Patent US3894288A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3894288A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Bipolar level detector
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1973-10-04
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Granted: 1975-07-08
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Expires: 1993-10-04
Abstract
Abstract The bipolar level detector of this invention senses an incoming signal and produces an indication whenever the signal exceeds a given predetermined level either in the positive or the negative direction. The detector includes an operational amplifier which is normally biased to a saturated state of one polarity (positive or negative) by a pair of networks coupled to its inverting and non-inverting terminals. These networks, consisting of a resistor, a diode and a voltage source, establish the biasing voltages necessary to maintain the operational amplifier in a saturated state of one polarity as long as the input signal to the amplifier remains below a threshold level. If the input signal, whether positive or negative, exceeds the threshold level, one of the biasing networks is disabled. The signal applied to the input terminal of the operating amplifier associated with the disabled network overrides the bias on the other input terminal reversing the saturated state of the amplifier and producing an output indicating that the positive or negative input signal has exceeded a predetermined level. In a modified version of the system, a feedback network is provided for the operational amplifier which adds a ''''memory'''' feature to the system so that if the saturated state of the amplifier is switched, indicating that an input signal exceeding the predetermined level has been received, the operational amplifier remains in that switched state even though the input signal may fall below the predetermined level.
Inventors
- 👤 Jr Claude Edwin Musser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 04:15
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K3/00; H03K3/02; H03K3/023; H03K3/0233; H03K3/02337
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
A bipolar level detector comprising: a. an operational amplifier having inverting and non-inverting input terminals and an output terminal; b. biasing networks coupled to said inverting and non-inverting inputs, each of said biasing networks includes a source of reference voltage, a resistor and diode connected in series between the source of reference voltage and a point of reference potential, the reference voltages being of opposite polarity so that the diodes in each network are conducting thereby establishing bias voltages of opposite polarity at the junction of the diode and resistor in the respective networks; c. an input terminal adapted to receive bipolar signals; d. means coupling said input terminal to said biasing networks for disabling one of said networks and applying a voltage of the proper polarity and amplitude to override the effect of the other network if an input signal of one polarity exceeds a predetermined level, and for disabling the other network and overriding the effect of said one network if an input signal of the opposite polarity exceeds a predetermined level whereby the output of said amplifier is switched to saturation of the opposite polarity whenever the input signal, of either polarity, exceeds its predetermined level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
199 words
A bipolar level detector comprising: a. an operational amplifier having inverting and non-inverting input terminals and an output terminal; b. biasing networks coupled to said inverting and non-inverting inputs, each of said biasing networks includes a source of reference voltage, a resistor and diode connected in series between the source of reference voltage and a point of reference potential, the reference voltages being of opposite polarity so that the diodes in each network are conducting thereby establishing bias voltages of opposite polarity at the junction of the diode and resistor in the respective networks; c. an input terminal adapted to receive bipolar signals; d. means coupling said input terminal to said biasing networks for disabling one of said networks and applying a voltage of the proper polarity and amplitude to override the effect of the other network if an input signal of one polarity exceeds a predetermined level, and for disabling the other network and overriding the effect of said one network if an input signal of the opposite polarity exceeds a predetermined level whereby the output of said amplifier is switched to saturation of the opposite polarity whenever the input signal, of either polarity, exceeds its predetermined level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
The bipolar detector according to claim 1 wherein individual resistance means are connected between the input terminal and the junction of the resistor and diode of each network whereby the current flow through said individual resistance means in response to input signals which exceed a predetermined level reverse biases the diode in one of the networks to disable said network and produce a voltage of a polarity opposite to the normal bias voltage to override the effect of the other network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
110 words
The bipolar detector according to claim 1 wherein the network associated with the inverting terminal has a positive reference voltage and conduction of diode produces a positive bias voltage, and the network associated with the non-inverting terminal has a negative reference voltage and conduction of the diode produces a negative bias voltage so that said amplifier is normally in negative saturation and a positive signal exceeding a predetermined level disables the network associated with the non-inverting and a negative signal exceeding a predetermined level disables the network at the inverting terminal whereby the amplifier output switches to positive saturation whenever an input signal of either polarity exceeds its predetermined level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
89 words
The bipolar detector according to claim 1 wherein the bias network at the inverting terminal produces a positive biasing voltage and the network at the non-inverting terminal a negative biasing voltage so that said amplifier is normally in negative saturation and a positive signal exceeding a predetermined level disables the network at the non-inverting terminal and a negative signal exceeding a predetermined level disables the network at the inverting terminal whereby the amplifier output switches to positive saturation whenever an input signal of either polarity exceeds its predetermined level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
The bipolar detector according to claim 1 wherein the network associated with the inverting terminal has a negative reference voltage and conduction of diode produces a negative bias voltage, and the network associated with the non-inverting terminal has a positive reference voltage and conduction of the diode produces a positive bias voltage so that said amplifier is normally in positive saturation and a negative signal exceeding a predetermined level disables the network associated with the non-inverting terminal and a positive signal exceeding a predetermined level disables the network at the inverting terminal whereby the amplifier output switches to negative saturation whenever an input signal of either polarity exceeds its predetermined level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
88 words
The bipolar detector according to claim 1 wherein the bias network at the inverting terminal produces a negative biasing voltage and the network at tHe non-inverting terminal a positive biasing voltage so that said amplifier is normally in positive saturation, a negative signal exceeding a predetermined level disables the network at the non-inverting terminal and a positive signal exceeding a predetermined level disables the network at the inverting terminal whereby the amplifier output switches to negative saturation whenever an input signal of either polarity exceeds its predetermined level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
100 words
The bipolar detector according to claim 1 including a feedback path from the output of said amplifier to the non-inverting terminal, said feedback path including a unidirectional conducting device which is so poled as to be non-conducting when the amplifier output is in its normal saturated state and becomes conducting when the amplifier output state switches polarity in response to an input signal which exceeds its predetermined level to apply a voltage of the proper polarity to the non-inverting terminal to maintain the amplifier output in the switched state even though the input signal subsequently drops below the predetermined level.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-07 | 1979-01-06 | 1979-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-07 | 1983-01-06 | 1983-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-07 | 1987-01-06 | 1987-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |