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...that after Walter Hunt patented the safety pin in 1849, he sold the rights to it for $400?
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8159800 | Semiconductor device In a semiconductor device, low-level signals are output from a terminal voltage detecting circuit when the connection between an external terminal and a resistor is cut off, or when the connection between the resistor and a ground voltage is cut off, or when the ext... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8098470 | Protection unit for an AC/DC low-voltage power supply line Protection unit for an AC or DC low-voltage power supply line, comprising means for detecting the current circulating in one or more power supply line conductor(s) and at least first electronic protection means operatively coupled to a circuit breaker with at least ... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8050005 | Automatic function with selectable fuse rating for single fuses and fuse panels A programmable fuse and fuse panel are described. Unlike conventional fuses and fuse panels, the trip values of the fuses of the panel—i.e., the current values at which the fuse trips—are field programmable. One of many advantages includes the ability to adaptiv... | 11/01/2011 |
| 7974059 | Power supply apparatus, power supply apparatus control method A power supply apparatus comprises a current limiting unit connected in series between a power source and a power supply circuit that limits output current of the power source; a first switch connected in series with the current limiting unit; a second switch connec... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7957115 | Drive circuit of voltage driven element A protection circuit is installed between a gate terminal (a control terminal) and an emitter terminal (a ground terminal) of a voltage driven element generally called a power device. The protection circuit is structured as a duplex protection system in which a firs... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7944665 | Control and protection system for an output of automation equipment An electric control and protection system for an output channel of automation equipment, the output channel being capable of controlling an electrical load as a function of a control signal from the automation equipment, the control and protection system including: ... | 05/17/2011 |
| 7821756 | Power supply apparatus, power supply apparatus control method A power supply apparatus comprises a current limiting unit connected in series between a power source and a power supply circuit that limits output current of the power source; a first switch connected in series with the current limiting unit; a second switch connec... | 10/26/2010 |
| 7813097 | Apparatus and method for detecting an error in a power signal An error detection apparatus for detecting an error in a power signal output by an external device switchable by a switching signal has a comparing unit for comparing the power signal with a reference signal to yield a comparison signal, a switching unit for providi... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7692911 | Arrangement for protection of electronic components In devices for producing strong current high power impulses, the electronic components, which include passive components including capacitors and/or switch elements, including semi-conductor switches, diodes or similar elements, need to be protected against overcurr... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7656634 | Increasing the system stability and lightning capability in a power distribution system that utilizes solid-state power controllers An apparatus, and a method of controlling a solid state power controller (“SSPC”) selectively allows a current through a solid state power control switch in response to the current in a plurality of SSPCS exceeding at least one threshold. A microprocessor module... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7639468 | Circuit for load current measurement, limitation and switching There is described a circuit for measuring, limiting and switching a load current on a load. To achieve a circuit of this type with a high degree of accuracy in the current measurement and with a low dispersion range, it is proposed that a measurement current is gen... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7609498 | Inverted circuit overcurrent protection device and hybrid integrated circuit device with the same incorporated An inverter circuit overcurrent protection device in which an overcurrent detection resistor (Rs) is incorporated in a hybrid integrated circuit, in which a detection voltage from the overcurrent detection resistor (Rs) is divided by voltage dividing resistors (R | 10/27/2009 |
| 7602595 | Semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes a switching element outputting from a sense terminal a sense current at a fixed rate relative to a main current flowing in the switching element; a sense resistor connected at a first end to the sense terminal and to ground at a secon... | 10/13/2009 |
| 7477502 | Method and system for providing fault protection in a power supply system A power supply system includes a power supply; a load coupled to the power supply via a power supply line to receive a voltage therefrom; and a circuit protection device. The circuit protection device includes at least one switch device coupled between the power sup... | 01/13/2009 |
| 7463469 | System and method for current overload response with class D topology A system and method for responding to a current overload condition in a power switch provides a class D topology that applies a current sink or current source to the gate of the power switch. The current sink or source decreases or increases current flowing through ... | 12/09/2008 |
| 7436225 | Semiconductor device having output transistor and current control circuit A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having first and second pads; an output transistor; and a current control circuit having first and second resistors, a control signal generation circuit, first and second switching circuits. The first or sec... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7430101 | Overvoltage protection of a frequency converter An overvoltage protection system for the intermediate circuit of frequency converter, said frequency converter being a voltage-controlled PWM-frequency converter comprising an uncontrolled mains bridge (10) to be connected to an alternating-current source (U | 09/30/2008 |
| 7408755 | Advanced inrush/transient current limit and overload/short circuit protection method and apparatus for DC voltage power supply The present invention provides a single circuit that may have multiple protection functions for a DC voltage power supply. The present invention may include separate circuit modules that are employed individually, or in various combinations. These separate circuit m... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7400482 | Circuit breaker and method for sensing current indirectly from bimetal voltage and determining bimetal temperature and corrected temperature dependent bimetal resistance A circuit breaker includes a bimetal electrically connected in series with separable contacts, and an operating mechanism structured to open and close the contacts. A temperature sensor distal from the bimetal includes an output having an ambient temperature signal.... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7372218 | Open protection circuit for backlight module An open protection circuit (300) for a backlight module includes a PWM (350) with a control port (351) to disable the PWM. A switch (371) has a gate and a source connected to the control port. A plurality of first input circuits (330 | 05/13/2008 |
