Current monitoring control for electrically powered devices

Claim 2

Apparatus for controlling one or more electrically powered devices comprising a. a current sensing transducer for producing a signal proportional to the magnitude of electrical supply current to said devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of said devices has failed; c. control means for energizing and de-energizing the one or more devices, thereby determining their controlled status, connected to receive and monitor the signal produced by the current sensing transducer, and including means for comparing the magnitude of successively monitored values of the signal, thereby responding to relative changes in the magnitude of said supply current, such that the control means are operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if one of the following conditions occurs: i. the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current does not substantially increase over the preceding value monitored by the control means when said control means attempt to energize one or more of the devices; ii. the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current does not substantially decrease from the preceding value monitored by the control means when said control means attempt to de-energize one or more devices; iii. the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current decreases from the preceding value monitored by the control means independently of the control means effecting a change in the controlled status of said one or more devices; or iv. the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current increases over the preceding value monitored by the control means independently of the control means effecting a change in the controlled status of said one or more devices.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control means are operative to lock-out one or more of the devices from operating if either said condition (i), or (iii) occurs.

Claim 4

Apparatus for controlling one or more electrically powered devices comprising a. a current sensing transducer for producing a signal proportional to the magnitude of electrical supply current to said devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of said devices has failed; c. control means for energizing the one or more devices, thereby determining their controlled status, connected to receive and monitor the signal produced by the current sensing transducer, and including means for comparing the magnitude of successively monitored values of the signal, thereby responding to relative changes in the magnitude of said supply current, such that the control means are operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current does not increase over the preceding value monitored by the control means when said control means attempt to energize one or more of the devices.

Claim 5

Apparatus for controlling one or more electrically powered devices comprising a. a current sensing transducer for producing a signal proportional to the magnitude of electrical supply current to said devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of said devices has failed; c. control means for energizing the one or more devices, thereby determining their controlled status, connected to receive and monitor the signal produced by the current sensing transducer, and including means for comparing the magnitude of successively monitored values of the signal, thereby responding to relative changes in the magnitude of said supply current, such that the control means are operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current does not increase over the preceding value monitored by the control means when said control means attempt to energize one or more of the devices.

Claim 6

Apparatus for controlling one or more electrically powered devices comprising a. a current sensing transducer for producing a signal proportional to the magnitude of electrical supply current to said devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of said devices has failed; c. control means for energizing and de-energizing the one or more devices, thereby determining their controlled status, connected to receive and monitor the signal produced by the current sensing transducer, and including means for comparing the magnitude of successively monitored values of the signal, thereby responding to the relative changes in the magnitude of said supply current, such that the control means are operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current does not decrease from the preceding value monitored by the control means when said control means attempt to de-energize one or more of the devices.

Claim 7

Apparatus for controlling one or more electrically powered devices comprising a. a current sensing transducer for producing a signal proportional to the magnitude of electrical supply current to said devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of said devices has failed; c. control means for energizing and de-energizing the one or more devices, thereby determining their controlled status, connected to receive and monitor the signal produced by the current sensing transducer, and including means for comparing the magnitude of successively monitored values of the signal, thereby responding to the relative changes in the magnitude of said supply current, such that the control means are operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current does not decrease from the preceding value monitored by the control means when said control means attempt to de-energize one or more of the devices.

Claim 8

Apparatus for controlling one or more electrically powered devices comprising a. a current sensing transducer for producing a signal proportional to the magnitude of electrical supply current to said devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of said devices has failed; c. control means for energizing and de-energizing the one or more devices, thereby determining their controlled status, connected to receive and monitor the signal produced by the current sensing transducer, and including means for comparing the magnitude of successively monitored values of the signal, thereby responding to relative changes in the magnitude of said supply current, such that the control means are operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current decreases from the preceding value monitored by the control means independently of the control means effecting a change in the controlled status of said one or more devices.

Claim 9

Apparatus for controlling one or more electrically powered devices comprising a. a current sensing transducer for producing a signal proportional to the magnitude of electrical supply current to said devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of said devices has failed; c. control means for energizing and de-energizing the one or more devices, thereby determining their controlled status, connected to receive and monitor the signal produced by the current sensing transducer, and including means for comparing the magnitude of successively monitored values of the signal, thereby responding to relative changes in the magnitude of said supply current, such that the control means are operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current decreases from the preceding value monitored by the control means independently of the control means effecting a change in the controlled status of said one or more devices.

Claim 10

Apparatus for controlling one or more electrically powered devices comprising a. a current sensing transducer for producing a signal proportional to the magnitude of electrical supply current to said devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of said devices has failed; c. control means for energizing and de-energizing the one or more devices, thereby determining their controlled status, connected to receive and monitor the signal produced by the current sensing transducer, and including means for comparing the magnitude of successively monitored values of the signal, thereby responding to relative changes in the magnitude of said supply current, such that the control means are operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current increases over the preceding value monitored by the control means independently of the control means effecting a change in the controlled status of said one or more devices.

