Methods and apparatus for improved relay control
US9754745B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 1, 2010 |
| Grant date | Sep 5, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 19, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H47/325
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and apparatus provide for: at least one electromechanical relay including a coil and at least one pair of contacts, the contacts transitioning between a de-energized state and an energized state in response to current through the coil; a microcontroller having at least one tri-state output operating to produce ON, OFF, and FLOAT states; and a driver circuit operating, in conjunction with the tri-state output of the microcontroller, to control the current through the coil of the relay such that: (i) a transition of the tri-state output from OFF to FLOAT maintains the contacts of the relay in their de-energized state through the transition, and (ii) a transition of the tri-state output from ON to FLOAT maintains the contacts of the relay in their energized state through the transition.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.