# US 2014/0191840 A1 · Binary coded decimal resistive load and network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191840 A1 - Document ID: US20140191840A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/738,676 - Filed: 2013-01-10 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10 - Assignees: Eaton Corporation - Applicants: Eaton Corporation - Inventors: Bhuvan Govindasamy; Habib Baydoun; Brian Pham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191840A1 ## CPC - H01C 10/16: including plural resistive elements - 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)} - H01C: RESISTORS - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract An embodiment of an apparatus for providing a variable resistance may be configured to provide a resistance value according to a binary-coded decimal scheme. The apparatus may be referred to herein as a BCD variable resistance apparatus. The BCD variable resistance apparatus may include a plurality of resistive elements and a plurality of switches. In an embodiment, the resistive elements may be coupled with respective switches in a binary-coded decimal scheme. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus configured to provide a variable resistance, comprising: a plurality of resistive elements, each resistive element having a respective resistance; and a plurality of switches, each of the switches coupled to a respective one of the plurality of resistive elements, each of the switches configured to selectively include the respective one of the resistive elements in said variable resistance; wherein the resistive elements and the switches are arranged in a binary-coded decimal scheme, wherein the plurality of resistors are arranged in a plurality of resistor groups, wherein each resistor group comprises four resistors having respective resistances of about 1×10X, about 2×10X, about 4×10X, and about 8×10X, where X is an integer. ### Claim 2 (canceled) ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each resistor within a single resistor group has a respective resistance on the same order as each other resistor within the single resistor group. ### Claim 4 (canceled) ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each resistor group has a respective value of X, wherein the respective resistance of each resistor in a group is determined according to the group's respective value of X. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a variable combined resistance of one of the resistor groups is about 1×10N ohms to about 15×10N ohms, where N is an integer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each resistor group has a different value of N according to which the variable combined resistance of the resistor group is determined. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured for automatic and manual use. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an open switch includes a respective resistive element in said variable resistance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said variable resistance is bidirectional. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: providing an apparatus comprising: a plurality of resistive elements, each resistive element having a respective resistance; and a plurality of switches, each of the switches coupled to a respective one of the plurality of resistive elements, each of the switches configured selectively include the respective one of the resistive elements in the variable resistance; wherein the resistive elements and the switches are arranged in a binary-coded decimal scheme, wherein the plurality of resistors are arranged in a plurality of resistor groups, wherein each resistor group comprises four resistors having respective resistances of about 1×10X, about 2×10X, about 4×10X, and about 8×10X, where X is an integer; and automatically actuating the switches to provide a predetermined sequence of resistances. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the automatically actuating step comprises actuating different ones of the plurality of switches to provide a sequence of ascending and/or descending resistances for said power supply. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein an open switch corresponds to the respective resistive element contributing to the variable resistance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the automatically actuating step comprises opening at least one of the plurality of switches to decrement the variable resistance. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, where in the automatically actuating step is performed according to instructions contained in computer software. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein a maximum value of the variable resistance is provided when all of the switches are open. ### Claim 17 An apparatus configured to provide a variable resistance, comprising: a plurality of switched resistive elements, each resistive element having a respective resistance, the resistive elements grouped to provide a variable resistance according to a binary-coded decimal value, wherein the plurality of resistors are arranged in a plurality of resistor groups, wherein each resistor group comprises four resistors having respective resistances of about 1×10X, about 2×10X, about 4×10X, and about 8×10X, where X is an integer; wherein the resistive elements are configured for automatic switching to selectively contribute to the variable resistance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of switches, wherein each of the plurality of switches is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of resistive elements. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a maximum value of the variable resistance corresponds to all of the switches being open. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a minimum value of the variable resistance corresponds to all of the switches being closed.