General Electric Company

Edward B Miller

Charles W Eichelberger

Paul G Huber

Scott E Cutler

Robert M Beatty

Robert J Wojnarowski

James F Bedard

Joseph P Stefani

Salvatore F Nati, Jr

Dewey L Harris

John J Gizienski

Michael A Haase

Robert J Mellen

A voltage surge suppression circuit for a low voltage coaxial cable comprises a gas tube connected across the signal and shield conductors and an MOV connecting the shield conductor to a ground. In the case of a balance signal line comprising two conductors, a first gas tube connects one line to ground and a second gas tube is connected across both conductors. A third gas tube may connect the other conductor to ground in which case the second gas tube may be optional. The ground is preferably a ground associated with a power line voltage surge suppression means.

Surge suppression for low voltage signal circuits

A combination electric power tap and cable connector is permanently attached to a duplex wall receptacle over the wall plate by means of a mounting stud and screw, wherein the mounting stud is an elongated member having an externally threaded machine screw which screws into the receptacle at one end and an internally threaded blind hole for receiving the mounting screw at the other end.

Electrical tap with permanent mount

An apparatus for controlling distributed electrical loads including a microprocessor based central controller coupled via a twisted pair bi-directional data line to a plurality of microcomputer based transceiver decoders. Each transceiver decoder is coupled to a plurality of relays, each relay associated with a particular load to be controlled. Override switches and sensors, coupled to transceiver decoders provide override requests and information related to ambient conditions at the site of a load. A user defined data base includes sub-sets of relays called sectors, patterns of relay states, remote switches, a time dependent schedule and condition responses. A communication protocall and arbitration scheme provide for interactive communication between the central controller and each transceiver decoder with interfacing with the operation of any other transceiver decoder. Enhanced data storage capacity is achieved through dynamic allocation of memory space for pattern data.

Method and apparatus for controlling distributed electrical loads

An apparatus for controlling distributed electrical loads including a microprocessor based central controller coupled via a twisted pair bidirectional data line to a plurality of microcomputer based transceiver decoders. Each transceiver decoder is coupled to a plurality of relays, each relay associated with a particular load to be controlled. Override switches and sensors, coupled to transceiver decoders provide override requests and information related to ambient conditions at the site of a load. A user defined data base includes sub-sets of relays called sectors, patterns of relay states, remote switches, a time dependent schedule and condition responses. A communication protocall and arbitration scheme provide for interactive communication between the central controller and each transceiver decoder with interfacing with the operation of any other transceiver decoder. Enhanced data storage capacity is achieved through dynamic allocation of memory space for pattern data.

An improved switch input arrangement for a system that remotely controls distributed electrical loads. The switch input arrangement is part of a transceiver decoder that receives commands from central controller for controlling the state of latching relays for controlling the power circuits of the loads. The improvements include: monitoring the state of contact closure inputs to the transceiver decoder, selectively enabling/disabling specific contact closures to control the masking of switch inputs, inclusion of an accumulated switch buffer to store the last actuation state of all relays, an answerback to insure that action occurs responsive to a switch input, a shifting threshold and multiplexing technique for more accurate reading of contact closure switch inputs, and the inclusion of a power-up reset message annunciated to the central controller to alert it that certain commands may have to be issued in order to reestablish the desired states of the transceiver.

Arrangement for sensing remote binary inputs

An improved relay actuating processor for a system that remotely control distributed electrical loads. The relay module is a part of a transceiver decoder that receives commands from a central controller for controlling the state of latching relays for controlling the power circuits of the loads. The improvements include: the use of a progressively variable pulse length relay actuation signal to shorten perceived response time; the provision of automatic power and reset detective and annunciation; a matrix arrangement for pulsing relays that minimizes the number of relay drivers required for a given number of relays to be controlled; utilizing a power clamp limiting circuit for protecting relay drivers from overcurrent; automatic verification of a control actuation command from the central controller; the use of an improved watch dog reset including AC coupling; warning (flicker) mode operation which provides a warning that lights in a given area will soon go off; and a multi-mode reset arrangement permitting the automatic testing of relays.

Remote load control relay processor

An apparatus for controlling distributed electrical loads including a microprocessor based central controller coupled via a twisted pair bidirectional data line to a plurality of microcomputer based transceiver decoders. Each transceiver decoder is coupled to a plurality of relays, each relay associated with a particular load to be controlled. Override switches and sensors, coupled to transceiver decoders provide override requests and information related to amibient conditions at the site of a load. A user defined data base includes sub-sets of relays called sectors, patterns of relay states, remote switches, a time dependent schedule and condition responses. A communication protocall and arbitration scheme provide for interactive communication between the central controller and each transceiver decoder with interfacing with the operation of any other transceiver decoder. Enhanced data storage capacity is achieved through dynamic allocation of memory space for pattern data. This divisional application is particularly directed to an improvement in the transceiver decoder permitting it to accumulate data from switch actuations and then transmit this accumulated data to the central controller whenever the transceiver decoder can gain access to the twisted pair data line.

Apparatus for controlling distributed electrical loads

A control module for controlling at least one variable-power-consuming load responsive to data input from local and/or remote locations, utilizes a controller microcomputer having an output setting the gain of a variable gain amplifier. The variable gain amplifier operates on a substantially-constant output of an oscillator to provide, on a cycle-by-cycle or long-term basis, a periodic waveform of controlled amplitude to the at least one load. The amplitude of the waveform sets the energy consumption/output of the load. Another data bus facilitates connection of local control means to a control module interface providing local control information to the controller microcomputer, while a third data bus is dedicated to communication with a remote central controller, if used. The control module includes circuitry for allowing a unique local address to be set for a particular control module, to which unique address the control module responds when a plurality of such control modules are connected in parallel to a central controller. A fourth data bus connects local sensors, such a photocells, thermistors and the like, through analog-to-digital conversion circuitry to the controller microcomputer, to facilitate control of the local loads responsive to local ambient conditions. The maximum level of the load(s) connected to a control module may be programmably established such that this maximum level can not be exceeded by local and/or remote commands, until the maximum level is altered.

Control module for engergy management system

Meat or poultry is cooked automatically in a thermal oven to a desired degree of doneness by a chosen time. The temperature of the meat or poultry is monitored, and linear extrapolations are made therefrom. These extrapolations are compared to the course the cooking should follow, and the oven temperature is automatically varied to correct deviations from the ideal course.

Method for cooking meat or poultry in thermal oven

A programmable energy load controller system, allowing each of a multiplicity of energy loads to be established in a selected one of an unenergized condition and a plurality of energized conditions, utilizes a central microcomputer facility in communication with a selected one of a plurality of remotely located load control processors, each configured with a unique address and capable of selectively energizing a plurality of energy loads coupled thereto under control of the central facility. The central facility includes at least one user input device, allowing a plurality of maps of load conditions, established in accordance with a user-selectable criteria, such as time-of-day and day-of-week requirements, to be loaded into a data storage associated with the central computer. A real time clock means are utilized in association with the computer and the memory to enable the desired map of load energization under the selected criteria, with means being provided for entering, on a high priority basis, overrides to at least a selected portion of the map currently implemented. Programmable energy load control methods are also disclosed.

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West Warwick, RI, United States of America

Edward B Miller