Targeted switching of electrical appliances and method
First Claim
1. A system for switching an electrical appliance comprising:
- a transmitter for selectively producing a directional output signal;
a receiver having a sensor for detecting the directional output signal from said transmitter, said receiver producing an output signal when the directional output signal from said transmitter is detected by the sensor; and
a switch controller comprising a microcontroller and a connector, said connector being adapted for operably connecting said microcontroller to an electrical appliance, the microcontroller receiving the output signal from said receiver and outputting a signal to the electrical appliance through said connector for switching the electrical appliance.
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Abstract
A system and method for targeted, remote switching of electrical appliances. The system includes a transmitter for selectively producing a directional output signal and a receiver for detecting the directional output signal from the transmitter. The receiver produces an output signal when the directional output signal from the transmitter is detected that is received by a microcontroller that is incorporated into a switch controller. The microcontroller produces an output that switches the electrical appliance to which the switch controller is connected on and/or off. Although not limited to this use, the system and method of the present invention are particularly adapted for controlling individual light fixtures, even though several fixtures are wired into a single circuit, allowing the individual fixtures to be switched on and/or off as needed and, in the case of light fixtures with multiple bulbs, the dimming of the fixture by switching individual bulbs in the fixture off.
131 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for switching an electrical appliance comprising:
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a transmitter for selectively producing a directional output signal; a receiver having a sensor for detecting the directional output signal from said transmitter, said receiver producing an output signal when the directional output signal from said transmitter is detected by the sensor; and a switch controller comprising a microcontroller and a connector, said connector being adapted for operably connecting said microcontroller to an electrical appliance, the microcontroller receiving the output signal from said receiver and outputting a signal to the electrical appliance through said connector for switching the electrical appliance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for switching an electrical appliance comprising:
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a sensor presenting a target of relatively small size; a remote for transmitting a signal in the form of a low divergence beam for aiming at said sensor and encoding a signal for receipt by said sensor; and a microcontroller for receiving an output from said sensor when said sensor detects a signal from said transmitter, said microcontroller being programmed to produce an output for switching an electrical appliance upon receipt of the output from said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of switching an electrical appliance comprising the steps of:
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producing a directional output signal by limiting the divergence of the signal output from a transmitter; aiming the directional output signal from the transmitter at a sensor located on an electrical appliance; outputting a signal from the sensor when the sensor detects the output signal from the transmitter; outputting a signal from a microcontroller upon receipt of the output signal from the sensor by the microcontroller; and activating a switching device upon receipt of the output signal from the microcontroller to switch the electrical appliance. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification