Single stage current controller for a notification appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10917954-B2
Application number	US-201916299338-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A notification appliance circuit includes at least one notification appliance. The at least one notification appliance includes a charge controller including a single stage current controller, the charge controller being configured to output a charge current, an energy store configured to receive the charge current, and provide a discharge current, and a notification component configured to receive the discharge current and emit a notification.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A notification appliance circuit comprising:
at least one notification appliance, the at least one notification appliance including
a charge controller including a single stage current controller, the charge controller being configured to output a charge current, wherein the single stage current controller includes a transconductance element configured to output the charge current based on a magnitude of a received transconductance control signal and the charge current is linearly dependent on the magnitude of the received transconductance element control signal in the single stage current controller;
an energy store configured to receive the charge current, and provide a discharge current;
a notification component configured to receive the discharge current and emit a notification;
wherein the single stage current controller includes a current sensor configured to sense an input current of the current controller, and a main circuit configured to produce the received transconductance control signal based at least in part on a sensed current value received from the current sensor, a charge current control input, and an enable input; and
wherein the sensed current value and a charge control current value of the charge current control input are provided to a summation circuit, the summation circuit being configured to add the sensed current value and the charge control value of the charge current control input.

2. The notification appliance circuit of claim 1 , wherein the charge controller further includes a processor configured to provide the single stage current controller with a charge current control signal and an enable signal.

3. The notification appliance of claim 2 , wherein the processor includes a memory storing instructions configured to cause the processor to perform an adaptable charging method.

4. The notification appliance circuit of claim 2 , wherein a charge level output of the energy store is connected to the processor.

5. The notification appliance circuit of claim 1 , wherein the single stage current controller includes a current sensor configured to sense an input current of the current controller, and a main circuit configured to produce the received transconductance control signal based at least in part on a sensed current value received from the current sensor, a charge current control input, and an enable input.

6. The notification appliance circuit of claim 5 , wherein the transconductance element includes a MOSFET.

7. The notification appliance circuit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensed current value and the charge control current value of the charge current control input is provided to the summation circuit via one of a first gain circuit and a second gain circuit.

8. The notification appliance circuit of claim 7 , wherein the sensed current value is provided to the summation circuit via the first gain circuit and the charge control current value of the charge current control input is connected to the summation circuit via the second gain circuit.

9. The notification appliance circuit of claim 1 , wherein the enable input is connected to a bias generator, and the bias generator is configured to generate a bias voltage based on the enable input.

10. The notification appliance circuit of claim 9 , wherein an output of the summation circuit is connected to a summer, an output of the bias generator is connected to the summer, and the summer is configured to subtract the output of the summation circuit from the output of the bias generator.

11. The notification appliance of claim 10 , wherein an output of the summer is connected to an input of the transconductance element.

12. The notification appliance of claim 1 , wherein the charge controller is programmable.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Robotham Martin Paul
• Taspek Levent

Classifications

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/92

  with prioritisation of loads or sources · CPC title

• G08B25/04 Primary

  using a single signalling line, e.g. in a closed loop · CPC title

• H05B47/10 Primary

  Controlling the light source · CPC title

• G08B5/36

  using visible light sources · CPC title