Two terminal controller

A method of providing power from an AC power source to an electrical load . .responsive.!. in response to momentary power interruptions resulting from activations of switch means connected to the AC power source, comprising the steps of:

• a. programming a micro-processor . .controlled.!. control circuit means to be responsive to momentary power interruptions initiated by an operator and applied to the micro-processor control circuit means at an input terminal and an output terminal to which the microprocessor control circuit means is connected;
• a. connecting a bi-directional dual silicon controlled rectifier in series with and between . .a pair of.!. input and output terminals and interconnecting the input and output terminals in series with . .an.!. the AC power source and the electrical load and connecting the micro-processor control circuit means for controlling the conduction of the rectifier;
• c. interrupting the AC power . .supply.!. source to the microprocessor control circuit means such that responsive thereto the micro-processor . .provides.!. control circuit means controls the delivery of power to the . .a.!. the load in a predetermined manner,
• d. packaging said micro-processor control circuit means, said rectifier and said input and output terminals in a . .and.!. adapted for inserting said package between an Edison-style lamp screw shell housing and an incandescent bulb inserted therein, and
• e. providing a timer in said package connected to the micro-processor control circuit means which is responsive to momentary power interruptions.

A method for controlling one of either the conduction time, duty cycle or . .of.!. or illumination intensity of a lamp which comprises the steps of:

• a. providing in memory certain data values corresponding to the timing or sequence at which power interruptions to said memory may occur,
• b. creating timed or sequenced power interruptions to said memory and thereby
• c. selecting a particular data value for storage in said memory which is operable to control either said conduction time, said duty cycle or said illumination intensity of said lamp, and
• d. controlling said conduction time, duty cycle, or illumination intensity of said lamp by connecting an AC triggerable switch to said lamp and controlling its conductive state by the application thereto of a signal corresponding to said particular data value selected for storage in said memory.

Circuitry for controlling the current level, duty cycle and conduction time for current supplied to a selected load including, in combination:

• a. an AC controlled switch connected to a load,
• b. data storage and conversion means connected to a gate or control electrode of said AC controlled switch and responsive to manually controlled power interruptions which are made at a predetermined time and sequence with respect to the present current level, duty cycle or current conduction time at said load for in turn changing said current level, duty cycle or conduction time to another and different current level, duty cycle or conduction time, and
• c. said AC controlled switch is a Triac which is connectable between one side of said load and one side of an AC supply voltage, said AC supply voltage being further connected through a manually operated and controlled switch to another side of said load, and said data storage and conversion means including a micro-processor connected to a DC voltage supply and further connected across input and output terminals of said Triac and to a gate or control electrode thereof, said micro-processor being operative to store new data values therein in response to the manual switching action of said manually operated switch in a controlled sequence to thereby change the phase angle and conduction time of said semiconductor Triac and thereby in turn control and change the level of current, the duty cycle, or the conduction time of current conducted through said load.

A two-terminal power control device normally activated by switch means to conduct power from an AC power source to a load, comprising:

• input and output terminals adapted to be connected to the AC power source and the load, respectively;
• a controllable conductivity device responsive to control signals and connected in series with and between the input and output terminals, the controllable conductivity device varying the impedance thereof and the conduction of power therethrough in response to the control signals;
• a controller connected in series with and operative for supplying control signals to the switch in response to momentary power interruptions resulting from activations of the switch means;
• a DC power supply connected across the conductivity device to provide power to the controller when the conductivity device is in a state of high or low impedance in the presence of AC potential across the switch;
• a logic circuit memory of the controller to retain preprogrammed data during periods of power termination from the AC power source and the DC power supply,
• a package having the input and output terminals connected thereto on opposed ends of the package, the package having dimensions to allow it to be retained between an Edison-style lamp screw shell housing and an incandescent bulb inserted therein, and
• a timer of the controller responsive to momentary power interruptions,
• the controller correlating the momentary power interruptions to the
• preprogrammed data to derive the control signals.

A method of controllably delivering power from an AC power source to an electrical load in response to momentary power interruptions resulting from activations of switch means connected to the AC power source, comprising the steps of:

• connecting a controllable conductivity device in series with and between an input terminal and an output terminal;
• interconnecting the input and output terminals in series with the AC power source and the load;
• controlling conduction of the controllable conductivity device to control the power applied from the AC power source to the load;
• connecting a controller between the input and output terminals;
• preprogramming instructions in a data retention element. of the controller to recognize and respond to predetermined momentary power interruptions at the input and output terminals;
• connecting to the controller a timer which is responsive to the predetermined momentary power interruptions;
• activating the switch means to create predetermined power interruptions at the input and output terminals;
• correlating the predetermined power interruptions created by activating the switch means with the preprogrammed instructions;
• controlling the conduction of the controllable conductivity device in a predetermined manner related to the correlation between the predetermined momentary power interruptions and the preprogrammed instructions to control the delivery of power to the load in a predetermined manner;
• and
• packaging the controllable conductivity device, the controller including the data retention element and the timer, and the input and output
• terminals in a package.

A method for controlling either the conduction time, duty cycle or illumination intensity of a load, comprising the steps of:

• selectively creating a plurality of different predetermined timed or sequenced power interruptions which relate to controlling one of either the conduction time, duty cycle or illumination intensity of a load;
• preprogramming in a data retention logic element a plurality of predetermined data values each of which relates to a different one of the predetermined power interruptions;
• applying the predetermined power interruptions to the data retention element;
• comparing the predetermined power interruptions applied to the data retention element with the data values programmed in the data retention element;
• selecting from the comparison a particular data value to control said load;
• and
• controlling said load by connecting a controllable conductivity device to said load and by controlling a conductive state of the conductivity device by applying to the conductivity device a control signal corresponding to
• the particular data value selected.

A method for controlling one of either the conduction time, duty cycle or illumination intensity of a load, comprising the steps of:

• preprogramming in a data retention logic element certain data values corresponding to the timing or sequence at which power interruptions to the data retention element may occur;
• creating predetermined timed or sequenced power interruptions to the data retention element;
• correlating the predetermined power interruptions created with the data values and thereby
• selecting a particular data value to control one of either said conduction time, said duty cycle or said illumination intensity of said load;
• controlling the one of said conduction time, duty cycle, or illumination intensity of said load by connecting a controllable conductivity device to said load and by controlling a conductive state of the conductivity device by applying to the conductivity device a control signal corresponding to the particular data value selected;
• p1 terminating the conductive state of the conductivity device in response to one power interruption of a predetermined maximum duration;
• and
• initiating the conductive state of the conductivity device in response an application of power across the conductivity device and the connected load after a power interruption of greater than the predetermined maximum
• duration.

Circuitry for controlling the current level, duty cycle and conduction time of current supplied from a power source to a load comprising, in combination:

• a controllable conductivity device adapted to connected in a series combination of the load, the power source, and a power switch to conduct current from the power source to the load when the power switch is closed and the controllable conductivity device is conductive, the controllable conductivity device having a control terminal upon which to apply a control signal for controlling the conductivity of the controllable conductivity device;
• and
• a controller connected to the controllable conductivity device and responsive to a predetermined pattern of power interruptions of predetermined time and sequence created by manual activations of the power switch, the controller supplying a control signal to the control terminal for controlling the conductivity of the controllable conductivity device to establish the current level, duty cycle or conduction time in relation to the predetermined pattern of power interruptions;
• the controller including a data storage logic element, a processing logic element, and a DC power supply to which the data storage and processing logic elements are connected, the processing element connected to the control terminal of the controllable conductivity device, the data storage element operatively retaining data values therein and storing information therein in response to the manual activations of the power switch which create the pattern of power interruptions, the processing element operatively supplying a control signal to the control terminal of the controllable conductivity device to thereby change the conductivity of the controllable conductivity device to control and change the level of current, the duty cycle, or the conduction time of current conducted through the load, the processing element deriving the control signal by correlating the predetermined pattern of power interruptions with the data values stored in the data retention element.

A power control device for selectively controlling the application of electrical power to a load from an AC power source in response to power interruptions of predetermined durations from the power source, comprising:

• two power terminals to connect said power control device in series with the AC power source and at which power interruptions occur;
• a controllable conductivity device connected between the two power terminals to selectively conduct power from the AC power source between the two terminals during the application of power from the AC power source, the controllable conductivity device including a control terminal to which to apply a control signal, the control signal varying the conduction of the controllable conductivity device in relation to the control signal and the electrical power from the AC power source;
• and
• a controller connected to the two power terminals and to the control terminal of the controllable conductivity device, the controller including logic elements which are operative to recognize a predetermined pattern of power interruptions of predetermined durations and sequences from the AC power source and to correlate the recognized pattern of power interruptions with preprogrammed information of the logic elements, the controller employing the correlated preprogrammed information to supply control signals to the control terminal of the controllable conductivity device;
• the controller supplying a termination control signal to terminate the conduction of power through the controllable conductivity device in response a power interruption of a predetermined maximum duration;
• the controller supplying a conduction control signal to initiate the conduction of power through the controllable conductivity device between the power terminals in response an application of power to the power terminals after a power interruption of greater than the predetermined maximum duration;
• and
• the controller modifying the conduction control signal to modify the amount of power conducted through the controllable conductivity device in response a predetermined pattern of a number of relatively shorter power interruptions, each relatively shorter power interruption having a predetermined duration less than the predetermined maximum duration and greater than any power interruption resulting from the zero crossing the
• AC power source.