US 9,000,675 B2 · Transmitting and receiving digital and analog signals across an isolator

Abstract

Various embodiments of systems for transmitting and receiving digital and/or analog signals across a single isolator, solid state lighting systems, or DC/DC converter feedback regulation control systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first signal may be modulated into a first modulated signal. The first modulated signal is then modulated into a second modulated signal in accordance to a second signal. The second modulated signal is in turn, modulated into a third modulated signal in accordance to a third signal. At least some of the apparatuses, circuits, systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented using conventional CMOS design and manufacturing techniques and processes to provide, for example, at least one or more integrated circuits.

Claims35

Dependent claims

An isolator system, comprising:

a first circuit, the first circuit having an analog signal and a digital signal;
a second circuit being proximate to but distanced away from the first circuit;
an isolation material configured to electrically isolate the first circuit from the second circuit;
a first modulator of the first circuit, the first modulator configured to modulate one of the analog signal and the digital signal to form a first modulated signal as output of the first modulator;
a second modulator of the first circuit, the second modulator configured to modulate the other one of the analog signal and the digital signal with the first modulated signal to form a second modulated signal as output of the second modulator;
a transmitting circuit of the first circuit configured to generate a transmission signal that correspond to the analog signal and the digital signal, and configured to transmit the transmission signal across the isolation material from the first circuit to the second circuit;
a receiver of the second circuit configured to detect the transmission signal and generate a reproduced transmission signal as its output;
and
a retrieval circuit of the second circuit configured to reconstruct the digital signal and the analog signal from the reproduced transmission signal.

6 more elements

An isolator adapted to convey a first signal and a second signal from a first circuit to a second circuit isolated from the first circuit, the isolator comprising:

a transmitter die having input terminals configured to receive the first signal and the second signal;
a receiver die having output terminals configured to output a reproduced first signal and a reproduced second signal;
an isolation material surrounding the transmitter die so as to electrically isolate the transmitter die from the receiver die;
a first modulator circuit formed within the transmitter die, the first modulator circuit being configured to receive the first signal and generate a first modulated signal that is modulated in accordance with the first signal as output of the first modulator circuit;
a second modulator circuit formed within the transmitter die, the second modulator circuit being configured to modulate the second signal with the first modulated signal to form a second modulated signal as output of the second modulator circuit;
an emitter configured to generate a transmission signal that correspond to the first signal and the second signal, and configured to transmit the transmission signal across the isolation material from the transmitter die to the receiver die;
and
a receiver of the receiver die configured to detect the transmission signal and reproduce as output to the receiver, the reproduced first signal and the reproduced second signal.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Transmitting and receiving digital and analog signals across an isolator

Life of this patent

Transmitting and receiving digital and analog signals across an isolator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35