Patent · US Expired

Circuit for sensing voltages beyond the supply voltage of the sensing circuit

US4890013A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
4References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 17, 1988
Grant dateDec 26, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 17, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R19/10
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A voltage sensing circuit wherein voltages that appear at first and second sensing nodes are converted into first and second currents which are proportional to their respective voltages. A comparing circuit compares the first current to the second current and generates a difference current proportional to the difference between the magnitudes of the two currents. A rectifier circuit rectifies the difference current, and the difference current is added to a reference current. The combined current is applied to the first input terminal of a comparator. The second input terminal of the comparator is coupled to a reference voltage, and the comparator indicates when the voltage created from the combined currents exceeds the reference voltage.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.