SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING OPERATION OF SWITCH ELEMENTS
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring operation of a circuit having a DC power supply, a load, and a switch element connecting the DC power supply to the load, the system comprising:
- a sensor element having a first input node, a second input node, and an output node;
a capacitive element coupling the first input node of the sensor element to a first interconnection node of the circuit between a first voltage supply terminal of the DC power supply and the load; and
a grounding structure coupling the second input node of the sensor element to a ground plane that is galvanically isolated from the DC power supply, wherein the grounding structure is positioned with respect to a second interconnection node of the circuit between a second voltage supply terminal of the DC power supply and the load so as to define a stray capacitance for carrying a transient signal resulting from an opening or closing of the switch element.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring operation of a circuit having a DC power supply, a load, and a switch element connecting the DC power supply to the load. The system includes a capacitive element coupling a first input node of a sensor element to a first interconnection node of the circuit between a first voltage supply terminal of the DC power supply and the load. The system also includes a grounding structure coupling a second input node of the sensor element to a ground plane isolated from the DC power supply. In the system, the grounding structure is positioned with respect to a second interconnection node of the circuit, between a second voltage supply terminal of the DC power supply and the load, so as to define a stray capacitance for carrying a transient signal resulting from the opening or closing of the switch element, which can be detected through the sensor element for monitoring the current switch state of the switch element.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A system for monitoring operation of a circuit having a DC power supply, a load, and a switch element connecting the DC power supply to the load, the system comprising:
-
a sensor element having a first input node, a second input node, and an output node; a capacitive element coupling the first input node of the sensor element to a first interconnection node of the circuit between a first voltage supply terminal of the DC power supply and the load; and a grounding structure coupling the second input node of the sensor element to a ground plane that is galvanically isolated from the DC power supply, wherein the grounding structure is positioned with respect to a second interconnection node of the circuit between a second voltage supply terminal of the DC power supply and the load so as to define a stray capacitance for carrying a transient signal resulting from an opening or closing of the switch element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A battery operated system, comprising:
-
a battery module; a load circuit; a switch element for coupling the battery module to the load circuit; a controller element for operating the switch element and having a grounding structure coupled to a ground plane that is galvanically isolated from the battery module; and a short circuit path coupling a first interconnection node between a first supply terminal of the battery module and the load circuit to a second interconnection node between a second supply terminal of the battery module and the load circuit, the short circuit path including a capacitive element coupling the controller element to the first interconnection node and a stray capacitance coupling the controller element to the second interconnection node, wherein the grounding structure is positioned with respect to the second interconnection node so as to define the stray capacitance, and wherein the stray capacitance is configured for carrying a transient signal resulting from an opening or closing of the switch element. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for monitoring operation of a circuit having a DC power supply, a load, and a switch element connecting the DC power supply to the load, the method comprising:
-
capacitively coupling a first input node of a sensor element to a first interconnection node of the circuit between a first supply terminal of the DC power supply and the load; coupling a second input node of the sensor element to a grounding structure coupled to a ground plane galvanically isolated from the DC power supply, the grounding structure being positioned with respect to a second interconnection node of the circuit between voltage second supply terminal of the DC power supply to define a stray capacitance for carrying a transient signal resulting from an opening or closing of the switch element; and processing an output signal at an output node of the sensor element. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
Specification