Device system and method for controlling the supply of power to an electrical load

Claim 1

A device for controlling the supply of power to an electrical load comprising timing means operable generally for establishing timing signals at a predetermined repetitive rate; condition responsive means for effecting the operation of said timing means upon the occurrence of a preselected condition including a temperature sensitive impedance adapted for sensing atmospheric temperature, and a Schmitt trigger circuit responsive to a voltage change across said temperature sensitive impedance for providing an output signal to effect the operation of said timing means when the sensed atmospheric temperature attains a preselected value which constitutes the preselected condition; a counter device including means for counting the timing signals at the predetermined repetitive rate thereof and operable generally to repetitively increment from an initial count to a maximum count in response to the timing signals, means for determining a selected count of said counting means generally between the initial count and the maximum count thereof, and means for providing another output signal upon the occurrence of the selected count of said counting means; gate means having inputs for respectively receiving the first named and other output signals; a semiconductor device coupled with said gate means and adapted to be rendered conductive in response to an output signal from said gate means; and a gate controlled solid state switching means having its gate coupled with said semiconductor device, said switching means being enabled for effecting the supply of power to the load when said semiconductor device is conductive and said switching means being disabled for inhibiting the supply of power to the load when said semiconductor device is non-conductive.

Claim 2

A device for controlling the supply of power to an electrical load comprising timing means operable generally for establishing timing signals at a predetermined repetitive rate; condition responsive means for effecting the operation of said timing means upon the occurrence of a preselected condition including a temperature sensitive impedance adapted for sensing atmospheric temperature, and a Schmitt trigger circuit responsive to a voltage change across said temperature sensitive impedance for providing an output signal to effect the operation of said timing means when the sensed atmospheric temperature attains a preselected value which constitutes the preselected condition; a counter device including means for counting the timing signals at the predetermined repetitive rate thereof and operable generally to repetitively increment from an initial count to a maximum count in response to the timing signals, means for determining a selected count of said counting means generally between the initial count and the maximum count thereof, and means for providing another output signal upon the occurrence of the selected count of said counting means; gate means having inputs for respectively receiving the first named and other output signals; a semiconductor device coupled with said gate means and adapted to be rendered conductive in response to an output signal from said gate means; and a gate controlled solid state switching means having its gate coupled with said semiconductor device, said switching means being enabled for effecting the supply of power to the load when said semiconductor device is conductive and said switching means being disabled for inhibiting the supply of power to the load when said semiconductor device is non-conductive.

Claim 3

A device for controlling the supply of power to an electrical load comprising means for timing through selected cyclical time periods, means for actuating said timing means upon the occurrence of a preselected ambient condition, means responsive to the actuation of said timing means for establishing another preselected condition generally during at least a part of each cyclical time period, and means for inhibiting the supply of power to the load upon the occurrence of both the first named and other preselected conditions.

Claim 4

A device for controlling the supply of power to an electrical load comprising means for timing through selected cyclical time periods, means for actuating said timing means upon the occurrence of a preselected ambient condition, means responsive to the actuation of said timing means for establishing another preselected condition generally during at least a part of each cyclical time period, and means for inhibiting the supply of power to the load upon the occurrence of both the first named and other preselected conditions.

Claim 13

A device for controlling the supply of power to an electrical load comprising timing means operable generally upon actuation for providing timing signals of a predetermined repetition rate; condition responsive means for actuating said timing means so long as a preselected ambient condition exists; counter means for counting the timing signal repetitions and for providing an output signal upon reaching a predetermined count; and gate means responsive to the joint occurrence of the output signal from said counter means and the continued existence of the preselected condition for inhibiting the supply of power to the load.

Claim 14

A device for controlling the supply of power to an electrical load comprising timing means operable generally upon actuation for providing timing signals of a predetermined repetition rate; condition responsive means for actuating said timing means so long as a preselected ambient condition exists; counter means for counting the timing signal repetitions and for providing an output signal upon reaching a predetermined count; and gate means responsive to the joint occurrence of the output signal from said counter means and the continued existence of the preselected condition for inhibiting the supply of power to the load.

Claim 23

A device for controlling the supply of power to an electrical load comprising means for monitoring an ambient condition, means for counting through a predetermined counting range when the monitored condition meets a preselected criteria therefor, and means for inhibiting the supply of power to the load so long as the count of said counting means is within at least a preselected part of the predetermined counting range.

Claim 24

A device for controlling the supply of power to an electrical load comprising means for monitoring an ambient condition, means for counting through a predetermined counting range when the monitored condition meets a preselected criteria therefor, and means for inhibiting the supply of power to the load so long as the count of said counting means is within at least a preselected part of the predetermined counting range.

Claim 28

A system for controlling the supply of power from a source thereof to an electrical load, the system comprising circuit means for connection in circuit relation with the power source including means for monitoring an ambient condition, means for counting through a predetermined counting range when the monitored condition attains a preselected criteria thereof, and means adapted to be coupled in circuit relation with the load so as to control the supply of power thereto from the power source and operable generally for effectively interrupting the power supply when the count of said counting means is within a selected part of the predetermined counting range thereof.

Claim 29

A system for controlling the supply of power from a source thereof to an electrical load, the system comprising circuit means for connection in circuit relation with the power source including means for monitoring an ambient condition, means for counting through a predetermined counting range when the monitored condition attains a preselected criteria thereof, and means adapted to be coupled in circuit relation with the load so as to control the supply of power thereto from the power source and operable generally for effectively interrupting the power supply when the count of said counting means is within a selected part of the predetermined counting range thereof.

Claim 30

A system for controlling the supply of power from a source thereof to an electrical load, the system comprising circuit means adapted to be energized from the power source including timing means operable generally for providing repetitive timing signals, condition responsive means for actuating said timing means upon the occurrence of a preselected ambient condition, counter means for counting the timing signals and operable generally to establish an output signal upon reaching a predetermined count, and means coupled in circuit relation with the load and operable generally for inhibiting the supply of power thereto from the source upon the joint occurrence of the output signal and preselected condition.

Claim 31

A system for controlling the supply of power from a source thereof to an electrical load, the system comprising circuit means adapted to be energized from the power source including timing means operable generally for providing repetitive timing signals, condition responsive means for actuating said timing means upon the occurrence of a preselected ambient condition, counter means for counting the timing signals and operable generally to establish an output signal upon reaching a predetermined count, and means coupled in circuit relation with the load and operable generally for inhibiting the supply of power thereto from the source upon the joint occurrence of the output signal and preselected condition.

Claim 40

A method of proportioning the supply of power to a load comprising the steps of: a. monitoring an ambient condition; b. initiating a timed cyclical count so long as the monitored condition meets preselected criteria; and c. inhibiting the supply of power to the load so long as the count falls within at least a part of predetermined range of the timed cyclical count.

Claim 41

A method of proportioning the supply of power to a load comprising the steps of: a. monitoring an ambient condition; b. initiating a timed cyclical count so long as the monitored condition meets preselected criteria; and c. inhibiting the supply of power to the load so long as the count falls within at least a part of predetermined range of the timed cyclical count.

Claim 42

A method of statistically staggering power consumption by a plurality of loads comprising the steps of: a. counting modulo n for at least some of the loads at counting rates which differ from one another; and b. disabling given ones of the loads when its corresponding count exceeds a preselected count individual to the given ones of the loads which number is less than n.

Claim 43

A method of statistically staggering power consumption by a plurality of loads comprising the steps of: a. counting modulo n for at least some of the loads at counting rates which differ from one another; and b. disabling given ones of the loads when its corresponding count exceeds a preselected count individual to the given ones of the loads which number is less than n.

Claim 44

A method of proportioning the supply of power to a load comprising the steps of: a. monitoring an ambient condition; b. timing through selected cyclical time periods when the monitored condition attains preselected criteria therefor; c. establishing an electrical signal during a selected part of each cyclical time period; and d. inhibiting the supply of power to the load upon the establishment of the electrical signal when the preselected criteria for the monitored condition is met.

Claim 45

A method of proportioning the supply of power to a load comprising the steps of: a. monitoring an ambient condition; b. timing through selected cyclical time periods when the monitored condition attains preselected criteria therefor; c. establishing an electrical signal during a selected part of each cyclical time period; and d. inhibiting the supply of power to the load upon the establishment of the electrical signal when the preselected criteria for the monitored condition is met.

Claim 46

A system for controlling the supply of power from a power source to an electrical load device connected in a circuit therewith and adapted for altering the temperature of a selected space, the system comprising condition responsive means operable generally in response to the temperature of the selected space for respectively interrupting and completing the circuit so as to control energization of the load device and maintain the temperature of the selected space generally at a preselected value; controlling means coupled with said condition responsive means and the load device and operable generally upon the occurrence of a preselected condition for inhibiting the supply of power for at least a preselected period of time from the power source to the load device when said condition responsive means is operable generally to complete the circuit between the power source and the load device; and means for maintaining a limited supply of power from the power source to at least a part of said controlling means when said condition responsive means is operable generally to interrupt the circuit between the power source and the load device.

Claim 47

A system for controlling the supply of power from a power source to an electrical load device connected in a circuit therewith and adapted for altering the temperature of a selected space, the system comprising condition responsive means operable generally in response to the temperature of the selected space for respectively interrupting and completing the circuit so as to control energization of the load device and maintain the temperature of the selected space generally at a preselected value; controlling means coupled with said condition responsive means and the load device and operable generally upon the occurrence of a preselected condition for inhibiting the supply of power for at least a preselected period of time from the power source to the load device when said condition responsive means is operable generally to complete the circuit between the power source and the load device; and means for maintaining a limited supply of power from the power source to at least a part of said controlling means when said condition responsive means is operable generally to interrupt the circuit between the power source and the load device.