Timer and power control system - Patent Review 4349748

Claims

We claim:

1. A twenty-four hour repeat cycle home lighting timer system comprising: a lighting device; a timer power input terminal; a load device-connecting terminal; power switch means coupled between said timer power input and load device-connecting terminals; means connecting said load device-connecting terminal to said lighting device; said power switch being operable to circuit closing and opening conditions which respectively effect coupling and de-coupling of said load device-connecting terminal to and from said lighting device; manually operable light turn-on and turn-off means operable successively to light turn-on and turn-off conditions which respectively normally operate said power switch means to said circuit closing and circuit opening conditions; manually responsive timer condition setting means settable to at least timer-off and timer-on and reset conditions; storage means having respective storage locations assigned to various successive time intervals over a twenty-four hour programming period and in which light turn-on and turn-off markers can be respectively placed or retained; synchronous timing and storage location accessing means for continuously synchronously accessing the storage locations containing the markers for the various time intervals involved; and control means responsive first to the setting of said setting means from said reset to either said turn-on or turn-off condition and then to the operation of said manually operable light turn-on and turn-off means only during the first twenty-four hour programming period for storing or retaining said turn-on and turn-off markers under control of said accessing means in appropriate storage locations of said storage means only during the first twenty-four hour programming period so that the timer system is programmed to effect automatic control of said lighting device in accordance with the actual normal pattern of operation of said manually operable turn-on and turn-off means only during such period, and means for operating said power switch means in accordance with the synchronously accessed markers in said storage locations of said storage means when said setting means is in said timer-on condition and for preventing control of said power switch means by said marker when said setting means is in said timer-off condition.

2. A repeat cycle timer comprising: power input terminals; a load device connecting terminals; power switch means coupled between said power input and load device connecting terminals and operable to power circuit closing and opening conditions which respectively effect connection and disconnection of said power input and load device connecting terminals; manually operable power turn-on and turn-off means operable to power turn-on and turn-off conditions which respectively normally operate said power switch means to said power circuit closing and circuit opening conditions; manually responsive timer condition setting means settable to at least timer-off, timer-on and reset conditions; storage means having respective storage locations assigned to various successive time intervals over a given programming period and in which power turn-on and turn-off markers can be respectively placed; synchronous timing and storage location accessing means for accessing said storage locations during said time intervals and automatically repeating the same at the end of each access cycle; and control means responsive first to the operation of said setting means from said reset to either said timer-on or timer-off condition and then to the operation of said power turn-on and turn-off means only during said programming period for storing or retaining said turn-on and turn-off markers under control of said accessing means in appropriate storage locations of said storage means, so that the timer system is programmed to effect automatic control over power circuits in accordance with the actual normal pattern of operation of said power turn-on and turn-off means only during such period, and means for operating said power switch means in accordance with the synchronously accessed markers in said storage locations of said storage means when said setting means is in said timer-on condition and for preventing control of said power switch means by said markers in said storage means when said setting means is in said timer-off condition.

3. The timer of claim 2 wherein said timer includes rapid programming means including manually operable time setting means adjustable to different conditions representing said different time intervals; and means responsive to the condition of said time setting means and to the operation of said manually operable power turn-on and turn-off means for storing or retaining said turn-on and turn-off markers in said storage locations of said storage means for the time intervals involved, depending upon the particular condition of said time setting means when said manually operable turn-on and turn-off means is operated.

4. The timer of claim 2 wherein there is provided means responsive to the operation of said manually operable turn-on and turn-off means for changing the condition of said power switch whether or not said timer setting means is set to said timer-on or timer-off condition, and means, when said setting means is in the timer-on condition and said power switch means is left in a condition opposite to the condition called for by the marker in a storage location for the current time interval, for enabling a marker in a storage location for a following time interval calling for a change in the condition of said power switch to control the power switch only after at least one marker in a storage location for a following current time interval has corresponded to actual circuit opening and closing condition of the power switch.

5. The timer of claim 2 wherein said timer futher includes rapid programming means including manually operable time interval setting means adjustable to different conditions representing said different time intervals, individually manually operable control means, one for each of said time intervals, settable selectively to first and second conditions respectively representing desired energization or de-energization of a power circuit during the time interval involved, and means responsive to the condition of said time setting means and to the pattern of the set conditions of said individually operable control means for storing said turn-on and turn-off markers in said storge locations of said storage means.