| 7369385 | Overload limiting circuit An overload current limiting circuit includes an output control circuit responsive to a logic input signal for generating a control signal for driving an output device to produce at an output terminal a signal representative of the logic input signal; and a sense ci... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7358686 | Method and device for driving a gas discharge lamp A method for dimming a gas discharge lamp, such as an HID lamp including an MH lamp, includes operating the lamp at nominal power with commutating DC current having a current magnitude IL=αInom, α being equal to 1 or less than 1. The current ... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7342761 | Apparatus and method for limiting application of electrical power to a load The application of electric power from a power source to a load is controlled by detecting the magnitude of electric current flowing to the load and producing a first signal level that is indicative of that magnitude. The first signal level is compared to a referenc... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7339773 | Method for driving a semiconductor switch and circuit configuration with a semiconductor switch A method for driving a semiconductor switch with load current limiting and thermal protection whose maximum load current is limited and which switches off when a predetermined upper temperature is exceeded and switches on again when a predetermined lower temperature... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7336122 | Low power high side current monitor which operates at high voltages and method therefor A low power high side current monitor has an input terminal and a load terminal. A current sensing element is coupled to the input terminal and the load terminal. A first resistor is coupled to the input terminal. A first pair of transistors is coupled together and ... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7333313 | Multiplexed temperature sensing circuit for HID lamp ballast A temperature sensing circuit for a ballast for a HID lamp multiplexes the temperature measurement function with another function to reduce the number of pins required for the temperature measurement function performed by the microcontroller of the ballast. The circ... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7330063 | Circuit arrangement for limiting a ringing current A circuit arrangement for bidirectional current limiting comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, a first resistor, a first zener diode and a second zener diode. The first transistor comprises a first controllable path and a first control terminal and the ... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7327543 | Method and device for switching a semi-conductor circuit breaker The invention relates to a method for switching a semi-conductor circuit breaker by means of which the resistance of the breaker gap of the semi-conductor circuit breaker is controlled by a control voltage (Vst), such that the power loss (Pist) from the circuit brea... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7321102 | Float switch transient suppression device A float switch system for limiting to desirable levels current and energy entering a tank of combustible liquid comprises: a float switch disposed within the tank; an interface circuit external to the tank and coupled through wiring to the float switch; a passive tr... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7317400 | Self light emitting type display module, electronic appliance loaded with the same module and verification method of faults in the same module Reverse bias voltage VM is applied to any one of self light emitting elements arranged on a light emitting panel 1 under detection mode. Current corresponding to weak current flowing to the element is supplied to a transistor Q3 by the operation of a c... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7304828 | Intelligent solid state relay/breaker A solid-state relay/breaker that can replace mechanical units to control any type of AC or DC load. Power MOSFETs or other transistors control a load current. A bypass current sensing path monitors MOSFET current and causes a shutdown through signal processing in th... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7286332 | Apparatus for protecting bicycle electrical components An electrical control apparatus comprises a current sensor and a current inhibiting circuit that inhibits current flow between first and second terminals of a bicycle dynamo when current sensed by the current sensor is below a selected value. ... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7280335 | Protection circuit and method for protecting a switch from a fault A protection circuit for protecting a switch from a fault includes a first sensing circuit and a second sensing circuit. The first sensing circuit senses a low-side load current through a switch that includes a first terminal, a second terminal and a control termina... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7268992 | Power supply with disconnect fuse A power supply in which a feed voltage (Us) is guided through at least one longitudinal branch to at least one output, the at least one branch having a disconnect fuse formed as a controlled semiconductor switch (SW1) and a monitoring unit (UWE) be... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7259951 | Semiconductor device A semiconductor device comprises an output transistor for controlling current that flows between a first terminal and a second terminal, a detection transistor connected in parallel with the output transistor, a detection resistor connected in series with the detect... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7250794 | Voltage source converter A voltage source converter with a line-side diode rectifier, a load-side inverter with an electronic circuit, a power supply for the electronic circuit, and a slim DC link with a DC link capacitor is described. The slim DC link connects a DC output side of the line-... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7242563 | Reverse phase control power switching circuit with overload protection In one embodiment of the invention, a reverse phase control power switching circuit for controlling the flow of current through a load from an AC source comprises a sensing bridge in series with the load and the AC source. The conductive state of the sensing bridge ... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7236338 | System and method for remotely detecting and locating faults in a power system A system and method are provided for remotely detecting and locating faults in a power system. The system includes at least one slave controller and at least one supplemental protection module. The slave controller is disposed proximate at least one load and electri... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7233462 | Voltage regulator having overcurrent protection circuit An overcurrent protection circuit for a voltage regulator has a first transistor having a gate for connection to a gate of an output transistor of the voltage regulator, a resistor connected to a drain of the first transistor, an output voltage detecting transistor ... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7228442 | Method and systems for a radiation tolerant bus interface circuit A bus management tool that allows communication to be maintained between a group of nodes operatively connected on two busses in the presence of radiation by transmitting periodically a first message from one to another of the nodes on one of the busses, determining... | 06/05/2007 |
