Articles and whitepapers

Automation Control - an Overview (2/2/2004)

By Hayley Evans

The automation control market has developed greatly over the years, from basic control of video and audio products to whole-house automation that is controllable from anywhere in the world.

Word of mouth has been the most influential factor in the growth of the home automation market. In many cases, this originally rose from installations in the commercial world, where the boardroom installation included control of the lighting, screen, projector and blinds, and the MD then wanted something similar at home.

Another driver has been AV equipment control using multiple remote controls. These take the form of handheld devices that transmit IR (infra-red) macros to various pieces of equipment - with all the reliability problems that ensue. Searching for more reliable methods of control has led consumers into the world of control systems and home automation.

Automation is used by corporate, residential, leisure, education, and medical markets. It is appropriate for any environment where multiple devices must be controlled in tandem - from a modern church to a nightclub, or of course, a modern home.

Automation can control virtually the whole house. It can control the environment such as heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC), lights, and blinds. It can control communications such as the telephone, email, Internet, intercom, and video conferencing. It can also control entertainment systems such as the TV, VCR/DVD, audio and home cinema, and security systems such as the alarm, CCTV, and access control.

Reliability

The most important factor to consider when choosing a controller is intrinsic reliability. This not only means that that the system does not break, but that it does what the operator expects it to do. Is it on? Is it off? How much lamp life is left in the connected projector?

Another increasingly important issue is the speed with which the system can deal with data - be it a 100baseT Ethernet connection or RS232 traffic. Indeed there has been a significant increase in the latter in particular, from devices such as hard disk media servers. This can cause some control systems to literally slow down as they struggle to cope with the traffic, causing frustration to the user as they see a slowness in response to button presses on their controller. Manufacturers should therefore ensure that high-speed performance requirements are met by continually updating their processors.

Fingertip control

Control panels are available to meet your needs, whether they be wired or wireless, tactile or visual, and their capabilities are limited only by your imagination. Basically, anything electrical can be integrated into a control system.

Wired wall-mounted touchpanel with graphic display

The user interface though could be a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) on a wireless network, or even PC on the other side of the world. Simple button panels can also be used for control, and provide surprising levels of feedback such as temperature monitoring and the ability to play audio files.

Most manufacturers of automation systems will use some form of network over which the control signals operate. Crestron for example, uses a proprietary network called Cresnet. This can be used in any room of a house - not only bedrooms and living areas, but also in bathrooms and the kitchen - on yachts, any boardroom or lecture theatre, restaurants, bars, hotels, retail, and in medical operating theatres.

Wireless network control from the swimming pool

Programming and Integration

Controllers must be programmed to perform functions and display information in a form that suits the particular installation. Crestron controllers for example, are programmed using a proprietary operating system that generates control programmes and graphical user interface designs. Dealers can attend an Îessentials¶ programming course held regularly in the UK and Europe to acquire the skills necessary to quickly author and modify new or existing control systems, and Crestron provides an extensive library of pre-defined modules and drivers, for proprietary and third party equipment.

While a system that has a broad range of integrated systems will help ensure intrinsic reliability and avoid compatibility and control difficulties, it will almost always be necessary to integrate with third party devices also.

Easy integration of third party systems is therefore essential in order to make programming faster and more efficient. The Crestron I2P partnership scheme for example, establishes strong working relationships with other manufacturers so that the latest communication protocols are speedily implemented into its database.

Summary

Wireless controller with buttons either side of the display

With the right automation control, you can bring all of your complete control requirements, from HVAC, multiroom AV, security and monitoring, to one simple, easy-to-use, intuitive user interface - whether that be a simple handheld button remote or a glorious fifteen-inch full colour touchpanel with video and VGA inputs. When considering such a system however, think very carefully about what you want to achieve as an end result, and make sure that it is conveyed as strongly as possible to your designer, consultant and/or install company.

Look for quality, reliability, proven products and support. If possible, consider products that can be tailored to your specifications, adapted to match your interior design, and that have an operating system which is future-proof.

Hayley Evans provides marketing for Crestron UK Ltd, manufacturer of control and automation systems.

www.crestron.co.uk