Building technical management controller with a two-wire data and power transmission line
AssigneeMerlin Gerin
InventorsPierre Demeyer, Jean-Luc Mertz, Corinne Segond, Serge Moutet, Robert Chevaleyre, Henri Lhuillier, Patrick Barthelemy
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Abstract
A building power management controller comprises a plurality of modules connected by a two-wire network. Each module comprises a data transceiver device, controlled by a microprocessor to both transmit data to the other modules and to a central unit via the two-wire network, and to receive information via this two-wire network. The modules are supplied with power by the two-wire network. When two modules transmit simultaneously, one takes priority so as not to disturb the messages transmitted.
Claims9
An integrated power and data transmission apparatus for controlling the operation of electrical equipment in a building comprising:
- a two-wire bus including a first line acting as a voltage supply line and a second line acting as a return line for power and asynchronous data transmission;
- a power supply means for providing a low level DC voltage to said two-wire bus, said power supply means including a current limiter for limiting the current supplied by said power supply means to said two-wire bus when said supply line and said return line are short-circuited;
- a plurality of independently addressable modules coupled to said two-wire bus and powered by said power supply means, said plurality of modules including at least one module which transmits a command signal and one module which performs a preprogrammed function in response to said command signal, wherein each of said plurality of modules includes:
- a) data transmission and data reception means for performing data transmission and data reception with another module;
- b) a programmable microcontroller for controlling the operation of the module including performance of said preprogrammed function and said data transmission and data reception;
- c) interface means coupled to said two-wire bus including means for providing uninterrupted power to the module and short-circuiting means controlled by said programmable microcontroller for short-circuiting said supply line to said return line;
- and
- d) data communication priority means for determining a priority of data communication for the module including mans for detecting when a difference occurs between a signal present on said two-wire bus with a data transmission signal output from the module and withdrawing from data transmission when said difference is detected;
- wherein data is transmitted on said two-wire bus as a binary DC signal with a logic high represented by the presence of a supply voltage of the two-wire bus and a logic low represented by a zero voltage on the two-wire bus caused by the short-circuiting of said supply line with said return line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.