Patent ID: 9732736
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: F03G,H02N

Claim:
1. A system for controlling an active material actuator, comprising: a power supply configured to supply electrical power; a control circuitry including a plurality of circuits and configured to selectively establish an electrical connection between the active material actuator and the power supply upon receipt of an activation signal, the active material actuator being configured to actuate when energized; and wherein the control circuitry is configured to de-energize at least one of the plurality of circuits when no activation signal is received by the control circuitry in order to minimize parasitic current drawn from the power supply; wherein the plurality of circuits includes a voltage sensing circuit configured to measure a voltage potential of the electrical power supplied by the power supply, the voltage sensing circuit being configured to de-energize when no activation signal is received by the control circuitry; and wherein the voltage sensing circuit includes a low on-resistance solid state switch configured to selectively disconnect the voltage sensing circuit from the power supply when no activation signal is received by the control circuitry.