Ground-loop interruption circuit
US5103109A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 3, 1990 |
| Grant date | Apr 7, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 3, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05F1/59
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An output circuit (62) for generating a signal in the form of a voltage between an output signal node and an output reference node (60) receives power from a pair of voltage regulators (Q1 and 68, Q2 and 70). The regulators are connected in power-circuit series so as to be powered by the difference between the output potentials of two opposite-polarity supplies without a direct low-impedance connection between the power-supply ground (73) and the output reference node (60). To avoid large current flow in any external path between an output reference node (60) of an electronic circuit and the ground node (73) of its power supply, a current sensor (R1, R2, 86) senses the net current that the power supplies provide to the circuitry that includes the regulators, and it controls variable loads (Q3, Q4) that selectively drive current into and draw current from the reference node (60) so as to drive the net current to zero.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.