Advanced control of shades with a single button
In the home we're building, we'll use a HomeWorks QS system with Palladiom keypads. It's unfortunate that these keypads have only four buttons. It's very easy to run out of buttons to control lighting and sheers and blackout shades, since we can't afford to dedicate a single button for each of UP, DOWN, STOP for each shade.
I have an idea to run past you all that I hope makes for a workable solution.
The basic functions that we need are simple: OPEN, CLOSE, STOP, GO TO PRESET LEVEL. Normally, I guess, shades are controlled in an UP/STOP/DOWN/STOP fashion as follows. Upon a single press ...
- if the shade is not moving, a button press starts movement (in the opposite direction from its previous direction)
- if the shade is moving, it stops.
This algorithm creates difficulties for users. Without an UP or DOWN button, users may be surprised at which way the shade moves. The system remembers last direction, but users most often remember it if some time has passed or another user has changed the position of the shade.
This approach also may require multiple presses to get the desired effect. With a partly open shade, it may move in the "wrong” direction". The user then has to press again to STOP, another press to move the shade in the other direction, and yet another to STOP again.
Without a buttons for a "scene", it's not easy to get the shades to a desired level (like aligning with a window mullion, for example). It would be easy ... and frustrating ... to "overshoot" the desired position, and have to press the button many times to zone in on the desired level.
My proposed solutions is as follows ...
SINGLE PRESS:
- If shade is stopped and fully open, fully CLOSES shade (moves to bottom)
- If shade is stopped and even partially open, fully OPENS shade (moves up to top)
- If shade is moving, STOPS shade
DOUBLE PRESS: CLOSES shade (all the way to bottom)
TRIPLE PRESS: Moves the shade to a preset position, whether the shade has to move up or down, and whether it is moving or stopped.
This approach seems to have several benefits. It's intuitive, obvious and easy to use. It works like lights normally do (on/off) ... a SINGLE PRESS will fully OPEN or CLOSE the shade (if the user does not press the button again). Also, this approach works just like the UP/STOP/DOWN/STOP approach, in that a SINGLE PRESS while the shade is moving STOPs motion. The user will not be surprised at which way the shade will move, since the system is not remembering the last direction.
Also, there's no need for the user to know about DOUBLE press to close, as they can can just wait for full motion to complete. Nor do they need to know about TRIPLE press, ,but moving the shade to a pre-set level is easy. There's no unobvious PRESS/HOLD functionality.
Whaddya think? Is this easy enough to program? Any caveats?