Method and apparatus for controlling an electronic control

• US 6,744,616 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Odorcic, Kresimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W.
• Application Number:
  US09/683,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20030126519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 361/115, 361/160, 361/139, 361/195, 361/199
• US Class Current: 361/160
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs

Abstract

A method for controlling an electronic control using a circuit that includes a damper capacitor. The method includes substantially discharging the damper capacitor and enabling operation of the electronic control when the damper capacitor is substantially discharged.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an electronic control using a circuit including a damper capacitor, said method comprising:

substantially discharging the damper capacitor; and

enabling operation of the electronic control when the damper capacitor is substantially discharged.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the circuit includes a damper reset circuit electrically coupled to the damper capacitor, the damper reset circuit comprises a first reset mode and a second reset mode, and said substantially discharging the damper capacitor comprises operating the damper reset circuit in the first reset mode.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the circuit includes an enable circuit electrically coupled to the damper capacitor and the electronic control, the enable circuit comprises a first enable mode and a second enable mode, and said enabling operation of the appliance control comprises operating the enable circuit in the first enable mode.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the circuit includes a microprocessor electrically coupled to the damper reset circuit, and said operating the damper reset circuit in the first reset mode comprises generating a pulse train signal from the microprocessor to the damper reset circuit.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the damper reset circuit includes a differentiator and an electronic reset switch, the differentiator electrically coupled to the microprocessor and the reset switch, and said generating a pulse train signal from the microprocessor to the damper reset circuit comprises sending the pulse train signal from the microprocessor to the reset switch through the differentiator.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the damper reset switch is a transistor.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the damper reset circuit includes a biasing resistor electrically coupled to the reset transistor, the reset transistor comprises a first reset mode and a second reset mode, said substantially discharging the damper capacitor comprises operating the reset transistor in the first reset mode, and said method further comprises biasing the reset transistor to the first reset mode.

8. A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the enable circuit includes an electronic enable switch, the enable switch comprises a first enable mode and a second enable mode, said enabling operation of the electronic control comprises operating the enable switch in the first enable mode, and said substantially discharging the damper capacitor comprises biasing the enable transistor to the first enable mode using the damper capacitor.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the electronic enable switch is a transistor.

10. A method for controlling an electronic control using a circuit including a damper capacitor, said method comprising:

charging the damper capacitor; and

disabling operation of the electronic control when the damper capacitor is charged.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the circuit includes a enable circuit electrically coupled to the damper capacitor and the electronic control, the enable circuit comprises a first enable mode and a second enable mode, and said disabling operation of the electronic control comprises operating the enable circuit in the second enable mode.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the circuit includes a damper reset circuit electrically coupled to the damper capacitor, the damper reset circuit comprises a first reset mode and a second reset mode, and said charging the damper capacitor comprises operating the damper reset circuit in the second reset mode.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the circuit includes a microprocessor electrically coupled to the damper reset circuit, and said operating the damper reset circuit in the second reset mode comprises interrupting a pulse train signal from the microprocessor to the damper reset circuit.

14. An appliance comprising:

a watchdog circuit comprising a damper capacitor; and

an appliance control electrically coupled to said watchdog circuit, said appliance control operable when said damper capacitor substantially discharged, and

inoperable when said damper capacitor charged.

15. An appliance in accordance with claim 14, said watchdog circuit further comprising an electronic enable switch electrically coupled to said damper capacitor and said appliance control, said enable switch having a first enable mode and a second enable mode and biased to said first enable mode when said damper capacitor substantially discharged, said appliance control operable when said enable switch in said first enable mode, and inoperable when said enable switch in said second enable mode.

16. An appliance in accordance with claim 14, said watchdog circuit further comprising an electronic damper reset switch electrically coupled to said damper capacitor, and a biasing resistor, said damper reset switch having a first reset mode and a second reset mode, said damper capacitor configured to remain substantially discharged when said damper reset switch in said first reset mode, and configured to charge when said damper reset switch in said second reset mode.

17. An appliance in accordance with claim 16, said watchdog circuit further comprising a differentiator electrically coupled to said damper reset switch, said appliance further comprising a microprocessor electrically coupled to'"'"'said differentiator, said microprocessor configured to send a pulse train signal to said damper reset switch through said differentiator, said biasing resistor configured to bias said damper reset switch to said first reset mode when said damper reset switch receives said pulse train signal.

18. An appliance in accordance with claim 17, said differentiator comprising a differentiator capacitor electrically coupled to a differentiator resistor.

19. A circuit for controlling an electronic control, said circuit comprising:

a damper capacitor, said circuit configured to enable operation of the electronic control when said damper capacitor substantially discharged, and disable operation of the electronic control when said damper capacitor charged.

20. A circuit in accordance with claim 19 further comprising an enable circuit electrically coupled to said damper capacitor, said enable circuit having a first enable mode and a second enable mode, said enable circuit configured to remain in said first enable mode when said damper capacitor substantially discharged, and configured to remain in said second enable mode when said damper capacitor charged.

21. A circuit in accordance with claim 20 wherein said enable circuit comprises an electronic enable switch.

22. A circuit in accordance with claim 19 further comprising a damper reset circuit electrically coupled to said damper capacitor, said damper reset circuit having a first reset mode and a second reset mode, said damper capacitor configured to substantially discharge when said damper reset circuit in said first reset mode, said damper capacitor configured to charge when said damper reset circuit in said second reset mode.

23. A circuit in accordance with claim 22, said damper reset circuit comprising an electronic damper reset switch and a biasing resistor, said biasing resistor configured to bias said damper reset circuit to said first reset mode.

24. A circuit in accordance with claim 21 wherein said electronic enable switch a transistor.

25. A circuit in accordance with claim 23 wherein said electronic damper reset switch a transistor.

26. A circuit for controlling an electronic control, said circuit comprising:

a damper capacitor;

a damper reset transistor electrically coupled to said damper capacitor, said damper reset transistor having a first reset mode and a second reset mode, said damper capacitor configured to substantially discharge when said damper reset transistor in said first reset mode, said damper capacitor configured to charge when said damper reset transistor in said second reset mode; and

an enable transistor electrically coupled to said damper capacitor and the electronic control, said enable transistor having a first enable mode and a second enable mode, said enable transistor configured to remain in said first enable mode when said damper capacitor substantially discharged, said enable transistor configured to remain in said second enable mode when said damper capacitor charged, said circuit configured to enable operation of the electronic control when said enable transistor in said first enable mode, said circuit configured to disable operation of the electronic control when said enable transistor in said second enable mode.

27. A circuit in accordance with claim 26 further comprising a biasing resistor configured to bias said damper reset transistor to said first reset mode.