Intelligent electrical switch
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An intelligent electrical switching device comprising:
- a first neutral terminal and an opposing second neutral terminal;
a mechanical switch, said mechanical switch being in an operational state;
a logic unit operatively coupled to said mechanical switch such that said logic unit is operable to cause said mechanical switch to change said operational state;
a current sensor;
an electrical path from said first neutral terminal to said second neutral terminal through said current sensor;
a computer system coupled to said logic unit and comprising a wireless transmitter/receiver operable to send and receive data over a telecommunications network, said computer system comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions for causing the intelligent electrical switching device to perform the steps of;
wirelessly receiving instructions to set a power state of a circuit in which said intelligent electrical switching device is installed to a desired power state, said desired power state being indicated in said received instructions;
detecting whether said circuit is in said desired powered state by said current sensor detecting whether a neutral wire of said circuit connected to said current sensor via said electrical path has electrical current;
only if said circuit is detected as not being in said desired powered state, said logic unit operating said mechanical switch to change said operational state.
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Abstract
An intelligent electrical switch comprising a conventional mechanical switch connected to a computer system in communication with an external device and receiving instructions therefrom. The switch may be installed in an existing circuit to replace one switch in a multi-way wiring geometry, and includes a sensor detecting current on the neutral line. By determining the circuit state, the switch can determine whether, when instructions are received wirelessly to power the circuit on or off, the mechanical switch element should be toggled.
30 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An intelligent electrical switching device comprising:
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a first neutral terminal and an opposing second neutral terminal; a mechanical switch, said mechanical switch being in an operational state; a logic unit operatively coupled to said mechanical switch such that said logic unit is operable to cause said mechanical switch to change said operational state; a current sensor; an electrical path from said first neutral terminal to said second neutral terminal through said current sensor; a computer system coupled to said logic unit and comprising a wireless transmitter/receiver operable to send and receive data over a telecommunications network, said computer system comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions for causing the intelligent electrical switching device to perform the steps of; wirelessly receiving instructions to set a power state of a circuit in which said intelligent electrical switching device is installed to a desired power state, said desired power state being indicated in said received instructions; detecting whether said circuit is in said desired powered state by said current sensor detecting whether a neutral wire of said circuit connected to said current sensor via said electrical path has electrical current; only if said circuit is detected as not being in said desired powered state, said logic unit operating said mechanical switch to change said operational state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electrical system comprising:
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at least one intelligent electrical switching device comprising; a mechanical switch, said mechanical switch being in an operational state; a logic unit operatively coupled to said mechanical switch such that said logic unit is operable to cause said mechanical switch to change said operational state; a computer system a current sensor; a computer system coupled to said logic unit and comprising a wireless transmitter/receiver operable to send and receive data over a telecommunications network, said computer system comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions for causing the intelligent electrical switching device to perform the steps of; wirelessly receiving instructions to set a power state of a circuit in which said intelligent switching device is installed to a desired power state, said desired power state being indicated in said received instructions; detecting whether said circuit is in said desired powered state by said current sensor detecting whether current is present on a neutral wire of said circuit; only if said circuit is detected as not being in said desired powered state, said logic unit operating said mechanical switch to change said operational state; at least one mechanical switching device; wherein said at least one intelligent electrical switching device and said at least one mechanical switching device are in electrical communication with a single load in a multi-way switching geometry. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification