Dynamic selection of commands to be sent from a motion sensor in an energy harvesting device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device, comprising an energy harvester for collecting a small amount of energy when a user acts. The device is configured to use the energy to activate one or more sensors, and select a data frame to be sent based on a position, posture or motion signal, and use a communication feature to send the selected data frame.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of IoT (Internet of Things) devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to improvements in the ergonomics of IoT devices having communication features. Background Art

[0002] Most electronic products (such as remote controls) use batteries. Batteries provide a flexible way to obtain power whenever the product needs it. However, batteries are a limited power source, and users must charge or replace batteries from time to time.

[0003] Energy harvesting technologies such as piezoelectric materials have enabled a new generation of products to use small amounts of energy that automatically recharges over the life and use of the product.

[0004] Energy harvesting technology can collect power from common gestures performed by a user. For example, when a user presses a button, the energy harvester stores a small amount of power. If used appropriately, this small amount of power can allow operations such as computing, operating sensors, or sending radio signals. In addition, since no batteries are required, energy harvesting devices do not put the burden on users to worry about charging the device.

[0005] FIG. 1 shows a plurality of devices with applications in a smart home environment.

[0006] The description of the different systems shown in Figure 1 will allow a better understanding of the use cases of the invention. However, these use cases should not be interpreted as limiting the field of application of the invention, but are merely illustrative.

[0007] The smart building 100 represented in FIG. 1 has one or more local area networks or home area networks (LAN or HAN, 110). The LAN can use various types of transmission layers, such as: Ethernet cables, optical fibers, power line carrier (PLC), wireless transmission. Different protocols can be used. In the case of wireless transmission media, Wi-Fi or Zigbee are the most popular. When 5G is available, it may also be used for HAN. The Zigbee HAN will be described with respect to FIG. 2.

[0008] In a building, there can be a single LAN or multiple LANs. This option can depend on the constraints of using more than one gateway to communicate with the outside world. For example, there can be a first gateway 121 to access Internet services and there can be a second gateway 122 to access the metering system 132.

[0009] Security monitoring application 131 may be deployed in and / or around building 100. It may consist of multiple sensors, such as: visible light or IR cameras; radar or LIDAR; sound detectors, presence sensors; proximity sensors; etc. Some sensors may be located inside the building. Other sensors may be located outside the building.

[0010] The heating system 133 of the building 100 may be a programmable heating system that may be locally controlled by a programmable communicating thermostat (PCT, 143). The PCT may have one or more temperature set points. The temperature set points may be manually entered into the PCT. Multiple temperature set points may be locally programmed on the PCT based on a daily timeline (as a non-limiting example, early evening / midnight / late evening / early morning / noon / afternoon temperature set points). The PCT is connected to the HAN and may also be remotely programmed using, for example, an application installed on and / or accessible from the mobile phone 151. In some embodiments of the heating system, thermostatic radiators may be installed on some or all of the radiators of the heating system and their temperature set points may also be locally or remotely controlled. In addition, refrigeration equipment may be controlled locally or remotely in a manner similar to that of the heating system.

[0011] Electric vehicles 134 may be recharged using a vehicle charging device (VCD) in the garage of building 100. The VCD may be controlled locally using load control device 144. An application may also be used to remotely control the charge dispensed by the VCD.

[0012] A smart lighting system (SLS, 135) may also be installed in the building 100. The SLS may consist of a plurality of smart bulbs or a plurality of smart sockets into which a plurality of lamps may be plugged. The smart bulbs and the smart sockets are equipped with a control board or a system on a chip (SoC). The lighting control 145 will then allow the control of the current in the smart bulb or socket to be switched from an off state to an on state, or vice versa, or allow the control of the current in the smart bulb or socket to be changed to reduce / increase the brightness of the light. There may be one remote control for each room. In some cases, the remote control may be combined with another switch to form a two-way switch. However, there may also be a plurality of lighting controllers in the room or a central lighting controller from which a plurality of rooms may be controlled. It should be noted that devices other than lamps may be plugged into smart sockets, such as electric heating devices, electric cooking devices, or any other kind of electrical device, whose functions may be commanded in a binary or continuous manner.

[0013] Other types of systems not shown in the figure may also be included in the HAN. For example, curtains / blinds may be equipped with motors and controlled and actuated locally (room by room or centrally) or remotely. Televisions may be equipped to be remotely programmable, such as recording programs for later playback. Multiple sensors may be placed inside or outside the building to monitor temperature, quality of ambient air, wind strength, humidity, rainfall, etc. The sensor measurements may be sent to the service provider's servers for processing, merging and redistribution to service subscribers. The measurements may also be sent partially (privacy issues) or entirely only to the owner or tenant of the building.

[0014] The controllers of the various smart control applications or subsystems running in the building 100 can be centralized at the central home controller 146. From the central home controller, all applications can be controlled, or only some of them. In some embodiments, the central home controller can be remotely accessible.

[0015] Some or all devices or equipment of the different subsystems 131, 132, 133, 134, 135 are connected to the LAN / HAN as an RF network. Other subsystems not shown in the figure may also be connected to the HAN. In addition, the control devices 143, 144, 145 of some subsystems and the control devices of subsystems not shown in the figure should be connected to the HAN in the manner now commented on in relation to FIG. 2.

[0016] Many of the devices discussed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , such as remote controls, may be devices having energy harvesting capabilities.

[0017] Typically, portable devices with energy harvesting capabilities have a defined purpose. For example, a remote light switch can send a radio signal to turn a light on or off when a user presses a button; a remote control for controlling blinds can send a radio signal to open or close the blinds when a user presses a button. These actions define the daily operation of the device.

[0018] In contrast, in specific scenarios, some operations are used for specific purposes, beyond the daily operation of the product. A typical purpose beyond daily operation is commission. Commission is the act of creating communications and relationships between several devices in a defined manner (e.g., device A communicates with device B but not with device C and controls device B but not device C) and in a secure manner (e.g., another device C cannot impersonate device A to control device B).

[0019] Therefore, some portable devices need to send a radio signal representing daily use or a specific operation upon user input. A simple and intuitive way to select the relevant signal is to provide the device with at least one additional button that allows the user to define whether the device will send a signal representing daily use or a specific operation. However, if the device is an energy harvesting device, this also offsets one of the advantages of energy harvesting devices without batteries, namely that energy harvesting devices are simpler to use for users. In fact, this requires the use of multiple buttons during energy harvesting, and the simultaneous execution of gestures that allow energy harvesting, and the pressing of multiple buttons in a defined order. This solution is not easy to use for the user.

