Power line control system

A method of controlling one or more electrical devices connected to an AC power line by means of a control system utilizing one or more pulses transmitted over the AC power line, said one or more pulses being superimposed on the voltage waveform of the AC power line, said control system comprising a transmitter means and a receiver means, said receiver means being electrically coupled to a corresponding one of said one or more electrical devices to be controlled, said transmitter means having a capacitor, means for charging the capacitor, and means for discharging the capacitor to generate said one or more pulses, said receiver means having means for detecting said one or more pulses generated by the transmitter means and means for energizing said corresponding one of said one or more electrical devices, said method comprising:

• charging the capacitor to one of several voltage levels one or more times at any point during any one-half cycle of the voltage waveform of the AC power line using the capacitor charging means;
• discharging said capacitor one or more times during any one-half cycle of the voltage waveform of the AC power line to generate said one or more pulses onto the AC power line;
• detecting at said receiver means said one or more pulses transmitted from the transmitter;
• and
• energizing via said energizing means said corresponding one of said one or more electrical devices in response to said one or more pulses transmitted from the transmitter.

An apparatus for controlling one or more electrical devices connected to an AC power line at corresponding one or more remote locations from the apparatus by means of one or more pulses transmitted over the AC power line, said one or more pulses being superimposed on the voltage waveform of the AC power line, said apparatus comprising:

• a breakdown device;
• a capacitor in series with the breakdown device;
• means for charging the capacitor to one of several voltage levels at least twice during any one-half cycle of the voltage waveform of the AC power line;
• a circuit for reducing harmonic distortion of the transmitter apparatus;
• and
• means for triggering the breakdown device at least twice during any one-half cycle of the voltage waveform of the AC power line;
• wherein each of said triggering of the breakdown device causes the capacitor to discharge a pulse onto the AC power line, and wherein the amplitude of each of the pulses discharged onto the AC power line is independent of one-half of the peak-to-peak amplitude of the voltage waveform of the AC power line.