Patent ID: 6356038
Filing Date: 2002-03-12
Classification: H04M,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for switching AC power flow through and deriving a supply of DC power from one side of an AC power circuit, comprising the steps of:a) providing a gate-enabled thyristor for controlling switching of AC power flow through the circuit, said thyristor having ON and OFF states; b) deriving a source of constant DC voltage from said AC power flow from a small portion of every AC half cycle or full cycle which appears across said thyristor in each of said ON state thereof; and c) alternately, (i) enabling said thyristor into an ON state by providing a gate current pulse at a specified time dictated by a control unit at any time in said AC half or full cycle and after the deriving said DC voltage, and (ii) maintaining said thyristor in said OFF state by not providing gate current pulse thereto.