[0020] Some devices are also able to select different commands to be sent based on the gestures of the user. However, such devices usually rely on complex gesture recognition, which requires the activation of motion sensors for a considerable amount of time and the use of processors to perform complex calculations. Therefore, such devices consume a lot of energy that is incompatible with energy harvesting. Moreover, in this case, before the motion of the scene is allowed to be detected, energy harvesting must be performed, which is complex and lengthy. Therefore, this introduces a waiting time between the moment when the user wishes to send a command and the moment when the command is actually transmitted.

[0021] Therefore, there is a need for a portable device that can transmit a radio signal representing a daily use operation or a specific operation using a gesture compatible with the number of energy harvesters under the same input of the user.

[0022] More generally, there is a need for a portable, battery-free device that is configured to transmit at least a first and / or second frame over a network upon user action, the decision to transmit the first or second frame being performed in a manner that is intuitive to the user. Summary of the invention

[0023] To this end, the present invention discloses a device, comprising: an energy collector, suitable for collecting energy during one or more actions of a user; a communication feature unit, suitable for communicating with at least one other device; one or more sensors; and a digital circuit; the device is configured to use the one or more energies when collecting one or more energies during one or more actions of the user to: activate the one or more sensors to generate a signal representing the position, posture or movement of the device; activate the digital circuit to select a data frame to be sent from a set of possible data frames based at least on the signal; and activate the communication feature unit to send the data frame to the at least one other device.

[0024] Advantageously, the energy harvester is adapted to harvest energy from actions of a user.

[0025] Advantageously, the device comprises a button, wherein each time a user presses or depresses the button, the energy harvester is activated.

[0026] Advantageously, the device is a remote control and the possible data frame is a command to be sent to the at least one further device.

[0027] Advantageously, the device is a portable light switch and the button is a light switch button having two positions.

[0028] Advantageously, the at least one additional device comprises two or more light switches; the set of possible data frames comprises a frame for associating a portable light switch with a setting light switch, a frame for indicating that the setting light switch turns on a light, and a frame for indicating that the setting light switch turns off a light, the portable light switch being associated with the setting light switch.

[0029] Advantageously, said one or more sensors comprise one or more motion sensors.

[0030] Advantageously, the device is configured to use the one or more energies to activate the one or more gesture or motion sensors to obtain a signal representative of the momentary gesture of the device.

[0031] Advantageously, when the user presses or depresses the button, the device is configured to use the one or more energies to: activate one or more posture or motion sensors (530) to generate a signal representing an instantaneous value of a posture parameter of the device; activate a digital circuit to select a data frame to be sent based on one of: a comparison of a current value of the posture parameter of the device with a most recent stored value, or a comparison of the signal with a most recent stored signal representing the instantaneous value of the posture parameter; send the data frame; store the current value of the posture parameter of the device for use as the most recent stored value of the posture parameter, or store the signal for use as the most recent stored signal.

[0032] In many cases, the motion sensor signal represents the attitude of the device. For example, an accelerometer signal that senses gravity acceleration represents the orientation of the device relative to the earth. In order to select a data frame to be sent, the value of the attitude parameter can be calculated from the signal (e.g., the orientation of the device is calculated from the accelerometer signal), and then the value of the attitude parameter between two activations of the sensor (e.g., the value of the orientation of the device) can be compared, or the signal between two activations of the sensor can be directly compared (e.g., comparing the elements of the acceleration vector representing the vertical acceleration between two activations of the accelerometer sensor).

[0033] Advantageously, the one or more attitude or motion sensors include an accelerometer, and the signal is an accelerometer signal; the attitude parameter is the orientation of the device; the digital circuit is configured to select the first data frame when the absolute value of the difference between the instantaneous value of the orientation of the device and the latest stored value, or the absolute value of the difference between the signal and the latest stored value of the signal representing the instantaneous value of the attitude parameter; is below a predetermined threshold; otherwise the digital circuit is configured to select the second data frame.

[0034] The absolute value of the difference is a good candidate for allowing comparison. For example, if the accelerometer measurements are used to determine the orientation relative to the earth, it is possible to calculate the orientation relative to the earth each time the accelerometer is activated, and then perform the absolute difference of the orientation between two activations, or calculate the absolute difference of the elements of two consecutive acceleration vectors representing vertical acceleration.

[0035] Advantageously, said orientation is the orientation of an axis in a transverse plane of the device.

[0036] Advantageously, the posture parameter is the orientation of the device; the digital circuit is configured to select the first data frame when the instantaneous value of the orientation belongs to the orientation set, and to select the second data frame otherwise.

[0037] Advantageously, when the user presses or pushes the button for the first time, the energy harvester collects a first energy to: activate one or more gesture or motion sensors to generate a signal representing the amount of motion of the device until the user presses or pushes the button a second time; when the user presses or pushes the button a second time, the energy harvester collects a second energy to: activate a digital circuit to select a data frame to be sent based on the amount of motion of the device; and send the data frame.

[0038] The present invention also discloses a method, comprising: collecting one or more energies on a device during one or more actions of a user; using the one or more energies to: activate one or more sensors of the device to generate a signal representing the position, posture or movement of the device; activate the digital circuit of the device to select a data frame to be sent from a set of possible data frames based at least on the signal; and activate the communication feature of the device to send the data frame to at least one other device.

[0039] The present invention also discloses a computer program product, comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on a device; and a program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, when the program code is executed by one or more processors on the device using one or more energies collected on the device during one or more actions of the user, so that the one or more processors: use the one or more energies to: activate one or more sensors of the device to generate a signal representing the position, posture or movement of the device; activate the digital circuit of the device to select a data frame to be sent from a set of possible data frames based at least on the signal; activate the communication feature of the device to send the data frame to at least one other device.

[0040] The present disclosure allows selection of data frames to be transmitted among frames belonging to daily use of a product or frames intended for a specific purpose.

[0041] The device of the present invention uses energy collected when needed. Therefore, the user does not need to worry about the energy usage of the device, or check whether the device is charged.

[0042] According to certain aspects of the present disclosure, the device requires neither batteries nor additional button clicks from the user to select a frame. The device of the present invention can be as light and small as possible. This increases the simplicity of use of the device.

[0043] According to certain aspects of the present disclosure, a device can perform frame selection based on the precise orientation of the device using only energy provided by energy harvesting. These reliable orientation values ​​allow for defining rules for selecting frames to send based on the user's motion, which is intuitive to the user.

[0044] According to certain aspects of the present disclosure, a device may detect whether it is mounted to a wall and accordingly avoid false detection of a gesture for selecting a specific operation.

[0045] According to certain aspects of the present disclosure, a device may detect whether it is set to a door and accordingly avoid false detection of a gesture selecting a specific operation.

[0046] The present disclosure, in certain aspects, allows for the use of only the instantaneous orientation of the device to select frames to transmit.

[0047] The present disclosure, in certain aspects, allows for the use of a comparison between a device's instantaneous orientation and a previously stored orientation to select a frame to transmit.

[0048] The present disclosure, in certain aspects, allows for the selection of data frames to be sent based on the amount of motion imparted by the user, which is a very intuitive means of selecting data frames to be sent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The present invention will be better understood, and its various features and advantages will emerge, from the following description of several exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0050] FIG1 shows multiple devices with applications in a smart home environment;

[0051] Figure 2 shows the topology of a Zigbee network;

[0052] Figure 3 A device network including devices in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0053] Figure 4 An example of energy harvesting in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0054] Figure 5 The structure of the device in the embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0055] Figure 6 Two mechanical constraints allowing the selection of frames sent by the device according to the invention are shown;

[0056] Figure 7 An example of selecting a data frame to be transmitted based on the orientation of a device in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0057] Figure 8 An example of selecting a data frame to be transmitted based on the amount of motion of a device in an embodiment of the present invention is shown; and

[0058] Figure 9a , 9b and 9c show an example of selecting a data frame based on a button on the back of the device indicating whether the device is placed on a flat surface or in free space in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] Fig.10 Methods in several embodiments of the present invention are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] Figure 2 shows the topology of a Zigbee network.

[0061] The LAN / HAN may be a Zigbee network. Other HANs or LANs (sometimes also referred to as personal area networks or PANs) may also be used. For example, the present invention may also be used with a Wi-Fi network.

[0062] Zigbee network is the subject of specifications developed by the Zigbee Alliance, which includes multiple device manufacturers. The Zigbee network specification is an IEEE standard (IEEE 802.15.4). It can be applied to wireless personal area networks (WPANs). It includes short-range line of sight (LOS, 1-10m), low-power devices. Zigbee network is well suited for devices that communicate at intermittent low data rates, which need to have long battery life and secure communication protocols. Zigbee communication uses a data rate of 20 to 250kb / s and an encrypted 128-bit symmetric key.

[0063] The RF frequencies used for Zigbee communications are some of the Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands that have the advantage of being loosely regulated. In most jurisdictions, the 2.4 GHz band can be used for these applications. Alternatively or in addition, the 784 MHz band is available in China, the 868 MHz band is available in Europe, and the 915 MHz band is available in the United States and Australia.

[0064] Objects connected to the network are designated as Zigbee Device Objects (ZDOs). They can be sensors, actuators, input devices, or any type of device that can be controlled or actuated, such as the ZDOs of the present invention. The ZDO will then include a device control unit or intelligent electrical controller (or SEC) that includes a Zigbee transmit / receive (T / R) unit that includes or is associated with multiple circuits, such as a processor, memory, power control circuits connected to the bus. The SEC can be implemented in an electronic board or system-on-chip (SoC) circuit. Examples of such SoCs (including or not including additional circuits of the above type) include:

[0065] From MICROCHIP TM MRF24J40;

[0066] From Texas Instruments TM CC2650;

[0067] From Silicon Labs TM EM358x and EFR32MGxxxxx;

[0068] From MICROCHIP TM ATSAMR21.

[0069] Of course, other devices may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention, and other devices and standards may emerge in the future as communication technology and devices advance.

[0070] In general, three architectures of PAN / Zigbee networks can be envisioned: a star architecture 210, in which all ZDOs 2111 communicate only with the PAN coordinator 212; a mesh architecture 220, in which all ZDOs 2211, 2212 communicate directly or indirectly with the PAN coordinator 222, as well as with other ZDOs of the network 2212, 2211; and a cluster tree architecture 230, which can have more than one PAN coordinator 2321, 2322, and the ZDOs 2311, 2312 can communicate to and from the PAN coordinator and to and from other ZDOs 2312, 2311.

[0071] In mesh and cluster-tree architectures, the communication range can be extended through device-to-device relaying of messages, possibly in non-LOS.

[0072] PAN / Zigbee coordinator 212, 222, 2321, 2322 is a specific network node that is configured to maintain / control a list of addresses / identifiers of network nodes. The PAN / Zigbee coordinator can be coupled to a gateway to another PAN, another LAN, WAN, or Internet service to provide symmetrical or unidirectional only extended communication features.

[0073] The Zigbee protocol layer supports two services:

[0074] - Cluster services (such as key-value pair services or KVP) are used for configuration purposes; they enable describing, requesting and modifying object properties through simple interfaces based on get / set values ​​and event primitives, some of which allow request-response. Configuration uses compressed or full XML.

[0075] - The message service is designed to provide a general method of information processing, avoiding the necessity of adapting application protocols and the potential overhead caused by KVP. It allows arbitrary payloads to be transmitted on APS (Application Sublayer) frames.

[0076] The clusters and message services that can be used, and more generally the messages that can be exchanged in a Zigbee network, are defined by profiles. Zigbee profiles are defined by unique IDs. Zigbee supports both public profiles (such as Industrial Plant Monitoring (IPM) profiles or Home Automation (HA) profiles that allow interoperability between devices from different manufacturers) and more flexible Manufacturer Specific Profiles (MSPs) that can provide extended functionality and are easy to update, but do not allow interoperability with all Zigbee-compliant devices.

[0077] Figure 3 A network of devices including devices in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0078] A portable light switch 310 equipped with a button 311 can be connected to a network 320 including three light switches 321, 322, 323 and four electrical sockets 324, 325, 326 and 327. When a user presses the button 311, the portable light switch can perform any of the following operations:

[0079] - Perform a commission to the network 320. Commissioning consists in being able to communicate within a network and pairing with a specific device of that network. This action needs to be performed once (or at least once each time the user wishes to commission to a different network) and is therefore a specific operation;

[0080] - Sending a signal to switch on or off one or more of the four electrical sockets 324, 325, 326 and 327. This action is performed every day and is therefore a daily operation.

[0081] As will be explained below, the present invention allows the device 310 to determine the radio signal to be transmitted upon a single action by a user. Although the present invention is particularly suitable for disambiguating between operations that occur everyday and specific operations, the present invention is not limited to such use cases. Similarly, the present invention is not limited to light switches and can be applied to any type of device that can transmit different radio signals upon the same input by a user.

[0082] Figure 4 An example of energy harvesting in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0083] Energy harvesting device 410 is a light switch, and may be, for example, light switch 310. The light switch is equipped with a piezoelectric material that harvests energy when a user presses button 420. In various embodiments of the invention, the piezoelectric material also harvests energy when a user presses button 430.

[0084] However, the invention is not limited to this example. For example, the energy harvesting device may be any type of device configured to send a plurality of different signals. In addition, energy harvesting may be performed in many different ways: for example, it may be harvested when a user performs a circular motion. An example of energy harvesting from rotational motion is provided by F., Gustafsson, J., & Delsing, J. (2014, September) in Energy harvesting technologies for wireless sensors in rotating environments (Emerging Technology and Factory Automation (ETFA), 2014 IEEE (pp. 1-4) IEEE.).

