Bi-directional high side current sense measurement
US8237449B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 27, 2010 |
| Grant date | Aug 7, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 2, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R1/203
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for measuring a voltage drop between two nodes in an electrical circuit, comprising a switched capacitor integrator (SCI), a comparator and a counter. The SCI alternately (a) captures charge onto a set of sampling capacitors and (b) selectively accumulates/transfers the charge onto a pair of integration capacitors, where the charge includes a first portion that is based on the voltage drop and a second portion that depends on a digital indicator signal. The comparator generates the digital indicator signal based on whether an analog output of the SCI is positive or negative. The counter counts a number of ones occurring in the digital indicator signal during a measurement interval. At the end of the measurement interval, the count value represents a measure of the voltage drop. Knowing the resistance between the two nodes, the voltage drop may be converted into a current measurement.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.