Two lead electronic switch system adapted to replace a mechanical switch system

• US 8,482,162 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc
• Original Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc
• Inventors: Landmann, Wolf S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, TOAN T
• Application Number:
  US12/772,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20110267134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 307/119, 307/117
• US Class Current: 307/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 7/04 in the form of flexible, deformable tubes, e.g. Bourdon gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/00 Measuring steady of quasi-steady pressure of fluid or fluent solid material by electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elements G01L11/004 takes precedence; Transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements, used to measure the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or fluent solid material, by electric or magnetic means measuring differences of two or more pressure values G01L13/00; measuring two or more pressure values simultaneously G01L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/06 of piezo-resistive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/20 with sensing elements having variation of electric or magnetic properties with change of temperature G05D23/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/24 Switches operated by change of fluid pressure, by fluid pressure waves, or by change of fluid flow wherein the change of pressure is caused by change of temperature H01H37/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/00 Thermally-actuated switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/00 Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking gated amplifiers H03F3/72; switching arrangements for exchange systems using static devices H04Q3/52
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/94 characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 5/08 by limiting; by thresholding; by slicing, i.e. combined limiting and thresholding H03K5/07 takes precedence; comparing one pulse with another H03K5/22; providing a determined threshold for switching H03K17/30
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 5/153 Arrangements in which a pulse is delivered at the instant when a predetermined characteristic of an input signal is present or at a fixed time interval after this instant switching at zero crossing H03K17/13

Abstract

A system adapted to replace a mechanical switch with an electronic switch, without the need of additional wiring. The electronic switch includes a bridge array for sensing a characteristic, e.g., temperature or pressure, and an electronic circuit having a switch. As the characteristic of the bridge array varies a switch changes states.

Claims

1. An electronic switch comprising:

a first terminal adapted to receive an input voltage;

a second terminal;

an environmental condition sensor configured to receive an input and providing an output; and

a switching element receiving the output of the environmental condition sensor, the switching element adapted to operate in a first state when a voltage on the first terminal is greater than a high threshold voltage, and the switching element adapted to operate in a second state when a voltage on the first terminal is within a low threshold range; and

wherein the input voltage provides power for the electronic switch, and

wherein the first and second terminals are the sole electronic connections of the electronic switch.

2. The electronic switch of claim 1, the output of the environmental condition sensor adapted to control the voltage on the first terminal.

3. The electronic switch of claim 1, the low threshold range being greater than zero volts and less than a low threshold voltage.

4. The electronic switch of claim 3, the first terminal adapted to receive an input voltage, wherein the input voltage is approximately 15V, and wherein the low threshold voltage is approximately 4V and the high voltage threshold is approximately 11V.

5. The electronic switch of claim 3, the first terminal adapted to receive an input voltage, wherein the input voltage is approximately 12V, and wherein the low threshold voltage is approximately 9V and the high voltage threshold is approximately 3.5V.

6. The electronic switch of claim 3, the first terminal adapted to receive an input voltage, wherein the input voltage is approximately 5V, and wherein the low threshold voltage is approximately 3.5V and the high voltage threshold is approximately 2V.

7. The electronic switch of claim 1, the environmental condition sensor comprising a bridge array having a sensing element and configured to provide the output proportional to a sensed amount.

8. The electronic switch of claim 7, the switching element coupled to the output of the bridge array and adapted to toggle between the first state and the second state depending on the output of the bridge array.

9. The electronic switch of claim 8, the bridge array comprising a Wheatstone bridge.

10. The electronic switch of claim 8, the bridge array comprising a piezoresistive bridge.

11. The electronic switch of claim 7, the sensed amount being a predetermined pressure or a predetermined temperature applied to the sensing element.

12. An electronic switch comprising:

a first terminal adapted to receive an input voltage;

a second terminal;

a bridge array comprising sensing elements, the bridge array providing an output proportional to a sensed amount; and

an electronic circuit coupled to the output of the bridge array, the electronic circuit comprising a switching mechanism adapted to toggle between a first state and a second state depending on the output of the bridge array and the voltage on the first terminal; and

wherein the input voltage provides power for the electronic switch, and

wherein the first and second terminals are the sole electronic connections of the electronic switch.

13. The electronic switch of claim 12, wherein the switching mechanism is in the first state when a voltage on the first terminal is above a high threshold voltage.

14. The electronic switch of claim 12, wherein the switching mechanism is in the second state when a voltage on the first terminal is within a low threshold voltage range.

15. The electronic switch of claim 14, wherein the low threshold voltage range is greater than zero volts and less than a low threshold voltage.

16. The electronic switch of claim 12, the bridge array comprising a Wheatstone bridge.

17. The electronic switch of claim 12, the bridge array comprising a piezoresistive bridge.

18. The electronic switch of claim 12, the sensed amount being a predetermined pressure or a predetermined temperature applied to the sensing element.

19. The electronic switch of claim 12, wherein the switching mechanism is in the first state when a voltage on the first terminal is above a high threshold voltage and the switching mechanism is in the second state when the voltage is less than a low threshold voltage and greater than zero volts, and wherein:

if the input voltage is approximately 15V;

the low threshold voltage is approximately 4V, and

the high voltage threshold is approximately 11V;

if the input voltage is approximately 12V;

the low threshold voltage is approximately 9V; and

the high voltage threshold is approximately 3.5V;

or

if the input voltage is approximately 5V;

the low threshold voltage is approximately 3.5V; and

the high voltage threshold is approximately 2V.