[0085] More generally, various energy harvesting components allow the mechanical energy supplied by the user to be converted into electrical energy (e.g., a piezoelectric material converts the mechanical energy of a user pressing a button into electrical energy). In this case, energy is harvested from the user's actions.

[0086] In other cases, energy is also harvested at the time of user action, but the energy harvesting consists in converting energy from a source that is not the mechanical energy of the user's motion. For example, energy can be harvested using induction, NFC (near field communication), or micro photovoltaic panels. In each case, energy can be harvested at the time of user action: for example, when the user places the device near an inductive field, a very small amount of energy is harvested; in the case of photovoltaic panels, the user's action of placing the device in the sun will result in the illumination of the photovoltaic material, thus generating harvested energy. The energy is usually not stored and needs to be used in a very short time.

[0087] Figure 5 The architecture of the apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0088] Device 500 can be any type of remote control that has energy harvesting capabilities and is capable of sending different radio signals corresponding to different uses. For example, device 500 can be a remote light switch, such as remote light switch 310 or 410, which is capable of sending wireless frames for commissioning a radio network, or sending commands to turn on / off a light. Similarly, device 500 can also be another remote control, such as PCT 143, load control device 144, or lighting control 145. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples. For example, the present invention can be applied to a variety of remote controls. More generally, the present invention can be applied to any type of device that is capable of harvesting energy and selecting a data frame to be sent among a plurality of possible data frames.

[0089] To this end, the device 500 comprises an energy harvester 510 adapted to harvest energy upon one or more actions of a user.

[0090] exist Figure 5 In FIG. 1 , the energy harvester is represented as a piezoelectric material that harvests energy when a user presses and / or depresses a button. However, the present invention is not limited to this example.

[0091] If already referenced Figure 4As discussed, the energy harvester 510 may be adapted to harvest energy from one or more actions of a user (i.e., by converting mechanical energy provided by the user into a small amount of electrical energy): this is for example the case of a piezoelectric material, or an energy harvester that converts energy from the rotation of the device imparted by the user. The energy harvester may also be one that is configured to harvest energy upon user action, but does not convert energy from the user's motion. This is for example the case of an energy harvester that relies on an induction loop: when the user places the device 500 near the induction loop, energy will be harvested, but the energy of the user's motion will not be converted into electrical energy.

[0092] The device 500 also includes a communication feature 520 adapted to communicate with at least one further device 550 , 551 .

[0093] The at least one further device 550, 551 is a device to which the device 500 can send data frames. For example, when the device 500 is a remote controller, it can be a device controlled by the device 500. For example, if the device 500 is a portable light switch, the at least one further device 550, 551 can be a light switch remotely controlled by the device 500.

[0094] Communications feature 520 may be any type of communications feature suitable for communicating with at least one other device. Figure 5 The communication feature 520 is shown as a radio antenna. Such a radio antenna may be configured to use a Bluetooth TM , Wi-Fi TM or Zigbee TM The radio protocol of the protocol directly or indirectly sends data frames to at least one other device 550, 551. Any suitable radio protocol can be used. However, the present invention is not limited to this example: the communication feature 520 can be any type of communication feature configured to send data frames to at least one other device 550, 551, such as a wired or wireless communication feature.

[0095] The device 500 is configured to send a data frame belonging to a set 543 of data frames to at least one other device. According to various embodiments of the present invention, the set 543 of data frames may include different frames. For example, the data frame 543 may include frames belonging to the daily use of the device, and frames to be used for specific purposes. For example, if the device 500 is a remote light switch, one of the frames of the set 543 may be a frame for turning the light on / off (a frame representing the daily use of the product), and one or more frames of the set 543 may be frames for performing a commission of a network in which there is a light to be remotely controlled (specific purpose). As will be explained in further detail below, the present invention allows the device 500 to select the frames to be sent, and, for example, select frames belonging to the daily use of the device or to a specific purpose.

[0096] More generally, device 500 can be any remote control capable of sending frames to perform "everyday operation" commands (e.g., heat if the remote control controls a heater, open / close blinds, etc....) or specific commands (e.g., commands for commissioning a network, or more generally for associating a remote control with a device).

[0097] The present invention can also be used to perform other types of frame selection. For example, the present invention can allow a remote control with a single button to send a frame to turn a light on or send a frame to turn a light off.

[0098] The device 500 also includes one or more sensors 530. The one or more sensors 530 are used to obtain signals representing the position, posture or motion of the device 500. The position of the device 500 can be defined as an absolute position, a position relative to its environment, or a custom position. For example, the position can be defined as "on the wall", "on the door", "near the window", "in the kitchen", etc. The posture of the device includes the absolute or relative orientation of the device.

[0099] According to various embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of different sensors may be used. For example, one or more of the following sensors may be used, for example:

[0100] - Light sensor: A number of different rules can be defined for identifying the location of a device based on the output of a light sensor. For example, if the output of the light sensor indicates that a lot of light is detected, then the device can be expected to be in a location "near a window". Another possible rule could be that if the light sensor senses a very limited amount of light, i.e. the light is blocked, then the device is identified as being on a wall. More generally, any rule that identifies the location of a device based on perceived brightness can be used;

[0101] - Hygrometer: If the output of the hygrometer indicates that the device is in a very humid environment, then it can be expected that the device is in the "in the bathroom" position.

[0102] In various embodiments of the present invention, a button can be used as a sensor if it is carefully placed within the device 500. For example, a button can be placed on the back of the device 500 so as to protrude from the back of the device 500 only when it is pressed. Figures 9a to 9cAn example of such a button is provided. Thus, when the user sets the device 500 against a flat wall or door, the button is automatically pressed. Thus, the signal indicating that the button is pressed can be interpreted as a signal indicating that the device 500 is set against a wall or door. Conversely, the button can be placed on the back of the device 500 so that it must be squeezed if and only if the user holds the device. Thus, the signal indicating that the button is squeezed can be interpreted as a signal indicating that the button is in the "user's hand". In all of these examples, the sensor provides a signal indicating the position of the device without the user having to perform an explicit button press or action.

[0103] In various embodiments of the invention, some or all of the one or more sensors 530 are attitude or motion sensors. Such attitude or motion sensors may be any type of sensor that allows for the generation of a signal representative of the attitude or motion of the device 500. For example, the one or more attitude or motion sensors may include one or more of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and the like.

[0104] More generally, the device 500 according to the present invention may use any sensor that provides signals that provide information about the position, posture or movement of the device 500 without the user having to consciously and explicitly perform a button press. As will be explained in more detail below, analysis of these signals allows the selection of frames to be sent without the user having to worry about performing a button press.

[0105] Device 500 may include one or more sensors. When device 500 includes multiple gesture or motion sensors, they may be used individually or in combination using data fusion.

