PulseWorx UPB 8-Button Controller (WMC8/DTC8) — Firmware Specification

Firmware specification for the PulseWorx UPB 8-Button Controller (WMC8 wall-mount / DTC8 desktop) — a pushbutton device that transmits and receives Universal Powerline Bus (UPB™) commands over the 120VAC powerline.

Overview

The 8-Button Controller has eight momentary pushbutton switches (labeled E through L) and eight LED indicators, one behind each pushbutton. It can transmit UPB Commands onto the powerline when pushbuttons are pressed, and receive UPB Commands to control its own LED indicators. It comes in wall-mount (WMC8) and desktop (DTC8) versions that share the same firmware behavior.

Modes of Operation

• Normal Mode — default operating mode; Setup Register write protection is enabled
• Setup Mode — entered by holding the 'E' and 'L' buttons simultaneously for more than 0.5 seconds, or via a "Start Setup Mode" powerline command; LEDs blink alternately at a 0.5-second rate to indicate this mode
• Factory Default Mode — entered from Setup Mode by holding 'F' and 'K' simultaneously for >0.5 sec; resets all Setup Registers to factory defaults; only the 'E' and 'L' LEDs light while active

Pushbutton Events

Pushbutton Triggered Transmissions

Each of the 8 pushbuttons has a Transmit Component with its own Link ID and four Command IDs (one per event type: Single-Tap, Double-Tap, Hold, Release). Command IDs index into a 15-entry UPB Transmit Command Table, which the WMC8 uses to build and transmit 3-byte UPB Messages. Factory-default transmit commands include Goto Off/On, Fade Down/Up/Stop, Deactivate/Activate, Snap Off/On, Quick Off/On, Slow Off/On, Blink, and a Null Command.

Command IDs can be configured with "Toggling" behavior — the upper nibble of a command byte fires when the pushbutton's LED is off, and the lower nibble fires when the LED is on, letting a single button toggle between two different UPB messages (e.g. Activate/Deactivate) on successive presses.

Special Linking Transmissions

• Adding a Link: Pressing a pushbutton 5 times quickly transmits a command sequence that adds that button's Transmit Link ID to any device currently in Setup Mode, and stores a preset light level on linked devices.
• Deleting a Link: Pressing a pushbutton 10 times quickly transmits a command sequence that deletes that button's Transmit Link ID from any device in Setup Mode.

LED Indicators

• Provide visual feedback for transmitted/received UPB commands (Activate/Deactivate, Goto, Fade Start)
• Four brightness levels: Faint, Low, Medium, High
• Support Mutually Exclusive LED groups — turning one LED on can automatically turn off other LEDs in its group
• On power-up, the four middle LEDs (G, H, I, J) briefly display the firmware version in binary, followed by a "Power-Up Light Show" animation
• LED on/off states are saved to non-volatile memory roughly every 2 seconds and restored after power loss

UPB Message Receiving

The controller has 8 Receive Components (Indicators), each associated with a Link ID used to match incoming UPB Link Packets to a specific LED. It handles the UPB Core Command Message Set plus the Device Control Command Set: Activate, Deactivate, Goto, and Fade Start — each of which sets the linked Indicator LED on or off depending on the specified level.

Factory Defaults

Manufacturer: Powerline Control Systems, Inc. (PulseWorx), 19201 Parthenia Street, Suite J, Northridge, CA · www.pcslighting.com