Module for controlling current to a load including sensing of the position of a switch

• US 5,942,814 A
• Filed: 04/28/1997
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Echelon Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echelon Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Raji, Reza S., Tennefoss, Michael R., Sutterlin, Philip H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAPLAN, JONATHAN STUART
• Application Number:
  US08/840,342
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 307/112, 307/173, 307/116, 307/125, 307/139, 307/140, 307/141.4, 307/141, 340/310.01, 340/310.02, 340/310.08
• US Class Current: 307/125
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00009 using pulsed signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0001 using modification of a parameter of the network power signal
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/52 Outage or fault management, e.g. fault detection or location
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/246 the system involving the remote operation of lamps or lighting equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

A module for interconnecting an AC power line to a load such as a lamp, which includes a first switch. The module detects the state of the first switch and then provides power to the load when the switch is closed. Sequentially opening and closing the first switch can be used as a command to dim the lamp. The module may also include a transceiver which communicates the state of the switch to the other modules thereby allowing a plurality of devices to be controlled by the first switch.

Claims

1. A module for interconnecting between an alternating current (AC) source and an electrical load having a first switch connected in series with the load, comprising:

an electrically controlled switching device coupled to control the flow of AC from the source through the load and first switch;

a control circuit for controlling the switching device;

a sensing circuit coupled to the control circuit for sensing states of the first switch such that the state of the first switch is sensed and used to control the switching device; and

a transceiver coupled to the control circuit and the AC source for transmitting signals representing the states of the first switch and for receiving signals from other of the modules indicating the state of another first switch associated with the other of the modules for controlling the switching device based on the state of the other first switch.

2. The module defined by claim 1 wherein the first switch is a manual switch.

3. The module defined by claim 1 wherein the first switch and switching device are in series with the load.

4. The module defined by claims 2 or 3 wherein the switching device is a triac.

5. The module defined by claim 4 wherein the control circuit causes the triac to conduct for less than a full cycle of the AC when the state of the switch has changed state more than once.