Low voltage motion sensor for activating a high voltage load

• US 4,820,938 A
• Filed: 06/03/1988
• Issued: 04/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WATT Watchers Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WATT Watchers Incorporated
• Inventors: Mix, Jerome M., Hu, Charles C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Logan, Sharon D.
• Application Number:
  US07/202,179
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 307/117, 307/116, 307/140, 307/141.4, 361/179, 361/168.1, 361/169.1, 340/552, 340/554, 323/902
• US Class Current: 307/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1609 using active vibration detection systems

Abstract

The present invention utilizes a latching relay having on and off inputs for controlling power to a load. The on and off inputs of the relay are controlled by pulse generators which are in turn controlled by an occupancy sensor circuit. These pulse generators provide pulses when movement is initially detected in a room and when no movement has been detected for a predetermined time, respectively. The outputs of the pulse generators are coupled to an isolation circuit which isolates the power supply for the occupancy sensor from the pulses during each pulse to prevent damage to the power supply.

Claims

1. In a motion sensor for detecting the presence or absence of motion and providing an activating signal, an improvement for providing ON and OFF signals on ON and OFF lines to a relay controlling power to a load, comprising:

a first pulse generator, having an input coupled to receive said activating signal and an output coupled to said ON line, for producing a pulse output to said ON line responsive to a first state of said activating signal;

a second pulse generator, having an input coupled to receive said activating signal and an output coupled to said OFF line, for producing a pulse on said OFF line responsive to a second state of said activating signal; and

means, coupled to said outputs of said first and second pulse generators for isolating a power supply for said motion sensor from said ON and OFF lines during said pulses.

2. The motion sensor of claim 1 further comprising an ON driver coupled between said first pulse generator and said ON line for providing increased current to said ON line, and an OFF driver coupled between said second pulse generator and said OFF line for producing an increased current to said OFF line.

3. The motion sensor of claim 2 wherein each of said ON and OFF drivers consist of a Darlington pair of transistors.

4. The motion sensor of claim 1 wherein each of said pulse generators comprises a one shot.

5. The motion sensor of claim 1 further comprising a pair of diodes coupling said ON and OFF lines, respectively, to an input of said isolating means to prevent current from either of said ON and OFF lines from flowing to the other of said ON and OFF lines.

6. The motion sensor of claim 1 wherein said isolation circuit comprises a transistor having two electrodes coupling said ON and OFF lines to said power supply and having a control electrode coupled to an output of each of said pulse generators.

7. The motion sensor of claim 6 further comprising a second transistor coupling a control electrode of said first transistor to ground, and a third transistor coupled between a control electrode of said second transistor and ground with a control electrode coupled to said outputs of each of said pulse generators.

10. The motion sensor of claim 1 wherein said motion sensor further comprises:

oscillator means for generating an ultrasonic transmission frequency;

a transmission plate, coupled to said oscillator means, for emitting ultrasonic sound at said transmission frequency;

a plurality of receivers for detecting reflections of said ultrasonic sound;

a bandpass filter coupled to said receivers for passing said transmission frequency;

a low pass demodulator coupled to said bandpass filer for passing a doppler shift signal;

amplifier means, coupled to said lowpass demodulator, for amplifying said doppler shift signal;

narrow band filter means, coupled to said amplifier means, for passing a band of said doppler shift signal corresponding to human movement;

switching means, coupled to said narrow band filer means, for discharging a first node;

a resistor and capacitor coupled to said first node and to a voltage source for charging said first node to above a first voltage level in a first, predetermined time;

comparator means, having a first input coupled to said first node and a second input coupled to a voltage reference, for producing an output signal when said first input has a lower voltage than said second input; and

control means, coupled to said comparator means, for supplying said activating signal.

8. In a motion sensor for detecting the presence or absence of motion and providing an activating signal, an improvement for providing ON and OFF signals on ON and OFF lines to a relay controlling power to a load, comprising:

a first pulse generator, having an input coupled to receive said activating signal, for producing a pulse output responsive to a first state of said activating signal;

a first driver consisting of a Darlington pair of transistors coupling an output of said first pulse generator to said ON line;

a second pulse generator having an input coupled to receive said activating signal for producing a pulse responsive to a second state of said activating signal;

a second driver consisting of a second Darlington pair of transistors coupling an output of said second pulse generator to said OFF line;

first and second diodes having anodes coupled to said ON and OFF lines, respectively, and cathodes coupled together;

a power supply for said motion sensor;

an isolating transistor having one electrode coupled to said cathodes of said first and second diodes, a second electrode coupled to an input of said power supply and a control electrode coupled to said outputs of said first and second puIse generators; and

a capacitor coupled to said input of said power supply.

9. The motion sensor of claim 8 wherein each of said pulse generators comprises a one shot circuit, with each having an opposite input coupled to receive said activating signal, and further comprising a second isolating transistor coupling a control electrode of said first mentioned isolating transistor to ground and a third isolating transistor coupling a control electrode of said second transistor to ground and having a control electrode coupled to said outputs of said one shot circuits.

11. An apparatus for controlling power to a load coupled between hot and neutral lines of an AC line source responsive to sensed motion or absence of motion, comprising:

a latching relay coupled between one of said hot and neutral lines and said load and having 0N and OFF inputs coupled to first and second activating coils for switching said relay ON and OFF, respectively;

a transformer having a primary winding coupled to one of said hot and neutral lines and a secondary winding coupled at one end to a DC ground line;

a rectifier coupled to a second end of said secondary winding of said transformer, an output of said rectifier being coupled to an end of said first and second relay coils opposite said ON and OFF lines; and

a motion sensor including

a transmitter for generating ultrasonic waves,

a receiver for receiving said ultrasonic waves,

a processing circuit coupled to said receiver for detecting the presence or absence of a doppler shift of said ultrasonic waves,

a first pulse generator coupled between an output of said processing circuit and said ON line, and

a second pulse generator coupled between said output of said processing circuit and said OFF line.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a power supply for said motion sensor having an input coupled to receive power from said 0N and OFF lines;

an isolating circuit coupled between said ON and OFF lines and said power supply input for isolating said power supply from said ON and OFF lines when a pulse is generated by either of said first and second pulse generators; and

a capacitor coupled to an input of said power supply.