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Isolated control circuit and driver for micro-electromechanical system switch

  • US 9,997,317 B2
  • Filed: 10/22/2015
  • Issued: 06/12/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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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.

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