Patent Application
20070288223
The invention relates to a method for a software-engineered reproduction of the behavior of an actual domestic appliance in a model which is connected to the relevant domestic appliance via a bidirectional connecting device, the latter being used to transmit the current states of the relevant domestic appliance to the model and to execute actions in the domestic appliance.
The present invention further relates to a device for a software-engineered reproduction of the behavior of a real domestic appliance in a model which is formed between the relevant domestic appliance and a gateway to which a plurality of domestic appliances optionally belong and via which function states of the respective domestic appliance can be interrogated and/or information data can be transmitted to the respective domestic appliance.
The present invention also relates to a software module for a software-engineered reproduction of the behavior of an actual domestic appliance in a model which can be connected to the relevant domestic appliance via a bidirectional connecting device via which current states of the relevant domestic appliance can be transmitted to the model and actions can be executed in the domestic appliance.
A method for monitoring a plant consisting of a plurality of sub-systems is known (U.S. Pat. No. 6,587,737-B2). For this purpose, various measured values of the plant are detected for a fixed set of process parameters at pre-settable time intervals during the operation of the plant. The measured values determined in a learning phase are used to prepare models for the operating characteristics of the relevant sub-systems. The real measured values are then compared with the relevant models, that is, the function parameters of the real plant are compared with the parameters recorded in the models in order to ascertain any deviations between these parameters. However, nothing is known about the preparation of models of the behavior of a real appliance in this connection.
A method for computer-assisted generation of a graphical user interface and an equipment monitoring/control unit are further known (DE 102 08 146 A1). This method and the relevant equipment monitoring/control unit can be used to monitor and/or control a plurality of equipment in a simple manner using conventional browser technology. The relevant method and said equipment monitoring/control unit is implemented in a building gateway in which an image of the relevant real equipment world is created. Among other things, the XML format is used for the description of the base structures. The image of the relevant real equipment world created in the building gateway however, is not a reproduction of the appliance behavior of the relevant appliance world.
In addition, a building gateway computer arrangement and a control system are known (DE 10 08 147 A1) are known, that is equipment used in the previously considered known method and in the previously considered known equipment monitoring/control unit. In this case also, the relevant equipment is implemented in a building gateway in which only an image of the relevant appliance world is created but not a reproduction of the appliance behavior of the relevant appliance world.
Finally, a device and a method for creating a virtual installation model are also known (EP 1 092 210 B1). The background of the relevant device and the relevant method is the circumstance that the case is frequently encountered in practice that a real installation does not agree with the original plans of the installation since special adaptations or retrofitting have already been carried out when creating the installation or its plans do not contain the information required for the data-engineering further processing. Thus, a coupling of a virtual installation model to the real installation is made in such a manner that a virtual installation 2 is used not only for a static visualization and documentation of an installation 1 but it can additionally take over a plurality of real functions relating to information, operation and observation of the real installation. In this case, also nothing is specifically known about a reproduction of the behavior of a real installation in a model.
It is the object of the invention to show a way in which a software-engineered reproduction of the behavior of a real domestic appliance can be made in a model which can also be implemented by non-software developers and can easily be modified.
The object indicated hereinbefore is achieved in a method of the type specified initially according to the invention whereby said model is merely described declaratively with regard to the appliance parameters which indicate the appliance behavior.
The declarative description of appliance parameters specifying the appliance behavior in said model thus describes the relationship between the units determining the relevant appliance behavior in the real world. In other words, this means that the relevant declarative description of the appliance behavior of a real domestic appliance or of the appliance parameters specifying the appliance behavior effects an abstraction, which takes place independently of computers used in each case in the domestic appliances, so that this image of the appliance behavior can support the use of any computers. In addition, as a result of the declarative description of the appliance behavior of the respective real domestic appliance or the parameters specifying the relevant appliance behavior, such a description can easily be executed by non-software developers and can easily be modified since no special software engineering expertise is required. In addition, the declarative description of the appliance behavior of the respective real domestic appliance or the parameters specifying the relevant appliance behavior can be checked relatively simply for syntactic accuracy.
The declarative description of said model preferably uses graph structures. This has the advantage of a particularly simple description of the relevant model.
Appliance states and transition conditions between appliance states of the relevant domestic appliance are appropriately retained in status graph software. Such software advantageously makes it possible to check whether a specific action can be executed in the respective appliance state of the relevant domestic appliance or with specified parameter combinations and said software contains all the information on the available status variables and actions of the respective domestic appliance.
