RE: Controllerless distributed automation

["Paul Miller" <pmiller@xxxxxxx>]

All the projects I do are to add convience etc to our way of life (the
family) however, if I introduced something which meant that if my PC or
HomeVision was out of action then they could not use the lights TV etc I
would never be able to implement it, what I am trying to say is all the
items should be able to operate manually or the wife would go berserk :)

-----Original Message-----
From: David Paterson (Pixi) [mailto:david.paterson@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 13 February 2001 23:28
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Controllerless distributed automation


On Wed, 14 Feb 2001 11:28:08 +1300, you wrote:

>when I first got into home automation (expensive mistake)

LOL - I'm expecting that.  I think the HA budget will have to be as much
as for the rest of the house and the garden put together.

>I brought a cheap
>activehome package which came with a pc interface module which the
macros
>and timed events could be downloaded from the PC to, meaning that the
PC
did
>not have to be on to run the house etc, the PC was just used for
>programming.  they would have to still be selling this or similar
units.

Yep, I've seen these kinds of doobries, and it sounds like a step in the
right direction, but it's still a single node or device controlling
everything.  If it fails your whole house is dead in the water.

I'm thinking more along the lines of each device like a light switch or
thermostat having its own processor, its own macro or program storage,
and its own knowledge of its environment and neighbouring devices.

There's still a lot of thinking to do at this stage as to how it'll all
work.  I think I'll maybe have to knock up a quick web page with a more
detailed description or summat :-)

David P.

--
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