Alarm Processing Circuit Using Time Width Encoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing alarm processing circuits in intelligent power modules cannot determine the cause of an alarm signal and often require multiple signal transmission paths, which increases complexity and cost, and are not effective in identifying alarm signals that occur at unpredictable timings.
Innovation Solution
An alarm processing circuit that converts alarm signals from multiple abnormality detection circuits into time signals with unique time widths, allowing these signals to be shared over a single transmission path, enabling identification of the cause of the alarm and simplifying the configuration and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate signal transmission paths are used for each alarm signal, then the reliability of alarm signal transmission is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple alarm signal transmission paths into a single shared transmission path by converting all alarm signals into a unified time signal format. Multiple abnormality detection circuits output signals that are converted by timers into time signals with different time widths, which then share a common transmission path to the determination circuit, reducing the number of transmission paths from multiple to one.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of alarm signals from various signal formats to a unified time signal format with different time widths. Each timer converts its input alarm signal into a time signal with a specific time width characteristic, transforming the signals into a common parameter domain (time duration) that can be transmitted through a single path while preserving abnormality identification capability.
2Device complexity
If alarm signals are transmitted without time width encoding, then the signal transmission is simpler, but the ability to determine which abnormality caused the alarm is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent encodes abnormality information into the time width parameter of the alarm signals. Each timer generates a time signal with a specific time width that corresponds to a particular type of abnormality. The determination circuit identifies the abnormality type by measuring the time width of the received time signal, thus preserving information while using a simplified transmission approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic pulse signals with different durations (time widths) to encode abnormality information. Each timer generates periodic or single-cycle pulses with characteristic time widths that serve as identifiers for different abnormality types. This temporal encoding allows information transmission without requiring complex signal formats or multiple transmission channels.
3Device complexity
If time division multiplexing is used for signal transmission, then the number of photocouplers is reduced, but the technique cannot be applied to alarm signals which cannot be known as to when they will occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having each timer ready to convert alarm signals into time signals with predetermined time widths corresponding to different abnormality types. The system pre-establishes the conversion rules and time width mappings, so when an alarm signal occurs at any unpredictable time, the appropriate timer can immediately process it and generate the correctly encoded time signal for transmission.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides an alarm processing circuit including: a plurality of abnormality detection circuits (9-0 to 9-n) which detect different abnormalities and output alarm signals respectively; signal conversion circuits (13-1 to 13-n) which convert the alarm signals outputted from the plurality of abnormality detection circuits into time signals with unique time widths corresponding to kinds of the abnormalities respectively; and a determination circuit (21) which determines the kinds of the abnormalities respectively based on the time widths of the time signals outputted from the signal conversion circuits. Thus, it is possible to simplify the configuration and reduce the cost.