Appliance control system and method

A ceiling fan control system comprising:

• a) a plurality of fan controllers operatively connected to corresponding motors of a corresponding plurality of ceiling fans for controlling the speed and direction of rotation of said fans in response to command signals received by said controllers;
• b) control switch means adapted to be located remote from said fans at a manually accessible location, said switch means including a plurality of operator members each providing no more than one distinct primary function command when manually operated, said switch means including means for converting said function commands provided by said operator members into speed and direction command signals for use by said fan controller, said switch means including manually operated means for providing input address information for selecting particular groups of said fan controllers, each of said groups including at least one fan controller, said control switch means including means for issuing predetermined operational settings for said groups;
• and
• c) means for providing a communicati link between said control switch means and said fan controllers for transmitting said command signals from said control switch means to said fan controllers.

A ceiling fan control system comprising:

• a) a fan controller operatively connected to the motor of a ceiling fan for controlling the speed and direction of rotation of said fan, said controller comprising means for controlling the supply of current to said motor and processor means for converting command signals received by said fan controller into signals for controlling said current supply control means;
• b) manually operated control switch means adapted to be located remote from said fan at a manually accessible location, said switch means including means for converting manual input commands into speed and direction command signals for use by said fan controller;
• c) means for providing a communication link between said control switch means and said fan controller for transmitting said command signals from said control switch means to said fan controller;
• d) blade rotation sensor means operatively associated with said fan;
• and
• e) means operatively coupled to said blade rotation sensor means and connected to said processor means so that power to said fan is shut off if the fan blades are not rotating.

A ceiling fan control system comprising:

• a) a fan controller operatively connected to the motor of a ceiling fan for controlling the speed and direction of rotation of said fan, said controller comprising means for controlling the supply of current to said motor and processor means for converting command signals received by said fan controller into signals for controlling said current supply control means;
• b) manually operated control switch means adapted to be located remote from said fan at a manually accessible location, said switch means including means for converting manual input commands into speed and direction command signals for use by said fan controller;
• c) means for providing a communication link between said control switch means and said fan controller for transmitting said command signals from said control switch means to said fan controller;
• d) a lamp associated with said fan and means operatively associated with said lamp for controlling the brightness thereof, said processor means converting said command signals received by said fan controller into signals for controlling the brightness of said lamp;
• and
• e) lamp circuit integrity checking means operatively connected to said lamp and to said processor means so that if the lamp circuit is open due to bulb burnout, breakage or other damage or electrical failure, power to the lamp is shut off.

A ceiling fan control system comprising:

• a) a plurality of fan controllers operatively connected to corresponding motors of a corresponding plurality of ceiling fans for controlling the speed and direction of rotation of said fans, each of said controllers comprising means for controlling the supply of current to said motor and processor means for converting command signals received by said fan controller into signals for controlling said current supply control means;
• b) control switch means adapted to be located remote from said fans at a manually accessible location, said switch means including a plurality of operator members each providing no more than one distinct primary function command when manually operated, said switch means including processor means for converting said function commands provided by said operator members into speed and direction command signals for use by said fan controller, said control switch means including manually operated means for providing input address information to said processor means for providing address signals for selecting particular ones of said fan controllers and said processor means of each of said fan controllers including means responsive to a particular address signal for selecting that particular fan controller, said control switch means including means for issuing predetermined operational settings for said fan controllers;
• and
• c) means for providing a communication link between said control switch means and said fan controllers for transmitting said command signals from said control switch means to said fan controllers.

A ceiling fan control system comprising:

• a) a plurality of fan controllers operatively connected to corresponding motors of a corresponding plurality of ceiling fans for controlling the speed and direction of rotation of said fans, each of said controllers comprising means for controlling the supply of current to said motor and processor means for converting command signals received by said fan controller into signals for controlling said current supply control means, each of said controllers including memory means operatively connected to said processor means;
• b) control switch means adapted to be located remote from said fans at a manually accessible location, said switch means including a plurality of operator members each providing no more than one distinct primary function command when manually operated, said switch means including processor means for converting said function commands provided by said operator members into speed and direction command signals for use by said fan controllers, said control switch means including manually operated means for providing input address information to said processor means for providing address signals for selecting particular ones of said fan controllers and said processor means of each of said fan controllers including means responsive to a particular address signal for selecting that particular fan controller, said control switch means including means for providing commands including memory recall of user pre-defined configurations, storing of new configurations, fan controller identification and an off condition for all fans which commands are processed by said processor means in conjunction with said memory means of said controllers;
• and
• c) means for providing a communication link between said control switch means and said fan controller for transmitting said command signal from said control switch means to said fan controller.