Abstract:
A system for controlling distribution of power includes a line-powered electrical device that has a radio, a plurality of electrical components disposed electrically downstream from the line-powered electrical device and receiving power from the line-powered electrical device, and a first controller wirelessly receiving or sending signals to and/or from the radio included with the line-powered electrical device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Line-powered devices that contain radios for the purposes of communicating with other devices are known. Typical radio-enabled battery-powered occupancy sensors are used to communicate with line-powered devices to turn electrical loads on and off, as an example, and thus save energy if a given space is unoccupied. Also known are energy harvesting switches that also contain a radio to communicate with line-powered devices to turn off power remotely without the need of wires between the switch and the line-powered device controlling the load. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    In an embodiment shown herein, a system for controlling distribution of power includes a line-powered electrical device that has a radio, a plurality of electrical components disposed electrically downstream from the line-powered electrical device and receiving power from the line-powered electrical device, and a first controller wirelessly receiving or sending signals to and/or from the radio included with the line-powered electrical device. 
         [0003]    In accordance with a further embodiment disclosed herein, a method for controlling distribution of power includes providing a electrical device including a radio, providing line power to the electrical device including a radio, disposing a plurality of electrical components electrically downstream from the line-powered electrical device, providing power to the electrical components via the electrical device, and receiving and/or sending signals via the radio to a remotely placed first controller. 
         [0004]    These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a radio receiving signal from slave switches. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  shows details of a slave switch as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of line-powered device having inputs. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3A  is a plan drawing of the back of the line-powered device having inputs as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0009]      FIGS. 4A-4E  show several embodiments of a line-powered device with a radio transmitter and contact switches. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 5A-C  show a further embodiment of the invention wherein the line-powered device controls several devices downstream of that line-powered device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a line-powered device  10  receives 120 volt AC power therein via line  15 . Slave switches  20  and  25  are each discreetly connected to a radio  29  within the line-powered device  10  via wires  30  and  35 . Upon receiving signal  40  from the slave switches  20  or  25  via wire  30  or  35 , discreet signal  40  relating to each switch  20 ,  25  are sent by the radio  29  and are received by a controller  45  via antenna  50  to control powered items such as light  55  or speaker  60 . Many other items can be controlled by a slave switch  20  or  25  via the controller  45  such as appliances, HVAC systems, Miscellaneous Electrical Loads (MELs), water heaters, security systems, or the like. Other voltages than 120 v AC are contemplated herein, including low voltage DC power and line voltages commonly used in other countries as an example. The line-powered device  10  may include a transformer or other device  63  therein to allow the radio to use the line  15  power as is known in the art. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the line-powered device  10  may have a controller  61  for diverting power to any of the slave connection ports as will be shown in  FIG. 3A  and discussed infra. 
         [0012]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an exploded slave switch  20  is shown. Each switch includes a housing  65 , including a flat body  70 , a box-like enclosure  75  mounted on the body  70 , the enclosure  75  having a pair of holes  80  that align with each other for receiving a pin  85  therein. The body  70  has a rectangular opening  90  therein as will be discussed infra. A rectangular printed circuit board  95  has an ON contact switch  100  and an OFF contact switch  105  on the top thereof and a connector  110  that fits within the rectangular opening  90  in the body  70 . The printed circuit board  95  fits within the box-like enclosure  75  under the holes  80 . The contact switches are shown as having an ON position and an OFF position but other functions such as status including “higher” or “lower”, or “hotter” or “cooler”, or “in” or “out”, or the like are contemplated herein. 
         [0013]    A rocker  115  has a pair of openings  120  for receiving the pin  85  therethrough. Springs  125  are disposed between the rocker and the printed circuit board  95  to enable the rocker  115  to return to an initial position after a user presses the rocker to either the ON position or the OFF position. If the rocker contacts the ON switch  100  a signal is sent via wire  130  or the OFF switch  105  a signal  40  is sent via wire  135  to the connector  110 , to the wire  35 , to the radio  29  for transmission to the controller  45 . 
         [0014]    To assemble a slave switch  20 , the printed circuit board  95  is placed within the box-like enclosure  75 , with its connector  110  disposed within the opening  90 . The springs  125  are placed under each end of the rocker  115  and the pin  20  is extended through the openings in the rocker  115  and in the box-like enclosure  75 . The wire  30  or  35  is then attached to the connector  110  via a socket  137 . 
