# US 11,079,409 B2 · Assembly with at least two redundant analog input units for a measurement current > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,409 B2 - Document ID: US11079409B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/089,779 - Filed: 2017-03-28 - Published: 2020-10-01 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-30 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Willi Maier; Norbert Rottmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079409B2 ## CPC - G01R 15/146: {Measuring arrangements for current not covered by other subgroups of G01R15/14, e.g. using current dividers, shunts, or measuring a voltage drop (if no voltage isolation is involved G01R1/203 or G01R19/0092)} - G05B 19/0423: {Input/output} - G01R 1/203: {Resistors used for electric measuring, e.g. decade resistors standards, resistors for comparators, series resistors, shunts (resistors in general H01C; microwave or radiowave terminations H01P1/26; coupling devices H01R)} - G01R 15/002: {Switches for altering the measuring range or for multitesters} - G01R 15/04: Voltage dividers - G01R 19/16571: {comparing AC or DC current with one threshold, e.g. load current, over-current, surge current or fault current (G01R19/16514, G01R19/16519, G01R19/16528, G01R19/16533, G01R19/1659 take precedence; measuring currents by using elements sensitive to the magnetic field generated G01R15/14; measuring earth resistance G01R27/18; testing for leakage or short circuits in electrical apparatus G01R31/52)} - G05B 2219/21123: Impedance matching - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract At least two redundant analog input units for a measurement current have analog inputs which are connected in parallel and upon which voltage measuring devices directly lie to convert respectively applied voltages into a digital measurement value, wherein in order to detect errors, in particular in order to detect wire breakage, each analog input unit compares its generated measurement value with a threshold and outputs an error message if a measurement value is detected that falls below the threshold, where if the analog input of the analog input unit is in the low-resistance state, then the at least one other analog input unit is additionally caused to assume a current-measuring function and switch the analog input of the analog input unit to a low-resistance state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly with at least two redundant analog input units for a measurement current, comprising: parallel-connected analog entry points for the measurement current, and comprising for each parallel-connected analog entry point: a current-measuring resistor; a voltage-measuring device with a high-ohmic voltage-measuring entry point for converting a voltage applied to the voltage-measuring entry point into a digital measurement value; a digital output for outputting the digital measurement value; and a controllable switching device for switching the analog entry point between a high-ohmic state and a low-ohmic state, the current-measuring resistor being situated at both the analog entry point and the high-ohmic voltage-measuring entry point in the low-ohmic state, and the at least two redundant analog input units being connected together via a communication connection and being configured to select one of the analog input units, which switches its analog entry point into the low-ohmic state to measure and convert the measurement current into a digital measurement value while the analog entry point in each remaining redundant analog input unit is switched into the high-ohmic state; wherein the high-ohmic voltage-measuring entry point of the voltage-measuring device within each of the at least two redundant analog input units is directly connected to the analog entry point; and wherein each of the at least two redundant analog input units is configured to compare, in both the high-ohmic and low-ohmic state of its analog entry point, its currently generated digital measurement value with a threshold value, to output an error message if the digital measurement value falls below the threshold value and, if its analog entry point is in the low-ohmic state, to cause another of the analog input units to switch its analog entry point into the low-ohmic state to measure and convert the measurement current into a digital measurement value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each analog input unit is further configured, when in the low-ohmic state of its analog entry point, to switch said analog entry point into the high-ohmic state if the digital measurement value falls below the threshold value. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each redundant analog input unit is further configured, when in the high-ohmic state of its analog entry point, instead of the locally generated measurement value, to output the digital measurement value generated by the redundant analog input unit having the low-ohmic analog entry point and received therefrom via the communication connection. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein each redundant analog input unit is further configured, when in the high-ohmic state of its analog entry point, instead of the locally generated measurement value, to output the digital measurement value generated by the redundant analog input unit having the low-ohmic analog entry point and received therefrom via the communication connection. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises a series circuit consisting of the current-measuring resistor and a controllable switch; wherein said series circuit is operable coupled in parallel with a high-ohmic resistor at the analog entry point and the voltage-measuring entry point. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switching device comprises a series circuit consisting of the current-measuring resistor and a controllable switch; wherein said series circuit is operably coupled in parallel with a high-ohmic resistor at the analog entry point and the voltage-measuring entry point. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switching device comprises a series circuit consisting of the current-measuring resistor and a controllable switch; wherein said series circuit is operably coupled in parallel with a high-ohmic resistor at the analog entry point and the voltage-measuring entry point. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching device comprises a parallel circuit consisting of a high-ohmic resistor and a controllable switch, said parallel circuit being operably coupled in series with the current-measuring resistor at the analog entry point and the voltage-measuring entry point. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switching device comprises a parallel circuit consisting of a high-ohmic resistor and a controllable switch, said parallel circuit being operably coupled in series with the current-measuring resistor at the analog entry point and the voltage-measuring entry point. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the switching device comprises a parallel circuit consisting of a high-ohmic resistor and a controllable switch, said parallel circuit being operably coupled in series with the current-measuring resistor at the analog entry point and the voltage-measuring entry point. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two redundant analog input units are connected via separate lines to a measurement current sensor supplying the measurement current. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two redundant analog input units are wired in parallel at their respective analog entry points and connected via a line to a measurement current sensor supplying the measurement current.