[0106] The device 500 also includes a digital circuit 540 .

[0107] Digital circuit 540 may be any suitable type of digital circuit. For example, digital circuit 540 may be a processor such as a microcontroller unit, or another type of processor such as a microprocessor. For example, digital circuit may also be an integrated circuit (IC) such as an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) or an FPGA (field programmable gate array).

[0108] The apparatus 500 is configured to use the one or more energies 511 for a plurality of consecutive tasks when the one or more energies 511 are collected under one or more actions of the user.

[0109] The device is first configured to use the one or more energies 511 to activate one or more sensors 530 to generate a signal representing the position, posture or movement of the device. The type of signal generated depends on the type of sensor. For example, if the one or more sensors 530 include an accelerometer, the signal can be a signal representing the acceleration of the device.

[0110] In various embodiments of the invention, some or all of the sensors are motion or gesture sensors, and the device is configured to use the one or more energies to activate one or more gesture sensors to obtain a signal representative of the instantaneous gesture of the device.

[0111] For example, if one or more sensors include an accelerometer, the energy can be used to activate the accelerometer and obtain an instantaneous measurement of the acceleration. This measurement can be used to determine the gravity component of the acceleration and infer the orientation of the device 500. Therefore, this allows a reliable value of the orientation of the device to be obtained using a very small amount of energy, which is very suitable for use with the small amounts of energy provided by energy harvesting.

[0112] As will be exemplified below, these reliable orientation values ​​allow for definition of rules for selecting frames to send based on the motion of the device, which is intuitive to the user.

[0113] If the one or more sensors include a button, the energy can be used to activate the button and obtain a signal indicating whether the button is pressed or depressed. If the one or more sensors include a light sensor, the energy can be used to activate the light sensor to obtain a measurement of light intensity. If the one or more sensors include an accelerometer, the energy can be used to activate the accelerometer. In various embodiments of the present invention, activation can be performed by simply powering the sensor.

[0114] The apparatus 500 is further configured to use the one or more energies 511 to activate a digital circuit 540 to select 541 a data frame 542 to be transmitted from a set 543 of possible data frames based at least on the signal.

[0115] Thus, the frames 542 to be transmitted are selected based solely on the position, motion, or posture of the device 500. Thus, frames can be selected without requiring additional input from the user (e.g., an explicit button press by the user). Furthermore, energy harvesting is used to meet all energy requirements of the device 500. Thus, the device 500 does not need to include a battery. Thus, the device can be as light and small as possible. This improves the ergonomics of the device 500.

[0116] In multiple embodiments of the present invention, one or more energies 521 activate one or more posture or motion sensors among the sensors 530 to generate a signal representing the instantaneous value of the posture parameter of the device; activate the digital circuit 540 to select the data frame to be sent based on the comparison between the current value of the posture parameter of the device and the latest stored value; and store the current value of the posture parameter of the device for use as the latest stored value.

[0117] Thus, this allows determining the instantaneous value of the attitude parameter of the device (e.g., its orientation) each time new energy is collected, determining the frame to be sent based on a comparison with the most recently stored value of the attitude parameter, and storing the instantaneous value as the most recently stored parameter so that the comparison can be successfully performed at the next iteration. Thus, each time energy is collected (e.g., each time a user presses a button), the frame to be sent can be determined based on a comparison between the instantaneous value of the attitude parameter and the value at the time of the previous energy collection. For example, if energy is collected when a user presses a button, and the attitude parameter is the orientation of the device, this allows determining the frame to be sent based on a comparison between successive values ​​of the orientation of the device, which are recorded each time the user presses and / or depresses a button. As will be illustrated below, this allows defining intuitive rules for the user to select frames to be sent.

[0118] As a variant, the signals may be compared and stored directly. For example, if the signals are signals from an accelerometer, the signals from the accelerometer may be directly stored and compared, rather than storing and comparing the orientations derived therefrom.

[0119] In various embodiments of the invention, the set of frames includes at least two frames, and the one or more gesture or motion sensors 530 include an accelerometer that generates an accelerometer signal that is representative of the orientation of the device.

[0120] If the absolute value of the difference between two consecutive values ​​of the orientation or the absolute value of the difference between two consecutive acceleration signals is below a threshold, the first frame may be selected, otherwise the second frame is selected. In other words, if there is a small orientation change between two consecutive iterations (for example, between two button presses if energy is harvested when the user presses a button), the first frame is selected; if a larger orientation change occurs between two consecutive iterations, the second frame is selected. Typically, the first frame may be a frame belonging to daily operations, which is most often selected and sent, and the second frame may be a frame belonging to a specific operation and is less often sent.

[0121] As described above, determining whether the orientation of the device has changed can be performed using the value of the orientation itself or directly using the acceleration signal.

[0122] Typically, determining the frame to be transmitted based on a simple comparison of continuous values ​​of orientation or continuous acceleration signals can be performed using very simple calculations. Thus, the frame can be selected by a digital circuit with very low power consumption. Thus, the digital circuit can run using a small amount of energy provided by energy harvesting to select the relevant frame.

[0123] If the predetermined threshold is set to a value indicating that movement is almost non-existent, this also allows detecting whether the device 500 is set. In fact, once the user has commissioned the network, some remote controls (e.g., remote lighting controls) can be set on any wall and the device 500 is paired with at least one light for switching on / off. Therefore, if the device is not set on the wall, a second data frame is sent, which can be used for commissioning, for example. Once the commission has been performed, the user wishes to set the remote light switch on the wall. The remote light switch then moves almost nothing between consecutive button presses, and when the user presses the button, the first frame is selected to switch the light on or off.

[0124] In various embodiments of the invention, acceleration signals and / or orientations are processed about three axes.

[0125] In multiple embodiments of the present invention, the acceleration signal and / or orientation is processed around a single axis (e.g., the horizontal axis). Therefore, the second frame is selected only if there is a significant difference in orientation around a single axis, regardless of the differences in orientation around other axes. This allows, for example, the first frame to be sent when the device 500 is on a wall or door: if it is placed on a door, the vertical orientation of the device does not change when the door is opened or closed. Therefore, if the device is set on a wall or door, the first frame will be selected, for example, to turn the light on or off; otherwise, if the device is not set, the device will select a second frame, such as a frame for commissioning a network, and associate a remote control with the light to turn it on or off. Similarly, the selection of the frame to be sent can be performed using acceleration signals on two of the three axes.

[0126] In various embodiments of the present invention, at each energy harvesting, the energy is used to activate the accelerometer, and the instantaneous orientation of the device is determined based on the acceleration signal. In various embodiments of the present invention, the digital circuit is configured to select the first data frame or the second data frame directly based on the orientation of the device. For example, if the instantaneous orientation of the device belongs to the orientation set, the first data frame can be selected, otherwise the second data frame is selected.