6. The timer of claim 5 wherein said time interval setting means includes a rotatable dial rotatable over a surface visible beyond the perimeter of the dial, there being a reference mark on one of said surface and dial and hour-indicating indicia on the other of same which can be brought adjacent the reference mark and, where the time intervals are less than one hour in length there are provided between said hour-indicating indicia markers additional markers which identify the limits of the time intervals involved between said hour indicating indicia.

7. The timer of claim 5 wherein said time interval setting means is a dial rotatable over a given surface which extends beyond the perimeter of said dial, hour-indicating indicia visible along the periphery of said dial, and where said time intervals are less than one hour, there are provided markers between said hour-indicating indicia which delineate the margins of the time intervals between said hour-indicating indicia, said individually manually operable control means being individual marker signal actuating means-carrying members on the outer face of said dial opposite said various time segment-indicating markers and movable radially to opposite position representing turn-on and turn-off marker setting positions so that the desired pattern of turn-on and turn-off conditions can be set on the face of said dial.

8. The timer of claim 7 wherein there is provided marker control signal generating means in the paths of movement of said actuator means, depending on the set positions of the members carrying the same, so as to generate a corresponding pattern of marker control signals when said dial is rotated, said control means responding to said marker control signals to set said turn-on and turn-off markers in said storage locations.

9. The timer system or timer of claim 1 or 2 wherein said manually operable turn-on and turn-off means are incorporated in said lighting or load device and open and close a device switch in series with said device and power switch means and there is provided voltage sensing means responsive to the voltage changes caused by the successive opening and closing of said device switch, and control means including means responsive to the voltage sensed by said voltage sensing means and to said timing and storage location accessing means for storing or retaining said turn-on and turn-off markers in the appropriate ones of said storage locations of said storage means in accordance with the normal real time operation of the manually operable turn-on and turn-off means of said electrical device.

10. A timer comprising: a power input terminal: a load device connecting terminal; power switch means coupled between said power input and load device connecting terminals and operable to power circuit closing and opening conditions which respectively effect connection and disconnection of said power input and load device connecting terminals; manually operable power turn-on and turn-off means operable successively to power turn-on and turn-off conditions which are respectively normally to operate said switch means to said power circuit closing and circuit opening conditions; manually responsive timer condition setting means settable to at least reset, timer-off and timer-on conditions; timing means for identifying various time intervals over a twenty-four hour period starting with a given present time; storage means having respective storage locations assigned to said time intervals and in which power turn-on and turn-off markers can be respectively stored or maintained; synchronous timing and storage location accessing means for accessing said storage locations synchronously during said time intervals; and control means responsive to the operation of said manually operable power turn-on and turn-off means only during an initial programming period for storing or retaining said turn-on and turn-off markers under control of said accessing means in appropriate locations of said storage means, means responsive to the markers in said storage locations of said storage means when said setting means is set to said timer-on condition for effecting the automatic operation of said power switch means to said power circuit closing and opening conditions in accordance with the markers in the storage locations of said storage means, means responsive to the operation of said manually operable turn-on and turn-off means for changing the condition of said power switch means whether or not said timer setting means is set to said timer-on or timer-off condition, and means, when said setting means is in the timer-on condition and said power switch means is left in a condition opposite to the condition called for by the marker in a storage location for the current time interval, for enabling a marker in a storage location for a following time interval calling for a change in the condition of said power switch means to control the power switch means only after at least one marker in a storage location for a following current time interval has corresponded to the actual circuit opening or closing condition of the power switch means, and said control means further including means responsive to the setting of said timer condition setting means to said reset condition for removing all of the markers stored in said storage means, said turn-on and turn-off markers previously set into the storage locations for a twenty-four hour programming period remaining in such storage means until the system is reset.

11. The timer system or timer of any of claims 1, 2, 9 or 10, wherein there is provided means for indicating a still not completed programming period so that the user is aware as to whether or not the programming of the timer has been completed.

12. The timer system or timer of any of claims 1, 2 or 10 wherein said storage means is a circulating shift register having a data input terminal to which marker setting voltages are fed by said control means for setting a turn-on or turn-off marker in the particular stage of the shift register in position to receive such markers, and a shift signal input terminal for receiving a timing pulse for advancing the markers stored in the various stages of the shift register at a given time one-stage position and for preparing one of the stages of the shift register for storing a turn-on or turn-off marker therein in accordance with the voltage of said data input terminal, and said timing and storage location accessing means include shift signal generating means for generating pulses spaced apart intervals corresponding to said time intervals, and said shift register having a data output terminal associated with one of the shift register stages and at which power switch turn-on and turn-off voltages appear corresponding to the marker stored in such stage.

13. The timer system or timer of any of claims 1, 2, or 10 wherein said various means of the timer are incorporated in or on an enclosure which fits within a conventional wall switch opening commonly incorporating a power on-off toggle switch.

14. The timer system or timer of any of claims 2, 9 or 10 wherein said various means thereof are incorporated in an enclosure where said timer power input terminals are plug projections insertable into an electrical outlet socket, and said load device connecting terminals are exposed socket terminals in said enclosure.

15. The timer system of any of claims 1, 2, 9 or 10 wherein said various means making up said timer system are incorporated in an enclosure which can be set upon a table top, and said timer power input terminals are connected with means for electrically coupling the same to an outlet socket, and said load device connecting terminals are exposed power-plug receiving socket terminals on a separate housing connected to said enclosure by a power cord.

16. The timer of claim 3 wherein said various means making up said timer system are incorporated in an enclosure which can be set upon a table top, and said timer power input terminals are connected with means for electrically coupling the same to an outlet socket, and said device connecting terminals are exposed power plug-receiving socket terminals on a separate housing connected to said enclosure by a power cord, and said time setting means includes a rotatable dial mounted on the bottom of such enclosure and said manually operable turn-on and turn-off means is accessible on the top of the enclosure.

17. A timer and power control system comprising: a pair of AC input terminals to be connected to a commercial source of AC voltage; a pair of load device connecting terminals to be connected to a device to be either controlled automatically by the timer and power control system or by a manually operable control of the load device which manually operable control when successively operated successively opens and closes a device switch in series with the load device, the series circuit of the load device and switch to be connected across said load device connecting terminals; means for connecting one of said load device connecting terminals to one of said AC input terminals; a power switch having load terminals connected between the other load device connecting terminal and other AC input terminal, said power switch having a control terminal which when receiving a control signal operates the power switch in a load current conducting condition, said power switch being in a non-conducting condition in the absence of said control signal; storage means in which are to be stored or retained data for various time intervals over a twenty-four hour period during which said power switch is to be either in its load current conducting or non-conducting condition; manually responsive condition setting means operable to at least a timer-on condition; voltage sensing means responsive to the change in voltage conditions across said load terminals of said power switch which conditions are a zero voltage when the manually operable control of said load device opens the associated device switch and a useable voltage when the latter switch is closed and the power switch is in a conducting or non-conducting condition; control signal generating means responsive to the setting of said timer condition setting means to its timer-on condition for feeding said control signal to said control terminal of said power switch when the storage means indicates that the power switch should be in a load current conducting condition during a given time interval, said control signal generating means being responsive to the change in the voltage conditions across the load terminals of said power switch as sensed by said voltage sensing means resulting from the successive opening and re-closing operations of said switch of said load device by causing said control signal generating means to alternately initiate and determine the feeding of a control signal to the control terminal of said power switch, whereby succesive operations of said manually operable control of said load device will change the state of conduction of said power switch.

18. The timer and power control system of claim 17 wherein there is provided control means responsive to the change in the conditions across the load terminals of said power switch as sensed by said voltage sensing means resulting from the successive pairs of opening and re-closing operations of said switch of said load device for a first twenty-four hour period by entering information into said storage means indicating the time intervals during which said power switch is operated to either its load current conducting or non-conducting condition, to effect real time programming of the timer.

19. The timer and power control system of claim 18 wherein said manually responsive timer condition setting means is operable also to a reset condition, said first twenty-four hour period being measured from a point in time after said setting means is operated from said reset condition to at least one other condition thereof.

20. The timer and power control system of claim 19 wherein there is provided means responsive to the operation of said timer condition setting means to said reset condition for removing said information from said storage means to enable a new real time programming operation to begin after said setting means is operated to one of said other conditions.

21. The timer and power control system of claim 17, 18 or 20 wherein said system is housed in an enclosure having a pair of projecting terminals constituting said AC input terminals and pluggable into a conventional electrical wall socket, and said enclosure having a pair of exposed socket terminals constituting said load device connecting terminals into which is pluggable a conventional connector plug of a load device like a table lamp or the like.

22. The timer and power control system of claim 17 wherein said control signal generating means is responsive to successive pairs of operations of said switch of said load device to alternately initiate and terminate the feeding of a control signal to the control terminal of said power switch.

