Abstract:
An intelligent switch, especially an intelligent switch and system for automatically intelligent buildings is disclosed. The intelligent switch includes a function switch a manual switch and a relay. The function switch is connected to a control module via a signal transmitting line and can be controlled by a remote transmission. The manual switch is able to operate the relay so that under the operation of the control module or the manual switch can control the position of a conducting sheet of the relay to determine a controlled facility device on or off. It is easier and more convenient for construction and for user&#39;s choice of a group operation function or a single operation function to control the system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates in general to a switch device, more particular, to an intelligent switch assembly which provides easy implementation in constructing and users&#39; election of a group operating function or a single operating function for controlling the facilities of an intelligent building or the like.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Due to highly developing information communicating techniques and popular Internet service, in intelligent buildings as constructed for office-automation (OA) or home-automation (HA) in recent years, various facilities are furnished such as appliance control, air-conditioning control, lighting control, entry and exit control, fire detection system, security system, etc. It can now utilize a single key control or a remote control via the telephone line or other communication means to perform the on-off operation and control operation for the single-line connected facilities.  
           [0005]    The related arts are disclosed such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,560 of “Computer Controlled Lighting System with Intelligent Data Distribution Network” and Taiwan Patent Publications NO. 142763 of “Intelligent Multi-Functional Control Apparatus”, NO. 310860 of “Intelligent Lighting Control and Security Apparatus” and NO. 237994 of “Embedded Switch Apparatus for controlling Lights”.  
           [0006]    Referring to FIG. 1 shows a conventional intelligent switch device and system including a control module  11 , a plurality of function switches  15 , a power supply  13  and a wiring distributor  17 . There is at least one operation button  153  located on the function switch  15 , which is operated to transmit a command signal via a signal transmitting line  151  to an internal signal input/output device  111  and then to a central processor  113  of the control module  11 . By a programmable operating process of the central processor  113 , it can realized a corresponding command of an inputted signal with respect to the command signal transmitting from the internal signal input/output device  111 . Next, according to the corresponding command, an alternative position of a conducting sheet  1795  with respect to each relay  179  of the distributor  17  is determined so that a device such as lighting device  171  or  173 , a security device  175  or other appliances, curtain, air-conditioner, etc  177  with respect to a specific relay can be powered on or off. The control module  11  can further include a peripheral signal input/output device  115  to connect a terminal device  19  via the telephone line or other Internet communication lines. It is therefore capable of commanding the control module  11  by a long-distance remote monitoring and adversely outputting demand such as dialing a emergency call through the peripheral signal input/output device  115 . Finally, the power supply  13  provides power to each device through a power line  135 .  
           [0007]    However, the conventional system exists the drawbacks as follows  
           [0008]    1. The function switch is connected to the control module via the signal transmitting line. In general, it needs detailed controlling software programming to obtain a group operation function of the system. It is not easy for the workers of assembling system to determine whether the system wiring and loading are normal. Thus, it is inconvenient and time-consuming in function tests when constructing the whole system.  
           [0009]    2. The lighting devices and other facility devices are all connected to the distributor but the function switch device is only for accomplishing the on-off operation. Normally the wiring distributor is much more expensive for the above-mentioned system. Thus, it leads higher installation cost.  
           [0010]    3. It is more complicated to program a group operation control of the lighting device and other facility devices in above-mentioned system. Thus, it exists many difficulties.  
           [0011]    4. When the operation of the lighting device or other facility devices is failed, it needs to go distant distributor to examine the wiring lines. Nevertheless, users are always not familiar with the distributor and will thus suffer in dangers.  
           [0012]    Therefore, the improvements are exists. It is a point how to improve the switch assembly accommodating the arrangement of the wiring lines of the intelligent switch system.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    It is therefore, in one aspect, an object of the present invention to provide an intelligent switch assembly and system including an additionally manual switch for singly setting the corresponding lighting control or controlling other single operation function besides the conventional function switch for controlling the group operation function. Thus, the manual switch performing the single operation function can substitute the function switch performing the group operation function when the function switch cannot work. It is convenient for users and can increase the safety.  
           [0014]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an intelligent switch assembly and system which directly connects to one of the lighting devices and other facility devices. Thus, the wiring arrangement of present invention is similar to a common single switch system. It increases workers&#39; accommodation and reduces the cost.  
