US5410193A — Apparatus and technique for connecting a source o…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 170 words

A DC controlled switching assembly for connecting a source of zero crossing AC voltage to and disconnecting it from an AC load line, said assembly comprising: (a) a zero crossing switch connectable with said AC voltage source and said AC load line adapted to connect said load line to and disconnect it from said voltage source in response to ON and OFF command signals, but only if and when the appropriate command signal is present entirely throughout a window of time beginning a specific period of time prior to and including at least certain zero crossing points of said AC voltage; and (b) signal providing means connected with said switch and responsive to at least said AC voltage for presenting to said switch internally controlled ON and OFF command signals such that either an ON or OFF signal, but not both, is present entirely throughout said specific window of time, thereby preventing the internally controlled command signals from switching between ON and OFF states within any given window of time.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 170 words

A DC controlled switching assembly for connecting a source of zero crossing AC voltage to and disconnecting it from an AC load line, said assembly comprising: (a) a zero crossing switch connectable with said AC voltage source and said AC load line adapted to connect said load line to and disconnect it from said voltage source in response to ON and OFF command signals, but only if and when the appropriate command signal is present entirely throughout a window of time beginning a specific period of time prior to and including at least certain zero crossing points of said AC voltage; and (b) signal providing means connected with said switch and responsive to at least said AC voltage for presenting to said switch internally controlled ON and OFF command signals such that either an ON or OFF signal, but not both, is present entirely throughout said specific window of time, thereby preventing the internally controlled command signals from switching between ON and OFF states within any given window of time.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said signal providing means is responsive to both said AC voltage and a series of externally controlled ON and OFF command signals for presenting said internally controlled command signals to said switch.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

An assembly according to claim 2 wherein said window of time includes a specific period of time following each of said certain zero crossing point of said AC voltage.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 86 words

An assembly according to claim 2 wherein said signal providing means includes circuit means for initiating the beginning point of any given internally controlled ON or OFF signal when a corresponding one of said externally controlled signals is present simultaneously with a beginning trigger point of said AC voltage ahead of said window of time and for maintaining the presence of said initiated signal for a predetermined period including said window of time, even if the externally controlled command signals thereafter change within said predetermined period.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 16 words

An assembly according to claim 4 wherein said predetermined period extends beyond said window of time.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 19 words

An assembly according to claim 5 wherein said predetermined period corresponds to one full cycle of said AC voltage.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

An assembly according to claim 5 wherein said predetermined period corresponds to one half-cycle of said AC voltage.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 78 words

An assembly according to claim 4 wherein said circuit means includes a comparator circuit adapted for connection with said AC voltage for establishing said beginning trigger point and producing a responsive latch control output signals, and a latch circuit having one input adapted to receive said externally controlled command signals, a second input connected to said comparator for receiving said latch control output signals, and an output connected to said switch for proving said internally controlled command signals.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 16 words

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said switch is a zero crossing solid state relay.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 162 words

A method of controlling a zero crossing switch for connecting a source of zero crossing AC voltage to and disconnecting it from an AC load line, said method comprising the steps of: (a) producing externally controlled command signals intended to control when said switch connects and disconnects said load line to and from said AC voltage; (b) selecting a specific window of time beginning a specific period of time prior to and including at least certain zero crossing points of said AC voltage; (c) in response to said AC voltage and said externally controlled signals, producing internally controlled signals for actually controlling when said switch connects and disconnects said load line to and from said AC voltage, said internally controlled signals being produced such that either an ON or OFF signal, but not both, is present entirely throughout said specific window of time in order to prevent command signals from switching between ON and OFF states within any given window of time.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 162 words

A method of controlling a zero crossing switch for connecting a source of zero crossing AC voltage to and disconnecting it from an AC load line, said method comprising the steps of: (a) producing externally controlled command signals intended to control when said switch connects and disconnects said load line to and from said AC voltage; (b) selecting a specific window of time beginning a specific period of time prior to and including at least certain zero crossing points of said AC voltage; (c) in response to said AC voltage and said externally controlled signals, producing internally controlled signals for actually controlling when said switch connects and disconnects said load line to and from said AC voltage, said internally controlled signals being produced such that either an ON or OFF signal, but not both, is present entirely throughout said specific window of time in order to prevent command signals from switching between ON and OFF states within any given window of time.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method according to claim 10 wherein said window of time includes a specific period of time following each of said certain zero crossing point of said AC voltage.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 86 words

A method according to claim 10 wherein said step of producing said internally controlled signals includes initiating the beginning point of any given internally controlled ON or OFF signal when a corresponding one of said externally controlled signals is present simultaneously with a beginning trigger point on said AC voltage ahead of said window of time and for maintaining the presence of said initiated signal a predetermined period including said window of time, even if the externally controlled command signals thereafter change within said predetermined period.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method according to claim 12 wherein said predetermined period extends beyond said window of time.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method according to claim 13 wherein said predetermined period corresponds to a one full cycle of said AC voltage.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 18 words

A method according to claim 13 wherein said predetermined period corresponds to one half-cycle of said AC voltage.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 164 words

An arrangement for controlling a zero crossing switch for connecting a source of zero crossing AC voltage to and disconnecting it from an AC load line, said arrangement comprising: (a) means for producing externally controlled command signals intended to control when said switch connects and disconnects said load line to and from said AC voltage; (b) means for selecting a specific window of time beginning a specific period of time prior to and including at least certain zero crossing points of said AC voltage; (c) means responsive to said AC voltage and said externally controlled signals for producing internally controlled signals that actually control when said switch connects and disconnects said load line to and from said AC voltage, said internally controlled signals being produced such that either an ON or OFF signal, but not both, is present entirely throughout said specific window of time in order to prevent command signals from switching between ON and OFF states within any given window of time.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 164 words

An arrangement for controlling a zero crossing switch for connecting a source of zero crossing AC voltage to and disconnecting it from an AC load line, said arrangement comprising: (a) means for producing externally controlled command signals intended to control when said switch connects and disconnects said load line to and from said AC voltage; (b) means for selecting a specific window of time beginning a specific period of time prior to and including at least certain zero crossing points of said AC voltage; (c) means responsive to said AC voltage and said externally controlled signals for producing internally controlled signals that actually control when said switch connects and disconnects said load line to and from said AC voltage, said internally controlled signals being produced such that either an ON or OFF signal, but not both, is present entirely throughout said specific window of time in order to prevent command signals from switching between ON and OFF states within any given window of time.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-04-24	1998-10-24	1999-04-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-04-24	2002-10-24	2003-04-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-04-24	2006-10-24	2007-04-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus and technique for connecting a source of zero crossing AC voltage to and disconnecting it from an AC load line

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