This results in the advantage that it is particularly simple to check the executability of specific actions in the respective state of a domestic appliance.
The software-engineered reproduction is preferably implemented by appliance-specific components and by specifications which describe the functional properties and therefore the appliance behavior of the relevant domestic appliance under various aspects. This has the advantage that a description of the appliance behavior of the respective real domestic appliance and therefore of the appliance parameters specifying the respective appliance behavior which can be used virtually comprehensively is available.
Links (logic) of the appliance control of the relevant domestic appliance are appropriately imaged by means of said specifications. This has the advantage that the appliance behavior of the respective domestic appliance can be described and checked particularly simply.
The object of the invention specified above can further be achieved in a device of the type specified initially according to the invention in that said model is merely described declaratively with regard to the appliance parameters which indicate the appliance behavior and is constructed from a software component to said gateway and by a software component to the respective domestic appliance as well as by a specification data component between the two software components. This has the advantage of a particularly simply structured model configuration.
Said specification data components preferably comprise a control graph software component, an appliance information component and a state graph software component. This classification of the specification data components brings with it the advantage of a particularly simple systematic classification and detection of the relevant individual components.
In addition, the object specified above is achieved by a software module for a software-engineered reproduction of the behavior of an actual domestic appliance in a model which can be connected to the relevant domestic appliance via a bi-directional connecting device by means of which current states of the relevant domestic appliance can be transmitted to the model and actions can be executed in the domestic appliance which is characterized according to the invention in that said model is merely described declaratively with regard to the appliance parameters which indicate the appliance behavior. This has the advantage of a particularly simply structured model.
Appropriate further developments of the software model according to the invention are covered in claims 10 to 14.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is explained in detail hereinafter with reference to a drawing.
Shown schematically in the drawing is a residential complex WA which can comprise a single dwelling or a plurality of dwellings or a house; at least one networkable domestic appliance HG is located in this residential complex. The relevant domestic appliance HG can be any networkable domestic appliances, such as a washing machine, a drier, a cooker, a refrigerator, a heating system etc. A networkable domestic appliance is understood here as a domestic appliance which can be transmitted by means of a transmitting and/or receiving device to a communication network NET for transmitting various data signals. In the present case, this communication network NET comprises the internet, for example. Naturally however, any other network such as the mains AC network from which the supply voltages required for operation of the respective domestic appliance are taken can be used as the communication network.
In the drawing, however, a branching symbol associated with the domestic appliance HG indicates that a plurality of domestic appliances HG can pertain to the relevant residential dwelling WA.
In the present case, a bidirectional connecting device is connected to the domestic appliance HG or to the multiplicity of domestic appliances provided, said connecting device being formed by a software module SWM in which, as will be described in detail, the model of the appliance behavior of the respective domestic appliance HG will be or is declaratively described with regard to the parameters specifying the appliance behavior. In the present case, the relevant software module SWM is connected to a gateway GW, that is to a transition interface device of the residential complex WA. This gateway GW can be provided as a plurality of gateways as is indicated by the branching symbol indicated in the drawing. The relevant gateways are connected via bidirectional connecting paths to connecting networks via which information data such as updated operating programs can be transmitted to and from the individual domestic appliances and status requests can be made, for example in the course of remote diagnoses. In the present case, the gateway GW shown in the drawing is connected to the afore-mentioned communication network NET which can comprise the internet for example; however, as has already been mentioned, the relevant network NET can also be formed by the power supply network from which the respective household appliance HG takes its energy. The network NET shown in the drawing is connected to a personal computer PC which, for example, can serve as a remote diagnostic station and/or as a loading station from which remote requests can be made at the respective domestic appliance or updated operating programs can be transmitted to the respective domestic appliance HG.
Since the basic structure of the device shown in
On the side of the respective gateway GW the software module SWM has a control unit architecture bridge CB which is in bidirectional communication with the respective gateway GW. The tasks and functions of this control unit architecture bridge CB will be explained in further detail hereinafter.
