Optocoupler Arrangement and Input and/or Output Module

• US 20140239205A1
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: HOLTZ, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 9,240,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/551
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/054 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33204 Optocoupler, galvanic separation, isolation
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/605 with galvanic isolation between the control circuit and the output circuit H03K17/78 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/00353 in bipolar transistor circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/802 for isolation, e.g. using optocouplers

Abstract

An optocoupler arrangement for signal transmission with galvanic separation includes a first optocoupler with a first input path and a first output path, a second optocoupler with a second input path and a second output path, wherein the first and second input paths are arranged in series with a connecting switching device, and wherein an actuation circuit has first and second input signals as inputs, and first, second and third outputs as outputs, and the actuation circuit is configured such that, as a function of a first switching state related to the first and second signal inputs, the connecting switching device is actuated, and with respect to either a second or a third switching state, either a first switching device assigned to the first input path of the first optocoupler or a second switching device assigned to the second input path of the second optocoupler is actuated.

Claims

1. An optocoupler arrangement for signal transmission with galvanic separation, comprising:

a first optocoupler having a first input path and a first output path;

a second optocoupler having a second input path and a second output path;

a first signal input;

a second signal input;

a connecting switching device, the first and second input paths being arranged in a series circuit with the connecting switching device such that the connecting switching device connects the first input path to the second input path;

a first switching device assigned to the first input path of the first optocoupler;

a second switching device assigned to the second input path of the second optocoupler; and

an actuation circuit having a first output, a second output and a third output, the first signal input and the second signal input forming inputs of the actuation circuit, the actuation circuit being configured such that, as a function of a first switching state related to the first and second signal inputs, the connecting switching device is actuated, and with respect to one of (i) a second switching state, (ii) a third switching state, the first switching device assigned to the first input path of the first optocoupler is actuated and (iii) the second switching device assigned to the second input path of the second optocoupler is actuated.

2. The optocoupler arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a current source connected to a first side of the first input path;

wherein a second side of the first input path is connected to a first connection of the connecting switching device and a first side of the second input path is connected to a second connection of the connecting switching device and a second side of the second input path is connected to a point, which allows current to flow from the current source via the first input path and the connecting switching device, to the second input path and back to the current source.

3. The optocoupler arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first switching device connected to the second side of the first input path with a first connection, and a second connection of the first switching device is connected to the point.

4. The optocoupler arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second switching device with the first connection is connected to the first side of the second input path and a second connection of the second switching device is connected to the current source.

5. The optocoupler arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first output is connected to a third connection of the first switching device, the second output is connected to a third connection of the second switching device and the third output is connected to a third connection of the connecting switching device.

6. The optocoupler arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuation circuit logical link the first signal input and the second signal input, the actuation circuit being configured such that with a signal at the first signal input, the first optocoupler is activated, and with a signal at the second signal input, the second optocoupler is activated, and with each signal at the first and at the second signal input, the first and the second optocoupler are activated to save energy in the series circuit.

7. An input and or output module within industrial automation technology having at least four channels, wherein a first channel and a second channel are configured with a first optocoupler arrangement as claimed in claim 1;

and wherein a third channel and a fourth channel are configured with a second optocoupler arrangement as claimed in claim 1.