insight : o’d mckewan
The Language of Motorization How do you know which devices will talk to each other and how they will communicate? We provide some insights BY O’D MCKEWAN
“What language do your motors speak?” That is probably not a question you get asked a lot by your clients when offering them motorized window coverings. You might have been asked the more common question, “Will your motors work with my system?” This is becoming a more difficult question to answer as more and more companies and clients enter the world of automation. In this article, I am going to break down the most common forms of communication (languages) for motorized window coverings and how they communicate with each other. First, let’s start with a brief history of control options for motorized window coverings. In the beginning, we had direct switching. This is where you run a power wire to a wall switch and then the motor. When the switch is moved either up or down, it allows current to flow to the motor and activate it. This is what we typically call a dumb motor now. This option is still used in some commercial applications for safety and reliability purposes. Very little can go wrong with this system when properly installed, as it has the smallest number of components and no real communications are used. Next, we had IR (infrared) control. This is where a hand-held remote (transmitter) sends a light beam from the remote to an
IR eye (receiver) somewhere on or near the motor and activates the motor. The transmitter sends different flashes of light depending on what button is pushed and the receiver sends the corresponding action to the motor to respond. This form of communication is like Morse code with flashlights. The problem is that this requires a line of sight from the transmitter to the receiver. If the IR eye is hidden or the remote is not pointing at the IR eye, the signal will not go through and the motor will not activate. You have to have an unobstructed view from the transmitter to the receiver. This is similar to how most TV remotes work. You have to point the remote at the TV to get it to work. Because IR requires a line of sight to work properly, when multiple shades are in the same area, the reliability to communicate with each shade individually is very poor. Professionals wanted a new method of communication that was more reliable.
ARE YOU TALKING TO ME ?
20 | SEPTEMBER + OCTOBER 2021
| wf-vision.com
That led to the introduction of RF (radio frequency) communication, which is now the standard for our industry. RF uses radio waves that can pass through walls and many other objects, allowing it to be used at greater distances. It is the most popular way to communicate electronically these days. It is used for cellular service, Wi-Fi and many other forms of communications. Some forms of RF, like Wi-Fi, are designed to be universal, meaning they allow multiple manufacturers to use the signal for their own purposes. Radio waves can be produced in a large variety of lengths and sizes. In the window covering industry, each motor manufacturer creates its own proprietary RF signals that only work with its transmitters (remotes) and receivers (motors). Oftentimes, they brand their proprietary signals with names such as RTS by Somfy, Powerview by Hunter Douglas, Clear Connect by Lutron and ARC by Rollease. Sometimes it helps to