[0127] The orientation set may be defined to correspond to a vertical orientation above a predetermined threshold. For example, if the device 500 is oriented downward, the first frame may be selected, and if the device 500 is oriented upward, the second frame may be selected (in this example, the predefined threshold is a vertical orientation of 0° corresponding to the device being horizontal). Of course, other thresholds may be defined.

[0128] This solution provides the advantage of allowing the use of a single energy harvester (e.g., a single button press) to directly select the frame to be sent. In addition, the thresholds and frames to be selected can be defined to provide intuitive behavior for the user. For example, a user naturally holds a remote control upwards. Thus, an upward orientation can correspond to a frame representing daily use (e.g., turning a light on or off), while a downward orientation that is less natural for the user can correspond to a frame representing a specific operation (e.g., commissioning the network).

[0129] This therefore allows a quick and intuitive means of selecting frames for the user to send.

[0130] Although the principle is exemplified by selecting two different frames according to the vertical orientation of the device, different selection rules can be defined. For example, more than three different frames can be selected based on the vertical orientation of the device: for example, a first frame when the device is oriented upward, a second frame when the device is close to horizontal orientation, and a third frame when the device is oriented downward.

[0131] If multiple inputs are available, the frame sent may also depend on the user's input. For example, a light switch may include a dual switch button with an on and off position: in an embodiment of the present invention, if the device is oriented downward, an "on" or "off" frame may be sent depending on the button position pressed by the user; if the device is oriented downward, a delegation frame is selected.

[0132] Orientation may also allow selection between two frames representing everyday use actions. For example, if device 500 is a portable light switch including a single button, an "on" frame may be sent if the button is pressed when the device is oriented upward, whereas an "off" frame may be sent if the same button is pressed if the device is oriented downward.

[0133] Another option for selecting the data frames to send is to calculate the amount of movement of the device 500 when the user presses the button. This can be performed, for example, as follows:

[0134] - When the user presses or pushes the button for the first time, the energy harvester 510 harvests the first energy to:

[0135] o activating one or more gesture or motion sensors 530 to generate a signal representing the amount of motion of the device until the user presses or depresses the button a second time;

[0136] - When the user presses or depresses the button a second time, the energy harvester collects a second energy to:

[0137] o Activating digital circuitry to select a data frame to transmit based on said amount of motion of the device.

[0138] Thus, during a button press, a data frame is selected based on the amount of motion imparted to the device. The digital circuit may be configured to select the data frame to be transmitted in different ways. For example, if the amount of motion is below a predetermined threshold, a first data frame may be selected, otherwise a second data frame may be selected.

[0139] This allows the data frames to be selected for transmission based on the amount of motion given by the user, which is a very intuitive means of selection for the user.

[0140] For example, if the amount of motion is low, a data frame representing "daily use" (eg, turning a light on / off) may be selected, and if the amount of motion is high, a data frame for a specific purpose (eg, delegation) may be selected.

[0141] Another option for selecting a frame is to select a frame based on the position of the device derived from the signal from one or more sensors 530. For example, if one of the sensors is a button that protrudes from the back of the device only when pressed, such a button will be automatically pressed, or pressed, if the device is set on a wall or door. When energy is harvested, the button can be activated. Therefore, the signal generated by the button indicates whether the button is pressed or pressed, and thus indicates whether the device is set on a wall or door. Therefore, if the button is pressed (and thus the device is set on a wall or door), a data frame representing "daily use" (e.g., turning on / off a light) can be selected, otherwise a data frame for a specific purpose (e.g., commission) can be selected.

[0142] Once a data frame is selected, the device 500 is further configured to activate the communication feature 520 to transmit the selected data frame 542 to at least one further device 550 , 551 .

[0143] The device 500 uses the energy collected when needed. Therefore, the user does not need to worry about the energy usage of the device, or check whether the device is charged.

[0144] Figure 6 Two mechanical constraints are shown allowing the selection of the frames sent by the device according to the invention.

[0145] As described above, in many cases, when using a remote controller (e.g., a remote light switch), the user wishes to commission the network once and then set the switch on a wall or door. Therefore, when the user presses a button on the remote controller, it is desirable to detect whether the remote controller is set so as to send a commission data frame or a data frame for performing remote control (e.g., turning on / off a light).

[0146] The first mechanical constraint 610 consists in setting a device 611 (which may be, for example, the device 500) on a wall. Thus, the device 611 can hardly move. As described above, this constraint can be detected by calculating the orientation of the device each time a user performs an action on the device (e.g., each time a user presses a button), and determining that the device is set if the difference between two consecutive orientations is very low. Thus, if the device is set, a frame representing the ordinary use of the product (e.g., a frame for switching a light on / off) is selected, otherwise a specific frame (e.g., a frame for commissioning a network) is selected. As described above, the detection of the device being set on a wall can be performed by directly comparing consecutive values ​​of a signal (e.g., an accelerometer signal) representing the orientation of the device: if the absolute difference between two consecutive values ​​of such a signal is below a predetermined threshold, it can be assumed that the device is set. The detection can also be performed solely based on measurements representing the rotation around an axis in the transverse plane of the device.

[0147] The second mechanical constraint 620 consists in setting the device on the door. Thus, when the device is set, it rotates around the vertical axis, but not around the transverse axis 622. The same principle as described above can be used to detect that the device is set. However, only the orientation around the vertical axis and / or the signal representing the orientation around the vertical axis are taken into account. Thus, even if the orientation of the device around other axes changes, it can be detected that the device is set on the door and rotated around the vertical axis if two consecutive values ​​of the orientation around the vertical axis are very close.

[0148] As described above, it is also possible to detect whether the device is set on a wall or a door if an additional button is placed on the back of the device, protrudes from the back of the device only when it is pressed, and is automatically pressed if there is no obstacle to pressing, i.e., only when the button is not set on a wall or a door. In this example, if the additional button generates a signal indicating that it is pressed, it is assumed that the device is set on a wall or a door. Otherwise, if the additional button generates a signal indicating that it is pressed, it is assumed that the device is not set on a flat surface (e.g., a wall or a door).

[0149] Figure 7 An example of selecting a data frame to be transmitted based on the orientation of a device in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0150] In this example, the device is a remote light switch where the user can press a button to turn the light on / off, or delegate to the network / connection to the light to do the turning on / off.

[0151] The user initially holds the device 710 upward. This position is quite natural: this is how a user would naturally hold a remote control. When the user presses the button, the piezoelectric material collects a small amount of energy. This energy is first used to activate the accelerometer, which provides the acceleration measurement. Since the user has not imparted significant movement to the device, the acceleration measurement consists primarily of the gravity component.

[0152] The energy is further used to activate a processor that calculates the vertical orientation of the device based on the gravitational acceleration measurements.

