Remote on/off switch circuit

• US 4,686,380 A
• Filed: 02/07/1986
• Issued: 08/11/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DIMMITT, CLIFFORD G., 50%
• Original Assignee: DIMMITT, CLIFFORD G., 50%
• Inventors: Angott, Paul G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ip, Shik Luen Paul
• Application Number:
  US06/827,363
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 307/114, 307/115, 307/116, 307/117, 307/125, 307/113, 340/310 R, 340/310 A, 340/310 CP, 340/307, 340/332, 340/780, 340/696, 340/825.71, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/825.06, 340/825.07 , 340/825.23, 340/825.24, 340/825.29, 455/2, 455/4, 455/5, 455/6, 455/68, 455/77, 455/130, 455/91, 455/92, 315/149, 315/150, 315/154, 315/155, 315/157, 315/158, 315/159, 367/117, 367/135, 367/137, 367/903, 375/75, 375/59, 375/65, 375/66, 375/69
• US Class Current: 307/125
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A remotely controlled electrical power circuit (10) for supplying power to an electrical load (13) requiring electrical power from an electrical outlet comprising a receiver (14) for receiving a predetermined radio signal from a transmitter (12). The receiver (14) includes a super-generative detector (16) for receiving the predetermined radio signal. An amplifier filter (20) amplifies and filters the signal from the detector (16). A Schmitt trigger (34) detects the signal from the amplifier filter (20) and produces positive feedback to operate a latch (36), causing a detector (38) to produce a control signal in response to a first duration of the predetermined radio signal to operate relay (RY1) for closing contacts (24) and to produce a control signal in response to a second duration of the predetermined radio signal for opening the contacts (24).

Claims

1. A remotely controlled electrical power assembly including a circuit (14) for supplying power to an electrical load (13) requiring electrical power from an electrical outlet, said circuit comprising;

radio signal receiver means (14) for electrically supplying power in response to a predetermined radio signal, and including a super-generative detector (16) for receiving said predetermined radio signal, switch means (18) to close a power circuit (24) in response to a control signal for supplying power to said load (13), amplifier filter means (20) for amplifying and filtering said predetermined radio signal, and trigger means (22) to produce a positive control signal in response to a first duration of said predetermined radio signal for closing said switch means (18) and to produce a positive control signal in response to a second duration of said predetermined radio signal for opening said switch means (18), said switch means (18) being closed in response to said first duration supplying power to said load (13) until said second duration is received to open said switch means (18) and being open until said first duration is received to close said switch means (18).

2. A circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said trigger means (22) comprises;

a first threshold detector (34) and first, second and third trigger means resistors (R21, R22, R23) forming a Schmitt trigger with positive feedback for detecting a predetermined frequency signal from said amplifier filter means (20) to produce a positive control signal, output and first duration capacitors (C15, C16) and first and second trigger means diodes (D3, D2) and an additional threshold detector (36) receiving said control signal from said first threshold detector (34) and forming a latch with memory capability for maintaining a set state until a rest pulse is detected causing said additional threshold detector (36) to go low.

3. A circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said trigger means (22) further includes a second threshold detector (38) first and feedback resistor (R29) for detecting output from said latch and producing a control signal to operate said switch means (18).

4. A circuit as set forth in claim 3 wherein said switch means (18) comprises;

a contact (24), a relay (RY1) controlled by said trigger means (22) for operating said contact (24), power-in connectors (26,

     28) for supplying power to said receiver means (14) from an electrical source, a first pair of blocking diodes (D8, D6) interconnecting said power-in connectors (26,

     28) and the ground potential to prevent current from flowing to the ground potential, power-out connectors (30,

     32) supplying power to an electrical load (13) once said contact (24) is closed, a first pair of blocking capacitors (C19, C20) interconnecting said power-in connectors (26,

     28) and said power-out connectors (30,

     32) and preventing shorting of the electrical potentials, respectively, a second pair of blocking diodes (D9, D7) interconnecting said power-in connectors (26,

     28) and said relay (R41) and preventing current from leaking back to said power-in connectors (26,

     28) a first limiting capacitor (C18) interconnecting one of said second pair of blocking diodes (D9) and said power-in connector (26) for limiting the current to said receiver means (14) from said power-in connector (26), a zener diode (D4) and associated resistor (R30) interconnecting said relay (RY1) and said second pair of blocking diodes (D9, D7) for limiting the current flow to said relay (RY1), an additional capacitor (C17) and an additional resistor (R31) interconnecting said zener diode (D4) and said second pair of blocking diodes (D9, D7) to limit the potential to said relay (RY1), and a free-wheeling diode (D5) in parallel with said relay (RY1) preventing current from flowing to the electrical potential.

