Isolated control circuit and driver for micro-electromechanical system switch
First Claim
1. A switching system comprising:
- a switch connectable to a power circuit to receive a load current therefrom, the switch comprising one of an electrical switch, an electromechanical switch, a transistor, or a relay; and
a control circuit operably connected to the switch to control selective switching of the switch, the control circuit comprising;
control input terminals to receive an On-Off signal indicative of a desired operating state of the switch;
control output terminals that transmit power and control signals to the switch responsive to the received On-Off signal;
an oscillator coupled to the control input terminals and configured to generate a first electrical pulse responsive to the received On-Off signal, the first electrical pulse having one of a first signal characteristic and a second signal characteristic that is determined by the On-Off signal;
a pulse transformer connected to receive the first electrical pulse from the oscillator and output a second electrical pulse electrically isolated from the first electrical pulse, the second electrical pulse having the same one of the first signal characteristic and the second signal characteristic as the first electrical pulse; and
a pulse detection circuit configured to;
receive the second electrical pulse;
determine whether the second electrical pulse has the first signal characteristic or the second signal characteristic; and
control transmission of power and control signals to the switch based on the determination of the second electrical pulse having the first signal characteristic or the second signal characteristic;
wherein the first signal characteristic comprises one of a first frequency and a first duty cycle and the second signal characteristic comprises one of a second frequency and a second duty.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switching system includes a control circuit that receives On-Off signals indicative of a desired operating state of a switch. The control circuit includes an oscillator that generates a first electrical pulse responsive having a first signal characteristic or a second signal characteristic that is determined by the received On-Off signal, which may be related to a frequency or duty cycle of the pulse. A pulse transformer connected to the oscillator receives the first electrical pulse and outputs a second electrical pulse having the same one of the first signal characteristic and the second signal characteristic as the first electrical pulse. A pulse detection circuit in the control circuit receives the second electrical pulse, determines whether the second electrical pulse has the first signal characteristic or the second signal characteristic, and controls transmission of power and control signals to the switch based on this determination.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A switching system comprising:
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a switch connectable to a power circuit to receive a load current therefrom, the switch comprising one of an electrical switch, an electromechanical switch, a transistor, or a relay; and a control circuit operably connected to the switch to control selective switching of the switch, the control circuit comprising; control input terminals to receive an On-Off signal indicative of a desired operating state of the switch; control output terminals that transmit power and control signals to the switch responsive to the received On-Off signal; an oscillator coupled to the control input terminals and configured to generate a first electrical pulse responsive to the received On-Off signal, the first electrical pulse having one of a first signal characteristic and a second signal characteristic that is determined by the On-Off signal; a pulse transformer connected to receive the first electrical pulse from the oscillator and output a second electrical pulse electrically isolated from the first electrical pulse, the second electrical pulse having the same one of the first signal characteristic and the second signal characteristic as the first electrical pulse; and a pulse detection circuit configured to; receive the second electrical pulse; determine whether the second electrical pulse has the first signal characteristic or the second signal characteristic; and control transmission of power and control signals to the switch based on the determination of the second electrical pulse having the first signal characteristic or the second signal characteristic; wherein the first signal characteristic comprises one of a first frequency and a first duty cycle and the second signal characteristic comprises one of a second frequency and a second duty. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) relay circuit comprising:
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a MEMS switching circuit including; a MEMS switch moveable between an open position and a closed position to selectively pass a load current therethrough; and a MEMS driver circuit configured to provide a drive signal to cause the MEMS switch to move between the open and closed positions; and a control circuit operably connected to the MEMS switching circuit to control switching of the MEMS switch, the control circuit comprising; a pulse transformer configured to isolate a control side of the control circuit from a power side of the control circuit; an oscillator positioned on the control side and configured to generate a first electrical pulse responsive to a received On-Off signal, the first electrical pulse having one of a specified frequency and a specified duty cycle based on the On-Off signal, the specified frequency comprising one of a first frequency and a second frequency and the specified duty cycle comprising one of a first duty cycle and a second duty cycle; and power and logic circuitry positioned on the power side and configured to; condition an output of the pulse transformer to provide a second electrical pulse, the second electrical pulse having the same one of the specified frequency or specified duty cycle as the first electrical pulse; determine whether the second electrical pulse is at the one of the specified first or second frequency or the specified first or second duty cycle; and transmit one of a logic high signal and a logic low signal to the MEMS switching circuit based on the determination of the second electrical pulse having the specified first or second frequency or the specified first or second duty cycle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of controlling a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) relay circuit that includes a MEMS switching circuit, an auxiliary circuit and a control circuit, the method comprising:
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receiving at the control circuit one of an Off signal and an On signal comprising a desired operating condition of the MEMS relay circuit; causing an oscillator in the control circuit to generate a first electrical signal responsive to the one of the Off signal and the On signal, the first electrical signal having a first signal characteristic when an On signal is received and having a second signal characteristic when an Off signal is received; routing the first electrical signal through a pulse transformer to generate a second electrical signal that is electrically isolated from the first electrical signal, the second electrical signal having the same one of the first signal characteristic or the second signal characteristic as the first electrical signal; determining via a pulse detection circuit whether the second electrical signal has the first signal characteristic or the second signal characteristic; outputting a logic high signal from the control circuit to the MEMS switching circuit when the second electrical signal has the first signal characteristic; and outputting a logic low signal from the control circuit to the MEMS switching circuit when the second electrical signal has the second signal characteristic; wherein the logic high signal and the logic low signal selectively cause a voltage to be applied to a MEMS switch of the MEMS switching circuit so as to actuate the MEMS switch between a contacting position and a non-contacting position; and wherein the first signal characteristic comprises one of a first frequency and a first duty cycle and the second signal characteristic comprises one of a second frequency and a second duty. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification