Terminal signal operation apparatus

Claim 2

A signal operation apparatus for controlling a plurality of electrical devices comprising: central operation means for generating a control signal for the electrical devices, a plurality of terminal operation means, signal transmitting means for transmitting signals between the central operation means and the plurality of terminal operation means, each terminal operation means corresponding to an electrical device for driving the corresponding electrical device depending upon the control signal and for forming a composite signal on the signal transmitting means indicating the state of the corresponding electrical device, each of the plurality of terminal operation means comprising input-output signal operation circuit means for receiving the control signals of the central operation means, signal separation circuit means for discriminating the control signals for the corresponding electrical device, driving circuit means responsive to the control signal for the corresponding electrical device for operating the electrical device, return signal generating circuit means for generating a return signal upon detection of a malfunction of the electrical device, the input-output signal operation circuit means also functioning for combining the control signal for the corresponding electrical device and the return signal to form the composite signal on the signal transmitting means, means for connecting the signal separation circuit means to the input-output signal operation circuit means, means for connecting the signal separation circuit means to the driving circuit means, means for connecting the signal separation circuit means to the return signal generating circuit means, means for connecting the driving circuit means to the return signal generating circuit means, means for connecting the driving circuit means to the corresponding electrical devices, and means for connecting the input-output signal operation means to the return signal generating circuit means.

Claim 3

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the central operation means generates a reference timing pulse signal and a synchronizing pulse signal and driving command pulse signals to the electrical devices as control signals and the signal separation circuit counts the reference timing pulse signal to detect the pulse width of the synchronizing pulse signal for detecting the initiation of the repeating period of the control signal and also to detect the corresponding driving command pulse signal for discriminating whether it is the control signal for the corresponding electrical device or not.

Claim 4

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the return signal generating circuit operates the input-output signal operation circuit when the corresponding electrical device is operated by the control signal whereby the signal transmitting means is grounded by the input-output signal operation circuit so as not to couple the control signal to the signal transmitting means.

Claim 5

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the return signal generating circuits comprises a potential detecting circuit connected to the corresponding electrical device and a returning signal composite circuit which is connected to the potential detecting circuit, the corresponding signal separation circuit and the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit and the return signal composite circuit feeds a signal corresponding to the state of the corresponding electrical device to the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit.

Claim 6

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein one end of the electrical device is grounded and a resistor is connected between the other end and the corresponding potential detecting circuit and a power source is connected to the contact of the resistor with the corresponding potential detecting circuit.

Claim 7

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the return signal composite circuit interrupts the output signal to the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit when the corresponding electrical device is broken and/or short-circuited.

Claim 8

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the return signal composite circuit feeds an output to the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit when the corresponding electrical device is in its normal state whereby the signal transmitting means is grounded by the input-output signal operation circuit so as not to couple the control signal to the signal transmitting means and the return signal composite circuit stops feeding the output signal to the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit when the corresponding electrical device is interrupted and/or short circuited whereby the signal transmitting means is not grounded by the input-output signal operation circuit to couple the control signal on the signal transmitting means.

Claim 9

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input-output signal operation circuit comprises a buffer circuit and a transistor connected to the signal transmitting means.

Claim 10

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the signal separation circuits comprises a flip-flop for detecting the synchronizing pulse signal, a first counting circuit to which the output signal of the flip-flop and the reference timing pulse signal are input and a second counting circuit which is connected to the flip-flop and the first counting circuit.

Claim 11

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of the potential detecting circuits comprises two potential detecting circuits which have different detected potentials with respect to each other.

Claim 12

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each of the return signal composite circuits comprises the corresponding two potential detecting circuits, a plurality of AND circuits which are connected to the corresponding driving circuits to detect the state of fault of the corresponding electrical devices and a plurality of gate circuits which can convert the output signals of the AND circuit to a time division multiple signal.

Claim 13

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input-output signal operation circuit, the signal separation circuit, the driving circuit and the return signal generating circuit are an electronic circuit.

Claim 14

A signal operation apparatus which comprises central operation means for generating a control signal for at least two controlled devices, a plurality of terminal operation means, signal transmitting means for transmitting signals between the central operation means and the terminal operation means, the plurality of terminal operation means including at least two terminal operation means, each corresponding to a controlled device for driving the corresponding controlled device depending upon the control signal of the central operation apparatus and for forming a composite signal on the signal transmitting means indicating the state of the corresponding electrical device, and at least one terminal operation means corresponding to a signal source for forming a composite signal on the signal transmitting means indicating the state of the signal source, each of the terminal operation means for the controlled devices and the terminal operation means for the signal source comprising input-output signal operation circuit means for receiving the control signals of the central operation means, signal separation circuit means for discriminating the control signals for the corresponding controlled device or signal source, driving circuit means responsive to the control signal for the corresponding controlled device for operating the controlled device, return signal generating circuit means for generating a return signal upon detection of a malfunction of the electrical device or of the signal source or a signal of the signal source, the input-output signal operation circuit means also functioning for combining the control signal for the corresponding electrical device and the return signal to form the composite signal on the signal transmitting means, means for connecting the signal separation circuit means to the input-output signal operation circuit means, means for connecting the signal separation circuit means to the driving circuit means, means for connecting the signal separation circuit means to the return signal generating circuit means, means for connecting the driving circuit means to the return signal generating circuit means, means for connecting the driving circuit means to the corresponding controlled device, and means for connecting the input-output signal operation means to the return signal generating circuit means using similar circuit structures, the circuits of the terminal operation means for the controlled devices being the same as that of the terminal operation means for the signal source.

