SWITCHING DEVICE

Abstract: A switching device of the type that can be placed between electric outlet and a load and is provided with a switch and electronic circuits including a programmable control device in order to close and break the circuit according to predetermined conditions. This is not provided with any external mechanical or electromechanical means for setting, and the conditions for switching and time adjustment are fixedly built in or programmed. In one embodiment moreover functions for switching and time setting are controlled by an optic or acoustic sensor connected to the control device. Hereby, a compact structure and a simple but reliable function is obtained.

Description: Switching device. The present invention refers to a new structure and function of switching devices of the type that can be placed between an electrical outlet and a load in order to close and/or break the circuit between the outlet and the load at defined times or after other predetermined conditions- Switching timers for connection in a wall outlet and with a socket for a plug are well known. These are however cumbersome, mostly because they are provided with devices for setting of times for connection and disconnection. Electro mechanical switching timers are commonly constituted by a ring with tabs or other actuation devices which actuate a switch at times corresponding to the position. At electronic switching timers, these parts generally correspond to different function keys and a display. An object of the present invention is to provide switching devices of a similar type that are as compact as possible. Further, an object is to eliminate as far as possible the mechanical or other setting means which until now have been required at similar devices to obtain a desired function and to replace these with programmed electronic functions in order to faciliate a compact structure. A preferred embodiment of the invention is completely free of such external setting means. These and other objects are accomplished in that the device according to the invention has been provided with a structure and functions according to what is stated in more detail in the subsequent patent claims. The invention will now be described with reference to subsequent drawings. Figure 1 shows the structure of an embodiment of a device according to the invention. Figure 2 diagrammatically shows an example of a block diagram of a device according to the invention. Figure 3 shows an example of an algorithm which can be used in a program for calculation when dawn and dusk occur. On a circuit board 1 or a similar device in the form of a disc two male connectors 2 protrude perpendicularly from one side. From the opposite side of the circuit board 1 two female connectors protrude perpendicularly in a corresponding manner. The disc or the circuit board 1 is intended to support components 4 on one or both sides. Preferably the female and male connectors are centered round the same axis but rotated round the axis at substantially right angle in relation to each other whereby in and outgoing parts under tension of the board are located at maximum distance from each other with smallest possible board size. At an alternative embodiment (not shown) one or both of the male connectors or the female connectors are substituted by other connectors placed on corresponding locations on the board. All or the main part of the circuits 4 which are necessary for the operation of the switching device are placed on the circuit board 1, on one or both sides. A housing round the device connects near the board 1, but with space for components at the side with the male connectors 2 and form a plug connector. At the other side of the device the housing completely surrounds the female connectors and form a conventional socket side, whereby within the housing there is also space for components protruding further off from the board 1 and at the connectors 2 and form a plug connector. At the other side of the device the housing completely surrounds the female connectors 3 and form a conventional socket side, whereby within the housing there is also space for components protruding further off from the board 1 and at the side of the female connectors 3. The components which are necessary for the function according to the invention however do not normally require any large space. The circuits for control of the operation of the switching device include on one hand one or several switches 10 (Fig. 2) and on the other hand a control device 9 that controls the switching on and off of the switch 10 or the switches in order to close and/or break the circuit between the input and output side according to predetermined conditions. The control device 9 can be built up from conventional micro electronics and may have the functions indicated in closer detail below. In addition to these circuits there is a DC power supply 7 for current supply of the circuits and generally a sensor 8 for light or other electromagnetic radiation or sound. A device according to the invention may be provided with earth connections at the input and the output side, possibly with connection to parts of the circuit board that are to be concerted to earth. Similarly, the connectors on the input and the output side may be differently designed than in Fig, 1, for example flat. In order to form a compact unit that simply may be inserted between wall outlet and plug, it also constitutes a part of the invention that preferably no moving parts or setting devices should be present in the switching device. Each switching device should be designed for a special function. In its simplest embodiment the switching device may be designed to keep the output circuit connected to the input during a predetermined fixed time before or after the switching device has been plugged into the wall outlet and that this period is repeated every 24 hours. Such a device can be used for example for lighting or for a car heater. It can also be used as a safety shut down for electrical devices such as water heaters, coffee makers, flat irons, whereby only the off-switching function a certain time period after connection is used and no 24-hours repetition should be build in. A particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention is obtained when means for detection of daylight is provided and that the control device is designed to sense when the daylight ceases and returns. The