Home automation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search This article is about automation within residences. For automation within commercial buildings, see Building automation. Home automation (also called domotics) is a field within building automation, specializing in the specific automation requirements of private homes and in the application of automation techniques for the comfort and security of its residents. Although many techniques used in building automation (such as light and climate control, control of doors and window shutters, security and surveillance systems, etc.) are also used in home automation, additional functions in home automation can include the control of multi-media home entertainment systems, automatic plant watering and pet feeding, automatic scenes for dinners and parties, and a more user-friendly control interface. When home automation is installed during construction of a new home, usually control wires are added before the interior walls are installed. These control wires run to a controller, which will then control the environment.

Contents
[hide]

1 Standards and bridges 2 Effects 3 System o 3.1 Architecture o 3.2 Interconnection 4 Classifications of Domestic nets tecnologies: 5 Tasks o 5.1 HVAC o 5.2 Lighting o 5.3 Natural lighting o 5.4 Audio o 5.5 Video o 5.6 Security o 5.7 Intercoms o 5.8 Robotics o 5.9 Other systems 6 Organizations 7 See also

8 External links

[edit] Standards and bridges

Specific domotic standards include INSTEON, X10, PLC BUS, KNX (standard), System Box, LonWorks,, C-Bus, Universal powerline bus (UPB), UPnP, ZigBee and Z-Wave that will allow for control of most applications. Some standards use control wiring, some embed signals in the powerline, some use radio frequency (RF) signals, and some use a combination of several methods. Control wiring is hardest to retrofit into an existing house. Some appliances include USB that is used to control it and connect it to a domotics network. Bridges translate information from one standard to another (eg. from X10 to EIB). Comparative table:

If the house is equipped with a home theater, a home automation system can shut down all audio and video components to alert the user to a possible fire or a burglar.

[edit] System
The elements of a domotics system are:

controllers sensors actuators

[edit] Architecture
From the point of view of where the intelligence of the domotic system resides, there are three different architectures: Centralized Architecture: a centralized controller receives information of multiple sensors and, once processed, generates the opportune orders for the actuators. Distributed Architecture: all the intelligence of the system is distributed by all the modules that are sensors or actuators. Usually it is typical of the systems of wiring in bus. Mixed Architecture: systems with decentralized architecture as far as which they have several small devices able to acquire and to process the information of multiple sensors and to transmit them to the rest of devices distributed by the house.

[edit] Interconnection
By wire: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. xDSL optical fiber cable (coaxial and twisted pair) powerline Cresnet

Wireless: 1. radio frequency, including: Wi-Fi GPRS and UMTS Bluetooth DECT ZigBee

Z-Wave EnOcean 2. infrared Consumer_IR Both 1. Insteon

[edit] Classifications of Domestic nets tecnologies:

Device interconection: o FireWire o Bluetooth o USB o IrDa Control and automatizacion nets: o Konnex o Lonworks o X10 o EIB o EHS o Batibus o ZigBee Data nets: o Ehernet o Homeplug o HomePNA o Wifi

[edit] Tasks
[edit] HVAC
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) solutions include temperature and humidity control (climotics).

[edit] Lighting
Lighting control systems involves aspects related to controlling electric lights.

Extinguished general of all the lights of the house Automatization of switched off / ignition in every point of light

Regulation of the illumination according to the level of ambient luminosity.

This category also typically includes control of exhaust and ceiling fans.

[edit] Natural lighting

Natural lighting control involves controlling electric window shades and draperies. Recent advances include use of RF technology to avoid wiring to switches and integration with third party home automation systems for centralized control.

[edit] Audio
This category includes audio switching and distribution. Audio switching determines the selection of an audio source. Audio distribution allows an audio source to be heard in one or more rooms. This feature is often referred to as 'multi-zone' audio.

[edit] Video
This includes video switching and distribution, allowing a video source to be viewed on multiple TVs. This feature is often referred to as 'multi-zone' video. Integration of the intercom to the telephone, or of the video door entry system to the television set.

[edit] Security
Control and integration of security systems. This category also includes control and distribution of security cameras (see surveillance).

Detection of possible intrusion o sensors of detection of movement o sensors of magnetic contact of door/window o sensors of crystal breakage Simulation of presence. Detection of attempts of fire, flights of gas, water escapes (see fire alarm and gas alarm) Medical alert. Teleassistance. Precise and safe closing of blinds.

[edit] Intercoms
An intercom system allows communication via a microphone and loud speaker between multiple rooms.

Ubiquity in the external control as much internal, remote control from the Internet, PC, wireless controls (p.ej. PDA with WiFi), electrical equipment. Transmission of alarms. Intercommunications.

[edit] Robotics

Control of home robots, using if necessary domotic electric beacon. Home robot communication (i.e. using WiFi) with the domotic network and other home robots.

[edit] Other systems

Using special hardware, almost any electric or electronic device can be controlled automatically or remotely with efficient control and easy handling. Including:

Coffee pot Garage door(s) Pet feeder(s) Sprinkler System Pool pump(s) and heater, Hot tub and Spa

[edit] Organizations

CENELEC MIT AgeLab SIMO TCI DLNA

[edit] See also

Home automation for the elderly and disabled Digital home Emergency light Floor plan and house navigation system Gate operator Gerontotechnology Home of the future Information appliance HVAC Power line communication Speech recognition and Text To Speech (TTS)

Touchscreen/Touch panel

[edit] External links

Home Automation at the Open Directory Project Home automation newsgroup on Usenet (alternative free web access using Google Groups) Home Automation Guides Provides advice for DIY home automation projects, including weather sensing, furnace control, voice recognition, and surveillance A quick introduction to home automation Industry and associationslinks.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_automation" Categories: Home automation | Building engineering | Domotics

Views

Article Discussion Edit this page History

Personal tools

Log in / create account

Navigation

Main Page Contents Featured content Current events Random article

Interaction

About Wikipedia Community portal Recent changes Contact Wikipedia Donate to Wikipedia Help

Search
Go Search

Toolbox

What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Printable version Permanent link Cite this page

Languages

Catal Deutsch Espaol Franais Galego Italiano Nederlands Polski Portugus Romn

This page was last modified on 15 February 2008, at 06:18. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.) Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity. Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers