Patent ID: 6943540

Claim:
An arrangement for monitoring multiple channel solenoid currents comprising: a plurality of solenoid coils; a plurality of electrical switching devices, each of said switching devices connected to one end of one of said solenoid coils to form a plurality of separately controllable solenoid coil assemblies, said plurality of solenoid coil assemblies being connected in parallel to define first and second common electrical points for said plurality of solenoid coil assemblies, said first common electrical point being adapted to be connected to a first side of a current supply; a plurality of re-circulating diodes, each of said diodes associated with one of said solenoid coils and connected across said associated solenoid coil and operative, upon interruption of current flowing through said associated coil, to re-circulate said current through said coil; and a single current measurement element having a first end connected to said second common electrical point of said plurality of separately controllable solenoid coil assemblies, said current measurement element also having a second end adapted to be connected directly to a second side of said current supply, whereby the current flowing through each one of said solenoid coils can be individually measured.