Patent · US Active

Multi-purpose current driver system and method

US7839184B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
8References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 1, 2007
Grant dateNov 23, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 11, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05B2219/25334
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A current driver system and method for generating one or more independent current signals for controlling or driving an external device. In one embodiment the system includes a programmable controller having both serial and parallel interfaces, and controls six independent current driver channels. Each current driver channel may form a dual stage channel that generates two different level current signals. Each current driver channel may include an overcurrent monitoring circuit as well as a loop back subsystem, where the loop back subsystem generates a signal that the programmable controller, and thus an external device in communication with the controller, can use to verify that proper communication is occurring between the controller and the current driver channel. The controller also synchronizes the turn on and turn off points for each current signal to a master system clock.

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