Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
  • H01H3/22—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism
  • H01H3/26—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using dynamo-electric motor
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H15/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for actuation in opposite directions, e.g. slide switch
  • H01H15/02—Details
  • H01H15/06—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
  • H01H15/16—Driving mechanisms
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H71/00—Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00
  • H01H71/10—Operating or release mechanisms
  • H01H71/66—Power reset mechanisms
  • H01H2071/665—Power reset mechanisms the reset mechanism operating directly on the normal manual operator, e.g. electromagnet pushes manual release lever back into "ON" position

Definitions

• Wi-Fi capable light bulbs or Wi-Fi enabled light switches.
• Wi-Fi enabled light switches typically require replacement of the entire light switch, which potentially requires access to household AC voltages. Understandably, many homeowners are incapable or unwilling to perform such re-wiring.
• FIG. 4 is a top, plan view of one embodiment of remote controlled switch cover assembly
• FIG. 5a is a perspective view of the remote controlled switch cover assembly shown in FIGs. 1-4, showing a switch toggle member in a neutral position
• a remote controlled switch cover assembly may be used to convert a standard, existing toggle switch to one that can be controlled remotely, for example wirelessly using a keyfob or by using a smartphone, tablet, or other personal electronic device through via a local gateway device, or via the Internet and a local gateway device, in instances where the controller is located remotely from the toggle switch.
• a remote controlled switch may be controlled via a local security panel or home automation gateway, either alone or in conjunction with the aforementioned wireless devices.
• the remote controlled switch cover assembly is used in conjunction with a standard toggle switch used to apply and remove household AC voltages to electrical devices such as lights or other common household appliances or devices.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a side, cutaway view of one embodiment of remote light switch cover assembly 100, installed over an existing, standard toggle switch assembly 206.
• toggle cover 216 is slidably seated between toggle light switch member 204 and custom switch cover 214.
• Two prongs 300 extend downward from toggle cover 216, spaced far apart enough to allow toggle light switch member 204 to seat between the prongs 300.
• toggle cover 216 may be positioned up and down within cutout 302 of custom switch cover 214, causing toggle light switch member 204 to change state as toggle cover 216 is positioned between an "on" or up position and "off or down position.
• toggle cover 216 is not used, and toggle light switch member 204 protrudes through cutout 302, allowing direct manipulation of toggle light switch member 204 by a user to manually operate standard toggle switch assembly 206.
• switch position member 210 is shown having a longitudinal member 410 with ends 412 and 414 located at opposing ends of longitudinal member 410, an upper horizontal member 416 and a lower horizontal member 418. In one embodiment, distal ends of upper horizontal member 416 and lower horizontal member 418 are joined together by vertical member 420, forming a square frame through which toggle light switch member 204 is placed therethrough.
• one or both toggle position switches may be used to determine the position of toggle light switch member 204. If only one position switch is used, it may be inferred that standard toggle switch assembly 206 is in an on or off condition when the one position switch is activated and in an opposite condition when the one position switch is deactivated. In one embodiment, signals from one or both switches are used by processing circuitry 202 to determine when toggle light switch member 204 has been placed into one position or the other, in order to stop rotation of motor 400, as will be explained later herein.
• remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 One of the benefits of remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 is the ability to allow manual manipulation of toggle light switch member 204 by a user without damaging various components of remote controlled switch cover assembly 100, such as gear train 402, motor 400 or switch toggle member 208.
• switch toggle member 208 resides in a "neutral position” after moving toggle light switch member 204 to an "on” or “off position remotely. This position allows a user to manually turn toggle light switch member 204 to an opposite position without interference from moving switch toggle member 208. Referring to FIG.
• switch toggle member 208 After switch toggle member 208 has placed toggle light switch member 204 into the off position, motor 400 begins turning the opposite direction, causing switch toggle member 208 to rotate counter-clockwise back to the neutral position, shown in FIG. 5a, with first end 406 resting against or near a lower surface of toggle light switch member 204
• the receiver when a command is received from a remote device instructing remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 to turn lights on, the receiver receives the wireless signal from the device and provides a downconverted baseband signal to motor control circuitry, such as a processor and/or discreet components such as one or more transistors, capacitors, resistors, etc. and power circuitry capable of rotating motor 400.
• motor control circuitry such as a processor and/or discreet components such as one or more transistors, capacitors, resistors, etc. and power circuitry capable of rotating motor 400.
• the power circuitry then provides a power signal to electric motor 400, typically a low-power DC motor, which causes electric motor 400 to rotate in a first direction, which in turn causes motor drive gear 401 to turn in a first direction.
• Motor drive gear 401 is in mechanical communication with gear train 402, which comprises a gear ratio that effectively reduces the speed of electric motor to a lower speed for use in moving switch toggle member 208.
• Gear train 402 is in mechanical communication with switch toggle member 208 via teeth 426, which causes switch toggle member 208 rotate in a first direction, causing toggle light switch member 204 to move to either the on or off position.
• the motor control circuitry receives a signal from toggle position switch 404 when switch toggle member 208 has moved far enough to cause standard toggle switch assembly 206 to change state.
• the number of rotations of motor drive gear are counted or a rotational position of one or more gears of gear train 402 are determined to indicate that standard toggle switch assembly 206 has been placed in a different state.
• one or more gear hubs of the gears of gear train 402 could comprise one or more deformities, for example knobs or cams, that may interact with a position switch similar to position switches 422 or 404 as described in US patent application serial number 14/825, 117, owned by the applicant of the present disclosure, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein.
• the deformities are located on the hub(s) at such points to coincide with a desired limit of movement of switch toggle member 208, either up or down, as well as a point indicative of the neutral position.
• the transceiver is part of a transceiver/receiver combination, such as one of a variety of transceivers widely available in the marketplace today.
• the circuitry may provide one or more types of information periodically, such as once per hour, or upon receipt of a command from a remote device to provide one or more types of information.
• the remote controlled switch cover assembly may turn toggle light switch member 204 on or off as a result of receiving a signal from a remote device, indicative of when activity is detected in a room.
• a stand-alone motion sensor could sense motion in a room, and then report that finding to a home security panel. The home security panel might then transmit a command to remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 to turn toggle light switch member 204 to the "on" position.
• the stand-alone motion sensor is located in one room (such as a foyer) and remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 is located in another room, such as a living room, so that when the motion sensor detects movement, the home security panel can send a signal to remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 in the living room, so that the living room is lit, for example, when a person enters his/her home.
• remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 could be used in conjunction with a typical, manually operated light switch, such as in an application where hallway lighting is controlled by two switches, one located at each end of the hallway. This may be referred to by those skilled in the art as a "three-way circuit".
• remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 could transmit a status signal to a remote device such as a home security panel, home automation system, or internet gateway, with a light status of whether the hall light is "on" or "off.
• circuitry 202 provides a signal to motor 400 to turn the motor drive gear in a way that will turn cause switch toggle member 208 to move in a direction to place toggle light switch member 204 into an opposite position, in this example, in the "down" position.
• FIG. 5c is a top, plan view of the same embodiment of remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 as shown in FIG. 5b, showing switch toggle member 208 rotated clockwise from the neutral position where it has just positioned toggle light switch member 204 into the "off or "down” position. Second end 408 is shown resting against an upper surface of toggle light switch member 204.
• the processing circuitry 200 comprises a general-purpose microprocessor, microcontroller or microcomputer, well known in the art and/or a custom or semi-custom ASIC, and/or discrete components able to carry out the functionality required for operation of remote controlled switch cover assembly 100.
• Processing circuitry 200 is selected based on power-consumption properties and space considerations, as remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 typically operates on batteries and a small form factor is desirable.
• processing circuitry 200 In the case of a microprocessor, microcontroller, microcomputer or ASIC, processing circuitry 200 generally executes processor-executable instructions stored in one or more memories 602 that control the functionality of remote controlled switch cover assembly 100.
• Examples of memory 602 include one or more electronic memories such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EEPROMs, UVPROMs, etc. or virtually any other type of electronic, optical, or mechanical memory device, but excludes propagated signals.
• Memory 602 could alternatively comprise an integrated circuit, such as a flip-flop, or even discrete components, such as one or more transistors, resistors, capacitors, etc.
• Transceiver 604 comprises circuitry necessary to transmit and receive communication signals, including messages, commands, status information, requests, etc., between remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 and one or more remote devices such as wireless phones, mobile computers and tablet computers, wearable devices, etc., either directly or through a local device such as a gateway, security panel, or home automation panel.
• Such circuitry is well known in the art and may comprise BlueTooth, Wi-Fi, RF, optical, or ultrasonic circuitry, among others.
• Current sensor 606 comprises a device to detect the presence of alternating current that is conducted through toggle light switch member 204.
• current sensor 606 comprises a coil, integrated circuit, and/or discrete components to wirelessly determine changes in flux occurring as a result of a change in current through toggle light switch member 204.
• Current sensor 606 provides a signal indicative of the current to the processing circuitry 200.
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment of remote controlled switch cover assembly 100 as shown in FIGs. 1-6. This view shows toggle light switch member 204 in an "on” position, with switch toggle member 208 shown in the neutral position.
• position switch 700 provides a signal to processing circuitry 200 when toggle light switch member 204 is in the "on” position, e.g., as end 414 contacts position switch 700 via movement of toggle light switch member 204 to the "on” position by switch toggle member 208.
• processing circuitry 200 detects when switch toggle member 208 has actuated toggle light switch member 204, i.e., when switch toggle member 208 has been placed in either the "on” or “off position and/or when switch toggle member 208 has activated or deactivated position switch 404. This detection is performed in accordance with the teachings previously discussed above, in some embodiments, using position switch 404 and/or 700.
• processing circuitry 200 causes electric motor 400 to rotate in a reverse direction (again, by providing a signal to motor driving circuitry 610) from the first direction, which causes switch toggle member 208 to reverse direction and move back towards the neutral position.
• processing circuitry 200 detects when switch toggle member 208 is in the neutral position, as previously discussed above.
• a signal is provided by position switch 422 as extension 424 contacts position switch 422.
• the methods or steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware or embodied in machine-readable instructions executed by a processor, or a combination of both.
• the machine-readable instructions may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art.
• An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium.
• the storage medium may be integral to the processor.
• the processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC.
• the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components.
• an embodiment of the invention may comprise a non-transitory processor-readable media embodying code or machine-readable instructions to implement the teachings, methods, processes, algorithms, steps and/or functions disclosed herein.

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• 2016
  • 2016-12-15 WO PCT/US2016/066964 patent/WO2017120010A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2016-12-15 EP EP16884174.0A patent/EP3400604A4/de active Pending

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