The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 18, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 11, 2002
Timothy P Philippart, Orion, MI (US);
Mikhail Zarkhin, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A monitoring circuit interfacing an open collector output circuit with a voltage offset, wherein the voltage offset exhibited between the monitoring circuit and the open collector output circuit prevents direct interfacing with a digital input of an adjacent digital circuit. The monitoring circuit of the present invention includes, a first bipolar junction transistor (BJT) connected to an open collector output circuit having a first ground. The first bipolar junction has a second ground that is different from the first ground. The first and second ground creates an appreciable voltage offset therebetween when the first BJT interfaces with the open collector output circuit. The monitoring circuit also includes a second BJT connected to the first BJT in a loop configuration so that at least one of the first and second BJTs increases base current drive to its respective BJT. The monitoring circuit of the present invention therefore maximizes a turn-on rate of its adjacent digital circuit.