Recorder device, reading device and regulating device

Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Controlled by a disparate device – Electrical device

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C368S008000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06252823

ABSTRACT:

The invention relates to a recorder device for monitoring the operating, or running, time of an electrical system such as a power tool, washing machine, cooker or other appliance for example. The invention also relates to a reading device for reading data from such a timing device, or run time recorder, which reading device might also provide power to drive microcomputer devices. The invention also relates to a regulating device for regulating the operation of equipment such as heating devices such as panel heaters for offices.
It is known from GB 1572342 to provide a run time recorder comprising an oscillator and divider which are functional only when the power supply to the electrical system being monitored is on. The oscillator and divider provide a periodic signal to a counter which increments a record of the total run time of the monitored appliance which is continually read into a non-volatile memory store. The run time information is also displayed continuously on a display clock when the supply voltage is present. Such a system is relatively expensive to manufacture since a display can be relatively costly and requires additional components and power in order to be driven correctly. An additional disadvantage is that the system requires the non-volatile memory to be continually erased and updated in order to retain reasonably accurately the record of the elapsed operational time of the monitored system or appliance.
EP 0241648 discloses a more sophisticated electronic elapsed time meter which is connected across the electrical input supply to an appliance from which it also draws power in order itself to operate. The device comprises a microcomputer which communicates with a memory and a display such that both are constantly updated with data representative of the run time of the monitored appliance. Additionally, the device can comprise a capacitor connected to an input regulator which maintains power to the device for a short period after removal of the power supply to the appliance thereby to enable the microcomputer to update a non-volatile memory with the latest run time recordal data.
The devices according to the prior art require complex electronic circuitry having relatively large numbers of components such as visual output displays for displaying elapsed run time. Such run time recorders are relatively expensive to manufacture and draw excessive power from the power supply to the monitored appliance. Additionally, the known devices constantly update their non-volatile memory and since such memory devices allow only a finite number of erase/write operations to given memory addresses and accordingly errors in the stored data will arise after a finite period of operation of the appliance. Additionally, EP 0241648 requires a voltage detector to generate a signal indicative of cessation of an input voltage to the monitored appliance. Such a detector can be susceptible to erroneously indicating that the supply voltage has been turned off when in fact only a minor temporal variation in the supply voltage has occurred.
A device for reading an RTR device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,104 which discloses a reader device comprising a specialised pulse power source included in a custom solid state chip which pulse power is transmitted to a transducer in a run time recorder and means for acquiring data from the recorder and for displaying said data. The system further comprises means for providing power to both the reader device and the run time recorder. In particular, the system comprises means for providing plural checks and for indicating faults in the combined system of the reader and recorder thereby to enable accuracy and reliability in the reading of data from the recorder.
The invention seeks to avoid or at least mitigate the various problems of the known art. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a device for monitoring the operating time of an electrical appliance operably driven by a periodically repeating variable supply voltage, wherein the device comprises means for coupling to the supply voltage and for communicating a signal representative of the periodically repeating wave form of the supply voltage to means for monitoring said supply signal which monitoring means operably determines the operating time of the appliance from the number of repetitions of said periodic wave form.
Another aspect provides a device for monitoring the operating time of electrical appliance operably driven by an input voltage wherein the device comprises means for coupling to said input voltage and communicating a signal representative of the nature of said input voltage to monitoring means which operably determines the nature of said input voltage and communicates a signal indicative thereof to a controller which is thereby able to determine a mode of operation of the device.
A further aspect of the invention provides a device for monitoring the operating time of an electrical appliance operably driven by a periodically repeating variable supply voltage, wherein the device comprises means for coupling to the supply voltage and for communicating a signal representative of the periodically repeating wave form of the supply voltage to means for monitoring said signal which monitoring means operably determines when the supply voltage is terminated due to the absence of a repeating wave form.
Another aspect provides a device for monitoring the operation run time of an electrical system operably driven by an AC supply wherein the device comprises means for coupling to the AC supply thereby to communicate a signal representative of the periodically repeating wave form of the supply to means for monitoring the supply which enables determination of the removal of said AC supply in the absence of a periodically repeating wave form.
A yet further aspect provides a device for communicating with a run time recorder which comprises means to transfer power to said recorder and wherein the voltage of said output power is modulated thereby to communicate with the recorder.
Another aspect of the invention addresses the problems experienced when powering up microcomputers from very low current power supplies, such as may be found in mains powered devices employing resistive droppers, or solar cell powered devices. Typical problems experienced are: slow rise of power supply voltage leading to power on reset timers timing Out before correct operating voltage has been reached; reset being released before guaranteed operating voltage reached; load current rising well above normal operating levels, as a result of CMOS input current spike which can be sufficient to prevent power supply establishing itself; and microcomputers which draw excess current when reset. Most of these problems are encountered in the design of a RTR. Accordingly an aspect of the invention provides a snap action power supply such as an electrical device for controlling the voltage applied to a microcomputer which device comprises means for delaying application of a supply voltage to power the microcomputer being applied thereto until it has reached a predetermined magnitude.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to regulating devices. It is known to provide sophisticated regulators for heating systems for example, which comprise complex electronic control circuitry containing a non-volatile memory for storing instructional data for the programmed operation of the device. Such known regulator devices can comprise sophisticated user interfaces having one or more displays and buttons which enable the user to input certain control requirements into the device. The control requirements are implemented by the pre-programmed regulator thereby to regulate the operation of the requisite equipment such as a heating system for example. Such regulators are readily adjusted at said user interfaces, for example to adjust the thermostatically controlled temperature of a room and/or the timed operation thereof. This can be a disadvantage in situations where a regulator is required to be controlled by one person

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