Leach International Corporation

David Lawton

Farshid Tofigh

Imtiaz Ahmad Khan

Otmar Kruppa

Iraj Ghahramani

Kent Policky

Solid state power controllers are described that include a switch controlled by a microcontroller and communication contacts. In one aspect of the invention, the microcontroller is galvanically isolated from the communication contacts using magnetoresistive isolation. In another aspect of the invention a number of solid state power controllers are connected to an external microcontroller to form a power distribution array. In addition, messages exchanged between the external microcontroller and the solid state power controllers can be used to configure the solid state power controllers and provide a user interface.

Voltage sensing circuitry for solid state power controllers

Solid state power controllers in various configurations are provided. One such solid state power controller includes a power connector, a load connector and at least one communication connector, a solid state switch electrically connectable between the power connector and the load connector, where the switch includes an input, a microcontroller coupled to the input of the solid state switch, and current sensing circuitry coupled to the microcontroller and configured to sense a current flowing through the solid state switch, the current sensing circuitry including an amplifier having an offset error, where the current sensing circuitry is configured to generate a signal indicative of the current flowing through the solid state switch, and bias the generated signal to a predetermined level to substantially eliminate the offset error in the amplifier.

Solid state power controllers including current sensing circuitry is configured to bias a general signal to a predetermined level in order to substantially eliminate the offset error in an amplifier and an A/D converter

Power distribution system using solid state power controllers

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Santa Ana, CA, United States of America

David Lawton