The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 23, 1997
Filed:
May. 17, 1996
Walter J Downey, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Philip H Sutterlin, Saratoga, CA (US);
J Marcus Stewart, San Jose, CA (US);
Amy O Hurlbut, San Francisco, CA (US);
Echelon Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A power supply for operating from a switched leg of an AC power line and for powering a transmitter is described. A switch provides current during the beginning of each AC half cycle to an inductor and charges a capacitor. When the switch is open, the inductor continues to charge the capacitor. During the time that the inductor is coupled to that AC line, the switched leg is open. For instance, the signal used to close the switch also prevents a triac in the switched leg from conducting. When the voltage on the capacitor drops to a predetermined level transmission from the transmitter is inhibited. A timing circuit is used to determine when to begin transmissions to compensate for variables in the node such as line voltages and part tolerances.