Three-way switch for home automation apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A remotely-controllable electrical switch, comprising:
- a housing having an outer envelope configuration compliant with standards for premises electrical power control devices;
a plurality of electrical terminals configured to attach to premises electrical wiring multi-ampere power conductors;
a first single-pole, single-throw relay and a second single-pole, single-throw relay, each configured to conduct multi-ampere electrical power from a common terminal of the plurality of terminals whereto first respective contacts of both of the relays are connected, to respective first and second runner terminals of the plurality of terminals, to each of which a second contact of one of the respective relays is connected, in response to application of an energization signal to an actuation element of one of the respective relays;
a controller having a circuit switching routine that issues a relay deactuation command to deactuate a heretofore-actuated one of the respective relays and, thereafter, a relay actuation command to actuate a heretofore-deactuated one of the respective relays;
a first counter function configured to acquire a first clock-based count value corresponding to a time interval between successive zero crossings or between successive zero crossings of like polarization;
a second counter function configured to use the first count value as a basis for generating a count-based anticipated zero crossing time signal; and
a relay transfer start function configured to initiate transfer from continuous actuation of the first relay to actuation of the second relay in response to the anticipated zero crossing time signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switch for premises electrical circuits provides wireless control compatible with at least one home automation control system technology. A single switch design can operate two-, three-, and four-way circuits without alteration, and without recourse to coordinating remote switches. The switch includes processor functions for restoring a previous state after power interruption, and for establishing a state commanded during the power interruption. The switch uses two single-pole, single-throw relays for positive safety lockout, and adjusts relay actuation timing with reference to power waveform zero-crossing for contact arc reduction with inductive, tungsten, and capacitive loads.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A remotely-controllable electrical switch, comprising:
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a housing having an outer envelope configuration compliant with standards for premises electrical power control devices; a plurality of electrical terminals configured to attach to premises electrical wiring multi-ampere power conductors; a first single-pole, single-throw relay and a second single-pole, single-throw relay, each configured to conduct multi-ampere electrical power from a common terminal of the plurality of terminals whereto first respective contacts of both of the relays are connected, to respective first and second runner terminals of the plurality of terminals, to each of which a second contact of one of the respective relays is connected, in response to application of an energization signal to an actuation element of one of the respective relays; a controller having a circuit switching routine that issues a relay deactuation command to deactuate a heretofore-actuated one of the respective relays and, thereafter, a relay actuation command to actuate a heretofore-deactuated one of the respective relays; a first counter function configured to acquire a first clock-based count value corresponding to a time interval between successive zero crossings or between successive zero crossings of like polarization; a second counter function configured to use the first count value as a basis for generating a count-based anticipated zero crossing time signal; and a relay transfer start function configured to initiate transfer from continuous actuation of the first relay to actuation of the second relay in response to the anticipated zero crossing time signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A remotely-controllable electrical switch, comprising:
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a housing having an outer envelope configuration compliant with standards for premises electrical power control devices; a plurality of electrical terminals configured to attach to premises electrical wiring multi-ampere power conductors; a first single-pole, single-throw relay and a second single-pole, single-throw relay, each configured to conduct multi-ampere electrical power from a common terminal of the plurality of terminals whereto first respective contacts of both of the relays are connected, to respective first and second runner terminals of the plurality of terminals, to each of which a second contact of one of the respective relays is connected, in response to application of an energization signal to an actuation element of one of the respective relays; a controller having a circuit switching routine that issues a relay deactuation command to deactuate a heretofore-actuated one of the respective relays and, thereafter, a relay actuation command to actuate a heretofore-deactuated one of the respective relays; a plurality of diodes instantaneously directing input energy, from at least one of the common, first runner, and second runner nodes that has sufficient, properly-polarized voltage present thereon to energize the power supply, to a common feed point of the power supply; a dual-relay actuation configuration, wherein timing of actuation from a first switch state to a second switch state depends in part on both a delay following removal of a relay actuation signal from a relay actively conducting in the first state and a delay following application of a relay actuation signal to a relay not actively conducting in the first state, and wherein timing of actuation from the second switch state to the first switch state depends in part on both a delay following removal of a relay actuation signal from the relay actively conducting in the second state and a delay following application of a relay actuation signal to the relay not actively conducting in the second state; a load status detector configured to discriminate between a first condition, wherein current is flowing in an electrical load connected to the switch, and a second condition, wherein no current is flowing in the electrical load connected to the switch, independent of the switch state; an optoisolator, wherein the optoisolator includes a two-terminal, bidirectional, AC-compatible input section connected in current-limited fashion between the first and second runner nodes, and wherein the optoisolator further includes an output section that provides one of two distinct, logic-circuit-compatible states in response to existence or absence of a complete circuit drawing electrical current above a selected level from the mains power hot side, through the switch, through a load, to the mains power neutral side; an interface function within a controller part of the switch, configured to distinguish the two optoisolator states as distinct logic states; and a display control function within the controller part of the switch, configured to interpret the existence of the current-drawing circuit as a loaded state and actuate a display in event thereof, and to deactuate the display in event of the absence thereof.
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15. A remotely-controllable electrical switch, comprising:
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an insulated housing configured to mount within a standard wall-mount, flush-mount, single-gang electrical wiring box along with associated wiring for two-way or three-way switches; a safety ground terminal, a neutral terminal, a common terminal, and two runner terminals, each configured to connect to at least one solid 12-gauge copper conductor; an operator interface panel at the wall surface that includes a load status indicator, an air gap switch, and a rocker-style operator switch providing single-pole, double-throw, center-off, momentary-contact functionality, wherein one actuating pole of the rocker switch is located above the other in vertically-mounted orientations; a first single-pole, single-throw, normally-open, coil-driven relay and a second like relay, each configured to conduct multi-ampere electrical power from the common terminal of the switch, whereto first respective contacts of the contact sets of both of the relays are connected, to respective first and second runner terminals, to each of which a second contact of one of the respective relay contact sets is connected, in the alternative, in response to application of a coil drive signal to one of the respective relays; and a controller that, upon application of mains power with the air gap switch in its operational state, applies a coil drive signal to the relay actuated by the lower contact of the rocker switch, compares a resulting load state to a previously-stored load state, remains in that state if the load states agree, and reverses to drive the other relay if the load states differ, wherein coil drive signal application timing includes relay contact making and breaking conduction timing that coincides, with selected accuracy, with zero crossing of the mains power waveform, and wherein each break in contact conduction by a relay precedes making contact conduction by the other relay by a selected time interval. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification