Power disturbance detection circuit and method
AssigneeThomson Licensing
InventorBrian Albert Wittman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for detecting disturbances in an alternating current (AC) supply. A method includes a step of indicating a relationship between supplied AC voltage and a threshold voltage for at least a portion of each cycle of the supplied AC voltage. A circuit for detecting disturbances in supplied alternating current (AC) is provided. The circuit includes a threshold detector coupled to a source of supplied AC. The threshold detector provides a signal indicating a relationship of the supplied AC levels to a threshold level for at least a portion of each cycle of the supplied AC.
Claims10
A method for detecting disturbances in an alternating current (AC) supply input of an electronic device, comprising the steps of;
- providing a signal indicating a relationship between at least a portion of each cycle of a supplied AC input waveform and a threshold value;
- continuously detecting whether said supplied AC input waveform exceeds said threshold value, said signal indicating an undisturbed AC input waveform condition at said supply input when said supplied AC input waveform exceeds said threshold value, and said signal indicating an occurrence of a disturbed AC input waveform condition at said supply input when said supplied AC input does not exceed said threshold value;
- and
- initiating at least one action based upon at least one occurrence of when said signal indicates said disturbed AC input waveform condition exists at said supply input before regulated voltages of a regulated power supply of the electronic device fall below regulated tolerance limits.
A circuit for detecting disturbances in supplied alternating current (AC) provided to an electronic device, comprising:
- a threshold detector having a supply input coupled to a source of said supplied AC;
- said threshold detector having an output providing a signal indicating a relationship of said supplied AC levels to a threshold level for at least a portion of each cycle of said supplied AC, said signal indicating an undisturbed AC input waveform condition at said supply input when said supplied AC level exceeds said threshold value, and said signal indicating at least one occurrence of a disturbed AC input waveform condition at said supply input when said supplied AC level does not exceed said threshold value;
- a signal detector coupled to said threshold detector;
- and
- said signal detector providing a decision based upon said signal indicating said occurrence of said disturbed AC input waveform condition at said supply input before regulated voltages of a regulated power supply of the electronic device fall below regulated tolerance limits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.