Abstract: A communication link between two isolated electrical devices provides for adjustable impedances coupled to the communication link signal paths to balance the signal paths and improve CMRR. The communication link may be a bidirectional capacitively coupled differential signal line to improve noise rejection. The capacitance may be realized as portions of circuit board traces, lead frames, IC pins and/or molding on ICs or on an IC package. The variable impedance compensates for variances in the capacitive coupling values so that the signal paths react similarly in the presence of noise or interference. The variable impedance may be set or programmed from stored values that may be digital or analog. The capacitive coupling of the differential signal line permits integration of isolated devices in a common package.

Abstract: Inter-integrated circuit-capable devices for use on an inter-integrated circuit bus are disclosed. The inter-integrated circuit-capable devices include integrated, internally-configurable addressing registers in place of external pins. Cascaded systems of inter-integrated circuit-capable devices for easier addressing are also disclosed as are methods for writing address identifier codes to addressing registers of the cascaded, inter-integrated circuit-capable devices.

Abstract: A multi-cycle, multi-slope analog to digital converter overlaps charge and discharge periods to reduce latency to the end of the measurement following a sampling window. Additionally, charging and discharging of an integration capacitor during the measurement cycle occurs between defined thresholds so as to avoid saturation within the analog to digital converter.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated differential isolation loss detector is disclosed that generates a first temperature that is a function of a high side current and a second temperature that is a function of a low side current. A temperature sensor senses the difference between the first and second temperatures and provides an output signal that is indicative of the magnitude and the polarity of the sensed difference. A controller receives the output signal and if the difference is greater than a predetermined magnitude the high side current, the low side current, or both can be disconnected from the load. In another embodiment, an integrated differential isolation loss detector is disclosed that includes a first temperature difference generator that generates first and second temperatures where the difference between the first and second temperatures is a function of the magnitude of the high side current.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an integrated differential isolation loss detector is disclosed that generates a first temperature that is a function of a high side current and a second temperature that is a function of a low side current. A temperature sensor senses the difference between the first and second temperatures and provides an output signal that is indicative of the magnitude and the polarity of the sensed difference. A controller receives the output signal and if the difference is greater than a predetermined magnitude the high side current, the low side current, or both can be disconnected from the load.

Abstract: A system for measuring signals in a non-linear network is provided which reduces the reliance on hardware and processing support when correcting for A/D offset by performing a pair of dual slope measurement cycles with an integrating analog to digital converter (ADC) circuit. Each of the measurement cycles has at least four phases including a first integrating phase and a first de-integrating phase followed by a second integrating phase and a second de-integrating phase. The system further includes an ADC controller operatively communicative with the integrating ADC circuit for detecting when the first count value is reached during the second de-integrating phase and then resetting the second count value in response to this detection so that the second count value is offset corrected at the end of the second de-integration phase. As a result, a difference calculation is automatically performed during the measurement cycle.

Abstract: A current sensor and a method for measuring currents on an integrated circuit in an isolated manner. The current sensor uses a Peltier device as a thermal difference generator to generate a first temperature at a temperature generating junction and a second temperature at a second temperature generating junction. The two temperature generating junctions being spaced apart from one another and where the temperature difference between the first and second temperatures is a function of the sampled current. A Seebeck transducer operating as a thermal difference sensor has a first temperature sensing junction thermally coupled to the first temperature generating junction and a second temperature sensing junction thermally coupled to the second temperature generating junction.

Abstract: A system for measuring signals in a non-linear network is provided which reduces the reliance on hardware and processing support when correcting for A/D offset by performing a pair of dual slope measurement cycles with an integrating analog to digital converter (ADC) circuit. Each of the measurement cycles has at least four phases including a first integrating phase and a first de-integrating phase followed by a second integrating phase and a second de-integrating phase. The system further includes an ADC controller operatively communicative with the integrating ADC circuit for detecting when the first count value is reached during the second de-integrating phase and then resetting the second count value in response to this detection so that the second count value is offset corrected at the end of the second de-integration phase. As a result, a difference calculation is automatically performed during the measurement cycle.

Abstract: A current sensor and a method for measuring currents on an integrated circuit in an isolated manner. The current sensor uses a Peltier device as a thermal difference generator to generate a first temperature at a temperature generating junction and a second temperature at a second temperature generating junction. The two temperature generating junctions being spaced apart from one another and where the temperature difference between the first and second temperatures is a function of the sampled current. A Seebeck transducer operating as a thermal difference sensor has a first temperature sensing junction thermally coupled to the first temperature generating junction and a second temperature sensing junction thermally coupled to the second temperature generating junction.

Abstract: An isolated integrated differential current comparator for comparatively measuring the current passing through one or two resistors using a thermal difference sensor employing the Seebeck effect in an integrated circuit that is coupled to the resistors. The thermal difference sensor detects the temperature difference between the resistors, which is proportional to the square of the current passing through them. The output of the current comparator is electrically isolated from the inputs. The output is scalable and in circuit topologies requiring full signal isolation. The integrated differential current comparator is applicable to hot swap applications and applications where isolation of a number of signals is needed.