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US 2018/0323612 A1Published application
Methods of obtaining reliable operation from unreliable power sources
OwnerLouis Alvin Lippincottinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and circuits are disclosed to allow reliable and predictable operation from unreliable and unpredictable power sources. Methods and circuits for using solar panels without batteries or large storage capacitors to power computing devices are disclosed. In addition, a birdhouse using a Wi-Fi video and audio camera powered with a solar panel is described.
Claims12
1) An electronic power control circuit comprising of:
- a) a path for current through at least one dummy load that is separate from a path for current through at least one functional load, wherein said path for current through said dummy load is active until a predetermined amount of power is consumed by said dummy load;
- b) a said path for current through a said functional load that is separate from a said path for current through a said dummy load wherein said path for current through a said functional load is inactive until a predetermined amount of power is consumed by said dummy load;
- c) a power threshold detector that controls said path for current through a said dummy load and said path for current through a said functional load, wherein said power threshold detector turns on said path for current through a said functional load while turning off said path for current through a said dummy load when a predetermined power threshold is met;
- d) and a said power threshold detector that controls said path for current through a said dummy load and said path for current through a said functional load, wherein said power threshold detector turns off said path for current through a said functional load while turning on said path for current through a said dummy load when a predetermined power threshold is no longer met.
1 more element
5) An electronic power control circuit comprising of:
- a) a path for current through at least one dummy load that is separate from a path for current through at least one functional load, wherein said path for current through said dummy load is active until a predetermined amount of power is consumed by said dummy load;
- b) a said path for current through a said functional load that is separate from a said path for current through said dummy load wherein said path for current through said functional load is inactive until a predetermined amount of power is consumed by said dummy load;
- c) a power threshold detector that controls said path for current through said dummy load and said path for current through said functional load, wherein said power threshold detector turns on said path for current through said functional load while turning off said path for current through said dummy load when a predetermined power threshold is met;
- d) a said power threshold detector that controls said path for current through said dummy load and said path for current through said functional load, wherein said power threshold detector turns off said path for current through said functional load while turning on said path for current through said dummy load when a predetermined power threshold is no longer met;
- e) wherein said dummy load is a solid state current sink.
2 more elements
9) An electronic power control circuit comprising of:
- a) a path for current through at least one dummy load that is separate from a path for current through at least one functional load, wherein said path for current through said dummy load is active until a predetermined amount of cumulative power is consumed by said dummy load and said functional load;
- b) a said path for current through said functional load that is separate from said path for current through said dummy load wherein said path for current through said functional load is also active, wherein said functional load is held inactive via a separate control signal from a power threshold detector until a predetermined amount of cumulative power is consumed by said dummy load and said functional load;
- c) a said power threshold detector that controls said path for current through said dummy load, wherein said power threshold detector turns off said path for current through said dummy load when a predetermined power threshold is met and said functional load is activated via said separate control signal from said power threshold detector;
- d) and said power threshold detector that controls said path for current through said dummy load and said separate control signal to said functional load, wherein said power threshold detector turns off said separate control signal to deactivate said functional load while turning on said path for current through said dummy load when a predetermined power threshold is no longer met.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.