[0153] The user then performs a movement of the wrist 720 so that the device is now oriented downwards 730, and the user presses a button.

[0154] Here again, energy is harvested when the button is pressed, the accelerometer is activated to perform a measurement of the gravity component representing acceleration, and the processor is activated to calculate the orientation of the device. The processor also compares the vertical orientation of the device to the vertical orientation of the device stored at the time of the most recent button click. If the orientation is similar between two consecutive orientations, the first frame is selected that is intended for "daily use" of the device (e.g., a frame for turning a light on / off). Conversely, if there is a significant difference between the orientations, a more specific second frame is selected (e.g., a frame for commissioning a network).

[0155] The determination of whether the vertical orientation is similar between two consecutive button clicks can be performed in different ways. For example, an absolute difference between two consecutive orientations (or orientation vectors) can be performed: if the difference is below a predetermined threshold, the first frame is selected; otherwise, the second frame is selected. Alternatively, a measurement representing the vertical orientation can be used. For example, an acceleration vector can be used, and the vertical element of the acceleration vector can be compared between two button clicks.

[0156] This thus provides a very intuitive behavior to the user: when he / she clicks a button while holding the device in a similar orientation to the previous button click, a frame corresponding to the general purpose of the device is selected and sent; conversely, when he / she clicks a button when the orientation of the device changes, a specific frame is selected.

[0157] Furthermore, the selection and sending of frames can be done almost instantaneously, and these operations require very small amounts of energy: the accelerometer is activated for a short time at a time, and the calculations to compute the orientation from the accelerometer measurements are not complex. Thus, these operations can be performed with the small amount of energy harvested from a button press.

[0158] Other rules for selecting the first or second frame to send are possible. For example, at the first button click and energy collection, the orientation of the device can be stored as a reference orientation. Thus, at each button click, the instantaneous orientation of the device is compared to the reference orientation: if the orientation is close to the reference orientation, the first frame representing everyday use of the device (e.g., a frame for turning a light on / off) is selected; otherwise, the second frame intended for a specific purpose (e.g., a frame for commissioning a network / pairing with a light) is selected. Thus, the user can perform a click when the device is oriented in the reference orientation (which is the most intuitive for him / her) to send an everyday use frame, and perform a click at a very different orientation to send a frame intended for a specific purpose.

[0159] Alternatively, the vertical orientations for selecting frames may be predefined. For example, an "up" orientation may be associated with a frame representing daily use (e.g., turning a light on / off), while a "down" orientation may be associated with a specific command (e.g., commissioning a network / pairing with a light). To do so, the processor may verify at each energy collection whether the vertical orientation is above a predefined threshold, indicating that the user is holding the device upward. For example, the predetermined threshold may correspond to a horizontal angle.

[0160] The processor thus selects the first data frame to transmit. In this example, since the upward orientation is the most natural and comfortable for the user, the first data frame is the "daily use" frame, in this example the frame for switching the light on / off. The vertical orientation of the device is now 730 below a predetermined threshold: the second frame is selected. Thus, the second frame selected in this case is a frame intended for a specific purpose, such as a frame for an appointment.

[0161] Figure 8 An example of selecting a data frame to be transmitted based on the amount of motion of a device in an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0162] In this example, the device 820 is a remote control for controlling a wall-mounted switch (e.g., wall-mounted switch 830). In this example, the device 820 can perform a commission to join a network in which the wall-mounted switch 830 exists by performing a "tap-tap". "Tap-tap" is a convenient way for commissioning and joining a network developed by the applicant: when a user performs a quick multiple tap (i.e., two, three, four taps, etc.) between a remote control (e.g., remote control 820) and a target device (e.g., target device 830), a synchronized vibration is detected, which allows the remote control to join the network of the target device in a very intuitive way. When the user presses a button of the remote control 820, the device therefore needs to determine whether the user simply clicks the button or performs a "tap-tap", and therefore determines whether to send a commission frame or a frame for turning the device on / off.

[0163] The user first presses the button 810, then performs a "tap-tap" 811, and presses the button 812. As the user presses the button 810, a certain amount of energy is collected. This energy is used to activate one or more motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers) during the entire time the button is pressed, and to activate a processor to calculate the amount of movement of the device during the button press. Although the energy required to activate the motion sensors during the entire "tap-tap" period is higher than other embodiments of the present invention (e.g., Figure 7 example), but "tap-tap" is a very short gesture, so as long as the motion sensor does not consume excessive energy, the motion sensor can always be activated using only the energy collected by the user pressing button 810.

[0164] The processor then compares the amount of motion to a predetermined threshold; if the amount of motion is below the threshold, the first frame for switching on / off is selected and sent, otherwise, a frame for executing the commission is selected and sent. In this example, the amount of motion during the button press is high because "tap-tap" has been performed. Therefore, the device 820 successfully selects the commission frame.

[0165] Here again, the behavior of the device is very intuitive to the user: if the user simply taps the button without giving the device noticeable movement, a frame is sent for turning the wall switch on / off, which is the main purpose of the remote control and its daily operation. Otherwise, if the user performs a "tap-tap", a lot of motion is detected and a commission frame is sent.

[0166] These examples show that the device of the present invention allows the user to select the frames to be sent very intuitively. However, the present invention is not limited to these examples. In fact, other types of devices can be used, especially other types of remote controllers. In addition, other rules or means for selecting the frames to be sent can be used based on signals representing the position, posture or movement of the device.

[0167] Figure 9a , 9b 9c show an example of selecting a data frame based on a button on the back of the device that indicates whether the device is placed on a flat surface or in free space in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0168] Figure 9a An example of a device 900 having a protruding button 910a on its back and an input interface on its front is shown. Figures 9a to 9c In the example of , the input interface is a button 920. However, any input interface (touch surface, multiple buttons...) may be used.

[0169] Figure 9bThe device 900 is shown in free space. In free space, the protruding button 910b is not pressed.

[0170] Fig.9c The device 900 is shown when it is placed on a flat surface. In this example, the device is placed on a wall 940c, but the same effect would be achieved if the device were placed on a door, for example. When the device 900 is placed on a flat surface, the protruding button 910c is automatically pressed.

[0171] Therefore, the device can determine whether the device 900 is on a flat surface or in free space based on the state of the protruding buttons 910a, 910b, 910c. The size, shape, and position of the protruding button 910a can be designed so that the button is not pressed when the user holds the device 900 in his hand. Therefore, the device can determine whether the user is holding the device in free space or has placed the device on a flat surface based on the state of the protruding buttons 910a, 910b, 910c.

