DEVICE FOR IDENTIFYING AC POWER SUPPLY ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A device for identifying an arrangement of an AC power supply. The device includes first and second voltage detecting circuits and a comparison logic circuit. The first voltage detecting circuit, coupled to ground and hot lines of the AC power supply, receives a first input signal from the hot line and detects the voltage level thereof to generate a first detect signal. The second voltage detecting circuit, coupled to ground and neutral lines of the AC power supply, receives a second input signal from the neutral line and detects the voltage level thereof to generate a second detect signal. The comparison logic circuit, coupled to the first and second voltage detecting circuits, generates first and second identification signals according to the first and second detect signals, indicating the arrangement of the AC power supply.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a device for identifying an arrangement of an AC power supply in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the device for identifying the arrangement of the AC power supply of FIG.1.

Claims

1. A device for identifying an arrangement of an alternating current (AC) power supply, comprising: a first voltage detecting circuit coupled to a ground line and a hot line of the AC power supply, receiving a first input signal from the hot line of the AC power supply for detecting a voltage level thereof to generate a first detect signal;a second voltage detecting circuit coupled to the ground line and a neutral line of the AC power supply, receiving a second input signal from the neutral line of the AC power supply and detecting a voltage level thereof to generate a second detect signal; anda comparison logic circuit coupled to the first and second voltage detecting circuits, receiving the first and second detect signals to generate first and second identification signals according to the first and second detect signals, indicating the arrangement of the AC power supply.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein combination of low level first detect signal and high level second detect signal, low level first detect signal and low level second detect signal, and high level first detect signal and low level second detect signal indicate the arrangement of the AC power supply being single-phase two-wire, single-phase three-wire, and inverted single-phase two wire arrangements respectively.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first voltage detecting circuit comprises: a first voltage divider coupled between the hot and ground lines, receiving the first input signal and adjusting the voltage level thereof to generate a first divided signal;a first filter coupled to the first voltage divider, receiving the first divided signal and rectifying the first divided signal to generate a first rectified signal according to a direct current (DC) component thereof; anda first level determination circuit coupled to the first filter, generating the first detect signal in response to the first rectified signal.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first voltage divider comprises first and second resistors coupled in series, disposed between the hot and ground lines, generating the first divided signal at a junction of the first and second resistors.

5. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first filter comprises a first diode having an anode receiving the first divided signal and a first capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the ground line and a second terminal coupled to a cathode of the first diode, generating the first rectified signal.

6. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first level determination circuit comprises: a first transistor having a base receiving the first rectified signal, a collector coupled to a power source via a third resistor, and an emitter coupled to the ground line; anda second transistor having a base coupled to the collector of the first transistor, a collector coupled to the ground line, and an emitter coupled to the power source via a first pull-up resistor, generating the first detect signal.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first level determination circuit further comprises a second voltage divider comprising: a fourth resistor having a first terminal receiving the first rectified signal and a second terminal coupled to the base of the first transistor; anda fifth resistor coupled between the base of the first transistor and the ground line.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second voltage detecting circuit comprises: a third voltage divider coupled between the neutral and ground lines, receiving the second input signal and adjusting the voltage level thereof to generate a second divided signal;a second filter coupled to the second voltage divider, receiving the second divided signal and rectifying the second divided signal to generate a second rectified signal according to a DC component thereof; anda second level determination circuit coupled to the second filter, generating the second detect signal in response to the second rectified signal.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the third voltage divider comprises sixth and seventh resistors coupled in series, disposed between the neutral and ground lines, generating the second divided signal at a junction of the sixth and seventh resistors.

10. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second filter comprises a second diode having an anode receiving the second divided signal, and a second capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the ground line and a second terminal coupled to a cathode of the second diode, generating the second rectified signal.

11. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second level determination circuit comprises: a third transistor having a base receiving the second rectified signal, a collector coupled to a power source via an eighth resistor, and an emitter coupled to the ground line; anda fourth transistor having a base coupled to the collector of the third transistor, a collector coupled to the ground line, and an emitter coupled to the power source via a second pull-up resistor, generating the second detect signal.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second level determination circuit further comprises a fourth voltage divider comprising: a ninth resistor having a first terminal receiving the second rectified signal and a second terminal coupled to the base of the third transistor; anda tenth resistor coupled between the base of the third transistor and the ground line.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the comparison logic circuit comprises: a NOT gate coupled to the first detecting circuit, receiving the first detect signal;an AND gate coupled to the NOT gate and the second detecting circuit, receiving an output of the NOT gate and the second detect signal to generate the first identification signal; anda NOR gate coupled to the first and second detecting circuits, receiving the first and second detect signals to generate the second identification signal.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processor coupled to the comparison logic circuit, receiving the first and second identification signals to determine the arrangement of the AC power supply accordingly.

15. A device for identifying an arrangement of an alternating current (AC) power supply, comprising: a first detecting circuit coupled between a hot line and a ground line of the AC power supply, detecting a voltage level therebetween to generate a first detect signal, comprising:a first voltage divider coupled between the hot and ground lines, receiving a first input signal from the hot line and adjusting the voltage level thereof to generate a first divided signal;a first resistor-capacitor (RC) filter coupled to the first voltage divider, receiving and rectifying the first divided signal to generate a first rectified signal according to a DC component thereof; anda first level determination circuit coupled to the first RC filter, generating the first detect signal in response to the first rectified signal;a second detecting circuit coupled between a neutral line and the ground line of the AC power supply, detecting a voltage level therebetween to generate a second detect signal, comprising:a second voltage divider coupled between the neutral and ground lines, receiving a second input signal from the neutral line and adjusting the voltage level thereof to generate a second divided signal;a second RC filter coupled to the second voltage divider, receiving and rectifying the second divided signal to generate a second rectified signal according to a DC component thereof; anda second level determination circuit coupled to the second RC filter, generating the second detect signal in response to the second rectified signal; anda comparison logic circuit receiving the first and second detect signals to generate first and second identification signals according to the first and second detect signals, indicating the arrangement of the AC power supply.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first level determination circuit comprises: a first transistor having a base coupled to the first RC filter, receiving the first rectified signal, a collector coupled to a power source via a first resistor, and an emitter coupled to the ground line; anda second transistor having a base coupled to the collector of the first transistor, a collector coupled to the ground line and an emitter coupled to the power source via a first pull-up resistor, generating the first detect signal.

17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first level determination circuit further comprises a third voltage divider coupled between the first RC filter and the ground line, dividing the first rectified signal and generating a third divided signal to the base of the first transistor.

18. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second level determination circuit comprises: a third transistor having a base coupled to the second RC filter, receiving the second rectified signal, a collector coupled to a power source via a second resistor, and an emitter coupled to the ground line; anda fourth transistor having a base coupled to the collector of the third transistor, a collector coupled to the ground line, and an emitter coupled to the power source via a second pull-up resistor, generating the second detect signal.

19. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second level determination circuit further comprises a fourth voltage divider coupled between the second RC filter and the ground line, dividing the second rectified signal and generating a fourth divided signal to the base of the third transistor.

20. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the comparison logic circuit comprises: a NOT gate coupled to the first level determination circuit, receiving the first detect signal;an AND gate coupled to the NOT gate and second level determination circuit, receiving an output of the NOT gate and the second detect signal to generate the first identification signal; anda NOR gate coupled to the first and second level determination circuits, receiving the first and second detect signals to generate the second identification signal.

21. The device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a processor coupled to the comparison logic circuit, receiving the first and second identification signals to determine the arrangement of the AC power supply accordingly.