between the home automation main body and the controller can be preferably divided into an address portion, a data portion and CRC. The data portion may include a group ID, a controller ID, a control portion and data.

[39] In the case where the boiler is controlled, the method may further include the steps of setting a reference value and a read cycle of a temperature or electromotive force, and a setting time, which become the basis for determining whether a boiler has been turned on or off; allowing a sensor to measure the temperature or electromotive force, and if the temperature or electromotive force exceeds a reference value, generating a boiler state signal; determining whether the boiler state signal has been generated according to the setting cycle, and if the boiler state signal has been generated within a predetermined time, determining that the boiler has been turned on and if the boiler state signal has not been generated within the predetermined time, determining that the boiler has been turned off; informing a controller main body of whether the determined boiler has been turned on or off according to an instruction of the controller main body; and driving a switch driving unit attached to a room controller according to the instruction of the controller main body, thus controlling on and off of the boiler.

[40]

Advantageous Effects

[41] According to the present invention, there are advantages in that communication environment with various devices within the house can be smoothly set, while not interfering with neighboring home network apparatuses, in a home automation apparatus that can be used in the existing buildings and/or apartments as well as new buildings and/or apartments and that can be controlled through ARS via a telephone network, and inexpensive home automation can be implemented without an additional wiring work and replacing various devices within the house.

[42] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a home automation apparatus can be easily installed without an additional indoor wiring work even if various to- be-controlled devices do not have a network function in the existing apartments and/or houses, and can be easily installed in a new house after house-moving, thereby simplifying the installation of the home automation apparatus.

[43]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[44] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of apparatuses constituting the present invention; [45] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the construction of a home automation main body according to an embodiment of the present invention; [46] FIG. 3 shows the construction of a boiler controller according to an embodiment of the present invention; [47] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the construction of a signal generating unit of the boiler controller according to an embodiment of the present invention; [48] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the construction of a remote switch unit of the boiler controller according to an embodiment of the present invention; [49] FIG. 6 shows the construction of a boiler controller according to another embodiment of the present invention; [50] FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing another construction of a signal generating unit of the boiler controller according to another embodiment of the present invention; [51] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the construction of a remote switch unit of the boiler controller according to another embodiment of the present invention; [52] FIG. 9(a) is a perspective view of a general room controller;

[53] FIG. 9(b) is a view in which the room controller and the switch driving unit are coupled; [54] FIG. 9(c) is a perspective view of a switch driving unit according to the present invention; [55] FIG. 10 is a dismantled sectional view of the switch driving unit according to the present invention the; [56] FIG. 11 is a coupled sectional view of the switch driving unit according to the present invention the; [57] FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the operation of the switch driving unit according to the present invention; [58] FIG. 13 is a view showing another embodiment of a position controller of the switch driving unit according to the present invention; [59] FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the construction of an electric lamp controller according to the present invention; [60] FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a home automation control method according to the present invention; and

[61] FIG. 16 illustrates a protocol according to the present invention.

[62]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention [63] The present invention will now be described in detail in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. [64]

[65] *FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of apparatuses constituting the present invention.

[66] A home automation main body 100 is connected to an external telephone network

(PSTN). The home automation main body 100 is constructed to perform RF communication with a boiler controller 200, an electric lamp controller 300, a door phone controller 400 and a gas valve controller 500, which are connected to a room controller 20, an electric lamp control switch 30, a door phone 40 and a gas valve driver 50, respectively.

[67] The home automation main body 100 is constructed as shown in FIG. 2, and is connected to the external PSTN network through a telephone line interface unit 110. A telephone ring tone sensor 120 is connected to the telephone line interface unit 110. The telephone ring tone sensor 120 senses the number of ring tones of the telephone and informs a first CPU 130 of the sensed number. If the telephone rings over a predetermined number, the first CPU 130 controls a DTMF signal analysis processor 140 to receive a call from the telephone line interface unit 110. The DTMF signal analysis processor 140 decodes the DTMF signal received from the telephone line interface unit 110 and transfers the decoded signal to the first CPU 130, or encodes an instruction from the first CPU 130 into the DTMF signal and transfers the encoded signal to the telephone line interface unit 110.

[68] Furthermore, the home automation main body 100 performs RF communication with the control devices 200, 300, 400 and 500 within the house through a RF module 150. A voice processor 160 outputs predetermined voice or stores received voice according to various instructions of the first CPU 130.

[69] Referring to FIG. 3, the boiler controller 200 functions to control the boiler 26. The room controller 20 that controls the boiler 26 is connected to the boiler controller 200 by means of a room controller connection line 22. The boiler controller 200 includes a sensor 210 disposed in the boiler 26, a signal generating unit 220 connected to the sensor 210, for generating a boiler state signal depending on a value measured by the sensor 210, and a remote switch unit 240 that receives a boiler state signal from the signal generating unit 220 and notifies the home automation main body 100 of the boiler state signal. The remote switch unit 240 includes a switch driving unit 230 attached to the room controller 20. The switch driving unit 230 opens and closes a power switch of the room controller 20 according to an instruction of the home automation main body 100.

[70] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the construction of the signal generating unit 220 connected to the sensor 210 disposed in a smoke pipe of the boiler, for generating a boiler state signal. [71] As shown in FIG. 4, the signal generating unit 220 includes a sensor monitoring unit 222 and a modulator 224. If the sensor 210 senses a temperature higher than a reference temperature, the sensor monitoring unit 222 informs the modulator 224 of the fact. The modulator 224 generates a boiler state signal according to the notification of the sensor monitoring unit and transmits the generated boiler state signal through the room controller connection line 22. In this case, the boiler state signal is generally modulated to have a signal frequency higher than or lower than a signal frequency used in a boiler manufacturer. Therefore, the boiler state signal does not hinder normal communication between the boiler and the room controller.

[72] If the temperature sensed by the sensor disposed in the smoke pipe of the boiler is lower than the reference temperature, the modulator does not generate the boiler state signal.

[73] The boiler state signal is transmitted to the remote switch unit through the room controller connection line.

[74] The remote switch unit 240 includes a second CPU 242, a demodulator 244 that demodulates the boiler state signal received through the room controller connection line 22 and informs the second CPU 242 of whether the boiler state signal exists, a RF communication interface module 246 that transmits and receives a control signal to and from the controller main body, a switch driving controller 248 that generates a signal to control the switch driving unit 230 according to an instruction of the second CPU 242, and a switch driving unit 230 attached to the room controller, for driving a boiler on/off switch, as shown in FIG. 5.

[75] Communication between the signal generating unit and the remote switch unit can be performed by a wireless method employing RF communication as well as a wired method employing a room controller connection line.

[76] In the case where the wireless method is used as shown in FIG. 6, the signal generating unit may include a sensor monitoring unit 222 that informs a third CPU 226 of the fact that a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature is sensed, a RF communication interface module 228 that communicates with the remote switch unit, and the third CPU 226 that transmits the boiler state signal to the remote switch unit through the RF communication interface module if a signal is received from the sensor monitoring unit 222, as shown in FIG. 7.

[77] In this case, the remote switch unit includes a second CPU 242, a RF communication interface module 246 that receives a boiler state signal from the signal generating unit and transmits/receives the control signal to/from the controller main body, a switch driving controller 248 that generates a signal to control the switch driving unit according to the instruction of the second CPU, and the switch driving unit 230, as shown in FIG. 8. [78] The switch driving unit according to the present invention is a press type switch unit that can switch the boiler power on/off switch of the room controller through manual manipulation or using a solenoid, and it is separately coupled to the boiler on/ off switch of the room controller.

[79] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a general room controller. FIG. 10 shows the room controller and the shape of the switch driving unit coupled thereto. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the switch driving unit according to the present invention. FIG. 12 is a dismantled sectional view of the switch driving unit according to the present inve ntion. FIG. 13 is a coupled sectional view of the switch driving unit according to the present invention.

