Load control system

A load control system comprising:

• a plurality of branch power lines;
• a plurality of loads selectively connectable to respective ones of said branch power lines;
• a plurality of terminal control means for controlling the connecting status of the loads in response to load control signals, each terminal control means being connected to a respective one of said loads and to said load's respective branch power line;
• a plurality of input terminal means for transmitting operation commands as power line carrier communication signals on said branch power lines, the input terminal means being connected to ones of said branch power lines;
• a plurality of gateway means for providing reciprocity control of the plurality of loads, the gateway means being connected to one another and to respective ones of the branch power lines such that one gateway means is connected to each branch power line, wherein the gateway means generate transmission signals and the load control signals in response to said operation commands received as power line carrier communication signals transmitted by ones of said input terminals means, said transmission signals being communicated among the gateway means and the load control signals being communicated to selected ones of the terminal control means wherein a first one of said plurality of gateway means, connected to a first one of said branch power lines, is adapted to transmit said transmission signals responsive to receiving said power line carrier communication signals from a first one of said plurality of input terminal means connected to the first branch power line, to a second one of said plurality of gateway means, connected to a second branch power line, which in turn transmits load control signals to one of said plurality of terminal control means connected to the second branch power line.