Patent ID: 7042690
Filing Date: 2006-05-09
Classification: G01R,H02H

Abstract:
1. A power line isolation loss detector for determining the magnitude and polarity of a difference between a high side current and a low side current, the isolation loss detector comprising: a high side thermal generator coupled to the high side current and a low side thermal generator coupled to the low side current, the high side thermal generator and the low side thermal generator providing high side and low side sets of temperatures indicative of the high side and low side current respectively; a temperature difference sensing module thermally coupled to the high side and low side thermal generators and configured and arranged to sense the high side and low side sets of temperatures and to provide a set of temperature difference sensor output signals indicative of the magnitude and polarity of a difference between the sensed high side and low side sets of temperatures; a control module coupled to the temperature sensor output voltage and in the event that the magnitude of the temperature sensor output voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold, the output module being operative to selectively disconnect the high side and/or low side current based on the polarity and magnitude of the of the temperature sensor output voltage.