Method and apparatus for controlling operation of electric appliances

• US 20050057195A1
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Attila Murlasits
• Original Assignee: Attila Murlasits
• Inventors: Murlasits, Attila
• Application Number:
  US10/495,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057195A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/360
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling operation of electric appliances (4a, 4b, 4c). The apparatus comprises electric appliances (4a, 4b, 4c) and at least one control unit (3) for controlling control circuits (10a, 10b, 10c) each containing at least one electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c), further comprising first relays (1a, 1b, 1c) detecting radiated signals (8) and transmitting signals to control unit (3), and at least one first transducer (14) emitting said radiated signal (8) in the detection range of the first relays (1a, 1b, 1c), and each first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) is arranged close to a corresponding appliance (4a, 4b, 4c), and said signal is an impulsing signal (9) for activate or passivate said control circuits.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling operation of electric appliances, comprising at least one electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c) and at least one control unit (3) for controlling at least one control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) containing at least one electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c), and the apparatus further comprising at least one first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) being adapted to detect a first radiated signal (8) as well as to transmit a second signal to said control unit (3) when received said signal (8), and at least one first transducer (14) being able to emit said radiated signal (8) emitted in the detection range of said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c), characterised in that said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) is arranged close beside at least one electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c), and said signal transmitted to the control unit (3) is an impulsing signal (9) functioning as to activate or to passivate a control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) containing at least one electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c) associated with said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c), and the apparatus further comprising at least one second transducer (15) and at least one second relay (2) transmitting a control signal (11) adapted for controlling said control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) activated by said impulsing signal (9), and the second transducer (15) being able to emit a signal (12) in the detection range of said second relay (2).

2. Apparatus according to the claim 1, characterised in that said impulsing signal (9) is also functioning as a signal to passivate a control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) antecendently activated and controlled.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that passivation of the antecendently activated and/or controlled control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) being achieved by an erasure signal emitted by the second transducer (15), and at least one physical property of said erasure signal being different from that of radiated signal (12), for example in regard of its frequency.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the control unit (3) is provided with a time metering means (25) being able to measure an interval (Δ

t) passed between starting instants of two following impulsing signals (9) or control signals (11), and further provided with a memory means (26) storing passivating time (t_o), and the activated control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) will be passivated in case of equality of said interval (Δ

t) and the stored passivating time (t_o).

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that a group of activated control circuits (10a, 10b, 10c) may be formed by a programming signal emitted by the second transducer (15), and at least one physical property of said programming signal being different from that of radiated signal (12), for example in regard of its frequency.

6. Apparatus according to the claim 5, characterised in that the control unit (3) is provided with a memory means (22) for creating a common control circuit unifying control circuits (10a, 10b, 10c) controlled simultaneously.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the signal (12) emitted in the detection range of the second relay (2) is an infrared or a radio signal (12) radiated into all directions of the space, or a signal (12) sent on wire.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that the signal (8) radiated in the detection range of said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) is an infrared signal (8) radiated at a small angle, and having a detection range different from that of said second relay (2).

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that said signal (8) radiated in the detection range of said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) is a laser beam.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the first transducer (14) comprises a portable remote control unit (6).

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterised in that the second transducer (15) comprises a portable remote control unit (6) or a fixed device.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterised in that the first transducer (14) and the second transducer (15) are unified in a portable remote control unit (6).

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterised in that the first transducer (14) and the second transducer (15) are setting in action simultaneously.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterised in that the action time of the first transducer (14) is limited.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the first transducer (14) and the second transducer (15) are successively set in action.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) is provided with a beacon-light (23) and/or a designation back indicator light (24), and/or an indicator indicating the status of an electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c) associated therewith.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, characterised in that the beacon-light (23) is formed as a pictorial information of said electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c) and/or the designation back indicator light (24) is created by changing of predetermined properties of said beacon-light (23).

18. Method for controlling operation of at least one electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c) by means of at least one control unit (3) for controlling at least one control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) containing at least one electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c), and by means of a first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) being adapted to detect a first radiated signal (8) as well as to transmit a second signal to said control unit (3) when received said signal (8), and providing at least one first transducer (14) being able to emit said radiated signal (8) emitted in the detection range of said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c), characterised in that the method further comprising the steps of

arranging said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) close beside at least one electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c),

transmitting said second signal to the control unit (3) as an impulsing signal (9) functioning as to activate or to passivate a control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) containing at least one electric appliance (4a, 4b, 4c) associated with said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c),

providing at least one second transducer (15) and at least one second relay (2) transmitting a control signal (11) adapted for controlling said control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) activated by said impulsing signal (9), and

emitting a signal (12) in the detection range of said second relay (2) by means of said second transducer (15).

19. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that the method further comprising a step of applying said impulsing signal (9) as a passivating signal for passivate the control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) antecendently activated and controlled.

20. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that passivating the antecendently activated and/or controlled control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) by an erasure signal emitted by the second transducer (15), and at least one physical property of said erasure signal being different from that of radiated signal (12), for example in regard of its frequency.

21. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that providing the control unit (3) with a time metering means (25) being able to measure an interval (Δ

t) passed from starting instant of last impulsing signal (9) or control signal (11), and further providing with a memory means (29) storing passivating time (t_o), and passivating the activated control circuit (10a, 10b, 10c) in case of equality of said interval (Δ

t) and the stored passivating time (t_o).

22. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that forming a group of activated control circuits (10a, 10b, 10c) by a programming signal emitted by the second transducer (15), and at least one physical property of said programming signal being different from that of radiated signal (12), for example in regard of its frequency.

23. Method according to claim 22, characterised in that creating a common control circuit unifying designated control circuits (10a, 10b, 10c) by means of said programming signal sent to the control unit (3).

24. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that emitting the signal (12) in the detection range of the second relay (2) as an infrared or a radio signal (12) radiated into all directions of the space, or a signal (12) sent on wire.

25. Method according to claim 24, characterised in that radiating the signal (8) in the detection range of said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) as an infrared signal (8) radiated at a small angle, and having a detection range different from that of said second relay (2).

26. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that radiating said signal (8) in the detection range of said first relay (1a, 1b, 1c) as a laser beam.

27. Method according to claim 18, characterised in that forming said first transducer (14) as a portable remote control unit (6).

28. Method according to claim 27, characterised in that forming said second transducer (15) as a portable remote control unit (6) or a fixed device.

29. Method according to claim 27, characterised in that unifying said first transducer (14) and the second transducer (15) in a portable remote control unit (6).

30. Apparatus according to claim 29, characterised in that setting in action the first transducer (14) and the second transducer (15) simultaneously. Method according to the claim 30, characterised in that limiting the action time of the first transducer (14).