Patent ID: 9577473
Date: 2017-02-21
CPC Classifications: H02J,Y02B,Y04S

Claim:
1. An apparatus comprising: a plurality of controllers, each configured to compare values assigned to at least one process variable against at least one control value thereof, the values being assigned to the process variable in accordance with at least one signal at corresponding ones of the controllers; a plurality of outlets communicatively coupled to the controllers, at least one outlet at each controller being configured to selectively provide an electrical voltage from an input voltage in accordance with the comparison of the values of the process variable with the control value, the outlets including an auxiliary outlet configured to provide a signal in accordance with a comparison of a value of at least one of the process variables with a corresponding control value, wherein electrical current delivered through the auxiliary outlet is less than the electrical current delivered through the outlets; one or more storage units communicatively coupled to the respective controllers through respective network interfaces to store remotely accessible user controls therein; and a remote processor configured to specify the control values over a communication network through the remotely accessible controls.