Signal isolator having magnetic signal latching
Methods and apparatus for transmitting signals that are magnetically latched at a receiver. In embodiments, a signal isolator comprises a transmitter and a receiver on separate die. Signal disruptions may be minimized. In embodiments, the transmitter and/or receiver can be monitored for proper operation.
1. A signal isolator, comprising:
a transmitter comprising:
a transmit module to receive an input signal; and
a transmit current latching module to magnetically latch an output of the transmit module; and
a receiver comprising:
a receive module including a receiver magnetic field sensing element to detect and magnetically latch a signal from the transmit current latching module,
wherein the transmit module includes a transmitter receive module to receive signals from the receiver, and
wherein the receiver includes:
a receiver echo module coupled to the receiver magnetic field sensing element; and
a receive current latching module to receive an output of the receiver echo module and transmit an output to the transmitter receive module.
2. The signal isolator according to claim 1 , further comprising a barrier region between the transmitter and the receiver.
3. The signal isolator according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitter and the receiver are disposed on separate die.
4. The signal isolator according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver magnetic field sensing element includes a magnetoresistive element.
5. The signal isolator according to claim 4 , wherein the magnetoresistive element comprises a bi-stable magnetoresistive element.
6. The signal isolator according to claim 1 , wherein the transmit module includes a controller.
7. The signal isolator according to claim 6 , wherein the controller monitors a state of the input signal, the transmit current latching module, and a transmitter receive module.
8. The signal isolator according to claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to resend a signal from the transmitter to the receiver when a disruption of the input signal is detected.
9. The signal isolator according to claim 8 , wherein the disruption is detected when a timeout is exceeded.
10. The signal isolator according to claim 1 , further including a watchdog timer coupled to a receive echo module to detect faults in the receiver module and/or transmit module when data signals are not present.
11. A method of communicating signals from a transmitter to a receiver isolated from the transmitter, comprising:
employing a transmitter having a transmit module to receive an input signal and a transmit current latching module to magnetically latch an output of the transmit module; and
employing a receiver having a receive module including a receiver magnetic field sensing element to detect and magnetically latch a signal from the transmit current latching module,
wherein the transmit module further includes a transmitter receive module to receive signals from the receiver, and
wherein the receiver further includes:
a receiver echo module coupled to the receiver magnetic field sensing element; and
a receive current latching module to receive an output of the receiver echo module and transmit an output to the transmitter receive module.
12. The method according to claim 11 , further employing a barrier region between the transmitter and the receiver.
13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the transmitter and the receiver are disposed on separate die.
14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the receiver magnetic field sensing element includes a magnetoresistive element.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the magnetoresistive element comprises a bi-stable magnetoresistive element.
16. The method according to claim 11 , further including employing a controller to monitor a state of the input signal, the transmit current latching module, and a transmitter receive module.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to resend a signal from the transmitter to the receiver when a disruption of the input signal is detected.
18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the disruption is detected when a timeout is exceeded.
19. The method according to claim 11 , further including employing a watchdog timer coupled to a receive echo module to detect faults in the receiver module and/or transmit module when data signals are not present.
20. A signal isolator, comprising:
a transmitter comprising:
a transmit means to receive an input signal;
a transmit current latching means to magnetically latch an output of the transmit means; and
a receiver comprising:
a receive means including a receiver magnetic field sensing means for detecting and magnetically latching a signal from the transmit latching means,
wherein the transmit means further includes a transmitter receive means for receiving signals from the receiver, and
wherein the receiver further includes:
a receiver echo means coupled to the receiver magnetic field sensing means; and
a receive current latching means for receiving an output of the receiver echo means and transmitting an output to the transmitter receive means.
21. A signal isolator, comprising:
a transmitter comprising:
a transmit module to receive an input signal;
a transmit current latching module to magnetically latch an output of the transmit module; and
a receiver comprising:
a receive module including a receiver magnetic field sensing element to detect and magnetically latch a signal from the transmit current latching module; and
a watchdog timer coupled to a receive echo module to detect faults in the receiver module and/or transmit module when data signals are not present,
wherein the transmit module includes a transmitter receive module to receive signals from the receiver.
22. The signal isolator according to claim 21 , further comprising a barrier region between the transmitter and the receiver.