[80] A lower frame 510 has an attachment unit 512 attached to the room controller, and has opening holes 514 formed in its top and bottom ends, respectively. An upper frame 520 has through holes 522 formed in its upper and lower surfaces, respectively, and a manual button 530 inserted into the through holes.

[81] The lower frame 510 and the upper frame 520 are coupled by means of a position controller 540 whose position can be adjusted by a screw hole 516 formed at the side of the lower frame 510 and a male screw 518. The attachment unit 512 causes the lower frame 510 to be fixed to the room controller 20. The lower frame 510 can be fixed to the room controller 20 using screws 515, an adhesive, an adhesive tape or the like.

[82] Furthermore, a movable part 550 is fixedly disposed within the upper frame 520. A top end of an operational member 552 is fixedly coupled to the manual button 530. A bottom end of the operational member 552 is positioned to press the boiler on/off switch 21 of the room controller 20. A spring 560 is resiliently supported between the manual button 530 and the movable part 550. In the present embodiment, the movable part 550 may be a solenoid driving device.

[83] In the case where the boiler is turned on or off through manual manipulation, if the manual button 530 is pressed as shown in FIG. 14, the manual button 530 and the operational member 552 are moved to press the boiler on/off switch 21, so that the boiler can be turned on or off through manual manipulation. After the boiler on/off switch 21 is pressed, the manual button 530 and the operational member 552 return to their original positions by means of elastic force of the spring 560 that is resiliently supported between the manual button 530 and the movable part 550.

[84] Meanwhile, in the case where the boiler is turned on or off through remote control, the movable part 550 of the switch driving unit moves the operational member 552 to press the boiler on/off switch 21 according to the control signal generated from the switch controller. If the control signal is not output from the switch controller, the operational member 552 returns to its original position by means of elastic force of the spring.

[85] The position of the upper frame can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the male screw 518 inserted into the screw hole 516 formed in the lower frame.

[86] Alternatively, if the positions of the both frames 510, 520 are adjusted using a through slot 580 formed at the side of the lower frame 510 and a screw 526 coupled to a screw hole 524 formed at the side of the upper frame 520 through the through slot 580 as shown in FIG. 15, a gap between the operational member 552 of the movable part 550 disposed within the upper frame 520 and the boiler on/off switch 21 of the room controller 20 can be controlled.

[87] Furthermore, the construction of an electric lamp controller 300, which is attached to a general electric lamp switch 30, and is powered by the electric lamp control switch 30 and can turn on or off the electric lamp 31 according to the instruction of the home automation main body, is shown in FIG. 16.

[88] The general electric lamp control switch 30 includes a filter 32, a power storage unit

34 and an electric lamp driver 36. If the electric lamp is turned on, electric power 33 is supplied to the electric lamp through the electric lamp driver 36. If the electric lamp is turned off, DC power from which an AC signal has been filtered by the filter 32 connected to the electric lamp is accumulated on the power storage unit 34 and then supplied to the electric lamp driver 36. The electric lamp driver 36 is powered by the power storage unit 34 and turns on or off the electric lamp at a time set by a user.

[89] An electric lamp controller 310 of the electric lamp controller 300 according to the present invention is driven according to driving electric power supplied from the power storage unit 34 of the electric lamp control switch 30. The electric lamp controller 310 receives the instruction of the home automation main body 100 through the RF module 320 and controls the electric lamp driver 36 of the electric lamp control switch 30 to turn on or off the electric lamp.

[90] The electric lamp controller 300 according to the present invention further includes an electric power state monitoring unit 330. It is also preferred that the electric lamp controller 310 be informed of whether the electric lamp has been turned on or off and the result is transmitted to the home automation main body 100 through the RF module 320.

[91] It is preferred that the home automation main body 100 control the electric lamp controller 300 periodically or intermittently depending on a user's setting and the electric lamp be turned on or off as if a person is at home while one is out.

[92] Furthermore, the gas valve controller 500 according to the present invention is connected to the general gas valve driver 50. The gas valve driver 50 is attached to the manual gas valve, and opens or closes the gas valve. The gas valve controller 500 receives the instruction of the home automation main body, informs an on/off state of the gas control valve and gives an operation instruction to the gas valve driving unit.

[93] The construction of the gas valve controller 500 is similar to that of the electric lamp controller 300. That is, the gas valve controller 500 includes a gas valve driving controller (not shown) instead of the electric lamp controller 310 and a gas valve opening/closing monitoring unit (not shown) instead of the electric power state monitoring unit 330. Therefore, the gas valve controller 500 can communicate with the home automation main body 100 through the RF module and can control the gas valve driver 50 through the gas valve driving controller.

[94] The door phone controller 400 according to the present invention is connected to the door phone 40. If the visitor confirmation function of the door phone is activated, the door phone controller 400 transmits it to the home automation main body 100. The CPU 130 of the home automation main body 100 makes a call to a user's external telephone that is previously set through the DRMF signal analysis processor 140 in order to inform the fact. The CPU 130 transmits a voice signal, which is input through the microphone of the door phone, to the user's external telephone through the home automation main body and also controls voice information received from the user's external telephone to be played through the speaker of the door phone.

[95] To this end, a relay unit for relaying the voice signal received through the speaker of the door phone and the microphone connection line to the telephone line can be further included. The construction regarding the relay unit can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art on the basis of the aforementioned controllers. Therefore, description thereof will be omitted.

[96] Furthermore, the present invention can further include a crime prevention controller, which is connected to a crime prevention sensor such as a human body sensor or a door sensor and can transmit a signal sensed by the crime prevention sensor to the home automation main body. It is preferred that the CPU of the home automation main body be connected to the user's external telephone through the DRMF signal analysis processor 140 and can inform the user's external telephone of a crime prevention state through a voice signal stored in the voice processor 160. The crime prevention controller can further include a microphone that can transfer sound within the house to the user's external telephone.

[97] A method of controlling the home automation main body constructed above and various controllers such as the electric lamp controller according to the present invention will be described below.

[98] The method of controlling the home automation apparatus according to the present invention includes an initial setting step including the steps of:

[99] setting a group ID of the home automation main body (step 1000);

[100] setting the home automation main body to a RF receive mode(step 1010); [101] allowing the controller to transmit an initial ID allocated according to the type of a controller to the home automation main body (step 1020), and allowing the home automation main body to generate a controller ID(step 1030);

[102] allowing the home automation main body to transmit the generated controller ID and the group ID of the home automation main body to the controller(step 1040);

[103] allowing the controller to store the received controller ID and the group ID of the home automation main body (step 1050) and to transmit an ID confirmation packet to the home automation main body;(step 1060) and

[104] allowing the home automation main body to receive the ID confirmation packet and to register the controller ID(step 1070), as shown in FIG. 17.

[105] Furthermore, in the control method of the home automation apparatus according to the present invention, a protocol used in the entire communication steps including initial setting between the home automation main body and the controller can be divided into an address portion, a data portion and CRC. The data portion can include a group ID, a controller ID, a control portion and data.

[106] The control method will be described below in more detail.

[107] The protocol used in the control method according to the present invention is divided into a 4-byte address portion, a 6-byte data portion and a 2-byte CRC, as shown in FIG. 18. The data portion consists of a 2-byte group ID, a 1-byte controller ID, a 1-byte control portion and 2-byte data.

[108] The address portion is an address that is set for RF communication and is set not to cause interference with other RF communication. The address portion is set at the factory.

[109] CRC is for detecting error of the data portion transferred through RF communication.

[110] The group ID has a length of 2 bytes and has a value from 0 to 65535. The group ID is set at the factory and cannot be changed by a user.

[I l l] The controller ID is for setting the type and ID of a subject controller. For example, the gas valve controller can be represented by "Ax", the boiler controller can be represented by "Bx", the electric lamp controller can be represented by "Cx", the crime prevention controller can be represented by "Dx" and so on. The value "x" before being registered with the home automation main body is set to 0.

