Telephone-controlled electrical switch
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for energizing a high-voltage AC electrical load in response to a telephone signal, comprising:
- electrical switch means configured to be mounted within a switch junction box in first and second high-voltage AC current leads for controlling the flow of high-voltage AC line current from said switch means through said first and second leads to said high-voltage AC electrical load;
control means configured to be mounted to said junction box for selectively actuating said electrical switch means so as to supply said high-voltage AC line current to said load in response to said telephone signal; and
attachment means for connecting said control means to a telephone line on which said telephone signal is transmitted.
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Abstract
A telephone operated electrical switch for selectively energizing an electrical load in response to dialing of a predetermined telephone number. The electrical load may be the exterior light fixture of a dwelling, and the switch assembly may be configured to automatically flash the light on and off in response to the occupant dialing "9-1-1", so as to assist emergency response personnel in locating the dwelling.
27 Citations
31 Claims
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1. Apparatus for energizing a high-voltage AC electrical load in response to a telephone signal, comprising:
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electrical switch means configured to be mounted within a switch junction box in first and second high-voltage AC current leads for controlling the flow of high-voltage AC line current from said switch means through said first and second leads to said high-voltage AC electrical load; control means configured to be mounted to said junction box for selectively actuating said electrical switch means so as to supply said high-voltage AC line current to said load in response to said telephone signal; and attachment means for connecting said control means to a telephone line on which said telephone signal is transmitted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A telephone-controlled actuation apparatus comprising:
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electrically-powered actuation means configured to be mounted within a switch junction box of a high-voltage AC circuit having first and second leads; and power supply means configured to be mounted within said junction box for providing low-voltage DC electrical power to said actuation means, said power supply means comprising; a main relay connected in said first high-voltage AC current so as to permit flow through said first lead in response to activation of said relay by a gate current pulse, said relay being configured to remain actuated after termination of said gate current pulse so long as a predetermined minimum current is flowing through said first lead; a relay driver for initiating said gate current pulse to said relay at the beginning of each half cycle of said high-voltage AC current in response to receiving a pulse of a predetermined relatively low voltage control current, said relay driver being connected in said first lead in parallel with said main relay so as to be grounded out by actuation of said main relay, so that said pulse is terminated by actuation of said main relay and the remainder of said half cycle of said high-voltage AC current flows through said relay to an electrical lead, and so that said main relay remains actuated until said AC current drops below said minimum at the end of said half cycle; said capacitor selectively connectable to said first lead in parallel with said main relay for reducing said high voltage AC current to said relatively low voltage control current which is received by said relay driver, said capacitor having a current lead effect which permits said predetermined low-voltage control current to flow through said capacitor to said relay driver at said beginning of each said half cycle prior to the voltage of said AC current exceeding a predetermined maximum voltage, said predetermined maximum voltage being significantly less than a voltage which would be required to obtain said predetermined low voltage control current from said high-voltage AC current in the absence of said current lead effect; and a convertor network for converting said current flowing through said capacitor from low-voltage AC current to low-voltage DC current which is supplied to said actuation means. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification