Presence

As a presentation: Comfort functions - an overview on a few slides, also suitable for training (arrow keys to browse, F for full screen).

Presence is an optional function. Once it is set up, every control element can decide for itself what should happen when the state changes – and every switching time in which states it is executed at all. Three states are distinguished:

The shading can therefore be set to work when present and absent, but not during a vacation. Likewise any switching times can be defined, for instance for outdoor lighting.

The names of the three states can be chosen freely: the control element Presence has the parameters Text present, Text absent and Text holiday. Instead of “Present” a hotel can for example display “Open”; the symbols stay the same.

A control element that supports presence (all elements from Building automation Block) has no address links of its own. It is always linked to the matching function block; the addresses sit at the function block.

Operation

A tap on the control element opens the popup dialog – with elements that have a switch on the tile, outside of the switch. At its top left there are three symbols: clock, presence and gear.

Tip: A double click on the element selects the linked addresses in the address window of the Studio.

In the new design the gear wheel opens a list with switching times, presence and further settings. If something is switched on behind an entry – at least one effective switching time or a reaction to a state change – the symbol of the entry is lit and Active is shown on the right. This shows at a glance what happens automatically at this element. The indication only appears in the dialog, not on the tile.

At the bottom of the list is the name of the element. A tap opens the input with which the user can set the name – for example turn “Light” into “Sofa lamp”. The new name replaces the name from the project, applies on all devices and is kept after a restart. If the input is confirmed empty, the name from the project applies again. The line only exists if the element is linked to a function block and a connection to the controller exists.

Timer

The clock symbol leads to the switching times. The symbol at the bottom left creates a new switching time, the symbol at the bottom right deletes an existing one. A click on an entry opens it in detail.

In the detail view the type of the clock is set on the left:

• Week clock: The switching time applies on the selected weekdays. A time of day is entered.
• Date clock (year timer): The switching time applies on a certain date. Under Mode you choose whether it switches on that date (Switch) or whether other switching times are released or blocked (Clock active/inactive) – this is how holidays and public holidays are covered.
• Sun position: Switching happens at sunrise, sunset or the highest position, optionally with an offset in minutes before or after. For this longitude and latitude have to be entered in the project settings.

On the right it is set when the switching time should apply: present, absent and vacation. A darkened or filled symbol means active. A switching time can therefore run only while somebody is at home. If none of the three symbols is selected, the switching time is not executed; the overview then shows clock deactivated. The three symbols only appear if the project contains a function block Presence.

Further settings of a switching time:

• Brightness: Allways, If bright or If dark. A time can thus switch only in darkness. The row only appears when the Brightness input of the function block is linked; the threshold is set in the settings (gear symbol).
  The time set is the earliest possible moment. If the condition is already met (it is already dark at 7 pm), it switches right away. Otherwise the switching time is noted and executed as soon as it gets bright or dark. The note expires after six hours and is dropped as soon as another switching time of the same element is executed – the newer one takes precedence. It is checked every ten seconds. With Unique the switching time is only used up once it has actually switched.
• Execute: Allways or Unique. With Unique the symbols present, absent and vacation are switched off again after the execution – the switching time is then deactivated and stays as a template.
• Value: What is switched – depending on the element on/off, a level, a value, a position or a scene.

Appointments from a calendar: The switching times can also be taken from a calendar in iCal format, either via a URL, from a file or from the clipboard. Each appointment produces two switching times, one for the start and one for the end. Holiday calendars or occupancy plans can be taken over without any typing. The import is called via the calendar symbol in the list of switching times; Google Calendar, Apple iCloud, Google Drive and Dropbox links work as well. Where to find these links in each service is described with the holiday timer.

Presence

The middle symbol holds what should happen when the state changes. Taking a light as an example: when changing from present to absent or vacation the light is switched off, when changing back to present it is set to 100 % – but only if it is dark.

Tip: The choice bright or dark only appears when the Brightness input of the function block is linked. The threshold for bright and dark is set in the settings (gear symbol). It is available for switch, dimmer, tunable white and colour light (RGBW).

The brightness is checked once, at the moment of the change. If the condition is not met then, nothing happens – it is not made up for when it later gets bright or dark. If the Brightness input is not linked, it always switches.

Example: In the evening the light should only come on if somebody is at home. When changing to present the light is set to the desired value with the condition If dark. Whoever comes home later has light as soon as it is dark; whoever arrives in daylight does not. A switching time with present ticked covers everybody who is already at home before the time.

Project planning

For this the project needs the function block Presence and the control element Presence:

1. Insert the function block Building automation Block – Presence and create the addresses (Ctrl+G).
2. Insert the control element Building automation Block – Presence.
3. Right click on the control element and select the function block Presence – that links the two.

After that every Block control element knows about presence. Taking Light/Dimmer as an example, it applies to all elements of this group:

1. Insert the function block Building automation Block – Light/Dimmer and create the addresses.
2. Link the addresses at the inputs and outputs of the function block.
3. Insert the control element Building automation Block – Light/Dimmer.
4. Right click on the control element and select the function block Light/Dimmer. The control element itself does not get any addresses – they are already at the function block.

Tip: After linking, the right mouse button offers the submenu Go to linked item. It switches directly to the page with the function block – and from the function block back to the control element.

Changing the state: The state is changed at the control element Presence. The function block additionally has the input Presence (0 = present, 1 = absent, 2 = vacation) – the state can therefore also be set from the program, for instance by a push button or an alarm system. The three outputs Present, Absent and Vacation report the current state as a bit and can be used further in the program.