Claims:CLAIMS

We Claim,

1. A control mechanism for an automatic smart home system to transfer digitally controlled automatic smart home system into manually controllable system to allow manual control of the automatic smart home system when the system failure or power failure occurs in the automatic home system, where the control mechanism is: (i) high power control mechanism or (ii) low power control mechanism based on the power rating of a load of the smart home system;
said high power control mechanism is mainly comprises of:
• a load connects to a power line through a primary SPST Relay and a secondary SPDT relay or DPDT (Dual pole dual throw) Relay; wherein the load connects to a common (COM) terminal of the secondary relay, a normally open (NO) terminal of the secondary relay connects to a normally open (NO) terminal of the primary relay and the power line connects to a common (COM) terminal of the primary relay;
• a microcontroller connects to the coil of the primary relay through a relay trigger circuit; wherein the microcontroller and the trigger circuit are configured to energize or de-energize the coil of the primary relay according to a command from a user device;
• a manual switch configured to connect the load with the power line; wherein an input terminal of the manual switch connects to the power line and an output terminal of the manual switch connects to a normally closed (NC) terminal of the secondary relay which connects to the load at the common terminal (COM); and
• an opto-coupler connected between the microcontroller and the output terminal of the switch and configured to detect presence of an voltage around the manual switch; and
the said low power control mechanism is mainly comprising of:
• a load connects to a power line through a triac; wherein the load connects to a triac line of the triac and the power line connects to a MT2 terminal of the triac;
• a microcontroller is connected to a gate terminal (G) of the triac through an opto-coupler (triac drive circuit); wherein the microcontroller and opto-coupler are configured to trigger the gate terminal to allow current to pass from the power line to the load through the triac;
• a manual switch parallel connected to the gate terminal of the triac through a secondary relay from an output terminal of the switch and with the power line through the primary relay from an input terminal of the switch; wherein the switch is configured to energize or de-energize the gate terminal of the triac in a system failure condition.

2. The control mechanism of claim 1; wherein in digital control of the smart home system, the microcontroller takes command signals from user device such as smartphones or any other smart user device and accordingly turns the load ON or OFF.

3. The control mechanism of claim 1; Wherein the high power control mechanism allows control of a high power rated loads of the smart home system and the low power control mechanism allows control of a low power rated loads of the smart home system.

4. A method of working of the control mechanism; wherein the control mechanism operates in two different modes that are:
(i) Normally Running Mode; and
(ii) System failure Mode;
Wherein the control mechanism operates in normally running mode and allows digitally control of the smart home system, when there is not any failure in the automatic control of the smart home system; and
Wherein the control mechanism operates in system failure mode and allows manual control of the smart home system, when failure occurs and automatic digital control of the smart home system fails.

5. The method of working of the control mechanism of claim 4, wherein in Normally Running Mode, working of the said high power control mechanism includes:
• a microcontroller receives a command signal from user device of the user;
• according to the command signal to ON the load, the microcontroller actuates the coil of the primary relay making a contact between the common and the normally open terminal of the primary relay allowing a current to pass through the primary relay; and
• as the control system is operating in a normally running mode due to no failure within the system, the coil of the secondary relays is energized and the common terminal of the secondary relay is connected to the normally open terminal of the secondary relay making a complete connection between the load and the power line to pass a current through to ON the load; and
in said System Failure Mode when automatic digital control using microcontroller fails, working of the said high power control mechanism includes:
• the coil of the secondary relay de-actuates due to failure, causing shifting of connection of common terminal from normally open terminal to the normally close terminal of secondary relay;
• the normally close terminal of the secondary relay is connected with the power line through the manual switch and with the load at the common terminal of the secondary relay making a connection between the load and power line to pass the current through the manual switch, allowing user to control the operation of load using manual switch in system failure mode;
6. The method of working of the control mechanism of claim 4, wherein, in said Normally Running Mode, working of the said low power control mechanism includes:
• a microcontroller receives a command signal from user device of the user;
• according to the command signal to ON or OFF the load, the microcontroller actuates or de-actuates the gate terminal of the triac through the opto-coupler, causing connection or disconnection between the power line and load respectively; and;
in said System Failure Mode when automatic digital control using microcontroller fails, working of the said low power control mechanism includes:
• as the gate terminal of the triac is also connected with the power source line through the manual switch and primary and secondary relay;
• manual actuation or de-actuation of the switch causes actuation or de-actuation of the gate terminal of the triac, causing connection or disconnection between the power line and load respectively.

