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The beauty of most home automation systems is the aspect that you can start out at Level 1 and gradually move up to the more sophisticated levels by adding new hardware. Choosing the right software once you are past Level 2 is key to being able to expand to higher levels. "a product like HomeSeer provides the basic functionality you need to get started, but also the flexibility and power to move to the most sophisticated level." |
If you have spent any time with home automation products you realize there is a myriad of devices and software available. It takes some research to figure out how to put it all together, and what level of control you need or want. By level of control, I am referring to the basic architecture that makes up the system. Home Automation systems can be categorized into 5 different levels based on several factors. The factors are primarily complexity and functionality. These factors determine the level of sophistication and the type of hardware and software used. In summary these levels are:
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Remote Control
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Macros
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Conditional Control
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Interactive
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Learning
Level 1 – Remote Control
Level 1 is the simplest and includes simple remote control of lights and appliances using a transmitter and a receiver. There is no intermediate hardware involved. For example, you might have a controller and a lamp module…
(Simple Controller and Receiver)
Level 1 may also include a timer type controller to turn on the device at a certain time of day…
(Timer Controller)
or it may even use an RF controller.
(RF Receiver and Controller)
Obviously the Level 1 system can be fairly inexpensive. But it basically consists of controlling “one” device at a time and the control is from a transmitter of some sort directly to a receiver.
(Level 1 Block
Diagram)
Level 2 – Macros
Level 2 adds a “macro” capability. A macro is the ability to use one command to actually control several devices. A single touch could dim the lights, close the drapes, put on soft music and start the Hot Tub. One macro can actually run another macro as well. Some type of programming is required to store the macros. This programming can be done from another controller or from a computer. These devices are in fact sophisticated controllers that do not require a computer to run normally. Level 2 control has an intermediate piece of hardware or software.
(Level 2 Block
Diagram)
(Examples of Macro Controllers)
The macro controller might also have a built in timer, so it can initiate commands by itself. For example, it might turn on and off lights at a certain time of day. More sophisticated level 2 controllers, include the knowledge of the date and even the time of sunrise and sunset.
Level 3 – Conditional Control
The Level 2 unit is a sophisticated transmitter but does not monitor actions or do conditional control. That is where Level 3 takes over. Level 3 has the ability to do conditional logic. For example, turn on a sound device if the time is night time and the garage doors have been open for over 15 minutes, or turn on inside lights at a random time if the house is not occupied. Control your heating and cooling system based on not only the current room temperature, but the outside temperature and the weather forecast.
The list is endless, only limited by your imagination.
(Screen shot
from HomeSeer with Conditions)
The conditional logic might include knowing the day of the week, an actual date, whether it is daytime or night time, whether the house is occupied or not, whether another device is on or off, etc.
Generally this device is computer controlled or is based on a dedicated processor based controller. One of the best controllers on the market today that can do conditional control is a software package from HomeSeer Technologies called HomeSeer. This software runs on a typical PC connected to various devices through standard computer ports.
To find out more about this powerful and flexible software package, visit www.homeseer.com.
Level 4 – Interactive
Up to this point, the manual control of devices comes from a controller consisting of buttons or switches. While the controller may be a keypad, remote control, touch panel, or a sensor, the interface is not interactive. Interactive interfaces comprise the Level 4 system.
With an interactive system, the user can not only give commands, but also see status of the system. Level 4 systems include the ability to interface with the system via a computer, web site, voice recognition, instant messenger, email, telephone, or other system. There are only a few systems available that can do this type of interaction. These are almost always computer based. Again, HomeSeer is a fabulous product that can do all of these things.
Here are some exciting examples of what you can do with an Interactive controller.
- Access your lights and appliances via a web page (DSL/Cable Modem required), email, or MSN messenger
- Let the computer talk to you telling you the status of doors, windows, and motions sensors.
- Program your VCR through the Web
- Have the system dial a phone number based on a name you speak.
- Set a timer by voice command. ("Timer - Practice Piano, 30 minutes", "Timer - Check the grill, 10 minutes")
- Create a shopping list by speaking to the system as new items come to mind, then when you are ready to go shopping, ask the system to print the list.
- Ask computer to list what is on TV tonight.
- Receive an email at work when motion is detected inside or outside your house.
- Voice announcing that "There is someone in the driveway", "... at the front door", "... at the back door"
- Monitor activities in the house remotely via MSN Messenger.
- Call you at work if your child doesn't come home at the expected time.
- Monitor the activity of an elderly person remotely. (Using a network of sensors in the elderly's home, the system would be smart enough to detect un-ordinary patterns such as prolonged inactivity or absence, and keep track of ordinary ones like eating, sleeping, and greeting visitors.
- Announce not only the weather conditions from your own weather station, but contact the weather service via the internet and speak the forecast.
- Add Outlook appointments by speaking them
- Inform you of the current stock prices via voice, email, or MSN Messenger.
- Have your Outlook appointments read to you at your command.
- Ask the computer to list the day's news headlines.
- Talk to your computer and have it execute commands, like controlling lights, getting the weather forecast, controlling the home entertainment system.
- Pick up any phone in your house and interact with the system using the touch tone keys or your voice.
(HomeSeer Web
Page with Status and Control Capability)
Level 5 – Learning
And finally the most sophisticated level of control is Level 5. Level 5 incorporates “learning” into the system. The actions of the system might change automatically based on living patterns, etc. This capability is basically the ability for the system to reprogram itself. For example, if the system detects that someone routinely turns a particular device on at about the same time on weekdays, an event would be automatically added to turn on this device.
Another example, could be the ability to use a weather system to measure the amount of rainfall in the past few days, the ability to read a forecast from a web site, and then determine if the sprinkler system should go on, and for how long.
(Sample Scripting Language)
With the scripting capability available in HomeSeer and the ability to create or modify events with script, HomeSeer has the ability to meet the Level 5 requirements for a system that can modify itself.
Summary
The beauty of most home automation systems is the aspect that you can start out at Level 1 and gradually move up to the more sophisticated levels by adding new hardware. Choosing the right software once you are past Level 2 is key to being able to expand to higher levels. As previously mentioned, a product like HomeSeer provides the basic functionality you need to get started, but also the flexibility and power to move to the most sophisticated level.
Larry Kasevich is president of Action Home Automation. His company is a consulting and system integrator of Home Automation Systems. He is also the developer of the Reporter Plug-In for HomeSeer. This software adds reporting capability for log entries, devices, events, and scripts, as well as other reports for various interfaces to a home automation system. Mr. Kasevich is also a Microsoft Certified Professional with a background as both a software and electrical engineer.
