# US 8,570,699 B2 · Relayless and fuseless junction box > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,570,699 B2 - Document ID: US8570699B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/907,963 - Filed: 2005-04-22 - Published: 2006-10-26 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-04-22 - Assignees: Lear Corporation - Applicants: Chadi Shaya; Jeffrey Battistella - Inventors: Chadi Shaya; Jeffrey Battistella - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570699B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/0822: {in field-effect transistor switches} - H03K 2017/0806: {against excessive temperature} - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A relayless and fuseless junction box or power distribution unit. The junction box configured to perform operations associated with fuses and relays without the short-comings associated with the operations thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A relayless and fuseless junction box configured to distribute power to at least one output as a function of signals received from one or more inputs, the box comprising: at least one switch associated with at least one output, each switch configured to open and close in response to control signals communicated thereto so as to control power distribution to the associated output; a processor in communication with each switch to control switch opening and closing as a function of the signals received from the one or more inputs; a sensor associated with each switch for sensing switch operating conditions, the sensors being separate from the processor and configured for opening the associated switch if the switch operating conditions are above a threshold, the sensors controlling switch opening independently of processor switch controls; and wherein current is one of the operating conditions sensed by the sensors and wherein the sensors are configured to automatically adjust the threshold as a function of the sensed current. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The junction box of claim 1 wherein the sensors are embedded on the switches. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The junction box of claim 1 wherein the switches, sensors, and processor are mounted on a printed circuit board and wherein the printed circuit board is relayless and fuseless. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The junction box of claim 1 wherein the processor includes current control logic for controlling switch opening as a function of sensed current operating conditions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The junction box of claim 4 wherein the current control logic is configured to determine whether current sensed by one or more of the sensors is greater than a current threshold and to open the switches if the sensed current is greater than the current threshold associated therewith. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The junction box of claim 5 wherein the current control logic is further configured to diagnosis over current conditions, the over current conditions being determined if the sensed current is greater than the current threshold associated with the switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The junction box of claim 6 wherein the current control logic is configured to determine a diagnosis code for the diagnosed over current conditions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The junction box of claim 5 wherein the current control logic is configured to test continued operation of switches associated with over current conditions, the over current conditions being determined if the sensed current is greater than the current threshold associated with the switch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The junction box of claim 8 wherein the current control logic is configured to test continued switch operation as a function of the previously determined over current condition. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The junction box of claim 1 wherein the processor includes temperature control logic for controlling switch opening as a function of sensed temperatures. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The junction box of claim 10 wherein the temperature control logic is configured to determine whether temperature sensed by one or more of the sensors is greater than a temperature threshold and to open the switches if the sensed temperature is greater than the temperature threshold associated therewith. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The junction box of claim 11 wherein the temperature control logic is further configured to diagnosis over temperature conditions, the over temperature conditions being determined if the sensed temperature is greater than the temperature threshold associated with the switch. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The junction box of claim 12 wherein the temperature control logic is configured to determine a diagnosis code for the diagnosed over temperature conditions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The junction box of claim 11 wherein the temperature control logic is configured to test continued operation of switches associated with over temperature conditions, the over current conditions being determined if the sensed temperature is greater than the temperature threshold associated with the switch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The junction box of claim 14 wherein the temperature control logic is configured to test continued switch operation as a function of the previously determined over temperature condition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The junction box of claim 1 wherein the sensors are configured to sense temperature and to open the associated switch independently of processor switch controls if the sensed temperature is greater than the threshold, wherein the sensors are configured to adjust the temperature threshold according to the sensed current. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The junction box of claim 1 wherein the sensors are configured to close the associated switch as a function of the switch operating conditions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The junction box of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to program the switch operating conditions used by the sensors to open the associated switch independently of processor switch opening. ### Claim 19 A method of operating a relayless and fuseless junction box configured to distribute power to at least one output as a function of signals received by one or more inputs, the method comprising: controlling at least one switch to distribute power to at least one output as a function of signals received by the one or more inputs; determining a fault condition for at least one switch as a function of operating conditions associated therewith; opening the switch associated with the fault condition, the switch opening overriding control of the switch by the one or more inputs; and testing continued operation of the switch associated with the fault condition, the testing including incrementally reducing power distributed to the faulted switch until persistence of the fault condition ceases. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising closing the switch to allow continued operation of the switch and reduced power distribution to the output once persistence of the fault condition ceases. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising incrementally reducing power distributed to the faulted switch by modulating opening and closing of the faulted switch. ### Claim 22 A relayless and fuseless junction box configured to distribute power to one or more outputs, the junction box comprising: a switch associated with each output, the switches having an open and closed state such that switch opening and closing is controllable to control power distributed to the associated outputs; a processor configured to control switch opening and closing; a sensor associated with each switch for sensing switch operating conditions, the sensors configured to override processor controlled switch closing as a function of the sensed switch operating conditions; and wherein the processor is configured to determine the sensor override of processor controlled switch closing, and in response thereto, to reduce power distribution of the associated switch until the switch operating conditions allow the sensor to cease overriding the processor controlled switch closing. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The junction box of claim 22 wherein the processor reduces the power distribution of the switch associated with the sensor override by modulating switch opening and closing.