Multi-bit digital signal isolator
AssigneeAnalog Devices, Inc.
InventorEric GAALAAS
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is directed to a multi-bit digital signal isolation system including a plurality of micro-transformers, each having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a transmitter circuit receiving a multi-bit signal and transmitting an encoded logic signal across the plurality of micro-transformers corresponding to the multi-bit signal, the primary winding of each micro-transformer receiving a signal corresponding to one of at least three possible states, and a receiver circuit receiving the encoded logic signal from the secondary windings of the plurality of transformers, decoding the encoded logic signal and reconstructing the received multi-bit signal based upon the decoded signal.
Claims21
A multi-bit digital signal isolator, comprising:
- a plurality of micro-transformers, each having a primary winding and a secondary winding;
- a transmitter circuit receiving a multi-bit signal and transmitting an encoded logic signal across the plurality of micro-transformers corresponding to the multi-bit signal, the primary winding of each micro-transformer receiving a signal corresponding to one of at least three possible states;
- and
- a receiver circuit receiving the encoded logic signal from the secondary windings of the plurality of transformers, decoding the encoded logic signal and reconstructing the received multi-bit signal based upon the decoded signal.
A method of transmitting multi-bit signal across a digital signal isolator system, comprising:
- receiving an input multi-bit signal;
- developing an encoded logic signal corresponding to the input multi-bit signal;
- transmitting the encoded logic signal across a plurality of micro-transformers, wherein there are fewer transformers than bits in the multi-bit signal;
- and
- decoding the encoded logic signal and reconstructing the received multi-bit signal based upon the decoded signal.
A multi-bit isolation system, comprising:
- a plurality of isolation devices, each to transmit a respective signal across an isolation barrier;
- a transmit circuit, provided on a first side of the isolation barrier, that receives an input signal having a predetermined bit-width and having outputs coupled to the isolation devices;
- and
- a receive circuit provided on a second side of the isolation barrier, having inputs couple to the isolation devices and having an output for a reconstructed input signal,
- wherein a number of isolation devices is fewer than a number of bits in the bit-width.
A method of transmitting multi-bit signal across a digital signal isolator system, comprising:
- receiving an input multi-bit signal;
- developing an encoded logic signal corresponding to the input multi-bit signal;
- transmitting the encoded logic signal across a plurality of isolation devices, wherein each isolation device receives a signal corresponding to one of at least three possible states;
- and
- decoding the encoded logic signal and reconstructing the received multi-bit signal based upon the decoded signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.