1. A parasitic power supply adapted to steal power from a multi-lamp traffic signal and supply power to an auxiliary device, comprising:
input connections from the respective incoming power lines of each of the lamps in said traffic signal, and from the common neutral of said lamps;
a plurality of redundant power supplies, one for each of said lamps in said signal, said power supplies further comprising switches for isolating them from one another;
a microcontroller configured to monitor the state of said traffic signal and actuate said isolation switches to engage a particular power supply when its respective signal lamp is receiving power;
output connections from said power supplies configured to deliver power to said auxiliary device; and,
an energy storage device connected to said outputs of said redundant power supplies.
2. The parasitic power supply of claim 1 wherein said traffic signal comprises at least two lamps, wherein at least one of said lamps is normally illuminated at any one time.
3. The parasitic power supply of claim 1 wherein each of said redundant power supplies comprises a device selected from the group consisting of: linear power supplies and switching power supplies.
4. The parasitic power supply of claim 1 wherein each of said redundant power supplies further comprises an output regulator.
5. The parasitic power supply of claim 1 wherein said isolating switches comprise devices selected from the group consisting of: SCRs; TRIACs; power MOSFETs; half-bridge rectifiers; and mechanical relays.
6. The parasitic power supply of claim 1 wherein said energy storage device is selected from the group consisting of: capacitors and batteries.
7. The parasitic power supply of claim 1 wherein said microcontroller delays the actuation of each of said isolation switches for a selected time interval after its respective signal lamp is energized.
8. The parasitic power supply of claim 7 wherein said selected time interval is in the range from about 0.25 to 1.0 second.
9. A traffic signal having an onboard parasitic power supply, comprising:
a substantially rigid housing;
at least two signal lamps contained within said housing, said lamps configured to be illuminated independently;
a parasitic power supply integral with said housing, said power supply comprising a plurality of redundant power supplies, one for each of said lamps in said signal, said power supplies further comprising switches for isolating them from one another, output connections from said power supplies configured to deliver power to said auxiliary device, an energy storage device connected to said outputs of said redundant power supplies, input power connections from each of said signal lamps and from the common neutral of said lamps, and a microcontroller configured to monitor the state of said traffic signal and actuate said isolation switches to engage a particular power supply when its respective signal lamp is receiving power; and,
output connections from said parasitic power supply configured to supply power to an auxiliary device.
10. The traffic signal of claim 9 wherein said isolating switches comprise devices selected from the group consisting of: SCRs; TRIACs; power MOSFETs; half-bridge rectifiers; and mechanical relays.
11. The traffic signal of claim 9 wherein said microcontroller delays the actuation of each of said isolation switches for a selected time interval after its respective signal lamp is energized.
12. The traffic signal of claim 11 wherein said selected time interval is in the range from about 0.25 to 1.0 second.
13. An electronic device configured to interface with a traffic signal head and draw power therefrom, comprising:
input connections adapted to be connected to the respective power circuits of each lamp in said signal head and to their common neutral;
a functional device configured to perform a selected electronic function; and,
a parasitic power supply configured to receive power from the respective lamp circuits and provide power to said functional device, said parasitic power supply comprising:
a plurality of redundant power supplies, one for each of said lamps in said signal, said power supplies further comprising switches for isolating them from one another;
a microcontroller configured to monitor the state of said traffic signal and actuate said isolation switches to engage a particular power supply when its respective signal lamp is receiving power; and,
an energy storage device connected to said outputs of said redundant power supplies.
14. The device of claim 13 wherein said microcontroller delays the actuation of each of said isolation switches for a selected time interval after its respective signal lamp is energized.
15. The device of claim 13 wherein said functional device comprises a device selected from the group consisting of: video sensors; chemical, biological, and radiological sensors; radar and other speed measurement devices; RF transmitters and receivers; and, audio annunciators and alarms.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A calorie control apparatus for calculating and controlling the calorie intake by entering a name of food ingested, comprising:
a voice input unit;
a memory unit;
a voice recognition unit; and
a control unit, whereby said voice input unit enters a voice signal, said memory unit stores the calorie value per a unit amount of each of foods, said voice recognition unit identifies the name of food on the basis of the voice signal entered, and said control unit calculates the calorie intake on the basis of the calorie value per a unit amount of the food stored in the memory unit corresponding to the food name identified.
2. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 1 in which it further comprises a manual input unit and in which said manual input unit enters the name of food ingested by the way other than by the voice signal.
3. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 2 in which said manual input unit is of pen touch type.
4. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 3 in which it further comprises a pen storage portion and in which said pen storage portion receives a pen that is used for touching to the manual input unit.
5. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 or 4 in which in response to unsuccessful identification of the food name by the voice recognition unit switching to the manual input unit from the voice recognition unit is effected for inputting the food name.
6. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 5 in which in response to unsuccessful identification of the food name by the voice recognition unit continuing several times switching to the manual input unit from the voice recognition unit is effected for inputting the food name.
7. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 1 or 3 in which it further comprises a display unit and in which said memory unit stores information about the voice signal for each of the food names; said voice recognition unit has a function of comparing the voice signal entered with the information about the voice signal for each of the food names stored in the memory unit and of determining a degree of matching therebetween; and said display unit displays the food name that has higher degree of matching as determined by the voice recognition unit under the control of said control unit.
8. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 6 in which said display unit displays a plurality of the food names having higher degree of matching as determined by the voice recognition unit, among which the correct food name can be selected.
9. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 6 or 8 in which said memory unit stores a history of the foods ingested in the past and in which a specific food name is selected from among those having higher degree of matching as determined by the voice recognition unit on the basis of the history of the foods ingested in the past stored in the memory unit for displaying it on the display unit.
10. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 7 or 8 or 9 in which said display unit displays total calories for all the foods ingested and each calorie for each of the foods ingested.
11. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 7 in which in response to unsuccessful identification of the food name by the voice recognition unit an error message on said display unit is changed depending upon the condition of the voice signal.
12. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 7 in which it further comprises a cover and in which said cover acts to cover said display unit.
13. A calorie control apparatus according to claim 12 in which said cover is molded from a transparent material.