Pressure switch with temperature enable function
AssigneeKulite Semiconductor Products, Inc.
InventorWolf S Landmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention describes systems and methods of providing a pressure switch with temperature enable function. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a pressure sensor for providing a pressure signal having a first voltage level that is proportional to a pressure applied to the pressure sensor; a temperature sensor for providing a temperature signal having a second voltage level where the second voltage level is proportional to a temperature measured by the pressure sensor; and a control circuit for receiving the pressure signal from the pressure sensor and the temperature signal from the temperature sensor and activating a load when the first voltage level exceeds a threshold voltage level.
Claims16
A pressure switch assembly, comprising:
- a pressure sensor configured to output, responsive to an applied pressure, a pressure signal indicative of the applied pressure;
- a temperature sensor configured to output, responsive to a measured temperature, a temperature signal indicative of the measured temperature;
- and
- a control circuit in communication with the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor, the control circuit comprising:
- a pressure comparator in communication with the pressure sensor and a pressure reference voltage, the pressure comparator configured to output a pressure output signal responsive to a comparison of the pressure reference voltage and the pressure signal;
- a temperature comparator in communication with the temperature sensor and a temperature reference voltage, the temperature comparator configured to output a temperature output signal responsive to a comparison of the temperature reference voltage and the temperature signal;
- and
- a logic circuit in communication with the pressure comparator and the temperature comparator, the logic circuit configured to output a load activating signal responsive to the pressure output signal and the temperature output signal.
A method of controlling a pressure switch using temperature, comprising:
- measuring a pressure with a pressure sensor;
- transmitting a first signal indicative of the pressure to a control circuit, the control circuit comprising a pressure comparator in communication with the pressure sensor and a pressure reference voltage, the pressure comparator configured to output a pressure output signal responsive to a comparison of the pressure reference voltage and the pressure signal;
- measuring a temperature with a temperature sensor;
- transmitting a second signal indicative of the temperature to the control circuit, the control circuit further comprising a temperature comparator in communication with the temperature sensor and a temperature reference voltage, the temperature comparator configured to output a temperature output signal responsive to a comparison of the temperature reference voltage and the temperature signal;
- comparing, by the control circuit, the pressure output signal and the temperature output signal;
- and
- outputting a load activation signal responsive to the comparing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.