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:
May. 24, 2011
Filed:
Feb. 26, 2009
Thomas Bruce Meagher, Houston, TX (US);
Gerald Robert Creech, Danbury, GB;
Robert Sidney Ord, Horley, GB;
Thomas Bruce Meagher, Houston, TX (US);
Gerald Robert Creech, Danbury, GB;
Robert Sidney Ord, Horley, GB;
Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH (US);
Abstract
A method and system for testing and protecting the operability of an output module. An output channel includes a transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain. The output channel drives a load with a load voltage and a load current in dependence upon a gate drive signal applied to the gate. The system determines a voltage threshold and a current threshold and monotonically varies the gate drive signal from a starting value for a predetermined time interval while monitoring the load current and the load voltage. The system returns the gate drive signal to the starting value if any of the load voltage reaches the voltage threshold, the load current reaches the current threshold, or a predetermined time interval expires indicating the condition of the output module.