Motorola Corporation

Amber Semiconductor, Inc.

Amber Solutions, Inc.

Legerity, Inc.

Kenneth D Alton

Mark D Telefus

Damon M Baker

Stephen Charles Gerber

Paul D Marko

Stelios J Patsiokas

Craig P Wadin

David L Brown

Ronald E Sharp

Jerry L Sandvos

Mark S Stuglik

Kenneth Tallo

Edward S Kovach

Techniques are provided for controlling alternating current (AC) power which is supplied to an inductive load by an AC switch. For example, the AC power is controlled by a process which comprises detecting zero-voltage crossings of an AC voltage waveform of the AC power, monitoring a load voltage to detect for a presence of inductive flyback voltage when the AC switch is placed into a turned-off state, and determining a delay time to place the AC switch into the turned-off state subsequent to a detected zero-voltage crossing of the AC voltage waveform, when inductive flyback voltage is detected in the load voltage, so that the AC switch is placed into the turned-off state at a time which substantially coincides with a zero-current crossing of load current of the inductive load, to thereby suppress the generation of inductive flyback voltage when the AC switch is placed into the turned-off state.

Controlling AC power to inductive loads

A circuit breaker comprises a solid-state bidirectional switch, a switch control circuit, current and voltage sensors, and a processor. The solid-state bidirectional switch is connected between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in a switched-on state and a switched-off state. The switch control circuit control operation of the bidirectional switch. The current sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in an electrical path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a current sense signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of voltage on the electrical path and generate a voltage sense signal. The processor is configured to process the current and voltage sense signals to determine operational status information of the circuit breaker, a fault event, and power usage information of a load connected to the load output terminal.

Intelligent circuit breakers with solid-state bidirectional switches

A circuit breaker includes an electromechanical switch, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, and a processor. The electromechanical switch is serially connected between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in a switched-closed state or a switched-open state. The current sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in a path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a current sense signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of voltage at a point on the path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a voltage sense signal. The processor is configured to receive and process the current sense signal and the voltage sense signal to determine operational status information of the circuit breaker and determine power usage information of a load connected to the load output terminal.

Intelligent circuit breakers with internal short circuit control system

Intelligent circuit breakers

A circuit breaker comprises a solid-state switch, an air-gap electromagnetic switch, switch control circuitry, a zero-crossing detection circuit, and a current sensor. The solid-state and air-gap switches are connected in series in an electrical path between line input and load output terminals of the circuit breaker. The switch control circuitry controls the solid-state and air-gap switches. The zero-crossing detection circuit detects zero crossings of an AC waveform on the electrical path. The current sensor senses current flow in the electrical path to detect a fault condition based on the sensed current flow. In response to a detected fault condition, the switch control circuitry generates control signals to place the solid-state switch into a switched-off state and place the air-gap switch into a switched-open state after the solid-state switch is placed into the switched-off state. The switch control circuitry utilizes zero-crossing detection signals output from the zero-crossing detection circuit to determine when to place the air-gap switch into the switched-open state.

Intelligent circuit breakers with air-gap and solid-state switches

A circuit breaker includes a solid-state switch, a sense resistor, a current detection circuit, and a switch control circuit. The solid-state switch and sense resistor are connected in series in an electrical path between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker. The current detection circuit is configured to (i) sample a sense voltage that is generated across the sense resistor in response to load current flowing through the sense resistor, (ii) detect an over-current fault condition based on the sampled sense voltage, and (iii) output a fault detection signal in response to detecting the over-current fault condition. The switch control circuit is configured to control the solid-state switch, wherein the switch control circuit is configured to switch off the solid-state switch in response to the fault detection signal output from the current detection circuit.

Intelligent circuit breakers with detection circuitry configured to detect fault conditions

A method and apparatus for allowing developers to develop software for their product. The method includes providing a first mode signal to a processor to operate in a development mode. The method also includes executing instructions stored in a first region of the memory in response to the first mode signal, providing data to the processor, and writing the data into a second region of the memory.

Method and apparatus for product development

A method for registering a mobile station (307) in a radiotelephone communication system (300). The mobile station (307) receives system information from a base station (321), including a cell grouping level. The mobile station (307) determines if it is registered with the base station (321). If not, the mobile station (307) registers. The network controller of the radiotelephone communication system (300) automatically registers the mobile stations with all base stations defined by the cell grouping level. The mobile station (307), using the same algorithm, maintains a record of the base stations with which it is automatically registered.

Method for mobile station location registration with dynamic cell

A write-once read-many memory system (10) for electronically securing a select portion of memory from being overwritten or erased. Memory system (10) includes one or more storage cells (25) for providing electronic storage of information. A control cell (13) is used for controlling writing and/or erasing access to the storage cells (25). Control logic (11) is provided to control access to the control cell (13). Control cell (13) and control logic (11) are used as a gate to provide selective access to storage cells (25) through write control line (19) and erase control line (21). Storage cells (25) can only be accessed when the control cell (13) in an appropriate logic state.

Write-once read-many memory using EEPROM cells

A method for providing isolation between first and second receivers (314, 316) located within a radio (300) is configured in software. The first receiver (314) synchronizes to the second receiver (316) in their respective battery saver modes such that the two receivers are never on at the same time.

Receiver isolation scheme

A radio communication device (10) comprises a radio transceiver (12), having a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) (16), an audio section (22), and a controller (16) for deactivating the audio section whenever the RSSI indicates the the received signal strength is below a predetermined threshold. The controller also operates as a counter (26) for indicating the length of time that the received signal strength has been below the predetermined threshold.

Muting of radio-transmitter digital audio based on received signal

A method for handset spectrum registration in cordless telephone systems having base stations operating in a first spectrum (102) and a second spectrum (101) where the first and second spectrums have a portion (103) of overlapping spectrum ranges comprises the steps at a handset (206) of scanning (18) the portion of overlapping spectrum ranges provided by a base station which is either a first base station having the first spectrum range or a second base station having the second spectrum and then choosing (20) a channel within the overlapping spectrum ranges substantially free from interference and designating the channel as the initial link establishment channel and as a re-establishment channel for subsequent re-establishment links. The handset then sends (22) a re-establishment link request to the base station to have the base re-establish a link with the re-establishment channel on the handset. Then, the handset determines (24) if the re-establishment channel was for a base station operating in the first spectrum range or a base station operating in the second spectrum range by measuring the amount of time it takes to achieve the re-establishment.

Method and apparatus for radio handset spectrum range registration

A method and apparatus for choosing the most optimum communication channel in a system (100) having a plurality of communication channels provides for reduced interference and increased system capacity. By establishing a set of threshold levels and comparing these threshold levels to receive signal strength level measurements for each of the communication channels, a communication device originating a call can be guaranteed of establishing communication using the communication channel with the least chance of being affected by interference or of affecting other channels already in use.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Kenneth D Alton