sensor means for detection of daylight may be constituted by one or several photo sensitive sensors that are placed on the circuit board 1. One or several light guides may be arranged from the sensor or the sensors to the outside of the housing or the housing can also be made from a material that is light permeable enough to make it possible that suitable frequencies of the daylight will be able to reach the sensor from outside. Several plastic materials let through enough light for daylight detection. The sensors are in a known manner connected such that threshold levels can be sensed and conducted to the control device. In order to distinguish the variations of the daylight from other light changes the control device is a threshold value circuit or other circuits arranged to react only on the slow changes that the daylight exhibits, and filter off more rapid courses, which for example may be carried out by means of the algorithm shown in Fig. 3. An example of an algorithm that may be used in a program for calculation when dawn and dusk occur is shown in Fig. 3. This can be used for example in a one chip computer of the type 68HC05, which may constitute the main component in the control device 9. As can be seen in the flow chart a light counter counts through a number of steps of six seconds up to 255 or down to zero before dark or light is determined, whereby a filter against error detection is obtained. This algorithm is incorporated as a part of the program that controls the switch 10. In one embodiment of the switching device the control device is designed to connect the input voltage to the output connectors when the daylight ceases and again disconnect at the time of the day when the switching device has been connected. This is repeated on a twenty-four hour basis by the control device being provided with a twenty-four hour timer, which may be constructed as a program module and controlled by the line frequency. The twenty-four hour timer starts when the device is connected and gives a disconnection signal every twenty-four hour. In a further embodiment of the switching device a timer circuit connected to the control device is adjusted according to the daylight so that the timer circuit is mainly synchronised with the time of the day independently of where or at what time of night and day or the year that the switching device is connected. The timer circuit connected to the control device is adjusted by it being automatically set at midnight between the times when the daylight ceases and returns. The control device can be designed such that it activates the switch when the daylight ceases and activates it again when the adjusted timer circuit indicates a predetermined time of the day. Before the timer circuit is adjusted, that is during the first day and night that the device is connected, switching off may be carried out according to a fixed programmed time. In a still further embodiment of the switching device according to the invention, it is provided with means for a random connection and disconnection of the circuit. The object of such a design can for example be to give the impression that there are people in a habitation or premises thereby in order to prevent burglary attempts . This embodiment is preferably combined with any of the above stated functions so that the random connection and disconnection only occurs when the circuit otherwise should be closed. Another embodiment of the invention is designed such that a sensor is adapted to sense signals from an external transmitter or remote control so that the signals from this may actuate a switch to turn on, put out or control the supply voltage of a lamp, or actuate other functions in the program of the control device, whereby these functions may be controlled without the switching device having to be touched or being provided with keys or other connection elements. The invention has now been described with reference to various embodiments, intended to meet various requirements of functions for time and sensor controlled switches. Within the scope of the invention there are also various combinations of the functions described in the embodiments, some of those combinations appear in the following claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1.Switching device of the type that can be placed between an electric outlet and a load, provided with a switch and electronic circuits including a programmable control device to close and break the circuit according to predetermined conditions, characterized therein that it is not provided with any external mechanical or electro mechanical means for setting and that the conditions for switching time setting are fixedly built in or programmed. 2.Switching device according to claim 1, characterized therein that functions for switching and time setting in addition are controlled by an optic or acoustic sensor connected to the control device. 3. Switching device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized therein that the control device (9) is arranged to actuate the switch when the daylight ceases and again actuate to disconnect at the time of the day when the switching device has been connected, by the control device containing a twenty-four hour timer that starts when the device is connected and gives a disconnection signal every twenty-four hours. 4. Switching device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized therein that it is provided with means for random closing and breaking of the circuit. 5. Switching device according to claim 2, characterized therein that the optic or the acoustic sensor is adapted to sense signals from an external transmitter so that signals from this can influence the program course of the control device. 6.Switching device according to any of the preceeding claims, characterized therein that means is provided to the control device for detection of daylight and that the control device is arranged to sense when the daylight ceases and returns and that a timer circuit included in the control device is adjusted according to the daylight so that the timer circuit in the main is synchronized with the time of the day independently of where or what time of the day or the year that the switching device is connected.

Inventors: BAABERG MICHAEL, BAABERG, MICHAEL
Applicants: BAABERG MICHAEL, BAABERG, MICHAEL
Application year: 1995
Main classification: G04G15
IPC codes: G04F3, G04G1, G04G15