6. The control mechanism for an automatic smart home system according to any preceding claims, wherein, during normal running mode, the system operates by taking command from both manual switches as well as through wireless control device of user.
, Description:
FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10; rule 13)

1. Title of the invention – AN AUTOMATIC SMART HOME SYSTEM FAILURE CONTROL MECHANISM

2. Applicant(s)
(a) NAME: VEGG
(b) NATIONALITY: INDIAN
(c) ADDRESS: 410,SILVERSTONE ARCADE, CAUSEWAY ROAD, KATARGAM, SURAT-395004, GUJARAT

3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic smart home system failure control mechanism to allow control of working of system to user even in automatic system failure or power failure. More particularly, it relates to a smart mechanism that transfers the automatic system of smart home or any automatic smart electronic device used in smart homes into manual system, in cases of system failure or power failure conditions, to allow user to manually control working and operation of automatic system of smart home.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Since “John Henry Holmes” invented the Switch in 1864 the concept of turning almost every consumer electronics equipment ON or OFF literally everywhere by just your mechanical input was very easy. Switch is used and basic working principle of this switch is to close and open the electric circuit. We have used that mechanism for more than 100 years now.

[0003] But, as the smart home came in, people started using digital controlling and automation. Relays, Triac and Mosfat based solutions started to come in the market to control the appliances wirelessly because of the ease of embedding them with the microcontroller. But the main issue with this type of automatic system is that, when this type of automatic system fails like when the power supply failure occurs or any system failure occurs, whole automatic system fails and this also terminates manual operation of the system using switches.

[0004] One such smart home system is discloses in patent US9547980B2 having title as “Smart gateway, smart home system and smart controlling method thereof” which discloses A smart controlling method applied to a smart home system for controlling a number of home appliances of the smart home system is able to learn the habits of the user in relation to the home appliances, deeming a control operation a habit when a certain controlling command is repeated for more than a predetermined number of times in a predetermined period. When the current certain condition value matches one of the habit certain conditions, the smart home system calls the corresponding habit controlling command to control the relative home appliance to execute the habitual operation. A smart gateway and a smart home system are also provided. But, it fails to talk about situations of system or power failure,

[0005] Also, one another patent JP4303106B2 having title “Electronic control system and method” discloses an apparatus in an electronic control system allows two or three wire operations. A power supply (150) can supply power to the enclosed circuitry in both two and three wire installations. Two separate zero cross detectors are used such that timing information can be collected in both two and three wire installations. Both zero cross detectors (110) are monitored and are used to automatically configure the electronic control. Over voltage circuitry senses an over voltage condition across a MOSFET which is in the off state and turns the MOSFET on so that it desirably will not reach the avalanche region. Over current circuitry senses when the current through the MOSFETs has exceeded a predetermined current threshold and then turns the MOSFETs off so they do not exceed the MOSFETs' safe operating area (SOA) curve. Latching circuitry (120) is employed to keep the protection circuitry in effect even after a fault condition has cleared. Lockout circuitry (130) is used to prevent one protection circuit from tripping after the other circuit has already tripped from a fault condition. The protection circuitry output is desirably configured such that it can bypass and override the normal turn on and turn off impedance and act virtually directly on the gates of the MOSFETs. Preferably, the system has a high efficiency switching type power supply in parallel with a low frequency controllably conductive device. But this prior art also failed to talk about system or power failure and control mechanism to work in system or power failure conditions to allow control of devices or apparatuses of smart home system.