5. A circuit as set forth in claim 4 wherein said amplifier filter means (20) comprises;

amplifier filter (40) connected to said super-generative detector (16) amplifying said predetermined signal and filtering out unwanted noise, limiter (42) limiting the amplitude of said signal from said amplifier filter (40), high bandpass filter (44) tuning the frequency of said signal from said limiter (42) leaving the gain and band width of said signal constant, a fourth threshold detector (46) limiting said signal from said filter (44) at full amplitude, narrow band filter (48) filtering out unwanted frequencies outside of said predetermined frequency of said signal from said fourth threshold detector (46), and a fifth detector (50) detecting said signal from said narrow band filter (48) limiting said signal at full amplitude.

6. A circuit as set forth in claim 5 including power supply filter (52) for filtering out potential surges in the power supply.

7. A circuit as set forth in claim 6 wherein said amplifier filter (40) comprises;

a first op-amp (40), a first and second filter capacitor (C7, C6), and a first and second and third voltage divider resistor (R6, R7, R8) for establishing a given closed loop gain.

8. A circuit as set forth in claim 7 wherein said limiter (42) comprises;

second op-amp (42), second limiting capacitor (C8), and first limiting resistor (R9).

9. A circuit as set forth in claim 8 wherein said high bandpass filter (44) comprises;

a third op-amp (44), second pair of blocking capacitors (C9, C10), a series of six resistors (R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15), and first tuning resistor (P1) tuning the frequency of said signal from said limited (42).

10. A circuit as set forth in claim 9 wherein said fourth threshold detector (46) comprises;

fourth op-amp (46) for limiting the signal at full amplitude from said filter (44).

11. A circuit as set forth in claim 10 wherein said narrow band filter (48) comprises;

fifth op-amp (48), third pair of blocking capacitors (C11, C12), fourth and fifth voltage divider and second feedback resistors (R16, R17, R18), and a second tuning resistor (P2) defining a tuned circuit for filtering out unwanted frequencies outside said predetermined frequency.

12. A circuit as set forth in claim 11 wherein said fifth detector (50) comprises;

first and second coupling capacitors (C13, C14) as filters, a receiver means diode (D1), and sixth and seventh voltage divider resistors (R19, R20) for limiting the amplitude of said signal.

13. A circuit as set forth in claim 12 wherein said super-generative detector (16) comprises;

first inductance (L1A) and a first and second coupling antenna (L1B, L1C) and a third coupling capacitor (C4) connected to said first inductance (L1A) defining a tuned circuit, a super-generative transistor (Q1) connected to said tuned circuit (L1A-C4) and a first feedback capacitor (C3) and a second inductance (L2) defining an isolation choke, a fourth coupling capacitor (C2) interconnecting said first inductance (L1A) and said second inductance (L2), an emitter resistor (R3) interconnecting said second inductance (L2) and an electrical potential, a second feedback capacitor (C1) and a base limiting resistor (R2) interconnecting said first inductance (L1A) and the electrical potential for setting the time constant for the quench rate for said super-generative transistor (Q1), and a pair of biasing resistors (R1, R4) setting the bias on said super-generative transistor (Q1).

14. A circuit as set forth in claim 13 including transmitter means (12) for transmitting said predetermined radio signal to said receiver means (14) for remotely controlling the electrical power supply to an electrical load (13).

15. A remotely controlled electrical power assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said transmitter means (12) comprises;

a switch (S1) supplying power from a power supply (B1) through a transmitter means diode (D11) to a radio frequency oscillator and to a first inverted network (54, 56,

     58) combined with first and second transmitter means resistors (R32, R33), first transmitter means capacitor (C21), and a third variable resistor (P3) to define a first audio frequency square wave oscillator, the square wave of which is applied to a second inverted network (60, 62,

     64) combined with third and fourth transmitter means resistors (R34, R35), a second transmitter means capacitor (C22) and fourth variable resistor (P4) to define a second audio frequency square wave oscillator when the square wave of the first oscillator is low, supplying square wave current to a square wave oscillator transistor (Q2) the bias of which is controlled by a fifth transmitting means resistor (R36) and combined with a third feedback capacitor (C24), an inductance-capacitor network (L3-C25) acting as a tuned circuit for the oscillator and including a fifth coupling capacitor (C23), a sixth transmitting means resistor (R38) interconnecting said oscillator transistor (Q2) and an electrical potential, and a seventh transmitting means resistor (R37) between said fifth coupling capacitor (C23) and the electrical potential for setting the time constat for the quench rate for said oscillator transistor (Q2).

16. A remotely controlled electrical power assembly including a circuit (14) for supplying power to an electrical load (13) requiring electrical power from an electrical outlet, said circuit comprising;

radio signal receiver means (14) for electrically supplying power in response to a predetermined radio signal, and including a super-generative detector (16) for receiving said predetermined radio signal, switch means (18) to close a power circuit (24) in response to a control signal, amplifier filter means (20) for amplifying said predetermined radio signal, trigger means (22) to produce a positive control signal in response to a first duration of said predetermined radio signal for closing said switch means (18) and to produce a positive control signal in response to a second duration of said predetermined radio signal for opening said switch means (18), said trigger means (22) including a first threshold detector (34) and first and second and third trigger means resistors (R21, R22, R23) forming a Schmitt trigger with positive feedback for detecting a predetermined frequency signal from said amplifier filter means (20) to produce a positive control signal, an output capacitor (C15) connected to the output of said first threshold detector (34) and a fourth trigger means resistor (R26) and first trigger mans diode (D3) connected to said output capacitor (C15) for holding for said first duration, a second trigger means diode (D2) connected to the output of said first threshold detector (34) and a first duration capacitor (C16) connected to said second trigger mans diode (D2) and fifth and sixth trigger means resistors (R24, R25) in series connected to said second trigger means diode (D2) for holding for said second duration, and an additional threshold detector (36) for receiving the delayed signal from said first detector (34) and forming a latch memory capability for maintaining a set state until a rest pulse is detected causing said additional detector (36) to go low.

17. A remotely controlled electrical power assembly including a circuit (14) for supplying power to an electrical load (13) requiring electrical power from an electrical outlet, said circuit comprising;

radio signal receiver means (14) for electrically supplying power in response to a predetermined radio signal, and including a super-generative detector (16) for receiving said predetermined radio signal, switch means (18) to close a power circuit (24) in response to a control signal, amplifier filter means (20) for amplifying said predetermined radio signal, trigger means (22) to produce a positive control signal in response to a first duration of said predetermined radio signal for closing said switch means (18) and to produce a positive control signal in response to a second duration of said predetermined radio signal for opening said switch means (18), said switch means (18) comprising a contact (24), a relay (RY1) controlled by said trigger means (22) for operating said contact (24), power-in connectors (26,

     28) for supplying power to said receiver means (14) from an electrical source, a first pair of blocking diodes (D8, D6) interconnecting said power-in connectors (26,

     28) and the ground potential to prevent current from flowing to the ground potential, power-out connectors (30,

     32) supplying power to an electrical load (13) once the contact (24) is closed, a pair of blocking capacitors (C19, C20) interconnecting said power-in connectors (26,

     28) and said power-out connectors (30,

     32) and preventing shorting of the electrical potentials, respectively, a second pair of blocking diodes (D9, D7) interconnecting said power-in connectors (26,

     28) a first limiting capacitor (C18) interconnecting one of said second pair of blocking diodes (D9) and said power-in connector (26) for limiting the current to said receiver means (14) from said power-in connector (26), a zener diode (D4) and associated resistor (R30) interconnecting said relay (RY1) and said second pair of blocking diodes (D9, D7) for limiting the current flow to said relay (RY1), an additional capacitor (C17) and an additional resistor (R31) interconnecting said zener diode (D4) and said second pair of blocking diodes (D9, D7) for limiting the potential to said relay (RY1), and a free-wheeling diode (D5) in parallel with said relay (RY1) for preventing current from flowing to the electrical potential.