           [0015]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an intelligent switch assembly and system including a control unit, a relay unit, an automatic switch and a manual switch. The control unit, electrically connected to the function switch, includes a CPU and other electronic components for actuating the relay unit. In addition, the relay unit can be also actuated by operating the manual switch through mechanical operation to achieve the electrical connection.  
           [0016]    It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an intelligent switch assembly and system with remote control function.  
           [0017]    It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an intelligent switch assembly and system including both a manual switch performing a single operation function and a function switch performing a group operation function for users&#39; choice in practical operation.  
           [0018]    It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an intelligent switch assembly and system so that it can depend on the switch assembly instead of the distant distributor to examine the wiring lines of the system.  
           [0019]    It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an intelligent switch assembly and system excluding the wiring distributor. It is simple and cost-efficient to build the relay in the switch assembly.  
           [0020]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    The present invention will become fully understood from the detailed description given herein below illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional intelligent switch assembly and system;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an intelligent switch assenibly according to the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an intelligent switch assembly according to the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exploded view of the intelligent switch assembly according to the present invention;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIGS. 4 and 4A are a perspective view of a manual switch of the intelligent switch assembly according to the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a disconnection condition of the manual switch according to the present invention;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a connection condition of the manual switch according to the present invention;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a disconnection condition of the function switch according to the present invention;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a connection condition of the function switch according to the present invention;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a conventional intelligent switch assembly and system according to the present invention;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the intelligent switch assembly according to the present invention; and  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the intelligent switch assembly system according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0034]    Referring to FIGS. 2, 2A and  3 , a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The switch assembly  20  of the present invention comprises a housing  201  with four locking hooks  202  formed on the top edge thereof and for containing a function switch  25 . (refer to FIG. 9) The function switch  25  includes a control unit  21 , a relay unit  22  and an automatic switch  23 . The control unit  21  includes a circuit board  211  with two side openings  213 , a connector  214  and a CPU  212 . The relay unit  22 , please further refer to FIGS. 5 and 6, includes a relay  223 , a conducting sheet  221  and a conducting pad  222 . When the control unit  21  and the relay unit  22  are successively installed inside the housing  201 , the relay  223  is extruded through the side opening  213 . There is a middle plate  203  with a central opening  206  and a loading plate  234  mounted on the housing  201 . The central opening  206  further has four grooves  204  formed around the peripheries to be locked with the hooks  202  of the housing  201  respectively and both side of it have slots  205 .  
         [0035]    The loading plate  234  is mounted on the middle plate  203 , please further refer to FIGS. 4 and 4A, including four pivotal member  2341 , two through holes  2342 , two sliding base  2343 , a positioning hook  2345 , a plurality of fastening holes  2346  and a plurality of rabbets  2347 . The loading plate  234  is fastened on the loading plate  234  and is coupled to the hooks  2012  of a top cover plate  2011 , having a central aperture  2013  and a slot  2014 , by holes  2346 . The automatic switch  23  includes a circuit board  231  and two switch panels  235 . The circuit board  231  which includes four conductive films  232 , a central slot  233  and a port  230  is mounted on the loading plate  234 . The port  230  receives the connector  214  to electrically connect the control unit  21 . Two switch panels  235  are located in the central aperture  2013  of the top cover plate  2011 . There are two locking elements  2351 , each locking elements  2351  connecting to the rabbet  2347 , and two contact elements  2352 , each contact element  2352  coupling to the conductive film  232 , formed on bottom of each switch panel  235 . Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, pressing the top and bottom of the switch plate  235  can electrically connect and the switch plate  235  is in horizontal plane by the spring of the conductive film  232 .  
         [0036]    Further, the switch assembly  20  further includes a manual switch  24  having a moving portion  241  (refer to FIG. 2) and a extending portion  242 . The moving portion  241  settles in the slot  2014  of top cover plate  2011  and couples to the extending portion  242  that inserts in a slot  2343  of loading plate  234  and is pivotal to the pivotal member  2341  for convenient control to move the moving portion  241  connecting the extending portion  242 . Referring to FIG. 5, the manual switch  24  is in switch-off, when pushing the moving portion  241  gets the extending portion  242  moving down and the extending portion  242  connects the connecting pad  222  with pressing the conducting sheet  221 , as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, the manual switch  24  can be operated for the single function to control the lighting device to other facility device.  
