Electronic controller for scheduling device activation by sensing daylight
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a device, comprising:
- means for sensing light and producing an output thereof;
means for converting and processing the output of the means for sensing light to produce a signal nominally coincident with the event of sunrise or sunset;
an accumulation means including;
an accumulation value contained therein,means for affecting the accumulation value at a fixed rate,a maximum accumulation value representative of span of time at least as great as the nominal span of time between sunrise and sunset,an associated value representative of the accumulation value at time of sunrise, andan associated value representative of the accumulation value at time of sunset;
means for affecting the accumulation means in response to the signal nominally coincident with the event of sunrise or sunset; and
means for activating a device wherein the means for activating includes means for comparing the accumulation value to another value or a plurality of values representing a desired time of activation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device controller synchronizes a counter to the detection of sunrise or sunset by photoelectrically sensing daylight, thereby establishing an approximate time reference for scheduling the timing of device activations to occur at any time of day or night. An uncalibrated method of measuring sunlight yields more reliable scheduling, relative to sunrise and sunset events. The integral approximate time reference is kept synchronized, even if occasional faults in detection of sunrise or sunset occur. The rules employed to establish and maintain synchronization, and the dynamically variable rules for evaluating changes in light intensity, contribute to the reliable performance of the controller apparatus. Inherently self-adapting and automatic, a potentiometer for setting a time parameter input and a push-button for setting a time parameter input are combined in the apparatus in such a way to yield further utility without complicating the programmability. Additionally, for animal feeder applications, a test mode utilizes a modulates activation of the feed motor to produce audible warning of imminent motor activation.
251 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling the activation of a device, comprising:
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means for sensing light and producing an output thereof; means for converting and processing the output of the means for sensing light to produce a signal nominally coincident with the event of sunrise or sunset; an accumulation means including; an accumulation value contained therein, means for affecting the accumulation value at a fixed rate, a maximum accumulation value representative of span of time at least as great as the nominal span of time between sunrise and sunset, an associated value representative of the accumulation value at time of sunrise, and an associated value representative of the accumulation value at time of sunset; means for affecting the accumulation means in response to the signal nominally coincident with the event of sunrise or sunset; and means for activating a device wherein the means for activating includes means for comparing the accumulation value to another value or a plurality of values representing a desired time of activation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification