Configurable electronic controller
First Claim
1. An electronic controller comprising control circuitry for providing control functions, and output interface circuitry for providing output signals for controlling one or more load devices, characterised in that the said control circuitry and said output interface circuitry are designed to be configurable for various control functions and various interfaces respectively, by means of configuration data supplied by a configuration memory included in the said electronic controller.
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Abstract
This invention provides a configurable electronic controller comprising control circuitry and output interface circuitry that is characterized such that the said control circuitry and said output interface circuitry are designed to be configurable for various control functions and various interfaces respectively, by means of configuration data supplied by a configuration memory included with the said electronic controller. The said configurable electronic controller further optionally includes configurable input interface circuitry, configurable user interface circuitry, configurable power supply interface circuitry, and network interface circuitry.
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Citations
52 Claims
- 1. An electronic controller comprising control circuitry for providing control functions, and output interface circuitry for providing output signals for controlling one or more load devices, characterised in that the said control circuitry and said output interface circuitry are designed to be configurable for various control functions and various interfaces respectively, by means of configuration data supplied by a configuration memory included in the said electronic controller.
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50. In a washing machine, an electronic controller comprising configurable control circuitry, output interface circuitry, input interface circuitry, user interface circuitry, power supply interface circuitry, network interface circuitry and configuration memory, wherein the configuration data from the said configuration memory:
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a) configures the configurable control circuitry which is based on an embedded microcontroller, to provide desired control functions using a selected set of stored control programs, b) configures the configurable output interface circuitry for providing triac-controlled drive for the wash motor, and water-fill, drain and detergent-dispense solenoids, c) configures the configurable input interface circuitry for providing bias drive for the water temperature sensor, and water level sensor and for enabling analog-to-digital conversion with suitable sensitivity offset and linearity correction, noise filtering and signal averaging for the analog signals received from these sensors, d) configures the configurable user interface circuitry for interfacing to a keyboard on the control for receiving user selection input, and driving a digital LCD display and audio buzzer for providing feedback to the user, e) configures the configurable power supply interface for monitoring the input a.c. supply voltage and providing a signal when the voltage is outside defined limits.
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51. In a household refrigerator, an electronic controller comprising configurable control circuitry, output interface circuitry, input interface circuitry, user interface circuitry, power supply interface circuitry, network interface circuitry and configuration memory wherein the configuration data from the said configuration memory:
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a) configures the configurable control circuitry which is based on an gate array logic, to provide temperature control functions using a selected set of stored control programs, b) configures the configurable output interface circuitry for providing triac-controlled drive for the refrigeration compressor, defrost heater, and air-circulation blowers and dampers, c) configures the configurable input interface circuitry for providing bias drive for the temperature sensors, and for enabling analog-to-digital conversion with suitable sensitivity offset and linearity correction, noise filtering and signal averaging for the analog signals received from these sensors, d) configures the configurable user interface circuitry for interfacing to a keyboard on the control panel as well as an infra-red remote control device for receiving user selection input, and driving a digital LCD display and audio buzzer for providing feedback to the user, e) configures the configurable power supply interface for monitoring the input a.c supply voltage and providing a signal when the voltage is outside defined limits.
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52. In an HVAC control system, an electronic controller comprising configurable control circuitry, output interface circuitry input interface circuitry, user interface circuitry, power supply interface circuitry, network interface circuitry and configuration memory, wherein the configuration data from the said configuration memory:
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a) configures the configurable control circuitry which is based on an embedded microcontroller, to provide airflow control and temperature control functions using a selected set of stored control programs, b) configures the configurable output interface circuitry for providing brushless-DC motor drive for the airflow blower, triac-controlled drive for the air-conditioning compressor motor, and integral-cycle controlled drive for the air-conditioning heaters, c) configures the configurable input interface circuitry for providing bias drive for the temperature sensor, airflow sensor and humidity sensor, and for enabling analog-to-digital conversion with suitable sensitivity offset and linearity correction, noise filtering and signal averaging for the analog signals received from these sensors, d) configures the configurable user interface circuitry for interfacing to a keyboard on the control panel as well as an infra-red remote control device for receiving user selection input, and driving a digital LCD display and audio buzzer for providing feedback to the user, e) configures the configurable power supply interface for monitoring the input a.c. supply voltage and providing a signal when the voltage is outside defined limits.
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Specification