Pulse generator and consumption meter
AssigneeDiehl Metering GmbH
InventorSTEFAN NICKL
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pulse generator has a galvanically isolated output, in particular for a consumption meter. A control output of a control unit of the pulse generator is coupled to an input of an opto-isolator of the pulse generator in order to output at the output of the opto-isolator an output current controlled by the control unit. The opto-isolator is connected to a field-effect transistor in such a way that the output current from the opto-isolator charges a capacitor via a rectifying component, which blocks the capacitor from discharging via the opto-isolator. The voltage drop across the capacitor is the gate voltage of the field-effect transistor. The field-effect transistor switches the output of the pulse generator directly or indirectly.
Claims12
A pulse generator, comprising:
- a galvanically isolated output;
- an opto-isolator having an input and an output;
- a field-effect transistor;
- a capacitor;
- a rectifying component;
- a controller having a control output coupled to said input of said opto-isolator to output at said output of said opto-isolator an output current controlled by said controller;
- said opto-isolator is coupled to said field-effect transistor in such a way that the output current from said opto-isolator charges said capacitor via said rectifying component, said rectifying component blocks said capacitor from discharging via said opto-isolator, wherein a voltage drop across said capacitor is a gate voltage of said field-effect transistor;
- and
- said field-effect transistor switches said galvanically isolated output directly or indirectly.
A consumption meter for recording energy consumption and/or a consumption of a fluid, the consumption meter comprising:
- a pulse generator, containing:
- a galvanically isolated output;
- an opto-isolator having an input and an output;
- a field-effect transistor;
- a capacitor;
- a rectifying component;
- a controller having a control output coupled to said input of said opto-isolator to output at said output of said opto-isolator an output current controlled by said controller;
- said opto-isolator is coupled to said field-effect transistor in such a way that the output current from said opto-isolator charges said capacitor via said rectifying component, said rectifying component blocks said capacitor from discharging via said opto-isolator, wherein a voltage drop across said capacitor is a gate voltage of said field-effect transistor;
- and
- said field-effect transistor switches said galvanically isolated output directly or indirectly;
- and
- a separate device, said pulse generator providing measurement data, or data derived from the measurement data, to said separate device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.