BYPASS SWITCH FOR IN-LINE POWER STEAL

• US 20150370268A1
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Tousignant, Daniel, Plouffe, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,628,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/625 wherein it is irrelevant whether the variable actually regulated is ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/12 Arrangements for reducing harmonics from ac input or output
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/44 Circuits or arrangements for compensating for electromagnetic interference in converters or inverters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/2573 with control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/217 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/08104 in field-effect transistor switches H03K17/0812, H03K17/0814 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/60 the devices being bipolar transistors bipolar transistors having four or more electrodes H03K17/72
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0081 Power supply means, e.g. to the switch driver

Abstract

A power supply unit for use with thermostats or other like devices. The power supply unit may keep electromagnetic interference emissions and harmonics at a minimum. A unit may have enough power for triggering a switch at about a cross over point of a waveform of input power to the unit. Power for triggering may come from a storage source. Power for the storage source may be provided with power stealing which require switching transistors which can generate emissions. In-line thermostats using MOSFETS power steal may do the power steal during an ON state (triac, relay or silicon controlled rectifier activated). Gate signals to the transistors may be especially shaped to keep emissions from transistor switching at a minimum. All that may be needed, during an OFF state as a bypass, is a high voltage controllable switch. The need may be achieved using high voltage MOSFETS.

Claims

1. An in-line thermostat power system comprising:

a bypass switch;

a power stealing circuit connected to the bypass switch;

an energy storage circuit connected to the power stealing circuit;

an SCR interface circuit connected to the energy storage circuit; and

an SCR circuit connected to the SCR interface circuit; and

wherein the bypass switch is a controllable switch for line voltage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the line voltage controllable switch comprises a positive bypass switch and a negative bypass switch;

the positive bypass switch comprises one or more line voltage MOSFETs; and

the negative bypass switch comprises one or more line voltage MOSFETs.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the positive bypass switch comprises a positive protect circuit; and

the negative bypass switch comprises a negative protect circuit.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a half wave zero crossing detection circuit connected to the energy storage circuit; and

a gate signal shaping circuit connected to the half wave zero crossing detection circuit, the bypass switch, and the power stealing circuit; and

wherein;

the power stealing circuit comprises one or more switching MOSFETs; and

the gate signal shaping circuit provides a gate signal that results in a soft transition of turning on and off of the one or more MOSFETs of the power stealing circuit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the SCR interface circuit has a first input connected to an output of the energy storage circuit, a second input connectable to a line voltage, a third input connectable to a control signal source, and an output of gate signals; and

the SCR circuit has a first input for gate signals from the SCR interface circuit, a second input connectable to a line voltage, and an output of a controlled line voltage.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a thermostat comprising;

a temperature sensor;

a temperature setting adjuster; and

a processor connected to the temperature sensor and a temperature setting adjuster; and

wherein the processor comprises the control signal source that provides a signal to the SCR interface circuit which in turn outputs the gate signals to the SCR circuit, with a goal to bring a temperature indication from the temperature sensor and a temperature setting of the temperature setting adjuster to a same value.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a heater having terminals connected to a line voltage and an output of the SCR circuit; and

wherein;

the temperature sensor is situated in a space that contains the heater; and

the gate signals to the SCR result in the output of the SCR circuit to control heat from the heater to achieve the goal to bring the temperature indication from the temperature sensor and the temperature setting of the temperature setting adjuster to a same value.

8. A thermostatic power supply mechanism comprising:

a first terminal for connection of a power source;

a bypass switch having an input connected to the first terminal;

an SCR circuit having a first connection connected to the first terminal, an input for a control signal, and a second connection connectable to a load;

a second terminal for connection to a load;

a stealing circuit having an input connected to an output of the bypass switch, and an output connected to the second terminal; and

a power steal module having an input connected to the output of the SCR circuit and an output connected to the second terminal.

9. The mechanism of claim 8, wherein:

the bypass switch comprises one or more MOSFETs that are switched;

the power steal module comprises one or more MOSFETs that are switched to steal power;

the stealing circuit comprises an energy storage unit; and

stolen power goes to the energy storage.

10. The mechanism of claim 8, wherein the energy storage cell comprises one or more super capacitors.

11. The mechanism of claim 8, wherein the bypass switch has circuitry that comprises:

a positive bypass switching MOSFET; and

a negative bypass switching MOSFET.

12. The mechanism of claim 9, further comprising a MOSFET gate signal shaper that provides a gate signal to the power steal module that softens a transition of turning on or off of the one or more MOSFETs.

13. The mechanism of claim 8, further comprising:

an SCR control signal circuit having an output that provides the control signal to the input of the SCR circuit; and

wherein the control signal provided to the input of the SCR circuit results in making power available or not available at the second connection of the SCR circuit.

14. The mechanism of claim 13, wherein:

the second connection of the SCR circuit is connected to the load; and

the load is a heater.

15. A power supply unit for a thermostat and electric heater comprising:

a bypass switch circuit having an input connectable to a first line voltage;

a power steal device having an input connectable to an output of the bypass switch circuit;

an energy storage having an input connected to an output of the power steal device;

an SCR gate signal circuit having an input connected to an output of the energy storage; and

an SCR circuit having an input from an output of the SCR gate signal circuit and an input connectable to a second line voltage, and having an output for providing a controlled second line voltage.

16. The unit of claim 15, wherein the bypass switch circuit comprises one or more MOSFET switches.

17. The unit of claim 16, further comprising a linear regulator connected to the output of the energy storage.

18. The unit of claim 15, further comprising a zero crossing detector having an input connectable to the second line voltage.

19. The unit of claim 18, further comprising a FET gate signal shaping circuit having an input for receiving zero crossing information from the zero crossing detector and having an output for providing a sync signal to the bypass switch circuit.

20. The unit of claim 19, further comprising a reverse wave protection circuit having an input connected to the first line voltage, a second input connected to the output of the energy storage, and having an output for providing a protect signal to the FET gate signal shaping circuit.

21. The unit of claim 16, wherein the power steal device comprises one or more MOSFET switches.