System for power supply to and switching of a number of electrical appliances

Claim 2

System for power supply to and switching of a number of electrical appliances each of which is provided with a functional power-consuming part and a switching part, comprising power conductors that are connected on the one hand to a power source and on the other hand to the electrical appliances and a signal line comprising at least one conductor, which is connected on the one hand to signal transmitters and on the other hand to the switching parts of the electrical appliances, each signal transmitter corresponding with the switching part of one appliance or a group of associated appliances and, when activated, generating a control signal peculiar to the corresponding switching part, which is addressed to that switching part directly, and a clock pulse generator connected to the signal line, characterized in that the signal transmitters, the switching parts and the clock pulse generator are connected to one and the same conductor of the signal line, the signal transmitters being so embodied as to generate, when activated, their characteristic control signal by modification of a given series of successive clock pulses.

Claim 3

System according to claim 1 characterized in that the signal transmitters are embodied so that the said control signal is brought about by extending up to the next clock pulse a number of clock pulses of the said series of successive clock pulses in a combination characterizing the control signal.

Claim 4

System according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the signal transmitters and the switching parts are provided with an internal clock circuit capable of generating a clock pulse signal which is synchronous with the clock pulse signal of the clock pulse generator connected to the signal line.

Claim 5

System according to claim 3 characterized in that the internal clock circuit is capable of generating a clock pulse signal which is synchronous with, and shifted through one half cycle relative to, the clock pulse signal of the clock pulse generator connected to the signal conductor.

Claim 6

System according to one of the claims 1 through 4 characterized in that each of the signal transmitters and each of tlw switching parts is provided with a same signal part which, by connecting certain contacts, may function either as a signal-generating part in a signal transmitter or as a signal-processing part in a switching part.

Claim 7

System according to claim 5 characterized in that the said signal part is provided with a time control part consisting of a first gate circuit with an output for a 'wait' signal and an output for a 'run' signal, a first shift register connected to an input of the first gate circuit which register disables the 'run' signal upon the occurrence of a preamble of a control signal on the signal line, and a second shift register connected to an input of the first gate circuit, which second register activates the 'wait' signal upon cessation of a specific address portion of a signal, with a second gate circuit which when the 'run' signal is disabled is capable of generating an output signal which is capable of ensuring that a specific address portion of a control signal occurring on the signal conductor is entered into a third shift register, with a comparator circuit which is capable of comparing the address in the third shift register with a fixed address and of generating an output signal capable of activating a relay when the addresses correspond, with a fourth shift register in which is stored a control signal consisting of a preamble and the said fixed address, which register can be controlled with an output signal of the said second gate circuit when a given input of the said second gate circuit is activated with a switch so that the control signal stored in the fourth shift register may be supplied to the signal conductor.

Claim 8

System according to one or more of the claims 1 through 6 provided with an internal power supply unit to be charged from the signal line and consisting essentially of a rectifier and a chargeable part, characterized in that the internal power supply unit, the internal clock circuit and the signal part are united in an integrated circuit.

Claim 9

Switching part or signal transmitter obviously intended to be applied in a system according to one of the claims 1 through 7.