Patent · US Expired

Signal modulation across capacitors

US5654984A · kind A · utility

205Cited by
21References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 3, 1993
Grant dateAug 5, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 3, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01F2038/146
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating a modulated signal across an isolation barrier using capacitors is provided. The present invention allows low distortion communication of an audio signal across an isolation barrier without the need for a large and bulky isolation transformer. The present invention may be used to provide telephone line isolation for modem applications compliant with governmental regulations. A line interface integrated circuit (IC) may be connected directly to a telephone line and powered by the telephone line. The line interface IC may include a sigma delta modulator to communicate the receive signal across a capacitor over an isolation barrier and a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter to provide an analog transmit signal from a sigma delta bit stream communicated across a capacitor over an isolation barrier. Circuitry on the opposite side of the isolation barrier includes similar components to process the transmit and receive signals.

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