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:
Mar. 30, 2010
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2007
Thomas Bruce Meagher, Houston, TX (US);
Kenneth John Murphy, Henderson, NV (US);
Linda M. Murphy, Legal Representative, Henderson, NV (US);
Thomas Bruce Meagher, Houston, TX (US);
Kenneth John Murphy, Henderson, NV (US);
Linda M. Murphy, legal representative, Henderson, NV (US);
ICS Triplex Technology Limited, Essex, GB;
Abstract
This invention relates to overload protection for a circuit driving a direct current (DC) load. The invention provides a method of generating an overload condition for an output module driving a load having a load current and a load voltage comprising the steps of: monitoring the load current at sample intervals; comparing the monitored load current to a predetermined load current threshold; starting an overload timer in the event that the timer is not running and the monitored load current is greater than said load current threshold; monitoring the load voltage at said sample intervals; generating a ramped load voltage waveform for reference purposes in dependence upon an initial load voltage and a predetermined step size load voltage in the event that the overload timer is running; generating an overload condition in the event that the monitored load voltage is less than said ramped load voltage reference waveform, the ramped load voltage is less than a predetermined positive ramp limit and the overload timer is running.