Pulse-based communication for devices connected to a bus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for communicating data in an appliance, the method comprising:
- providing a multi-position switch having a rotatable shaft extending through a housing, the shaft having a first end outside the housing configured to receive a user rotatable knob and a second end inside the housing and communicating with electrical contacts providing a signal indicating a rotated position of the shaft, the housing further containing a first electrical circuit communicating with the electrical contacts to provide a sequence of electrical pulses during an interval having a pre-determined time period in which the number of electrical pulses indicates a position of the rotatable shaft;
receiving at a second electrical circuit via a wiring harness having only a single ground referenced data conductor, at an appliance controller controlling electrical loads of the appliance, the sequence of electrical pulses during the interval having a pre-determined time period as determined from a timer contained at the second electrical circuit, the sequence of electrical pulses representing a message from the multi-position switch, the second electrical circuit operating to;
determine the number of received electrical pulses in the sequence of electrical pulses; and
decode the message based on the determined number of electrical pulses received during the interval in order to control at least one electrical load of the appliance.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for communicating data is disclosed. The method includes receiving a sequence of electrical pulses during an interval having a pre-determined time period, the sequence of electrical pulses representing a message from one of a plurality of devices, determining the number of received electrical pulses in the sequence of electrical pulses, and decoding the message based on the determined number of electrical pulses received during the interval.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method for communicating data in an appliance, the method comprising:
-
providing a multi-position switch having a rotatable shaft extending through a housing, the shaft having a first end outside the housing configured to receive a user rotatable knob and a second end inside the housing and communicating with electrical contacts providing a signal indicating a rotated position of the shaft, the housing further containing a first electrical circuit communicating with the electrical contacts to provide a sequence of electrical pulses during an interval having a pre-determined time period in which the number of electrical pulses indicates a position of the rotatable shaft; receiving at a second electrical circuit via a wiring harness having only a single ground referenced data conductor, at an appliance controller controlling electrical loads of the appliance, the sequence of electrical pulses during the interval having a pre-determined time period as determined from a timer contained at the second electrical circuit, the sequence of electrical pulses representing a message from the multi-position switch, the second electrical circuit operating to; determine the number of received electrical pulses in the sequence of electrical pulses; and decode the message based on the determined number of electrical pulses received during the interval in order to control at least one electrical load of the appliance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An appliance control system comprising:
-
a plurality of multi-position switches at least one multi-position switch having a rotatable shaft extending through a housing, the shaft having a first end outside the housing configured to receive a user rotatable knob and a second end inside the housing and communicating with electrical contacts providing a signal indicating a rotated position of the shaft, the housing further containing a first electrical circuit communicating with the electrical contacts to provide a sequence of electrical pulses during an interval in which the number of electrical pulses indicates a position of the rotatable shaft; a wiring harness having only a single ground referenced data conductor; an appliance control device in electrical communication with the plurality of multi-position switches, the appliance control device including a processor and a memory module for storing computer instructions that when executed cause the processor to; receive a sequence of electrical pulses on the single data line during the interval having a pre-determined time period as determined from a timer contained at the appliance control device, the sequence of electrical pulses representing a message from one of the plurality of multi-position switches; determine the number of received electrical pulses in the sequence of electrical pulses; and
decode the message based on the determined number of electrical pulses received during the interval; andcontrol an electrical load of the appliance based on the decoded message. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification