Remote control wiring system

Claim 2

In a remote control system for use in association with a conventional residential-type electrical wiring system having effectively electrically interconnected conventional electric wiring branch circuits extending and delivering electric power to various portions of the building, with at least some of those branch circuits delivering power to lighting or the like loads connectable for control by local switches mountable in local wall boxes, with a pair of branch circuit conductors entering the box and a pair of load conductors extending from the box, the combination of a receiver unit mountable in the wall box and connectable to the pair of branch circuit conductors entering said box and to the pair of load circuit conductors extending from the wall box, said receiver including control means including frequency-sensitive circuit means responsive to signals on the branch circuit conductors indicative of ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' conditions for producing signal pulses, dual state means having two stable states and controlled by said frequencysensitive circuit means for switching between said two stable states in response to said pulses, and switching means controlled by said dual state means for controlling the connection of said branch circuit conductors to said load circuit conductors.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 in which said receiver includes a container physically accepted by the wall box, three terminal means one of which is connectable to one of the pair of branch circuit conductors, one of which is connectable to one of the load circuit conductors and the third one of which is connectable both to the other one of said branch circuit conductors the other one of saId load circuit conductors, a manually actuatable switch physically supported by said container, and a switch plate.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 in which said third terminal means includes two interconnected terminal portions connectable respectively to said other one of said branch circuit conductors and said other one of said load circuit conductors.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 further including local manually operable switching means located at the wall box for independently selectively switching the state of said dual state means.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 in which said switching means includes a silicon controlled rectifier, and means for varying the firing point of said silicon controlled rectifier including manually adjustable means.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 4, in which said frequency-sensitive circuit means includes means responsive to one change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit conductors for signaling said dual-state means to switch from one state to another state and responsive to another change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit conductors for signaling said dual-state means to switch from said other state to said one state.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 6 further including transmitter means for selectively applying to the branch circuit conductors in the wiring system signals of first and second preselected frequencies and in which said one change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit conductors is a change to the existence thereon of a signal of a first preselected frequency and in which said another change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit conductors is a change to the existence thereon of a signal of a second preselected frequency differing from said first preselected frequency.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6 further including transmitter means for selectively instituting and terminating the application to the branch circuit conductors in the wiring system a signal of a preselected frequency and in which said one change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit conductors is a change to the existence thereon of a signal of a preselected frequency and which in said another change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit conductors is a change to the cessation thereon of a signal of a preselected frequency.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 6 further including transmitter means disposed at a point remote from the wall box and connected to the wiring system for applying signals to the branch circuit conductors in the wiring system indicative of ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' conditions.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 9 in which said signal indicative of an ''''on'''' condition is a signal of a first preselected frequency and in which said signal indicative of an ''''off'''' condition is a signal of a second preselected frequency.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 9 in which said signal indicative of an ''''on'''' condition is a signal of a preselected frequency and in which said signal indicative of an ''''off'''' condition is the cessation of said signal of said preselected frequency.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 10 in which said dual-state means is effective if it is in said another state to switch to said one state in response to said another change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit conductors.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 11 in which said dual-state means is effective if it is in said one state to switch to said another state in response to said one change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit conductors, and in which said dual-state means is effective if it is in said another state to switch to said one state in response to said another change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit conductors.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 6 in which said dual-state means is a solid state unit including two cross coupled transistors, said unit having two inputs and changing from one state to another in response to a signal at one of said inputs and changing from said another state to said one state in response to a signal at the other one of said inputs, and remaining in either state until a signal switching it to a different state is received, and in which said switching means includes a silicon controlled rectifier the gate of which is controlled by said dual-state means.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 6 in which said dual-state means is a solid state device having signal input means and signal output means, with the state of said dual-state means being shifted in response to signals applied to said signal input means and with said dual-state means transmitting an output signal via said signal output means indicative of its instant state, and in which means including said frequency-sensitive circuit means applies said signals to said input means.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 15 in which said local manually operable switching means also controls the application of signals to said signal input means.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 15 in which said dual-state means has two separate signal inputs and in which said local manually operable switching means includes separately operable ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' switching means with one thereof connected to one of said signal inputs and with the other thereof connected to the other one of said signal inputs.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 17 in which said means including said frequency-sensitive circuit means applies said signals to but one of said inputs.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 17 in which said means including said frequency-sensitive circuit means applies said signals to one of said two separate signal inputs in response to the receipt of a signal indicative of an ''''on'''' condition and to the other one of said two separate signal inputs in response to the receipt of a signal indicative of an ''''off'''' condition.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 15 in which said switching means controlled by said dual-state means includes a controllable solid state device responsive to said output signal.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 20 in which said switching means includes a silicon controlled rectifier and unidirectional current conducting means.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 20 further including manually adjustable phase shifting means connected to said controllable solid state device for controlling the firing angle of said solid state device.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 15 in which one change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit means is a change to a signal of one frequency indicative of an ''''on'''' condition and in which said another change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit means is a change to a signal of a second different frequency indicative of an ''''off'''' condition, and in which said frequency-sensitive circuit means comprises one tuned circuit tuned to pass signals of said one frequency and a second tuned circuit tuned to pass signals of said second frequency.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 23 in which signals passed by said tuned circuits are individually rectified and integrated.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 24 in which said dual-state means has two separate signal inputs, in which one of said individually rectified and integrated signals is applied to one of said signal inputs, and in which the other one of said individually rectified and integrated signals is applied to the other one of said signal inputs.

