Home automation technologies

X10 Automation: Lighting, Climate, Security, Home Cinema and Beyond

When it first appeared in 1978, X10 became the standard in home automation technology. Using conventional home electrical wiring, X10 transmits digital packets through up to 256 compatible devices on a single power circuit. A control centre for an X10 system may be a standalone hardware unit or a PC running Linux or Windows. Remote controls and keypads can also be used to control light dimmers, TVs, VCRs, security alarms, door locks and surveillance equipment.

With no specialised wiring required, X10 is an affordable and reliable beginning to any digital home project. For around $250, an X10 starter kit usually contains PC and hand-held remote controls as well as modules for two appliances, two lamps and a ceiling-mounted light. To use a module, you simply plug it into a power socket and then plug the appliance into the module. The appliance is then controlled via an infrared remote control or a power-point control module such as a keypad or PC adapter. Once the software is installed, the system can be run from a Windows, Mac, Linux, OS/2 or Amiga computer. A wide selection of freeware applications for use with most X10 controllers are available online.

Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) — Networking the Home with Microsoft

X10 is essentially a remote control system for your home, limited to on, off and dim commands. In an attempt to create “intelligent” appliances that communicate via a home network, Microsoft launched their Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) technology in 1999. UPnP offers Ethernet connectivity to household appliances. These can range from lighting dimmers and climate control systems to security and audiovisual appliances. This means, in theory, that any networked Windows PC can control UPnP devices around the home (Windows ME and XP have native support for UPnP. A free upgrade for Windows 98 is available from Microsoft). It also means that you may eventually have remote access to do things like record a TV show on your home VCR via a Web browser. Unfortunately, it also means your household appliances are open to the possibility of being hacked or hijacked!

Although slow to be adopted by manufacturers, some recent UPnP devices such as standalone media players have emerged. Version 2 of the UPnP protocol is in development. This is expected to be more widely implemented than its predecessor by incorporating support for technologies such as IPv6 and .NET services.

xAP

Likened by some to UPnP, but with a smaller overhead, xAP is a network protocol designed to be independent of operating system and programming language. Although available to any mode of transmission, it is currently only implemented via serial port or Ethernet connections. The goal of xAP is a lofty one—to provide interconnectivity between all household devices including lights, telephones, Hi-Fi units, heating systems and computers. Although in its infancy, xAP has a dedicated developer community and may emerge as a contender in the future of home automation.

Jini—Networking Home Appliances with Java

If Java is more your thing then Sun Microsystems' Jini technology can network any device with a Java Virtual Machine over Ethernet, Firewire or HomeRF (a proprietary radio frequency wireless networking technology). Although it has the backing of vendors such as Sony and Philips, Jini remains within the realm of Java programmers prepared to build their own interfaces and hand-code appliance drivers.

時(shí)文選讀

家庭自動(dòng)化技術(shù)

X10自動(dòng)化：用于照明、氣候、安全、家庭影院等

當(dāng) X10在1978年首次出現(xiàn)時(shí)，它就成了家庭自動(dòng)化技術(shù)的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。X10利用常規(guī)的家庭電力線路，給單一電力線路上多達(dá)256個(gè)兼容的設(shè)備發(fā)送數(shù)字包。X10系統(tǒng)的控制中心可以是獨(dú)立的硬件設(shè)備，也可以是運(yùn)行Linux或Windows的PC機(jī)。遙控器和小鍵盤(pán)也可以用來(lái)控制調(diào)光器、電視、錄像機(jī)、安全報(bào)警器、門(mén)鎖和監(jiān)視設(shè)備。

X10沒(méi)有專(zhuān)門(mén)的連線要求，所以它是任何數(shù)字家庭項(xiàng)目廉價(jià)且可靠的開(kāi)端。一個(gè)X10基本套件大約250美元，通常包括PC和手持遙控器以及控制兩個(gè)裝置的模塊、兩個(gè)燈泡和一個(gè)安裝在天花板上的燈。使用這種模塊時(shí)，你只需將它插入電源插座，然后將裝置插入該模塊即可。通過(guò)紅外遙控器或電源點(diǎn)控制模塊(如小鍵盤(pán)或PC適配器)控制該裝置。軟件一旦裝上了，就能在Windows、Mac、Linux、OS/2或Amiga等計(jì)算機(jī)上運(yùn)行?？梢栽诰€選擇多種免費(fèi)應(yīng)用軟件，供大多數(shù)X10控制器使用。

通用即插即用( UPnP)——將家庭與微軟聯(lián)網(wǎng)

X10基本上是家用的遙控系統(tǒng)，局限于開(kāi)、關(guān)和明暗調(diào)節(jié)的命令。微軟為了創(chuàng)建能通過(guò)家庭網(wǎng)絡(luò)進(jìn)行通信的“智能”裝置，在1999年發(fā)表了通用即插即用(UPnP)技術(shù)。UPnP提供了以太網(wǎng)聯(lián)接家用設(shè)備。這些設(shè)備包括從調(diào)光器、氣候控制器到安全裝置和音像設(shè)備。從理論上講，這意味著任何一臺(tái)聯(lián)網(wǎng)的Windows PC機(jī)能控制家庭中的UPnP設(shè)備(Windows ME和XP天生就支持UPnP，Windows 98可從微軟公司獲得免費(fèi)的升級(jí))。這也意味著你最終能通過(guò)Web瀏覽器遠(yuǎn)程做這樣的事：遙控家用錄像機(jī)錄下電視劇。同時(shí)，這也意味著你的家用裝置有可能被黑客攻擊或劫持。

雖然( UPnP)被制造商采納的速度很慢，但最近出現(xiàn)了一些UPnP設(shè)備，如獨(dú)立的媒體播放器。UPnP V2尚在開(kāi)發(fā)之中。由于該版本包含了對(duì)IPv6和.NET服務(wù)等技術(shù)的支持，可望比其以前的版本有更廣泛的應(yīng)用。

xAP

有人將 xAP比作UPnP，但它的開(kāi)銷(xiāo)較小。xAP是設(shè)計(jì)獨(dú)立于操作系統(tǒng)和編程語(yǔ)言的網(wǎng)絡(luò)協(xié)議。雖然它能用于任何傳輸模式，但目前只是通過(guò)串行口或以太網(wǎng)聯(lián)接實(shí)現(xiàn)。xAP的目標(biāo)很高——連接所有的家用設(shè)備，包括照明、電話、高保真音響、供暖系統(tǒng)和計(jì)算機(jī)。雖然xAP尚處于幼年，但它已有了一個(gè)熱心的開(kāi)發(fā)者社團(tuán)，在將來(lái)的家庭自動(dòng)化中有可能成為競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者。

Jini——用Java將家用設(shè)備聯(lián)網(wǎng)

如果你喜歡 Java，那么Sun公司的Jini技術(shù)通過(guò)利用Java虛擬機(jī)，能在以太網(wǎng)、火線、或HomeRF(一種專(zhuān)有的射頻無(wú)線聯(lián)網(wǎng)技術(shù))上連接任何設(shè)備。雖然它已得到諸如Sony和Philips等公司的支持，但Jini仍只在準(zhǔn)備編制自己的接口和手編設(shè)備驅(qū)動(dòng)程序的Java程序員中流行。