Method and apparatus for positive control of devices with toggle power control

• US 20040164875A1
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Dischert, Lee R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,138,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.72
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways

Abstract

An exemplary method of providing positive power control of an electrical device which uses a toggle power command signal, and apparatus perform the method. This exemplary method uses an apparatus that includes a remote control unit and a signal translator. A positive power command signal is produced by and transmitted from the remote control unit. This positive power command signal is received by the signal translator. A present power condition of the electrical device is determined by the signal translator and compared to the positive power command signal. The toggle power command signal is then produced by and transmitted from the signal translator, if the positive power command signal and the present power condition of the electrical device do not match.

Claims

1. A method of providing positive power control of an electrical device which uses a toggle power command signal, using an apparatus including a remote control unit and a signal translator, the method comprising the steps of:

a) producing and transmitting a positive power command signal from the remote control unit;

b) receiving the positive power command signal transmitted in step (a) at the signal translator;

c) determining a present power condition of the electrical device;

d) comparing the positive power command signal received in step (b) and the present power condition of the electrical device determined in step (c); and

e) producing and transmitting the toggle power command signal from the signal translator, when the positive power command signal and the present power condition of the electrical device do not match.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

f) saving the present power condition prior to transmitting the toggle power command signal;

g) determining a post-transmission power condition of the electrical device, after the toggle power command signal is transmitted;

h) comparing the saved power condition of the electrical device and the post-transmission power condition of the electrical device determined in step (f); and

i) re-transmitting the toggle power command signal from the signal translator and repeating steps (f)-(i), when the saved power condition and the post-transmission power condition of the electrical device compared in step (h) match.

3. A remote positive power control apparatus for an electrical device which uses a toggle power command signal comprising:

a remote control unit including;

an input interface;

a positive command signal generator to produce a positive power command signal, the positive command signal generator coupled to the input interface; and

a positive command signal transmitter, the positive command signal transmitter coupled to the positive command signal generator; and

an signal translator including;

a positive command signal receiver to receive the positive power command signal;

a power condition sensor to detect a present power condition of the electrical device;

logic means coupled to the positive command signal receiver and the power condition sensor to compare the positive power command signal and the present power condition of the electrical device;

a toggle command signal generator to produce the toggle power command signal; and

a toggle command signal transmitter, the toggle command signal transmitter coupled to the toggle command signal generator to transmit the toggle power command signal to the electrical device.

4. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the power condition sensor of the signal translator includes a transformer coupled to a power cord of the electrical device.

5. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the power condition sensor of the signal translator further includes:

a diode and a summing capacitor connected in series and coupled to the transformer; and

at least one of;

a relay switch coupled to the summing capacitor;

an analog to digital converter coupled to the summing capacitor;

a transistor switch including a base, an emitter, and a collector, the base and the emitter coupled to the summing capacitor; and

an opto-isolator LED coupled to the summing capacitor.

6. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 4, wherein the transformer of the signal translator includes a wire forming a plurality of windings encircling a power cord of the electrical device.

7. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the power condition sensor of the signal translator includes:

an in-line resistor coupled to a power cord of the electrical device;

a diode and a summing capacitor connected in series and coupled to the in-line resistor; and

at least one of;

a relay switch coupled to the summing capacitor;

an analog to digital converter coupled to the summing capacitor;

a transistor switch including a base, an emitter, and a collector, the base and the emitter coupled to the summing capacitor; and

an opto-isolator LED coupled to the summing capacitor and a photo-transistor switch optically coupled to the opto-isolator LED.

8. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the power condition sensor of the signal translator includes a photodetector optically coupled to a power indicator light of the electrical device.

9. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the logic means of the signal translator includes at least one of:

an exclusive OR (XOR) gate configured to combine the present power condition and the positive power command signal in an XOR logic function;

a digital signal processor which compares the present power condition and the positive power command signal; and

a general purpose computer and a computer readable medium adapted to instruct a general purpose computer to determine whether to generate a toggle power command signal based on the positive power command signal and the present power condition of the electrical device.

10. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the signal translator further includes analysis means coupled to the power condition sensor and the toggle command signal generator to monitor toggling of the present power condition of the electrical device and the analysis means is adapted to provide a feedback signal when the present power condition of the electrical device does not change in response to the toggle power command signal.

11. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 10, wherein the toggle command signal generator reproduces the toggle power command signal in response to the feedback signal.

12. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the remote positive power control apparatus further controls at least one positive power device which uses at least one true positive power command signal;

the power signal generator further produces the at least one true positive power command signal used by the at least one positive power device; and

the positive command signal transmitter further transmits the at least one true positive power command signal.

13. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the positive power command signal is one of a power on signal and a power off signal.

14. The remote positive power control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the positive power command signal is a power level signal.

15. A remote positive power control apparatus for a plurality of electrical devices with a plurality of toggle power command signals, each electrical device using a corresponding toggle power command signal, the remote positive power control apparatus comprising:

a remote control unit including;

an input interface;

a positive command signal generator to produce a positive power command signal, the positive command signal generator coupled to the input interface; and

a positive command signal transmitter, the positive command signal transmitter coupled to the positive command signal generator; and

an signal translator including;

a positive command signal receiver to receive the positive power command signal;

a plurality of power condition sensors, each of the power condition sensors corresponding to one of the plurality of electrical devices to detect a present power condition of the corresponding device;

logic means coupled to the positive command signal receiver and the plurality of power condition sensors to compare the positive power command signal and the corresponding present power condition of each electrical device;

a toggle command signal generator to produce the plurality of toggle power command signals; and

a toggle command signal transmitter to transmit the plurality of toggle power command signals to the plurality of electrical devices, the toggle command signal transmitter coupled to the toggle command signal generator.

16. A method of providing positive level control of an electrical device which uses a stepped level command signal, using an apparatus including a positive level remote control unit and an signal translator, the method comprising the steps of:

a) producing and transmitting a positive level command signal from the positive from remote control unit, the positive on/off command signal being responsive to user selection and including a user selected level;

b) receiving the positive level command signal transmitted in step (a) at the signal translator;

c) determining a present power level of the electrical device;

d) comparing the user selected level of the positive level command signal received in step (b) and the present power level of the electrical device determined in step (c) and determining a number of stepped levels to change the present power level to the user selected level;

e) producing and transmitting the stepped level command signal from the signal translator the number of stepped levels determined in step (d).