# US 10,374,601 B2 · Discrete input > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,601 B2 - Document ID: US10374601B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/586,748 - Filed: 2017-05-04 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-04 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: Christopher Blazer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374601B2 ## CPC - H03K 17/567: Circuits characterised by the use of more than one type of semiconductor device, e.g. BIMOS, composite devices such as IGBT - H03K 19/00: Logic circuits, i.e. having at least two inputs acting on one output (circuits for computer systems using fuzzy logic G06N7/02); Inverting circuits - H03K 19/017509: {Interface arrangements} - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract An input device includes an input line connected to a voltage divider node for connecting a load to the voltage divider node. A first switching component connects to the voltage divider node. A first resistor connects to the voltage divider node for connecting a first voltage source to the input line. A second resistor connects between the input line and the voltage divider node for limiting current to the load, wherein the first voltage source is also connected to the first switching component. A second switching component is operatively connected to the first switching component, wherein the second switching component is configured to connect an second voltage source to a logic device for discrete input to the logic device that is decoupled from voltage supplied to the input line by the first voltage source for providing logic high and low input regardless of voltage supplied by the first voltage source. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An input device comprising: an input line connected to a voltage divider node for connecting a load to the voltage divider node; a first switching component connected to the voltage divider node; a first resistor connected to the voltage divider node for connecting a first voltage source to the input line; a second resistor connected between the input line and the voltage divider node for limiting current to the load, wherein the first voltage source is also connected to the first switching component; and a second switching component operatively connected to the first switching component, wherein the second switching component is configured to connect a second voltage source to a logic device for discrete input to the logic device that is decoupled from voltage supplied to the input line by the first voltage source for providing logic high and low input regardless of voltage supplied by the first voltage source, wherein the first switching component includes a first transistor having a base, collector, and emitter, wherein the base of the first transistor is connected to the voltage divider node, wherein the collector is configured to be connected to ground, and wherein the emitter is configured to be connected to the first voltage source, and wherein the second switching component includes a second transistor having a base, collector, and emitter, wherein the base of the second transistor is connected to the collector of the first transistor, wherein the collector of the second transistor is configured to connect to the second voltage source, and wherein the emitter of the second transistor is configured to be connected to ground, wherein the logic device is operatively connected to the collector of the second transistor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The input device as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a sixth resistor connected to the collector of the second transistor for connecting the second voltage source to the second transistor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The input device as recited in claim 2, wherein the first and sixth resistors are configured to be connected to separate voltage sources from one another. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The input device as recited in claim 2, wherein the logic device is connected to the collector of the second transistor to register a logic high when the second transistor is open and to register a logic low when the second transistor is closed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The input device as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a third resistor connected to the collector of the first transistor for limiting the current through the first transistor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The input device as recited in claim 5, further comprising: a fourth resistor connected to the base of the first transistor to limit the base current for the first transistor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The input device as recited in claim 6, further comprising: a fifth resistor connected to the base of the second transistor to limit base current for the second transistor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The input device as recited in claim 7, further comprising: a sixth resistor connected to the collector of the second transistor for limiting the current through the second transistor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The input device as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a first diode connected to the input line to block unwanted voltage inputs and/or lightning transients. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The input device as recited in claim 9, further comprising: a second diode connected to the collector of the first transistor to block negative lightning events. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The input device as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a capacitor connecting the collector of the second transistor to ground to add a switching delay to the logic device. ### Claim 12 An input device comprising: an input line connected to a voltage divider node for connecting a load to the voltage divider node; a first switching component connected to the voltage divider node; a first resistor connected to the voltage divider node for connecting a first voltage source to the input line; a second resistor connected between the input line and the voltage divider node for limiting current to the load, wherein the first voltage source is also connected to the first switching component; and a second switching component operatively connected to the first switching component, wherein the second switching component is configured to connect a second voltage source to a logic device for discrete input to the logic device that is decoupled from voltage supplied to the input line by the first voltage source for providing logic high and low input regardless of voltage supplied by the first voltage source, wherein the first voltage source is operatively connected to the first resistor and the second voltage source separate from the first voltage source operatively connected to the second switching component. ### Claim 13 An input device comprising: an input line connected to a voltage divider node for connecting a load to the voltage divider node; a first switching component connected to the voltage divider node; a first resistor connected to the voltage divider node for connecting a first voltage source to the input line; a second resistor connected between the input line and the voltage divider node for limiting current to the load, wherein the first voltage source is also connected to the first switching component; and a second switching component operatively connected to the first switching component, wherein the second switching component is configured to connect a second voltage source to a logic device for discrete input to the logic device that is decoupled from voltage supplied to the input line by the first voltage source for providing logic high and low input regardless of voltage supplied by the first voltage source, wherein the load is operatively connected to the input line of the input device.