US 7,410,563 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for preventing corrosion of contact

AssigneeFujitsu Ten Limited

InventorsKazuhiro Komatsu, Masahiko Fujimoto, Kouji Oonishi, Keisuke Kido, Junichi Sawada

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Abstract

A method for preventing corrosion of a contact, includes comparing a potential of a signal line connected to the contact with a predetermined potential corresponding to the corrosion of the contact; flowing a corrosion-prevention current into the contact when a result of the comparing shows that the contact is corroded; inputting into the signal line a signal used for judging a logical value of a connection state of the contact; and in the magnitude relation, setting the predetermined potential on another side of a threshold level used in the judging of the logical value of the connection state of the contact.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for preventing corrosion of a contact, the method comprising:

comparing a potential of a signal line connected to the contact with a predetermined potential corresponding to the corrosion of the contact, wherein (a) when the potential of the signal line is on one side with respect to the predetermined potential in a magnitude relation, a result of the comparing shows that the contact is corroded;
and (b) when the potential of the signal line is on the other side with respect to the predetermined potential in the magnitude relation, the result of the comparing shows that the contact is not corroded;
flowing a corrosion-prevention current into the contact when the result of the comparing shows that the contact is corroded;
inputting into the signal line a signal used for judging a logical value of a connection state of the contact;
and
in the magnitude relation, setting the predetermined potential on the other side with respect to a threshold level used in the judging of the logical value of the connection state of the contact,
wherein, when the result of the comparing shows that the contact is corroded, a logical value of Hi is outputted;
and
wherein, when the result of the comparing shows that the contact is not corroded, a logical value of Lo is outputted.

6 more elements

An apparatus for preventing corrosion of a contact, the apparatus comprising:

a signal line connected to the contact wherein a potential of the signal line is used for judging a connection state of the contact;
a power source;
a switch connected between the signal line and the power source, wherein when the switch is turned on, the switch allows current to flow into the signal line through the switch;
an impedance element connected in parallel to the switch, between the signal line and the power source, an impedance of the impedance element being larger than that of the switch;
a comparator that compares the potential of the signal line with a predetermined potential corresponding to the corrosion of the contact, wherein:
when the potential of the signal line is on one side with respect to the predetermined potential in a magnitude relation, the comparator judges that the contact is corroded and turns on the switch;
and
when the potential of the signal line is on the other side with respect to the predetermined potential in the magnitude relation, the comparator shows that the contact is not corroded;
a signal, which is used for judging a logical value of a connection state of the contact, is input into the signal line;
and
the predetermined potential is set on the other side with respect to a threshold level used in the judging of the logical value of the connection state of the contact, in the magnitude relation,
wherein, when the result of the comparing shows that the contact is corroded, a logical value of Hi is outputted;
and
wherein, when the result of the comparing shows that the contact is not corroded, a logical value of Lo is outputted.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.