Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading
Patent
1983-08-01
1986-03-18
Yusko, Donald J.
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
With meter reading
34082552, 34082536, 340332, 3403111, H04Q 900
Patent
active
045771910
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention pertains to the corresponding electrical control of a plurality of use circuits selectively accomplished from amongst a plurality of control circuits.
BACKGROUND ART
The prior art has accomplished such control by a system of time multiplex, or in a fragmentary way by a scheme of self-assigning address.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,771, of Mar. 5, 1974 to J. Gundersen et al is one example of multiplexing; the example given therein pertaining to attendant service and entertainment for each passenger in a large jet aircraft.
MOS-FET integrated circuit chips are employed and the circuitry includes numerous counters, flip-flops, shift registers, and AND, NAND and NOR gates.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,595, of June 15, 1971 to M. Slavin et al is another example, having a closed loop with series-connected coders. In a sequence, coders and decoders are sequentially activated to perform their assigned functions. Thereafter, each activated coder and decoder assumes an inactive state, in which they permit the passage of control signals and data therethrough. The control signals can be applied in either direction along the series connections.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,087, of Feb. 24, 1981, to H. Saal is an example of self-assigning address. However, it discloses an address system only, having one series of addressable units connected to one control unit. Use circuits are not disclosed at all. Each addressable unit has a signaling device, such as an electronic circuit, which operates in the same manner at each addressable unit location by permuting signals appearing on the input connector.
The control unit emits several "signals" in two prime-related groups. The simultaneous appearance of these several signals at only one device accomplishes the addressing. The nature of, and the waveshapes of, the signals are not disclosed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A unique combination of typically two pulse multi-phase clocks forms a control matrix. The number of phases in each clock is different and mutually prime; i.e., 5 for one clock and 6 for the other. In use, this matrix will service 30 stations, seat groups, in application to passenger aircraft.
At each passenger seat there is a coder, control circuit, to accept the passenger command, and at a corresponding overhead location there is a decoder, use circuit, to accomplish the command; such as to turn on a reading light. In the interconnecting wiring each of the 11 clock line conductors is shifted one phase at each corresponding location.
A simple 2-input AND gate is present at each station and is used to extract the unique matrix position for each station. All passenger seat boxes, coders and seat cables are alike. All corresponding overhead decoders and overhead cables are alike. This simplifies maintenance. However, the matrix of phases and wiring is such that a given coder controls only the corresponding decoder.
Each coder and decoder is essentially only a pair of diodes. The whole system is thus simplified with respect to the multiplex control art and complete with respect to the fragmentary addressing art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the apparatus, as installed in a vehicle, such as a passenger aircraft.
FIG. 2 shows the plural phase pulse waveforms for each of the two plural-phase clocks.
FIG. 3 is the schematic wiring diagram for an electrical control unit, including the input to output phase-to-phase wiring.
FIG. 4 is a schematic and block wiring diagram for an electrical use unit.
FIG. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram for lamp driver and call memory circuits.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram for the section controller.
BEST MODE FOR CARYING OUT THE INVENTION
A typical use for the matrix control and use circuits of this invention is within a wide-bodied aircraft, where the ceiling is too high for a passenger to reach up and actuate a reading light switch located on the overhead ceiling. This is an important application, but the applicability to other vehicles and to stationary installations will become apparent
REFERENCES:
patent: 3585595 (1971-06-01), Slavin et al.
patent: 3795771 (1974-03-01), Gundersen et al.
patent: 4016369 (1977-04-01), Pedersen
patent: 4253087 (1981-02-01), Saal
patent: 4425564 (1984-01-01), Steele
Eeco Incorporated
Lubcke Harry R.
Yusko Donald J.
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