Switch assembly with feedback signal for fault detection
AssigneeAllison Transmission, Inc.
InventorsJames D. Shaw, Aaron Ransdell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switch assembly configured to determine when input received from a switch is caused by proper actuation of the switch and should be accepted, or is caused instead by a fault in the switch or in the intervening circuitry and should be ignored and/or reported. The switch assembly optionally includes a logic circuit that is electrically connected to the switch. The logic circuit may provide power to the switch, for example, as a time varying signal, which may then be presented to the logic circuit as input when the switch is properly actuated. The logic circuit may then compare the input from the switch with the signal sent to the switch to determine if a fault is present, or if the switch is operating properly.
Claims19
A switch assembly, comprising:
- a logic circuit that has a signal input terminal and a signal output terminal;
- and
- a switch with an input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the input terminal is electrically connected to the signal output terminal of the logic circuit, wherein the output terminal is electrically connected to the signal input terminal of the logic circuit, and wherein the switch is configured to electrically connect the input and output terminals when closed;
- wherein the logic circuit is operable to send an input signal to the switch via the signal output terminal;
- wherein the switch is operable to send an output signal to the logic circuit via the output terminal when the switch is closed;
- and
- wherein the logic circuit is configured to compare the output signal received from the switch to the input signal sent to the switch.
A switch assembly, comprising:
- a switch, having an open and a closed position;
- and
- a logic circuit electrically connected to the switch, wherein the logic circuit is configured to generate and send an input signal to the switch and to receive an output signal from the switch when the switch is in the closed position, and wherein the logic circuit is configured to report a switch fault when the output signal received from the switch fails to change according to the input signal sent to the switch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.