Switchable smoothing network

Claim 1

An apparatus having an input terminal to which an input voltage, with respect to a reference potential, is applied, for providing a filtered output voltage, also with respect to said reference potential, at an output terminal of said apparatus, said apparatus having smoothing filter means coupled between said input and output terminals and being switchable between a first time constant and a second time constant in response to a switching signal, said smoothing filter means comprising: a first branch having a first capacitor connected between said output terminal and said reference potential, said first branch providing said first time constant for said smoothing filter means; a second branch having a resistor connected between said output terminal and a junction point and a second capacitor connected between said junction point and said reference potential, said second capacitor providing, in combination with said first capacitor in said first branch, said second time constant for said smoothing filter means; and isolation amplifier means having an input connected to said output terminal and an output connected to said junction point between said resistor and said second capacitor, said isolation amplifier means having a gain control input to which said switching signal is selectively applied for switching a gain of said isolation amplifier means between substantially unity and substantially zero, whereby, when the first time constant of said smoothing filter means is desirable, the gain of said isolation amplifier means is set to be substantially unity by said switching signal, in response to which, a voltage equal to that on said output terminal is applied by said isolation amplifier means to the junction point between said resistor and said second capacitor thereby effectively isolating said second capacitor in said second branch from said first capacitor in said first branch, and when the second time constant is then desired, the gain of said isolation amplifier means is changed to be substantially zero by said switching signal, in response to which, said second capacitor in said second branch, which initially, due to said isolation amplifier means, has a voltage equal to the output voltage impressed across it, is then coupled to said first capacitor in said first branch, whereby the combination of said first and second capacitors in said first and second branches provides the second time constant for said smoothing filter means.

Claim 2

An apparatus having an input terminal to which an input voltage, with respect to a reference potential, is applied, for providing a filtered output voltage, also with respect to said reference potential, at an output terminal of said apparatus, said apparatus having smoothing filter means coupled between said input and output terminals and being switchable between a first time constant and a second time constant in response to a switching signal, said smoothing filter means comprising: a first branch having a first capacitor connected between said output terminal and said reference potential, said first branch providing said first time constant for said smoothing filter means; a second branch having a resistor connected between said output terminal and a junction point and a second capacitor connected between said junction point and said reference potential, said second capacitor providing, in combination with said first capacitor in said first branch, said second time constant for said smoothing filter means; and isolation amplifier means having an input connected to said output terminal and an output connected to said junction point between said resistor and said second capacitor, said isolation amplifier means having a gain control input to which said switching signal is selectively applied for switching a gain of said isolation amplifier means between substantially unity and substantially zero, whereby, when the first time constant of said smoothing filter means is desirable, the gain of said isolation amplifier means is set to be substantially unity by said switching signal, in response to which, a voltage equal to that on said output terminal is applied by said isolation amplifier means to the junction point between said resistor and said second capacitor thereby effectively isolating said second capacitor in said second branch from said first capacitor in said first branch, and when the second time constant is then desired, the gain of said isolation amplifier means is changed to be substantially zero by said switching signal, in response to which, said second capacitor in said second branch, which initially, due to said isolation amplifier means, has a voltage equal to the output voltage impressed across it, is then coupled to said first capacitor in said first branch, whereby the combination of said first and second capacitors in said first and second branches provides the second time constant for said smoothing filter means.