Batteryless doorbell with rectified power delivery

• US 10,567,711 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2019
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Skeoch, James Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Haile, Benyam
• Application Number:
  US16/241,800
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/02 Conversion of ac power input into dc power output without possibility of reversal
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/06 using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/217 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

In implementations described herein, A/V recording and communication doorbell devices (“A/V doorbells”) and signaling devices may be powered from a common AC waveform. In some implementations, an A/V doorbell and its corresponding signaling device may be arranged in a circuit loop where a portion of an AC waveform is used to power the A/V doorbell and the other portions of the AC waveform is used to power the signaling device. For example, a positive phase of the AC waveform may be used to power one of the A/V doorbell or signaling device and a negative phase of the AC waveform may be used to power the other of the A/V doorbell or signaling device. In some cases, an energy harvester device may be used to slow charge a battery or supercapacitor from the circuit loop to power the A/V doorbell and/or signaling device.

Claims

1. An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell system (“

A/V doorbell system”

) comprising;

an alternating current (AC) power source;

a transformer receiving the AC power source and outputting an AC waveform;

a signaling device load including a signaling device and a signaling controller;

a first half-wave bridge rectifier to provide power to the signaling device load with a first phase of the AC waveform, the first half-wave bridge rectifier comprising a first diode and a second diode, the AC waveform provided to the first diode and the first phase of the AC waveform output from the second diode;

an A/V doorbell including a doorbell button and A/V control logic;

a second half-wave bridge rectifier to provide power to the A/V doorbell with a second phase of the AC waveform, the second half-wave bridge rectifier comprising a third diode and a fourth diode, the AC waveform provided to the third diode and the second phase of the AC waveform output from the fourth diode;

a switch to be toggled responsive to a control signal generated by the A/V control logic, the control signal generated responsive to detecting that the doorbell button is pressed; and

a signaling detector through which a current passes, the current altered when the switch is toggled,

wherein the signaling controller is configured to detect the current through the signaling detector and cause the signaling device to generate a sound when the current is altered.

2. The A/V doorbell system of claim 1, wherein the switch is connected between a first node and a second node, the first node defined by the connection of the third diode with the fourth diode, the second node defined by a connection of the first diode and the second diode.

3. The A/V doorbell system of claim 1, wherein the switch is connected in parallel with the third diode.

4. The A/V doorbell system of claim 3, wherein the control signal causes the switch to close to shunt the current across the third diode.

5. An audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell device (“

A/V doorbell”

) circuit comprising;

a first half-wave bridge rectifier configured to provide power to a signaling device load with a first phase of an AC waveform, the first half-wave bridge rectifier comprising a first diode and a second diode, the AC waveform provided to the first diode and the first phase of the AC waveform output from the second diode, the first phase comprising one of a positive or a negative phase of the AC waveform;

an A/V doorbell; and

a second half-wave bridge rectifier to provide power to the A/V doorbell with a second phase of the AC waveform, the second half-wave bridge rectifier comprising a third diode and a fourth diode, the AC waveform provided to the third diode and the second phase of the AC waveform output from the fourth diode, the second phase comprising an opposing one of the positive or the negative phase of the AC waveform.

6. The A/V doorbell circuit of claim 5, wherein the signaling device load includes a signaling controller,

wherein the A/V doorbell includes a doorbell button and A/V control logic,

wherein the A/V control logic is configured to:

determine that the doorbell button has been pressed; and

cause the first portion of the AC waveform to be altered; and

wherein the signaling controller is configured to;

detect an alteration in the first portion of the AC waveform; and

cause a signaling device to make a sound.

7. The A/V doorbell circuit of claim 6, further comprising:

a signal control switch, the signaling controller to close the signal control switch to provide power to the signaling device.

8. The A/V doorbell circuit of claim 6, further comprising:

a switch to be toggled responsive to a control signal generated by the A/V control logic, the control signal generated responsive to detecting that the doorbell button has been pressed; and

a signaling detector through which a current passes, the current altered when the switch is toggled,

wherein the signaling controller is configured to detect the current through the signaling detector and cause the signaling device to generate the sound when the current is altered.

9. The A/V doorbell circuit of claim 8, wherein the switch is toggled for at least a quarter of a cycle of the AC waveform.

10. The A/V doorbell circuit of claim 8, wherein the switch is connected in parallel with the third diode.

11. The A/V doorbell system of claim 8, wherein the switch is connected between a first node and a second node, the first node defined by the connection of the third diode with the fourth diode, the second node defined by a connection of the first diode and the second diode.

12. The A/V doorbell circuit of claim 5, wherein the first phase of the AC waveform is the positive phase of the AC waveform and the second phase of the AC waveform is the negative phase of the AC waveform.

13. The A/V doorbell circuit of claim 5, further comprising a smoothing capacitor connected to the fourth diode to smooth the second phase of the AC waveform.

14. The A/V doorbell circuit of claim 5, further comprising a smoothing capacitor connected to the second diode to smooth the first phase of the AC waveform.

15. A method comprising:

determining, by an audio/video (A/V) recording and communication doorbell device (“

A/V doorbell”

), that a doorbell button has been pressed, the A/V doorbell powered by a first phase of an alternating current (AC) waveform, the first phase of the AC waveform generated by a first half-wave bridge rectifier; and

causing, by the A/V doorbell and in response to determining that the doorbell button has been pressed, an alteration in a second phase of the AC waveform, the second phase of the AC waveform generated by a second half-wave bridge rectifier; and

detecting, by a signaling device controller powered by the second phase of the AC waveform, the alteration in the second phase of the AC waveform; and

energizing, by the signaling device controller and in response to detecting the alteration in the second phase of the AC waveform, a signaling device by causing a signal control switch to close to provide power to the signaling device from the second portion of the AC waveform.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein causing the alteration in the second phase of the AC waveform further comprises:

actuating a switch for a period of at least a quarter of a cycle of the AC waveform.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first half-wave bridge rectifier comprises a diode, and wherein the switch is connected in parallel with the diode.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first half-wave bridge rectifier comprises a diode, and wherein the switch is connected in series with the diode.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein determining that the doorbell button has been pressed comprises receiving a signal corresponding to the doorbell button being pressed.