Electronic latching circuit

Abstract

An electronic latching circuit is described for incorporation into an electronic equipment which includes a battery, a load and a power supply. During shipment or storage of the equipment, the electronic latching circuit electrically isolates the battery from the load. The first time that the equipment is put into operation and turned on after shipment or storage, the electronic latching circuit automatically permanently connects the battery to the load. Once connected to the load the battery remains connected to the load, even when the equipment has a power failure, the power supply fails or the equipment is turned off. In a preferred embodiment the electronic latching circuit comprises: switching means for electrically isolating the battery from the load when the switching means is disabled and for connecting the battery to the load when the switching means is enabled; and input means connected to the battery and to the switching means for disabling the switching means until the power supply is initially energized and being responsive to the initial energization of the power supply for permanently enabling the switching means to connect the battery to the load.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.