Plural channel analog-to-digital converter, method and meter employing an input channel with a predetermined direct current bias
First Claim
1. An analog-to-digital converter apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of first input channels, each of said first input channels including an alternating current signal having a direct current value of about zero;
a second input channel having a predetermined direct current bias value, which is different than zero;
means for biasing and scaling each of said first and second input channels and providing a plurality of analog outputs;
means for providing a plurality of analog to digital conversions for each of said analog outputs and outputting a plurality of digital values;
means for serially communicating the digital values for a first set of said analog to digital conversions before serially communicating the digital values for a subsequent second set of said analog to digital conversions without providing any synchronization of the digital values for both of the first and second sets of said analog to digital conversions; and
means for serially receiving the serially communicated digital values and saving the same.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A meter for power lines includes first input channels having AC signals with DC values of about zero. A second input channel has an analog output with a predetermined non-zero DC bias value. Plural biasing and scaling circuits input the AC signals and output corresponding analog outputs. Plural analog-to-digital converters input the corresponding analog outputs and output corresponding digital values. A serial output circuit serially communicates the corresponding digital values for a first set of A/D conversions before serially communicating digital values for a subsequent second set of conversions without providing any synchronization of the corresponding digital values for both the first and second sets of conversions. A serial input circuit serially receives the serially communicated digital values and saves the same in a memory. A processor averages the digital values for the channels and determines whether only the average associated with the second channel has the DC bias value.
6 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An analog-to-digital converter apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of first input channels, each of said first input channels including an alternating current signal having a direct current value of about zero;
a second input channel having a predetermined direct current bias value, which is different than zero;
means for biasing and scaling each of said first and second input channels and providing a plurality of analog outputs;
means for providing a plurality of analog to digital conversions for each of said analog outputs and outputting a plurality of digital values;
means for serially communicating the digital values for a first set of said analog to digital conversions before serially communicating the digital values for a subsequent second set of said analog to digital conversions without providing any synchronization of the digital values for both of the first and second sets of said analog to digital conversions; and
means for serially receiving the serially communicated digital values and saving the same. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of analog-to-digital conversion, said method comprising:
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employing a plurality of first input channels, each of said first input channels including an alternating current signal having a direct current value of about zero;
employing a second input channel having a predetermined direct current bias value, which is different than zero;
biasing and scaling each of said first input channels and providing a plurality of analog outputs;
providing a plurality of analog to digital conversions for each of said analog outputs and said second input channel and outputting a plurality of output digital values;
serially communicating the output digital values for a first set of said analog to digital conversions before serially communicating the output digital values for a subsequent second set of said analog to digital conversions without providing any synchronization of the digital values for both of the first and second sets of said analog to digital conversions;
serially receiving the serially communicated output digital values and storing corresponding input digital values for each of the first and second input channels; and
processing said input digital values. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A meter for a plurality of power lines, said meter comprising:
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a plurality of first input channels, each of said first input channels including an alternating current signal having a direct current value of about zero, said first input channels include a plurality of alternating current line voltage signals and a plurality of alternating current line current signals;
a second input channel having an analog output with a predetermined direct current bias value, which is different than zero;
a plurality of biasing and scaling circuits each of which inputs a corresponding one of said alternating current line voltage signals and said alternating current line current signals, and outputs a corresponding analog output;
a plurality of analog to digital converters each of which inputs a corresponding one of said analog outputs of said biasing and scaling circuits and said second input channel and outputs a corresponding digital value;
a serial output circuit serially communicating the corresponding digital values for a first set of analog to digital conversions before serially communicating the digital values for a subsequent second set of said analog to digital conversions without providing any synchronization of the corresponding digital values for both of the first and second sets of said analog to digital conversions;
a memory; and
a serial input circuit serially receiving the serially communicated digital values and saving the same in said memory. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification