Circuit arrangement with a circut breaker

• US 20030169550A1
• Filed: 05/06/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Voith Turbo GmbH & Company KG (Voith GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Voith Turbo GmbH & Company KG (Voith GmbH)
• Inventors: Burk, Richard
• Application Number:
  US10/296,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20030169550A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/91.2
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/18 Modifications for indicating state of switch

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic circuit arrangement comprising a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker comprises an on-off switch; a first interface; a voltage divider; a connection for an external voltage supply; a ground connection. The interface is connected in a flexible manner in the form of an input and output for detecting a state. The circuit breaker comprises a second interface which is used to connect an evaluation and/or diagnostic unit.

Claims

1. Electronic circuit arrangement

1.1 with a circuit breaker (10);

the circuit breaker (10) includes

1.2.1 an on/off switch (1)

1.2.2 the first interface (2)

1.2.3 a voltage divider (3)

1.2.4 a connection for an external voltage supply (4)

1.2.5 an earth connection (5)

1.3 The interface (2) is so flexible that it is both an input for the status evaluation as well as an output to the power control.

1.4 The circuit breaker includes a second interface (6) for connecting an evaluation or diagnosis unit.

2. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 1 which is defined such that the circuit arrangement contains no internal voltage supplies.

3. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 1 or 2 which is defined such that the second interface (6) has its own (a second) voltage divider (7) to divide the voltage on the second interface (6).

4. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 3 which is defined such that there is an attenuation filter, specifically a capacitor (8), connected in front of the second interface (6). This is to dampen the oscillations on the voltage on the second interface (6).

5. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 4 which is defined such that the on/off switch (1) is a relay.

6. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 5 which is defined such that the on/off switch (1) is a semiconductor switch.

7. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 6 which is defined such that the voltage divider (3) is variable.

8. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 7 which is defined such that the on/off switch (1) is a high side switch.

9. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 7 which is defined such that the on/off switch (1) is a low side switch.

10. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 9 which is defined such that there is an analog-digital converter (1) connected after the second interface (6).

11. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claim 10 which is defined such that there is a computer (12) connected to the digital output of the analog-digital converter.

12. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 11 which is defined such that

12.1 the interface (2) is configured as an output, and

12.2 a consumer (9) is connected to the interface (2)

13. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 11 which is defined such that

13.1 the interface (2) is configured as an input

13.2 an external switch (13) is connected between the interface (2) and a voltage supply (14)

14. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 11 which is defined such that

14.1 the interface (2) is configured as an input,

14.2 an external switch (13) is connected between the interface (2) and ground (15)

15. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 14 which is defined such that the circuit breaker (10) is an separate individual component.

16. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 14 which is defined such that the circuit breaker (10) is integrated into another component on the circuit arrangement.

17. Electronic circuit arrangement according to claims 1 to 14 which is defined such that the circuit breaker (10) is integrated in a control device, especially a gear control device.

33. Procedure to record the status of an electronic circuit with an electronic circuit arrangement according to one of the claims 1 to 17 or a controller according to the claims 18 to 32:

33.1 first the open circuit voltage is set on the open interface (2) with the voltage divider (3)

33.2 then the voltage on the second interface (6) is measured with an evaluation or diagnosis unit connected to the second interface (6)

33.3 depending on the use of the interface (2), as an input or output, and the position of the on/off switch;

the status of the electronic circuit is diagnosed using the voltage recorded.

34. Procedure according to claim 33 which is defined such that the evaluation or diagnosis unit contains an analog-digital converter (11) and a computer (12)

35. Procedure according to claims 33 to 34 is defined such that the voltage measured at the second interface (6) is compared to voltage ranges. The allows the status of the electronic circuit to be determined.

36. Procedure according to claim 35 which is defined such that the limits of the voltage ranges overlap.

37. Procedure according to claims 35 to 36 which is defined such that the limits of the voltage ranges can be changed by programming the evaluation or diagnosis or especially the computer (12).

38. Procedure according to claims 33 to 37 which is defined by the following characteristics:

38.1 the interface (2) is configured as an output

38.2 the on/off switch (1) is a high side switch

38.3 the on/off switch (1) is open

38.4 using the voltage measured at the second interface (6), four different statuses of the electronic circuit can be determined;

(a) the measured voltage is in a range around the open circuit voltage, the circuit at the interface (2) is interrupted or there is no load connected (34.4(a))

(b) the measured voltage is in a range near the 0 volt mark, there is a short circuit to ground from the interface (2) (34.4 (b))

(c) the measured voltage is in the range above the near 0 range and below the around the open circuit voltage range, there is a load on the interface (2) (34.4(c))

(d) the measured voltage is in the range near the power supply voltage, there is a short circuit to the power supply (34.4(d))

39. Procedure according to claims 33 to 37 which is defined by the following characteristics:

39.1 the interface (2) is configured as an output

39.2 the on/off switch (1) is a high side switch

39.3 the on/off switch (1) is closed

39.4 using the voltage measured at the second interface (6), four different statuses of the electronic circuit can be determined;

(a) the measured voltage is in a range near the voltage of the power supply, the circuit is working properly (35.4(a))

(b) the measured voltage is in a range around the open circuit voltage, there is a fault in the circuit, especially there is a short circuit to an external voltage or a defective on/off switch (1) (35.4(b))

(c) the measured voltage is in a range near the 0 volt mark, there is a short circuit to ground from the interface (2) (35.4 (c))

