Apparatus for regulating the flow of current through a load
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsRalf Förster, Alfons Fisch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus is described for regulating the flow of current through a load in which the flow of current is monitored in the form of a reference voltage by an analog input and a digital input of an arithmetic and logic unit. The voltage measured at the analog input is used to regulate the flow of current. The voltage measured at the digital input either as a low or as a high signal is used to switch off the flow of current when there is a low signal.
Claims7
An apparatus for regulating a flow of current through a load, comprising:
- a measurement line connecting a load to ground;
- a current source connected to said measurement line and to an output line, said current source outputting a current onto said output line in dependence on a voltage on said measurement line;
- an arithmetic and logic unit having an analog input and a digital input each connected to said output line;
- a switch connected to said arithmetic and logic unit;
- said arithmetic and logic unit determining a value of the voltage on said output line via said analog input and, depending on the voltage determined via said analog input, regulating the flow of current through the load via said switch;
- said arithmetic and logic unit determining the voltage on said output line via said digital input and deciding whether there is a low signal;
- and
- said arithmetic and logic unit, if there is a low signal at said digital input, opening said switch in a predeterminable time range and thereby interrupting the flow of current through the load.
Apparatus for regulating a flow of current through a load connected between a positive potential and a first measurement resistor connected to ground via a measurement line, comprising:
- a first current source connected to a measurement line and to an output line connected to a predetermined potential via a second measurement resistor, said current source outputting a first current onto said output line in dependence on a voltage on the measurement line;
- a second current source connected to the measurement line and to said output line, said second current source outputting a second current onto said output line if the voltage on the measurement line is lower than a predetermined limit value, the second current having a value causing a voltage on the output line to fall below a predetermined value;
- an arithmetic and logic unit having an analog input and a digital input each connected to the output line;
- a second switch connected to said arithmetic and logic unit and inserted between the load and the measurement line;
- said arithmetic and logic unit determining a value of the voltage on the output line via said analog input, and controlling said second switch in dependence on the voltage determined via said analog input and thereby regulating a flow of current through the load;
- said arithmetic and logic unit determining the voltage on the output line via said digital input to decide whether there is a low signal;
- and
- if there is a low signal at said digital input, said arithmetic and logic unit opening said second switch in a predeterminable time range and thereby interrupting the flow of current through the load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.