Latest Technology in Automated Home Control: System Design Manual

Latest Technology in Automated Home Control is an easy to follow system design, installation and programming manual. This book is a must for anyone taking a hands-on approach to automating their residence. Learn how to design, install and program powerful residential automation systems by following the 'Example Home' room-by-room, step-by-step format.

This publication centers around a fully illustrated' Example Home' that realistically describes and demonstrates various methods of automating practically any electrical load found in the home.

This book includes system design information required to automate both interior and exterior lighting, ceiling fans, attic ventilation fans, window coverings, air conditioning systems, pools and spas, multi-zone audio/video systems, multi-zone sprinkler systems, garage doors, property access gates, security camera surveillance systems, integrated security systems and much more!

The primary intention of the 'Example Home' format is to provide the reader with a concise fast-track and easy means of learning and applying automated home control design concepts to their own personal projects. This unique whole house approach will provide basic as well as advanced design and interface methods. Realistic scenarios are also provided to help the reader understand what could be experienced during the process of automating a home. For example, at the beginning of Chapter Two, this manual describes a scenario of a system designer individual who approaches the 'Example Home' for the first time for the purpose of examining the house prior to designing the home automation system. This individual looks at the electrical loads in the home and how they are manually controlled to obtain the information required to automate these devices. The design individual also performs an X10 signal strength test and electrical noise test to potentially find any problems with the existing electrical system. This process is easily performed and is described in a step-by-step format. This information is then used to provide the appropriate solutions before a system is designed. After the design individual has determined what there is to work with in the 'Example Home', the design process leads the reader from room-to-room to teach the appropriate design techniques for each and every application.

Programming the system is only required when a Home Controller is incorporated as part of the design. Residential automation systems that do not utilize a Home Controller can provide powerful automation features; however, they cannot provide the wealth of control possibilities, versatility, convenience and decision making capabilities that a Home Controller can furnish. Programming is easy to perform and should not intimidate anyone. The programming is written the same way a human naturally thinks.

IF button number one on a transmitter is pushed and it is after sunset, THEN the Home Controller will run the‘Entertainment Mode’.

IF the Garage door is open and it is 10;00 PM Sunday through Saturday, THEN the Home Controller will automatically close the garage door (Check garage door closed).

IF I push a secure transmitter button from my car when arriving home, THEN activate the ‘Arriving Home Mode’. This mode will open the garage door, disarm the security system, turn on a light in each room only IF it is after sunset for safety purposes, turn on some favorite music, change the heating and cooling temperature set-points and any other control function you wish to occur.

The various design sections of this manual also contains the programming lines of a wide variety of ‘Events’ or ‘Modes of Operation’ that provide the family with many valuable features to fit their lifestyle. This makes it easy for you to program your automation system without having to come up with ideas from scratch.

The information contained in this book can make your home more convenient, comfortable, secure, fun, and energy efficient.

Features X10 PowerLine Carrier and Hardwired I/O based Protocols.

I have a Bachelors of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. I have worked as an Environmental Control System Design Engineer for an aerospace company for the past 22 years and my back ground includes extensive experience with (DDC) Direct Control Systems used to control industrial environmental mechanical systems.

I became interested in residential automation systems in 1985 and have been researching this industry ever since. I designed my first residential automation system for my own home in 1987 and after automating the majority of electrical loads in the home, I continued my hands on experience by automating the homes of family members and friends. After a number of years it became second nature for me when it came to designing and installing these systems. This allowed me to venture out into the real world and design numerous whole house automation systems for high-end homes during the mid 1990s and have continued to do so during the more recent residential building boom. I am continuing to research the industry for new design and installation methods and also look for new system components that incorporate the very latest technologies. I use this information to periodically up date my publications and will continue to do so for many years to come.