Interface circuit for providing high speed digital communication between a master universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) device and a 1-wire, UART compatible sensor
First Claim
1. A circuit for providing high speed digital communication between a master universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) device and a 4-20 milliamp (mA) current loop sensor that has a 1-wire, UART compatible interface pin, comprising:
- a safety barrier circuit coupled to receive and transmit voltage and current and to limit the voltage and current to less than predetermined entity parameters;
a slave modulator/demodulator (modem) circuit coupled to the safety barrier circuit and adapted to couple to the current loop sensor, the slave modem circuit configured to (i) selectively convert digital sensor data received from the UART compatible interface pin into current pulses and supply the current pulses to the safety barrier circuit and (ii) selectively supply digital calibration data received from the safety barrier circuit to the UART compatible interface pin;
a master modem circuit coupled to the safety barrier circuit and adapted to couple to the master UART device, the master modem circuit configured to (i) convert the current pulses selectively supplied to the safety barrier circuit into a UART compatible signal for transmission to the master UART device and (ii) selectively supply the digital calibration data to the safety barrier circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A circuit for providing high speed digital communication between a master universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) device and a 4-20 milliamp (mA) current loop sensor that has a 1-wire includes a safety barrier circuit, a slave modulator/demodulator (modem) circuit, and a master modem circuit. The slave modem circuit selectively converts digital sensor data received from the UART compatible interface pin into current pulses and selectively supplies digital calibration data to the UART compatible interface pin. The master modem circuit is configured to convert the current pulses into a UART compatible signal for transmission to the master UART device and selectively supply the digital calibration data.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A circuit for providing high speed digital communication between a master universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) device and a 4-20 milliamp (mA) current loop sensor that has a 1-wire, UART compatible interface pin, comprising:
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a safety barrier circuit coupled to receive and transmit voltage and current and to limit the voltage and current to less than predetermined entity parameters; a slave modulator/demodulator (modem) circuit coupled to the safety barrier circuit and adapted to couple to the current loop sensor, the slave modem circuit configured to (i) selectively convert digital sensor data received from the UART compatible interface pin into current pulses and supply the current pulses to the safety barrier circuit and (ii) selectively supply digital calibration data received from the safety barrier circuit to the UART compatible interface pin; a master modem circuit coupled to the safety barrier circuit and adapted to couple to the master UART device, the master modem circuit configured to (i) convert the current pulses selectively supplied to the safety barrier circuit into a UART compatible signal for transmission to the master UART device and (ii) selectively supply the digital calibration data to the safety barrier circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A sensor system, comprising:
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a 4-20 milliamp (mA) current loop sensor, the sensor comprising a pair of sensor output pins and a 1-wire, UART compatible interface pin, the sensor configured to (i) selectively supply sensor output signals to the sensor output pins, (ii) selectively supply digital sensor data to the UART compatible interface pin and (iii) selectively receive digital calibration data from the UART compatible interface pin; a safety barrier circuit coupled to receive and transmit voltage and current and to limit the voltage and current to less than predetermined entity parameters; a slave modulator/demodulator (modem) circuit coupled between the safety barrier circuit and the current loop sensor, the slave modem circuit configured to; (i) supply the sensor output signals to the safety barrier circuit; (ii) selectively supply the digital calibration data to the UART compatible interface pin, and (iii) selectively convert the digital sensor data selectively supplied by the sensor to the UART compatible interface pin into current pulses, modulate the sensor output signals with the current pulses, and supply the modulated sensor output signals to the safety barrier circuit; and a master modem circuit coupled to the safety barrier circuit and adapted to couple to a master UART device, the master modem circuit configured to; (i) supply the sensor output signals to the master UART device, (ii) convert the modulated sensor output signals selectively supplied to the safety barrier circuit into a UART compatible signal for transmission to the master UART device, and (iii) selectively supply the digital calibration data to the safety barrier circuit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification