# US 7,148,738 B2 · Systems, devices, and methods for providing control signals > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,148,738 B2 - Document ID: US7148738B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/059,073 - Filed: 2005-02-16 - Published: 2005-08-18 - Granted: 2006-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2004-02-17 - Assignees: Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. - Inventors: James Allen Knoop; Alan D. McNutt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7148738B2 ## CPC - G05B 19/054: {Input/output} - G05B 2219/15133: Opto isolation, optical separation - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a system, comprising: an electrical isolator adapted to couple a processor of a programmable logic controller to a user load; a transistor adapted to provide switching of a control signal provided by the processor for the user load; a totem pole output coupling the electrical isolator and the transistor and adapted to switch a gate of the transistor; and a power supply adapted to provide a floating regulated DC voltage to the gate of the transistor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: an electrical isolator adapted to couple a processor of a programmable logic controller to a user load; a transistor adapted to provide switching of a control signal provided by the processor for the user load, the control signal comprising a series of pulses having a frequency of greater than approximately 21,000 pulses per second; a totem pole output coupling the electrical isolator and the transistor and adapted to switch a gate of the transistor; and a power supply adapted to provide a regulated DC voltage to the gate of the transistor, the regulated DC voltage referenced to a reference pin of the transistor, a high side of the transistor referenced to a high side of the user load power supply, the user load power supply operable from less than approximately 6 volts to greater than approximately 23 volts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical isolator is an optocoupler. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical isolator is an optocoupler comprising an open collector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the totem pole output is comprised electrical isolator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the transistor is a field effect transistor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the transistor is a P-channel field effect transistor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a series of pulses. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a series of pulses having a frequency of greater than approximately 30,000 pulses per second. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a series of pulses having a frequency of greater than approximately 50,000 pulses per second. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a series of pulses having a frequency of greater than approximately 80,000 pulses per second. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a series of pulses having a frequency of greater than approximately 100,000 pulses per second. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply is electrically isolated from the processor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the user load power supply is operable at approximately 5 volts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the user load power supply is operable at less than approximately 5 volts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the user load power supply is operable at greater than approximately 30 volts. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a buffer coupled to the electrical isolator and the transistor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a pull-up resistor coupled to the electrical isolator and the transistor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a pull-up resistor coupled to the electrical isolator and the gate of the transistor and adapted to prevent switching of the control signal during predetermined events. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a pull-down capacitor coupled to the transistor and adapted to prevent switching of the control signal during predetermined events. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a first protective resistor coupled between the reference pin of the transistor and the gate of the transistor and a diode coupled in series with a zener diode connected between the gate of the transistor and a load side pin of the transistor and adapted to turn-on the transistor to absorb an inductive kick-back from an inductive user load. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, further comprising a second protective resistor coupled between the totem pole output and the gate of the transistor and adapted to prevent an inductive kick-back from damaging the totem pole output. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a protective resistor coupled to the transistor and adapted to effect a turn-off speed of the transistor. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a diode coupled to the transistor and adapted to prevent an inductive kick-back from damaging the totem pole output.