[0006] Therefor, there exist a need of a system that can overcome this issue by providing a system with a mechanism that transfers the automatic operation of the system into manual operation using manual switches in situations of power failure or system failure. Further, there is a need of an automatic system where manual operation of an automatic system does not fail in any kind of system failure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further disclosed in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0008] The principle object of the present invention is to overcome aforesaid need by providing a system that is capable of transferring automatic operable system into manual operable system when digital controlling of the automatic system fails.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic smart home system failure control mechanism that allows manual operation of a smart home system to turn it ON or OFF using manual switches even if whole system fails due to power failure.

[0010] One another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic smart home system failure control mechanism that is made of normal relays and triacs.

[0011] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic smart home system failure control mechanism that is economic due to less amount of easily available components.

[0012] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic smart home system failure control mechanism that prevents the system failure to behave like electricity failure and shut off whole system.

[0013] Yet one more objet of the present invention is to provide an automatic smart home system failure control mechanism that transfers the system form automatic mode to manual mode to allow user to use local functionalities when the system failure or power failure occurs.

BRIEF DESCRIOPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and structures disclosed herein. The description of a method step or a structure referenced by a numeral in a drawing is applicable to the description of that method step or structure shown by that same numeral in any subsequent drawing herein.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram of a high power system failure control mechanism of present invention working in a normally Running System Mode to turn the load power ON/OFF using digital control.

[0016] Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram of a high power system failure control mechanism of present invention working in a System Failure Mode to turn the load ON/OFF using manual switches.

[0017] Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of a low power system failure control mechanism of present invention working in a normally Running System Mode to turn the load power ON/OFF using digital control.

[0018] Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram of a low power system failure control mechanism of present invention working in a System Failure Mode to turn the load ON/OFF using manual switches.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0019] The present invention overcomes the aforesaid drawbacks of the above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will now be described in greater detail. Also, the following description includes various specific details and are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that: without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure and its various embodiments there may be any number of changes and modifications described herein.

[0020] It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Although any systems and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the present invention, the preferred, systems and methods are now described.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the present invention discloses an automatic smart home system failure control mechanism that transfers the digitally controlled smart home system into manually controllable system that can be controlled using manual switches, when the system failure or power failure occurs and when digital control of the automatic system fails. According to one embodiment, the present invention provides an automatic system failure control mechanism that allows manual operation of a smart home system to turn it ON or OFF using manual switches even if whole system fails due to power failure.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the present invention discloses a mechanism made of Relays, Triacs, Smart controller and manual switch that is capable of being used as controlling mechanism of digitally controlled smart home system or that is capable of replacing conventional digital control mechanism of smart home systems that instead of shutting whole smart home system in power failure or system failure conditions, allows user to control smart home system manually using manual switches. The smart home system failure control mechanism of present invention discloses various embodiments of systems to control various loads, according to type and power requirement of load.

[0023] Based on the power requirement of the loads of the smart home system, the control mechanism of present invention is classified as (1) High power control mechanism and (2) Low power control mechanism which are capable of controlling loads with high power rating and low power rating respectively.

High Power Control Mechanism

[0024] The embodiment of high power control mechanism of present invention to control smart home failure or to control failure of automatic system of smart home is comprising of: a primary SPST relay; a secondary SPDT relay or DPDT (Dual pole dual throw) Relay; a digital control mechanism same as conventional automatic control mechanism having a microcontroller, an Opto-coupler and a relay trigger circuit that receives digital control commands from control mechanism of present invention or wireless smart devices of user and accordingly controls the smart home system when system work in normal running mode without any failure; and a manual switch same as conventional manual control switch used in homes to control (ON/OFF) the system manually when system failure or power failure occurs and digital control of smart home system fails. To provide control of smart home system, the control mechanism of present invention works in two different modes as: (1) Running system mode and (2) System failure mode.

