Programmed control module for inductive coupling to a wall switch

• US 5,264,761 A
• Filed: 09/12/1991
• Issued: 11/23/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beacon Light Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beacon Light Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Samuel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LaRoche, Eugene R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOO, DO H
• Application Number:
  US07/758,731
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 315/194, 315/199, 315/291, 315/276, 315/360, 315/DIG. 4, 323/217, 323/300, 323/320, 323/322
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/455 with phase control
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/257 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/08 by shifting phase of trigger voltage applied to gas-filled controlling tubes also in controlled semiconductor devices in converters H02M5/00; with regulation G05F1/44

Abstract

A lamp control module including a housing having a receptacle therein with a transformer winding wound around the inner walls of the receptacle in being operatively driven by a programmed microprocessor. The transformer winding of the module is further operative to be inductively coupled to a second transformer winding which is located within an on-off switch knob of a wall switch panel, and the second transformer winding is further connected to the gate electrode of an AC switch. Pulses which are generated in the lamp control module and controlled by data values stored in the microprocessor therein are transformer coupled from the housing receptacle transformer winding into the knob switch transformer and then to the gate electrode of the AC switch. These pulses are operative to control the phase angle and conduction time of the Triac and in turn control the conduction time that an AC voltage is applied from an external AC voltage source to a lamp.

Claims

1. A data link switching system for controlling the phase angle of an AC voltage applied to an incandescent lamp which includes, in combination:

a. a programmable module including pulse generation means therein responsive to stored data values for generating timed output pulses to a transformer primary winding connected therein, and

b. phase control means including a wall switch having a transformer secondary winding coupled to receive said timed output pulses from said pulse generating means for controlling the conduction angle of each 360°

AC waveform applied to said lamp or other equivalent load.

2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said wall switch includes a Triac connected across a pair of output terminals and in a series connection with said lamp and having a gate electrode coupled to said pulse generation means.

3. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said primary transformer winding is located around a receptacle within a housing for said programmable module, and said secondary transformer winding is located within an on-off knob on a wall switch panel and operative to be inserted within said receptacle to thereby inductively couple said primary and secondary transformer windings.

4. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said programmable module further includes:

a. a microprocessor connected to a DC voltage supply,

b. detection means connected between said primary transformer winding and said microprocessor for coupling on-off data at a pair of output terminals in said phase control means to said microprocessor for selecting the data values stored therein, and

c. said pulse generating means being connected between said microprocessor and said primary transformer winding for coupling the stored data values from said microprocessor through said primary transformer winding to said phase control means.

5. The system defined in claim 4 wherein said detection means includes:

a. an amplifier connected to the output of said primary transformer winding,

b. a low pass filter connected to the output of said amplifier, and

c. a zero crossing detector connected between the output of said low pass filter and an input of said microprocessor for providing the on-off data values to said microprocessor.

6. The system defined in claim 4 wherein said programmable module includes a housing having thereon a visual display means for conveying information regarding the timing, intensity or duty cycle of said lamp.

7. The system defined in claim 4 wherein said phase control means includes a Triac connected across said pair of output terminals and in a series connection with said lamp and having a gate electrode coupled to said secondary transformer winding.

8. The system defined in claim 7 wherein said primary transformer winding is located to surround a receptacle in a programmable module housing and said secondary transformer winding is located inside an on-off knob on a wall switch pane, with said knob being operatively positioned within said receptacle of said programmable module housing.

9. The system defined in claim 8 wherein said detection means includes:

a. an amplifier connected to the output of said primary transformer winding,

b. a low pass filter connected to the output of said amplifier, and

c. a zero crossing detector connected between the output of said low pass filter and one input to said microprocessor for providing the on-off data selection signals to said microprocessor.

10. The system defined in claim 1 wherein said programmable module housing has a visual display means thereon indicating the intensity, timing, or duty-cycle control of said lamp.

11. A control module operative for being inductively and removably coupled to control power to a load by varying the phase or current conduction angle that a connected AC line voltage is supplying current to the load, comprising:

a. a module housing having a display and switch panel on one surface thereof and a switch knob receptacle on another surface thereof,

b. data storage means within said module housing, and

c. pulse transformation means connected between said data storage means and a primary transformer winding located within said switch knob receptacle for inductively coupling phase angle control data to said load, whereby said control module may be easily moved from wall switch to wall switch within the home or office.

12. The control module defined in claim 11 wherein said primary transformer winding is located around inner housing walls of said module housing which defines said receptacle.

13. The control module defined in claim 11 wherein said data storage means includes a microprocessor whose operation is synchronized with the AC line voltage connected to said load.

14. The control module defined in claim 12 wherein said primary transformer winding is located around said inner housing walls defining said receptacle.

15. The control module defined in claim 13 wherein said microprocessor is connected at one input terminal to received AC power interruptions through said primary transformer winding and is operative to select stored data values in response thereto and is connected at one output terminal to said pulse transformation means.

16. The control module defined in claim 15 wherein said pulse transformation means includes a pulse generator connected between said one output terminal of said microprocessor and said primary transformer winding.

17. Circuitry for controlling the conduction angle of AC current to a selected load comprising:

a. a Triac having output electrodes connectable in series with the load and between a pair of AC supply voltage terminals,

b. a microprocessor coupled to a gate electrode of said Triac for controlling the conduction time thereof, and

c. means coupling data control signals to said microprocessor for downloading data therein which is subsequently used to control the conduction time of said Triac,

d. said coupling means includes transformer primary and secondary windings electrically coupled to said gate electrode of said Triac, and

e. said primary winding of said coupling means is located around a hollow bobbin within a control module and said secondary winding of said coupling means is located within an on/off switch knob of a wall switch and adapted to fit within a opening of said bobbin.

18. Circuitry for controlling the conduction angle of AC current to a selected load comprising:

a. a Triac having output electrodes connectable in series with the load and between a pair of AC supply voltage terminals, and

b. a transformer winding coupled to a gate or control electrode of said Triac and responsive to inductively coupled control signals applied thereto for controlling the conduction angle of said Triac,

c. a programming module inductively coupled to said transformer, and

d. said transformer winding is adapted for mounting within an on-off knob of a conventional wall switch and may take the form of a small RF choke coil.

19. Circuitry defined in claim 18 wherein said transformer winding is responsive to pulses applied from a programmed control module.

20. Circuitry defined in claim 18 wherein said transformer winding is responsive to pulses applied from a programmed control module, whereby said programmed control module may be transformer coupled to said transformer winding within said on-off knob of said wall switch.

21. Circuitry defined in claim 18 which further includes a microprocessor connected between said transformer winding and said gate or control electrode of said Triac and operative to receive data through said transformer winding.