MULTIPLE LOCATION ELECTRONIC TIMER SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A multiple location electronic timer system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
- a wall-mountable electronic timer adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load, the electronic timer comprising an internal timer, a timer adjustment actuator, and a plurality of visual indicators; and
a wall-mountable accessory timer;
wherein the electronic timer is operable to;
select a preset timeout period in response to an actuation of the timer adjustment actuator;
cause the visual indicators to display a representation of the preset timeout period;
enable the delivery of power to the load in response to a control signal received directly from the accessory timer;
start the internal timer in response to the control signal received from the accessory timer, the internal timer initialized with the preset timeout period; and
prevent the delivery of power to the load when the preset timeout period has elapsed.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple location electronic timer system comprises an electronic timer and one or more accessory timers. The electronic timer is adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load. The electronic timer is operable to enable the delivery of power to the load and to subsequently discontinue the delivery of power to the load automatically after a preset timeout period has elapsed. In response to controls signals received from the accessory timer, the electronic timer is operable to adjust the preset timeout period, enable the delivery of power to the load, discontinue the delivery of power to the load, and to enter a bypass mode in which the load is turned on for an indefinite amount of time. The accessory timer may be coupled to the electronic timer via a single conductor, a wired digital communication link, a radio frequency communication link, an infrared communication link, or a power line carrier communication link.
92 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A multiple location electronic timer system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
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a wall-mountable electronic timer adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load, the electronic timer comprising an internal timer, a timer adjustment actuator, and a plurality of visual indicators; and a wall-mountable accessory timer; wherein the electronic timer is operable to; select a preset timeout period in response to an actuation of the timer adjustment actuator; cause the visual indicators to display a representation of the preset timeout period; enable the delivery of power to the load in response to a control signal received directly from the accessory timer; start the internal timer in response to the control signal received from the accessory timer, the internal timer initialized with the preset timeout period; and prevent the delivery of power to the load when the preset timeout period has elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A multiple location electronic timer system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
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an electronic timer adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load, such that the electronic timer is operable to enable the delivery of power to the load, and subsequently to prevent the delivery of power to the load automatically when a preset timeout period has elapsed; and a wall-mountable accessory timer comprising a user interface adapted to receive user inputs; wherein the electronic timer is operable to; enable the delivery of power to the load in response to a first control signal received from the accessory timer; prevent the delivery of power to the load in response to a second control signal received from the accessory timer; and
enter a bypass mode in response to a third control signal received from the accessory timer, whereby the load is turned on for an indefinite amount of time. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A multiple location electronic timer system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
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a wall-mountable electronic timer adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load, such that the electronic timer is operable to enable the delivery of power to the load, and subsequently to prevent the delivery of power to the load automatically when a preset timeout period has elapsed; and a wall-mountable accessory timer, the electronic timer operable to control the power delivered to the load in response to a control signal received directly from the accessory timer; wherein the electronic timer comprises a plurality of visual indicators operable to display a representation of the preset timeout period when the electronic timer is preventing the delivery of power to the load.
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21. A multiple location electronic timer system for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the system comprising:
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an electronic timer adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load, the electronic timer comprising an internal timer; and a wall-mountable accessory timer comprising a control actuator, a timer adjustment actuator, and a plurality of visual indicators; wherein the electronic timer is operable to; select a preset timeout period in response to an actuation of the timer adjustment actuator; cause the visual indicators to display a representation of the preset timeout period; enable the delivery of power to the load in response to an actuation of the control actuator; start the internal timer in response to the actuation of the control actuator, the internal timer initialized with the preset timeout period; and prevent the delivery of power to the load when the preset timeout period has elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A wall-mountable load control device for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control device comprising:
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a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the delivery of power to the load, the controllably conductive device having a control input; a controller operatively coupled to the control input of the controllably conductive device, the controller operable to control the conductivity of the controllably conductive device so as to enable the delivery of power to the load, and subsequently to control the conductivity of the controllably conductive device so as to prevent the delivery of power to the load automatically when a preset timeout period has elapsed; a power supply coupled in parallel electrical connection with the controllably conductive device, the power supply operable to generate a DC voltage for powering the controller; and a communication circuit coupled to the controller and operable to receive a control signal, the controller operable to control the conductivity of the controllably conductive device in response to the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A wall-mountable load control device for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control device comprising:
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a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the delivery of power to the load, the controllably conductive device having a control input; a controller operatively coupled to the control input of the controllably conductive device, the controller operable to control the conductivity of the controllably conductive device so as to enable the delivery of power to the load, and subsequently control the conductivity of the controllably conductive device so as to prevent the delivery of power to the load when a preset timeout period has elapsed; and a communication circuit coupled to the controller and operable to receive a control signal, the controller further operable to; control the conductivity of the controllably conductive device so as to enable the delivery of power to the load in response to a first control signal; control the conductivity of the controllably conductive device so as to prevent the delivery of power to the load in response to a second control signal; and enter a bypass mode in response to a third control signal, whereby the load is turned on for an indefinite amount of time.
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48. A wall-mountable load control device for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the load control device comprising:
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a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for controlling the delivery of power to the load, the controllably conductive device having a control input; a controller operatively coupled to the control input of the controllably conductive device, the controller operable to control the conductivity of the controllably conductive device so as to enable the delivery of power to the load, and subsequently control the conductivity of the controllably conductive device so as to prevent the delivery of power to the load when a preset timeout period has elapsed; and a communication circuit coupled to the controller and operable to transmit a control signal representative of the preset timeout period.
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49. A method of controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a control signal; selecting a preset timeout period in response to the step of receiving a control signal; enabling the delivery of power to the load; and subsequently disabling the delivery of power to the load when the preset timeout period has elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method of controlling the power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first control signal; enabling the delivery of power to the load in response to the first control signal; subsequently discontinuing the delivery of power to the load when a preset timeout period has elapsed; receiving a second control signal; and entering a bypass mode in response to the second control signal, whereby the load is turned on for an indefinite amount of time in the bypass mode. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63)
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Specification