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:
Aug. 13, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 09, 2001
Ghislain Lambert, Beloeil, CA;
Pierre Gingras, St-Bruno, CA;
Hydro-Quebec, Montreal, CA;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for operating two switches connecting respectively a load to power source terminals in response to a switch control signal. The invention detects a signal indicative of current direction through the load to identify one of the switches as an active switch. If the switch control signal is for opening the active switch, an opening gate signal is sent to the active switch and a predetermined time period is triggered. If the switch control signal is for closing the active switch, an opening gate signal is sent to the other switch, a predetermined time period is triggered, and a closing gate signal is sent to the active switch when the predetermined time period of the timer associated with the other switch has elapsed.