Arrangement for control of remote equipment

In a system having common equipment to be controlled and a plurality of control locations for controlling said common equipment, an arrangement for use at each of said control locations to prevent more than one of said control locations from producing a control signal at the same time and to provide optimum control of the interval between control signals comprising:

• a. a control output terminal for connecting said control location to said common equipment;
• b. a control signal generator having an input for rendering said signal generator operative and producing a control signal in response to a first logic signal applied to said input;
• and having an output connected to said control output terminal;
• c. a signal detector having an input connected to said control output terminal and having an output for producing, after a predetermined time delay, said first logic signal in response to the absence of a control signal at said control output terminal;
• and for producing a second logic signal in response to the presence of a control signal at said control output terminal;
• d. first logic means having a plurality of inputs and an output for producing said first logic signal in response to any one of said inputs having said first logic signal thereat, and for producing said second logic signal in response to all of said inputs having said second logic signals thereat;
• e. second logic means having a plurality of inputs and an output for producing said first logic signal in response to all of said inputs having said first logic signals thereat, and for producing said second logic signal in response to any one of said inputs having said second logic signal thereat;
• f. means connecting a first input of said first logic means to said signal detector output;
• g. means connecting said output of said first logic means to a first input of said second logic means;
• h. means connecting said output of said second logic means to a second input of said first logic means and to said signal generator input;
• i. and means connected to a second input of said second logic means for selectively applying said first logic signal thereto to render said signal generator operative in the absence of a control signal at said control output terminal.

In a system having common equipment to be controlled and having a plurality of control locations for controlling said common equipment, an arrangement for use at each of said control locations to prevent more than one of said control locations from producing a control signal at the same time and to provide optimum control of the interval between control signals comprising:

• a. a control output terminal for connecting said control location to said common equipment;
• b. a control signal generator having an activate signal input for rendering said signal generator operative to produce a control signal at an output in response to an activate signal at said input, said generator output being connected to said control output terminal;
• c. a signal detector having an input connected to said control output terminal;
• and having an output for producing an activate signal after a predetermined time delay in response to the absence of a detected signal at said control outut common terminal, and for producing a deactivate signal in response to the presence of a detected signal at said control output terminal;
• d. selectively operable means for producing said activate signal;
• e. and first logic means interconnecting said signal detector output, said selectively operable means, and said signal generator input for applying said activate signal from said selectively operable means to said signal generator input in response to an activate signal from said signal detector, and for blocking said activate signal from said selectively operable means in response to the presence of a deactivate signal from said signal detector before said selectively operable means are operated.