23. The signal isolator according to claim 21 , wherein the transmitter and the receiver are disposed on separate die.
24. The signal isolator according to claim 21 , wherein the receiver magnetic field sensing element includes a magnetoresistive element.
25. The signal isolator according to claim 24 , wherein the magnetoresistive element comprises a bi-stable magnetoresistive element.
26. The signal isolator according to claim 21 , wherein the transmit module includes a controller.
27. The signal isolator according to claim 26 , wherein the controller monitors a state of the input signal, the transmit current latching module, and a transmitter receive module.
28. The signal isolator according to claim 27 , wherein the controller is configured to resend a signal from the transmitter to the receiver when a disruption of the input signal is detected.
29. The signal isolator according to claim 28 , wherein the disruption is detected when a timeout is exceeded.
30. The signal isolator according to claim 20 , further comprising a barrier region between the transmitter and the receiver.
31. The signal isolator according to claim 20 , wherein the transmitter and the receiver are disposed on separate die.
32. The signal isolator according to claim 20 , wherein the receiver magnetic field sensing means includes a magnetoresistive element.
33. The signal isolator according to claim 32 , wherein the magnetoresistive element comprises a bi-stable magnetoresistive element.
34. The signal isolator according to claim 20 , wherein the transmit means includes a controller.
35. The signal isolator according to claim 34 , wherein the controller monitors a state of the input signal, the transmit current latching means, and a transmitter receive means.
36. The signal isolator according to claim 35 , wherein the controller is configured to resend a signal from the transmitter to the receiver when a disruption of the input signal is detected.
37. The signal isolator according to claim 36 , wherein the disruption is detected when a timeout is exceeded.
38. The signal isolator according to claim 20 , further including a watchdog timer coupled to a receive echo means to detect faults in the receive means and/or transmit means when data signals are not present.
39. A method of communicating signals from a transmitter to a receiver isolated from the transmitter, comprising:
employing a transmitter having a transmit module to receive an input signal and a transmit current latching module to magnetically latch an output of the transmit module;
employing a receiver having a receive module including a receiver magnetic field sensing element to detect and magnetically latch a signal from the transmit current latching module; and
employing a watchdog timer coupled to a receive echo module to detect faults in the receiver module and/or transmit module when data signals are not present,
wherein the transmit module further includes a transmitter receive module to receive signals from the receiver.
40. The method according to claim 39 , further employing a barrier region between the transmitter and the receiver.
41. The method according to claim 39 , wherein the transmitter and the receiver are disposed on separate die.
42. The method according to claim 39 , wherein the receiver magnetic field sensing element includes a magnetoresistive element.
43. The method according to claim 42 , wherein the magnetoresistive element comprises a bi-stable magnetoresistive element.
44. The method according to claim 39 , further including employing a controller to monitor a state of the input signal, the transmit current latching module, and a transmitter receive module.
45. The method according to claim 44 , wherein the controller is configured to resend a signal from the transmitter to the receiver when a disruption of the input signal is detected.
46. The method according to claim 45 , wherein the disruption is detected when a timeout is exceeded.
47. A signal isolator, comprising:
a transmitter comprising:
a transmit means to receive an input signal;
a transmit current latching means to magnetically latch an output of the transmit means;
a receiver comprising:
a receive means including a receiver magnetic field sensing means for detecting and magnetically latching a signal from the transmit latching means; and
a watchdog timer coupled to a receive echo means to detect faults in the receive means and/or transmit means when data signals are not present,
wherein the transmit means further includes a transmitter receive means for receiving signals from the receiver.
48. The signal isolator according to claim 47 , further comprising a barrier region between the transmitter and the receiver.
49. The signal isolator according to claim 47 , wherein the transmitter and the receiver are disposed on separate die.
50. The signal isolator according to claim 47 , wherein the receiver magnetic field sensing means includes a magnetoresistive element.
51. The signal isolator according to claim 50 , wherein the magnetoresistive element comprises a bi-stable magnetoresistive element.
52. The signal isolator according to claim 47 , wherein the transmit means includes a controller.
53. The signal isolator according to claim 52 , wherein the controller monitors a state of the input signal, the transmit current latching means, and a transmitter receive means.
54. The signal isolator according to claim 53 , wherein the controller is configured to resend a signal from the transmitter to the receiver when a disruption of the input signal is detected.
55. The signal isolator according to claim 54 , wherein the disruption is detected when a timeout is exceeded.