This disclosure is directed to apparatuses, methods, and systems for detecting a capability of a power source connected to a device. For example, a device may include a standardized connector that may allow an unknown power source to provide power to the device. When a power source is connected with a device, a controller powers up and initiates power capability detection procedures. A ramping current sink begins drawing current from the power source at an initial value and increases that amount to a maximum current value. If a voltage on the device voltage bus falls below a voltage threshold during the ramping current sink operation, the current sink is disconnected and an indication is provided to the controller that the power source is underpowered. Further, a safety timer turns off the ramping current sink to prevent excessive heat generation.

A voltage detection method includes: outputting a corresponding one of voltages to be an input voltage according to a clock signal, a first detection signal, a reset signal and multiple first bits; generating the reset signal according to the clock signal and multiple currents, wherein the voltages and the currents are generated based on a power supply voltage; comparing the input voltage with a reference voltage to generate a second detection signal, and generating the first detection signal according to the second detection signal and an enable signal; and adjusting the first bits by a digital circuit according to the second detection signal during a trimming phase to determine the first bits, and outputting the first bits by the digital circuit and resetting the digital circuit according to the first detection signal during a voltage detection phase.

Disclosed is a method for optimizing a wetting current, for a device for monitoring sensors with contact switches including a current source and at least two switch/resistor assemblies (CT1/R1, CT2/R2) in parallel, including the following steps: the current source (A) supplies the circuit with a nominal current; if a voltage (Vm) measured across the terminals of the switch/resistor assemblies is greater than a threshold voltage (Vs), the threshold voltage being lower than the supply voltage of the current source and than the saturation voltage of the analog-to-digital converter (CAN), then the current source is stopped and a unit for discharging the circuit are implemented; and the current source supplies the circuit again with a supply current (Iwet_c) equal to the nominal current reduced by a predetermined increment. These two last steps are repeated until the measured voltage is lower than the threshold voltage.

A data receiving device may include an envelope detector that may include first and second inputs configured to receive a differential input signal, a first pair of detectors coupled to the first input and configured to generate first and second detector outputs, and a second pair of detectors coupled to the second input and configured to generate third and fourth detector outputs. The envelope detector may also include a logic circuit configured to generate a reset based upon the first and third detectors. The data receiving device may also include a receiver circuit coupled to the envelope detector and configured to generate an output based upon the second and fourth detectors along with the reset, and a first bit detection circuit coupled to the receiver circuit.

According to an embodiment, a voltage detecting device includes: a first operational amplifier having an inversion input terminal to which first detection voltage is supplied and a non-inversion input terminal to which voltage of an external output terminal is supplied; a first transistor provided between the external output terminal and a reference voltage terminal and having a gate to which an output voltage of the first operational amplifier is applied; a second operational amplifier having an inversion input terminal to which second detection voltage is supplied and a non-inversion input terminal to which the voltage of the external output terminal is supplied; and a second transistor provided between the external output terminal and the reference voltage terminal and having a gate to which output voltage of the second operational amplifier is applied.

A power supply glitch detector includes a sense node AC coupled to a power supply node on which voltage glitches having a magnitude of V.sub.glitch are to be detected. A sensing inverter has an input and an output, the input coupled to the sensing node, the sensing inverter having a trip voltage V.sub.trip below which the output of the sensing inverter is at a voltage representing a logic high state and above which the output of the sensing inverter is at a voltage representing a logic low state. An adjustable voltage biasing circuit is coupled to the sensing node to maintain the input of the sensing inverter at a bias voltage V.sub.bias, wherein V.sub.bias is chosen such that either both conditions (V.sub.bias<V.sub.trip) and (V.sub.bias+V.sub.glitch>V.sub.trip) or both conditions (V.sub.bias>V.sub.trip) and (V.sub.biasV.sub.glitch<V.sub.trip) are always true.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power converter includes measuring an input voltage of the switched-mode power converter; determining an on-time of a switch of the switched-mode power converter; determining an off-time of the switch of the switched-mode power converter; and determining an output voltage of the switched-mode power converter based on the measured input voltage, the determined on-time and the determined off-time. The output voltage includes a voltage at a first node having a DC path to a load path of the switch.

Systems and methods for measuring alternating current (AC) voltage of an insulated conductor (e.g., insulated wire) are provided, without requiring a galvanic connection between the conductor and a test electrode or probe. A non-galvanic contact (or non-contact) voltage measurement system includes a plurality of conductive sensors which capacitively couple with the insulated conductor. At least one processor receives signals indicative of the voltages at the conductive sensors due to the AC voltage in the insulated conductor, and determines the AC voltage in the insulated conductor based at least in part on the received signals.

Systems and methods for measuring alternating current (AC) voltage of an insulated conductor (e.g., insulated wire) are provided, without requiring a galvanic connection between the conductor and a test electrode or probe. A non-galvanic contact (or non-contact) voltage measurement system includes a conductive sensor, an internal ground guard and a reference shield. A common mode reference voltage source is electrically coupled between the internal ground guard and the reference shield to generate an AC reference voltage which causes a reference current to pass through the conductive sensor. At least one processor receives a signal indicative of current flowing through the conductive sensor due to the AC reference voltage and the AC voltage in the insulated conductor, and determines the AC voltage in the insulated conductor based at least in part on the received signal.

Systems and methods for measuring alternating current (AC) voltage of an insulated conductor (e.g., insulated wire) are provided, without requiring a galvanic connection between the conductor and a test electrode or probe. A non-galvanic contact (or non-contact) voltage measurement system includes a variable capacitance subsystem which operates to generate a variable capacitive voltage between an insulated conductor under test and earth ground. During measurement, the non-contact voltage measurement system varies the capacitance of the variable capacitance subsystem to change the impedance of a capacitive divider circuit between the insulated conductor under test and earth ground. By sequentially making two (or three) measurements across the variable capacitance subsystem, the AC voltage of the insulated conductor can be determined without requiring any galvanic connection to the insulated conductor. The determined AC voltage of the insulated conductor may then be presented to an operator and/or communicated to an external device.