[112] The control portion is a value that is used to issue an instruction or to request a state by the home automation main body. For example, when the value of the control portion is "DC", it refers to an instruction. When the value of the control portion is "AO", it refers to a state request. When the value of the control portion is "Al", it refers to state transmission. When the value of the control portion is "10", it refers to ID request. When the value of the control portion is "11", it refers to ID transmission. When the value of the control portion is "12", it refers to ID confirmation.

[113] The Data are data that are exchanged between the home automation main body and the controller.

[114] In the present embodiment, a method of setting the gas valve controller will be described below. A method of setting other controllers is the same as the method of setting the gas valve controller in terms of the technical spirit. Therefore, description thereof will be omitted for simplicity.

[115] If the group ID of the home automation main body is "45", the home automation main body is set to the RF receive mode. If the ID setting button of the controller is pressed, the controller sends "AO" (i.e., an initial ID), which is allocated according to the type of a controller, to the home automation main body.

[116] Data that are transmitted at this time are "00, AO, 10, XX". In this case, since the value of the control portion requests an ID, the value "XX" is a meaningless value.

[117] The home automation main body receives the data, determines whether the gas valve controller has been registered with the memory, sequentially assigns a number to the gas valve controller and generates a controller ID. If it is determined that there is no registered gas valve controller, the controller ID is set to "Al". In the case where it is determined that one gas valve controller has been registered, if a new gas valve controller requests registration, the controller ID is set to "A2". In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the controller ID is set to "Al".

[118] The home automation main body transmits the generated controller ID and the group ID of the home automation main body to the controller. Data that are transmitted at this time are "00, Al, 11, 45".

[119] The controller stores "Al" (i.e., the received controller ID) and "45" (i.e., the group

ID of the home automation main body), and transmits the ID confirmation packet to the home automation main body. At this time, the data transmitted to the ID confirmation packet are "45, Al, 12, XX".

[120] The home automation main body receives the ID confirmation packet and registers the controller ID, thereby completing the initial setting for the gas valve controller.

[121] If the initial setting method as described above is used, the ID of the controller can be set only by pressing the ID setting button of the controller.

[122] Other controllers such as the electric lamp controller and the boiler controller can be initially set using the above-mentioned steps. The home automation main body and the controller can communicate with each other for the purpose of exchange of various data or control depending on the value of the control portion for subsequent control.

[123] According to the present invention, in the case where the boiler is remotely controlled, the method can further include the steps of:

[124] setting a reference value and a read cycle of a temperature or electromotive force, and a state sustain setting time, which become the basis for determining whether the boiler has been turned on or off,

[125] allowing the sensor to measure the temperature or electromotive force, and if the temperature or electromotive force exceeds a reference value, generating a boiler state signal,

[126] determining whether the boiler state signal has been generated according to the setting cycle, and if the boiler state signal has been generated within a predetermined time, determining that the boiler has been turned on and if the boiler state signal has not been generated within a predetermined time, determining that the boiler has been turned off,

[127] informing the controller main body of whether the determined boiler has been turned on or off according to an instruction of the controller main body, and

[128] driving the switch driving unit attached to the room controller according to the instruction of the controller main body, thus controlling on and off of the boiler.

[129] The above-described control method can be described as follows in accordance with the embodiment.

[130] The reference value of the temperature of the smoke pipe is set to 4O⁰C, the read cycle is set to 2 minutes and the state sustain setting time is set to 10 minutes.

[131] If the temperature of the smoke pipe is 4O⁰C or higher, the signal generating unit generates the boiler state signal. The remote switch unit checks whether the boiler state signal is continuously received from the signal generating unit every two minutes.

[132] If the boiler state signal is not changed for more than 10 minutes, the CPU of the remote switch unit stores that the boiler is in an OFF state, and determines that the boiler has reached an ON state if the boiler state signal is received once. The CPU then continues to check whether the boiler state signal is continuously received while maintaining the boiler state signal. Although the burner is turned off and then driven again in order to manage the temperature within the 10 minutes, the CPU of the remote switch unit stores that the boiler keeps turned on during 10 minutes from a time point at which the boiler state signal is again received. If the boiler state signal is not received for 10 or higher minutes due to a power failure of the boiler, etc., the CPU of the remote switch unit determines that the boiler has been turned off and stores the state.

[133] When a user tries to control the boiler, the controller main body first requests the remote switch unit to inform itself of whether the boiler bas been turned on or off. The remote switch unit informs the controller main body of a current boiler state stored in its CPU.

[134] If the controller main body issues an instruction that instructs the remote switch unit to turn on the boiler, the CPU of the remote switch unit that has received the in- struction through the RF communication module drives switch driving unit through the switch driving controller.

Claims

[1] A home automation apparatus including a telephone line interface unit connected to an external PSTN network; a telephone ring tone sensor connected to the telephone line interface unit, for sensing the number of ring tones of the telephone; a DTMF signal analysis processor connected to the telephone line interface unit, for encoding or decoding a DTMF signal; a RF module for RF communication with control devices within the house; a voice processor for storing and transmitting voice; and a home automation main body including a first CPU connected to the telephone ring tone sensor and the DTMF signal analysis processor, wherein the first CPU receives the DRMF signal, controls the RF module in response to the received DRMF signal, and solely controls the voice processor according to information received from the RF module or controls the voice processor and the DTMF signal analysis processor at the same time, wherein the home automation apparatus comprises a controller group consisting of two or more of a boiler controller, an electric lamp controller, a gas valve controller, a door phone controller and a crime prevention controller; wherein the controller group transmits and receives a control signal to and from the home automation main body through a RF communication method; wherein a controller ID of each controller of the controller group is allocated by the home automation main body in which a group ID is set; wherein the boiler controller comprises a sensor disposed in a boiler; a signal generating unit connected to the sensor, for generating a boiler state signal depending on a value measured by the sensor; and a remote switch unit that receives the boiler state signal from the signal generating unit and notifies the home automation main body of the boiler state signal, wherein the remote switch unit includes a switch driving unit attached to the room controller, for opening and closing a power switch of the room controller according to an instruction of the home automation main body; wherein the electric lamp controller is attached to a general electric lamp control switch and is powered by the electric lamp control switch, wherein the electric lamp controller drives an electric lamp driving unit according to the instruction of the home automation main body; wherein the gas valve controller is connected to a general gas valve driving unit attached to a manual gas valve, for opening and shutting a gas valve, wherein the gas valve controller receives the instruction of the home automation main body, notifies an on/off state of a gas control valve and issues an operation instruction to the gas valve driving unit; wherein the door phone controller is connected to a door phone, wherein if a visitor confirmation function of the door phone is activated, the door phone controller transmits this fact to the home automation main body, and the first CPU of the home automation main body informs a user's external telephone of the fact through the DRMF signal analysis processor, transmits a voice signal, which is input through a microphone of the door phone, to the user's external telephone via the home automation main body and also controls voice information received from the user's external telephone to be played through a speaker of the door phone; and wherein the crime prevention controller is connected to a crime prevention sensor such as a human body sensor or a door sensor and transmits a signal sensed by the crime prevention sensor to the home automation main body, wherein the first CPU of the home automation main body informs the user's external telephone of a crime prevention state through the DRMF signal analysis processor and the voice processor.

[2] The home automation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the case where the crime prevention controller is included in the controller group, the crime prevention controller further comprises a microphone for transferring sound within the house to the user's external telephone.

[3] The home automation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the case where the boiler controller is included in the controller group, the signal generating unit and the remote switch unit transmit and receive the boiler state signal through a room controller connection line connected between the room controller and the boiler.

[4] The home automation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the case where the boiler controller is included in the controller group, the signal generating unit and the remote switch unit transmit and receive the boiler state signal through RF communication.

