(19)
(11) EP 0 756 222 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
07.01.1998 Bulletin 1998/02

(43) Date of publication A2:
29.01.1997 Bulletin 1997/05

(21) Application number: 96110932.9

(22) Date of filing: 06.07.1996
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6: G05F 1/569
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE ES FR GB IT

(30) Priority: 25.07.1995 US 507690

(71) Applicant: THOMSON CONSUMER ELECTRONICS, INC.
Indianapolis, IN 46206 (US)

(72) Inventor:
  • Fernsler, Ronald Eugene
    Indianapolis, IN 46220 (US)

(74) Representative: Hartnack, Wolfgang, Dipl.-Ing. et al
Deutsche Thomson-Brandt GmbH Patentabteilung Göttinger Chaussee 76
30453 Hannover
30453 Hannover (DE)

   


(54) Clamp circuit for remotely sensed voltage


(57) An apparatus provides power to a remote load (RLOAD), such as a plurality of digital integrated circuits. The power is routed to the load through a first plurality of pins of a connector (P1), which is mounted, for example, on a periphery of the apparatus's printed circuit board. A feedback path (FB) is provided from the load to the apparatus in order to monitor a voltage (VLOAD) at the load. The feedback path is routed to the apparatus through a second plurality of pins of the connector. In order to facilitate testing of the apparatus, the output of the apparatus is isolated from the feedback path by a resistance (R2). A switch device (D2) is coupled in parallel with the resistance to prevent the output voltage of the apparatus from exceeding a level which the load can safely tolerate.






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