WO2011110832A1 - Control apparatus for electric heating devices and method of use thereof - Google Patents
Control apparatus for electric heating devices and method of use thereof Download PDFInfo
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- WO2011110832A1 WO2011110832A1 PCT/GB2011/050420 GB2011050420W WO2011110832A1 WO 2011110832 A1 WO2011110832 A1 WO 2011110832A1 GB 2011050420 W GB2011050420 W GB 2011050420W WO 2011110832 A1 WO2011110832 A1 WO 2011110832A1
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- Prior art keywords
- electric heating
- heating devices
- control apparatus
- control
- user
- Prior art date
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
- G05B19/00—Programme-control systems
- G05B19/02—Programme-control systems electric
- G05B19/04—Programme control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers
- G05B19/042—Programme control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers using digital processors
- G05B19/0423—Input/output
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
- H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
- H04L12/2816—Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities
- H04L12/282—Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities based on user interaction within the home
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
- H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
- H04L12/2823—Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network
- H04L12/2827—Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
- H04L12/2829—Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/02—Details
- H04L12/12—Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
- H04L12/00—Data switching networks
- H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
- H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
- H04L2012/2847—Home automation networks characterised by the type of home appliance used
- H04L2012/285—Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
- Central Heating Systems (AREA)
- Control Of Resistance Heating (AREA)
Abstract
Control apparatus for controlling one or more electric heating devices. The control apparatus includes switching means for controlling the supply of electricity to said one or more electric heating devices and control means to actuate the switching means of said one or more electric heating devices according to one or more user selected parameters. The one or more user selected parameters includes the amount of energy consumable by said one or more electric heating devices in use.
Description
Control Apparatus for Electric Heating Devices and Method of Use Thereof
The invention to which this application relates is apparatus for controlling a heating device and a method of using the control apparatus.
Although the following description refers almost exclusively to use of apparatus to control an electric radiator, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention can be used with many other devices, e.g. cookers, hair straighteners, water heating devices and/or the like.
Heating devices such as radiators, convectors and other heat exchangers are well known and are used for domestic purposes as well as in industry. Radiators are commonly used for space heating, for example as part of a central heating system in a house. Electric radiators comprise an element through which electricity flows to generate heat. The element may be surrounded by panels from which the heat is radiated, which may increase the surface area and thus the speed of radiation. The element may be surrounded by oil, water or some other substance that the element heats. This in turn can heat an outer housing, which is typically made of steel, plastic, aluminium and/or the like.
Electric radiators are typically provided with an electrical plug for connecting to the mains electricity supply and can have a power rating of around 2-3k or more.
An electric radiator may be provided with a thermostat to control the heat output. Typically the thermo stat monitors the temperature of the radiator and/or the location and switches the
heating element off when the desired temperature is reached, and back on again when the temperature has fallen below a threshold value.
When a plurality of electric radiators are used within a house or other location, a high electrical demand is placed on the house's circuitry. For example, if four 3kW radiators are simultaneously plugged into the same circuit, this creates a load of 12kW. However, the maximum fuse size for most domestic circuits is 30A which corresponds to a load of around 7kW, and thus in the aforementioned example the circuit fuse would be blown or tripped. Of course the fuse rating for a particular circuit may be even less such that no more than one electric radiator may be supported without tripping the circuit.
In addition, the co st of the electricity associated with continuously supplying electricity to all four 3KW radiators to allow heating of the radiators to a required temperature is likely to be high. However, it is typically difficult for a user to calculate how much electricity the heaters are using in use due to a plurality of variables that may affect how long the radiators are switched on/off for as controlled by the radiator thermo stats. For example, each radiator may take a different period of time to reach a user selected thermostatically controlled temperature and/or maintain said temperature depending on the ambient conditions of the locality in which the radiator is located. In addition, each radiator could be set to a different thermostat temperature depending on the locality in which the radiator is located. The user would therefore be required to calculate the power consumption for each radiator separately taking into account all variables, which is time consuming, complex and requires a certain level of skill and knowledge on the part of the user.