[5] The home automation apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the signal generating unit comprises a sensor monitoring unit and a modulator, wherein if a value sensed by the sensor is higher than a reference value, the sensor monitoring unit informs the modulator of the fact, and the modulator generates the boiler state signal according to the notification of the sensor monitoring unit and transmits the generated boiler state signal through the room controller connection line; and wherein the remote switch unit comprise a second CPU, a demodulator that demodulates the boiler state signal received through the room controller connection line and informs the second CPU of whether the boiler state signal exists, a RF communication interface module that transmits and receives the control signal to and from the controller main body, a switch driving controller that generates a signal to control a switch driving unit according to an instruction of the second CPU, and the switch driving unit attached to the room controller, for driving an on/off switch of the boiler.

[6] The home automation apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the signal generating unit comprises a sensor monitoring unit that if a value sensed by the sensor is higher than a reference value, informs a third CPU of the fact, a RF communication interface module that communicates with the remote switch unit, and the third CPU that transmits the boiler state signal to the remote switch unit through the RF communication interface module if a signal is received from the sensor monitoring unit; and wherein the remote switch unit comprises a second CPU, a RF communication interface module that receives the boiler state signal from the signal generating unit and transmits/receives the control signal to/from the controller main body, a switch driving controller that generates a signal to control a switch driving unit according to an instruction of the second CPU, and the switch driving unit.

[7] The home automation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the case where the boiler controller is included in the controller group, the switch driving unit comprises: a lower frame having an attachment unit attached to the room controller and having opening holes formed at its top and bottom ends, respectively; an upper frame having a through hole formed in its upper surface and having a manual button inserted into the through hole; a movable part fixedly disposed within the upper frame, wherein a top end of an operational member is fixedly coupled to the manual button and a bottom end of the operational member is adapted to press an on/off switch of the boiler of the room controller when the operational member is driven; a position controller for controlling a gap between the operational member of the movable part and the on/off switch of the boiler; and a spring resiliently supported between the manual button and the movable part.

[8] The home automation apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the movable part is a solenoid driving device.

[9] The home automation apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the position controller controls a male screw coupled to a screw hole formed at the side of the lower frame to compress the side of the upper frame.

[10] The home automation apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the position controller fixes positions of both frames using a through slot formed at the side of the lower frame and a screw coupled to a screw hole formed at the side of the upper frame.

[11] A method of controlling a home automation apparatus according to any one of

Claims 1 to 10, the method comprising an initial setting step including the steps of: setting a group ID of a home automation main body; setting the home automation main body to a RF receive mode; allowing a controller to transmit an initial ID allocated according to the type of a controller to the home automation main body, and allowing the home automation main body to generate a controller ID; allowing the home automation main body to transmit the generated controller ID and the group ID of the home automation main body to the controller; allowing the controller to store the received controller ID and the received group ID of the home automation main body and to transmit an ID confirmation packet to the home automation main body; and allowing the home automation main body to receive the ID confirmation packet and to register the controller ID.

[12] The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a protocol used in the entire communication steps including the initial setting between the home automation main body and the controller is divided into an address portion, a data portion and CRC, wherein the data portion includes a group ID, a controller ID, a control portion and data.

[13] The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein in the case where a boiler controller is included in a controller group, the method further comprising the steps of: setting a reference value and a read cycle of a temperature or electromotive force, and a setting time, which become the basis for determining whether a boiler has been turned on or off; allowing a sensor to measure the temperature or electromotive force, and if the temperature or electromotive force exceeds a reference value, generating a boiler state signal; determining whether the boiler state signal has been generated according to the setting cycle, and if the boiler state signal has been generated within a predetermined time, determining that the boiler has been turned on and if the boiler state signal has not been generated within the predetermined time, determining that the boiler has been turned off; informing a controller main body of whether the determined boiler has been turned on or off according to an instruction of the controller main body; and driving a switch driving unit attached to a room controller according to the instruction of the controller main body, thus controlling on and off of the boiler. [14] The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a protocol used in the entire communication steps including initial setting between the home automation main body and the controller is divided into an address portion, a data portion and CRC, wherein the data portion includes a group ID, a controller ID, a control portion and data.