Digital Isolator Output Control for Power Instability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing signal insulation methods using photo-couplers face challenges with high-speed operations due to low data rates and duty ratio deterioration, leading to reliability and safety issues, especially during power instability.

Innovation Solution

An insulation system employing a digital isolator with an output adjusting unit that controls data output based on the voltage of a second power supply, ensuring reliable operation by maintaining an insulated state unless the power supply is stable, thereby preventing malfunctions and ensuring safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a photo-coupler is used as an insulating element for high-speed driving, then data rate improvement is expected, but duty ratio deteriorates and cannot achieve 50% duty ratio

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata rateVSAvoidduty ratio

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the insulating element from a photo-coupler to a digital isolator, which fundamentally alters the electrical parameters and allows achieving both high data rates and 50% duty ratio that were incompatible with photo-couplers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a digital isolator is used to enable 50% duty ratio under high-speed driving, then duty ratio is improved, but the output falls into an indefinite state during power supply instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveduty ratioVSAvoidindefinite state during power instability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by detecting power supply voltage before it becomes unstable and preemptively setting the output to a predetermined state (high level or low level), preventing the indefinite state from occurring during power supply fluctuations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses feedback by continuously monitoring the power supply voltage and using this information to control the output state, ensuring the output remains in a defined state during power supply instability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If the output of the digital isolator is directly used during power-on or power cut-off, then system simplicity is maintained, but reliability and safety are impaired due to indefinite output state

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component (output control unit) between the digital isolator output and the final output, which mediates the output state based on power supply conditions, preventing indefinite states while maintaining system safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10620648B2Substrate processing apparatus

Publication Date: 2020.04.14 ASM IP HLDG BV

AI summary

Examples of an insulation system include a digital isolator for receiving supply of a first power supply on an input side thereof and receiving supply of a second power supply on an output side thereof, and an output adjusting unit for receiving supply of the second power supply, directly outputting an output of the digital isolator when a voltage of the second power supply is larger than a predetermined voltage, and stopping data output irrespective of the output of the digital isolator when the voltage of the second power supply is smaller or equal to the predetermined voltage.