Power converting apparatus and burglarproof method therefor

• US 6,587,051 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Manabe, Naoki, Takehara, Nobuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US09/984,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20020063625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 340/365, 340/568.1, 340/568.2, 340/568.3, 340/568.9, 340/333, 340/636, 340/600, 340/693.1, 340/693.2, 340/693.4, 340/691.5, 340/687, 340/693.3, 363/15, 363/13, 363/56.03, 363/71, 323/906, 323/299, 307/64, 307/66, 307/150, 307/151, 307/117
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/906 Solar cell systems

Abstract

As the application range of solar power generation systems widens, a number of relatively compact and lightweight inverters must be installed outdoors. However, an inverter has no burglarproof function at all. A burglarproof device which switches the state of the burglarproof function upon receiving a burglarproof function state change signal, and outputs an alarm signal when the output signal output in the alarm state from a connection detection section indicates that the power supply or load is disconnected is added to the inverter.

Claims

1. A power converting apparatus having a burglarproof function, comprising:

a switch, arranged to switch between alarm and non-alarm modes;

a sensor, arranged to detect whether or not a power supply and a power converter are electrically connected, and/or to detect whether or not the power converter and a load are electrically connected; and

an alarm, arranged to give an alarm when disconnection between the power supply and the power converter is detected, and/or disconnection between the power converter and the load is detected by said sensor in the alarm mode.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the power supply is a DC power supply, and the load is a storage battery or a commercial electric power system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the DC power supply is a solar battery.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor detects the connection between the power supply and the power converter on the basis of a current that flows when a voltage is applied from a check power supply to the power supply.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said switch switches the alarm and non-alarm modes upon recognizing that a change pattern of a voltage of the power supply or load is a predetermined pattern.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said switch switches the alarm and non-alarm modes on the basis of externally input light, sound, electricity, or radio wave signal having a predetermined change pattern.

7. A burglarproof method for a power converting apparatus, comprising the steps of:

setting an alarm mode or a non-alarm mode;

detecting whether or not a power supply and a power converter are electrically connected, and/or whether or not the power converter and a load are electrically connected; and

giving an alarm when disconnection between the power supply and the power converter is detected, and/or disconnection between the power converter and the load is detected, in the detecting step and in the alarm mode.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the connection between the power supply and the power converter is detected on the basis of a current that flows when a voltage is applied from a check power supply to the power supply.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the alarm or non-alarm mode is set on the basis of a recognition result of a change pattern of a voltage of the power supply or load.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the alarm or non-alarm mode is set on the basis of externally input light, sound, electricity, or radio wave signal having a predetermined change pattern.

11. A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium comprising a computer program code, for preventing a burglary of a power converting apparatus, comprising process procedure code for:

setting an alarm mode or a non-alarm mode;

detecting whether or not a power supply and a power converter are electrically connected, and/or whether or not the power converter and a load are electrically connected; and

giving an alarm when disconnection between the power supply and the power converter is detected, and/or disconnection between the power converter and the load is detected, in the detecting process and in the alarm mode.