Programmable electronic real-time load controller, and apparatus therefor, providing for updating of preset calendar events

Claim 1

In an electronic controller that includes at least one load control circuit for controlling the energization state of a corresponding electrical load, and, a data processor operating under control of a stored program for: accumulating real-time information representing the numeric day, month and year of real-time; storing a predetermined schedule for control of the load; comparing its predetermined schedule for load control with its real-time information; causing the load control circuit to control the energization state of the load in accordance with that comparison; storing at least one calendar event by its numeric day and its numeric month, the calendar event being of the type that always occurs on the same alphabetic day always having the same relationship to the beginning or end of the same month in any year; comparing the stored numeric day and numeric month of the calendar event with its real-time information; and, undertaking a predetermined control action relating either to its real-time information or to its schedule for load control upon the occurrence in real-time of the stored numeric day and numeric month of the calendar event, the improvement wherein the data processor is operative to: select, as a reference day, the numeric day of the calendar event in a given year; select, as a reference year, the numeric year of said given year; and, update the stored numeric day of the calendar event by periodically: (a) determining the real-time numeric year from its real-time information; (b) determining a temporary numeric day for the calendar event by decrementing said reference day in relation to the number of leap years and nonleap years that have elapsed between said reference year and said real-time year; (c) determining a numerical limit for the numeric day of the calendar event in view of the relationship of the corresponding alphabetic day to the beginning or end of the month in which the alphabetic day occurs; (d) comparing said temporary numeric day with said numerical limit and adjusting said temporary numeric day so that said temporary numeric day falls within said numerical limit; and, (e) storing said temporary numeric day as the numeric day of the calendar event for said real-time year.

Claim 17

An apparatus for determining and storing the current numeric day of a preset calendar event that always occurs on the same alphabetic day always having the same relationship to the beginning or end of the same month in any year, comprising: means for storing a reference day value representing the numeric day of the calendar event in a given year; means for storing a reference year value representing the numeric year of said given year; means determining a real-time year value representing the numeric year of the real-time year; means determining a current numeric day value for the calendar event from said reference day value, said reference year value, and said real-time year value; and, means storing said current numeric day value.

Claim 18

An apparatus for determining and storing the current numeric day of a preset calendar event that always occurs on the same alphabetic day always having the same relationship to the beginning or end of the same month in any year, comprising: means for storing a reference day value representing the numeric day of the calendar event in a given year; means for storing a reference year value representing the numeric year of said given year; means determining a real-time year value representing the numeric year of the real-time year; means determining a current numeric day value for the calendar event from said reference day value, said reference year value, and said real-time year value; and, means storing said current numeric day value.