Located between the software modules considered hereinbefore on the side of the respective domestic appliance HG on the one hand and on the side of the respective gateway GW on the other hand, as shown in the drawing, are specification data components or modules which comprise an appliance information component DI and a state graph software component SG. The tasks and functions of these software components will also become clear in detail from the following description. In this case, the operative connections fundamentally decisive for the present invention are indicated between the individual software components by arrows which however do not exclude further operative connections in the software module SWM shown in the drawing.
Data transmitted by the respective relevant domestic appliance such as the domestic appliance HG are evaluated and stored in the appliance model software model DM. The relevant data are then checked by means of the state graph software component SG as to whether they are consistent.
The possible states of the relevant respective domestic appliance and their transition conditions are specified in the state graph software component SG. In the event of a deviation from state graphs, various correction measures can be introduced, e.g. a re-synchronization with the respective domestic appliance by reading out all the relevant appliance states. The state graphs are preferably written in XML and they contain the elements described in the following Table 1.
An example in connection with a baking oven is given briefly hereinafter. The definition for the appliance state OFF is given: the appliance status object must have the value 1; the following states can be standby, running and inert.
The device control software component DC is used to convert function calls of higher layers of the protocol used into corresponding EHS commands. These EHS commands comprise those of the European Home System Standard (EHS standard). In this case, a function call in the device control software component DC can have the effect that a plurality of EHS commands are transmitted. These commands are executed as transactions.
The device control software component DC further comprises virtual functions which have no direct effects on the respective real domestic appliance. The respective values are held in the gateway GW and if required are transmitted collectively to the respective domestic appliance. For example, a washing parameter input to a washing machine can only be made, for example, when the washing program is started in the relevant washing machine.
In the control graph software component CG it can be checked whether a specific action can be executed in the respective domestic appliance state or with the specified parameter combination. The control graphs are written in XML and they contain the elements described in the following Table 2.
An example for a baking oven is given hereinafter. The allowed functions for appliance status are given by standby and inert.
An example is now given for an oven; the rule which defines when action “reduceTempLevels” can be executed applies
Rule:
if argument “settingA” of action “reduceTempLevels0” is less than the value of status variable “targetSetting” AND status variable “Heating Mode” is equal to the values 7,8 or 9.
The control unit architecture bridge CB will be discussed hereinafter, which plays a central role in the respective software-engineered reproduction of the gateway behavior of a real domestic appliance, such as the domestic appliance HG for the gateway GW. The relevant control unit architecture bridge CB also makes available the functions of the respective domestic appliance in abstracted form, that is independent of the EHS protocol of other services on the gateway GW.
The functions of the respective domestic appliances, such as the domestic appliance HG, are divided into “StatusVariable” and “Actions”. A status variable comprises a specific appliance status, e.g., an appliance state (DeviceState), an end time (FinishTime) or a target temperature (TargetTemperature). The respective value can be read out from the relevant memory and can be supplied to a specific interested party in the event of a change in state for the purpose of notification. Domestic appliance events, such as, for example, the ending of a program, are likewise imaged by status variables.
The afore-mentioned actions are understood as functions of the respective domestic appliance which can be executed by the gateway GW such as, for example setting a target temperature (SetTargetTemperature) and beginning of operation (Start). An action can require parameters and it reports back whether it could be successfully completed or not.
The control unit architecture bridge CB uses the file of the device information component DI and makes available the information contained therein such as, for example, a range of values and the type of status variables or parameters etc.
Finally, the aforementioned device information component DI should be entered. This component DI contains all the information on available status variables and actions of the respective domestic appliance, such as the domestic appliance HG. In detail, the control graph, also written in XML, contains the elements described in the following table 3.
The definition of the status variable “device state” is considered hereinafter for the example of an oven:
The definition of the action “setHeadingModeComplete0” takes place, for example, as follows:
From the preceding explanations of the software components forming the software module SWM, it should have become clear that in the relevant software module SWM the software-engineered reproduction of the appliance behavior of a real domestic appliance such as the domestic appliance HG shown in the drawing takes place in a model and that this model will be or is described merely declaratively with regard to the appliance parameters defining the respective appliance behavior.
CB Control unit architecture bridge
CG Control graph software component
DC Device control software
DI Device information component
DM Device model software module
GW Gateway
HG Domestic appliance
NET Communication network
PC Personal computer
SG State graph software component
SWM Software module
WA Residential complex
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2004 040 795.9 | Aug 2004 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP05/53825 | 8/4/2005 | WO | 7/3/2007 |