         [0037]    Referring to FIG. 9, the function switch  25  and the switch panel  235  of the present invention is connected to a control module  41  via a signal transmitting line  251 . The control module  41  can control the relay  223  located under the conducting sheet  221 . When the function switch  25  receives the command signal from the control module  41  for performing the group operation function, the rely  223  is operated to build the connection between the conducting pad  222  and the conducting sheet  221  which is pull downward by a electromagnetic force. On the contrary, the control module  41  actuates an inverse power supply to disconnect the conducting sheet and the conducting pad  222 .  
         [0038]    Further, in order to perform the single operation function, it is easily achieved by directly pushing the moving portion  241  of the manual switch  24  to get the extending portion  242  connects the connecting pad  222  with pressing the conducting sheet  221 . The manual switch  24  is more friendly and easily controlled and will not be cut the connection by the remote control and is better than the function switch  25 .  
         [0039]    Referring to FIG. 9 again, the present system is accommodated with the present switch assembly  20 . The switch assembly  20  includes a control module  41  which has an internal signal input/output device  411  connected to the switch assemblies  20  and  205  of the function switch  25  for accomplishing a bi-directional communication therebetween via the signal transmitting line  251 . That is, a command can generates from the internal signal input/output device  411  to the function switch  25  or adversely. A programmable CPU  413  of the control module  41  is for analyzing and determining the command of a transmitting signal and using the internal signal input/output device and the signal transmitting  251  to control the rely  223  and the conducting sheet  221 .(refer to FIGS. 5 and 6) for determining the electrical line power-on or off  
         [0040]    Lighting devices  271  and  273 , security devices  275  or other appliance, air-conditioning and facility devices installed in the present system can be performed the group operation function controlled by the control module  41  and further be performed the single operation function by the moving portion  241  of the manual switch  24  alike the common switches.  
         [0041]    The internal signal input/output device  441  of the control module  41  can use a wireless communication  252  such as the infrared (IR) communication or the radio frequency (RF) to connect the function switch  25  of the switch assembly  20  or  205 . After the CPU  412  analyzes and determines, using the wireless communication  252  controls the manual switch  24  by the internal signal input/output device  441 .  
         [0042]    The control module  41  also includes a peripheral signal input/output device  415  to connect a terminal device  49  via the telephone line or other Internet communication lines. It is also capable of commanding the control module  41  by a long-distance remote monitoring and adversely outputting demand such as dialing a emergency call through the peripheral signal input/output device  415 . Finally, the power supply  43  provides power to each device through a power line  435 .  
         [0043]    The switch assembly  205  does not connect any facility device and is for a command on-off switch. That means the switch assembly  205  does not power a facility device on or off but for controlling the operation of the present system. However, it is not difficult for simplifying the switch assembly of the present invention to providing as an on-off switch merely.  
         [0044]    Still another preferred embodiment of the manual switch according the present invention is shown in FIG. 10. The switch assembly further includes a remote control signal receiver (not shown) to receive a remote signal sending from a remote controller  80  besides including a manual switch  71 , a push button  710 , a function switch  75  and a switch panel  753  installed inside a housing  70 . There is at least one indicating lamp  755  on the housing  70  for showing the status so that it is convenient to know the operation is the group function or the single function, on the other hand the operation is the manual switch  71  or the function switch  75 . It is easily to understand that the indicating lamp  755  set up on the manual switch  71  can also use to show the working status to know if the function switch  75  or the manual function  71  is operated or failed.  
         [0045]    Finally, please refer to FIG. 11, it shows another preferred embodiment of the present switch system. A peripheral device  59  is directly connected to the function switch  75  of one switch assembly  70 . A command signal from the peripheral device  59  can be transmitted to a signal input/output device  811  of a control module  81  via a signal transmitting line  751  or a wireless communication  752 . A CPU  813  of the control module  81  can also connect to the peripheral device  59  through the signal input/output device  811 . Further, user can operate one of the switch assemblies  70  by the remote controller  80  to control the control module  81 . Next, there is a main power box  85  directly applies power to the lighting devices  271  and  273 , security devices  275  or other appliance, air-conditioning and facility devices  277 . It is convenient for assembling workers because the present system is familiar with the traditional wiring system.  
         [0046]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.