Appliance control system providing out-of-context usage

Abstract

Abstract A controller (12) that includes a number of switches is associated with a first appliance (10) that has a number of operating states. In at least one of the operating states of the first appliance, the controller responds to certain switch actuations by causing it to perform a task, but when it is in another operating state, the same switch actuations have no meaning insofar as the first appliance is concerned, so the controller responds by transmitting data signals to a second appliance (not shown) via a power line (18). In this manner, a single controller can be used to control a number of appliances when a particular switch actuation has no meaning in the context of controlling the associated appliance. For example, the keypad (12) of a telephone set (10) is used to select a particular television station. Control signals are sent by the telephone to the television (not shown) by spread spectrum data transmission over an AC power line (18). The data transmission format used is in accordance with the CEBUS® standard promulgated by the Electronic Industries Association.

Inventors

• 👤 Alan Dean Michel
• 👤 Randal Douglas Wood

Bibliographic Details