Claim 11

Apparatus for controlling one or more electrically powered devices comprising a. a current sensing transducer for producing a signal proportional to the magnitude of electrical supply current to said devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of said devices has failed; c. control means for energizing and de-energizing the one or more devices, thereby determining their controlled status, connected to receive and monitor the signal produced by the current sensing transducer, and including means for comparing the magnitude of successively monitored values of the signal, thereby responding to relative changes in the magnitude of said supply current, such that the control means are operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current increases over the preceding value monitored by the control means independently of the control means effecting a change in the controlled status of said one or more devices.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said temperature conditioning system comprises a heat pump, and further, includes one or more stages of electrical heating elements; said heat pump being operative to selectively heat or cool the comfort zone.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the current sensing transducer is a current transformer.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said current transformer is wound with relatively more turns of conductor carrying supply current to specific ones of the devices rated to operate with relatively less supply current, than with turns of conductor carrying supply current to others of the devices rated to operate with relatively more supply current, such that all the devices each contribute significantly to the magnitude of the signal produced by the current transformer.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said control means include an analog-to-digital convertor for conversion of the signal received from the current transformer into digital format.

Claim 19

The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of locking-out of operation one or more of the devices, if either said condition (i) or (iii) occurs.

Claim 28

Apparatus for controlling a temperature conditioning system including a plurality of electrically powered devices, said apparatus comprising a. a current transformer having: a primary winding connected in series between one or more of the devices and a source of electrical power supply, and a secondary winding which produces an electrical signal that is proportional in magnitude to that of the total supply current flowing to said one or more devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of the devices having current supplied through the primary winding on the current transformer has failed; c. switching means for connecting and disconnecting each of the devices to and from the source of electrical power supply in response to a control signal; d. control means connected to transmit the control signal to the switching means, for selectively energizing and de-energizing the one or more devices thereby determining their controlled status, and connected to receive and to periodically monitor the signal produced by the secondary winding of the current transformer, said control means including means for retaining the magnitude of the current transformer secondary signal previously monitored until after that signal is again periodically monitored; and means for comparing the magnitudes of the previously retained signal and the present signal indicative of the supply current, as it is successively monitored, whereby the control means are further operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if one or more of the following conditions occurs: i. the magnitude of the supply current does not substantially increase when said control means attempt to energize one or more of the devices; ii. the magnitude of the supply current does not substantially decrease when said control means attempt to de-energize one or more of the devices; iii. the magnitude of the supply current decreases independently of the control means transmitting a control signal to the switching means; or iv. the magnitude of the supply current increases independently of the control means transmitting a control signal to the switching means.

Claim 29

Apparatus for controlling a temperature conditioning system including a plurality of electrically powered devices, said apparatus comprising a. a current transformer having: a primary winding connected in series between one or more of the devices and a source of electrical power supply, and a secondary winding which produces an electrical signal that is proportional in magnitude to that of the total supply current flowing to said one or more devices; b. indicator means for indicating that one or more of the devices having current supplied through the primary winding on the current transformer has failed; c. switching means for connecting and disconnecting each of the devices to and from the source of electrical power supply in response to a control signal; d. control means connected to transmit the control signal to the switching means, for selectively energizing and de-energizing the one or more devices thereby determining their controlled status, and connected to receive and to periodically monitor the signal produced by the secondary winding of the current transformer, said control means including means for retaining the magnitude of the current transformer secondary signal previously monitored until after that signal is again periodically monitored; and means for comparing the magnitudes of the previously retained signal and the present signal indicative of the supply current, as it is successively monitored, whereby the control means are further operative to cause the indicator means to indicate that one or more of the devices has failed, if one or more of the following conditions occurs: i. the magnitude of the supply current does not substantially increase when said control means attempt to energize one or more of the devices; ii. the magnitude of the supply current does not substantially decrease when said control means attempt to de-energize one or more of the devices; iii. the magnitude of the supply current decreases independently of the control means transmitting a control signal to the switching means; or iv. the magnitude of the supply current increases independently of the control means transmitting a control signal to the switching means.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the control means are operative to lock-out one or more of the devices from operating if either said condition (i) or (iii) occurs.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein if the magnitude of the signal proportional to the supply current decreases from the preceding value monitored by the control means without the control means effecting a change in the controlled status of the devices, said control means, having identified the failed one or more of the devices, are further operative to lock-out of operation one or more of the devices.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said indicator means includes a visual display which is continuously in one of two alternative states to indicate normal operation of the devices; continuously in the other of the two alternative states to indicate a first failure mode; and alternatives between said two alternative states at a perceptively rapid rate to indicate a second failure mode.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein one of the first and second failure modes includes the lock-out of substantially all of the devices, and the other of the first and second failure modes includes the lock-out of one or more of the devices, said one of the failure modes being effected by the control means if the one or more of the devices which has failed are required for the continued operation of the devices which have not failed.

Claim 38

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said visual display includes means for identifying the particular one of said devices which has failed.

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said indicator means further include a. temperature sensing means for sensing a temperature in a conditioned zone and for producing a signal responsive thereof; b. setpoint means for setting comfort temperatures to be maintained in the conditioned zone during heating or cooling thereof and for producing signals responsive thereto; c. switch means for selecting one of a plurality of different states in which the system will operate, and for producing a signal indicative of the state selected; and d. multiplexor means for selecting one of said temperature sensing means, setpoint means, or switch means as a source of signal input to the control means in response to a command signal from the control means.

Claim 41

The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of locking-out of operation one or more of the devices, following the step of identifying the one or more failed devices.

Claim 42

The method of claim 29 wherein said steps of effecting an indication of failure of one or more devices and locking out one or more devices from operating include the step of locking-out of operation substantially all the devices and effecting an indication of a total failure, if the devices which have failed are required for the continued operation of the devices which have not failed.