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Shop > WGL > RAIN8CD
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WGL Doberman BMS Software CD, works with all Rain8 models
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Doberman BMS™ is an easy to understand 'floor-plan style' Drag and Drop interface that allows you to inspect and control devices and sensors in your home – while you are at work, on vacation or elsewhere. Doberman BMS™ is designed for use on connected Desktop and Tablet PCs, as well as Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs, and the new Windows Mobile-based Smartphone.
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How does it work?
The Doberman BMS software comes in three parts. The first part is the interface that allows you to build a floor plan to visually represent your house and build Action Spiders. The real work takes place in the Doberman Server. This program has no interface itself, but it uses it's ability to work with the automation modules. The third part is the client applications -- these programs allow you to interact with your house using a desktop PC, Windows Media Center (MCE), PocketPC, Smartphone, and Nokia S60 device.
Much of the thought into Doberman is based on large Building Management Systems (BMS) brought to the consumer. While the system is highly configurable to suit your or your client's needs, there are also several subsystems running that need not be programmed as macros and scripts. These systems are designed for security, convenience, or energy efficiency. Many of these systems are found in HVAC (Heating, Cooling, Air Conditioning) or accessed through Wizards.
Feature Summary (4.0):
- Requires automation hardware -- see compatible Hardware
- Delayed entry and instant alarm modes
- Supports video and 2-microphone audio capture during alarm.
- Control automation via on-screen 'blueprint' mode (visual blueprint of your house)
- Supports 4 alarm types: Security, Fire, Flood, Temperature
- Sends up to 4 email messages for an alarm
- Can update the system clock from the web
- Update from the web (as new releases become available)
- Color coded status symbols
- Instant action interface. Visually twist a dimmer or flip a switch to control a device.
- Modern GUI interface
- Visual drag and drop macro builder (no programming knowledge required.)
- Action Spider (macros) support conditions: And, Or, Device state and/or change (X10), Date (complex dates such as every 2nd Weekend), Time, Dusk/Dawn.
- Action Spider (macros) support start/stop actions: Device change (X10), email, sound (wav), program execute.
- Lighting Wizard helps you quickly create scene lighting and 'gang' lighting
- Build your own floor plans with blueprint editor, or supply your own scanned/CAD images (800x600 PNG or JPEG).
- Supports 'MotionLock (tm)' mode, where motion sensors do not activate alarms, but assist you in moving around the darkened house by turning on lights (for when the house is occupied, but still secure.)
- Enthalpy energy saving module
- Supports 'panic button' mode.
- As hardware developers partner with us, we will support their systems.
- Advanced 'BASIC-like' macro programming language designed for automation.
- Remote connectivity
- Use the same interface as on your server from any Windows 95+ machine in your house. Or around the world. Uses standard internet connectivity to your server. Why use a clumsy web page interface when you can interact with your floorplan in real-time.
- Use a slightly modified interface (same floorplans) on your Windows CE and PocketPC devices around your house, on in your briefcase. Many WinCE web appliances can install extra software. Install, connect to the internet and go!
- We still have the regular web (HTML) interface.
- Chat/ Intercom -- The different messenger services are fine. But Home Automation really needs something different. Do you want to send a message to a person? Or a location? Or broadcast it everywhere? And it needs to be private. From the kitchen, send "Dinner's Ready" around the house. Send a quick message to your spouse, wherever they're logged in...
- Remote clients
- Picture frame mode (shows family and vacation photos when not in use)
- Kiosk mode (you provide HTML web pages with tags that Doberman replaces with status and values. Links back to Doberman operations.)
- Shows still frames from the security cameras.
- PocketPC
- DesktopPC
- Skinnable
- News, weather, sports, TV programs
- Microsoft Smartphone
- Nokia Series 60, Symbian
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What Home Automation hardware does Doberman support?
Doberman is a growing system. As we discover the programming interface to a hardware system, and work with hardware developers, we integrate it into the program. As a registered user, you will be provided with free upgrades as new functionality and hardware are supported.
- X10/X10Pro modules (IBM Home Director, Stanley, Magnavox, Leviton, Plug N Power, etc.)
- CP290 X10 Computer Interface
- CM11a/CK11a X10 (Active Home) Computer Interface
- CM17 (Firecracker) Computer Interface
- RCS TXB16, TX15-B, TR15, TR16, TR36, TR40 thermostats
- Aprilaire 8870 Communicating Thermostat
- EDT iLiNE Switches, dimmers, and Multi-Button panels
- HomeGenius (control multiple buildings over the web AND add macro support)
- P.I.G.S. MAX serial
- CueCat barcode scanner (video library)
- Video Capture cards and webcams
- PCS X10 SceneMaster
- X10 IR Commander
- X10/X10Pro Occupancy Sensors (Hawkeye, DM10A)
- X10 Powerflash
- X10 Setback Thermostat
- X10 Security Sensors such as PDS01 -- W800RF32 required to decode the secure signals
- PocketPC, WindowsCE, TabletPC, Smartphone clients.
- Nokia Series 60 client.
