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US 5,629,684 AGranted
Timer for an electrical apparatus
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorsMasao Isshiki, Taizo Kodama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A timer for controlling an operation start and/or end of an electrical apparatus at a manually input operation time. The timer includes a clock having an active state and a nonactive state, which generates a current time in the active state. A reset circuit sets the clock to the nonactive state. Entering an initial time to the clock sets the clock to the active state. The timer has two operating modes. In one mode, the operation time is designated by a target time. In the other mode, the operation time is designated by a time interval. The operating mode is automatically changed based on the state of the clock. If the clock is in the active state, the operation time is designated by the target time. In the nonactive state, the operation time is designated by the time interval.
Claims15
A timer for controlling an operation of an electrical apparatus, comprising:
- a) a clock having an active state in which the clock is set to an initial value and operative therefrom and a nonactive state in which the clock is not provided with an initial value, the clock generating a current time in the active state;
- b) initial time setting means for setting the initial value for the current time of the clock so as to set the clock in the active state;
- and
- c) controlling means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus, comprising:
- first time designating means for designating a time interval;
- first time counting means for counting toward an end of the time interval and for controlling the operation of an electrical apparatus at the end of the time interval;
- second time designating means for designating a target time;
- second time counting means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus responsive to the current time corresponding to the target time;
- and
- activating means for operating the timer in a first mode, wherein the first time designating means and the first time counting means are activated, responsive to the clock being in the nonactive state and for operating the timer in a second mode, wherein the second time designating means and the second time counting means are activated, responsive to the clock being in the active state.
7 more elements
A timer for controlling an operation of an electrical apparatus, comprising:
- a) a clock having an active state in which the clock is set to an initial value and is operative therefrom and a nonactive state in which the clock is not set to an initial value, the clock generating a current time in the active state;
- b) initial time setting means for setting the initial value so as to set the clock in the active state;
- c) first controlling means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus, comprising:
- first time designating means for designating at time interval;
- and
- first time counting means for counting toward an end of the time interval and for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus at the end of the interval time;
- d) second controlling means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus, comprising:
- second time designating means for designating a target time;
- and
- second time counting means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus responsive to the current time corresponding to the target time;
- e) activating means for operating the timer in a first mode, in which the first controlling means is activated, responsive to the clock being in the nonactive state and for operating the timer in a second mode, in which the second controlling means is activated responsive to the clock being in the active state.
8 more elements
A timer for controlling an operation of an electrical apparatus, comprising:
- a) a clock having an active state in which the clock is set to an initial value and is operative therefrom and a nonactive state in which the clock is not set to an initial value, the clock generating a current time in the active state;
- b) initial time setting means for inputting the initial value so as to set the clock in the active state;
- c) first controlling means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus responsive to the clock being in the nonactive state, comprising:
- first time designating means for designating a time interval;
- and
- first time counting means for counting toward an end of the time interval and for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus at the end of the interval time;
- d) second controlling means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus responsive to the clock being in the active state, comprising:
- second time designating means for designating a target time;
- and
- second time counting means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus responsive to the current time corresponding to the target time.
7 more elements
A remote controller for controlling an operation of an electrical apparatus comprising:
- a) a transmitting circuit to transmit a signal to control the electrical apparatus,
- b) a clock having an active state in which the clock is set to an initial value and is operative therefrom and a nonactive state in which the clock is not set to an initial value, the clock generating a current time in the active state;
- c) initial time setting means for setting the initial value of the clock so as to set the clock to the active state;
- d) first controlling means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus, comprising:
- first time designating means for designating a time interval;
- and
- first time counting means for counting toward an end of the time interval, and for transmitting a first signal to control the operation of the electrical apparatus at the end of the interval time;
- e) second controlling means for controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus, comprising:
- second time designating means for designating a target time;
- and
- second time counting means for transmitting a second signal to control the operation of the electrical apparatus if the current time corresponds to the target time;
- f) activating means for operating the remote controller in a first mode, in which the first controlling means is activated, responsive to the clock being in the nonactive state and for operating the remote controller in a second mode, in which the second controlling means is activated, responsive to the clock being in the active state.
9 more elements
A method for controlling an operation of an electrical apparatus using a timer, comprising the steps of:
- providing a clock having an active state in which the clock is set to an initial value and is operative and a nonactive state in which the clock is not set to an initial value, the clock generating a current time in the active state;
- inputting the initial value to the clock so as to set the clock to the active state;
- entering a first operation mode responsive to the clock means being in the nonactive state, the first operation mode including the steps of designating a time interval and controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus at the end of the interval time;
- and
- entering a second operation mode responsive to the clock means being in the active state, the second operation mode including the steps of designating a target time and controlling the operation of the electrical apparatus responsive to the current time corresponding to target time.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.