Humidity and/or temperature control device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A humidity control device for sensing humidity and for selectively energizing an electrical device connected to an AC line voltage in response to the sensed humidity, which comprises:
- a humidity sensing circuit, the humidity sensing circuit including circuit components, at least one of the circuit components being a humidity sensor which is coupled and responsive to the AC line voltage, the circuit components forming a balanced circuit such that the humidity sensing circuit is substantially self-compensating for AC line voltage variations, the humidity sensing circuit sensing the humidity and comparing the sensed humidity with a preselected humidity set point and generating a first output signal in response to the comparison thereof,a zero crossing detector, the zero crossing detector detecting a zero crossing of the AC line voltage, the zero crossing detector being responsive to the AC line voltage and generating a second output signal indicating the zero crossing thereof,a microcontroller, the microcontroller being responsive to the first and second output signals of the humidity sensing circuit and zero crossing detector and generating a third output signal in response thereto; and
means for switching the AC line voltage connected to the electrical device, the AC line voltage switching means being responsive to the third output signal of the microcontroller and selectively providing the AC line voltage to the electrical device in response thereto thereby selectively energizing and deenergizing the electrical device in a manner which substantially reduces radio frequency interference.
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Abstract
A humidity control device includes a microcontroller, a variable impedance humidity sensing circuit and a zero crossing detector circuit. The humidity sensing circuit and zero crossing circuit are provided with an AC line voltage and both have outputs which are provided to the microcontroller. The humidity control device also includes a semiconductor switch circuit which switches the AC line voltage to an external electrical device, such as a dehumidifier or heater, at the zero crossing.
73 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A humidity control device for sensing humidity and for selectively energizing an electrical device connected to an AC line voltage in response to the sensed humidity, which comprises:
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a humidity sensing circuit, the humidity sensing circuit including circuit components, at least one of the circuit components being a humidity sensor which is coupled and responsive to the AC line voltage, the circuit components forming a balanced circuit such that the humidity sensing circuit is substantially self-compensating for AC line voltage variations, the humidity sensing circuit sensing the humidity and comparing the sensed humidity with a preselected humidity set point and generating a first output signal in response to the comparison thereof, a zero crossing detector, the zero crossing detector detecting a zero crossing of the AC line voltage, the zero crossing detector being responsive to the AC line voltage and generating a second output signal indicating the zero crossing thereof, a microcontroller, the microcontroller being responsive to the first and second output signals of the humidity sensing circuit and zero crossing detector and generating a third output signal in response thereto; and means for switching the AC line voltage connected to the electrical device, the AC line voltage switching means being responsive to the third output signal of the microcontroller and selectively providing the AC line voltage to the electrical device in response thereto thereby selectively energizing and deenergizing the electrical device in a manner which substantially reduces radio frequency interference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A control device for one of providing power gradually to and removing power gradually from an electrical device connected to an AC voltage, which comprises:
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means for determining when power is to be applied to the electrical device, the power determining means generating a first output signal indicative thereof; a zero crossing detector, the zero crossing detector detecting a zero crossing of the AC voltage, the zero crossing detector being responsive to the AC voltage and generating a second output signal indicating the zero crossing thereof; a microcontroller, the microcontroller being responsive to the first output signal of the power determining means and the second output signal of the zero crossing detector and generating a third output signal in response thereto; and means for switching the AC voltage connected to the electrical device, the AC voltage switching means being responsive to the third output signal of the microcontroller and selectively providing the AC voltage to the electrical device in response thereto thereby selectively energizing and deenergizing the electrical device; the third output signal of the microcontroller being in the form of electrical pulses of voltage timed to selectively switch on and off the AC voltage switching means for half cycles and full cycles over a predetermined number of cycles of the AC voltage provided to the electrical device.
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11. A control device for one of providing power gradually to and removing power gradually from an electrical device connected to an AC voltage, which comprises:
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a zero crossing detector, the zero crossing detector detecting a zero crossing of the AC voltage, the zero crossing detector being responsive to the AC voltage and generating a first output signal indicating the zero crossing thereof; a microcontroller, the microcontroller being responsive to the first output signal of the zero crossing detector and generating a second output signal in response thereto; and means for switching the AC voltage connected to the electrical device, the AC voltage switching means being responsive to the second output signal of the microcontroller and selectively providing the AC voltage to the electrical device in response thereto thereby selectively energizing and deenergizing the electrical device; the second output signal of the microcontroller being in the form of electrical pulses timed to selectively switch on and off the AC voltage switching means for half cycles and full cycles over a predetermined number of cycles of the AC voltage provided to the electrical device. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A control device for providing power gradually to an electrical device connected to an AC voltage, which comprises:
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a zero crossing detector, the zero crossing detector detecting a zero crossing of the AC voltage, the zero crossing detector being responsive to the AC voltage and generating a first output signal indicating the zero crossing thereof; a microcontroller, the microcontroller being responsive to the first output signal of the zero crossing detector and generating a second output signal in response thereto; and means for switching the AC voltage connected to the electrical device, the AC voltage switching means being responsive to the second output signal of the microcontroller and selectively providing the AC voltage to the electrical device in response thereto thereby selectively energizing and deenergizing the electrical device; the second output signal of the microcontroller being in the form of electrical pulses timed to selectively switch on and off the AC switching means for half cycles and full cycles of the AC voltage provided to the electrical device, wherein the second output signal of the microcontroller includes a first plurality of electrical pulses having a first pulse width and a second plurality of electrical pulses having a second pulse width, the first pulse width being equal to about one half cycle of the AC voltage and the second pulse width being equal to about a full cycle of the AC voltage, at least some of the electrical pulses of the second plurality of electrical pulses being interspersed with at least some of the electrical pulses of the first plurality of electrical pulses over a predetermined number of cycles of the AC voltage.
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14. A method of one of providing an AC voltage gradually to and removing an AC voltage gradually from an electrical device selectively connected to an AC voltage source, which comprises the steps of:
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generating a first plurality of electrical pulses and a second plurality of electrical pulses, each of the electrical pulses of the first plurality of electrical pulses having a first pulse width equal to about one half cycle of the AC voltage, each of the electrical pulses of the second plurality of electrical pulses being equal to about one full cycle of the AC voltage; arranging the first and second pluralities of electrical pulses such that the first plurality of electrical pulses precede the second plurality of electrical pulses over a predetermined number of cycles of the AC voltage when providing power gradually to the electrical device and follow the second plurality of electrical pulses over a predetermined number of cycles of the AC voltage when removing power gradually from the electrical device; and selectively switching the AC voltage provided to the electrical device in response to the first and second pluralities of electrical pulses thereby selectively energizing and deenergizing the electrical device. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method of providing an AC voltage gradually to an electrical device selectively connected to an AC voltage source, which comprises the steps of:
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generating a first plurality of electrical pulses and a second plurality of electrical pulses, each of the electrical pulses of the first plurality of electrical pulses having a first pulse width equal to about one half cycle of the AC voltage, each of the electrical pulses of the second plurality of electrical pulses having a second pulse width equal to about one full cycle of the AC voltage; arranging the first and second pluralities of electrical pulses such that at least some of the electrical pulses of the second plurality of electrical pulses are interspersed with at least some of the electrical pulses of the first plurality of electrical pulses over a predetermined number of cycles of the AC voltage; and selectively switching the AC voltage provided to the electrical device in response to the first and second pluralities of electrical pulses thereby selectively energizing and deenergizing the electrical device. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification