Remote control system transmitting a control pulse sequence through interlocked electromechanical relays

A method for remotely controlling a predetermined function, comprising steps of:

• producing a predetermined sequence of control pulses using a central controller unit;
• counting the individual pulses in the sequence of control pulses using a remote unit and performing the predetermined function when a selected count in reached;
• transmitting the sequence of control pulses from the central controller unit to the remote unit, the step of transmitting using first and second electromechanical relays having sets of electrical contacts and connected in series with each other;
• and
• controllably actuating both the central controller unit, to produce the sequence of control pulses, and the second electromechanical relay, to close its set of electrical contacts;
• wherein the step of transmitting includes a step of actuating the first electromechanical relay in accordance with the sequence of control pulses, and whereby, if the step of controllably actuating has not actuated both the central controller unit and the second electromechanical relay, one or more failures in any portion of the central controller unit cannot cause the step of transmitting to transmit an undesired control pulse to the remote unit.

A remote control system comprising:

• controller means for producing a predetermined sequence of control pulses;
• switch means for controllably actuating the controller means;
• a plurality of remote means, each for counting the individual pulses in the sequence of control pulses and for performing a separate predetermined function when a selected count is reached, each of the remote means including
• means for counting the successive pulses in the sequence of control pulses and for producing a trigger signal when a selected count is reached, and
• pulse means for producing an output pulse when the counting means produces the trigger signal, the output pulse having a duration the same as that of the corresponding control pulse;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting the sequence of control pulses from the controller means to each of the remote means, the transmission means including
• a first electromechanical relay controllably actuated by the sequence of control pulses produced by the controller means, the relay including a set of electrical contacts,
• a transmission line,
• a second electromechanical relay having a set of electrical contacts connected in series with the set of contacts of the first electromechanical relay to produce a signal for transmission by the transmission line,
• wherein the switch means further operates to controllably actuate the second electromechanical relay, whereby, if the switch means has not controllably actuated both the controller means and the second relay, one or more failures in any portion of the controller means cannot cause the transmission means to transmit an undesired control pulse to the remote means, and
• a plurality of third electromechanical relays, each associated with a separate remote means and each actuated by the signal transmitted by the transmission line, each of the third relays having a set of electrical contacts connected to transmit the sequence of control pulses to its associated remote means;
• wherein the pulse means of each remote means includes a fourth electromechanical relay having a set of electrical contacts connected to produce the output pulse;
• and
• wherein the transmission means further includes a plurality of fifth electromechanical relays, each associated with a separate remote means and each actuated upon receipt of the sequence of control pulses by the associated third electromechanical relay, each of the fifth relays having a set of electrical contacts connected in series with the associated fourth relay, whereby a failure of any portion of any remote means cannot cause it to produce its output pulse unless it has received the sequence of control pulses from the transmission means.

A remote control system comprising:

• controller means for producing a predetermined sequence of control pulses;
• a plurality of remote means, each for counting the individual pulses in the sequence of control pulses and for performing a separate predetermined function when a selected count is reached, each of the remote means including programmable means for selecting the particular pulse in the sequence of control pulses to which it responds;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting the sequence of control pulses from the controller means to each of the remote means, the transmission means including a plurality of devices connected together and controllably actuated such that a failure of any one device can neither cause the remote means to perform the predetermined function at an undesired time nor prevent the remote means from performing the predetermined function at the desired time.

A remote control system comprising:

• controller means for producing a predetermined sequence of binary control pulses, the controller means including memory means for individually selecting the duration of each control pulse in the sequence of control pulses and the time delay from each control pulse to the next;
• remote means for counting the individual pulses in the sequence of control pulses and for peforming a predetermined function when a selected count is reached;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting the sequence of control pulses from the controller means to the remote means, the transmission means including a plurality of devices connected together and controllably actuated such that a failure of any one device can neither cause the remote means to perform the predetermined function at an undesired time nor prevent the remote means from performing the predetermined function at the desired time.

