Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080224630 | DIMMING CIRCUIT FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRICAL POWER - A dimming circuit includes an isolated DC voltage source that is selectively coupled to a switch through which power is supplied from a source to a load. In a disclosed example, the switch comprises two MOSFETs. The isolated DC voltage source is selectively coupled directly to the gate and source of the MOSFETs to set them into an operative state for providing power to the load. A controller controls another switch that is operative to selectively control when the isolated DC voltage source is coupled to the switch. | 09-18-2008 |
20080246414 | INDUCTIVE LOAD SENSOR FOR DIMMER CIRCUIT - A lighting control circuit includes a dimmer circuit which is provided for an electrical outlet. An inductive load detection circuit is provided for identifying the presence of an inductive load in the electrical outlet. When an inductive load is sensed, dimming of the power directed to the electrical outlet is stopped such that full power is delivered to prevent damage to the load. The inductive load detection circuit identifies the presence of an induction load by sensing voltage spikes. In one embodiment, diodes which have a high impedance at lower voltages, but are largely conductive at higher voltages are utilized to achieve this control. | 10-09-2008 |
20080284350 | BULB TYPE DETECTOR FOR DIMMER CIRCUIT AND INVENTIVE RESISTANCE AND SHORT CIRCUIT DETECTION - A bulb detection circuit is associated with a dimmer circuit for a lighting system. The bulb detection circuit is operable to detect whether an incandescent or a fluorescent bulb is received in an electric light socket. The socket may be hardwired to the circuit, or could be plugged into an electrical outlet. The bulb detection circuit may utilize a separately inventive method of measuring the resistance by looking at an RC circuit time constant. Further, the bulb detection circuit may utilize a separately inventive method of identifying a short circuit by again looking at the RC circuit time constant. | 11-20-2008 |
20080315787 | DIMMING ALGORITHMS BASED UPON LIGHT BULB TYPE - A lighting control circuit for dimming a light is provided with different algorithms that are utilized to dim fluorescent and incandescent lights. Some method of identifying the type of light which is to be dimmed, reports to a control for the lighting control circuit, and the appropriate algorithm is then selected and utilized. | 12-25-2008 |
20090243509 | USER INTERFACE FOR WIRELESS LIGHTING CONTROL - A system apparatus for controlling a lighting environment having one or more remote switches that control one or more lighting loads, has an active mode under which the system operates for a user, a linking mode to connect one or more switches to one or more lighting loads, an unlinking mode to disconnect one or more switches from the one or more lighting loads, one or more channels connecting one or more switches to one or more lighting loads, and a scene mode connecting one or more channels and dimming all the lighting loads to a desired dimness level in all connected channels to create a scene. | 10-01-2009 |
20090251072 | DC Distribution System - A direct current power system according to one non-limiting embodiment includes a direct current power source operable to distribute a direct current voltage throughout at least one structure, and at least one controller operable to selectively couple a direct current load to the direct current voltage in response to a wireless signal from an energy-harvesting switch. | 10-08-2009 |
20090309538 | ENERGY STORAGE AND MANAGEMENT CIRCUIT - An energy storage and management circuit includes an energy harvester, a switch coupled to the energy harvester, a first energy storage device coupled to the switch, and a second energy storage device coupled to the switch. The first energy storage device is operable to store energy from the energy harvester. The second energy storage device is operable to charge from a leakage current of the switch. | 12-17-2009 |
20100013408 | DIMMING CIRCUIT FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRICAL POWER - A dimming circuit includes an isolated DC voltage source that is selectively coupled to a switch through which power is supplied from a source to a load. In a disclosed example, the switch comprises two MOSFETs. The isolated DC voltage source is selectively coupled directly to the gate and source of the MOSFETs to set them into an operative state for providing power to the load. A controller controls another switch that is operative to selectively control when the isolated DC voltage source is coupled to the switch. | 01-21-2010 |
20100091418 | SOLID STATE CIRCUIT PROTECTION SYSTEM THAT WORKS WITH ARC FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER - An electric circuit includes a load, a solid state device, and a control for opening the circuit such that current will not flow through the solid state device, and for facilitating flow of current to bypass said solid state device and provide a current path to an arc fault circuit interrupter. A bypass includes a normally opened switch which is closed to provide current to the arc fault circuit interrupter. | 04-15-2010 |
20100093274 | FAULT-TOLERANT NON-RANDOM SIGNAL REPEATING SYSTEM FOR BUILDING ELECTRIC CONTROL - An electric control system comprises a plurality of transceivers. The transceivers are also associated with a control for at least one electrical item. A plurality of electric switches provide a wireless signal to a plurality of the transceivers, each being operable to receive the wireless signal, and retransmit the received signal to be received by others of the transceivers. Each of the transceivers is programmed to retransmit a received signal at a distinct period of time after receipt of the original signal. | 04-15-2010 |
20100294937 | MULTIPOINT SENSING SYSTEM - A self-powered energy harvesting unit/controller receives motion data from one or more self-powered sensors via low power wire. The energy harvesting unit sends signals wirelessly to a system to perform certain functions as a result of received motion signals or the absence of such motion signals. | 11-25-2010 |
