A method and apparatus for a pump control system. One or more embodiments of the invention include a pump controller that can perform a self-calibrating procedure, can provide precise motor speed control, can provide a limp mode before shutting down the motor when system parameters are exceeded and/or fault conditions occur, can detect fault conditions, and can store fault conditions for later retrieval.

Pump controller system and method

A plurality of spaced ceiling mounted fixtures or other controllable electrical appliances have radiation detectors mounted within each fixture and wired internally of the fixture to a dimming circuit or to a ballast. The radiation detectors have sensitivity over a wide angle and have elongated plastic radiation conduction rods which extend to or beyond the plane of the lens of the fixture to be located free of shadow effects of reflections of the fixture lens. A flexible end light fiber optics can be used in place of the acrylic rods. A narrow beam radiation transmitter selectively illuminates one of the rods or end light fiber optics without illuminating the others. The dimming circuits or ballasts within the fixtures can be further controlled by external dimmers, occupancy sensors, timeclocks, photosensors and other types of input devices. The radiation detector and ballast can occupy a common housing and share the same power supply and circuit board. The microcontroller for the radiation detector operates with a 4 of 4 voting mode until a valid signal is detected to switch the system to a 3 of 4 voting mode. A novel mounting adaptor for mounting a visible light fiber optic cable is disclosed with the visible light fiber optic cable conducting infrared radiation for up to 24 inches.

System for individual and remote control of spaced lighting fixtures

A programmable thermal sensor is implemented in an integrated circuit such as a microprocessor. The programmable thermal sensor monitors the temperature of the integrated circuit, and generates an output to indicate that the temperature of the integrated circuit has attained a pre-programmed threshold temperature. In a microprocessor implementation, the microprocessor contains a processor unit, an internal register, microprogram and clock circuitry. The microprogram writes programmable input values, corresponding to threshold temperatures, to the internal register. The programmable thermal sensor reads the programmable input values, and generates an interrupt when the temperature of the microprocessor reaches the threshold temperature. In addition to a programmable thermal sensor, the microprocessor contains a fail safe thermal sensor that halts operation of the microprocessor when the temperature attains a critical temperature.

Method and apparatus for programmable thermal sensor for an integrated circuit

In accordance with the present invention, deposition of LiCoO2 layers in a pulsed-dc physical vapor deposition process is presented. Such a deposition can provide a low-temperature, high deposition rate deposition of a crystalline layer of LiCoO2 with a desired or orientation. Some embodiments of the deposition addresses the need for high rate deposition of LiCoO2 films, which can be utilized as the cathode layer in a solid state rechargeable Li battery. Embodiments of the process according to the present invention can eliminate the high temperature (>700°C) anneal step that is conventionally needed to crystallize the LiCoO2 layer. Some embodiments of the process can improve a battery utilizing the LiCoO2 layer by utilizing a rapid thermal anneal process with short ramp rates.

Deposition of licoo2

The present invention relates to apparatus, compositions and methods of fabricating high performance thin-film batteries on metallic substrates, polymeric substrates, or doped or undoped silicon substrates by fabricating an appropriate barrier layer composed, for example, of barrier sublayers between the substrate and the battery part of the present invention thereby separating these two parts chemically during the entire battery fabrication process as well as during any operation and storage of the electrochemical apparatus during its entire lifetime. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention thin-film batteries fabricated onto a thin, flexible stainless steel foil substrate using an appropriate barrier layer that is composed of barrier sublayers have uncompromised electrochemical performance compared to thin-film batteries fabricated onto ceramic substrates when using a 700° C. post-deposition anneal process for a LiCoO 2 positive cathode.

Electrochemical Apparatus With Barrier Layer Protected Substrate

Disclosed is circuitry for controlling the flow of current from an AC source to a load and includes a bilateral semiconductor switch such as a semiconductor triac connected in parallel with the contacts of an electromechanical relay. The relay and triac are connected in series with the AC source and the load. Circuit means are connected between a gate electrode of the triac and circuit input terminals to which the AC source is connected and provides turn-on gate current for the triac prior to and during the closure of the electromechanical relay contacts to prevent effects of contact bounce. This circuit means also provides a sustaining or hold current to the triac subsequent to the opening of the relay contacts and thereby prevents contact arcing. The triac conducts before the relay contacts close and after the relay contacts open.

Relay circuits employing a triac to prevent arcing

MOSFET devices (82) or circuits (80) incorporating an improved substrate temperature sensing element (94) are obtained by forming a PN junction (J2) directly on a thin (gate) dielectric region (140). The temperature sense junction (J2) is desirably formed in a poly layer( 134). By mounting it directly on thin (gate) dielectric (140) its thermal response to temperature changes in the substrate (111) is improved while still being electrically isolated from the substrate (111). It is desirable to provide over-voltage protection elements (100) coupled to the junction (J2) to avoid rupture of the underlying thin dielectric (140). Because the sense diode (94) and all the over-voltage protection devices (102) may be made of poly (136,138,144) with junctions (J2) perpendicular to the substrate (111), the structure is particularly compact and simple to fabricate.

Semiconductor structure with closely coupled substrate temperature sense element

An improved semiconductor AC switch (30) is described having internal bias generation for the power MOSFET switches (40,42) and isolated control input (84). Dual power MOSFETS (40,42) with substrate diodes (46,48) are connected in series between source (32) and load (36). DC gate bias for the MOSFETS (40,42) is derived from an internal power supply (60,92,102) containing energy storage (68,72,98) which charges from the line, typically every half cycle. The gates (50,52) of the power MOSFETS (40,42) are tied to the internal bias generator (60,92,102) through a voltage divider network (58,62,114) containing a variable resistance (63,109) controlled by an optical input signal (82). The internal energy storage (68,72,98) may be a capacitor (68,72) or solid state battery (98), preferably a monolithic thick or thin film battery (98). No transformers or external control bias generators are required and the resulting switch is particularly simple and compact.

Semiconductor AC switch

MOSFET devices or circuits incorporating an improved substrate temperature sensing element are obtained by forming a PN junction directly on a thin (gate) dielectric region. The temperature sense junction is desirably formed in a poly layer. By mounting it directly on thin (gate) dielectric its thermal response to temperature changes in the substrate is improved while still being electrically isolated from the substrate. It is desirable to provide over-voltage protection elements coupled to the junction to avoid rupture of the underlying thin dielectric. Because the sense diode and all the over-voltage protection devices may be made of poly with junctions perpendicular to the substrate, the structure is particularly compact and simple to fabricate.

Process for forming a semiconductor structure with closely coupled substrate temperature sense element

A speed control circuit made by using CMOS processes is capable of handling high voltage and high current loads. The output of the speed control circuit is provided by a power field effect transistor. Current sensing means are provided to generate a fault signal in case an over current condition occurs. The junction temperature of the power field effect transistor is also monitored to provide an over temperature condition if the temperature of the junction of the power field effect transistor exceeds a predetermined value. A ramping generator is used to set a latch which controls the operation of the power field effect transistor. A speed control signal is compared against the ramping signal provided by the ramp generator and resets the latch in order to provide speed control.

Gary V. Fay

Papers

Relay circuits employing a triac to prevent arcing

Semiconductor structure with closely coupled substrate temperature sense element

Semiconductor AC switch

Process for forming a semiconductor structure with closely coupled substrate temperature sense element

Integrated circuit speed controller