Parallel Amplifier Device for Radiation Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operational amplifiers in spacecraft electronics are susceptible to single event effects (SEEs), leading to complex and costly design solutions to mitigate their vulnerability, which complicates and increases the cost of electronic circuits.
Innovation Solution
A parallel arrangement of multiple operational amplifiers with identical input signals and averaging of their outputs, combined with independent decoupling circuits, reduces the susceptibility to SEEs and maintains signal integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If operational amplifiers are used in spacecraft electronics, then signal amplification is achieved, but susceptibility to single event effects (SEEs) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single operational amplifier into multiple parallel operational amplifiers (at least two). Each operational amplifier processes the same input signal independently, and their outputs are combined through an averaging network. This segmentation reduces the impact of SEEs because a single event affecting one operational amplifier will only partially affect the overall output, rather than causing complete failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the outputs of multiple parallel operational amplifiers through an averaging network that sums their outputs and divides by the number of operational amplifiers. This merging approach ensures that if one operational amplifier is affected by an SEE, the other operational amplifiers compensate for the failure, maintaining overall system reliability while preserving signal amplification capability.
2Reliability
If radiation-hardened components are used to mitigate SEE vulnerability, then reliability improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses multiple copies of standard operational amplifiers arranged in parallel rather than using specialized radiation-hardened components. Each operational amplifier is an identical copy that processes the same signal. The redundancy provided by having multiple copies compensates for the lack of radiation hardening, allowing the use of simpler, less expensive components while achieving the desired reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the system-level parameter of reliability through architectural modification rather than component-level radiation hardening. By altering the configuration from a single operational amplifier to multiple parallel operational amplifiers with averaging, the system achieves radiation tolerance through parameter changes in the circuit architecture rather than requiring specialized radiation-hardened components.
3Reliability
If multiple parallel operational amplifiers are used with averaging, then SEE susceptibility decreases, but component quantity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes each operational amplifier universal by having them all perform the same function of amplifying the input signal. Each operational amplifier is identical and can replace any other in the parallel configuration. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain reliability through redundancy while keeping the design simple and the number of components minimized, as all operational amplifiers serve the same purpose rather than requiring different specialized components.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a proportional-integral corrector with an amplifier device (10), which comprises: - a positive supply VCC, - a negative supply VEE, - a non-inverting input (13) Vplus, - an inverting input (14) Vmoins, - an amplified-signal output (15) Vout; - an integer number n of operational amplifiers (101 to 104) having: · a non-inverting terminal (131 to 134) connected to the signal input (13) Vplus, · an inverting terminal (141 to 144) connected to the signal input (14) Vmoins, · an amplified-signal output terminal Viout (151 to 154), and · a closed dynamic control loop (161 to 168); and - an electronic module (17) for averaging the voltages of the output amplified signals Viout (151 to 154).