Patent · US Expired

Non-actuating relay driver tester

US4961051A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
7References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 14, 1989
Grant dateOct 2, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 14, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/3278
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

By providing control logic for initiating a predetermined test sequence depending upon the known state of a relay, a unique testing circuit is attained whereby the relay drivers connected to the opposed sides of the relay coil are fully evaluated without causing the relay to be activated. In the preferred embodiment, the relay comprises a latching-type relay and the relay drivers comprise separate high-power CMOS devices. In this configuration, the control logic separately activates each transistor of each of the high-power CMOS devices without causing the relay to be switched between its two alternate configurations. Furthermore, the control logic originally sets the latching-type relay into one of its two configurations and then shuts off the power until activated for initiating the test sequence. In addition, the control logic is employed to check each transistor during the test sequence and assure its operation.

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