Title: In-line energization and de-energization of an external load in series with an external source of electricity in response to externally sensed parameters

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Claims: Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A control system for controlling the energization and de-energization of a load in series with a source of alternating current electricity in response to at least two external parameters, comprising:

A. means, having input terminals connectable across the load and the alternating current electricity source series combination, for rectifying the alternating electricity at a pair of output terminals;

B. means, connected to the output terminals of the rectifying means, for voltage regulating a portion of the output of the rectifying means;

C. means, connected to the output of voltage regulating means for generating an electrical signaling response to sensed external parameters;

D. means, each connected to one of the sensing means and the voltage regulating means, for generating electrical control output signals that are of a first, ON, value if the sensed parameter is greater than a pre-determined value and is a second, OFF, value, if the sense parameter is otherwise;

E. means, connected to the output of all the control modules, for generating a control logic output signal that is of a first, ON, value if and only if all of the output signals of the control signal means are of an ON value and is a second, OFF, value if any output signal of the control signal means is of an OFF value;

F. triggering means, having an input connected to the output of the control logic signal means, for generating a trigger voltage signal if and only if the control logic means output signal is of an ON value; and

G. means, having an input connected to the trigger voltage signal of the triggering means, and connected across the output of the rectifying means, for effectively electrically connecting the input terminals of the rectifying means if a trigger voltage signal is present and for effectively disconnecting the input terminals of the rectifying means from each other if the trigger voltage signal is not present; whereby the load is energized by the alternating current electricity source if the sensed external parameters are all greater than their respective selected predetermined values, and the load is de-energized if any of the sensed external parameters are not greater than their respective predetermined values.

2. A control system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

H. indicators, connected to the output of the electronic switch means, for indicating the ON or OFF state of the control system.

3. A control system as defined in claim 2, wherein the indicators comprise light emitting diodes.

4. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the electronic switching means for effectively electrically connecting the input terminals of the rectifying means incorporates a silicon controlled rectifier.

5. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein each sensing means comprises an electrical bridge incorporating a parameter variable resisttor, a potentiometer connected in series with the parameter variable resistor for selecting the predetermined value for the sensed parameter, and a resistor connected in parellel to the series combination of the variable resistor and the potentiometer parallel combination of a first resistance and a potentiometer, the resistance of the sensed external parameter determined by the magnitude of the external parameter, wherein the electrical signal of the sensing means is proportional to the variation in resistance of the variable resistor.

6. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein each control output means incorporates an operational amplifier for sensing the electrical signal from the corresponding sensing means and generating an output signal in response thereto.

7. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the control logic means AND the control output signals of the control means.

8. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the rectifying means comprise a full-wave bridge.

9. A control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the voltage regulating means comprises a zener diode connected to the input of a Darlington transistor pair and wherein the output of said Darlington transistor pair is connected to a capacitor for storing electrical energy.

10. A control system for controlling the energization and de-energization of a relay load in series with a source of alternating current electricity in response to ambient light and ambient temperature, so as to override the control of an existing temperature activated switch connected across the series combination of the relay load and the alternating current source, comprising:

A. means, having input terminals connectable across the load and the alternating current electricity source series combination and in parallel with the external temperature activated switch, for rectifying the alternating electricity at a pair of output terminals;

B. means, connected to the output terminals of the rectifying means, for voltage regulating a portion of the output rectifying means at a predetermined value and storing electrical energy at the regulated voltage value;

C. light sensing means, connected to the output of the voltage regulating means, for generating an electrical output signal in proportion to the ambient light level;

D. temperature sensing means, connected to the output of the voltage regulating means, for generating an electrical output signal porportional to the ambient temperature;

E. light control means, connected to the output of the light sensing means, and the voltage regulating means, for generating an electrical control output signal of a first, ON, state if the ambient light is above a first predetermined value and a second, OFF, state if the ambient light is below said first predetermined value;

F. temperature control means, connected to the output of the temperature sensing means, and the voltage regulating means, for generating a first, ON, signal if the ambient temperature is above a second predetermined value and a second, OFF, signal if the ambient temperature is below a third predetermined value;

G. control logic means, connected to the output of the light control means and the temperature control means for generating an ON signal if the outputs of the light control means and the temperature control means are both in the ON state and for generating an OFF signal if either the temperature control output signal or the light control output signal is in the OFF state;

H. triggering means, having an input connected to the output of the control logic means, for generating a trigger voltage signal if, and only if, the control logic means output signal is in the ON state; and

I. electronic switching means having an input connected to the trigger voltage output signal of the triggering means, and connected across the output of the rectifying means, for effectively electrically connecting the input terminals of the rectifying means to each other if a trigger voltage signal is present and for effectively disconnecting the input terminals of the rectifying means from each other if the trigger voltage signal is not present; whereby the relay load is energized by the alternating current electricity source if the sensed ambient light and sensed ambient temperature are both greater than the respective first and second predetermined values, and the relay load is de-energized if the ambient light is below the first predetermined value or if the ambient temperature is below the third predetermined value.

11. A control system as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

J. indicators, connected to the output of the electronic switch means, for indicating the ON or OFF state of the relay load.

12. A control system as defined in claim 11, wherein the indicator comprises a resistor and a light emitting diode connected in series, the other connection of the resistor and the light emitting diode connected across the output of the rectifying means.

13. A control system as defined in claim 10, wherein the electronic switching means incorporates a silicon controlled rectifier.