[0025] When there is not any failure in system, the control mechanism of present invention works in a running system mode and behaves as a conventional automatic control mechanism that allows control (ON/OFF) of smart home system using command from control mechanism of present invention or wireless control device of user such as smart phone or any digital smart device. The control mechanism of present invention transfers the system into the system failure mode when the system or power failure occurs in the system. In the system failure mode, the control mechanism of the present invention shifts the digital control to the manual control using manual switch to prevent complete shut down of the smart home system in cases of system failure or power failure situations.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the smart home system failure control mechanism of present invention is comprising of: a load 10 coupled with a power source line 1 through a primary relay 4 (SPST) and a secondary relay 5 (SPDT) or DPDT (Dual pole dual throw) Relay, where the load 10 connects to the common terminal (COM) of secondary relay 5, both the relays are connects at Normally open (NO) terminals of the primary relay 4 and the secondary relay 5 and the power source line 1 connects at the common terminal (COM) of the primary relay 4; the load 10 further couples with the power source line 1 through the manual switch 6 and secondary relay 5 to allow manual switching of load 10 in system failure conditions, where the power source line 1 connects to one terminal of switch 6 while the another terminal of the switch 6 connects to Normally closed (NC) terminal of the secondary relay 5 which connects with the load 10 at common terminal (COM). Hence, the control mechanism of the present invention connects load 10 with power source line 1 in two different ways. The control mechanism of present invention further comprises of a microcontroller 2 coupled with the primary relay 4 via relay trigger circuit 3 at actuation coil terminal R1 of the primary relay 4. The control mechanism of present invention further comprises of an opto-coupler device 7 that connects microcontroller 2 with the output terminal 6b of manual switch 6 to detect and monitor state of manual switch 6 (ON/OFF).

[0027] Now, referring to FIG. 1 which discloses a circuit diagram of abovementioned embodiment of high power smart home system failure control mechanism, working in a Normally Running System Mode to turn the load 10 ON/OFF using digital control devices of user, which is same as convention automatic control mechanisms of smart home system. The control mechanism works in Normally Running System Mode when there is not any failure. In this mode, when the user commands the system to turn the load 10 ON, the microcontroller 2 triggers the relay trigger circuit 3 which in turns actuates coil of the primary relay 4 that makes connection between common terminal (COM) and normally open terminal (NO) of primary relay 4, and as there is not any failure in the system, the coil of the secondary relay 5 is also actuated causing connection between normally open terminal (NO) and common terminal (COM) of secondary relay 5, which completes path for power to transfer from power source line 1 to load 10 though primary relay 4 and secondary relay 5 causing load 10 to turn ON. When the user sends off command to the microcontroller 2 using any smart device, the microcontroller 2 sends off trigger signal to the relay trigger circuit 3, which in turns, de-energizes the coil of primary relay 4 causing normally open terminal (NO) and common terminal (COM) to disconnect, breaking the path of power flow from power source line 1 to load 10 causing load 10 to turn OFF.

[0028] FIG. 2 discloses a circuit diagram of working of smart home system failure control mechanism of present invention working in a System Failure Mode to turn the load 10 ON/OFF using manual switch 6 when system failure occurs and digital control of system using smart user devices of user fails. When system failure occurs and digital control fails, the control mechanism turns the system into system failure mode from normal running mode. In system failure mode, control using microcontroller 2 fails that deactivates primary relay 4 and, hence load 10 of the smart home system shuts down. Because of the system failure, coil voltage of secondary relay 5 fails, which causes connection of common terminal (COM) of the secondary relay 5 to transfer from normally open (NO) to normally close (NC), causing load 10 to connect the power source line 1 through the manual switch 6. Hence, allowing the smart home system to be controlled using manual switch 6, even in system failure conditions.

Low Power Control Mechanism

[0029] The another embodiment of low power control mechanism of present invention to control smart home failure or to control failure of automatic system of smart home is comprising of: a primary SPDT relay; a secondary SPDT relay or DPDT (Dual pole dual throw) Relay; a digital control mechanism same as conventional automatic control mechanism having a microcontroller, an Opto-coupler and a triac that receives digital control commands from control mechanism of present invention or wireless smart devices of user and accordingly controls the smart home system when system work in normal running mode without any failure; and a manual switch same as conventional manual control switch used in homes, to control (ON/OFF) the system manually when system failure or power failure occurs and digital control of smart home system fails. To provide control of smart home system, the control mechanism of present invention works in two different modes as: (1) Running system mode and (2) System failure mode.

