ISOLATOR SYSTEM WITH STATUS DATA INTEGRATED WITH MEASUREMENT DATA

• US 20130278438A1
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: MUECK, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,972,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.16
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/00 Arrangements characterised by the use of multiplexing for the transmission of a plurality of signals over a common path
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 15/06 successively, i.e. using time division
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/06 using capacity coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0266 Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/883 where the sensing device enters an active or inactive mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An isolator system is disclosed in which a pair of circuit systems is separated by an isolation barrier but engage in mutual communication by an isolator device that bridges the isolation barrier. A first circuit system may include a measurement system generating measurement data and status monitor generating status data. The first circuit system also may include a communication system that multiplexes the measurement data and the status data for transmission across a common isolator device. In this manner, the number of isolator devices may be reduced over conventional designs.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a pair of circuit systems separated by an electrical isolation barrier but provided in communication by at least one isolator device that bridges the isolation barrier,

a first circuit system comprising;

a measurement system generating measurement data,

a status monitor generating status data, and

a communication system that multiplexes the measurement data and the status data for transmission across a common isolator device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the status data represents a state of an operational voltage in the first circuit system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the status data indicates whether an error condition exists in the first circuit system.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second circuit system, provided on an opposite side of the isolation barrier as the first circuit system, that generates a master clock signal for use by the first circuit system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein measurement operations of the first circuit system are synchronized to the master clock signal.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein transmissions of the first circuit system are synchronized to the master clock signal.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the transmissions are provided to the isolator device as a series of pulses provided once per master clock cycle.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the transmissions are provided to the isolator device as a series of pulses provided twice per master clock cycle.

9. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a power isolator bridging the isolation barrier,

a power transmitter provided on the second circuit system, and

a power receiver provided in the first circuit system,

wherein the status data includes data representing a state of a voltage generated by the power receiver, and the second circuit system modulates operation of the power transmitter in response thereto.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a power controller provided in the second circuit system that accumulates the status data from the first circuit system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the power controller provides power at a minimum level notwithstanding an excess number of status data transmissions indicating a need for lower power.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the power controller provides power at a maximum level notwithstanding an excess number of status data transmissions indicating a need to increase power.

13. A system, comprising:

a pair of circuit systems separated by an electrical isolation barrier;

a first circuit system comprising;

a power receiver,

a measurement system generating measurement data,

a supply monitor generating status data representing state of an electrical supply in the first circuit system, and

a communication system that multiplexes the measurement data and the status data for transmission across the isolation barrier by a common first isolator device; and

the second circuit system comprising;

a power transmitter coupled to the power receiver via a second isolator device,

a power controller responsive to the status data that regulates output of the power transmitter.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the power controller provides power at a minimum level notwithstanding an excess number of status data transmissions indicating a need for lower power.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the power controller provides power at a maximum level notwithstanding an excess number of status data transmissions indicating a need to increase power.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the second circuit system comprises a clock generator that generates a master clock signal for use by the first circuit system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein measurement operations of the first circuit system are synchronized to the master clock signal.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein transmissions of the first circuit system are synchronized to the master clock signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the transmissions are provided to the isolator device as a series of pulses provided once per master clock cycle.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the transmissions are provided to the isolator device as a series of pulses provided twice per master clock cycle.

21. A method, comprising:

generating measurement data and status data by a circuit system on a first side of an isolation barrier, the measurement data representing a result of a test performed on an input signal, and the status data representing operational state of the circuit system, and

transmitting the measurement data and the status data across the isolation barrier on a common isolator device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the measurement data and status data synchronously with respect to a master clock signal received by the circuit system from across the isolation barrier.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the measurement data and status data in a pulse sequence once per clock cycle.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the measurement data and status data in a pulse sequence twice per clock cycle.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the status data represents state of an operational voltage in the first circuit system.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the status data indicates whether an error condition exists in the first circuit system.

27. A system, comprising:

an isolator device that bridges an isolation barrier,

a circuit system comprising;

a measurement system generating measurement data,

a status monitor generating status data, and

a communication system that multiplexes the measurement data and the status data for transmission across a common isolator device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the status data represents state of an operational voltage in the circuit system.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the status data indicates whether an error condition exists in the circuit system.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the communication system receives signals representing timing of master clock signal from across the isolation barrier and the circuit system generates a local timing reference therefrom.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein measurement operations of the first circuit system are synchronized to the local timing reference.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein transmissions of the first circuit system are synchronized to the master clock signal.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmissions are provided to the isolator device as a series of pulses provided once per master clock cycle.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the transmissions are provided to the isolator device as a series of pulses provided twice per master clock cycle.

35. A system, comprising:

a pair of isolator devices that bridge an isolation barrier,

a circuit system, provided on a common side of the isolation barrier, comprising;

a power transmitter to deliver power to the first isolator device,

a communication system that receives measurement data and status data from the second isolator device,

a control system communicating the measurement data to another system, and

a power controller to modulate operation of the power transmitter based on the status data.

36. A method, comprising:

generating power delivery signals for transmission across a first isolation device,

receiving power control signals from a second isolation device, the power control signals multiplexed with measurement data,

modulating the power delivery signals according to the received power control signals, wherein

the power delivery signals are provided at a minimum level notwithstanding an excess number of power control signals indicating a need for lower power, and

the power delivery signals are provided at a maximum level notwithstanding an excess number of power control signals indicating a need to increase power.