Input/output circuit

{
  "publication_number": "US10979050B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Input/output circuit",
  "abstract": "For a single input/output circuit, changing an input/output form is enabled by a simple configuration. In the input/output circuit, a circuit section includes power supply terminals and ground terminals. A switching section is switchable between a first state in which a power supply line and a ground line are coupled to one of the power supply terminals and one of the ground terminals and a second state in which the power supply line and the ground line are coupled to the other one of the power supply terminals and the other one of the ground terminals. The circuit section operates as a circuit corresponding to one of an open collector output and an open emitter output in the first state and operates as a circuit corresponding to the other one of the open collector output and the open emitter output in the second state.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An input/output circuit for performing input and output of a signal, the input/output circuit comprising: a circuit section including a first power supply terminal, a second power supply terminal, a first ground terminal, and a second ground terminal; and a switching section coupled to a power supply line and a ground line and configured to switch between a first state in which the power supply line and the ground line are electrically coupled to the first power supply terminal and the first ground terminal of the circuit section, respectively, and a second state in which the power supply line and the ground line are electrically coupled to the second power supply terminal and the second ground terminal of the circuit section, respectively, wherein the circuit section is configured to operate as a circuit corresponding one of an open collector output and an open emitter output when the switching section is in the first state and to operate as a circuit corresponding to the other one of the open collector output and the open emitter output when the switching section is in the second state.",
    "2. The input/output circuit of claim 1, wherein the circuit section includes an output circuit, the output circuit includes a photocoupler, an input side of which a signal is given to, a bipolar transistor, a base of which is coupled to an output side of the photocoupler, and an output terminal outputting a signal, one of a collector and an emitter of the bipolar transistor is coupled to the second power supply terminal and is coupled to the output terminal via a diode configured such that a direction toward the output terminal is a reverse direction, and the other one of the collector and the emitter of the bipolar transistor is coupled to the first ground terminal and is coupled to the output terminal via a diode configured such that a direction toward the output terminal is a forward direction.",
    "3. The input/output circuit of claim 2, wherein the bipolar transistor is an NPN transistor, a phototransistor of the photocoupler is configured such that an emitter thereof is coupled to a base of the NPN transistor and a collector thereof is coupled to the first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal.",
    "4. The input/output circuit of claim 2, wherein the bipolar transistor is a PNP transistor, and a phototransistor of the photocoupler is configured such that a collector thereof is coupled to a base of the PNP transistor and an emitter thereof is coupled to the first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "In a case in which different devices are coupled to each other and used, a signal is transferred therebetween using a general-purpose input/output circuit in some cases. However, when an input/output form differs depending on devices that are used, a signal cannot be transferred. As output circuit types, there are, for example, open collector output circuits and open emitter output circuits. For an open collector output circuit, an input circuit corresponding thereto is needed and, for an open emitter output circuit, an input circuit corresponding thereto is needed.\n\nIn Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-108208, a configuration in which a common circuit of an input/output circuit and an individual corresponding section that differs depending on a circuit form are separated and a plurality of individual corresponding sections are provided to thus enable changing the circuit form is proposed.\n\nIncidentally, in the configuration of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-108208, in order to enable changing the circuit form, it is needed to provide a plurality of input/output circuits, resulting in a redundant circuit configuration.\n\nIn view of the foregoing, the present disclosure has been devised and it is therefore an object of the present disclosure to enable changing an input/output form for a single input/output circuit by a simple configuration.\n\nIn order to achieve the above described object, according to the present disclosure, for a single input/output circuit, changing an input/output form is enabled by selection of a power supply path.",
  "cpc": [
    "H03K 19/01806",
    "B25J 19/00",
    "B25J 9/161",
    "H03K 19/017536"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 9/16",
    "H03K 19/0175",
    "H03K 19/018"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Haruki Tanaka",
    "Kazuo Kita"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-11-10",
  "publication_date": "2021-04-13",
  "grant_date": "2021-04-13",
  "priority_date": "2018-06-05",
  "application_number": "US-202017093839-A",
  "family_id": "68770244",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US4949213A",
    "JPH09181596A",
    "US5880606A",
    "JPH09298834A",
    "US5838526A",
    "JPH1131017A",
    "US20030051231A1",
    "JP2005502126A",
    "JP2003108208A",
    "US20040054439A1",
    "JP2010069787A",
    "US20110121210A1"
  ]
}