Supervisory control unit for electrical equipment

• US 5,127,575 A
• Filed: 04/15/1991
• Issued: 07/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald H. Beerbaum
• Original Assignee: Ronald H. Beerbaum
• Inventors: Beerbaum, Ronald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/685,199
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 236/46 R, 236/47, 165/11.1, 165/12
• US Class Current: 236/46.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A supervisory control unit for lighting, heating and air conditioning equipment containing an occupancy sensor, a temperature limit detector, an entry delay detector and incorporating time cycle operation intended to limit the use of said equipment for the purposes of energy conservation.

The unit outputs low voltage control signals that by means of external switching devices makes or interrupts the power and/or control signals normally connected to the lighting, heating and air conditioning equipment, thereby limiting the use of said equipment unless certain criteria are met.

Claims

1. A supervisory control unit (10) having particular utility for controlling one or more lighting and heating and air conditioning circuit/equipment for a structure, comprising:

an occupant detection circuit means (13, 32, 33, 34, 35, 38,

     39) for detecting the presence of one or more persons within the structure, and for providing a light activating signal (58) and/or an HVAC ON-signal (62) indicative thereof;

a cycle timer circuit means (15) operatively coupled (48,

     73) to said occupant detection circuit means for enabling and disabling said occupant detection circuit means to generate said HVAC ON-signal (62) during one or more preselected duty cycle duration periods without the detecting of the presence of a person within the structure, so that excessive temperature variations within the structure is abridged during periods when the structure is unoccupied; and

a temperature limit sensor circuit means (14) operatively coupled (42) to said occupant detection circuit means and to said cycle timer circuit means for overriding said cycle timer circuit means and to provide an enable signal (40) to effect generation of said HVAC ON-signal (62) when temperature within the structure exceeds an upper and lower preset limit.

2. A supervisory control unit as in claim 1, including:

an entry delay detection circuit means (16) operatively coupled (68) to said occupant detection circuit means for disabling generation of an HVAC ON-signal (62), when the door to the structure is in the open condition.

3. A supervisory control unit as in claim 1, wherein:

the occupant detection circuit means comprises a passive motion detector (13) connected (51) to a bandpass filter (32) operatively connected (53) to a lowpass filter (33) being connected (55) to a threshold detector (34).

4. A supervisory control unit as in claim 1, wherein:

the occupant detection circuit means comprises a passive motion detector (13) for providing an output signal (50) coupled (51) to an input of a bandpass filter (32), said bandpass filter being responsive to said output signal (50) for providing a bandpass signal (52) coupled (53) to an input of a lowpass filter (33), said lowpass filter being responsive to said bandpass signal for providing a lowpass signal (54) coupled to an input of a threshold detector (34), said threshold detector being responsive to said lowpass signal for providing a light activation signal (58), an occupancy latch (35) operatively coupled (57) to said threshold detector and being responsive to clock pulses (56) for effecting generation of said HVAC ON-signal (62).

5. A supervisory control unit as in claim 1, wherein:

the lowpass filter (33) comprises an input (53) connected to one side of a capacitor (C12), the other side of said capacitor (C12) being connected to one end of a resistor (R23) having its other end connected to a first circuit junction (86), said first circuit junction being connected to one end of a second resistor (R24) and a third resistor (R25) and a second capacitor (C13), the other end of the said second capacitor (C13) being coupled to a circuit ground potential (87), the other end of the said second resistor (R24) being connected to a second circuit junction (88), said second circuit junction(88) being connected to one end of a third capacitor (C14) and a third circuit junction (89), the other ends of said third capacitor (C14) and said third resistor (R25) being connected to a negative (-) input of a first operational amplifier (U6B), a fourth resistor (R27) having a first end coupled to a voltage source and a second end connected to a fourth circuit junction (90), said fourth circuit junction (90) being connected to one end of a fifth resistor (R26) and a fifth circuit junction (91), the other end of the fifth resistor (R26) being connected to the positive (+) input of said first operational amplifier (U6B), said first operational amplifier (U6B) having an output connected to said third circuit junction (89), a sixth resistor (R28) having one end connected to said third circuit junction (89) and its other end connected to a sixth circuit junction (92), said sixth circuit junction (92) being connected to one end of a seventh and eighth resistor (R29, R30) and one end of a fourth capacitor (C15), the other end of said fourth capacitor (C15) being coupled to a circuit ground potential (87), the other end of the eighth resistor (R30) being connected to a seventh circuit junction (93), said seventh circuit junction (93) being connected to one end of a fifth capacitor (C16) and to an eighth circuit junction (94), the other ends of said fifth capacitor (C16) and said seventh resistor (R29) being connected to a negative (-) input of a second operational amplifier (U6C), a ninth resistor (R31) having one end connected to said fifth circuit junction (91) and its other end connected to a positive (+) input of said second operational amplifier (U6C), said second operational amplifier (U6C) having an output connected to said eight circuit junction (94), said fifth circuit junction (91) being connected to one end of a tenth resistor (R32) and a sixth capacitor (C17), the other ends of said tenth resistor (R32) and said sixth capacitor (C17) being connected to a feedback input (95) of said second operational amplifier (U6C) and to said circuit ground (87), said eighth circuit junction (94) being connected to an output lead (55).

6. A supervisory control unit as in claim 5, wherein:

the lowpass filter (33) being comprised of components having approximate electrical circuit values as listed below;

Resistor (R23)=604K ohm Capacitor (C12)=1 MFD

Resistor (R24)=3.6 meg.ohm Capacitor (C13)=0.22 MFD

Resistor (R25)=1 meg.ohm Capacitor (C14)=330 MFD

Resistor (R28)=224K ohm Capacitor (C15)=0.22 MFD

Resistor (R29)=511K ohm Capacitor (C16)=0.0068 MFD

Resistor (R30)=1.3 meg.ohm Capacitor (C17)=0.1 MFD,

7. A supervisory control unit as in claim 1, wherein:

the cycle timer circuit means (15) comprises a free running programmable timer (U4) providing a clock pulse signal (80) having a preset width and being coupled (81) to the clock input (CK) of a toggle flip-flop (U5B), said toggle flip flop being responsive to said clock pulse signal for providing a cycle timer signal 22.

8. A supervisory control unit as in claim 1, wherein:

the temperature limit sensor circuit means (14) comprises a temperature sensing device (TS1) for providing a stable direct current voltage signal (82) being a linear function of the temperature within the structure, a differential voltage comparator (U1A, U1B) being responsive to said signal (82) and to a preset voltage value for generating a control override signal (40), said control override signal (40) being operatively coupled to said occupant detection circuit means for effecting generation of a HVAC ON-signal (62).

9. An on/off discrete control circuit for a heating unit and an air conditioning unit and a light fixture to control the environment within a room with detection of a person, in combination, comprising:

an occupant detector means which includes a passive motion detector (13) operatively coupled to a bandpass filter and gain circuit (34) operatively coupled to a lowpass filter and gain circuit (33) operatively coupled to a threshold detector (34) operatively coupled to an occupancy latch (35) and a timeout control circuit (36), said occupancy latch being operatively coupled to an entry delay detector (16) and a timer inhibit OR circuit (32) and an output OR circuit (38) and to said timeout control circuit (36), said timeout control circuit (36) being operatively coupled to a reset OR circuit (37), said reset OR circuit (37) being operatively coupled to said occupancy latch (35), an output OR circuit (38) operatively coupled between an output of said occupancy latch (35) and an output amplifier (39), for providing a HVAC ON-signal (62) and a light activating signal (58) with detection of a person within the room;

a cycle timer means (15,

     32) operatively coupled to said occupant detector means for enabling and disabling said occupant detector means generation of said HVAC ON-signal for a predetermined duty cycle;

a temperature limit sensor means (14) operatively coupled to said occupant detector means and to said cycle timer means (15,

     32) for effecting generation of said HVAC ON-signal (62) with detection of a temperature exceeding a predetermined upper and lower limit with the room; and

a powerup reset circuit (23) operatively coupled to said cycle timer means and to said reset OR circuit (37).

