Patent Abstract:
The invention aims to provide a compact device for despatching a command. For this purpose, the invention proposes a novel type of output stage. A secure verification device of the despatching of a binary command signal from at least one conductor has an input terminal and an output terminal. Means of insertion despatch a verification message on said conductor. At least one optical coupler has an emission diode coupled to the conductor so as to copy the verification message when the binary signal is in a first state and not to copy it when it is in a second state different from the first state.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
   The invention relates to a device for despatching a secure output command. This type of device is used in applications requiring high security monitoring such as, for example, applications of transport of people. 
   For the transport of people, such as by train, subway, tramway or self-steered bus, it is necessary to exhibit maximum security in order to have authorization to travel. Among the security arrangements implemented, a particular arrangement consists in the use, for any logic level corresponding to a command, of a security level, that is to say one which is not dangerous in the event of malfunction. The security level is generally the zero level corresponding moreover to an absence of voltage or current. One speaks of the permissive state and the restrictive state. The permissive state corresponds to a command in a state that is nonsecure but necessary for operation, for example, request for traction or release of the brakes. The restrictive state prohibits certain operating actions or brings about actions whose effect is secure, for example stoppage of traction or triggering braking, and in particular in case of absence of energy so as to make the passengers secure whatever happens. 
   In order to guarantee fully secure operation in the event of failure of any one of the components of the command system, any fault must result in the setting of a restrictive state. In order to ensure such security setting, the mere failure of a component must bring about either a setting of the command to the restrictive state, or a detection of malfunction which globally sets all the outputs into a restrictive state. 
   With this aim, each command despatch device is furnished with a so-called security output device which serves, on the one hand, to despatch a power command and, on the other hand, to verify that the signal is indeed in a restrictive state when a restrictive state is requested. The monitoring of the security outputs makes it possible to guarantee that a command device will not command an action wrongly. The principle is to operationally command an output and to verify its state in a secure manner. In the event of a problem, a secure energy supply is cut, thus forcing all the command signals into a security state. 
   Static security relays for producing such a command interface monitored securely are known in particular from French patent application FR-A-2 704 370. According to this document, the power command is transmitted by way of a transformer with four windings, including primary and secondary windings for state verification and primary and secondary power windings. The primary state verification winding receives a monitoring signal which is read by the corresponding secondary winding. When a command is in a permissive state, the primary power winding of this same transformer receives considerable energy destined for the secondary power winding. When the primary power winding receives this energy, the transformer becomes saturated and the secondary monitoring winding is no longer capable of receiving the signal despatched by the primary monitoring winding. Such a device is sufficiently effective for the function requested. However its main drawback is that it is rather bulky and consumes appreciable energy. 
   The invention aims to provide a compact device for despatching a command. For this purpose, the invention proposes a novel type of output stage. A monitoring signal is despatched on the power conductors. The monitoring signal is recovered by way of an optocoupler linked to the conductor. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is a secure verification device of the despatching of a binary command signal on at least one conductor having an input terminal and an output terminal. Means for insertion despatch a verification message on said conductor. At least one optical coupler has an emission diode coupled to the conductor so as to copy the verification message when the binary signal is in a first state and not to copy it when it is in a second state different from the first state. 
   Preferably, a first conductor is furnished with a first monitoring diode placed between its input terminal and its output terminal, said diode being placed so as to be disabled when the binary signal is in the first state and so as to allow the current to pass through the first conductor when the binary signal is in the second state. The means of insertion comprise a transistor which couples in parallel a first emission diode with the first monitoring diode when said transistor is enabled, the first emission diode being biased in such a way that the latter is disabled independently of the state of the transistor when said first monitoring diode is enabled. The device comprises biasing means which make it possible to reverse bias the first monitoring diode when the binary signal is in the first state. 
   Moreover, the device may furthermore comprise second means of insertion of a verification signal on a second conductor, and a second optical coupler having a second emission diode coupled to the second conductor so as to copy the verification message when the binary signal is in a first state and not to copy it when it is in a second state different from the first state. 
   According to another variant, the binary command signal is a power command despatched on two conductors creating a continuous secure potential difference between the two conductors when the binary signal is in the second state and allowing said conductors to float when the binary signal is in the first state. The means of insertion consist of a capacitor and two resistors coupled to the conductors and despatching a differential verification message, of variable potential, whose amplitude is less than the secure potential difference. The emission diode is placed between the two conductors in such a way as to be disabled when the secure potential difference is applied to said conductors. 
   The invention, in a more global manner, is also a secure command system comprising: means of generation of a command, means of verification which verify the proper operation of said system, means of secure energizing which provide a security voltage under the monitoring of the verification means, means of despatch of the command in a secure manner with the aid of the security voltage. The means of despatch comprise at least one security device for verifying the despatch of a binary command signal as described previously. 
   Of course, the invention also covers the vehicle containing the secure command system. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  represents an exemplary secure circuit for generating commands, and 
       FIGS. 2 to 5  represent various exemplary embodiments of a secure output according to the invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The secure generator of commands which is represented in  FIG. 1  comprises:
         a secure processor  1  which formulates commands as a function of input data and of a program produced in a secure manner, that is to say self-verifying that it is running properly,   a security validation circuit  2  which receives, from the secure processor  1 , the state of the commands which have to be despatched as well as signatures of errors representative of any errors detected in the course of the running of the program of said processor  1 ,   a secure energy supply  3  commanded by the security validation circuit  2  which will provide or not provide a security voltage V sec =V + −V − , depending on whether or not an error has been detected by the security validation circuit  2 , and   a secure output interface  4  which receives the commands to be despatched to remote devices originating from the secure processor  1 , monitoring signals originating from the security validation circuit  2 , various supply voltages V + , V − , V DD+ , V DD−  and V CC  provided by the security energy supply circuit  3 ; the secure output circuit  4  also despatches to the security validation circuit  2  signals representative of the actual state of the power outputs.       

   During the running of the program, the secure processor  1  auto-verifies its proper operation. Security signatures are despatched to the security validation circuit  2  which will validate that the program has run correctly without any error. Furthermore, the secure processor  1  provides the security validation circuit  2  with the states of the requested outputs. 
   The security validation circuit  2  verifies the proper operation of the whole of the device intended to despatch commands. If an error is ever detected, the security validation circuit cuts off the power supply which corresponds to the security voltage V sec =V + −V −  and which supplies the secure output interface so that no command can be despatched and that all the output signals are again in a restrictive so-called security state. 
     FIG. 2  represents a first exemplary embodiment of the secure output interface  4  which comprises a plurality of secure output circuits  41  to  43 . Each secure output circuit  41  to  43  is dedicated to the transmission of a command signal specific to it. The secure output circuit  43  comprises two conductors  100  and  101 . The conductors  100  and  101  are intended to convey a binary power output signal. For this purpose, a binary command signal controls a switching device  102  which links the conductor  100  to the supply voltage V +  and the conductor  101  to the supply voltage V − . The supply voltages V +  and V −  are provided by the security supply  3  when the security validation circuit authorizes the security voltage V sec =V +  and V −  which is equal to, for example, 48 volts. In case of detection of a malfunction, the supply voltages V +  and V −  are no longer provided so that the state of all the outputs of the secure output interface are again in a security state. The conductors  100  and  101  therefore provide a power command when the command signal closes the switching circuit  102 . The conductors  100  and  101  are linked to a load, for example a remote relay, not represented in this  FIG. 2 . 
   The security or restrictive state corresponds to an opening of the switch  102 . One seeks to verify that when this security state is requested, it is indeed applied by the secure output circuit  43 . 
   A verification code, for example a pseudo random train of bits, is provided to the device to the output circuit  43  by the security validation circuit  2 . The verification code is despatched on the conductors  100  and  101  by way of two code inputs denoted CODE 1  and CODE 2 . The input CODE 1  is coupled to the conductor  100  by way of a capacitor  103  and a resistor  104 . The input CODE 2  is coupled to the conductor  101  by way of a resistor  106 . 
   An optocoupler  107  consisting of an emission photodiode  108  and of a reception phototransistor  109  is coupled to the conductors  100  and  101  so as to recover the verification code and provide it on an output. The emission photodiode  108  is connected between the conductors  100  and  101  so as to copy the code originating from the code inputs when the binary command signal is in a first state, for example the security state, and not to copy it when it is in a second state different from the first. 
   For this purpose, the photodiode  108  is biased so that the latter is again in a disabled state when the switch  102  establishes contact between the conductors  100  and  101  and the security voltage V sec . When one wishes to have a security level on this output, the binary command signal is in a state which requests the opening of the switch  102 . If the switch  102  is found to be unexpectedly closed, then the photodiode  108  is again disabled. The code despatched by the inputs CODE 1  and CODE 2  will not cross through said photodiode. Thus, the latter will emit absolutely nothing and the phototransistor will be totally unable to copy the signal onto its output. 
   On the other hand, if the switching circuit  102  responds correctly to the binary command signal, then the conductors  100  and  101  are no longer linked to the security voltage V sec . The code signals are despatched on the conductors  100  and  101 , and they cross through the photodiode  108  when the potential difference between the code inputs biases said photodiode  108  in a forward direction. The phototransistor  109  then receives the emission of the photodiode and switches a resistor  110  between earth and a supply voltage V CC , for example 5V. The code output, corresponding to the node between the transistor  109  and the resistor  110 , is then found to be modulated by the verification code. The code output is thereafter despatched to the security validation circuit  2  for verification of the code. The output code is then equal to: 
   
     
       
         
           
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             CODE 
           
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               CODE 
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                     CODE 
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   This first embodiment fulfills the desired security conditions perfectly. However, when a load of high power and hence of low impedance is linked to the conductors  100  and  101 , it might diminish the voltage of the signals provided to the inputs CODE 1  and CODE 2  across the terminals of the photodiode  108 . In order to remedy this problem, a switching diode  111  is inserted on one of the conductors so as to prevent the current corresponding to the code signals from crossing through the load. 
   Likewise, the photodiode  108  is reverse biased with respect to the security voltage which crosses through the conductors  100  and  101 . This may pose a problem if the load is of inductive type. When a relay is connected across the output terminals of the two conductors  100  and  101  then the photodiode  108  acts as a freewheel diode. Acting as a freewheel diode, the photodiode  108  ensures the sticking for a not necessarily defined duration of the relay that the conductors  100  and  101  command. In order to remedy this, a resistor  113  is inserted between one of the conductors and the photodiode  108 . The value of this resistor is chosen to be much greater than the impedance of the commanded relay so as to limit current to the maximum when the latter goes in a direction reverse to the current provided by the security voltage V sec , greatly reducing the freewheel created by the photodiode. 
   The two resistors  104  and  106  serve to limit the current of the signal corresponding to the verification code so that the latter is less than the minimum current that can trigger the relay serving as load. Although the maximum voltage in absolute value of the code signals is low, for example +5V or −5V, these resistors  104  and  106  dissipate non-zero energy thermally. The coupling capacitor  103  nevertheless makes it possible to limit the current in these resistors. The capacitor  103  must be sized so as to support a potential difference that may be greater than the security voltage V sec  i.e. 48 volts, but they eliminate the static consumption of the resistors  104  and  106 . 
   The connecting of the emission photodiode  108  between the two conductors  100  and  101  has the drawback of reverse biasing the photodiode  108  with a relatively high voltage of the order of 48 volts. This type of component is not generally made to support such voltages. Moreover, when the power element to be commanded is far from the output circuit, the constraints related to the electromagnetic environment become significant. In such a situation, the connecting of the code inputs to the conductors  100  and  101  by way of capacitors does not exhibit a sufficiently significant galvanic isolation and parasitic signals of electromagnetic origin may impair the shape of the bit train constituting the verification code. 
   In order to remedy the aforesaid drawbacks, various improvements will be detailed in succession. Firstly, according to a variant embodiment, a switching diode  112  is placed in series with the photodiode  108  with a bias of like sense. The switching diode  112  makes it possible to reduce the reverse voltage across the terminals of the photodiode  108 . 
   A variant circuit is represented in  FIG. 3 . The conductors  100  and  101  are linked to a load  200 . The load  200  is for example a control coil of a relay. In this example, the conductor  100  alone has the switching circuit  102  at input. The output state monitoring is done by monitoring the state of the current flowing through the conductor  100 . For this purpose, a switching diode  201  is inserted on this conductor  100 , this switching diode  201  being biased so as to be enabled when the switching circuit  102  closes the circuit. A bias voltage V DD =V DD+ −V DD−  is coupled to the conductor  100  by way of the resistors  202  and  203 . This coupling is effected so as to reverse bias the switching diode  201  in relation to the bias voltage V DD− . In parallel with the diode  201 , the emission photodiode  108  of the optocoupler  107  is connected by way of a transistor  204 . The transistor  204 , for example an NPN transistor, receives the verification code on its base. 
   The bias voltage V DD , for example 12 V, may be applied either to both conductors  100  and  101  or solely to the conductor  100 . In the case where it is applied to both conductors  100  and  101 , a bias voltage crosses the load  200 . The resistors  202  and  203  are chosen so as to limit the current flowing through the load to a threshold below a relay-triggering current. 
   Preferably, in order to prevent possible triggering of the relay  200  if the latter is of low power, it is possible to use a biased relay. The biasing of the relay  200  makes it possible to authorize its triggering when it is biased by the security voltage V sec  but not by the bias voltage V DD . The biased relay is preferably the device commanded by the conductors  100  and  101  so as to serve as complementary protection in addition to the means described in the variants described hereinbelow and which are likewise aimed at avoiding unexpected triggering of the relay. 