A remote control system comprising:

• controller means for producing a predetermined sequence of control pulses;
• remote means for counting the individual pulses in the sequence of control pulses and for performing a predetermined function when a selected count is reached;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting the sequence of control pulses from the controller means to the remote means, the transmission means including a first set of at least three electromechanical relays and a corresponding number of transmission lines, each associated with a separate relay;
• wherein each of the electromechanical relays is controllably actuated in accordance with the sequence of control pulses produced by the controller means and each of the electromechanical relays includes a set of electrical contacts for transmitting a signal corresponding to the sequence of control pulses along its associated transmission line;
• wherein the transmission means further includes a fourth electromechanical relay having a set of electrical contacts connected in series with the electrical contacts of the first set of electromechanical relays;
• and wherein the system further includes switch means for controllably actuating both the controller means, to produce the sequence of control pulses, and the fourth electromechanical relay, to close its electrical contacts;
• whereby, if the switch means has not controllably actuated both the controller means and the fourth electromagnetic relay, a failure of any portion of the controller means cannot cause the remote means to perform the predetermined function.

A method for remotely controlling a predetermined function, comprising steps of:

• producing a predetermined sequence of control pulses using a central controller unit;
• counting the individual pulses in the sequence of control pulses using a plurality of remote units and performing a separate predetermined function when a selected count is reached by each remote unit, the step of counting performed by each of the remote units including a step of programming the unit to select the particular pulse in the sequence of control pulses to which it responds;
• and
• transmitting the sequence of control pulses from the central controller unit to each of the remote units, the step of transmitting including steps of connecting together a plurality of devices and controllably actuating the devices such that a failure of any one device can neither cause the remote unit to perform the predetermined function at an undesired time nor prevent the remote unit from performing the predetermined functon at the desired time.

A method for remotely controlling a predetermined function, comprising steps of:

• producing a predetermined sequence of binary control pulses using a central controller unit, the step of producing including a step of using a memory device for individually selecting the duration of each control pulse in the sequence of control pulses and the time delay from each control pulse to the next;
• counting the individual pulses in the sequence of control pulses using a remote unit and performing the predetermined function when a selected count is reached;
• and
• transmitting the sequence of control pulses from the central controller unit to the remote unit, the step of transmitting including steps of connecting together a plurality of devices and controllably actuating the devices such that a failure of any one device can neither cause the remote unit to perform the predetermined function at an undesired time nor prevent the remote unit from performing the predetermined function at the desired time.

A method for remotely controlling a predetermined function, comprising steps of:

• producing a predetermined sequence of control pulses using a central controller unit;
• counting the individual pulses in the sequence of control pulses using a remote unit and performing the predetermined function when a selected count is reached;
• and
• transmitting the sequence of control pulses from the central controller unit to the remote unit, the step of transmitting including steps of
• controllably actuating a first set of at least three electromechanical relays in accordance with the sequence of control pulses produced in the step of producing each of the electromechanical relays including a set of electrical contacts for transmitting a signal corresponding to the sequence of control pulses along a separate, associated transmission line, and
• connecting a set of electrical contacts for a fourth electromechanical relay in series with the electrical contacts of the first set of electromechanical relays;
• and
• controllably actuating both the controller unit, to produce the sequence of control pulses, and the fourth electromechanical relay, to close its electrical contacts;
• whereby, if the step of controllably actuating has not actuated both the controller unit and the fourth electromechanical relay, a failure of any portion of the controller unit cannot cause the remote unit to perform the predetermined function.

A remote control system comprising:

• controller means for producing a predetermined sequence of control pulses;
• remote means including means for counting the individual pulses in the sequence of control pulses, and a first electromechanical relay having a set of electrical contacts for producing an output signal to perform a predetermined function when a selected count is reached;
• transmission means for transmitting the sequence of control pulses from the controller means to the remote means;
• and
• a second electromechanical relay actuated by the sequence of control pulses transmitted by the transmission means;
• wherein the respective first and second electromechanical relays are connected together to transmit the output signal only if both relays have been actuated, whereby, if the sequence of control pulses transmitted by the transmission means has not controllably actuated both the remote means and the second relay, one or more failures in any portion of the remote means cannot cause the remote means to output the output signal.