[0172] This information can be used to determine the data frame to send upon user input. For example, when the user presses button 920, energy is harvested to obtain the state of buttons 910a, 910b, 910c. If button 910b is pressed, the user is considered to be holding the device in free space, and a first data frame, such as a commission frame, can be sent. If button 910c is pressed, the device is considered to be on a flat surface, and a second data frame can be sent, such as a frame for sending a command to the device to which device 900 is now bound.

[0173] This allows for many applications, and very intuitive behavior for the user. For example, device 900 may be a remote light switch. When the user holds the device in their hand and presses button 920, a commission frame may be sent so that device 900 is paired with a nearby lighting device. When the user places the device on a wall or door, and presses button 920 again, the light of the lighting device is turned on or off. Thus, this allows for very intuitive device pairing and control, without the user having to worry about complex combinations of buttons.

[0174] Figure 9a , 9b The devices of 9c are provided merely by way of an example of a remote controller that determines the data frame to be sent based on the state of a button protruding from the back of the device. According to various embodiments of the present invention, this can be applied to other types of data frames to be sent to other types of products and other types of user input.

[0175] Fig.10 Methods in several embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0176] Method 1000 is a method for harvesting energy, selecting and transmitting data frames.

[0177] The method 1000 includes a first step of harvesting 1010 one or more energies on a device upon one or more actions of a user.

[0178] The method 1000 then comprises a second step of activating 1020 one or more sensors of the device using the one or more energies to generate a signal representative of the position, attitude or motion of the device.

[0179] The method 1000 then comprises a third step of activating 1030 a digital circuit of the device using the one or more energies to select a data frame to be transmitted among a set of possible data frames based at least on the signal.

[0180] The method 1000 then comprises a fourth step of activating 1040 a communication feature of a device using the one or more energies to transmit the data frame to at least one other device.

[0181] All the embodiments discussed above are respectively applicable to method 1000 .

[0182] The above examples are given as illustrations of embodiments of the present invention. They are not in any way intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device (500) for dynamically selecting a command to be sent, include: an energy harvester (510) adapted to harvest energy upon one or more actions of a user; a communication feature (520) adapted to communicate with at least one other device (550, 551); one or more sensors (530); Digital circuits (540); The device is configured to, when collecting one or more energies (511) upon one or more actions of the user, use the one or more energies (511) to: activating the one or more sensors (530) to generate a signal indicative of the position, attitude, or motion of the device; activating the digital circuit (540) to at least compare the signal representing the position, posture or motion of the device with a stored signal in the device and select a data frame (542) to be transmitted from a set of possible data frames (543) based on the compared signal, the set of data frames comprising at least one first data frame for associating the device with the at least one other device and at least one second data frame for executing a command on the at least one other device; as well as The communication feature (520) is activated to send the data frame to the at least one other device (550, 551).

2. The device according to claim 1, in, The energy harvester is adapted to harvest energy from actions of a user.

3. The device according to claim 2, comprising a button, in, Each time a user presses or depresses the button, the energy harvester is activated.

4. The device according to claim 3, in, The device is a remote control and the possible data frame is a command to be sent to the at least one further device.

5. The device according to claim 3, in, The device is a portable light switch and the button is a light switch button having two positions.

6. The device according to claim 5, in: The at least one further device (550, 551) comprises two or more light switches; The set of possible data frames includes a frame for associating the portable light switch with a setting light switch, a frame for instructing the setting light switch associated with the portable light switch to turn on a light, and a frame for instructing the setting light switch associated with the portable light switch to turn off a light.

7. The device according to claim 3, in, The one or more sensors include one or more motion sensors.

8. The device according to one of claims 4 to 6, in, The one or more sensors include one or more motion sensors.

9. The device according to claim 8, in, The device is configured to use the one or more energies to activate the one or more gesture or motion sensors (530) to obtain a signal representing a momentary gesture of the device.

10. The device according to claim 9, in: When the user presses or depresses the button, the device is configured to use the one or more energies to: activating the one or more attitude or motion sensors (530) to generate a signal representing an instantaneous value of an attitude parameter of the device; The digital circuit is activated to select the data frame to be transmitted according to one of: a comparison of a current value of said attitude parameter of said device with a most recently stored value; or a comparison between said signal and a most recent stored signal representing said instantaneous value of said attitude parameter; Sending the data frame; The current value of the posture parameter of the device is stored for use as the latest stored value of the posture parameter, or the signal is stored for use as the latest stored signal.

11. The device according to claim 10, in: The one or more attitude or motion sensors include an accelerometer, and the signal is an accelerometer signal; The posture parameter is the orientation of the device; The digital circuit is configured to select the first data frame when: the absolute value of the difference between the instantaneous value of the orientation of the device and the most recently stored value is below a predetermined threshold, or the absolute value of the difference between said signal and a most recently stored value of said signal representing said instantaneous value of said posture parameter is below a predetermined threshold; Otherwise, the digital circuit is configured to select the second data frame.

12. The device according to claim 11, in, The orientation is the orientation of the axis in the transverse plane of the device.

13. The device according to claim 9, in: The posture parameter is the orientation of the device; The digital circuit is configured to select a first data frame when the instantaneous value of the orientation belongs to a set of orientations, and to select a second data frame otherwise.

14. The device according to claim 7, in: When the user presses or pushes the button for the first time, the energy harvester harvests a first energy to: activating the one or more gesture or motion sensors (530) to generate a signal indicative of an amount of motion of the device until the user presses or depresses the button a second time; When the user presses or depresses the button a second time, the energy harvester harvests a second energy to: activating the digital circuit to select a data frame to be transmitted based on the amount of motion of the device; The data frame is sent.

15. A method (1000) for dynamically selecting a command to be sent, include: Upon one or more actions of a user, collecting (1010) one or more energies on the device; Use the one or more energies to: activating (1020) one or more sensors of the device to generate a signal indicative of the position, attitude, or motion of the device; activating (1030) digital circuitry of the device to at least compare the signal representing the position, posture, or motion of the device with a stored signal in the device, and selecting a data frame to be transmitted from among a set of possible data frames based on the compared signal, the set of data frames comprising at least one first data frame for associating the device with at least one other device, and at least one second data frame for executing a command on the at least one other device; A communication feature of the device is activated (1040) to transmit the data frame to the at least one other device.

16. A computer program product, include: a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on a device; as well as Program code stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, when the program code is executed by one or more processors on the device using one or more energies harvested on the device upon one or more actions of a user, causes the one or more processors to: Use the one or more energies to: activating one or more sensors of the device to generate a signal indicative of the position, posture or motion of the device; activating digital circuitry of the device to at least compare the signal representing the position, attitude or motion of the device with a stored signal in the device, and selecting a data frame to be transmitted among a set of possible data frames based on the compared signals, the set of data frames comprising at least one first data frame for associating the apparatus with at least one further apparatus and at least one second data frame for executing a command on the at least one further apparatus; A communication feature of the device is activated to send the data frame to the at least one other device.

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