Patent Publication Number: US-2007103326-A1

Title: Operation indicator

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/730,284 filed Oct. 26, 2005. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates generally to the field of indicators and, more particularly, to an operation indicator in the electrical power field for a control that is operable in multiple modes and controlling a device that is inaccessible or remotely located.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Various indicators are known for visibly displaying the operational status of a device. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,028 is directed to a ready indicator for switchgear that is activated when a number of predetermined operational conditions are met. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,347, the output of information is controlled from a device in an inaccessible location.  
      While the prior art arrangements may be generally useful, they do not provide for desirable visibility of operational states in remote or inaccessible locations. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
      The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic representation of a multi-mode control indicator in accordance with the present invention and illustrated in conjunction with an illustrative device to which the operation indicator responds. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a multi-mode control indicator  20  of the present invention is provided for use with an electrical device  30 , e.g. a switch or circuit interrupter that includes an automatic testing and closing feature in a specific implementation. In an illustrative implementation, the multi-mode control indicator  20  is arranged to provide multiple status indications via respective display modes (display patterns), e.g. steady “on” state, flashing, off, or various other patterns of differing intensities. In a preferred arrangement, the device  30  is controlled via a wireless communication channel indicated at  40 . For example, in an illustrative specific example, a remote transmitter  50  controls the operational mode of the device  30  via the communication channel  40  and a control  60  located within the overall device  30 . Thus, the operational mode of the control  60  is selected via the remote transmitter  50  and a feedback to the user is provided via the multi-mode control indicator  20 , i.e. the mode or status of the control  60  and the device  30  are fed back to the user of the remote transmitter  50  via the indicating state of the multi-mode control indicator  20 .  
      In an illustrative example, the control  60  is operable in an automatic mode and the multi-mode control indicator  20  is in a steady “on” indicating state to so indicate. If the remote transmitter  50  is used to switch off the automatic state of the control  60 , the multi-mode control indicator changes state to provide a flashing indication. The control  60  may also be programmed to provide an acknowledgment that the remote transmitter  50  has addressed and actuated the correct control  60 . In a specific implementation, this is accomplished by the multi-mode control indicator  20  being controlled to blink one or more times. If the multi-mode control indicator  20  is off, this indicates an error condition within the control  60  and/or multi-mode control indicator  20 . Of course, it should be realized that various other display patterns of the multi-mode control indicator  20  may be provided that correspond to other operational modes of the device  30 .  
      While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, certain embodiments are shown by way of example in the drawings and the herein described embodiments. It will be understood, however, that this disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms described, but to the contrary, the invention is intended to cover all modifications, alternatives, and equivalents defined by the appended claims.  
      It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘______’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph.