Electronic switch having an in-line power supply

• US 9,418,809 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Hausman, Donald F. Jr., Aguado Pelaez, Miguel, Salvestrini, Christopher James, Yang, Bingrui
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US14/529,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20150054471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 320/166, 320/167
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/22 for supplying energising current for relay coil
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0006 Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/293 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6874 in a symmetrical configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/79 controlling bipolar semiconductor switches with more than two PN-junctions, or more than three electrodes, or more than one electrode connected to the same conductivity region
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/081 by measuring the incident light H05B39/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/088 by wireless means, e.g. infrared transmitting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/13 by using passive infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A two-wire smart load control device, such as an electronic switch, for controlling the power delivered from a power source to an electrical load comprises a relay for conducting a load current through the load and an in-line power supply coupled in series with the relay for generating a supply voltage across a capacitor when the relay is conductive. The power supply controls when the capacitor charges asynchronously with respect to the frequency of the source. The capacitor conducts the load current for at least a portion of a line cycle of the source when the relay is conductive. The load control device also comprises a bidirectional semiconductor switch, which is controlled to minimize the inrush current conducted through the relay. The bidirectional semiconductor switch is rendered conductive in response to an over-current condition in the capacitor of the power supply, and the relay is rendered non-conductive in response to an over-temperature condition in the power supply.

Claims

1. A two-wire electronic switch for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the electronic switch comprising:

a latching relay adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load, the latching relay arranged to conduct a load current through the load when the relay is conductive;

a controller configured to control the relay to be conductive and non-conductive to turn the load on and off, respectively;

an output capacitor arranged to develop a DC supply voltage for powering the controller; and

an in-line power supply coupled in series electrical connection with the relay, the in-line power supply further coupled to the output capacitor for generating the DC supply voltage across the output capacitor when the relay is conductive, the power supply configured to conduct the load current through the output capacitor for at least a portion of a line cycle of the AC power source when the relay is conductive;

wherein the relay is rendered non-conductive in response to an over-temperature condition in the electronic switch.

2. The electronic switch of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a bidirectional semiconductor switch coupled in series with the relay and in parallel with the output capacitor, the power supply configured to render the bidirectional semiconductor switch non-conductive to charge the output capacitor when the relay is conductive.

3. The electronic switch of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to provide a relay-set control signal to a SET coil of the relay to render the relay conductive, and a relay-reset control signal to a RESET coil of the relay to render the relay non-conductive, the power supply further comprising a thermistor responsive to a temperature of the power supply, the thermistor electrically coupled to the RESET coil of the relay for rendering the relay non-conductive in response to an over-temperature condition in the power supply.

4. The electronic switch of claim 3, wherein the thermistor comprises a PTC thermistor thermally coupled to the bidirectional semiconductor switch of the power supply.

5. The electronic switch of claim 4, wherein the PTC thermistor is coupled in series electrical connection with the output capacitor of the power supply, and the voltage across the series combination of the output capacitor and the PTC thermistor is electrically coupled to the RESET coil of the relay, the controller configured to control the relay-reset control signal to render the relay non-conductive in absence of the over-temperature condition in the power supply;

and

wherein the voltage across the series combination of the output capacitor and the PTC thermistor increases during the over-temperature condition in the power supply, and the relay is rendered non-conductive independent of the magnitude of the relay-reset control signal.

6. The electronic switch of claim 2, wherein the power supply further comprises a control circuit coupled to the bidirectional semiconductor switch for rendering the bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive and non-conductive, the control circuit responsive to the magnitude of the DC supply voltage to render the bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive when the magnitude of the DC supply voltage reaches a maximum DC supply voltage threshold.

7. The electronic switch of claim 6, wherein the control circuit of the power supply is configured to render the bidirectional semiconductor switch non-conductive when the magnitude of the DC supply voltage drops to a minimum DC supply voltage threshold.

8. The electronic switch of claim 2, further comprising:

an off-state power supply coupled in parallel with the series combination of the relay and the in-line power supply, the off-state power supply coupled to the output capacitor for controlling when the output capacitor charges to generate the DC supply voltage across the output capacitor when the relay is non-conductive.

9. The electronic switch of claim 8, further comprising:

a communication circuit configured to receive digital messages;

wherein the controller is configured to turn the load on and off in response to the digital messages received via the communication circuit.

10. The electronic switch of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional semiconductor switch of the power supply comprises two FETs in anti-series connection.

11. The electronic switch of claim 1, further comprising:

a triac coupled in parallel with the series combination of the relay and the power supply, the controller configured to turn on the load by first rendering the triac conductive and then rendering the relay conductive, the controller configured to turn off the load by first rendering the relay non-conductive and then rendering the triac non-conductive;

wherein the triac is rendered conductive in response to an over-current condition in the output capacitor of the power supply.

12. A two-wire electronic switch for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the electronic switch comprising:

a latching relay adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for turning the load on and off;

a first bidirectional semiconductor switch coupled in parallel electrical connection with the relay, the first bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising a control input;

a controller configured to turn on the load by first rendering the first bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive and then rendering the relay conductive, the controller configured to turn off the load by first rendering the relay non-conductive and then rendering the first bidirectional semiconductor switch non-conductive;

an output capacitor arranged to develop a DC supply voltage for powering the controller; and

an in-line power supply coupled in series electrical connection with the relay, the first bidirectional semiconductor switch being electrically connected in parallel with the series combination of the relay and the power supply, the in-line power supply being coupled to the output capacitor for generating the DC supply voltage across the output capacitor when the relay is conductive, the power supply being configured to conduct the load current through the output capacitor for at least a portion of a line cycle of the AC power source when the relay is conductive;

wherein the first bidirectional semiconductor switch is rendered conductive in response to an over-current condition in the output capacitor of the power supply.

13. The electronic switch of claim 12, wherein the power supply comprises a second bidirectional semiconductor switch electrically connected in series with the relay and in parallel with the output capacitor, the power supply being configured to render the second bidirectional semiconductor switch non-conductive to charge the output capacitor when the relay is conductive.

14. The electronic switch of claim 13, further comprising:

a drive circuit coupled between the controller and the control input of the first bidirectional semiconductor switch, the drive circuit being configured to render the first bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive in response to a control signal provided by the controller.

15. The electronic switch of claim 14, wherein the power supply comprises a resistor coupled in series with the output capacitor, the resistor being coupled to the drive circuit, the drive circuit being configured to render the first bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive in response to the current through the resistor exceeding a predetermined current threshold.

16. The electronic switch of claim 14, wherein the first bidirectional semiconductor switch comprises a triac.

17. The electronic switch of claim 13, wherein the latching relay is coupled to the power supply, and the relay is rendered non-conductive in response to an over-temperature condition in the power supply.

18. The electronic switch of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to provide a relay-set control signal to a SET coil of the relay for rendering the relay conductive, and a relay-reset control signal to a RESET coil of the relay for rendering the relay non-conductive, the power supply further comprising a PTC thermistor thermally coupled to the second bidirectional semiconductor switch of the power supply, the PTC thermistor being coupled in series electrical connection with the output capacitor of the power supply, the voltage across the series combination of the output capacitor and the PTC thermistor electrically being coupled to the RESET coil of the relay, the controller being configured to control the relay-reset control signal to render the relay non-conductive in absence of the over-temperature condition in the power supply;

and

wherein the voltage across the series combination of the output capacitor and the PTC thermistor increases during the over-temperature condition in the power supply, and the relay is rendered non-conductive independent of the magnitude of the relay-reset control signal.

19. The electronic switch of claim 13, wherein the power supply further comprises a control circuit coupled to the second bidirectional semiconductor switch for rendering the second bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive and non-conductive, the control circuit being responsive to the magnitude of the DC supply voltage to render the second bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive when the magnitude of the DC supply voltage reaches a maximum DC supply voltage threshold.

20. The electronic switch of claim 19, wherein the control circuit of the power supply is configured to render the second bidirectional semiconductor switch non-conductive when the magnitude of the DC supply voltage drops to a minimum DC supply voltage threshold.

21. A two-wire electronic switch for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the electronic switch comprising:

a latching relay adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the source and the load for turning the load on and off;

a first bidirectional semiconductor switch coupled in parallel electrical connection with the relay, the first bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising a control input;

a controller configured to turn on the load by first rendering the first bidirectional semiconductor switch conductive and then rendering the relay conductive, the controller configured to turn off the load by first rendering the relay non-conductive and then rendering the first bidirectional semiconductor switch non-conductive;

an output capacitor arranged to develop a DC supply voltage for powering the controller; and

an in-line power supply coupled in series electrical connection with the relay, the first bidirectional semiconductor switch being electrically connected in parallel with the series combination of the relay and the power supply, the in-line power supply being coupled to the output capacitor for generating the DC supply voltage across the output capacitor when the relay is conductive, the power supply comprising a second bidirectional semiconductor switch electrically connected in series with the relay and in parallel with the output capacitor, the power supply being configured to render the second bidirectional semiconductor switch non-conductive to charge the output capacitor when the relay is conductive;

wherein the first bidirectional semiconductor switch is rendered conductive in response to an over-current condition in the output capacitor of the power supply, and the relay is rendered non-conductive in response to an over-temperature condition in the power supply.