Electric appliance control
First Claim
1. An electric appliance control, for automatically turning off an electric appliance operating in an indoor space, the electric appliance control consisting of:
- a light sensor, for continuously sensing the light intensity in said indoor space;
a fall detector, for detecting a fall in the light intensity sensed by said light sensor, wherein said fall being a negative relative change in light intensity during a period of hundredths of a second;
a switch, for disconnecting the electrical power supply to said electric appliance; and
a control unit, having a single voltage comparator for sensing voltage change via at least one of a capacitor and a coil, wherein only during a fall in the light intensity, said comparator provides a voltage energizing a coil for activating said switch to disconnect said power supply upon detecting a fall in light intensity by said fall detector,thereby also providing proper operation in an indoor surrounding lighted by an outdoor light source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to an electric appliance control for turning off an electric appliance operating in an indoor space, the electric appliance control comprising: a light sensor, for continuously sensing the light intensity in the indoor space; a fall detector, for detecting a fall in the light intensity sensed by the light sensor, wherein the fall being a negative relative change in light intensity during a period of hundredths of second; a switch, for disconnecting the electrical power supply to the electric appliance; and a control unit, for activating the switch to disconnect the power supply upon detecting a fall in light intensity by the fall detector.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electric appliance control, for automatically turning off an electric appliance operating in an indoor space, the electric appliance control consisting of:
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a light sensor, for continuously sensing the light intensity in said indoor space; a fall detector, for detecting a fall in the light intensity sensed by said light sensor, wherein said fall being a negative relative change in light intensity during a period of hundredths of a second; a switch, for disconnecting the electrical power supply to said electric appliance; and a control unit, having a single voltage comparator for sensing voltage change via at least one of a capacitor and a coil, wherein only during a fall in the light intensity, said comparator provides a voltage energizing a coil for activating said switch to disconnect said power supply upon detecting a fall in light intensity by said fall detector, thereby also providing proper operation in an indoor surrounding lighted by an outdoor light source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An electric appliance control, for automatically turning off an electric appliance operating in an indoor space, the electric appliance control comprising:
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a light sensor consisting of a Light Dependent Resistor having a high resistance for a low light level, for continuously sensing the light intensity in said indoor space; a fall detector, for detecting a fall in the light intensity sensed by said light sensor, wherein said fall being a negative relative change in light intensity during a period of hundredths of second; a switch, for disconnecting the electrical power supply to said electric appliance; and a control unit, wherein during a fall in the light intensity, voltage on a plus input of a comparator rises, whereby, since the plus input voltage is higher than ground of the minus input, said comparator provides a voltage energizing a coil for activating said switch to disconnect said power supply upon detecting a fall in light intensity by said fall detector.
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Specification