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:
Oct. 12, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 18, 1998
William Peter Tanguay, Downers Grove, IL (US);
Ranco Inc., , DE (US);
Abstract
In a processor controlled, battery operated dangerous condition warning device employing a DC-to-DC converter, the converter selectively operates at two voltage outputs. A first output voltage is used when a sensor is polled and when audio visual devices, such as LEDs and a horn, are driven; i.e., when higher power is momentarily required; at all other times, a second, lower voltage output, sufficient for ongoing operation of the processor as it keeps time and processes information, is issued by the converter. In a presently preferred embodiment, when the processor determines that the higher voltage is momentarily required, it sends a first signal to a transistor switch to change the voltage at a reference input to the converter which responds by issuing the higher voltage. When the higher voltage is no longer needed, the processor sends a second signal to change the state of the transistor switch such that the converter reverts to the lower output voltage, thus decreasing the load on the battery.