20100327194 | MULTI-BIT USE OF A STANDARD OPTOCOUPLER - A method of indicating multi-bit values using a single optocoupler indicates a first multi-bit value in response to a first range of optocoupler output voltages, and indicates a second multi-bit value in response to a second range of optocoupler output voltages. The first range is different from the second range. | 12-30-2010 |
20100328828 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING A CIRCUIT - A method of protecting a circuit includes measuring a value associated with a circuit having a current flowing through a switch to a load and comparing the measured value to a threshold. If the measured value meets or exceeds the threshold, the switch is turned OFF and a counter is incremented. If the counter is less than the counter limit, and a predefined time period has elapsed, the switch is turned back ON. | 12-30-2010 |
20110024631 | MOTION SENSOR MOUNTING CONFIGURATION - A method of mounting a sensor in a region includes mounting at least one motion sensor within a region. The at least one motion sensor has a detection area, and has a central axis of detection within the detection area. The at least one motion sensor is oriented so that the central axis of detection diagonally intersects a floor of the region at an angle within a range of 20°-70°. | 02-03-2011 |
20110198926 | MULTI-CHANNEL POWER CONTROLLER WITH SWITCHING OFFSET - A method of operating a power controller includes assigning switching offset times to a plurality of channels of a multi-channel power controller, and adjusting a state change time of a selected channel by the switching offset time associated with the selected channel such that the selected channel and another of the plurality of channels multiple channels do not undergo the state change simultaneously. | 08-18-2011 |
20110199026 | METHOD OF CHARGING AN ENERGY STORAGE DEVICE - A system for charging an energy storage device includes an energy harvester operable to harvest energy from environmental conditions, and to charge an energy storage device at a first rate using the harvested energy. A charging input port detachably receives a secondary energy source. The secondary energy source is operable to charge the energy storage device at a second rate that is faster than the first rate. A sensing module is operable to sense a condition and to transmit a wireless signal indicating an occurrence of the condition. | 08-18-2011 |
20110204964 | LEAKAGE CURRENT CONTROL CIRCUIT - A leakage current control circuit includes a solid state switch that is operable to control a flow of AC to a load. The switch exhibits an AC leakage current in an OFF state. A capacitor is connected in parallel to the load, and is operable to repeatedly charge during a first half cycle of the leakage current and to discharge during a second half cycle of the leakage current. The capacitor charge includes a DC component in response to the leakage current through the solid state switch being greater in a first direction than in a second direction opposite the first direction. A first resistor is connected in parallel to the load. The capacitor and the first resistor prevent a voltage buildup across the load from exceeding a voltage threshold. | 08-25-2011 |
20110227412 | DC VOLTAGE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM - A DC voltage distribution system includes at least one load connected in parallel to a first DC power supply via a first distance of wire, and connected in parallel to a second DC power supply via a second distance of wire. The first and second DC power supplies are configured to enter a load sharing mode in which one of the first or second DC power supplies selectively increases its voltage to prevent the other of the first or second DC power supplies from exceeding its power output threshold. The DC power supplies are also configured to enter a load balancing mode in which the DC power supplies set their output voltages to the same value such that a flow of current on the longer of the wire distances is reduced and a flow of current on the shorter of the wire distances is increased. | 09-22-2011 |
20110235328 | ENERGY HARVESTER FOR LED LUMINAIRE - A light-emitting diode luminaire includes at least one light-emitting diode and at least one thermoelectric generator in contact with a portion of the luminaire. The at least one thermoelectric generator is operable to harvest energy from heat dissipated by the at least one light-emitting diode. An energy management module is operable to receive energy harvested by the at least one thermoelectric generator. | 09-29-2011 |
20110267068 | ENERGY STORAGE LEVEL INDICATION CIRCUIT - An energy storage level indication circuit includes an energy storage device and a radio control module operable to transmit a wireless heartbeat signal at a rate indicating an amount of energy stored in the energy storage device. | 11-03-2011 |
20110279940 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING OVERVOLTAGE PROTECTION - An overvoltage protection circuit includes a voltage clamping device having a predefined voltage threshold at which it starts conducting to prevent an overvoltage condition. A switch is operable to control a flow of current from a power source to the voltage clamping device. The switch is OFF to prevent a flow of current from the power source to the voltage clamping device in response to a voltage of the power source being less than the voltage threshold such that the voltage clamping device does not exhibit a leakage current. The switch is ON to permit a flow of current from the power source to the voltage clamping device in response to the voltage of the power source being equal to or greater than the voltage threshold. | 11-17-2011 |
20130038218 | LOW VOLTAGE CONTROL SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A low voltage control system includes a controller having a plurality of switched power lines and a plurality of DC lighting loads. Each DC lighting load includes at least one DC lighting element. Each DC lighting load has an associated switch downstream from the controller that selectively connects the at least one DC lighting element to one of the plurality of switched power lines. At least one first input device includes at least one of an occupancy sensor, a light intensity sensor, or a programmable digital timer. The controller selectively powers the switched power lines in response to sensor data received from the first input device or commands received from at least one wired or wireless switch in communication with the controller. | 02-14-2013 |