A high reliability, high voltage electronically controllable switch is created from a combination of relays of different types, with different characteristics, such as an electromechanical relay and an optoelectronic relay. The relays are closed and/or opened in accordance with a sequence that avoids actuating an electromechanical relay of such a compound switch to close or open under conditions that degrade the operating life of the electromechanical relay, even if the compound switch is hot switched under high voltage conditions. The switching sequence ends with the relays in a state that provides low on resistance, low crosstalk, low capacitance and/or low leakage. The switch can be relatively compact, enabling construction of an instrument serving as a switch matrix for an automatic test system.
Eric Paul Bergeron - Melrose MA, US Damain John Megna - Framingham MA, US John Anson Whealler - Cohasset MA, US
International Classification:
G01R 35/00 G01R 29/00
US Classification:
324601, 324 7611, 324105
Abstract:
Circuitry includes a circuit path that corresponds to a channel of system for testing a device, an element in the circuit path, a first device to measure an electrical parameter associated with the element, a second device to obtain an error signal associated with the channel, and a feedback path electrically connected to the second device to pass the error signal or another signal.