Appliance control system

In a system including a central unit for controlling one or more remote devices, slave units respectively coupled to the remote devices, and means providing communication between the central unit and the slave units, the central unit including a processor operating under stored program control and having memory means for storing a plurality of user-entered event codes each including address information designating a particular slave unit and command information designating a function to be performed by the slave unit, and transmitting means for transmitting the event codes to the slave units, each slave unit having means for receiving the event codes and responding to those addressed to it for performing the designated function, the improvement comprising:

• review means in the central unit operatively associated with the processor for cooperation therewith selectively to read the even codes stored in the memory means and display indications thereof in an accelerated uninterrupted sequence;
• the processor including demonstration means coupled to the transmitting means for cooperation therewith automatically to transmit to the slave units each event code as its indication is displayed by said review means;
• thereby to verify proper performance of the functions by the slave units.

In a slave unit including electrical plug pins for plugging the unit into an outlet socket of a domestic electrical power main, means for connecting to the unit the power input of an electrical load having a load switch, and current control means coupled between the pins and the connecting means and having an enabled condition for permitting current to be supplied to the associated load and a disabled condition for preventing current from being supplied to the associated load, the improvement comprising:

• voltage sensing means coupled to the pins for sensing the voltage thereacross and providing either a load output signal indicating that the load switch is closed or a no-load output signal indicating that the load switch is open;
• processor means operating under stored program control and coupled to said voltage sensing means and to the current control means for repeatedly sampling the output signal of said voltage sensing means and storing each signal sample and comparing each signal sample with the previous signal sample;
• said processor means being responsive to a load signal sample immediately following a no-load signal sample for reversing the condition of the current control means.

In a system including a central unit for controlling a remote lamp, a slave unit coupled to the remote lamp, and means providing communication between the central unit and the slave unit, the slave unit including current control means for varying the energization of the associated lamp, the central unit including means for transmitting to the slave unit a control signal for operating the current control means, the improvement comprising:

• processor means in the slave unit operating under stored program control and coupled to the current control means;
• and switch means in the slave unit coupled to said processor means;
• said processor means being responsive to operation of said switch means for controlling the current control means independently of the central unit thereby to vary the intensity of the associated lamp.

In a system including a central unit for controlling a remote electrical load, a slave unit having terminals coupled to the remote load, and means providing communication between the central unit and the slave unit, the slave unit including current control means having an enabled condition for permitting current to be supplied to the associated load and a disabled condition for preventing current from being supplied to the associated load, the central unit including means for transmitting to the slave unit a control signal for operating the current control means, the improvement comprising:

• voltage sensing means in the slave unit coupled to the terminals for sensing the voltage thereacross and providing either a load output signal indicating that the load switch is closed or a no-load output signal indicating that the load switch is open;
• and processor means in the slave unit operating under stored program control and coupled to said voltage sensing means and to the current control means for repeatedly sampling the output signal of said voltage sensing means and storing each signal sample and comparing each signal sample with the previous signal sample;
• said processor means being responsive to a load signal sample immediately following a no-load signal sample for reversing the condition of the current control means.

In a central unit for controlling one or more remote devices via a communication link and including a processor operating under stored program control and having memory means for storing a plurality of user-entered event codes each including address information designating a particular remote device and command information designating a function to be performed by the remote device, and transmitting means for transmitting the event codes to the remote devices, the improvement comprising:

• review means operatively associated with the processor for cooperation therewith selectively to read the event codes stored in the memory means and display indications thereof in an accelerated uninterrupted sequence;
• the processor including demonstration means coupled to the transmitting means for cooperation therewith automatically to transmit to the remote devices each event code as its indication is displayed by said review means;
• thereby to verify proper performance of the functions by the remote devices.

In a slave unit including electrical plug pins for plugging the unit into an outlet socket of a domestic electrical power main, means for connecting the power input of an electrical lamp to the unit and current control means coupled between the pins and the connecting means to control the energization of the associated lamp, the improvement comprising:

• processor means operating under stored program control and coupled to the current control means;
• and switch means coupled to said processor means;
• said processor means being responsive to operation of said switch means for operating the current control means to vary the current supplied to said connecting means thereby to vary the intensity of the associated lamp.