Wireless electrical apparatus controller and method of use

• US 9,418,543 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wireless Telematics LLC
• Original Assignee: Wireless Telematics LLC
• Inventors: Ross, Allan L., McWhirter, William D., Weaver, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Vernal
• Application Number:
  US14/463,250
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 340/12.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

A device for controlling at least one electrical apparatus comprising a microprocessor wired to an RF transceiver, the microprocessor storing operating protocol commands as sent over a wireless network, the RF transceiver and microprocessor being configured in cooperation with software code residing in the microprocessor to receive and extract real-time data as sourced from a network time source of the wireless network and embedded in the network signal, and a clock circuit connected to the microprocessor and configured for storing the real-time data, whereby the device controls power to the electrical apparatus according to the operating protocol commands at real-time as obtained from the wireless network by which the operating protocol commands are sent and as kept by the clock circuit, thus eliminating the need for a separate GPS receiver in the device for receiving real-time data.

Claims

1. A device for controlling one or more electrical apparatuses comprising a processor/transceiver control unit connected to each electrical apparatus, the processor/transceiver control unit comprising:

at least one microprocessor storing operating protocol commands as sent over a wireless network having a network time source, the microprocessor further storing software code;

an RF transceiver connected to the microprocessor, the RF transceiver and microprocessor being configured in cooperation with the software code to receive real-time data sourced from the network time source and embedded in a signal of the wireless network;

one or more relays connected between the at least one microprocessor and the one or more electrical apparatuses through one or more current transformers; and

a clock circuit connected to the microprocessor and configured for storing the real-time data, whereby the device controls power to the one or more electrical apparatuses through the relays according to the operating protocol commands substantially at real-time as kept by the clock circuit with such real-time data being acquired by the device from the wireless network by which the operating protocol commands are sent, thus eliminating the need for a separate GPS receiver in the device for receiving real-time data.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the operating protocol commands are sent over the wireless network from a network operations center configured as a website portal, whereby a user can access and selectively control the device over the wireless network.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the operating protocol commands comprise an on demand command sent from the network operations center over the wireless network.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the operating protocol commands comprise a temporary schedule stored in the microprocessor for the days and times not overridden by an on demand command.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the operating protocol commands comprise a permanent schedule stored in the microprocessor for the days and times not overridden by an on demand command or a temporary schedule.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein the operating protocol commands are selected from the group consisting of a set time zone command, an operate initialization routine command, a set warm up duration command, a set alarm voltages and bias command, a set default device state command, a set permanent scheduled events command, an on demand command, a channel override command, a configure dawn/dusk operation command, a configure dawn/dusk operation with start time command, a configure dawn/dusk operation with end time command, a set temporary scheduled event command, a delete temporary scheduled event command, a clear event configuration command, an enable/disable voltage alarm monitor message command, an acknowledge alarm message command, a clear alarm message command, a set runtime download message command, a set boot message command, a reset to default command, a status request command, a voltage reading request command, a runtime log request command, a check-sum request command, an event configuration request command, an alarm voltage request command, an event state request command, a time stamp request command, and an initialization request command.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor stores a time zone of the device, whereby the real-time data is adjusted by the microprocessor as needed according to the time zone of the device.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the microprocessor stores a latitude and longitude coordinate of the device, whereby sunrise and sunset time is calculated for the device by the microprocessor.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a back-up power supply so as to provide voltage to the microprocessor in the event that the electrical apparatus loses power.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the back-up power supply comprises a capacitor.

11. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

an enclosure housing a processor/transceiver control unit; and

a visible indicator wired to the microprocessor and installed in the enclosure so as to indicate the status of the processor/transceiver control unit.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a means for storing in the microprocessor a nominal voltage for the electrical apparatus; and

a means for reading an operating voltage for the electrical apparatus and comparing the operating voltage to the nominal voltage so as to monitor operation of the electrical apparatus.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the nominal voltage is based on at least one on/off cycle of the device followed by a voltage reading.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein:

the electrical apparatus is a light bulb; and

a proportional reduction of the operating voltage relative to the nominal voltage indicates bulb outage.

15. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first relay wired to the microprocessor and configured for connecting to a first electrical apparatus; and

a second relay wired to the microprocessor and configured for connecting to a second electrical apparatus, whereby the device controls multiple electrical apparatuses.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein:

a first operating protocol is stored in the microprocessor for controlling the first electrical apparatus; and

a second operating protocol is stored in the microprocessor for controlling the second electrical apparatus.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein:

a nominal voltage of the device is based on the number of electrical apparatuses;

an alert voltage change is calculated by dividing the nominal voltage by the number of electrical apparatuses;

an operating voltage is measured when the device and the associated electrical apparatuses are powered; and

a low-voltage alert message is sent from the device over the wireless network to a network operations center if the operating voltage has dropped from the nominal voltage by an amount greater than or equal to the alert voltage change.

18. A device for controlling one or more electrical apparatuses comprising a processor/transceiver control unit connected to each electrical apparatus, the processor/transceiver control unit comprising:

a microprocessor wired to an RF transceiver, the microprocessor storing operating protocol commands as sent over a wireless network having a network time source, the RF transceiver and microprocessor being configured in cooperation with software code residing in the microprocessor to receive and extract real-time data as sourced from the network time source and embedded in a signal of the wireless network, the operating protocol commands being selected from the group consisting of an on demand command sent from a network operations center over the wireless network, a temporary schedule stored in the microprocessor for the days and times not overridden by an on demand command, and a permanent schedule stored in the microprocessor for the days and times not overridden by an on demand command or a temporary schedule, the microprocessor storing a time zone and a latitude and longitude coordinate of the device and on that basis determining dusk/dawn time offsets for the device in cooperation with the software code; and

a clock circuit connected to the microprocessor and configured for storing the real-time data, the real-time data being adjusted by the microprocessor as needed according to the time zone of the device and the sunrise and sunset time for the device as calculated by the microprocessor, whereby the device controls power to the one or more electrical apparatuses according to the operating protocol commands at real-time as kept by the clock circuit with such real-time data being acquired by the device from the wireless network by which the operating protocol commands are sent and being adjusted as needed based on the time zone and latitude and longitude of the device, thus eliminating the need for a separate GPS receiver in the device for receiving real-time data and optimally controlling the one or more electrical apparatuses relative to dusk/dawn offsets.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein:

the operating protocol commands are sent over the wireless network from the network operations center configured as a website portal; and

the time zone and the latitude and longitude coordinate of the device are sent from the network operations center to each control unit during setup and initialization, whereby a user can access and selectively control the device over the wireless network.

20. A device for controlling one or more electrical apparatuses comprising a processor/transceiver control unit connected to each electrical apparatus, the processor/transceiver control unit comprising:

at least one microprocessor storing software code and further storing a nominal voltage and an operating voltage for each electrical apparatus, the microprocessor in cooperation with the software code comparing the operating voltage to the nominal voltage so as to detect a low-voltage condition and thereby monitor operation of each electrical apparatus; and

an RF transceiver connected to the microprocessor, the RF transceiver and microprocessor being configured in cooperation with the software code to send a voltage alert signal to a network operations center for corrective action when a low-voltage condition indicating malfunction of an electrical apparatus is detected.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein:

a first relay is wired to the microprocessor and configured for connecting to a first electrical apparatus;

a second relay is wired to the microprocessor and configured for connecting to a second electrical apparatus;

the nominal voltage of the device is based on the number of electrical apparatuses;

an alert voltage change is calculated by dividing the nominal voltage by the number of electrical apparatuses;

the operating voltage is measured when the device and the associated electrical apparatuses are powered; and

a low-voltage alert message defining the voltage alert signal is sent from the device over the wireless network to the network operations center if the operating voltage drops from the nominal voltage by an amount greater than or equal to the alert voltage change.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein:

each electrical apparatus is a light bulb; and

a proportional reduction of the operating voltage relative to the nominal voltage indicates a bulb outage.