Timing for power-stealing circuits in smart-home devices
US11650608B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 29, 2020 |
| Grant date | May 16, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 22, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF24F11/50
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A smart-home device may include an energy-storage element that stores energy harvested from an environmental system; a power wire connector and a return wire connector; and switching elements configured to operate in a first state where the switching elements create a connection between the power and the return; and a second state where the switching elements interrupt the connection between the power and return. The smart-home device may also include a circuit that controls the switching elements, where the circuit is configured to detect a zero-crossing of a current received through the power wire connector; wait for a first time interval after the zero-crossing is detected; after an expiration of the first time interval, enable active power stealing for a second time interval; and after an expiration of the second time interval, disable active power stealing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.