X-10 is an international technology that provides an easy method of creating
home automation. Marry this technology with a speech recognition circuit
and the user can use verbal commands to activated electrical appliances
and lights around the home or apartment. If this is of interest to you
then read on.
The X-10 Interface circuit will allow you to control up to 16 appliance control modules on any of the sixteen available X-10 house codes using the SR-07 speech recognition circuit. The SR-07 speech recognition circuit has its own construction article here and that information will not be repeated here. You may purchase the speech recognition circuit in a kit form (SR-06), or a fully assembled and tested circuit (SR-07) from Images SI Inc., see parts list. The X-10 speech interface requires the speech recognition circuit to function. The speech recognition circuit is the front end of the system.
The speech recognition circuit and components are NOT rated for medical use, critical care or when the possibility of a non-functioning or non-recognized command may cause damage, personal injury or put anyone or thing in jeopardy.
X-10 Technology
X-10 technology has been in the United States since 1978, introduced
into our country by Sears and Radio-Shack. It uses the home’s household
wiring (power grid) that powers electrical appliances to transmit and
receive control commands to the appliances. There are a variety of X-10
commands at our disposal that include; on, off, dim/bright, all on, all
off, etc., see table below. Our X-10 speech interface will issue only
the basic on and off commands.
It appears that Radio-Shack no longer is carrying X-10 hardware. No matter, X-10 has many distributors including Amazon.com and Images SI Inc. You can also purchase X10 hardware from the official X10 site at http://www.x10.com/automation/index.html. There is a dizzying array of X10 components available. You require two X-10 components, the PL-513 Power Line interface, see figure 1 and at least one appliance controller AMC486 see figure 2. If you wish to run more than one appliance, you would need an equal number of appliances.
X-10 Command Codes
Code Function Description
0 0 0 0 1 All Units Off Switch off all devices
0 0 0 1 1 All Lights On Switches on all lighting devices
0 0 1 0 1 On Switches on a device
0 0 1 1 1 Off Switches off a device
0 1 0 0 1 Dim Reduces the light intensity
0 1 0 1 1 Bright Increases the light intensity
0 1 1 1 1 Extended Code Extension code
1 0 0 0 1 Hail Request Requests a response from the device(s)
1 0 0 1 1 Hail Acknowledge Response to the previous command
1 0 1 x 1 Pre-Set Dim Selection of two predefined levels of light
intensity
1 1 0 1 1 Status is On Response indicating that the device is
on
1 1 1 0 1 Status is Off Response indicating that the device is off
Aside from the commands, listed above, the X-10 signal protocol also
consists of an address.