# US 10,119,535 B2 · Pump control system with isolated AC voltage detector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,535 B2 - Document ID: US10119535B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/602,847 - Filed: 2015-01-22 - Published: 2016-04-14 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-14 - Assignees: Franklin Electric Co., Inc. - Applicants: Franklin Electric Co., Inc. - Inventors: Wei Song; Robert Wetekamp - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119535B2 ## CPC - F04B 49/06: Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) - F04B 17/04: using solenoids - F04B 49/10: Other safety measures - F04B 49/103: {Responsive to speed} - G01R 19/175: Indicating the instants of passage of current or voltage through a given value, e.g. passage through zero - G01R 31/2837: {Characterising or performance testing, e.g. of frequency response (transient response G01R27/28)} - G01R 31/42: AC power supplies - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract A pump and a method of operating the pump at a duty-cycle based on the input voltage of the power source energizing the pump. The pump includes at least a first opto-coupler electrically coupled to the power source. The method includes detecting at least a first opto-coupler state transition; determining a zero-crossing of the input voltage; determining an elapsed time between the zero-crossing and the first opto-coupler state transition; and operating the pump by energizing a power switch at a duty-cycle based on the elapsed time. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a pump based on a voltage of a power source powering the pump, the method comprising: detecting at least a first opto-coupler state transition of a first opto-coupler electrically coupled to the power source, the power source electrically coupled to a solenoid of the pump, the first opto-coupler having a positive input contact electrically connected to the power source and a negative input contact, and the first opto-coupler transitioning state responsive to current flowing from the power source through the positive input contact to the negative input contact of the first opto-coupler; detecting a second opto-coupler state transition; determining a zero-crossing of the voltage of the power source based on the second opto-coupler state transition; determining an elapsed time between the zero-crossing and the first opto-coupler state transition; and energizing the solenoid at a duty-cycle based on the elapsed time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, further comprising selecting a first value corresponding to the elapsed time, and basing the duty-cycle on a second value associated with the first value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, wherein the first opto-coupler state transition and the second opto-coupler state transition occur during a positive half-cycle of the voltage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, further comprising blocking a current flow from the power source to the first opto-coupler until a voltage value of the voltage exceeds a breakdown voltage of a first diode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, further comprising blocking a current flow from the power source to the second opto-coupler during a negative half-cycle of the voltage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, wherein the duty-cycle is greater than 40% when the voltage is less than 140 VAC and is less than 40% when the voltage is greater than 140 VAC. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a solenoid pump including a switch-mode power supply powering control logic structured to determine the elapsed time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method as in claim 1, wherein the first opto-coupler includes an output contact configured to provide the first output signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) A method as in claim 2, further comprising applying a gate current to a gate of a triode for alternating current (TRIAC) at a time corresponding to the second value to operate the pump. ### Claim 10 A pump comprising: an opto-coupler including an input side having an input positive contact and an input negative contact, the input positive contact adapted to be electrically coupled to a power source having a voltage; a first diode connected to block current from the power source to the opto-coupler during a positive half-cycle of the voltage of the power source until the voltage exceeds a breakdown voltage of the first diode, the opto-coupler transitioning from a first state to a second state responsive to current flow through the input side of the opto-coupler and providing a first output signal responsive to said transition, and transitioning from the second state to the first state responsive to the current ceasing to flow through the input side of the opto-coupler; a second opto-coupler providing a second output signal responsive to a zero-crossing of the voltage of the power source; a second diode connected to block current flow from the power source to the second opto-coupler during a negative half-cycle of the voltage; a solenoid adapted to be electrically coupled to the power source; and a control logic structured to determine an elapsed time between the first output signal and the second output signal, the control logic further structured to activate the solenoid at a duty-cycle corresponding to the elapsed time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A pump as in claim 10, further comprising memory having stored therein a first value corresponding to the elapsed time and a second value associated with the first value, wherein the control logic is structured to base the duty-cycle on the second value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A pump as in claim 10, wherein the duty-cycle is greater than 40% when the voltage is less than 140 VAC and is less than 40% when the voltage is greater than 140 VAC. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A pump as in claim 10, wherein the pump comprises a solenoid pump including a switch-mode power supply powering the control logic. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) A pump as in claim 10, wherein the first opto-coupler state transition corresponds to a voltage value of the power source exceeding a threshold amplitude which is greater than zero volts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) A pump as in claim 10, wherein the first opto-coupler includes an output contact configured to provide the first output signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) A pump as in claim 11, the control logic structured to activate the power switch at a time corresponding to the second value to operate the pump at the duty-cycle. ### Claim 17 A control circuit comprising: a first opto-coupler having an input positive contact and an input negative contact, the first opto-coupler changing output state responsive to current flowing from a power source through the input positive contact to the input negative contact; a second opto-coupler; a first diode adapted to be electrically coupled to the power source and being electrically coupled to the input positive contact of the first opto-coupler to activate and change the output state of the first opto-coupler in response to a voltage of the power source exceeding a breakdown voltage of the first diode during a positive half-cycle of the voltage, the first opto-coupler providing a first output signal responsive to said activation; a second diode coupled to activate the second opto-coupler in response to a zero-crossing of the voltage, the second opto-coupler providing a second output signal responsive to said activation; and control logic structured to activate a power switch at a duty-cycle based on an elapsed time between the first output signal and the second output signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A control circuit as in claim 17, wherein the first output signal and the second output signal are isolated from the voltage. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A pump as in claim 17, wherein the first output signal corresponds to a voltage value of the power source exceeding a threshold amplitude.