23. The timer or timer of any claims 1, 2, 10, or 17 wherein said power turn-on markers are identical markers placed in each storage location of said storage means associated with each time interval during which the power switch is to be in a circuit closing or load current conducting condition, and said turn-off markers are identical markers placed in each storage location of said storage means associated with each time interval during which said power switch is to be in a circuit opening or non-conducting condition.

24. A timer comprising: power input terminal; a load device connecting terminal; power switch means coupled between said power input and load device connecting terminals and operable to power circuit closing and opening conditions which respectively effect connection and disconnection of said power input and load device connecting terminals; manually operable power turn-on and turn-off means; manually operable timer condition setting means settable to at least timer-on, timer-off and reset conditions; storage means having respective storage locations assigned to various time intervals over a twenty-four hour period and in which power turn-on and turn-off markers can be respectively stored or retained, said storage means being a continuously marker recirculating shift register with shifting storage locations for the markers; and control means including programming means responsive to said power turn-on and turn-off means for storing or retaining said turn-on and turn-off markers in appropriate ones of the storage locations of said shift register during a first twenty-four hour period, said turn-on and turn-off markers thereafter continuing synchronously to recirculate in the shift register until the shift register is reset, means responsive to said markers stored or retained in said storage locations of said storage means when said manually operable timer condition setting means is set to said timer-on condition for effecting the automatic operation of said power switch means to said power circuit closing and opening conditions in accordance with the markers stored or retained in the storage locations of said storage means, means responsive to the operation of said manually operable turn-on and turn-off means for changing the condition of said power switch means whether or not said timer setting means is set to said timer-on or timer-off condition, and means, when said setting means is in the timer-on condition and said power switch means is left in a condition opposite to the condition called for by the marker in a storage location for the current time interval, for enabling a marker in a storage location for a following time interval calling for a change in the condition of said power switch means to control the power switch means only after at least one marker in a storage location for a following current time interval has corresponded to the actual circuit opening or closing condition of the power switch means, and means responsive to the setting of said timer condition setting means to said reset condition for removing all of the markers set in said shift register.

25. The timer of claim 24 wherein said turn-on markers are identical markers placed in each storage location of said shift register associated with each time interval during which the power switch is to be in a circuit closing or load current conducting condition, and said turn-off markers are identical markers placed in each storage location of said shift register associated with each time interval during which said power switch is to be in a circuit opening or non-conducting condition.

26. The timer system of claim 24 or 25 wherein said timing means includes manually operable time setting means adjustable to a present time condition and to different conditions identifying said different time intervals over a twenty-four hour period from present time; and said control means being responsive to the conditions of said manually operable time setting means and to said power turn-on and turn-off means for storing said turn-on and turn-off markers in the storage locations of said shift register assigned to said time intervals.

27. The timer and control system of claim 24 or 25 wherein said shift register has a data input terminal to which said marker signals are fed by said control means for setting a turn-on or turn-off marker in the particular stage of the shift register in position to receive such markers, and a shift signal input terminal for receiving timing pulses for advancing the markers stored in the various stages of the shift register at a given time one-stage position and for preparing one of the stages of the shift register for storing a turn-on or turn-off marker therein in accordance with the voltage of said data input terminal, and there is provided shift signal generating means for generating said timing pulses spaced apart intervals corresponding to said time intervals, and said shift register having a data output terminal associated with one of the shift register stages and at which power switch turn-on and turn-off voltages appear corresponding to the marker stored in such stage.

28. In a timer comprising a timer power input terminal; a load device connecting terminal; power switch means coupled between said power input and load device connecting terminals and operable to power circuit closing and opening conditions which respectively effect connection and disconnection of said power input and load device connecting terminals; the improvement in programmable means for automatically controlling the feeding of signals to said power switch means to operate the same between said power circuit closing and opening conditions, said programmable means comprising: storage means having respective storage locations assigned to various time intervals over a twenty-four hour period during which intervals said power switch means can be operated to either one of said conditions and in which storage locations there can be stored power turn-on or power turn-off markers, manually operable marker setting means operable to turn-on marker and turn-off marker setting conditions for generating marker setting or retaining signals which effect the placement or retension in a selected storage location in said storage means of a turn-on or turn-off marker, storage location selection means including a manually operable time interval setting member operable to discrete positions from a present time setting to other discrete positions representing all of said time intervals in a twenty-four hour period, permanently visible indicia along said time interval setting member to identify each of said timing intervals over a twenty-four hour period which each discrete position of said manually operable time interval setting member represents, means responsive to the advancement of said time interval setting member to each discrete position by generating a storage location accessing signal, means responsive to each storage location accessing signal to select a different storage location to record or maintain a marker therein which corresponds to the marker called for by the operated condition of said manually operable marker setting means, and control means including a repeat cycle synchronous storage location accessing and marker readout means for continuously operating said power switch means in accordance with the markers in the storage locations assigned to the timing intervals involved.

29. The timer system of claim 28 where said manually operable time interval setting member is a rotatable member.

30. The timer system of claim 28 wherein said control means is responsive to successive operation of said marker setting means for operating said power switch means between said power circuit opening and closing conditions so that said manually operable marker setting means also acts as an overriding power switch operating means operating independently of whether or not the marker in the storage location of the time interval involved calls for a given condition of said power switch means, and means, when said power switch means is left in a condition opposite to the condition called for by the marker in a storage location for the current time interval, for enabling a marker in a storage location for the following time interval calling for a change in the condition of said power switch means to control the power switch means only after at least one marker in a storage location for a following current time interval has corresponded to the actual circuit opening or closing conditions of the power switch means, and there is provided means for preventing the operation of said marker setting means from modifying the markers stored in said storage locations after said markers have been set or retained in all of said storage locations until a resetting operation is effected, and manually operable resetting means for effecting said resetting operation.

31. The timer or timer system of claim 1, 3, 10, or 28 wherein said storage means is a re-circulating multi-stage shift register in which said markers and the storage locations thereof are shifted in position each time interval, and said storage location accessing means accessing at various times different ones of said shift register stages to vary the time intervals when said power switch means is operated.

32. The timer of claim 28 or 30 wherein said manually operable time interval setting member is secured to a rotatable and momentarily depressible shaft spring urged to an outer position, and said manually operable marker setting means is a means responsive to depression of said shaft.

33. The timer of claim 28 combined with an enclosure assembly fitting over and in a wall switch opening which usually contains a toggle on-off switch and operating arm therefor; said enclosure assembly including a rear housing portion and a conventional switch plate with a toggle on-off switch operating arm-receiving slot, said switch plate overlying the front of said rear housing; said storage means, responsive means, and storage location accessing and marker readout means being located behind said switch plate and said manually operable time interval setting member and marker setting means include manually contacted means on the front of said switch plate which are coupled with other portions of the timer and control system through said switch plate slot.

34. The timer of claim 28 wherein there is provided timer program review means operable following the completion of the programming of the timer system by the setting or retension of markers in all of said storage locations for rendering inoperative said synchronous storage location accessing and marker readout means and asynchronously accessing said storage locations and operating said power switch means by the markers stored in the accessed location in accordance with the positioning of said time interval setting member.

35. The timer or timer system of claim 1 or 2 wherein the setting means in said reset condition interrupts the power fed to said timer system, and there is provided means for conditioning the timer to receive a new program when power is first fed to the timer.

36. A timer comprising: an enclosure assembly fitting over and in a wall switch opening which usually contains a toggle on-off switch and operating arm therefor, said enclosure assembly including a rear housing and a conventional switch plate overlying said rear housing and having a toggle on-off switch operating arm-receiving slot and at least a pair of screw-receiving openings of which at least one is free of any screws; indicating means on said rear housing visible through said one opening; electric circuitry in said rear housing, said circuitry including a pair of power input terminals, a pair of load device connecting terminals, power switch means coupled between said power input and load device connecting terminals and operable to power circuit closing and opening conditions which respectively effect connection and disconnection of said power input and load device connecting terminals; manually engageable means exposed on the front side of said switch plate and operable to programming conditions; means for connecting said manually engageable means through said switch plate slot with programming means forming part of said circuitry; and said circuitry further including control means including program-receiving means responsive to the operation of said manually engageable means during an initial programming period for establishing power switch turn-on and turn-off intervals in accordance with the operation of said manually engageable means, and means for effecting the automatic operation of said power switch means to said power circuit closing and opening conditions in accordance with the program set into said program-receiving means during a programming period, and said circuitry further including means for operating said indicating means so as to indicate a given condition of operation of said timer.

37. The timer of claim 36 wherein said means for operating said indicating means provides an indication which enables the operator to know the presence of the initial programming period.

38. The timer of claim 36 wherein said manually engageable means comprising separate controls respectively operating the power switch independently of the program receiving means and setting at least one timer condition setting function, and which separate controls are connected by separate mechanical means through said switch plate slot to said control means.