1. PC or/and PDA interfaces
The term "Smart homes" (Automated Homes, Domotics, Networked Homes, Intelligent Homes, Home networks) is derived from the installation and configuration of devices that can be programmed to undertake tasks.
"Smart home" technology can also be used to allow the house to monitor that activities of the occupants and provide alerts to specified external agencies should it be required.
This enables the home itself to monitor the occupant’s activities so that no information is transferred externally, which maintains the individuals' need for privacy and confidentiality; hence it is required to be dependable. Therefore the integration of Personal Data Assistants (PDA) interfaces is usefully.
Personal Data Assistants (PDA) is small computer with limited, although extending, functionality. PDAs were developed as a sort of electronic pocket book, combining diary, address book, notebook and alarm clock together.
More recent PDAs have featured links to personal computers handwriting recognition and e-mail, cameras, MP3 players and fax facilities. The use of PDAs can be developed for people with memory problems and other cognitive impairments. PDAs are increasingly becoming more complex and are able to use IR Bluetooth connectivity as well as an adapted Windows interface.
PDAs and similar mobile devices put data into their handheld systems by simply typing on an image of a standard-size keyboard projected onto a desktop or other surface.
The "electronic perception" technology captures the user's finger motions via emitted light photons that form 3-D real-time images that are then processed and translated into keystrokes.
Varying with operating system that the application is compatible with data can be transferees between systems, there are many brands of PDAs, most run on two operating systems: Palm OS or Pocket PC/Windows CE. These two neither interface, nor can their software be interchanged.
A PDA used for more than organizational purposes is not a stand-alone device. It will need to be connected (via the cradle that comes with it) to your personal computer for regular backups, for loading and updating software, and for transferring information. Printing from PDA, requires a special printer with an infrared port, which is similar in cost and availability to regular inkjet printers on the market.
Figure 6.1 Personal Data Assistants (PDA)
Beaming enables a PDA user to send a program, memo, application, etc to another individual's PDA. Only applications used with similar operating system can be beamed. Infrared (IR) ports have to be directly opposite each other.
Many hand-held computers can be connected to the wireless network using a Wavelan PCMCIA card. The Bluetooth standard for small device wireless radio communication will finally be available, and most PDAs, cell-phones, and other computerized small devices is expected to support it. Therefore, connecting the PCs and hand-held together in a home network it will be an advanced and usefully for devices from the home automation system.
2. Television Interfaces
More and more communities are becoming "Connected" neighbourhoods. These are developments that have their own "Neighbourhood Network". Typically, they have a clubhouse or community centre where a computer network server is located.
All the homes in the development are connected to that server by copper, radio frequency networking, or best of all fibre optics. These connections run from each house to the server location. This allows all the homes to have fast connections for telephony, Internet, and television services.
By integrating such devices it is possible to create a sophisticated digital home solution that combines a convenient television interface with a cost-effective and reliable residential gateway, with this solution, utility and cable companies will be able to offer families a true digital community, complete with telemetry e-services for automating the home and connecting the neighbourhood.
The STB-1000 Lon Works Commercial Television Interface connects commercial televisions to devices on a Lon Works distributed-control network such as lighting, HVAC and security systems. It features the following three complementary, concurrent operating modes:
BUILT-IN MENUS – allow peer-to-peer control and monitoring of devices typical in home applications, without the need for a separate controller, including:
- Lights
- HVAC
- Fire & security alarm
- Door locks
- Window blind
- Telephone ring indicator & caller-ID
NETWORKED TELEVISION – enables complete remote control and monitoring of television operation:
- power
- channel
- valid-video detection
- non-volatile set-ups (channel lists & labels, audio & video controls, etc.)
SYSTEM GATEWAY – allows the television to serve as the user-interface to larger systems
- Accepts ASCII text strings to display (colour, foreground/background, italics)
- Reports key presses from local keyboard and remote control
- Pay-per-view, media-retrieval, distance learning, energy-management, home-automation, etc.
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) standard allow that audio/video (A/V) devices connected via a home network to present a status and control user interface (UI) on a network-attached rendering device, such as a digital television.
CEA-2027 uses Web browser-based communications, including Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) commands, to provide access and control of networked components through the main TV screen from a single remote control.
The standard specifies a method for encapsulating UI data using web and Internet protocols and contains provisions for transfer of device control screens to a TV or other digital rendering device. This is the initial release of the standard is for DTV-Link on an IEEE-1394 connection - also known as Firewire TM or iLink – and to add an Ethernet connection.
Also HDTV (High Definition Television) transition by standardizing on technologies that will provide seamless communications of HDTVs connected to home networks and the Internet standard will help ensure that TVs in the future continue to add value to consumers' viewing experience beyond simply displaying a picture, and that TVs remain the intelligent point of control for home entertainment. A HDTV is a system for transmitting a TV signal with far greater resolution than the standard National Television Committee (NTSC) standards. A High Definition Television set will require at least two million pixels versus a common television set of 360,000. Signals transmitted in the very high frequency band will provide a finer and wider TV picture.
Interoperability through standardized communications between devices in the home is essential for mass-market adoption of home networks. Internet Protocols (IP) has emerged as a unifying and nearly ubiquitous way to connect CE (Consumer Electronics) devices to home networks because personal computers and related devices already support IP.
Unlike most previous home networking standards, this standard supports full control of any networked device, including all of its unique functions defined by the device manufacturer.
CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) Interface is an optional feature allowing cameras and monitors to be associated with acknowledgeable alarms providing real-time video of an alarm occurrence. With the CCTV interface, it can easily enter inputs (cameras), outputs (monitors) and preset configurations for PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras using the Graphical User Interface (GUI).
In addition to the CCTV settings automatically triggering when an alarm activates, it is possible to trigger the CCTV settings for a given alarm by selecting the alarm in the Operations window. A Control window is also available allowing selecting a camera, monitor and preset (PTZ) configuration.