MULTICHANNEL POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

摘要

A multichannel power distribution system (10, 30) for individually controlling power from a source to a plurality of loads (18) has individual power control devices (88) and at least one logic stage (48) responsive to status signals to impose preselected operational characteristics on the devices (88). In one embodiment, isolation circuitry (40) is provided between the power control devices (88) and the logic stage (48). The isolation circuitry (40) then includes a modulator (38) for converting the status signal to a status pulse train of modulated pulse width, and the logic stage (48) includes decoder logic (50, 52) for measuring the pulse width of the status pulse train. In another embodiment, the logic stage (48) is programmable to alter the operational characteristics of the devices (88) in response to external inputs.