   When the switch  102  is closed, the conductors  100  and  101  supply the load  200  with a security voltage V sec . The diode  201  becomes enabled, the voltage across the terminals of this diode  201  is substantially equal to its threshold voltage, that is to say 0.6 volts. This voltage across the terminals of the diode  201  does not allow the diode  108  to conduct, thus the reception phototransistor  109  cannot receive the code despatched by way of the transistor  204 . 
   When the switching circuit  102  is open and when no power current corresponding to the command signal passes through the conductors  100  and  101 , the diode  201  is disabled by the bias voltage V DD  across its terminals. The bias voltage V DD  then biases the branch consisting of the photodiode  108  and the transistor  204 . Thus, when the base of the transistor  204  is modulated in all or nothing mode by the verification code, this code is echoed in the diode  108  which will emit as a function of said code. The transistor  109  will therefore receive the code and transmit it to the code output. 
   The galvanic isolation may appear to be insufficient at the code input level, in particular if one wishes to use a more significant security voltage. Specifically, the transistor  204  may burn out and damage the security validation circuit  2  if by way thereof a significant voltage returns upstream. Moreover, the bias voltage V DD  is of the order of 12 volts whereas the security voltage V sec  is of the order of 48 volts, these voltages being moreover connected in a reverse manner, the potential differences across the terminals of the resistors  202  and  203  may reach 60 volts, this leading to a relatively significant and unnecessary energy dissipation. 
   The circuit of  FIG. 4  corresponds to another variant which exhibits various advantages. The bias voltage V DD  is applied to the conductors  100  and  101  by way of a single resistor  202  but only when the switching circuit  102  is supposed to be open. The switching diode  201  is here replaced with a Zener diode  301  intended, when biased, to guarantee a maximum voltage across the terminals of the branch consisting of the photodiode  108  and of a phototransistor  304  replacing the transistor  204 . 
   The code is provided here by way of an optocoupler  302  which comprises an emission photodiode  303  and a reception phototransistor  304 . In order to prevent a current from crossing the load, a biasing diode  310  is placed between the two conductors  100  and  101  at the level of their outputs. The biasing diode  310  is biased so that it is disabled when the security voltage V sec  is applied to the conductors  100  and  101 . When the bias voltage V DD  is applied to the conductors  100  and  101 , the biasing diode  310  becomes enabled. 
   The switching circuit  102  and an MOS transistor circuit coupled to the command signal by way of an optocoupler  320 . The outgoing signal leaving the optocoupler  320  commands an MOS transistor  321 , itself commanding an MOS transistor  322 . The MOS transistor  322  ensuring the connecting or the disconnecting of the conductor  100  with the supply voltage V + . An MOS transistor  323  coupled to a resistor  324  also receives the same command signal as the MOS transistor  321 . Now, this assembly reverses the signal so as to command an MOS transistor  325  which links the supply voltage V DD−  to the conductor  100  by way of the resistor  202 . The supply voltage V DD+  is connected directly to the supply voltage V − . With such a circuit, the manner of operation is globally the same as the previous operation. However, the consumption of the resistor  202  is found to be greatly reduced, by virtue of the breaker thus constituted which establishes the link between the conductor  100  and the supply voltage V DD−  when the command signal is in the first state and which disconnects this supply voltage V DD−  from said conductor  100  when the command signal is in the second state. 
   Among other advantages, any possible overvoltage at the level of the photodiode  108  is found to be limited by the Zener diode  301 . The use of an optocoupler  302  and  320  makes it possible to have excellent galvanic isolation at the level, on the one hand, of the command input and, on the other hand, of the code input. 
   However, the circuit may still be improved. The biasing diode  310  may behave as a freewheel diode with respect to an inductive load. The Zener diode  301  is found to be relatively expensive if one wishes that it ensure good switching performance and that it be traversed by a strong current when it is forward biased. 
   A drawback may be that a short-circuit occurs downstream of the output of the conductor  100 , for example a short-circuit with the output of another energized conductor could be envisaged in certain cases. Detection on a single conductor does not make it possible to circumvent such a case. 
   The circuit of  FIG. 5  represents a still improved variant. In the circuit of  FIG. 5 , the conductor  100  is furnished with a verification circuit  401  and the conductor  101  is furnished with a verification circuit  402 . The transmission of a binary command signal is done by way of the switching circuit  102  which switches the supply voltage V +  with the aid of the MOS transistor  322 . The biasing of the verification circuits  401  and  402  with the aid of the bias voltage V DD  linked to the conductors  100  and  101  is done by way of a resistor  202  and the MOS transistor  325  operating in reverse manner with respect to the MOS transistor  322 . The biasing diode  310  placed between the conductors  100  and  101  is biased so as to be enabled in relation to the bias voltage V DD  and disabled in relation to the security voltage V sec , serves to ensure the biasing of the verification circuits  401  and  402  without passing through the load (not represented). In order to prevent this biasing diode  310  from behaving as a freewheel diode, an auto-switching circuit  410  is placed between the output terminals of said conductors  100  and  101  so as to connect or disconnect the conductor  101  of a load linked to said conductor  101 . 
   The autoswitching circuit  410  consists, for example, of an MOS transistor  411  a control gate of which is linked to the midpoint of a voltage divider bridge consisting of the resistors  412  and  413 . When the voltage across the terminals of the bridge of resistors  412  and  413  corresponds to the security voltage, the voltage across the terminals of the resistor  413  is greater than a threshold voltage of the MOS transistor  411  which then links the conductor  101  of the link. When the voltage across the terminals of the bridge of resistors  412  and  413  corresponds to a voltage which is zero or less than a threshold voltage of the transistor  411 , the latter is then disabled and the conductor  101  is then disconnected from the load. 
   The verification circuits  401  and  402  are of a similar type. However, they operate in a reverse manner with respect to one another so as to recover, on the one hand, an output representative of the code and, on the other hand, an output representative of the code reversed. For this purpose, the code is provided on two differential code inputs, denoted CODE 1  and CODE 2 , which each receive a different signal of pseudo-random type. 
   The verification circuit  401  comprises a diode device inserted onto the conductor  100 . The diode device here consists of a switching diode  420  coupled in parallel with a Zener diode  421 . The coupling of the Zener diode  421  with the switching diode  420  has the effect of having all the advantages of a Zener diode as regards the biasing of the circuit as indicated previously with the circuit of  FIG. 4  as well as all the advantages of a switching diode in terms of significant current and switching time. Furthermore, a switching diode generally has a threshold voltage that is lower than a threshold voltage of a Zener diode, thereby causing the switching diode  420  to disable the Zener diode  421  when this diode  420  is enabled, thus preventing unnecessary fatigue to the Zener diode  421 . 
   An optocoupler  422  comprising an emission photodiode  423  and a phototransistor  424  serves to provide the conductor  100  with the verification code. The photodiode  423  is coupled to the inputs CODE 1  and CODE 2 , in a first direction of biasing by way of a resistor  425  serving to adjust the current passing through the photodiode  423 . An optocoupler  426  comprising an emission photodiode  427  and a reception phototransistor  428  serves to read the verification code on the conductor  100  so as to provide it to a code output denoted CODE 3 . The photodiode  427  is connected to the terminals of the assembly of diodes  420  and  421  by way of the phototransistor  424 . The diodes  420 ,  421  and  427  are biased so that, when the switching diode  420  is in an enabled state, the photodiode  427  is in a necessarily disabled state. In the absence of the security voltage V sec , the switching diode  420  is disabled, the Zener diode  421  limits the voltage across the terminals of the branch consisting of the phototransistor  424  and of the photodiode  427 , and when the phototransistor  424  is disabled, the Zener diode  421  furthermore ensures the biasing of the verification circuit  402 . A resistor  429  biases the phototransistor  428  so as to be able to recover a signal on the code output CODE 3 . 
   The verification circuit  402  comprises a diode device inserted onto the conductor  101 . The diode device consists here of a switching diode  430  coupled in parallel with a Zener diode  431 . An optocoupler  432  comprising an emission photodiode  433  and a phototransistor  434  serves to provide the conductor  101  with the verification code. The photodiode  433  is coupled to the inputs CODE 1  and CODE 2 , in a second direction of biasing by way of the resistor  425  serving to adjust the current passing through said photodiode. It should be noted that the resistor  425  is sized only for a single photodiode since the photodiodes  423  and  433  are shown head-to-tail and therefore only one can be enabled. 
   An optocoupler  436  comprising an emission photodiode  437  and a reception phototransistor  438  serves to read the verification code on the conductor  101  so as to provide it to a code output denoted CODE 4 . The photodiode  437  is connected across the terminals of the assembly of diodes  430  and  431  by way of the phototransistor  434 . The diodes  430 ,  431  and  437  are biased so that, when the diode  430  is in an enabled state, the diode  437  is found to be in a necessarily disabled state. A resistor  439  biases the phototransistor  438  so as to be able to recover a signal on the output CODE 4 . 
   The photodiodes  423  and  433  being reverse biased, the bias circuits  401  and  402  operate in a complementary manner. The effect of this is to have different output laws for the outputs CODE 3  and CODE 4 . 