14. A control system as defined in claim 10, wherein the temperature sensing means comprises a thermistor and a potentiometer connected in series with the thermistor, and a second potentiometer connected in parallel to the thermistor and the first potentiometer series combination; and wherein the light control means incorporates a photo-resistor and a potentiometer connected in series and first and second resistors connected in series to each other, their other connections connected in parallel to the series combination of the potentiometer and photo resistor, so that the potentiometer is adjustable to set the first predetermined value of the light control means.

15. A control system as defined in claim 10, wherein the light control means incorporates an operational amplifier sensing the electrical signal of the light sensing means and generating said ON and said OFF output signal in response to the magnitude of the light sensing output electrical signal and wherein the temperature control means incorporates an operational amplifier sensing at least a portion of the output of the temperature sensing means and incorporating a potentiometer connected to the output of the temperature sensing means at one end and at the other end connected to the output of the operational amplifier wherein one of the inputs of the operational amplifier is connected to the wiper arm of the potentiometer; wherein said potentiometer determines said third predetermined value for which the output signal of the temperature control means is in the OFF state when the ambient temperature falls below said third predetermined value.

16. A control system as defined in claim 10, wherin the voltage regulating means incorporates a zener diode in series with a resistor, and a Darlington transistor pair with the input of the Darlington transistor pair connected to the junction of the zener diode and the resistor, and further incorporating a capacitor for storage of electrical energy connected to the output of the Darlington transistor pair.

17. A control system as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

J. indicators, connected to the output of the light control means, for indicating the ON or OFF states of the electrical control output signal of said light control means.

18. A control method for controlling the energization and de-energization of an external load having a first, OFF, low current state and a second, ON, high current state connected in series to an external source of electricity in response to a logical combination of a plurality of sensed parameters, comprising the steps of:

A. rectifying the output of the series combination of the external load and source of electricity for generating an output voltage of uni-polarity;

B. voltage regulating the output voltage of uni-polarity at a predetermined value and storing electricity at said predetermined value;

C. individually sensing the parameters by generating electrical signals proportional to the magnitude of the corresponding sensed parameter;

D. generating a discrete ON electrical signal if the electrical signal of the corresponding sensed parameter is greater than a predetermined value and generating a discrete OFF electrical signal if the sensed parameter is below the respective predetermined value;

E. generating a first discrete logic ON electrical signal if the signals of Step D equal a predetermined Boolean equation and generating a second, discrete logic OFF electrical signal if the signals of Step D do not equal the Boolean equation;

F. generating a trigger voltage signal if, and only if, the logic electrical signal is ON; and

G. effectively electrically connecting the outputs of the series combination of the external load and the source of electricity if a trigger voltage signal is generated and effectively diisconnecting the said outputs from each other if the trigger voltage signal is not generated;

whereby the external load is energized by the external source of electricity if the sensed parameters are equal to the predetermined Boolean equation, and the external load is de-energized if the sensed parameters do not equal the Boolean equation.

19. A control system for controlling energization and de-energization of a relay load in series with a source of alternating current electricity in response to ambient light and ambient temperature, so as to selectively override the control of an existing temperature activated switch connected across the series combination of the relay load and the alternating current source, comprising:

A. means, having input terminals connectable across the load within the alternating current electricity source series combination and in parallel with the external temperature activating switch, for rectifying the alternating electricity at a pair of output terminals;

B. light sensing means connectable to a source of direct current electricity, for generating an electrical output signal in proportion to the ambient light level;

C. temperature sensing means, connectable to a source of direct current electricity, for generating an electrical output signal proportional to the ambient temperature;

D. light control means connected to the output of the light sensing means and connectable to a source of direct current electricity, for generating an electrical control output signal of a first, ON, state if the ambient light is above a first predetermined valaue and a second, OFF, state if the ambient light is below said first predetermined value;

E. temperature control means, connected to the output of the temperature sensing means, and connectable to an external source of direct current electricity, for generating a first, ON, signal if the ambient temperature is above a second predetermined value and a second, OFF, signal if the ambient temperature is below a third predetermined value;

F. control logic means, connected to the output of the light control means and the temperature control means for generating an ON signal if the outputs of the light control means and the temperature control means are both in the ON state and for generating an OFF signal if either the temperature control output signal or the light control output signal is in the OFF state;

G. triggering means, having an input connected to the output of the control logic means, for generating a trigger voltage signal if, and only if, the control logic means output signal is in the ON state; and

H. electronic switching means having an input connected to the trigger voltage output signal of the triggering means, and connected across the output of the rectifying means, for effectively electrically connecting the input terminals of the rectifying means to each other if a trigger voltage signal is present and for effectively disconnecting the input terminals of the rectifying means from each other if the trigger voltage signal is not present;

whereby the relay load is energized by the alternating current electricity source if the sensed ambient light and sensed ambient temperature are both greater than the respective first and second predetermined values, and the relay load is de-energized if the ambient light is below the first predetermined value or if the ambient temperature is below the third predetermined value.

Other info:

Inventors: Gingras, Richard P. (Ridgefield, CT, US)

Application Number: 575341
Filing Date: 1975-05-07
Publication_date: 1976-08-10
Assignee:
Primary Class(es): 361/211 236/47, 327/187, 327/512, 327/514
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

3352490	Nov, 1967	Dalzell et al.	236/68.
3408506	Oct, 1968	Bergsma	317/132.
3716188	Feb, 1973	Shulz	236/78.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Envall, Jr., R. N.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Mattern, Ware, Davis & Stoltz