Point of use and network control 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;
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; and
a coordinator communicating with said switch controller for verifying and storing the status of the electrical appliance to memory and for controlling said switch controller in accordance with user-selected configuration parameters.
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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. A coordinator is provided for communicating functional information to and from the switch controller(s) of a plurality of electrical appliances for increased flexibility of operation and control. 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 lamps, the dimming of the fixture by switching individual lamps in the fixture off.
48 Citations
16 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; 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; and a coordinator communicating with said switch controller for verifying and storing the status of the electrical appliance to memory and for controlling said switch controller in accordance with user-selected configuration parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. 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; 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; and a coordinator for sending operational information to and from said microcontroller for verifying the operating state of said electrical appliance, storing operational information to memory, and changing the configuration parameters of said microcontroller. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. 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; activating a switching device upon receipt of the output signal from the microcontroller to switch the electrical appliance; and verifying the switching of the electrical appliance and storing the operational status of the electrical appliance to memory. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification