US 5,331,619 A · Programmable control system for gas and liquid dispensing devices

Abstract

A programmable fluid or gas control system controls the operation of one or more solenoid valves, each of which in turn controls a gas or fluid dispensing unit. The control system may be used to control water dispensing fixtures such as sprinklers, sinks, showers, toilets and the like, or it may be used in heating-ventilating-air conditioning (HVAC) applications. The control system may have several configurations. In one configuration, a master controller controls one or more slave circuits, which in turn control one or more solenoid valves. Each valve controls at least one gas or liquid dispensing device. The mode of operation of any particular valve and the timing of its operation may be input either via the master controller or via the associated slave control circuit. The operation of the valve may be easily changed without changing hardware or software, allowing the system to be used in a wide variety of applications. In other configurations, the master controller is not used. Either a single slave control circuit may be used to operate one or more valves, or multiple slave controllers, each controlling at least one valve, may be linked together via a communications data bus to transfer information between them.

Claims47

Dependent claims

A control system that controls the operation of a plurality of valves, said valves controlling a plurality of gas or liquid dispensing devices, said plurality of dispensing devices including at least first and second distinct types of dispensing devices, said plurality of dispensing devices having at least two dispensing devices of said first type and at least two dispensing devices of said second type, said control system comprising:

an input circuit that accepts valve mode data and valve time data for a first valve of said plurality of valves, said valve mode data determining which mode of a plurality of possible modes in which said first valve is to operate, said mode determining whether said valve responds or fails to respond to an input from said control system or from a dispensing device, and said valve time data determining the length of time that said first valve is to be operated or rendered inoperative;
a valve controller that processes said valve mode data and said valve time data and that generates at least one output signal to control said valve in response to said processed valve mode data and said processed valve time data;
and
a change circuit that receives changed valve mode data to change said valve mode from a first mode to a second mode, that receives changed valve time data to change the length of time that said first valve is to be operated or rendered inoperative, and that transmits said changed valve mode data and said changed valve time data to said valve controller.

1 more element

A control system that controls the operation of a first valve and of a second valve, said first valve controlling the flow of a liquid or a gas to a first dispensing device of a first plurality of dispensing devices of a first type, and said second valve controlling the flow of a liquid or a gas to a second dispensing device of a second plurality of dispensing devices of a second type, said second type being distinct from said first type, said control system comprising:

an input circuit that accepts first valve mode data and first valve time data for said fist valve, and that accepts second valve mode data and second valve time data for said second valve, said first and second valve mode data determining which mode of a plurality of possible modes in which their respective valves are to operate, said modes determining whether the respective valves respond or fail to respond to an input from said control system or from a dispensing device, and said first and second valve time data determining the length of time that the respective valve is to be operated or rendered inoperative;
a valve controller that processes said first valve mode data and said first valve time data and that generates a first output signal to operate said first valve, and that also processes said second valve mode data and said second valve time data and that generates a second output signal to operate said second valve;
and
a change circuit that receives changed first valve mode data, changed first valve time data, changed second valve mode data, and changed second valve time data, and that transmits said changed first valve mode data, said changed first valve time data, said changed second valve mode data, and said changed second valve time data to said controller.

1 more element

A control system that controls the operation of a first valve which in turn operates a first gas or liquid dispensing device, said first dispensing device being one of a first plurality of dispensing devices of a first type, and said control system controlling the operation of a second valve that in turn controls the operation of a second gas or liquid dispensing device, said second dispensing device being one of a second plurality of dispensing devices of a second type that is distinct from said first type, said control system comprising:

a first slave circuit that operates said first valve, including
a first input circuit that accepts first valve mode data and first valve time data for said first valve, said first valve mode data determining which mode of a plurality of possible modes in which said first valve is to operate, said modes determining whether a valve responds or fails to respond to an input from said control system or from a dispensing device, and said first valve time data determining the length of time that the first valve is to be operated or rendered inoperative;
a first controller that processes said first valve mode data and said first valve time data, and that generates a first output signal to operate said first valve;
a first change circuit that receives changed first valve mode data and changed first valve time data, and that transmits said changed first mode data and said changed first time data to said first controller;
a second slave circuit that operates said second valve, including
a second input circuit that accepts second valve mode data and second valve time data for said second valve, said second valve mode data determining which mode of a plurality of possible modes in which said second valve is to operate, and said second valve time data determining the length of time that the second valve is to be operated or rendered inoperative;
a second controller that processes said second valve mode data and said second valve time data, and that generates a second output signal to operate said second valve;
a second change circuit that receives changed second valve mode data and changed second valve time data, and that transmits said changed second mode data and said changed second time data to said second controller;
a master control circuit that is electrically connected to said first slave circuit and to said second slave circuit, including
a third input circuit that accepts first changed valve mode data and second changed valve mode data;
and
a third controller that processes and transmits said changed first mode data to said first slave circuit, and that processes and transmits said changed second mode data to said second slave circuit.

9 more elements

A control system that controls the operation of a first valve and of a second valve, said first valve controlling the flow of a liquid or a gas to a first dispensing device, and said second valve controlling the flow of a liquid or a gas to a second dispensing device, said control system comprising:

an input circuit that accepts first valve mode data and first valve time data for said first valve, and that accepts second valve mode data and second valve time data for said second valve, said first and second valve mode data determining which mode of a plurality of possible modes in which their respective valves are to operate, said modes determining whether the respective valves respond or fail to respond to an input from said control system or from a dispensing device, and said first and second valve time data determining the length of time that the respective valve is to be operated or rendered inoperative;
a valve controller that processes said first valve mode data and said first valve time data and that generates a first output signal to operate said first valve, and that also processes said second valve mode data and said second valve time data and that generates a second output signal to operate said second valve, said valve controller also including:
a processor that generates said first output signal in response to said first valve mode data, and that generates said second output signal in response to said second valve mode data;
a switch interconnected with said first valve and with said second valve that controls said first valve in response to said first output signal, and that controls said second valve in response to said second output signal;
and
a change circuit that receives changed first valve mode data, changed first valve time data, changed second valve mode data, and changed second valve time data, and that transmits said changed first valve mode data, said changed first valve time data, said changed second valve mode data, and said changed second valve time data to said controller.

3 more elements

A control system that controls the operation of a first valve which in turn operates a first gas or liquid dispensing device, and that controls the operation of a second valve that in turn controls the operation of a second gas or liquid dispensing device, said control system comprising:

a first slave circuit that operates said first valve, including
a first input circuit that accepts first valve mode data and first valve time data for said first valve, said first valve mode data determining which mode of a plurality of possible modes in which said first valve is to operate, said modes determining whether a valve responds or fails to respond to an input from said control system or from a dispensing device, and said first valve time data determining the length of time that the first valve is to be operated or rendered inoperative;
a first controller that processes said first valve mode data and said first valve time data, and that generates a first output signal to operate said first valve;
a first change circuit that receives changed first valve mode data and changed first valve time data, and that transmits said changed first mode data and said changed first time data to said first controller;
a second slave circuit that operates said second valve, including
a second input circuit that accepts second valve mode data and second valve time data for said second valve, said second valve mode data determining which mode of a plurality of possible modes in which said second valve is to operate, and said second valve time data determining the length of time that the second valve is to be operated or rendered inoperative;
a second controller that processes said second valve mode data and said second valve time data, and that generates a second output signal to operate said second valve;
a second change circuit that receives changed second valve mode data and changed second valve time data, and that transmits said changed second mode data and said changed second valve time data to said second controller;
a master control circuit that is electrically connected to said first slave circuit and to said second slave circuit, including
a third input circuit that accepts changed first valve mode data and changed second valve mode data;
a third controller that processes and transmits said changed first valve mode data to said first slave circuit, and that processes and transmits said changed second valve mode data to said second slave circuit;
and
means for interrogating said first slave circuit and said second slave circuit to determine whether said first and second valve mode data respectively or said first and second valve time data respectively has changed.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Programmable control system for gas and liquid dispensing devices

Life of this patent

Programmable control system for gas and liquid dispensing devices

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims47