Patent ID: 7547990

Claim:
A backup power system for supplying electrical power in the event of primary power failure to one and only one of a plurality of household appliances at a time, said plurality of appliances each receiving power in a predetermined sequence under the direction of an automated control system, comprising: at least one battery; an inverter for converting a DC voltage of said battery to an AC voltage for supplying said backup power; voltage sensing circuitry for measuring said DC voltage level of said battery; current sensing circuitry for detecting and measuring each individual one of a plurality of current flows to each said appliances; a battery charger for recharging said battery; a visual display of a charge level of said battery; a power interface comprising a plurality of relays such that each one and only one of said relays is electrically connected to one and only one of said appliances at a time; and control and timing circuitry implementing a predetermined operation of said backup power system; wherein said predetermined operation comprises: supplying backup power to each said appliance for a respective individually programmable dwell time; controlling respective said relays to disconnect a first said appliance from said battery before a second said appliance is connected; determining if load current for each appliance is within predetermined parameters; controlling said relays to omit a said appliance if said load current demand is less than a predetermined level; and controlling a said relay to disconnect said backup power from a corresponding said appliance that is drawing excessive current.