FAULT TOLERANT SOLID STATE PUSH BUTTON CONTROL SYSTEM WITH BUILT IN DIAGNOSTIC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A contactless switch module, comprising:
- a plurality of magnets;
a plurality of latching magnetic field sensing sensors;
an actuator selectively operable to produce relative movement between the plurality of latching magnetic field sensing sensors and the plurality of magnets in response to manipulation by a user such that each of the latching magnetic field sensing sensors is proximal to a first respective one of the magnets when the actuator is in a first position and each of the latching magnetic field sensing sensors is proximal to a second respective one of the magnets when the actuator is in a second position, different from the first position; and
a multi-channel switch controller having a plurality of input channels, each one of the plurality of magnetic field sensing sensors communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of input channels, the multi-channel switch controller configured to determine a respective current channel state for each one of the input channels, the current channel states being related to current sensor states of the plurality of magnetic field sensing sensors, the multi-channel switch controller further configured to find a current switch state based at least upon the current channel states and a logic.
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Abstract
A contactless switch module, which is actuatable between a closed circuit position and an open circuit position, a plurality of magnetic field sensing sensors, and a plurality of magnets. The switch also includes a multi-channel switch controller. Each one of the plurality of magnetic field sensing sensors is communicatively coupled to an input channel of the multi-channel switch controller. The multi-channel switch controller is configured to determine a switch state based at least upon the respective states of its input channels.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A contactless switch module, comprising:
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a plurality of magnets; a plurality of latching magnetic field sensing sensors; an actuator selectively operable to produce relative movement between the plurality of latching magnetic field sensing sensors and the plurality of magnets in response to manipulation by a user such that each of the latching magnetic field sensing sensors is proximal to a first respective one of the magnets when the actuator is in a first position and each of the latching magnetic field sensing sensors is proximal to a second respective one of the magnets when the actuator is in a second position, different from the first position; and a multi-channel switch controller having a plurality of input channels, each one of the plurality of magnetic field sensing sensors communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of input channels, the multi-channel switch controller configured to determine a respective current channel state for each one of the input channels, the current channel states being related to current sensor states of the plurality of magnetic field sensing sensors, the multi-channel switch controller further configured to find a current switch state based at least upon the current channel states and a logic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A contactless switch module, comprising:
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an actuator selectively operable to produce relative movement between a plurality of latching magnetic field sensing sensors and a plurality of magnets in response to manipulation by a user such that each of the latching magnetic field sensing sensors is proximal to a first respective one of the magnets when the actuator is in a first position and each of the latching magnetic field sensing sensors is proximal to a second respective one of the magnets when the actuator is in a second position, different from the first position; a plurality of sensor comparators having a plurality of input channels, each of the plurality of latching magnetic field sensing sensors communicatively coupled to at least one input channel of at least one sensor comparator, each sensor comparator configured to determine a respective current sensor state for each one of the input channels, and each sensor comparator further configured to find a current combined state based at least upon the current sensor states and a first logic; and a multi-channel switch controller having a plurality of input channels, each one of the sensor comparators communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of input channels, the multi-channel switch controller configured to determine a respective current channel state for each one of the input channels, the current channel states being related to current combined states of the plurality of sensor comparators, the multi-channel switch controller further configured to find a current switch state based at least upon the current channel states and a second logic. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A contactless switch module, comprising:
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a first plurality of permanent magnets, each permanent magnet having a magnetic north pole and a magnetic south pole; a magnet carrier carrying the first plurality of permanent magnets, each of the first plurality of permanent magnets arranged to have a magnetic pole exposed from the magnet carrier, wherein the magnetic polarity of each of the exposed magnetic poles is the same; a first set of latching magnetic field sensing sensors; a second set of latching magnetic field sensing sensors; an actuator selectively operable to produce relative movement between the first and second sets of latching magnetic field sensing sensors and the magnet carrier in response to manipulation by a user such that each latching magnetic field sensing sensor of the first set of latching magnetic field sensors is proximal to a first respective one of the first plurality of magnets when the actuator is in a first position and each latching magnetic field sensing sensor of the second set of the latching magnetic field sensing sensors is proximal to a second respective one of the first plurality of magnets when the actuator is in a second position, different from the first position; and a multi-channel switch controller having a plurality of input channels, each one of the plurality of magnetic field sensing sensors communicatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of input channels, the multi-channel switch controller configured to determine a respective current channel state for each one of the input channels, the current channel states being related to current sensor states of the first and second sets of magnetic field sensing sensors, the multi-channel switch controller further configured to find a current switch state based at least upon the current channel states and a first logic. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification