Control apparatus for use in a dwelling
First Claim
1. A system for controlling electrical power and distributing digital data between a plurality of first type appliances only inputting AC power, second type non-microprocessor based appliances inputting AC power and receiving and transmitting digital data, and third type microprocessor based appliances inputting AC power and receiving and transmitting digital data, said system comprising:
- control processor means for performing control operations including processing control digital data from one of said first, second and third type appliances to any other of said first, second and third type appliances;
message processor means for handling transmission of message digital data from one of said third type appliances to another of said third type appliances;
a plurality of numerically identifiable electrical branches;
a plurality of branch interface means coupled to each of said plurality of branches for receiving and transmitting some of said digital data associated with any of two of said first, second and third type appliances, each branch interface means comprising;
means for supplying two addresses identifying uniquely both of said any two of said first, second and third type alliances;
means for serially inputting and outputting some of said digital data to said branch;
means for serially inputting and outputting some of said digital data to first and second data ports;
means for controlling AC power delivered to said both of said any two of said first, second and third type appliances using some of said control digital data; and
user configurable means for encoding a branch interface type signal representing a predetermined configuration of said branch interface apparatus;
a plurality of appliance connect means for coupling said second and third types of appliances to said branch interface means; and
polling means coupled between said control processor means, said message processor means, and said plurality of electrical branches for polling each of said branch interface means, said polling means comprising;
control polling means for polling each of said branches one at a time in a numerically ascending order;
message polling means for polling each of said branches one at a time in numerically descending order; and
arbitor means for determining priority of said control and message polling means so that the same branch is never used by said control processor means and said message processor means at the same time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a controller that operates using two different processors. Each processor performs certain predetermined functions. A control processor is responsible for switching AC power distribution and control, while a message processor is responsible for messaging. A polling scheme and arbitration logic prevent data transfers relating to these two processors from interfering with each other. A configurable interface allows many different types of appliances to attach to the system, and a serial multimode interface further enhances the configurability of the system.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A system for controlling electrical power and distributing digital data between a plurality of first type appliances only inputting AC power, second type non-microprocessor based appliances inputting AC power and receiving and transmitting digital data, and third type microprocessor based appliances inputting AC power and receiving and transmitting digital data, said system comprising:
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control processor means for performing control operations including processing control digital data from one of said first, second and third type appliances to any other of said first, second and third type appliances; message processor means for handling transmission of message digital data from one of said third type appliances to another of said third type appliances; a plurality of numerically identifiable electrical branches; a plurality of branch interface means coupled to each of said plurality of branches for receiving and transmitting some of said digital data associated with any of two of said first, second and third type appliances, each branch interface means comprising; means for supplying two addresses identifying uniquely both of said any two of said first, second and third type alliances; means for serially inputting and outputting some of said digital data to said branch; means for serially inputting and outputting some of said digital data to first and second data ports; means for controlling AC power delivered to said both of said any two of said first, second and third type appliances using some of said control digital data; and user configurable means for encoding a branch interface type signal representing a predetermined configuration of said branch interface apparatus; a plurality of appliance connect means for coupling said second and third types of appliances to said branch interface means; and polling means coupled between said control processor means, said message processor means, and said plurality of electrical branches for polling each of said branch interface means, said polling means comprising; control polling means for polling each of said branches one at a time in a numerically ascending order; message polling means for polling each of said branches one at a time in numerically descending order; and arbitor means for determining priority of said control and message polling means so that the same branch is never used by said control processor means and said message processor means at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for polling a plurality of identifiable branches, each of said branches containing a plurality of nodes, comprising:
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control polling means for polling each of said branches one at a time in a numerically ascending order to determine if status data present signals exist for any of said nodes in said branches; message polling means for polling each of said branches one at a time in numerically descending order to determine if message data present signals exist for any of said nodes in said branches; and arbitor means for granting priority to one of said control polling means and message polling means to prevent the same branch from being used by said control polling means and said message polling means at the same time. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An interface apparatus for coupling a branch of an electronic system to first and second appliances to allow for transmission and reception of digital data comprising:
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means for providing two addresses identifying uniquely said first and second appliances, said means including; a read only memory for storing only a single address; and means for obtaining two unique addresses from said single address stored in said read only memory; means for inputting and outputting some of said digital data to said branch; means for inputting and outputting some of said digital data to first and second data ports, which are connectable to said first and second appliances, respectively; and means for controlling AC power delivered to said first and second appliances using some of said digital data signals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. An interface apparatus for coupling digital data from a branch of an electronic system to an appliance, comprising:
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means for inputting and outputting some of said digital data to said branch; data port means for inputting and outputting some of said digital data to a data port connectable to said appliance; means for controlling AC power delivered to said appliance using some of said digital data; and user configurable means for encoding a branch type signal representing a predetermined configuration of said interface apparatus to said electronic system, said branch type signal indicating said predetermined configuration is one of a switch outlet and a receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An electronic apparatus for formatting digital data and connectable to a plurality of appliance types including a second appliance type inputting AC power and only outputting analog data, a third appliance type being non-microprocessor based and a capable of inputting AC power and receiving and transmitting digital data and a fourth appliance type being microprocessor based and capable of inputting AC power and receiving and transmitting digital data, said electronic circuit apparatus also coupled to an electronic system through an appliance channel bus, said electronic apparatus comprising:
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appliance channel means for coupling some of said digital data to said electronic system; analog input means for converting input analog status data into digital status data from appliances of said second type for transmission to said electronic system; means for serially inputting and outputting some of said digital data to appliances of said third and fourth type; and user configurable means for encoding an appliance mode signal used by said electronic system representing connection of one of said third and fourth appliance types to said electronic apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. An apparatus within an electronic system for generating an AC power signal for causing AC power to be supplied to a connected appliance comprising:
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first means for generating said AC power signal when a force on signal is input; second means for generating said AC power signal when a power allowed status signal and a power switch control signal are input and a communications error signal is not input; and third means for generating said AC power signal when a conventional appliance attached signal and a power switch control signal are input and said communications error signal is not input; said communication error signal being generated when a communication error is detected and wherein said first generating means generates said AC power signal regardless of whether said communication error signal is present. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification