Transmitting and receiving digital and analog signals across an isolator
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for transmitting and receiving digital and analog signals across an isolator, comprising:
- a modulator;
a transmitter operably connected to the modulator;
a signal isolator operably connected to the modulator;
a receiver operably connected to the isolator;
a frequency discriminator operably connected to the receiver, anda filtering circuit operably connected to the receiver;
wherein the modulator is configured to accept as inputs thereto an analog signal and a first digital signal having a first frequency, and the modulator is further configured to modulate the analog signal according to the first frequency and corresponding logic state of the first digital signal to form a frequency-modulated (FM) signal as an output therefrom to the transmitter, the transmitter being configured to encode and transmit the FM signal to the isolator for conveyance thereacross to the receiver as an input thereto, the receiver providing the received FM signal to the frequency discriminator and the filtering circuit, the frequency discriminator being configured to decode the FM signal and provide a reconstructed first digital signal as an output therefrom, the filtering circuit being configured to filter the FM signal and provide the analog signal as an output therefrom.
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Abstract
Various embodiments of systems for transmitting and receiving digital and analog signals across a single isolator, solid state lighting systems, and DC/DC converter feedback regulation control systems are disclosed. At least some of the circuits, systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented using conventional CMOS design and manufacturing techniques and processes to provide, for example, a single integrated circuit or ASIC.
24 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for transmitting and receiving digital and analog signals across an isolator, comprising:
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a modulator; a transmitter operably connected to the modulator; a signal isolator operably connected to the modulator; a receiver operably connected to the isolator; a frequency discriminator operably connected to the receiver, and a filtering circuit operably connected to the receiver; wherein the modulator is configured to accept as inputs thereto an analog signal and a first digital signal having a first frequency, and the modulator is further configured to modulate the analog signal according to the first frequency and corresponding logic state of the first digital signal to form a frequency-modulated (FM) signal as an output therefrom to the transmitter, the transmitter being configured to encode and transmit the FM signal to the isolator for conveyance thereacross to the receiver as an input thereto, the receiver providing the received FM signal to the frequency discriminator and the filtering circuit, the frequency discriminator being configured to decode the FM signal and provide a reconstructed first digital signal as an output therefrom, the filtering circuit being configured to filter the FM signal and provide the analog signal as an output therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A solid state lighting system, comprising:
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an AC/DC rectification circuit operably connectable to a source of AC voltage as an input thereto, and configured to provide a rectified DC output voltage; an isolation transformer comprising a switched mode power supply (SMPS) controller, the transformer being configured to receive the rectified DC output voltage as an input thereto and to provide an isolated DC output voltage therefrom; a lighting circuit comprising at least first and second pluralities of LEDs connected in series and driven by the isolated DC output voltage, a current sensing circuit being operably connected to a current sensing node in the lighting circuit and configured to provide a sensed current signal as an output therefrom; a voltage sensing circuit arranged in parallel with respect to the lighting circuit and comprising a voltage sensing node disposed between first and second resistors of a voltage dividing network, the voltage monitoring circuit being configured to provide a voltage monitoring signal as an output therefrom through the voltage sensing node; a first comparator configured to receive as inputs thereto the voltage monitoring signal and a first reference voltage, the first comparator being configured to generate a fault state output signal when the voltage monitoring signal exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold; a triangle wave generator circuit having as an input thereto the output signal of the first comparator, the triangle wave generator being configured to generate a triangle wave output signal having a first frequency when an output signal corresponding to the fault state is not received thereby, and a triangle wave signal having a second frequency when the fault state output signal is received thereby; a second comparator configured to receive as inputs thereto the triangle wave output signal and the sensed current signal, the second comparator being configured to generate a modulated output signal comprising the sensed current signal and the triangle wave output signal, and an optical isolator circuit configured to receive as an input thereto the modulated output signal, the isolator comprising an LED driver operably connected to the output of second comparator, the LED driver providing optical output signals, the isolator further comprising a photodetector configured to generate current in response to the LED driver providing the optical output signals thereto. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A DC/DC converter feedback regulation control system, comprising:
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A DC/DC converter configured to receive a first DC input voltage and to provide a regulated second DC output voltage; an isolation transformer comprising a switched mode power supply (SMPS) controller, the transformer being configured to receive the second DC voltage as an input thereto and to provide an isolated DC output voltage therefrom; a load circuit driven by the isolated DC output voltage, a current fault generation circuit being operably connected to a current sensing node in the load circuit and configured to provide a current fault signal as an output therefrom through the current sensing node when the sensed current falls below or exceeds a first predetermined threshold; a voltage sensing circuit arranged in parallel with respect to the load circuit and comprising voltage sensing and feedback nodes disposed between first and second resistors of a voltage dividing network, the voltage monitoring circuit being configured to provide voltage monitoring and feedback signals as outputs therefrom through the voltage sensing and feedback nodes, respectively; a first comparator configured to receive as inputs thereto the voltage monitoring signal and a first reference voltage, the first comparator being configured to generate a voltage fault state output signal when the voltage monitoring signal exceeds a predetermined threshold; a triangle wave generator circuit having as inputs thereto the output signal of the first comparator and the current sensing node, the triangle wave generator being configured to generate a triangle wave output signal having a first frequency when an output signal corresponding to no voltage or current fault state is received thereby, a triangle wave signal having a second frequency when the voltage fault state output signal is received thereby, and a triangle wave signal having a third frequency when the current fault state output signal is received thereby; a second comparator configured to receive as inputs thereto the triangle wave output signal and the voltage feedback signal, the second comparator being configured to generate a modulated output signal comprising the triangle wave output signal and the voltage feedback signal, and an optical isolator circuit configured to receive as an input thereto the modulated output signal, the isolator comprising an LED driver operably connected to the output of second comparator, the LED driver providing optical output signals, the isolator further comprising a photodetector configured to generate current in response to the LED driver providing the optical output signals thereto. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification