US 12,381,573 B2Granted

Measuring system

AssigneePhoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG

InventorsBenjamin Klimmek, Felix Schulte

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Abstract

A measuring system for detecting switching states including a signal converter having signal inputs to each of which an associated binary switching signal representing a switching state can be applied. Electrical resistors, at which an associated measurement signal can be tapped on the basis of the associated binary switching signal, is connected downstream of each of the signal inputs, wherein the electrical resistors have resistance values, which differ from each other, and wherein the electrical resistors are connected in parallel to each other. The signal converter also has a signal output, which is connected downstream of the electrical resistors in order to provide a sum measurement signal at the signal output with a sum current strength, which sum measurement signal is formed from the sum of the measurement signals, and wherein the sum measurement signal has a current strength which can be uniquely assigned to a current strength reference value.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A measuring system for detecting switching states, comprising:

a signal converter having:
a plurality of signal inputs combined to form a signal connection block and arranged in a plug or socket housing, the plurality of signal inputs being configured to connect to a corresponding plug or socket counterpart, wherein a first signal input of the plurality of signal inputs is configured to receive a first binary switching signal that represents a first switching state and a second signal input of the plurality of signal inputs is configured to receive a second binary switching signal that represents a second switching state,
a first electrical resistor connected downstream of the first signal input and configured for a first measurement signal with a first current strength to be tapped based at least in part on the first binary switching signal,
a second electrical resistor connected downstream of the second signal input and configured for a second measurement signal with a second current strength to be tapped based at least in part on the second binary switching signal, the second electrical resistor having a resistance value that is different from a resistance value of the first electrical resistor, and wherein the second electrical resistor is connected in parallel to the first electrical resistor, and
a signal output, wherein the first electrical resistor and the second electrical resistor are connected upstream of the signal output to provide a sum measurement signal with a sum current strength at the signal output wherein the sum measurement signal is formed from the sum of the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal, wherein the sum measurement signal has a current strength value uniquely assigned to a current strength reference value from a plurality of current strength reference values;
and
a controller configured to receive the sum measurement signal and to determine the first switching state and the second switching state based at least in part on the sum current strength of the sum measurement signal, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the first binary switching signal and the second binary switching signal from the current strength value.

4 more elements

A method for detecting switching states, comprising:

applying a first binary switching signal to a first signal input, the first binary switching signal representing a first switching state;
applying a second binary switching signal to a second signal input, the second binary switching signal representing a second switching state, wherein the first signal input and the second signal input are in a plurality of signal inputs combined to form a signal connection block and arranged in a plug or socket housing, the plug or socket housing being configured to connect to a corresponding plug or socket counterpart;
tapping, based at least in part on the first binary switching signal, a first measurement signal with a first current strength at a first electrical resistor connected downstream of the first signal input;
tapping, based at least in part on the second binary switching signal, a second measurement signal with a second current strength at a second electrical resistor connected downstream of the second signal input, the second electrical resistor having a resistance value that is different from a resistance value of the first electrical resistor and being connected in parallel to the first electrical resistor;
summing the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal, wherein a sum measurement signal with a sum current strength is provided at a signal output based at least in part on summing the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal, wherein the first electrical resistor and the second electrical resistor are connected upstream of the signal output, and wherein the sum measurement signal has a current strength value uniquely assigned to a current strength reference value from a plurality of current strength reference values;
receiving the sum measurement signal;
determining the first switching state and the second switching state based at least in part on the sum current strength of the sum measurement signal;
and
determining the first binary switching signal and the second binary switching signal from the current strength value.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.