Isolation amplifier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-voltage isolation amplifiers face challenges in maintaining full encapsulation and high-voltage insulation, making it difficult to adjust or calibrate control elements for signal conditioning and measurement signals without compromising the insulation, especially after the device is fully encapsulated.
Innovation Solution
A high-voltage isolation amplifier design with all input elements for parameterization arranged in a low-voltage circuit, utilizing a galvanically isolated control channel to transmit parameters to the high-voltage-side control unit, allowing for retrospective calibration and adjustment without compromising insulation, using separate or bidirectional coupling sections for parameter transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all input elements are arranged in a low-voltage circuit with galvanic isolation, then high-voltage insulation is maintained and calibration can be performed after encapsulation, but device complexity increases due to the need for galvanically isolated control channels
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into electrically isolated segments: a low-voltage control circuit containing all input elements and a high-voltage measurement circuit. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each part - the low-voltage side can be fully encapsulated and calibrated without risk to the high-voltage side, while maintaining galvanic isolation through controlled coupling sections.
Solution Approach 2:
Galvanically isolated coupling sections act as intermediaries between the low-voltage control circuit and high-voltage measurement circuit. These coupling sections enable parameter transmission and control signal transfer while maintaining electrical isolation, thus resolving the contradiction between needing control access and maintaining insulation.
2Reliability
If the device is fully encapsulated before calibration, then high-voltage insulation is preserved, but adjustment and calibration of control elements becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
All calibration and adjustment operations are performed on the low-voltage control circuit before final encapsulation. Since the control elements are electrically isolated on the low-voltage side, their parameters can be precisely set and stored in memory without risk of high-voltage damage. This preliminary calibration ensures the device can be fully encapsulated while maintaining calibration capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit parameters and calibration data are stored in memory as digital copies. This allows the calibrated state to be preserved and reproduced without physical access to the control elements after encapsulation, enabling retrospective calibration by rewriting the stored parameter values.
3Ease of repair
If control elements are accessible after encapsulation, then calibration can be performed, but high-voltage insulation may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the device into low-voltage and high-voltage circuits with galvanic isolation, the patent enables calibration access on the low-voltage side without compromising high-voltage insulation. The control channel remains electrically isolated, so opening the housing for calibration purposes does not expose the high-voltage circuit to damage risks.
4Reliability
If multiple coupling sections are used for signal and parameter transmission, then galvanic isolation is maintained, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling sections are designed to handle multiple functions: signal transmission, parameter transmission, and control signal transfer. By making these coupling sections multi-functional, the patent reduces the total number of separate components needed, simplifying manufacturing and assembly while maintaining galvanic isolation across all communication paths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables fully encapsulated devices to be calibrated and parameterized on demand, maintaining uncompromised high-voltage insulation and addressing changes in transmission characteristics due to environmental and aging effects, reducing delivery times and ensuring safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a galvanically isolating coupling section for the potential-free transmission of the coupling section signal
Data Source
AI summary
An isolation amplifier includes an input circuit at high voltage potential with an input for a measurement signal to be transmitted, an input circuit configuration providing a coupling section signal representing the measurement signal, and a high-voltage-side control unit for driving the input circuit, a galvanically isolating coupling section for the potential-free transmission of the coupling section signal to an output circuit at low-voltage potential with an output circuit configuration for generating an output signal from the transmitted coupling section signal, an output for the output signal and at least one low-voltage-side control unit for generating control signals, input elements for inputting control commands and/or parameters into the high-voltage-side control unit, a low-voltage-side arrangement of all the input elements provided for the parameterization of the high-voltage-side control unit, exclusively in a low-voltage circuit, and a galvanically isolating control channel for transmitting the parameters for driving the input circuit.