Although, it is known to provide electricity measuring devices which measure the consumption o f electricity in domestic premises to allow a user to monitor their electrical usage of all their electrical appliances within a particular locality, such as a user's home, at a particular moment in time, conventional electricity measuring devices do not typically allow a user to control the electrical consumption of their electrical appliances via the electricity measuring devices. An aim of the present invention is to provide control apparatus which allows at least one, and preferably several, radiators and/or heating devices to be used and/or controlled simultaneously without the above problems. It is a further aim of the present invention to provide control apparatus which allows a user to control one or more variables associated with the at least radiator and/or heating device.
It is a yet further aim of the present invention provide a method of using control apparatus for one or more electric heating devices.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a heating system including control apparatus and one or more electric heating devices.
It is a yet further aim of the present invention to provide a method of using a heating system including control apparatus and one or more electric heating devices.
In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided Control apparatus for controlling one or more electric heating devices, said control apparatus including switching means for controlling the supply of electricity to said one or more electric
heating devices and control means to actuate the switching means of said one or more electric heating devices according to one or more user selected parameters, characterised in that said one or more user selected parameters includes the amount of energy consumable by said one or more electric heating devices in use.
Thus, the present invention provides control apparatus which allows a user to determine how much electrical energy an electric heating device is able to or allowed to consume in use (i.e. the electrical consumption of an electric heating device is determined by a user) . This is in contrast with conventional electric heating devices whereby a thermo static control or a timing device associated with the electric heating device determines when the electric heating device is moved between different operational conditions, such as an "on" and/or "off" condition. Whilst a user can select the temperature of a thermo static control of a conventional heating device, the user typically has no direct control over the wattage or the amount of energy required to achieve the user selected temperature in the heating device. The present invention overcomes this problem by providing a user with a level of control over their energy consumption that was not previously possible. Preferably the amount of consumable energy selectable by the user using the control means is defined in terms of wattage of electricity and/or the co st of the electricity used by each or one or more of said electric heating devices. Thus, in one example, the control means allows a user to control a heating device according to what they can afford to pay or what they are prepared to pay for heating said electric heating device. In a further example, if l Kw of electricity costs £1.00, the user can use the control means to select that £2.00 or 2Kw of electrical
energy can be supplied to a particular electric heating device at a particular time or in a pre-determined time period.
Preferably one or more other parameters that can be selected by a user using the control means include any or any combination of a time period over which the user selected energy consumption for one or more of said heating devices is defined, a temperature or temperature range of one or more of said electric heating devices, a rate or amount of heat loss in a particular locality (i. e. the rate of heat loss in a particular locality could determine whether the switching means is actuated), a date and/or the like. For example, the switching means can be actuated for a predetermined length of time, each heating device being switched on for a predetermined period then switched off. The time period could be seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years and/or the like. Thus, a user could set the control means so that a certain wattage is used by an electric heating device over a certain time period in order to achieve a certain temperature or temperature range of said electric heating device.
In one embodiment the user can select an upper or lower threshold limit of said user selectable parameter. For example, the user may set the control means so that no more than £10 is used to heat an electric heating device in a particular time period. Once the wattage corresponding to this amount o f money is spent or used, the switch means could be moved to an off position. In one embodiment a plurality of electric heating devices are controlled by the control apparatus to form a heating system.
Preferably each of the plurality of electric heating devices has a switch means provided with or associated with the same. A
single switch can control two or more electric heating devices or a single switch can control each electric heating device.
Preferably the control means are arranged to actuate the switch means of two or more of the plurality of electric heating devices successively (i.e. one after another and/or in a particular sequence) . The control means is able to control each heating device according to the energy consumption selected by the user for each heating device, all heating devices or one or more heating devices.
