Voltage level judging device

• US 4,906,055 A
• Filed: 07/12/1989
• Issued: 03/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Horiuchi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Stanley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Application Number:
  US07/380,712
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• Field of Search: 307/350, 307/352, 307/354, 307/362, 307/364, 320/48, 324/426, 324/427, 324/433, 324/435, 340/636, 340/661, 340/663, 323/349, 323/281, 323/275, 323/284, 323/285
• US Class Current: 327/77
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/04 Voltage dividers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16538 in AC or DC supplies G01R19/16519 and G01R19/16528 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16542 for batteries charge condition monitoring in G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3646 for indicating electrical conditions or variables, e.g. visual or audible indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/367 Software therefor, e.g. for battery testing using modelling or look-up tables

Abstract

A device for determining whether a source voltage from a power source to be applied to a load such as an electrical apparatus is below a standard level but above a specified level or below this specified level includes a voltage divider circuit for dividing the source voltage, a single voltage level detection circuit for comparing an inputted voltage, a transistor switch with which the source voltage or the output voltage from the voltage divider circuit is selectably inputted to the voltage level detection circuit, and a central processing unit for controlling the operation of the transistor switch according to the result of detection by the voltage level detection circuit.

Claims

1. In a voltage level judging device connected to a power source outputting a source voltage and to a load for determining whether said source voltage from said power source is below a standard level but above a specified threshold voltage or below said threshold voltage, the improvement wherein said voltage level judging device comprises

a voltage divider means for dividing said source voltage and thereby outputting a divided voltage which is a specified fraction of said source voltage,

a single voltage level detection means for comparing an applied voltage with said threshold voltage and outputting an OK signal if said applied voltage is above said threshold voltage and a not-OK signal if said applied voltage is not above said threshold voltage,

switching means for selectably causing said source voltage or said divided voltage to be applied to said voltage level detection means, and

control means for controlling operation of said voltage level judging device, said control means continuing to operate said switching means so as to cause said divided voltage to be applied to said voltage level detection means as long as said voltage level detection means outputs said OK signal, said control means operating said switching means to cause said source voltage to be applied to said voltage level detection means if said voltage level detection means outputs said not-OK signal while said divided voltage is applied thereto, said control means outputting a first warning signal if said voltage level detection means outputs said OK signal while said source voltage is applied thereto, and said control means outputting a second warning signal different from said first warning signal if said voltage level detection means outputs said not-OK signal while said source voltage is applied thereto.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said control means include a central processing unit.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a first light emitting diode with a first color and a second light emitting diode with a second color different from said first color, said first warning signal activating said first light emitting diode and said second warning signal activating said second light emitting diode.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said switching means comprise a PNP-type transistor having a base, an emitter and a collector, said base being connected to said control means.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said voltage divider means comprises a first junction, a second junction, a grounding junction, a first resistor connecting said first junction and said second junction, and a second resistor connecting said second junction and said grounding junction, said voltage divider means being connected to said power source such that said source voltage is applied between said first junction and said grounding junction.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said emitter is connected to said first junction and said collector is connected to both said voltage level detection means and said second junction.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein said control means serves to stop operation of said load when said second warning signal is outputted.