         [0015]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a line-powered device  10  including a radio (not shown) is shown. The device  10  has a pair of sockets  140  in which a standard plug (not shown) may be inserted, a pair of flanges  145  for attaching to a standard electrical box (not shown), and a pair of attachment screws  150  for receiving and passing power therethrough as is known in the art. Referring to  FIG. 3A , the back  157  of the line-powered device  10  includes a plurality of ports  155  that receive signal  40  from slave switches  20 ,  25  . . . (see  FIG. 1 ) that may be remotely placed (see  FIGS. 1 and 4A ). Each wire  30 ,  35  has a second socket  160  (see  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4A-4E ,  4 A is a device similar to that line-powered device  10  shown in  FIG. 1  with a line-powered device  10  including a radio  29  and a plurality of electrical components such as slave switches  165 ,  170 ,  175 . The slave switches  165 ,  170 ,  175  may be placed anywhere in a home or building  180  though efficiency in using wiring  185  to couple these slave switches  165 ,  170 ,  175  to the line-powered device  10  is a factor. As shown in  FIG. 4B , the line-powered device  10  that includes a radio  29  radio may incorporate an electrical component such as an occupancy sensor  190  that communicates with radio  29  to send signals  40  to controller  45  as to room occupancy while sending signals  40  a slave switch  195  or a slave switch  200 . In  FIG. 4C , the radio  29  may also be incorporated in a master switch  205  and still be receiving and sending signals  40  from slave switches while sending signals  40  to the controller (See  FIG. 1 ). Referring now to  FIG. 4D , the line-powered device  10 , incorporating the radio  29 , as shown in  FIG. 3  is incorporated into a box  210  in which slave switches are utilized and a pair of outlet sockets are used. Similarly, in  4 E, the radio enabled device is incorporated into a timer  215  and the slave switches  220  and  225  send signals  40  to the timer for transmission to the controller.  FIGS. 4A-4E  show that the radio  29  may be incorporated into any line-powered device  10  and be coupled with other electrical components such as switches, sockets, sensors, etc. in a box  210  or outside of a box (see  FIG. 4A ). 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 5A , shows a normal prior art standard duplex wiring where a load  235  passes through and to three socket sets  240 ,  245 ,  250  as is known in the art. Each socket set  240 ,  245 ,  250  also has a ground  255  and a neutral  260  wired thereto also as known in the art. Each socket set  240 ,  245 ,  250  also has half-hot connectors  265  that are not disconnected in this figure. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 5B  the socket pair  240  is a line-powered device  10  as shown in  FIG. 1  in that it includes a controller  61 . Upon receiving a signal  270  via radio  29 , the controller  61  activates a power switch such as relay  275  that controls power to the upper sockets  280  on the second and third standard socket sets  245 ,  250  by way of relay wiring  260 . This enables the controller  61  to control power to the upper half of second and third socket sets  245 ,  250  via relay  275  by means of a half hot wiring method as shown in  FIG. 5B . Note that the half hot connectors  265  on the load circuit have been broken in the socket sets  245 ,  250  so that the bottom sockets  285  always receive power via line  235  at the same time isolating the top sockets  280 . The signal  270  from the controller  45  may allow an appliance (not shown) plugged into the upper sockets  280  to be switched on and off. Note that bottom socket set  240  is always on. 
         [0019]    Similarly, in  FIG. 5C , the radio controlled device  10  will now control both sockets in each socket set. Upon receiving a signal  270  by radio  29 , the controller  61  activates a relay  275  that controls power to electrical components such as the second and third socket sets  245 ,  250 . This enables the controller  61  to control power to the second and third socket sets  245 ,  250  via relay  275 . Note that the half hot connector  265  is not broken in the socket sets  245 ,  250  so that relay  275  controls power to the upper sockets  280  and the lower sockets  285  of the socket sets  245 ,  250 . The signal  270  from the controller  45  may allow an appliance (not shown) plugged into the upper sockets  280  and/or the lower sockets  285  to be switched on and off. Note that socket set  240  is always on. 
         [0020]    By allowing several devices as shown herein to share a radio, a large cost benefit is realized as compared to systems in which a radio is embedded within each device. In addition, miscommunications and poor RF system performance is minimized by minimizing (e.g., by sharing) the number of radios in a system, again, as compared to a system in which every device contains a radio. 
         [0021]    The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. The scope of legal protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.