In order to allow the heating devices to operate within the user selected parameter(s), the heating device in one embodiment is not switched on all the time or is provided with a reduced electric power supply for part of a total time period. The system can successively supply electric energy to each radiator in turn for a short pre-determined time period. The other heating devices may be switched to an off or low position when one heating device is switched to an on or high position in one example.
The control means typically controls the plurality of heating device substantially simultaneously. Preferably the control means controls actuation of the switch means between "on" and "off" conditions or "high" and "low" conditions. The electric heating device typically is capable o f being heated when in an "on" condition and cannot be heated when in an "off" condition (although could still be capable o f heating due to existing heat present in the device) .
In one embodiment each electric heating device is arranged a spaced distance apart and/or remotely from other electric heating devices in the heating system. Typically the electric
heating devices are provided in a house with a plurality of rooms. For example, one or more electric heating devices can be provided in one or more or all rooms of the house. In one embodiment electric power or voltage is pulsed (i.e. moved between on and off conditions or high and low conditions) to the one or more electric heating devices, and preferably pulsed sequentially to two or more electric heating devices. For example, where the control means controls only a single electric heating device, the switching means can move the electrical supply between "on" and "off" conditions or "high" and "low" conditions two or more times within a particular user selected parameter time period. The terms "high" and "low" are relative terms, such that "high" refers to a significantly higher power consumption compared to a "low" condition.
When the control means controls two or more electric heating devices, each heating device preferably receives an electric pulse in turn/ successively.
As the control means actuates the switching means to switch on and off the electric heating devices successively i.e. sequentially, rather then simultaneously, one or more electric heating devices can remain in an operational or "on" or "high" state whilst one or more other electric heating device are in a non-operational, "off" or "low" state. Thus, several rooms can be heated by respective electric heating devices without completely switching off the electric heating devices in all rooms during the operation.
The user can typically select one or more different parameters associated with each heating device to allow each heating device within a system to operate under different parameters and/or conditions. For example, the user could set a heating device
located in a living room of a house to use a larger amount of energy or wattage than a heating device located in a hallway of a house since the living room may be used more frequently and for longer time periods by the user or other users compared to the hallway.
In one embodiment, the one or more electric heating devices are any or any combination of one or more electric radiators, cookers, hair straighteners, electrically-controlled water heating devices, and/or the like.
Typically the one or more electric heating devices are powered by mains electricity. In one embodiment, communication means are provided to allow communication between the switching means and the control means. Preferably the communication is bidirectional.
Typically the communication means allow one or more signals to be sent and/or received by the control means and/or the switching means using electrical wiring and/or cabling associated with the one or more electrical devices (i. e. such as an existing electrical cable) and/or the electrical wiring and/or cabling associated with the electrical supply of the locality, room and/or building in which the one or more electrical devices are located in use. Typically the one or more signals communicate data between the control means and the electric heating devices, such as for example data relating to the one or more user selected parameters.
In one embodiment the signals are carried by the ring main or mains electric wiring or cabling provided in the locality, room, building and/or property in which the electrical device is located in use. Typically the one or more signals are high frequency
signals (i.e. alternating current or voltage signals, radio frequency signals and/or the like) so that interference with the existing electrical signals (i. e. direct or low voltage signals) is minimised.
In one embodiment sensing means are provided for sensing the temperature of the one or more electric heating devices.
In one embodiment the switch means could be associated with or provided in an electric plug, a wall socket, a fuse spur and/or the like associated with the one or more electric heating devices. The communication means and/or sensing means could be associated with or provided in the electric plug, wall socket, fuse spur and/or the like associated with the one or more electric heating devices.
In a preferred embodiment each electric heating device is provided with a plug into which communication means, sensing means, and/or the switching means are incorporated. The plug can be provided at one end of an electrical cable, the other end of which is attached to the electric heating device.
Preferably the switch means, communication means and/or sensing means can be retrofitted to a conventional electric heating device in use. For example, a plug according to the present invention could be provided on the end of an electrical cable of a conventional electric heating device, or the switch means could be hard wired into a fuse spur. Thus, the plug can be retrofitted to any existing electric heating device as required by the user.
In a further embodiment communication means, sensing means, and/or the switching means are incorporated into or are associated with each electric heating device.
Preferably the switch means and/or plug includes identification means to allow the control means to identify each switch means and/or plug that is to be controlled by the control means. This allows a user to set one or more different parameters for different electric heating devices in the system.
In one embodiment the control means control the switching means and/or the one or more electric heating devices remotely. Preferably a single control means controls a plurality of electric heating devices.
Preferably the control means includes means for allowing user selection of said one or more parameters. In one example, the control means can include any means which can run a software application thereon.
The control means could include any or any combination of a smart phone, android phone, iPad, palm computer, desktop computer, laptop computer, game console, television, wall panel and/ or the like.
Preferably a user interface is provided with the control means to allow a user to select said one or more parameters and/or to determine how the switching means of a plurality of electric heating devices is to be controlled.
Preferably the control means includes any or any combination of a visual display and/or touch screen display to allow the display and/or selection of the one or more parameters, user-interface, micro-processing means for processing data relating to the one or more parameters, data signals and/ or the like, memory means for storing data, one or more control buttons, levers, dials and/ or the like.
Preferably the control apparatus or control means allows a user to measure and/or monitor electric consumption of one or more electric heating devices, preferably for any particular time or time period, in addition to selecting the value or upper and/or lower limits of said electric consumption.
In one embodiment the control means is programmable by the user. Typically the control means allows the user to specify a temperature for one or more localities, one or more rooms, the temperature of an electric heating device and/or the like.
In one embodiment the control means may be accessed remotely. Typically the control means is accessible via a remote computer or over the internet. Thus a user can amend, adjust and/or monitor energy consumption, time, temperature and/or the like remotely.
Typically the control means determines when each of the electric heating devices is switched on and off via the switching means and/or how long each electric heating device is switched on and/ or off for.
In one embodiment a fraction of the plurality of electric heating devices are switched on at any specific time. Typically no more than one electric heating device is powered at any given moment.
In one embodiment the length of time each electric heating device is powered for or a pulsed electric supply is provided for is a second divided by the number of electric heating devices in the system controlled by the control apparatus.
Thus if the control means are in communication with 25 electric heating devices, the first device will be switched on for 0.04 seconds then switched off, then the next device will be switched on for 0.04 seconds then switched off, and so on until the last device, whereupon the cycle repeats.
Of course it will be appreciated that any suitable length of time can be used in connection with supplying power to the electric heating devices, and the above example is intended to be non- limiting.
In effect the supply of electricity is 'moved' from one electric heating device to the next at a very fast rate and takes advantage of the fact that it takes a long time for an electric heating device to cool down once hot. Thus electricity or electrical consumption is 'swapped' very quickly from a device that is fully up to temperature to another one that is cooler, which keeps all electric heating devices in a system hot but uses the same amount of electricity to do so as would be used for heating a single heating device.
As such the total amount of power required by the plurality of electric heating devices in a system according to the present invention equates to that of just one of the electric heating devices.
In addition, it will be appreciated that more than one electric heating device may be powered at a given time as long as the total energy consumption remains within the capabilities of the circuit and/or the user selected value or range.
For example, if each electric heating device is rated at l kW, and the circuit is capable of supplying 3kW or the user has selected
3kW of electrical energy to be supplied, it would be possible to power two or three electric heating devices simultaneously.
In one embodiment a user can prioritise or order the electric heating devices in a particular hierarchy using the control means, so that only a prioritised electric heating device or an electric heating device high up in the hierarchy is powered if the user selected energy consumption is too low to power all the electric he ating d evic e s . This enables the switching means associated with the electric heating devices to be actuated in a user selected order.
In one embodiment the electric heating devices are made from or includes ceramic or glass material in which a heating element is embedded or sandwiched.
Typically each electric heating device has dimensions of approximately 100cm wide by 50cm high by 1 cm deep.
Typically the electric heating devices may be hung onto a wall by means of a bracket.
In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a central heating system including a plurality of electric heating devices and control apparatus as herein described.
In a yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of controlling one or more electric heating devices using control apparatus, said method including the steps o f selectively controlling the supply of electricity to one or more o f said electric heating devices via switch means according to one or more user selectable parameters, characterised in that said one or more user selectable parameters includes the amount of
energy consumable by said one or more electric heating devices in use.
In an aspect of the present invention there is provided control apparatus for one or more electric heating devices including switching means to selectively control the supply of electricity to each electric heating device, characterised in that control means are provided to actuate the switching means of each electric heating device successively.
Preferably the control apparatus controls two or more electric heating devices.
In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of controlling one or more electric heating devices including the steps of:
selectively controlling the supply of electricity to each electric heating device via switching means;
characterised in that the switching means of each electric heating device are actuated successively and/or sequentially via control means.
In one embodiment each electric heating device is repeatedly supplied with electricity for a predetermined period of time.
Typically, each electric heating device is supplied with electricity at different times to the other electric heating devices.
In one embodiment the control m e an s i s a c c e s s e d an d / o r programmed remotely by a user.
Specific embodiments of the invention are now described wherein:-
Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of a central heating system comprising a plurality of electric heating devices and control apparatus according to different embodiments of the present invention.
Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of an electric heating device.
Figure 3 illustrates a plan view of an electric heating device.
Figure 4 illustrates partial sectional view of an electric heating device.
With reference to Figure 1 , there is illustrated a central heating system for a house comprising a plurality of electric heating devices in the form of electric radiators 1. The radiators may be located in different rooms of a house (not shown) .
The electric radiators are provided with electrical cables 6 and plugs 7 to allow the same to be plugged into the mains electrical circuit via nearby sockets 8 in a conventional manner.
Different types of control means for use with the heating system are shown in figure 1. It will be appreciated that the different types of control means illustrated could be used alone or in any required combination and is not limited to the arrangement shown in figure 1.
The control means and plugs 7 provided with each electric radiator have communication means to allow communication therebetween via the mains electrical circuit 9 which already exists in the house. Thus, both electrical voltage and one or more communication signals can travel along the mains electrical circuit between the control means and the plugs to allow control
of the electric radiator according to one or more parameters selected by the user using the control means.
One type of control means is in the form of a control panel 10 that is plugged into and/or wired into the mains electrical circuit, remotely from the radiators. The control panel 10 includes a display screen 1 5 for display of data and/or one or more user selectable options thereon, and control buttons 16 to allow user selection of one or more parameters displayed on the display screen and/or associated with the electric radiators 1. Micro-processing means provided in the control panel allows one or more software applications to be run thereon which can provide a user interface to allow selection of the one or more user selectable parameters, to allow the display of one or more measured and/or monitored parameters and/or the like.
The control means can include a computer 13 connected to the mains electrical circuit, or a mobile internet device 14 in remote communication with the mains electrical circuit via a modem/router 1 1 and/or the like. The computer 13 or mobile internet device 14 could control the electric radiators directly via the mains electrical circuit or either and/or both could control the control panel which in turn controls the electric radiators.
Thus a user can control the central heating system at locations within the house but remote from the one or more electric radiators and/or from locations remote from the house and the one or more electric radiators.
In accordance with the present invention, the control panel or control means allows a user to select at least the amount of electric energy, typically defined in wattage and/or cost, that one or more or all of the electric radiators in the system are to
consume within a selected or pre-determined time period. The control panel or control means can also allow a user to select the time period and/or date over which the electrical consumption limit or value is to take place, the temperature o f one or more of all of the electric radiators in the system and/or the like.
The plugs 7 of each electric radiator 1 are provided with switching means under the control o f the control panel and/or control means, such that electric power or wattage can be supplied successively to each of the radiators by automatically switching the radiators on and off in sequence, such that only one radiator is switched on at any one time. The switching means only allows a pre-determined wattage to pass to each radiator in accordance with the user selected parameters set via the control panel.
The control apparatus formed from the control means and switching means allows the user to program the central heating system, via the control panel, such that a particular room can be heated without switching off the radiators in other rooms during the operation.
Thus, the radiators in the system can be supplied with electricity sequentially so that only one (or a limited number) are powered at any given moment. In the illustrated example of a system of five radiators, each can be successively switched on and off for 0.2s so that all the radiators are heated without overloading the circuit and whilst using wattage below the user selected upper limit.
Similarly, if the user sets the control panel to only power the first three radiators, and then later the other two are programmed to come one, none of the radiators have to be
switched off when this occurs as the control panel distributes power sequentially to all the radiators. Of course in this example as the two radiators powered later are cold to start with (relative to the other three), the time for which they are powered may be programmed to be longer than that for the radiators which are already hot.
With reference to Figure 2-4, the electric radiator in one embodiment comprises a panel of ceramic or glass material 2 in which a heating element 3 is embedded. The electric radiator can be hung on a wall 5 via brackets 4 in a conventional manner.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention may also include further additional modifications made to the device which do not affect the overall functioning of the device.
Claims
1. Control apparatus for controlling one or more electric heating devices, said control apparatus including switching means for controlling the supply of electricity to said one or more electric heating devices and control means to actuate the switching means of said one or more electric heating devices according to one or more user selected parameters, characterised in that said one or more user selected parameters includes the amount of energy consumable by said one or more electric heating devices in use.
2. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the amount of consumable energy selectable by the user using the control means is defined in terms of wattage and/or the co st of the electricity.
3. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that one or more other user selected parameters include any or any combination of a time period over which the user selected energy consumption of one or more of said heating devices is defined, a temperature or temperature range of one or more of said heating devices, a rate or amount of heat loss in a particular locality or a date.
4. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that a plurality of electric heating devices are controlled by the control apparatus to form a heating system, each electric heating device having switch means provided with or associated with the same.
5. Control apparatus according to claim 4 characterised in that the control means are arranged to actuate the switch means associated with two or more of the plurality of electric heating devices successively.
Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the control means are arranged to actuate the switch means between an "on" condition, wherein the electric heating device is capable of being heated, and an "off" condition, wherein the electric heating device is not heated.
Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that electric power or voltage is pulsed to the one or more electric heating devices.
Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the one or more electric heating devices include any or any combination of one or more electric radiators, cookers, hair straighteners or electrically controlled water heating devices.
9. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that communication means are provided to allow communication between the switched means and the control means.
10. Control apparatus according to claim 9 characterised in that the communication means allow one or more signals to be sent and/or received by the control means and/or the switching means using electrical wiring or cabling associated with the one or more electric devices, the main electricity wiring or cabling and/or the electrical wiring or cabling associated with the electrical supply of the locality, room and/or building in which the one or more electrical devices are located in use.
1 1. Control apparatus according to claim 10 characterised in that the one or more signals are high frequency signals, alternating current or voltage signals or radio frequency signals.
12. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that sensing means are provided for sensing the temperature of the one or more electric heating devices.
13. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the switch means is associated with or provided in an electric plug, a wall socket or a fuse spur associated with the one or more electric heating devices.
14. Control apparatus according to any preceding claim characterised in that the communication means and/or sensing means are associated with or provided in an electric plug, a wall socket or a fuse spur associated with the one or more electric heating devices.
15. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that switch means includes identification means to allow the control means to identify said or each switch means.
16. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the control means control the switching means and/or one or more electric heating devices remotely.
17. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the control means includes one or more software applications to allow user selection of the one or more user selectable parameters.
18. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the control means includes any or any combination of a smart phone, android phone, iPad, palm computer, desktop computer, laptop computer, game console, television or wall panel.
19. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the control means includes any or any combination of a user interface, visual and/or touch screen display, micro-processing means, memory means or one or more control buttons, levers or dials.
20. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the apparatus or control means allows a user to measure and/or monitor electrical consumption of one or more electric heating devices.
21. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that a plurality of electric heating devices are controlled by the control apparatus and only a fraction of or one of the electric heating devices are switched on at any specific time.
22. Control apparatus according to claim 7 characterised in that the length of time each electric heating device is powered for or a pulsed electrical supply is provided for is a second divided by the number of electric heating devices.
23. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that a plurality of electric heating devices are controlled by the control apparatus, a user can prioritise or place the electric heating devices into a hierarchy using the control means, so that the switching means associated with the electric heating devices are actuated in a user selected order.
24. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the one or more electric heating devices are made from or include ceramic or glass material in which a heating element is embedded or sandwiched.
25. Control apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the one or more electric heating devices have dimensions of 100cm wide, 50cm high and 1 cm deep.
26. A method of controlling one or more electric heating devices using control apparatus, said method including the steps of selectively controlling the supply of electricity to one or more of said electric heating devices via switch means according to one or more user selectable parameters, characterised in that said one or more user selectable parameters includes the amount of energy consumable by said one or more electric heating devices in use.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1004112.7 | 2010-03-12 | ||
| GBGB1004112.7A GB201004112D0 (en) | 2010-03-12 | 2010-03-12 | Control apparatus for heating devices |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2011110832A1 true WO2011110832A1 (en) | 2011-09-15 |
Family
ID=42261456
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB2011/050420 WO2011110832A1 (en) | 2010-03-12 | 2011-03-03 | Control apparatus for electric heating devices and method of use thereof |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB201004112D0 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2011110832A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2014046530A1 (en) * | 2012-09-19 | 2014-03-27 | Grupo Tecnologías Eos S.A. De C.V. | Modular system for remotely monitoring and controling the electric power supply |
| WO2015025122A1 (en) * | 2013-08-23 | 2015-02-26 | Logicor (R & D) Ltd | Improvements to electric heating systems and method of use thereof |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP1263167A1 (en) * | 2001-06-01 | 2002-12-04 | Zensys A/S | A system and a method for building routing tables and for routing signals in an automation system |
| US20060142900A1 (en) * | 2004-12-27 | 2006-06-29 | Rothman Michael A | System and method for enabling home power management |
-
2010
- 2010-03-12 GB GBGB1004112.7A patent/GB201004112D0/en not_active Ceased
-
2011
- 2011-03-03 WO PCT/GB2011/050420 patent/WO2011110832A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP1263167A1 (en) * | 2001-06-01 | 2002-12-04 | Zensys A/S | A system and a method for building routing tables and for routing signals in an automation system |
| US20060142900A1 (en) * | 2004-12-27 | 2006-06-29 | Rothman Michael A | System and method for enabling home power management |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2014046530A1 (en) * | 2012-09-19 | 2014-03-27 | Grupo Tecnologías Eos S.A. De C.V. | Modular system for remotely monitoring and controling the electric power supply |
| WO2015025122A1 (en) * | 2013-08-23 | 2015-02-26 | Logicor (R & D) Ltd | Improvements to electric heating systems and method of use thereof |
| US20160201930A1 (en) * | 2013-08-23 | 2016-07-14 | Logicor (R&D) Ltd | Improvements to electric heating systems and method of use thereof |
| US10823432B2 (en) * | 2013-08-23 | 2020-11-03 | Logicor (R&D) Ltd | Electric heating systems and method of use thereof |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB201004112D0 (en) | 2010-04-28 |
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