RF home automation system comprising nodes with dual functionality

A method for establishing an RF automation system network for controlling and monitoring devices, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first controller comprising:
• a radio frequency transmitter for transmitting signals,
• a radio frequency receiver for receiving signals,
• a first memory comprising an organized data structure holding device identifiers of devices controlled by the first controller,
• a second memory holding a controller identifier identifying the first controller, and
• a processor for administering the reception and transmission of signals and being adapted to store one or more device identifiers in the first memory,
• providing a plurality of devices to be controlled by the first controller, each device comprising:
• a radio frequency receiver for receiving signals,
• a radio frequency transmitter for transmitting signals,
• a processor for administering the reception and transmission of signals,
• a first memory adapted to hold a device identifier identifying the device, and
• a processor for administering the reception and transmission of signals and being adapted to provide an output to, or receive an input from, an appliance operationally connected to the device,
• wherein one or more of the devices are adapted to act as I/O devices in that the processors of each of said one or more devices comprises means for generating an event signal in response to input received from an appliance or user, the event signal comprising one or more destination identifiers corresponding to controller or device identifiers of one or more destination controllers or destination devices,
• generating a first signal comprising one or more destination identifiers corresponding to identifiers of one or more destination devices or destination controllers, information related to the operation of an appliance connected to a device, and one or more repeater identifiers corresponding to one or more signal repeating devices,
• transmitting said first signal,
• receiving the first signal at one of said plurality of devices,
• if one of the one or more destination identifiers corresponds to the device identifier of the receiving device, then processing said information in the processor of the device, and
• if one of the one or more repeater identifiers correspond to the device identifier of the receiving device, then transmitting a second signal holding at least said one or more destination identifiers and said information.