Heimautomationssysteme - Theorie und Praxis

Abstract:

During the last decades building automation was focused on the requirements of office buildings and industrial facilities. New concepts and ideas made it attractive to use building automation systems throughout our homes. Liberating the European telecom sector, like defining radio bands for open access public usage, offered the possibilities for developing new license-free communication applications. Affordable, plug and play kind of home automation devices spread all over the market. However, many of them, if not most, are incompatible to the products of other manufacturers. Most of them tried to establish their home automation system as a standard. Some succeeded, others are still in the battle.

This master thesis is divided into three parts, covering different aspects of home automation. Part one shows different criteria to think about, when planning an automation system. This part can also help to decide which automation system to choose. Part two presents known standards and already available products, as well as innovative developments. Finally, part three introduces a home automation project, with inexpensive standard components in an open architecture for later improvements in mind. It may also run as a lab-project for teaching automation systems to undergraduates.