40. Procedure according to claims 33 to 37 which is defined by the following characteristics:

40.1 the interface (2) is configured as an input

40.2 the on/off switch (1) is a high side switch

40.3 the on/off switch (1) is open

40.4 using the voltage measured at the second interface (6), four different statuses of the electronic circuit can be determined;

(a) the measured voltage is in a range around the open circuit voltage, the circuit at the interface (2) is interrupted especially through an external open switch (36.4(a))

(b) the measured voltage is in the range near the power supply voltage, the external switch (13) is connected to the power supply voltage (36.4(b))

(c) the measured voltage is in a range near the 0 volt mark, the external switch is connected to ground (36.4 (c))

41. Procedure according to claims 33 to 37 which is defined by the following characteristics:

41.1 the interface (2) is configured as an output

41.2 the on/off switch (1) is a low-side switch

41.3 the on/off switch (1) is open

41.4 using the voltage measured at the second interface (6), four different statuses of the electronic circuit can be determined;

(a) the measured voltage is in a range around the open circuit voltage, the circuit at the interface (2) is interrupted or there is no load connected (37.4(a))

(b) the measured voltage is in a range near the 0 volt mark, there is a short circuit to ground from the interface (2) (37.4 (b))

(c) the measured voltage is in the range near the power supply voltage, there is a short circuit to the power supply (37.4(c))

(d) the measured voltage is in the range above the around the open circuit voltage range and below the voltage of the power supply, there is a load on the power supply (37.4(d))

42. Procedure according to claims 33 to 37 which is defined by the following characteristics:

42.1 the interface (2) is configured as an output

42.2 the on/off switch (1) is a low-side switch

42.3 the on/off switch (1) is closed

42.4 using the voltage measured at the second interface (6), four different statuses of the electronic circuit can be determined;

(a) the measured voltage is in a range near the 0 voltage, the circuit is working properly

(b) the measured voltage is in a range around the open circuit voltage, there is a fault in the circuit, especially there is a short circuit to an external voltage or a defective on/off switch (1)

(c) the measured voltage is in the range near the power supply voltage, there is a short circuit to the power supply on the interface (2)

43. Procedure according to claims 35 to 37 which is defined by the following characteristics:

43.1 the interface (2) is configured as an input

43.2 the on/off switch (1) is a low side switch

43.3 the on/off switch (1) is open

43.4 using the voltage measured at the second interface (6), four different statuses of the electronic circuit can be determined;

(a) the measured voltage is in a range around the open circuit voltage, the circuit at the interface (2) is interrupted especially through an external open switch (36.4(a))

(b) the measured voltage is in the range near the power supply voltage, the external switch (13) is connected to the power supply voltage

(c) the measured voltage is in a range near the 0 volt mark, the external switch (13) is connected to ground.

44. Procedure according to claims 33 to 43 which is defined such that when a fault is detected on the faulty or endangered component, in particular the on/off switch (1), is deactivated.

45. Procedure according to claims 33 to 44 which is defined such that when a fault is detected, an alarm signal is output, acoustic and/or optical.

46. Procedure according to claims 33 to 45 which is defined such that when a fault is detected, the endangered component is deactivated.

47. Procedure according to claims 33 to 46 which is defined such that when a fault is detected, an entry is recorded in the fault memory.

48. Procedure according to claims 33 to 47 which is defined such that the voltage of the power supply is measured.

49. Procedure according to claims 33 to 48 which is defined such that the measured voltage of the power supply is used as a reference value during the division of the voltage ranges.

18. Electronic control device, especially a gear control device includes:

18.1 an on/off switch (1)

18.2 a first interface (2)

18.3 a voltage divider (3)

18.4 a connection for an external voltage supply (4)

18.5 an earth connection (5)

18.6 a second interface (6) for connecting an evaluation or diagnosis unit.

18.7 The interface (2) is so flexible that is used for both a status evaluation as well as an output for a power controller.

19. Control device according to claim 18 which is defined such that the control device includes a micro-controller (17) to control the on/off switch (1) whereby an input of the micro-controller (17) is at least indirectly coupled to the second interface (6)

20. Control device according to claims 18 to 19 which is defined such that the control device contains no internal voltage supplies.

21. Control device according to claims 18 to 20 which is defined such that a second voltage divider (7) is connected in front of the second interface (6) to divide the voltage on the second interface (6).

22. Control device according to claims 18 to 21 which is defined such that there is an attenuation filter, specifically a capacitor (8), connected in front of the second interface (6). This is to dampen the oscillations on the voltage on the second interface (6).

23. Control device according to claims 18 to 22 which is defined such that the on/off switch (1) is a relay.

24. Control device according to claims 18 to 22 which is defined such that the on/off switch (1) is a semiconductor switch.

25. Control device according to claim 24 which is defined such that the semiconductor switch is a power MOSFET.

26. Control device according to claim 24 which is defined such that the semiconductor switch is a transistor.

27. Control device according to claims 18 to 26 which is defined such that the voltage divider (3) is configured so that it divides the supplied voltage in half.

28. Control device according to claims 18 to 26 which is defined such that the voltage divider (3) is configured that the created voltage is between half of the output voltage and the output voltage.

29. Control device according to claims 18 to 26 which is defined such that the voltage divider (3) is configured that the created voltage is between zero and half of the output voltage.

30. Control device according to claims 18 to 26 which is defined such that the voltage divider (3) is variable.

31. Control device according to claims 18 to 30 which is defined such that the on/off switch (1) is a high side switch.

32. Control device according to claims 18 to 30 which is defined such that the on/off switch (1) is a low side switch.