Patent ID: 8467164

Claim:
A system for controlling power to an electrical load, the system comprising: a relay disposed between a power supply and the electrical load for controlling supply power from the power supply to the electrical load; and a processor logically coupled to the relay, the processor programmed for: determining an activation switching point for activating the relay, the activation switching point comprising a time with respect to a voltage waveform of the supply power whereby inrush current resulting from activating the relay is minimized, wherein determining the activation switching point further comprises selectively activating the relay at a first plurality of times with respect to the voltage waveform, receiving an indication of an amount of inrush current resulting from each relay activation, determining a timing corresponding to a least amount of inrush current, and selecting the timing corresponding to the least amount of inrush current as the activation switching point; monitoring the voltage waveform; and activating the relay at the activation switching point in response to a determination by the processor that the relay should be activated.