Signal transfer device

1. A signal-transferring device having:

a first circuit and a second circuit that operate on different ground references; and

a third circuit for transferring signals while providing insulation between the first circuit and the second circuit; wherein

the second circuit switches a logic level of an output signal in accordance with the logic level of an input signal notified by the first circuit, and notifies the first circuit about the logic level of the output signal, and

the first circuit notifies the second circuit about the logic level of the input signal not only when the logic level of the input signal has been switched, but also when the logic level of the output signal notified by the second circuit does not match the logic level of the input signal.

2. The signal-transferring device according to claim 1 ,

the third circuit including a first transformer and a second transformer, and

the first circuit selecting the first transformer or the second transformer in accordance with the logic level of the input signal and driving the primary winding thereof when the second circuit is to be notified about the logic level of the input signal.

3. The signal-transferring device according to claim 2 ,

the first circuit including a first transmission unit for pulse-driving a first signal to be applied to the primary winding of the first transformer when notification is to be provided that the input signal is at a first logic level, and pulse-driving a second signal to be applied to the primary winding of the second transformer when notification is to be provided that the input signal is at a second logic level, and

the second circuit including a first receiving unit for setting the output signal to the first logic level when an induced pulse of a third signal appearing in a secondary winding of the first transformer by receiving the pulse-driving of the first signal has been detected, and for setting the output signal to the second logic level when an induced pulse of a fourth signal appearing in a secondary winding of the second transformer by receiving the pulse-driving of the second signal has been detected.

4. The signal-transferring device according to claim 3 ,

the second circuit selecting the first transformer or the second transformer in accordance with the logic level of the output signal and driving the secondary winding thereof periodically and/or each time the logic level of the output signal switches when the first circuit is to be notified of the logic level of the output signal.

5. The signal-transferring device according to claim 4 ,

the second circuit further including a second transmission unit for pulse-driving the third signal to be applied to the secondary winding of the first transformer when notification is to be provided that the output signal is at a first logic level, and pulse-driving the fourth signal to be applied to the secondary winding of the second transformer when notification is to be provided that the output signal is at a second logic level,

the first circuit further including a second receiving unit for setting the feedback signal to the first logic level when an induced pulse of the first signal appearing in a primary winding of the first transformer receiving the pulse-driving of the third signal has been detected, and for setting the feedback signal to the second logic level when an induced pulse of the second signal appearing in a primary winding of the second transformer by receiving the pulse-driving of the fourth signal has been detected.

6. The signal-transferring device according to claim 5 ,

the first circuit further including an input/output comparison unit for comparing the logic level of the input signal and the logic level of the feedback signal and generating a comparison signal indicating a match/mismatch of input/output logic, and

the first transmission unit deciding whether to provide re-notification to the second circuit about the logic level of the input signal in accordance with the comparison signal.

7. The signal-transferring device according to claim 6 ,

each of the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit including a first mask processing unit for disregarding the pulse-driving of the third signal and the fourth signal carried out by the second transmission unit, and the pulse-driving of the first signal and the second signal carried out by the first transmission unit.

8. The signal-transferring device according to claim 7 ,

each of the first receiving unit and the second receiving unit including a second mask processing unit for disregarding pulses that occur simultaneously in the third signal and the fourth signal, and pulses that occur simultaneously in the first signal and the second signal.

9. The signal-transferring device according to claim 8 ,

the first transmission unit being provided with a function for simultaneously pulse-driving the first signal and the second signal each time a predetermined interval has elapsed while the logic level of the input signal remains fixed, and

the second receiving unit further including an operational state assessment unit for monitoring whether an induced pulse has been produced in the third signal or the fourth signal to assess the operational state of the first circuit.

10. The signal-transferring device according to claim 2 ,

the third circuit further including a third transformer,

the first circuit transferring a clock signal to the second circuit by way of the third transformer, and

the second circuit notifying the first circuit about the logic level of the output signal by way of the third transformer in synchronization with the clock signal.

11. The signal-transferring device according to claim 10 ,

the second circuit pulse-driving the secondary winding of the third transformer at a frequency that corresponds to the logic level of the output signal when the first circuit is to be notified about the logic level of the output signal, and

the first circuit detecting the logic level of the output signal in accordance with the frequency of the induced pulse appearing in the primary winding of the third transformer.

12. A signal-transferring device having:

a first circuit and a second circuit that operate on different ground references; and

a third circuit for transferring signals while providing insulation between the first circuit and the second circuit, wherein

the third circuit includes a first transformer and a second transformer,

the first circuit includes a transmission unit for pulse-driving a first signal applied to a primary winding of the first transformer when providing notification that the input signal is at a first logic level, pulse-driving a second signal applied to a primary winding of the second transformer when providing notification that the input signal is at a second logic level, and moreover simultaneously pulse-driving the first signal and the second signal each time a predetermined interval elapses while the logic level of the input signal remains fixed;

the second circuit includes a receiving unit for setting an output signal to the first logic level when an induced pulse of a third signal appearing in a secondary winding of the first transformer by receiving pulse-driving of the first signal has been detected, and for setting an output signal to the second logic level when an induced pulse of a fourth signal appearing in a secondary winding of the second transformer by receiving pulse-driving of the second signal has been detected; and

the receiving unit includes a mask processing unit for disregarding an induced pulse or a noise pulse, both of the pulses occurring simultaneously in the third signal and the fourth signal, and an operational state assessment unit for monitoring whether an induced pulse has occurred in the third signal and/or the fourth signal to assess an operational state of the first circuit.

13. A signal-transferring device having:

a first circuit and a second circuit that operate on different ground references; and

a third circuit for transferring signals while providing insulation between the first circuit and the second circuit,

the third circuit including a transformer;

the first circuit including a transmission unit for driving a primary winding of the transformer when a signal is to be transferred to the second circuit;

the second circuit including a receiving unit for detecting an induced pulse appearing in a secondary winding of the transformer and switching logic level of the output signal and assessing the operating state of the first circuit; and

the receiving unit performing internal signal processing for switching the logic level of the output signal when the induced pulse exceeds a first threshold value, and prohibiting operation for outputting the output signal when the induced pulse does not exceed a second threshold value that is higher than the first threshold value.

14. The signal-transferring device according to claim 13 , the second threshold value having high and low two-value hysteresis.

15. An electronic device having the signal-transferring device according to claim 1 .

16. A vehicle having the electronic device according to claim 15 .

17. An electronic device having the signal-transferring device according to claim 12 .

18. A vehicle having the electronic device according to claim 17 .

19. An electronic device having the signal-transferring device according to claim 13 .

20. A vehicle having the electronic device according to claim 19 .