Patent ID: 7564048
Filing Date: 2009-07-21
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A Faraday sensor test system comprising: a Faraday sensor configured to intercept a quantity of ions incident on said Faraday sensor; a primary conductor and a test conductor coupled to said Faraday sensor; and a controller configured to automatically provide a test current into said test conductor in response to a test condition, said controller further configured to receive a return current from said primary conductor in response to said test current and to compare said return current to a value representative of said test current to determine a condition of a conductive path comprising said test conductor, said Faraday sensor, and said primary conductor; wherein said controller comprises a test current source configured to provide said test current, monitoring circuitry, a first switch, and a second switch coupled to a direct path between said test current source and said monitoring circuitry, wherein said monitoring circuitry is configured to compare said value representative of said test current to said return current, said value representative of said test current being a received test current from said test current source on said direct path when said first switch is open and said second switch is closed, said return current being received from said conductive path when said first switch is closed and said second switch is open.