Claim 27

The combination of claim 25 in which said local manually operable switching means includes separately operable ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' switching means with one thereof connected to one of said signal inputs and with the other thereof connected to the other one of said signal inputs.

Claim 28

The combination of claim 15 in which one change of condition of the signals on said branch circuit means is the institution of a signal of a preselected frequency and in which another change of condition of the signals on said branch circuit means is a cessation of said signal of said preselected frequency, and in which said frequency-sensitive circuit means includes a tuned circuit tuned to pass signals of said preselected frequency.

Claim 29

The combination of a claim 27 in which the signals passed by said tuned circuit are rectified and differentiated and applied to said dual-state means.

Claim 30

The combination of claim 27 in which the signals passed by said tuned circuit are rectified, integrated and differentiated and applied to a single input of said dual-state means.

Claim 31

The combination of claim 15 further including transmitter means coupled to the electrical wiring system at a location remote from said receiver unit and including first and second momentarily operable switches and oscillator means responsive to the momentary actuation of one of said switches to momentarily apply a signal of one frequency indicative of an ''''on'''' condition to the electrical wiring system and responsive to the momentary actuation of the other one of said switches to momentarily apply a signal of a second different frequency indicative of an ''''off'''' condition to the electrical wiring system.

Claim 32

The combination of claim 15 further including transmitter means coupled to the electrical wiring system at a location remote from said receiver unit and including manually operable switch means having two conditions and oscillator means responsive to the operation of said switch means to one of said conditions to apply a signal of a preselected frequency to the electrical wiring system and responsive to the operation of said switch means to the other one of said conditions to terminate the application of said signal to the electrical wiring system.

Claim 33

The combination of claim 15 further including a transmitting means coupled to the electrical wiring system at a location remote from said receiver unit and including first and second momentarily manually actuatable actuators, and oscillator means controlled by said actuators for selectively applying a signal of a preselected frequency to the electrical wiring system and effective in response to the momentary actuation of one of said actuators for first insuring that no signal is transmitted and for then transmitting said signal and effective in response to the momentary actuation of the other one of said actuators for first insuring that said signal is transmitted and for then terminating transmission of said signal.

Claim 34

The combination of claim 32 in which transmitting means includes a pair of conductors controlling said signal transmission and a pair of cooperating electrical contacts having open and closed conditions and connectable to respective ones of said pair of electrical conductors, means effective in response to momentary actuation and release of said d first actuator for first insuring that said contacts are open and then closing said contacts and holding said contacts closed, and means effective in response to momentary actuation and release of said second actuator for first insuring ta that said contacts are closed and then opening said contacts and holding said contacts open.

Claim 35

The combination of claim 32 in which one change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit means is the institution of a signal of a preselected frequency and in which another change of condition of the signals on the branch circuit means is a cessation of said signal of said preselected frequency, and in which said frequency-sensitive circuit means includes a tuned circuit tuned to pass signals of said preselected frequency.

Claim 36

The combination of claim 1 further including transmitter means disposed at a point remote from the wall box and connected to the wiring system for applying signals to the branch circuit conductors in the wiring system indicative of ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' conditions.

Claim 37

The combination of claim 35 further including transmitting means disposed at said receiver unit for applying a signal to said wiring system indicative of the condition of said switching means, and receiver means at said transmitter means responsive to said signal from said transmitting means for producing a visual indication of said condition of said switching means.

Claim 38

The combination of claim 35 further including local manually operable switching means at wall box for selectively switching the state of said dual state means.

Claim 39

In a remote control system for use in association with a conventional residential-type electrical wiring system having pairs of electric-power conductors extending to various portions of the building with at least one of the pairs of electric-power conductors being switchably connectable to a lighting load or the like for selectively delivering electrical power to that load, the remote control system including transmitter means connectable to the wiring system remote from the load and having remote selectively manually actuatable ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means for selectively establishing in the wiring system and hence in the one pair of electric-power conductors signal conditions indicative of ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' conditions; a receiver unit connectable to the one pair of electric-power conductors and to the load, and comprising local selectively manually actuatable ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means, and means including switching means independently controlled by said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means and by said signals on the one pair of electric-power conductors for switchably connecting and disconnecting the one pair of electric-power conductors to and from the load and effective when the load is disconnected to connect the load in response to signal conditions indicative of an ''''on'''' condition and to connect the load in response to an ''''on'''' actuation of said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means, and effective when the load is connected to disconnect the load in response to signal conditions indicative of an ''''off'''' condition and to disconnect the load in response to an ''''off'''' actuation of said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means.

Claim 40

In a remote control system for use in association with a conventional residential-type electrical wiring system having pairs of electric-power conductors extending to various portions of the building with at least one of the pairs of electric-power conductors being switchably connectable to a lighting load or the like for selectively delivering electrical power to that load, the remote control system including transmitter means connectable to the wiring system remote from the load and having remote selectively manually actuatable ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means for selectively establishing in the wiring system and hence in the one pair of electric-power conductors signal conditions indicative of ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' conditions; a receiver unit connectable to the one pair of electric-power conductors and to the load, and comprising local selectively manually actuatable ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means, and means including switching means independently controlled by said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means and by said signals on the one pair of electric-power conductors for switchably connecting and disconnecting the one pair of electric-power conductors to and from the load and effective when the load is disconnected to connect the load in response to signal conditions indicative of an ''''on'''' condition and to connect the load in response to an ''''on'''' actuation of said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means, and effective when the load is connected to disconnect the load in response to signal conditions indicative of an ''''off'''' condition and to disconnect the load in response to an ''''off'''' actuation of said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means.

Claim 41

The combination of claim 38 in which each of said remote and local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means includes two manually movable portions labeled ''''on'''' and ''''off,'''' respectively, and in which each of said remote and local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means is selectively actuatable to an ''''on'''' condition or to an ''''off'''' condition, in which each actuation of said remote ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means to an ''''on'''' condition results in energization of the load unless the the load is already energized, independently of said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means, in which each actuating of said remote ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means to an off condition results in deenergization of the load, unless the load is already deenergized, independently of said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means, in which each actuation of said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means to an ''''on'''' condition results in energization of the load, unless the load is already energized, independently of said remote ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means, and in which actuation of said local ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means to an ''''off'''' condition results in deenergization of the load, unless the load is already deenergized, independently of said remote ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' actuating means.

Claim 42

The combination of claim 39 in which said receiver means is physically disposed in a wall box adjacent the area having the load and is connectable to the one pair of powered electric-power controls and is connectable to electric-power conductors extending to the load and selectively and switchably interconnects one of each pair to one of the other pair.

Claim 43

The combination of claim 39 in which each of said portions controls a momentary switch.

Claim 44

The combination of s claim 38 in which said signals are of a frequency which is high relative to the frequency of the electric-power source connected to the wiring system.