Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Safety and protection of systems and devices – With specific circuit breaker or control structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-01
2001-04-17
Jackson, Stephen W. (Department: 2836)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Safety and protection of systems and devices
With specific circuit breaker or control structure
C361S018000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219217
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for an energy-saving operation of a control unit.
In order to save power, control units are operated in three different modes. In the active mode, the control unit carries out tasks and all functions are active. In a wait mode, the control unit does not carry out any tasks, but an internal timer is operated. In the wait mode, the control unit consumes less energy than in the active mode. The least energy is consumed in a sleep mode in which no activities whatsoever are active in the control unit, and the control unit has to be triggered by an external reset signal for the control unit to become active again.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method for the energy-saving operation of a control unit which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art methods of this general type.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for an energy-saving operation of a unit, which includes: changing a control unit from an active mode into a quiescent mode, the control unit consuming less current in the quiescent mode than in the active mode and there being no time base available in the control unit in the quiescent mode; feeding signals to the control unit from an external time base at predefined time intervals; and forming via the control unit the time base by counting the signals for determining time.
A significant advantage of the invention is that, in order to span a predefined time period, the control unit is in the sleep mode for as long as possible. Should the sleep mode no longer be possible, the control unit is operated in the wait mode for as long as possible. The control unit thus consumes relatively little energy.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, there are the steps of: feeding reset signals as the signals fed to the control unit by the external time base; switching the control unit into the active mode after the control unit receives the reset signal; counting in the control unit a number of received reset signals and subsequently changing back into the quiescent mode if the number of the received reset signals is lower than a predefined number during the active mode; changing the control unit to a wait mode if the number of the received reset signals is greater than the predefined number; starting an internal timer in the control unit during the wait mode; and switching via the internal timer the control unit into the active mode after expiry of a predefined residual time.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, there are the steps of determining with the control unit a number of the signals received from the external time base within a predefined time period, and determining with the control unit a residual time in which the predefined time period is longer than time passing during a reception of a previously determined number of the signals.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, there is the step of determining with the control unit a reset period defined as the time between a reception of two successive signals.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, there is the step of determining with the control unit a number of the signals received by the control unit during a predefined time period from the predefined time period and the reset period.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method for the energy-saving operation of a control unit, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5396635 (1995-03-01), Fung
patent: 5637932 (1997-06-01), Koreeda et al.
patent: 5875120 (1999-02-01), Matsushima
patent: 43 07 226 A1 (1993-09-01), None
patent: 0 140 814 A2 (1985-05-01), None
patent: 0 744 322 A2 (1996-11-01), None
patent: 2 235 797 (1991-03-01), None
Japanese Patent Abstract No. 09128985 (Yasunori), dated May 16, 1997.
Gabler Roland
Köberl Wolfgang
Obermaier Robert
Saloka Brian
Greenberg Laurence A.
Jackson Stephen W.
Lerner Herbert L.
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Stemer Werner H.
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