Home Automation Controller Synchronization via Start-Stop Commands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless home automation systems face challenges in synchronizing the coordinated action of multiple devices due to delays and network flooding, especially in low-data rate networks, leading to visible artifacts and failures when devices miss commands.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a controller that sends start and stop commands with a controller counter to ensure all devices perform actions synchronously, with intermediate commands for correction, and feedback mechanisms to address missed commands, reducing network load and ensuring reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unicast commands are sent from controller to each device, then reliability of command delivery is improved, but coordination speed and simultaneity of device responses deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The command transmission is segmented into two phases: first, a broadcast command is sent to all devices simultaneously to ensure fast coordination; second, individual unicast acknowledgment requests are sent to verify receipt. This segmentation allows the system to benefit from both broadcast speed and unicast reliability without suffering from the drawbacks of either approach alone.
2Speed
If broadcast commands are sent to target devices, then coordination speed and simultaneity are improved, but reliability of command reception deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
After sending a broadcast command, the controller sends individual acknowledgment requests to each target device. Each device that successfully received the command responds with an acknowledgment. This feedback mechanism allows the controller to verify which devices received the command and retransmit to any that missed it, thereby ensuring reliable delivery while maintaining fast initial coordination.
3Reliability
If high broadcast rate commands are sent to ensure synchronization, then coordination reliability is improved, but network load and flooding increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a preliminary broadcast of the command to all devices simultaneously, allowing them to act immediately without waiting for individual unicast commands. This preliminary action ensures fast synchronization while minimizing the need for repeated command transmissions, thereby reducing overall network traffic compared to sending multiple unicast commands to ensure reliability.
4Quantity of substance
If low broadcast rate commands are sent to reduce network load, then network overload is reduced, but coordination reliability and synchrony deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback acknowledgments from devices to determine whether retransmission is necessary. Instead of sending commands at a high fixed rate, the controller sends a command, waits for acknowledgments, and only retransmits to devices that did not acknowledge. This adaptive approach ensures high coordination reliability while keeping network traffic low by avoiding unnecessary retransmissions.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a home automation system and a method for controlling the same. In order to stably control a continuing concerted adjustment action of a continuously variable parameter by means of few and low-sized commands in order to avoid overloading of a low-data rate network while providing means for fast and unobtrusive correction of failures due to missed commands, it is provided a method for controlling a wireless home automation system, the home automation system being arranged as a network comprising at least one controller and a plurality of devices, wherein the method comprises the steps of sending a start command from the controller to a group of devices comprising an action type and a transaction ID and sending a stop command from the controller to the devices comprising the transaction ID and a controller counter.