(19)
(11) EP 2 017 870 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
05.08.2009 Bulletin 2009/32

(43) Date of publication A2:
21.01.2009 Bulletin 2009/04

(21) Application number: 07110554.8

(22) Date of filing: 19.06.2007
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
H01H 59/00(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL BA HR MK RS

(71) Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Schenectady, NY 12345 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Premerlani, William James
    Scotia, NY 12302 (US)
  • Subramanian, Kanakasabapathi
    Clifton Park, NY 12065 (US)
  • Keimel, Christopher
    Schenectady, NY 12309 (US)
  • Park, John N.
    Rexford, NY 12148 (US)
  • Achuthan, Ajit
    Schenectady, NY 12309 (US)
  • Wang, Wensen
    Clifton Park, NY 12065 (US)
  • Wright, Joshua Isaac
    Arlington, VA 22201 (US)
  • Korosi, Kristina Margaret
    Jacksonville, FL 32256 (US)
  • Basavaraj, Somashekhar
    Hebbal Kempapura, 560024, Bangalore (IN)

(74) Representative: Bedford, Grant Richard 
GE London Patent Operation
15 John Adam Street London WC2N 6LU
15 John Adam Street London WC2N 6LU (GB)

   


(54) Micro-electromechanical system based soft switching


(57) A system (10) is presented. The system (10) includes detection circuitry (14) configured to detect occurrence of a zero crossing of an alternating source voltage (36) or an alternating load current (42). The system also includes switching circuitry (12) coupled to the detection circuitry (14) and comprising a micro-electromechanical system switch (20). Additionally, the system (10) includes control circuitry (16) coupled to the detection circuitry (14) and the switching circuitry (12) and configured to perform arc-less switching of the micro-electromechanical system switch (20) responsive to a detected zero crossing of an alternating source voltage (36) or alternating load current (42).







Search report