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

• US 9,716,495 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• 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:
  US14/316,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20140306550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 307119
• 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

Systems and methods are disclosed for a two lead electronic switch adapted to replace a mechanical switch. In one embodiment, a device is provided that includes a sensor and an electronic circuit having a voltage limiting circuit. The electronic circuit is configured to deactivate/activate the voltage limiting circuit to operate the electronic circuit in a first/second state in response to determining that an output of the sensor is less/more than a threshold voltage. The circuit includes first and second terminals configured to receive a switch voltage used to provide power for the device. The device sets the switch voltage to a first voltage level operative to power the electronic circuit and the sensor while the electronic circuit is operating in the first state and to a second voltage level operative to power the electronic circuit and the sensor while the electronic circuit is operating in the second state.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a sensor;

an electronic circuit having a voltage limiting circuit, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to;

in response to determining that an output of the sensor is less than a threshold voltage, deactivate the voltage limiting circuit to operate the electronic circuit in a first state; and

in response to determining that the output of the sensor is at least the threshold voltage, activate the voltage limiting circuit to operate the electronic circuit in a second state;

a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are configured to receive a switch voltage used to provide power for the device;

a Zener diode connected to the first terminal and in series with the voltage limiting circuit; and

wherein the device sets the switch voltage to a first voltage level operative to power the electronic circuit and the sensor while the electronic circuit is operating in the first state and to a second voltage level operative to power the electronic circuit and the sensor while the electronic circuit is operating in the second state.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes a comparator, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to:

determine, by the comparator, that the output of the sensor is less than the threshold voltage.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes a comparator, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to:

determine, by the comparator, that the output of the sensor is at least the threshold voltage.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are the only electronic connections from the electronic switch.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first voltage level is greater than the second voltage level.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the second voltage level is associated with a voltage across the voltage limiting circuit.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is used to measure a pressure.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is used to measure a temperature.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a bridge array having a sensing element.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the output of the bridge array is coupled to the input of the electronic circuit and the electronic circuit is further configured to toggle between the first state and the second state based on the output of the bridge array.

11. The device of claim 9, the bridge array includes a Wheatstone bridge.

12. The device of claim 9, the bridge array includes a piezoresistive bridge.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the threshold voltage is associated with a predetermined pressure.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the threshold voltage is associated with a predetermined temperature.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit includes a voltage regulator, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to:

regulate, by the voltage regulator, the switch voltage to supply a regulated voltage to the sensor.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to deactivate the voltage limiting circuit by deactivating the Zener diode.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the voltage limiting circuit further includes a switch;

and

wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to deactivate the Zener diode using the switch.

18. The device of claim 1,

wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to activate the voltage limiting circuit by activating the Zener diode.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the voltage limiting circuit further includes a switch;

and

wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to activate the Zener diode using the switch.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit further includes an amplifier, wherein the amplifier is configured to:

prior to input to the comparator, modify an amplitude of the output of the sensor.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein a current used by the device is greater for the device operating in the second state than in the first state.