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Home Automation Controller

Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:48 am
by Zane
Over the last couple of years I have been working on a home automation controller. It comprises of a 4D Systems display as an interface to several remote nodes located around the house. These are all connected together via Canbus so data can be exchanged between a remote node and the display node. Each remote node receives parameters from the display node and uses this to control the items that are attached to it. The status of the the functions within a remote node are sent back to the display node to display on the screen.

A brief explanation of how the screens for the display were built are detailed within this post.
http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/mmforum ... 46&t=12147

Details on how the PCB’s were made are detailed in this post.
http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/mmforum ... 26&t=12650

A You tube video of the system is located here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnDZQHwtwDo

Re: Home Automation Controller

Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 6:16 pm
by Benj
Great work looks very nice and user friendly :D

Much better then my MIAC underfloor heating interface.

Are you going to add a smart phone app based interface via Bluetooth or Wifi? I've got demo code for either on Android if your interested.

Re: Home Automation Controller

Posted: Tue Feb 18, 2014 6:30 pm
by medelec35
Hi Zane,
I am well impressed after watching your Youtube video.
looks very professional indeed!

Great menu system using 4D display.

you must be really proud of your achievements. :)

Re: Home Automation Controller

Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:35 pm
by Zane
Thanks for the positive feedback, most appreciated. :D

A bit more about the software, it has been written to make it adaptable to other applications. if a new page is created , each line has some variables that are attached to it specifying what line the data is to be displayed on, its format (time, status on or off, percentage etc) its minimum and maximum values and the given variable the data on that line represents. All updated data values are stored to eeprom. The given variable would also need to be included in the comms routine so it could be sent to the required node. Constants have been used to define touch zones within the application so any changes can be made easily and from one place instead of having to hunt through the code to find them.

I have also used this code to create a CIP (clean in place) system using the directory structure as a means for data input for configuring the sequences of the system.

As for an interface using a mobile app, i would love to develop something like that, especially for remote monitoring of a given system, it would offer a lot more flexibility. I have no knowledge of how to go about this but would be keen to learn.

Thanks

Re: Home Automation Controller

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 12:27 pm
by jgu1
Hi Zane!

Very very nice project, and a big job. :D maybe not a projct for novice (Me) but I dare to ask, is i possible to get a copy .fcf of the project.

Best regard

Jorgen