Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Plural load circuit systems – Plural sources of supply
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2001-06-26
Fleming, Fritz (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Plural load circuit systems
Plural sources of supply
C307S039000, C307S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252311
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
A sensor for detecting initial alternating current flow across the load's open/close switch which can be easily combined with a controller for managing the absorption of alternating current loads of preexisting localized circuits. Within the present unity of invention, the sensor or controller/manager can be readily connected to the preexisting localized circuits found in either stationary dwellings, or movable domiciles such as, motor homes, trailers, boats or ships. The controller and/or manager include a memory which prioritizes, according to a preselected paradigm, alternating current delivery to the various appliances, such as, heat pumps, furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, dryers, ranges and/or refrigerators connected to their corresponding preexisting circuits. Although it has been determined the sensor, as well as the controller/manager, can be advantageously and conveniently coupled to the preselected localized circuits having loads to be managed at the primary source of alternating current, such as, the circuit breaker or fuse box, it is within the scope of the present invention, for the sensor or the controller/manager to be connected at any location remote from the open/close switch of the appliance load to be managed. In combination with the various appliances' open/close switches coupled, in series, via their corresponding localized preexisting circuits to the manager, the present invention can activate, delay or inhibit operation of the appliances, in accordance with the preselected paradigm.
2. Description of the Previous Art
a) U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,594 Lin, et. al., enables a remote control which transmits an infrared signal to activate or deactivate electronic devices such as televisions or audio systems. The operator of Lin's keypad generates infrared codes to control the selected electronics. In the art, Lin discloses what is known commonly as a universal controller, since the controller can function with a multitude of electronics, regardless of manufacturer of the electronics.
b) U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,38 Kaihatsu mandates an electronic control system for camera-integral VTR. Operation of the keypad, causes the VTR to rewind, play, fast-forward, stop, so forth and so on. Kaihatsu's novel feature appears to be the identifying signal which is specific for each VTR and its respective remote controller, thereby preventing accidental activation of other electronic devices. Additionally, the specific identifying signal is only locked in after keypad controller initially activates the VTR.
c) U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,017 Merwin, et. al., teaches a control system for electric ballast powering fluorescent lamps. Via an existing traveler wire of conventional three-way or four-way switches, push buttons coupled to the traveler wire are connected to Merwin's master controller. When an operator activates Merwin's set of push buttons, a pulse transmitter sends an encoded signal along the traveler wire to the master controller to activate, deactivate or dim the respective fluorescent lamp or lamps. Thereafter, Merwin's master controller sends an encoded command signal specific to the fluorescent lamp to be activated, deactivated or dimmed to the lamp's receiver.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a sensor or sensors for detecting minuscule amperages flowing across open/close switches of loads. Within the present unity of invention, utilizing the current sensors with a controller allows for load management of loads which have been connected to their corresponding localized preexisting circuits. Examples of appliance loads successfully managed by the controller include those loads attributable to such devices as heat pumps, furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, dryers, ranges and refrigerators, to name a few of the multitude of manageable loads. Within the scope of the present invention, any number of loads from 1 to infinity less 1 can be managed. And loads associated with these commonplace appliances can range from about 4 amperes to about 50 amperes or more. Importantly, it has been discovered that the present sensor while remote from the load's open/close switch can detect initial minuscule current flow across the load's open/close switch, when the initial current flow is at a rate less than 0.00251% of the load's maximum amperage.
In accordance with the present invention, the sensor and the controller/manager function in combination with the indigenous localized preexisting circuits found in either stationary dwellings or movable domiciles. Generally, the localized preexisting circuits consist of commercially available Underwriters Laboratories approved copper or copper-type wiring, but the present invention is functional with other species of lines which may define the localized preexisting circuit. Most advantageously, the controller meets the long felt but previously unfilled need for a sensor and its corresponding controller which could be attached to the preexisting circuit at any location remote from the open/close switch of the load to be managed. Therefore, costly rewiring of dwellings or domiciles is unnecessary to practice the present invention. At the same time, for convenience, the controller is frequently located near the primary source of alternating current, i.e., the circuit breaker or fuse box. Representative voltages of primary sources of the alternating currents utilized in combination with present invention are 120, 240, 480 forward current volts, as well as, from about 160 to about 900 reverse breakdown volts. However, in view of this enabling disclosure, those competent in the art will recognize the controller can be readily configured to operate with other voltages and/or loads to be managed.
In the prior art, previous controllers required a user interface to activate or deactivate any load to be managed. However, within the scope of the present invention, by employing either the controller's memory or microprocessor, the requirement of a user interface is abolished. Thus, dependent upon a predetermined paradigm, a priority of load delivery can be relayed to and between various appliances from the single primary source of alternating current supplying the localized preexisting circuits.
An example of a predetermined paradigm is: when the range is on, load to the dryer is delayed while load to the water heater is inhibited, until the range is off. Another example of a predetermined pattern is: when loads are delivered to the air conditioner and the range, loads to the refrigerator and the water heater are delayed. Yet another example of a predetermined model is: the water heater absorbs load only during the overnight hours, unless its load is delayed because it is overridden by the furnace load. Still another example of a predetermined paradigm is: while starting a heavy duty motor, other lighter loads are inhibited or temporarily delayed, for a predetermined time. In short, in accordance with the present invention, an almost endless number of parameters can dictate the predetermined paradigm for load delivery, delay or inhibition.
Within the scope of the present invention, it has also been unexpectedly discovered that the controller can detect as few as 50 microamperes of current flowing across the load's open/close switch, when the controller is coupled at a location remote from the open/close switch. And depending upon the components selected to construct the load manager, the sensor's sensitivity can also detect current flowing over the load's open/close switch in the range of from about 2 to about 10 milliamperes or more. Those skilled in the art understand that whether the controller is set to sense microamperes or milliamperes, either of those currents is minuscule, when compared to total load required to activate the corresponding function of the activated load. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, when the manager detects these minuscule currents flowing across the loa
Fleming Fritz
Pearce Kenneth F.
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