Patent ID: 7170732

Claim:
A surge protection delay device for enabling a current limiter for a predetermined load, the device comprising: means for determining a load over-current condition; and driven by said means for determining, means for delaying activation of said current limiter by a time period approximately equal to a predetermined surge current characteristic of the load, wherein said means for determining further comprises: circuitry for comparing a reference threshold signal to a signal indicative of real-time electrical current to the load; said means for delaying activation further comprising circuitry for determining expiration of a time period between onset of a signal indicative of the load over-current condition and a predetermined delay time period and for sending a signal enabling said current limiter only after said expiration; and said means for delaying activation further comprises: an oscillator having a oscillator output for providing a clocking signal; an OR gate having a first OR gate input connected to said oscillator output and an OR gate second input and an OR gate output; and a ripple counter having a first ripple counter input connected to said OR gate output for receiving said clocking signal and a second ripple counter input for receiving a first enabling signal indicative of said over-current condition and a ripple counter output connected for sending a second enabling signal to said OR gate second input and to said current limiter.