Abstract: A switch for premises electrical circuits provides wireless control compatible with at least one home automation control system technology. A single switch design can operate two-, three-, and four-way circuits without alteration, and without recourse to coordinating remote switches. The switch includes processor functions for restoring a previous state after power interruption, and for establishing a state commanded during the power interruption. The switch uses two single-pole, single-throw relays for positive safety lockout, and adjusts relay actuation timing with reference to power waveform zero-crossing for contact arc reduction with inductive, tungsten, and capacitive loads.

Abstract: A barrier operator is configured to learn and receive disparate wireless transmission signals to control movement of a barrier. The operator includes a receiver core circuit adapted to receive wireless transmission signals containing known and unknown formatted data words. A microcontroller is adapted to determine a fixed code portion of the unknown formatted data words. The microcontroller is also associated with a memory unit and connected to the receiver core circuit for storing in the memory unit the known formatted data words and the unknown formatted data words if the fixed code portion can be determined when the microcontroller is in a learn mode. The receiver core circuit may also scan only frequencies associated with learn codes, pre-selected frequencies, and incremental frequencies within a predetermined range of frequencies.

Abstract: A control routine for groups of remotely controlled, variable-position, position-aware, transceiver-equipped actuators manages data discrepancies by issuing a first set of generic actuation commands to start and stop the actuators, then polling the actuators to report their achieved positions. The routine then applies a rule to determine a preferred position value from among the reports and issues a second set of position-specific actuation commands to all of the actuators. The routine can further poll the actuators to confirm the extent to which the commands have been realized, and can retain and apply compensation factors for performance deviations in the individual actuators. The routine can further manage multiple groups of actuators, dissimilar activators within groups, assignment of an actuator to more than one group, and application of variable control factors as inputs modifying the rule applied by the routine for determining the commands to be issued.

Abstract: A switch for premises electrical circuits provides wireless control compatible with at least one home automation control system technology. A single switch design can operate two-, three-, and four-way circuits without alteration, and without recourse to coordinating remote switches. The switch includes processor functions for restoring a previous state after power interruption, and for establishing a state commanded during the power interruption. The switch uses two single-pole, single-throw relays for positive safety lockout, and adjusts relay actuation timing with reference to power waveform zero-crossing for contact arc reduction with inductive, tungsten, and capacitive loads.

Abstract: A network bridge device that links a wireless network and a wired network to one another. The bridge includes a wireless signal transceiver adapted to receive and send signals in a wireless format, and a wired signal transceiver adapted to receive and send signals in a wired format. A bridge controller is connected to both transceivers and converts the wireless signals from the first format to the second format and the wired signals from the second format to the first format. The bridge may also be configured to communicate with a wireless network control device and/or a wired network control device.

Abstract: A control routine for groups of remotely controlled, variable-position, position-aware, transceiver-equipped actuators manages data discrepancies by issuing a first set of generic actuation commands to start and stop the actuators, then polling the actuators to report their achieved positions. The routine then applies a rule to determine a preferred position value from among the reports and issues a second set of position-specific actuation commands to all of the actuators. The routine can further poll the actuators to confirm the extent to which the commands have been realized, and can retain and apply compensation factors for performance deviations in the individual actuators. The routine can further manage multiple groups of actuators, dissimilar activators within groups, assignment of an actuator to more than one group, and application of variable control factors as inputs modifying the rule applied by the routine for determining the commands to be issued.

Abstract: A barrier operator is configured to learn and receive disparate wireless transmission signals to control movement of a barrier. The operator includes a receiver core circuit adapted to receive wireless transmission signals containing known and unknown formatted data words. A microcontroller is adapted to determine a fixed code portion of the unknown formatted data words. The microcontroller is also associated with a memory unit and connected to the receiver core circuit for storing in the memory unit the known formatted data words and the unknown formatted data words if the fixed code portion can be determined when the microcontroller is in a learn mode. The receiver core circuit may also scan only frequencies associated with learn codes, pre-selected frequencies, and incremental frequencies within a predetermined range of frequencies.

Abstract: An uninterruptible power source (UPS) for supplying power to a barrier operator when mains power has failed is disclosed. The UPS includes a UPS controller for detecting and responding to a mains power failure and capable of generating a plurality of control signals. A backup power source and an up-converter is connected to the UPS controller, wherein the up-converter increases the voltage of the backup power source when needed. A switch is responsive to one of the plurality of control signals of the UPS controller and toggles the operator barrier between the up-converter and the mains power source, and awakens the operator via a standby receiver power line. Another embodiment awakens the operator anytime a UPS receiver receives a preamble of a wireless transmission signal. Auxiliary lighting may also be associated with the UPS and/or photo-electric safety devices.

Abstract: An uninterruptible power source (UPS) for supplying power to a barrier operator when mains power has failed is disclosed. The UPS includes a UPS controller for detecting and responding to a mains power failure and capable of generating a plurality of control signals. A backup power source and an up-converter is connected to the UPS controller, wherein the up-converter increases the voltage of the backup power source when needed. A switch is responsive to one of the plurality of control signals of the UPS controller and toggles the operator barrier between the up-converter and the mains power source, and awakens the operator via a standby receiver power line. Another embodiment awakens the operator anytime a UPS receiver receives a preamble of a wireless transmission signal. Auxiliary lighting may also be associated with the UPS and/or photo-electric safety devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a single CD-ROM disc useable on computers having unrelated operating systems or for multi-media platforms, specifically, wherein the two different operating systems are Hierarchical File System (HFS) used by Macintosh computers and MS-DOS which is the operating system used by IBM and compatible personal computers. The resulting compact disc is in ISO 9660 format which is a standard of the International Standards Organization which describes a logical format for organizing data on a Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM). In this manner, it is possible to, for example, store two versions of a program on the same CD-ROM, one for execution on Macintosh computers and the other for execution on IBM PC and compatible computers. Thus, data which is to be stored on an ISO 9660 formatted disc can be sent from the producer or supplier of the data to a compact disc presser on a single magnetic medium such as a Bernoulli removable cartridge disk under a single operating system partition.