Control circuits for self-powered switches and related methods of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10784059-B2
Application number	US-201916710713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2019
Priority date	Feb 8, 2017
Publication date	Sep 22, 2020
Grant date	Sep 22, 2020

Abstract

Self-powered switches include a switch housing having an externally accessible user input member, a coil assembly, and a magnet arranged therein such that at least one of the coil assembly and the magnet move relative to each other responsive to movement of the user input member between first and second switch positions, and a control circuit held in the switch housing and coupled to first and second terminals of the coil assembly. The control circuit is configured to detect respective electrical characteristics of the first and second terminals of the coil assembly responsive to the movement of the user input member, and selectively transmit first and second wireless control signals to a remote receiver based on the respective electrical characteristics of the first and second terminals of the coil assembly, respectively. Related circuits and methods of operation are also discussed.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A control circuit for a self-powered switch comprising a coil assembly and a magnet configured to move relative to each other responsive to movement of a user input member, the control circuit comprising:
a transmitter circuit configured for wireless communication with a remote receiver;
a phase detection circuit configured to be coupled to first and second terminals of the coil assembly and configured to generate first and second output signals responsive to movement of the user input member to first and second switch positions, respectively; and
a processor coupled to the phase detection circuit and the transmitter circuit, wherein the processor is configured to detect respective electrical characteristics of the first and second terminals of the coil assembly based on the first and second output signals from the phase detection circuit, respectively, and is configured to operate the transmitter circuit to selectively transmit first and second wireless control signals to the remote receiver based on the respective electrical characteristics of the first and second terminals of the coil assembly, respectively.

2. The control circuit of claim 1 , wherein the respective electrical characteristics comprise first and second voltage states of the first and second terminals of the coil assembly responsive to the movement of the user input member to the first and second switch positions, respectively,
wherein the processor is configured to operate the transmitter circuit to transmit the first wireless control signal to the remote receiver for connecting a load thereof to a power source in response to detection of the first voltage state at the first terminal, and transmit the second wireless control signal to the remote receiver for disconnecting the load from the power source in response to detection of the second voltage state at the second terminal.

3. The control circuit of claim 1 , wherein the phase detection circuit comprises:
a first circuit comprising a first capacitor coupled to the first terminal of the coil assembly and configured to generate the first output signal based on a first voltage state of the first capacitor responsive to the movement of the user input member to the first switch position; and
a second circuit comprising a second capacitor coupled to the second terminal of the coil assembly and configured to generate the second output signal based on a second voltage state of the second capacitor responsive to the movement of the user input member to the second switch position.

4. The control circuit of claim 3 , wherein the phase detection circuit further comprises:
a first regulator coupled to the first capacitor and configured to regulate the first output signal to below a predetermined voltage; and
a second regulator coupled to the second capacitor and configured to regulate the second output signal to below the predetermined voltage.

5. The control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
an energy harvesting circuit coupled to the first and second terminals of the coil assembly and comprising at least one capacitor that is configured to store a voltage sufficient to operate the transmitter circuit for wireless communication with the remote receiver responsive to the movement of the user input member to each of the first and second switch positions.

6. The control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a circuit board including the transmitter circuit, the phase detection circuit, and/or the processor thereon, wherein the circuit board includes first and second input terminals configured to be attached to the first and second terminals of the coil assembly, and wherein the first and second terminals of the coil assembly comprise opposite ends of a wire coil.

7. The control circuit of claim 6 , wherein the phase detection circuit is configured to be coupled to the first and second terminals of the coil assembly comprising the opposite ends of the wire coil, wherein the wire coil is wound about a shaft that extends beyond the wire coil and towards the magnet of the self-powered switch.

8. The control circuit of claim 6 , wherein the first and second input terminals of the circuit board are configured to be attached to the first and second terminals of the coil assembly, respectively, through at least one coil terminal aperture of a switch housing of the self-powered switch.

9. The control circuit of claim 1 , wherein the remote receiver is held in a remote receiver housing that is distinct from a switch housing of the self-powered switch and comprises at least one relay therein that is configured to be connected to a power source.

10. The control circuit of claim 9 , wherein the transmitter circuit is configured to communicate with a receiving circuit held in the remote receiver housing and coupled to the at least one relay, wherein the receiving circuit is configured to receive the first and second wireless control signals from the control circuit and operate the at least one relay to connect and disconnect a load thereof to and from the power source responsive to the first and second wireless control signals, respectively.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Zhang Harry
• Yang Andrew
• Zhuang Alex
• Zhang George
• Xiong Tom
• Lacey Darron Kirby

Classifications

• H01H2300/03

  Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring · CPC title

• Y04S20/14

  Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers · CPC title

• H01H9/168 Primary

  making use of an electromagnetic wave communication · CPC title

• H01H23/143

  having a generally flat elongated shape · CPC title

• H01H2239/076

  Key stroke generating power · CPC title