- Powerloss recovery system (UPS) Native WindowsXP, APC PowerChute Personal Edition for Win98, WinME
- Web Services (SOAP) via GCSScript language
- WGL Designs W800RF32 (with this, Doberman can 'see' secure X10 Wireless Door sensors such as PDS01)
- WGL Designs Rain8PC, Rain8Net irrigation controllers
- SmartHome PowerLincIP controller -- monitor and control your cottage over the web
- SmartHome PowerLinc USB controller
- IVM Answering Assistant dial out and play a voice message during alarm. See instruction document in our forum
- Windows Media Center Edition optimized Client
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Currently under development:
- SmartHome PowerLinc II controller
- Palm Client
- RIM Blackberry Client
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Remote Access - Doberman Clients
Doberman Clients are native applications and have been designed specifically for each device type, taking into account their strengths, weaknesses, and interface. They are not HTML pages, but actual installable applications.
Doberman BMS for PocketPC is designed to make use of the larger screen displays and touchscreens.
Smartphone, and Nokia S60 all have a similar look and feel but were arranged to display on smaller screens and work intuitively with the joystick and keypads.
The Desktop PC version as installed, is configured as the PocketPC version. Included is documentation to configure or skin the client to look as simple or flashy as you see fit. A quick change to the configuration, and controls align themselves to be easily accessed through your Windows Media Center (MCE) computer remote control.
This version also understands several popular news and information formats to display news, weather, stocks, sports, and TV programming.
Below are some screen captures from PDAs and Cellular Phones:
Nokia
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PocketPC
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MS Smartphone
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Desktop Screen Captures (Click to Enlarge):
Security sensor ideas
We have come up with a few automation ideas for interface into and out of Doberman.
You can set up quite an automation system with few Powerflash modules or keychain remote transmitters as input and appliance modules as outputs. Remember that if you choose to use a remote transmitter, it will send a constant signal while activated. This signal may overload the X10 system interfere with other transmissions, such as turning on a light or appliance.
Add a door sensor
This is by far the simplest. First, setup magnetic door switches and magnets on the doors and wire each 'zone' to one place. You may wish the front of your house to be one zone, the back to be another, basement windows to be a third, or just everything as one zone.
If you are to connect in series, you will need Normally Open (N.O.) switches.
If you connect in parallel, you will need Normally Closed (N.C.) switches. Magnetic door switches can be purchased at any security store, or even at Radio Shack stores.
Plug a Powerflash module in for each zone, and set the desired house and unit code. Set the configuration switches to "***on/off***" and "***dry contact***". You will configure one of Doberman's Door Sensor settings to this code. Powerflash modules do not require a transceiver set to that housecode.
To connect N.O. switches, connect one wire from the powerflash to one side of the first switch. Connect the other side of the first switch to one side of the second switch. And so on. Connect the second side of the last switch to the second wire on the powerflash.
To connect N.C. switches, connect one side of the powerflash to one side of the first switch, connect the second side of the switch back to the second side of the powerflash. Now, connect the first side of the powerflash, again, to the first side of the second switch, and the second side of the second switch back to the second side of the powerflash. Do this for all switches.
Add a siren
Although Doberman does play a wav file during an alarm, you may wish to have an external horn sound. X10 does offer a horn that sounds when addressed with On or Off commands. Please be sure that the products you purchase will work with the standard X10 automation set. X10 security products are not compatible, as the CM11a interface does not see the commands sent by the door switch or the security motion sensor.
Adding a smoke detector
For instance, you could take a second smoke detector with an 'emergency light' (never do this to your primary smoke detectors!) and replace the light with a relay across the contacts of a keychain remote. The power during an alarm will pull the relay and cause the remote to transmit as if the button was being pressed. You may wish to use a different house code to keep free accidentally pressing the On button for that sensor. Another solution is to connect to a Powerflash module. We strongly suggest you locate a smoke detector that has a connection to an alarm circuit and work with that as opposed to modifying one.
Remote central furnace fan
A money saving idea if you live where it gets cold in the winter. Often, houses with a forced-air furnace will one or two rooms that are cold, while the rest of the house is warm. Don't turn the heat up, or turn the blower fan on and accidentally forget it at night. Hook a second 'mercury' thermostat to your house in that cold room. This could control a powerflash module to send a signal to an action spider. An appliance module controlling a relay would then simulate you moving the thermostat fan setting from Auto to On and back again. This inexpensive solution will help keep the temperature even throughout the house.
Underground sprinkler control
Do it yourself underground sprinkler. Buy and setup the tubing and sprinkler heads for your lawn. You could set up with one or two 'zones'. Now, locate an old washing machine and you will locate the water control solenoid (hot and cold in, one out.) These work with regular power line voltage. Connect an outlet plug to each solenoid wiring and plug into appliance modules. Now connect your water to the 'output' of the control solenoid, this is not the input. Connect each 'zone' to either the hot or cold, and when you turn on the appliance module, your lawn will be watered.
Flood sensor
Simply plug in a Powerflash module and configure to 'Dry contact' (sensor has no power, module provides power) Connect the two contacts to a pair of wires. Expose the far ends of the wires, but do not connect together. Place the exposed wires are the high water level. When the water rises to the 'high' level, it will 'short' the wires and 'make contact' which will cause the powerflash to send a signal.
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