[0030] As stated above, when there is not any failure in system, the control mechanism of present invention works in a running system mode and behaves as a conventional automatic control mechanism that allows control (ON/OFF) of smart home system using control mechanism of present invention or wireless control device of user such as smart phone or any digital smart device. The control mechanism of present invention transfers the system into the system failure mode when the system or power failure occurs in the system. In the system failure mode, the control mechanism of the present invention shifts the digital control to the manual control using manual switch to prevent complete shut-down of the smart home system in cases of system failure or power failure situation of system.

[0031] According to one another embodiment, the smart home system failure control mechanism of present invention is comprising of: a load 20 coupled with a power source line 11 through a triac 14, where load connects to the triac 14 at triac line while the power source line 11 connects to MT2 terminal of triac 14. In this present embodiment, activation or deactivation of triac 14, or in other words triac operation manipulation commands at the Gate (G) terminal is given via two separate ways, one is from microcontroller 12 through triac drive circuit (or opto-coupler) 13 and another is from direct power source line 11 through relay (16, 17) and manual switch 15. Wherein, the first way to manipulate operation of triac 14 from microcontroller 12 allows automatic control (ON/OFF) of load 20 of smart home system digitally using control mechanism of present invention or any wireless smart device of user. While the second way to trigger gate (G) terminal of triac 14 through manual switch 15 is provided to allow control of load 20 of smart home system using manual switch 15, in case of digital system break down or system failure. The microcontroller 12 of control mechanism of present invention is further connected with the output terminal of manual switch 15 through secondary relay 16 to detect and monitor condition of manual switch 15.

[0032] Now, referring to FIG. 3 which discloses a circuit diagram of abovementioned embodiment of low power smart home system failure control mechanism, working in a Normally Running System Mode to turn the load 20 ON/OFF though microcontroller 12 using digital control devices of user, which is same as convention automatic control mechanisms of smart home system. The control mechanism works in Normally Running System Mode when there is not any failure. In this mode, when the user commands the system to turn the load 20 ON, the microcontroller 12 triggers the gate (G) terminal of the triac 14 through opto-coupler 13 which in turns actuates triac 14 and allows power to pass from MT2 terminal of the triac 14 to the load 20 of the smart home system. When the user sends off command to the microcontroller 12 using any smart device, the microcontroller 12 de-energizes the Gate (G) terminal breaking the path of power flow from power source line 11 to load 20 causing load 20 to turn OFF.

[0033] FIG. 4 discloses a circuit diagram of working of smart home system failure control mechanism of present invention working in a System Failure Mode to turn the load 20 ON/OFF using manual switches 15 when system failure occurs and digital control of system using smart user devices of user fails. When system failure occurs and digital control fails, the control mechanism turns the system into system failure mode from normal running mode. In system failure mode, control using microcontroller 12 fails, but as the Gate (G) terminal of the triac 14 is also connected with the power source line 11 through manual switch 15, primary and secondary relay (16, 17) (the second way), it allows activation of gate (G) of traic 14 using manual switch 15, causing load 20 to connect the power source line 11 through the triac 14. Hence, allowing the smart home system to be controlled using manual switch 15, even in system failure conditions.

[0034] Without further description, it is believed that one of ordinary skill in the art can, using the preceding description and the illustrative examples, make and utilize the present invention and practice the claimed methods. It should be understood that the foregoing discussion and examples merely present a detailed description of certain preferred embodiments. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and equivalents can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0035] As per one embodiment, during normal running mode, smart home system will be operated by both mechanisms, i.e through mobile or IOT device as well as control mechanism of present invention that means through manual switches. However, during power failure mode, the smart home system will be operated by control mechanism of present invention only. During normal running mode, the system operates by taking command from control mechanism of present invention that means through manual switches or wireless control device of user such as smart phone or any digital smart device.