Remote control of electrical devices
First Claim
1. A remote control system for controlling one or more electrical devices via power supply lines used to energise the device or devices, in use there being applied across the same supply lines a composite waveform comprising control signals and a cyclically repeating power supply waveform, the control signals comprising address information signals designating the device to which the control signal is addressed and control information signals individually designating the action required of the addressed device, each cycle of the power supply waveform comprising one or more intervals during which it is substantially zero in amplitude, the system comprising a transmitter for producing the control signals in timed relationship with the power supply waveform so that each control signal is transmitted in its entirety during a respective one of said intervals after the power supply waveform has achieved a zero amplitude, and at least one receiver adapted to receive said composite waveform and to identify received control signals assigned thereto and to appropriately control an associated electrical device, said at least one receiver including storage means for storing the control signal assigned thereto until updated during the next respective interval.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control system for use e.g. in controlling the locomotives and ancillary devices of a model train layout comprises a transmitter and a number of receivers incorporated in the devices to be controlled. A composite waveform is applied across the tracks, comprising a rectangular power supply waveform with intervals between positive and negative path cycles and control signals which occur in the latter parts of these intervals, the delay between the end of each half cycle and the control signals allowing time for reactive currents resulting from inductive loads to decay. The composite waveform is synthesized by two switching amplifiers driven by a microprocessor and having associated with it slider controls and a keyboard for controlling the receivers. The receivers are programmed to identify control signals addressed to them and to control an associated locomotive or an ancillary device appropriately. The address to which each receiver responds can be programmed by selective breaking of a number of tabs on a circuit board on which the receiver IC is mounted.
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Citations
36 Claims
- 1. A remote control system for controlling one or more electrical devices via power supply lines used to energise the device or devices, in use there being applied across the same supply lines a composite waveform comprising control signals and a cyclically repeating power supply waveform, the control signals comprising address information signals designating the device to which the control signal is addressed and control information signals individually designating the action required of the addressed device, each cycle of the power supply waveform comprising one or more intervals during which it is substantially zero in amplitude, the system comprising a transmitter for producing the control signals in timed relationship with the power supply waveform so that each control signal is transmitted in its entirety during a respective one of said intervals after the power supply waveform has achieved a zero amplitude, and at least one receiver adapted to receive said composite waveform and to identify received control signals assigned thereto and to appropriately control an associated electrical device, said at least one receiver including storage means for storing the control signal assigned thereto until updated during the next respective interval.
- 9. A transmitter for a remote control system in use of which one or more electrical devices are controlled using control signals transmitted via the power supply lines used to energize the device or devices, the waveform across the same power supply lines comprising control signals and a cyclically repeating power supply waveform, the control signals comprising address information signals designating the device to which the control signal is addressed and control information signals individually designating the action required of the addressed device, the power supply waveform comprising at least one interval during each cycle during which its amplitude is substantially zero, the transmitter comprising circuitry arranged to produce the control signals in timed relation with the power supply waveform so that each control signal is transmitted in its entirety during a respective one of said intervals after the power supply waveform has achieved a zero amplitude, each control signal from the transmitter being assigned to a receiver of the type including storage means for storing the respective control signal assigned thereto until updated during the next respective interval.
- 24. A receiver for a remote control system in which control signals are transmitted to at least one such receiver via power supply lines used to energise an electrical device or devices associated with at least one such receiver, the same power supply lines, in use, carrying a composite waveform comprising a cyclically repeating power supply waveform having one or more intervals during each cycle when its amplitude is substantially zero and control signals, the control signals comprising address information signals designating the device to which the control signal is addressed and control information signals individually designating the action of the addressed device, each control signal being transmitted in its entirety during a respective one of said intervals after the power supply waveform has achieved a zero amplitude, the receiver being adapted to identify control signals assigned thereto and to appropriately control an associated electrical device in response thereto, and said receiver including storage means for storing the respective control signals assigned thereto until updated during the next respective interval.
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33. A remote control system for controlling one or more electrical devices via power supply lines used to energise the device or devices, in use there being applied across the same supply lines a composite waveform comprising control signals and a pulsed cyclically repeating power supply waveform, the control signals comprising address information signals designating the device to which the control signal is addressed and control information signals individually designating the action required of the addressed device, each cycle of the power supply waveform comprising one or more intervals during which it is substantially zero in amplitude, the system comprising a transmitter for producing the control signals in timed relationship with the power supply waveform so that each control signal is transmitted in its entirety during a respective one of said intervals after the power supply waveform has achieved a zero amplitude, and at least one receiver adapted to receive said composite waveform and to identify received control signals assigned thereto and to appropriately control an associated electrical device, said at least one receiver including storage means for storing the respective control signal assigned thereto until updated during the next respective interval.
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34. A transmitter for a remote control system in use of which one or more electrical devices are controlled using control signals transmitted via the power supply lines used to energize the device of devices, the waveform across the same power supply lines comprising control signals and a pulsed cyclically repeating power supply waveform, the control signals comprising address information signals designating the device to which the control signal is addressed and control information signals individually designating the action required of the addressed device, the power supply waveform comprising at least one interval during each cycle during which its amplitude is substantially zero, the transmitter comprising circuitry arranged to produce the control signals in timed relation with the power supply waveform so that each control signal is transmitted in its entirety during a respective one of said intervals after the power supply waveform has achieved a zero amplitude, each control signal from the transmitter being assigned to a receiver of the type including storage means for storing the respective control signal assigned thereto until updated during the next respective interval.
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35. A receiver for a remote control system in which control signals are transmitted to at least one such receiver via power supply lines used to energise an electrical device or devices associated with the at least one receiver, the same power supply lines, in use, carrying a composite waveform comprising a pulsed cyclically repeating power supply waveform having one or more intervals during each cycle when its amplitude is substantially zero and control signals, the control signals comprising address information signals designating the device to which the control signal is addressed and control information signals individually designating the action of the addressed device, each control signal being transmitted in its entirety during a respective one of said intervals after the power supply waveform has achieved a zero amplitude, the receiver being adapted to identify control signals assigned thereto and to appropriately control an associated electrical device in response thereto, and said receiver including storage means for storing the respective control signals assigned thereto until updated during the next respective interval.
Specification