Electrical control system

• US 20070046487A1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Fair, James, Goyal, Rahul, Malkowski, Mariusz
• Application Number:
  US11/332,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20070046487A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/825.220
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control

Abstract

An electrical control system.

Claims

1. A control system, comprising:

one or more master devices;

one or more slave devices; and

at least one radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the master and slave devices;

wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to remotely control the operation of one or more of the slave devices;

wherein one or more of the master devices are is adapted to assign one or more of the slave devices to a panic group associated with a panic mode of operation;

wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to assign a duty cycle for each slave device associated with the panic group;

wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to activate the panic mode of operation; and

wherein each duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off.

2. A control system, comprising:

one or more master devices;

one or more slave devices; and

at least one radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the master and slave devices;

wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to remotely control the operation of one or more of the slave devices;

wherein one or more of the master devices are is adapted to assign one or more of the slave devices to a panic group associated with a panic mode of operation;

wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to assign a duty cycle for each slave device associated with the panic group;

wherein one or more of the master devices are adapted to activate the panic mode of operation;

wherein each duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off;

wherein each slave device assigned to the panic group is adapted to deactivate the panic mode of operation if a user of the slave device manually disables the panic mode of operation; and

wherein each slave device assigned to the panic group is adapted to deactivate the panic mode of operation if one of the master devices disables the panic mode of operation.

3. A method of operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising:

selecting one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in a panic group;

assigning a duty cycle to each of the slave devices in the panic group; and

if a panic mode of operation is selected by the control system, operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off.

4. A method of operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising:

selecting one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in a panic group;

assigning a duty cycle to each of the slave devices in the panic group;

if a panic mode of operation is selected by the control system, operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle;

not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a user of the particular slave device disables the panic mode of operation; and

not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a master device disables the panic mode of operation for the particular slave device;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off.

5. A system for operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising:

means for selecting one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in a panic group;

means for assigning a duty cycle to each of the slave devices in the panic group; and

if a panic mode of operation is selected by the control system, means for operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off.

6. A system for operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising:

means for selecting one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in a panic group;

means for assigning a duty cycle to each of the slave devices in the panic group;

if a panic mode of operation is selected by the control system, means for operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle;

means for not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a user of the particular slave device disables the panic mode of operation; and

means for not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a master device disables the panic mode of operation for the particular slave device;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off.

7. A computer program for operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising program instructions for:

selecting one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in a panic group;

assigning a duty cycle to each of the slave devices in the panic group; and

if a panic mode of operation is selected by the control system, operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off.

8. A computer program for operating a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of one or more slave devices, comprising program instructions for:

selecting one or more of the slave devices for inclusion in a panic group;

assigning a duty cycle to each of the slave devices in the panic group;

if a panic mode of operation is selected by the control system, operating the slave devices in the panic group in accordance with their corresponding duty cycle;

not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a user of the particular slave device disables the panic mode of operation; and

not operating a particular slave device in accordance with the duty cycle corresponding to the particular slave if a master device disables the panic mode of operation for the particular slave device;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is on and a second time period during which an operational state associated with the slave device is off.

9. An electrical device for use in a control system comprising one or more master devices, comprising:

a radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the device to one or more of the master devices;

a controller operably coupled to the communication interface and adapted to control an operational state of a load;

wherein the electrical device is adapted to be assigned to a panic group associated with a panic mode of operation within the control system;

wherein the panic mode of operation for the electrical device comprises a duty cycle for the electrical device;

wherein the panic mode of operation for the electrical device may be activated by one or more master devices within the control system; and

wherein each duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off.

10. An electrical device for use in a control system comprising one or more master devices, comprising:

a radio frequency communication interface for operably coupling the device to one or more of the master devices;

a controller operably coupled to the communication interface and adapted to control an operational state of a load;

wherein the electrical device is adapted to be assigned to a panic group associated with a panic mode of operation within the control system;

wherein the panic mode of operation for the electrical device comprises a duty cycle for the electrical device;

wherein the panic mode of operation for the electrical device may be activated by one or more master devices within the control system;

wherein each duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off;

wherein the electrical device is adapted to deactivate the panic mode of operation if a user of the electrical device manually disables the panic mode of operation; and

wherein the electrical device is adapted to deactivate the panic mode of operation if a master device disables the panic mode of operation.

11. A method of operating an electrical device in a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of the electrical device, comprising:

if a panic mode of operation is selected by one of the master devices in the control system for the electrical device, operating the electrical device in accordance with a duty cycle for the electrical device in a panic mode of operation;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off.

12. A method of operating an electrical device in a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of the electrical device, comprising:

if a panic mode of operation is selected by one of the master devices in the control system for the electrical device, operating the electrical device in accordance with a duty cycle for the electrical device in a panic mode of operation;

not operating the electrical device in accordance with the duty cycle for the electrical device if a user of the electrical device disables the panic mode of operation; and

not operating the electrical device in accordance with the duty cycle for the electrical device if a master device disables the panic mode of operation for the electrical device;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off.

13. A system for operating an electrical device in a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of the electrical device, comprising:

if a panic mode of operation is selected by one of the master devices in the control system for the electrical device, means for operating the electrical device in accordance with a duty cycle for the electrical device in a panic mode of operation;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off.

14. A system for operating an electrical device in a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of the electrical device, comprising:

if a panic mode of operation is selected by one of the master devices in the control system for the electrical device, means for operating the electrical device in accordance with a duty cycle for the electrical device in a panic mode of operation;

means for not operating the electrical device in accordance with the duty cycle for the electrical device if a user of the electrical device disables the panic mode of operation; and

means for not operating the electrical device in accordance with the duty cycle for the electrical device if a master device disables the panic mode of operation for the electrical device;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off.

15. A computer program for operating an electrical device in a control system including one or more master devices for controlling the operation of the electrical device, comprising program instructions for:

if a panic mode of operation is selected by one of the master devices in the control system for the electrical device, operating the electrical device in accordance with a duty cycle for the electrical device in a panic mode of operation;

wherein the duty cycle comprises a first time period during which the operational state of the load is on and a second time period during which the operational state of the load is off.