   In the case where one wishes to despatch an active command, that is to say in a permissive state, the command signal is set to 1. This command signal biases the photodiode  330  of the optocoupler  320  by way of the resistor  331 . The photodiode  330  emits luminous radiation towards the phototransistor  332  of the optocoupler  320  thereby enabling it. The resistors  333  and  334  are then traversed by a current. The voltage across the terminals of the resistor  334  then becomes equal to the product of this current times its resistance. The value of this resistance  334  is chosen such that, traversed by this current, the voltage at these terminals is sufficient for the MOS transistors  321  and  323  to be enabled. The MOS transistor  323  being enabled, a current flows through the resistor  324  and the gate voltage of the MOS transistor  325  is found to be almost zero, thus disabling this MOS transistor  325  which prevents the supply voltage V DD−  from being provided to the conductor  100 . The MOS transistor  321  being enabled, the latter causes a current to cross the resistors  336  and  337 . These resistors  336  and  337  thus create a resistor bridge between the supply voltage V + and the supply voltage V DD− . It should be noted that, V DD+  being linked to V − , this voltage is equal to the sum of the bias voltage V DD  and of the security voltage V sec , in our example 60 V. The resistors  336  and  337  thus form a resistor bridge which applies a non-zero voltage between the gate and the source of the MOS transistor  322 , thereby enabling it. The conductor  100  is then connected to the supply voltage V + . The resistors  412  and  413  of the autoswitching device  410  create a non-zero potential between the gate and the source of the MOS transistor  411  closing the latter. Thus, the command is despatched. The switching diodes  420  and  430  are enabled and the current flows through a load (not represented). The load is then energized by a voltage substantially equal to the security voltage V sec . The switching diodes  420  and  430  being enabled, the photodiodes  427  and  437  can in no case be enabled, the outputs CODE 3  and CODE 4  are both equal to the supply voltage V CC  independently of the code that is despatched on the inputs CODE 1  and CODE 2 . 
   When the command signal is equal to 0, the photodiode  330  is disabled and emits no signal. The phototransistor  332  is then disabled. The gate voltages of the MOS transistors  321  and  333  are brought back to the source potential of said MOS transistors  321  and  323  by way of the resistor  334 , thus disabling said MOS transistors  321  and  323 . The gate voltage of the MOS transistor  322  is brought back to the potential of its source by way of the resistor  337 , thus disabling the MOS transistor  322 . Automatically, the voltage in the resistor bridge  412  and  413  of the autoswitching device  410  becomes zero disabling the MOS transistor  411  which opens the circuit and disconnects the load from the conductor  101 . The MOS transistor  323  being disabled, the gate/source voltage of the MOS transistor  325  is equal to the bias voltage V DD  thus enabling this transistor  325 , this having the effect of linking the supply voltage V DD−  to the conductor  100  by way of the resistor  202 . This bias being reversed for the switching diodes  420  and  430  and Zener diodes  421  and  431  and being forward for said diode  306 , a bias path is established between V DD+  and V DD−  which is then constituted by the Zener diode  431 , the biasing diode  310 , the Zener diode  321  and the resistor  202 . 
   When the input CODE 1  is at a positive voltage and the input CODE 2  is at a zero voltage, the photodiode  423  is biased by the resistor  425  and becomes light emitting towards the phototransistor  424 , enabling the photodiode  427  which emits towards the phototransistor  428  which links the output CODE 3  to earth. Simultaneously, the photodiode  433  is reverse biased, thus disabling the transistor  434  which disables the photodiode  437  and hence also the phototransistor  438 . The output CODE 4  then provides a positive voltage. The branch consisting of the phototransistor  434  and of the photodiode  437  being disabled, the bias current flows through the Zener diode  431  which ensures the regulation at its terminals of the potential at most equal to its Zener voltage. 
   When the input CODE 1  is at a zero voltage and the input CODE 2  is at a positive voltage, the photodiode  433  is biased by the resistor  425  and becomes light emitting towards the phototransistor  424 , enabling the photodiode  437  which emits towards the phototransistor  438  which links the output CODE 4  to earth. Simultaneously, the photodiode  423  is found to be reverse biased, thus disabling the transistor  424  which disables the photodiode  427  and hence also the phototransistor  428 . The output CODE 3  then provides a positive voltage. The branch consisting of the phototransistor  424  and of the photodiode  427  being disabled, the bias current flows through the Zener diode  421  which ensures the regulation at its terminals of the potential at most equal to its Zener voltage. 
   When the inputs CODE 1  and CODE 2  are at the same potential, positive or zero voltage, the photodiodes  423  and  433  are both disabled. The phototransistors  424  and  434  are then disabled as are the photodiodes  427  and  437  and the phototransistors  428  and  438 . The outputs CODE 3  and CODE 4  then provide a positive voltage. The law of the outputs CODE 3  and CODE 4  may be expressed thus: 
   
     
       
         
           
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                     2 
                   
                   _ 
                 
               
             
             _ 
           
         
       
     
     
       
         
           
             CODE 
             ⁢ 
             
                 
             
             ⁢ 
             4 
           
           = 
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     
                       CODE 
                       ⁢ 
                       
                           
                       
                       ⁢ 
                       1 
                     
                     _ 
                   
                   · 
                   CODE 
                 
                 ⁢ 
                 
                     
                 
                 ⁢ 
                 2 
               
               _ 
             
             . 
           
         
       
     
   
   The despatching of the verification code is done by a successive despatching of 0 or 1 bits which translates into a positive, negative or zero potential difference between the inputs CODE 1  and CODE 2 . This alternation of bits produces, within the framework of normal operation, the outputs CODE 3  and CODE 4  according to the law expressed previously, when a security stage is requested by the command signal. It should be noted that if the inputs CODE 1  and CODE 2  are complementary to one another, the outputs CODE 3  and CODE 4  will also be complementary to one another. 
   In case of malfunction during a command in the security state which corresponds to despatching no power signal to the load, several phenomena may occur. A first failure may be a sticking of the MOS transistor  322  which, for example, would have burnt out following an overheat and would become a short circuit. Regardless of the command voltage, the load would be permanently connected to the security voltage V sec . In this case, the diodes  420  and  430  are necessarily enabled and systematically prevent the photodiodes  427  and  437  from being enabled, it is not possible, in this case, to recover code on one of the outputs CODE 3  or CODE 4 . Likewise, if the transistor  322  operates correctly and sticking originating from a short-circuit downstream of the secure output interface occurs and energizes the load, a current passing through just one of the conductors would give rise for this conductor to the zeroing of the corresponding output signal. In case of failure of one of the verification circuits  401  or  402 , the corresponding code output would necessarily be set either to 0, or to 1 and would be unable to retransmit the verification code which is associated with it. The security validation circuit  2  despatches the verification codes and recovers the signals originating from the outputs CODE 3  and CODE 4 . If the outputs do not comply with the codes despatched, the security validation circuit  2  reckons that the outputs are no longer secure and hence cuts off the security supply of the whole system. 
   The invention is described within the application framework of a secure command circuit for a vehicle. The invention is not limited to an application limited to a vehicle but to all types of use requiring a secure command circuit integrating an output interface that is itself secure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7