Claim 15

A signal operation apparatus which comprises central operation means for generating a control signal for at least two controlled devices, a plurality of terminal operation means, signal transmitting means for transmitting signals between the central operation means and the terminal operation means, the plurality of terminal operation means including at least two terminal operation means, each corresponding to a controlled device for driving the corresponding controlled device depending upon the control signal of the central operation apparatus and for forming a composite signal on the signal transmitting means indicating the state of the corresponding electrical device, and at least one terminal operation means corresponding to a signal source for forming a composite signal on the signal transmitting means indicating the state of the signal source, each of the terminal operation means for the controlled devices and the terminal operation means for the signal source comprising input-output signal operation circuit means for receiving the control signals of the central operation means, signal separation circuit means for discriminating the control signals for the corresponding controlled device or signal source, driving circuit means responsive to the control signal for the corresponding controlled device for operating the controlled device, return signal generating circuit means for generating a return signal upon detection of a malfunction of the electrical device or of the signal source or a signal of the signal source, the input-output signal operation circuit means also functioning for combining the control signal for the corresponding electrical device and the return signal to form the composite signal on the signal transmitting means, means for connecting the signal separation circuit means to the input-output signal operation circuit means, means for connecting the signal separation circuit means to the driving circuit means, means for connecting the signal separation circuit means to the return signal generating circuit means, means for connecting the driving circuit means to the return signal generating circuit means, means for connecting the driving circuit means to the corresponding controlled device, and means for connecting the input-output signal operation means to the return signal generating circuit means using similar circuit structures, the circuits of the terminal operation means for the controlled devices being the same as that of the terminal operation means for the signal source.

Claim 16

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the central operation means generates the control signal for the controlled devices depending upon the states of the terminals of at least two controlled devices and at least one signal source, at least two terminal operation apparatuses for the controlled devices generate signals for the states of the corresponding controlled devices and the terminal operation apparatuses for the controlled devices generate signals for the states of the corresponding controlled devices through the signal transmitting means to the central operation means.

Claim 17

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the central operation means generates a reference timing pulse signal and also a synchronizing pulse signal and driving command pulse signals for the controlled devices as control signals and the signal separation circuits count the reference timing pulse signal to detect the pulse width of the synchronizing pulse signal for detecting the initiation of the repeated period of the control signal and to detect the corresponding driving command pulse signals for discriminating whether it is the control signal for the corresponding controlled device or not.

Claim 18

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the return signal generating circuit operates the input-output signal operation circuit when the corresponding controlled device is operated by the control signal whereby the signal transmitting means is grounded by the input-output signal operation circuit so as not to give the control signal to the signal transmitting means.

Claim 19

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the return signal generating circuits comprises a potential detecting circuit connected to the corresponding controlled devices or signal source and a return signal composite circuit which is connected to the potential detecting circuit, the corresponding signal separation circuit and the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit and the return signal composite circuit feeds a signal corresponding to the states of the corresponding controlled devices or the signal source to the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit.

Claim 20

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein one end of the electrical device is grounded and a resistor is connected between the other end and the corresponding potential detecting circuit and a power source is connected to the contact of the resistor with the corresponding potential detecting circuit.

Claim 21

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the return signal composite circuit interrupts the output signal to the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit when the corresponding electrical device is broken and/or short-circuited.

Claim 22

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the return signal composite circuit feeds an output to the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit when the corresponding electrical device is in its normal state whereby the signal transmitting means is grounded by the input-output signal operation circuit so as not to couple the control signal to the signal transmitting means and the return signal composite circuit stops feeding the output signal to the corresponding input-output signal operation circuit when the corresponding electrical device is interrupted and/or short circuited whereby the signal transmitting means is not grounded by the input-output signal operation circuit to couple the control signal on the signal transmitting means.

Claim 23

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the input-output signal operation circuit comprises a buffer circuit and a transistor connected to the signal transmitting means.

Claim 24

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of the signal separation circuits comprises a flip-flop for detecting the synchronizing pulse signal, a first counting circuit to which the output signal of the flip-flop and the reference timing pulse signal are input and a second counting circuit which is connected to the flip-flop and the first counting circuit.

Claim 25

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each of the potential detecting circuits comprises two potential detecting circuits which have different detected potentials with respect to each other.

Claim 26

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 23, wherein each of the return signal composite circuits comprises the corresponding two potential detecting circuits, a plurality of AND circuits which are connected to the corresponding driving circuits to detect the state of fault of the corresponding electrical devices and a plurality of gate circuits which can convert the output signals of the AND circuit to a time division multiple signal.

Claim 27

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the input-output signal operation circuit, the signal separation circuit, the driving circuit and the return signal generating circuit are an electronic circuit.

Claim 28

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the signal source is a switch.

Claim 29

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a resistor is connected in parallel to the signal source.

Claim 30

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 27, wherein first ends of the signal source and the resistor are grounded and second ends are connected to the terminal operation means for the signal source and are also connected to the power source.

Claim 31

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the circuits of the terminal operation means for the controlled devices are the same as that of the terminal operation means for the signal source, the circuits of the signal separation circuits for both of the terminal operation means are the same, the circuits of the driving circuits for both of the terminal operation means are the same and the circuits of the return signal generating circuits for both of the terminal operation means are the same.

Claim 32

A signal operation apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the input-output signal operation circuit, the signal separation circuit, the driving circuit and the return signal generating circuit of each of the terminal operation means are formed by integrated circuits or printed wiring circuits.