10. A supervisory control unit as in claim 9, wherein:

the lowpass filter 33 comprises an input (53) connected to one side of a capacitor (C12), the other side of said capacitor (C12) being connected to one end of a resistor (R23) having its other end connected to a first circuit junction (86), said first circuit junction being connected to one end of a second resistor (R24) and a third resistor (R25) and a second capacitor (C13), the other end of the said second capacitor (C13) being coupled to a circuit ground potential (87), the other end of the said second resistor (R24) being connected to a second circuit junction (88), said second circuit junction(88) being connected to one end of a third capacitor (C14) and a third circuit junction (89), the other ends of said third capacitor (C14) and said third resistor (R25) being connected to a negative (-) input of a first operational amplifier (U6B), a fourth resistor (R27) having a first end coupled to a voltage source and a second end connected to a fourth circuit junction (90), said fourth circuit junction (90) being connected to one end of a fifth resistor (R26) and a fifth circuit junction (91), the other end of the fifth resistor (R26) being connected to the positive (+) input of said first operational amplifier (U6B), said first operational amplifier (U6B) having an output connected to said third circuit junction (89), a sixth resistor (R28) having one end connected to said third circuit junction (89) and its other end connected to a sixth circuit junction (92), said sixth circuit junction (92) being connected to one end of a seventh and eighth resistor (R29, R30) and one end of a fourth capacitor (C15), the other end of said fourth capacitor (C15) being coupled to a circuit ground potential (87), the other end of the eighth resistor (R30) being connected to a seventh circuit junction (93), said seventh circuit junction (93) being connected to one end of a fifth capacitor (C16) and to an eighth circuit junction (94), the other ends of said fifth capacitor (C16) and said seventh resistor (R29) being connected to a negative (-) input of a second operational amplifier (U6C), a ninth resistor (R31) having one end connected to said fifth circuit junction (91) and its other end connected to a positive (+) input of said second operational amplifier (U6C), said second operational amplifier (U6C) having an output connected to said eight circuit junction (94), said fifth circuit junction (91) being connected to one end of a tenth resistor (R32) and a sixth capacitor (C17), the other ends of said tenth resistor (R32) and said sixth capacitor (C17) being connected to a feedback input (95) of said second operational amplifier (U6C) and to said circuit ground (87), said eighth circuit junction (94) being connected to an output lead (55).

11. A supervisory control unit as in claim 9, wherein:

the lowpass filter (33) being comprised of components having approximate electrical circuit values as listed below;

Resistor (R23)=604K ohm Capacitor (C12)=1 MFD

Resistor (R24)=3.6 meg.ohm Capacitor (C13)=0.22 MFD

Resistor (R25)=1 meg.ohm Capacitor (C14)=330 MFD

Resistor (R28)=224K ohm Capacitor (C15)=0.22 MFD

Resistor (R29)=511K ohm Capacitor (C16)=0.0068 MFD

Resistor (R30)=1.3 meg.ohm Capacitor (C17)=0.1 MFD

12. A supervisory control unit as in claim 9, wherein:

the cycle timer circuit means (15) comprises a free running programmable timer (U4) providing a clock pulse signal (80) having a preset width and being coupled (81) to the clock input (CK) of a toggle flip-flop (U5B), said toggle flip flop being responsive to said clock pulse signal for providing a cycle timer signal 22.

13. A supervisory control unit as in claim 9, wherein:

the temperature limit sensor circuit means (14) comprises a temperature sensing device (TS1) for providing a stable direct current voltage signal (82) being a linear function of the temperature within the structure, a differential voltage comparator (U1A, U1B) being responsive to said signal (82) and to a preset voltage value for generating a control override signal (40), said control override signal (40) being operatively coupled to said occupant detection circuit means for effecting generation of a HVAC ON-signal (62).