An isolation system is provided that is suitable for use in telephony,
medical instrumentation, industrial process control and other
applications. Preferred embodiments of the invention comprise a
capacitive isolation barrier across which a digital signal is
communicated. The system provides a means of communication across the
isolation barrier that is highly immune to amplitude and phase noise
interference. Clock recovery circuitry may be employed on one side of the
isolation barrier to extract timing information from the digital signal
communicated across the barrier, and to filter the effects of phase noise
introduced at the barrier. Delta-sigma converters may be disposed on both
sides of the isolation barrier to convert signals between analog and
digital domains. An isolated power supply may also be provided on the
isolated side of the barrier, whereby direct current is generated in
response to the digital data received across the isolation barrier.
Finally, a bidirectional isolation system is provided whereby
bidirectional communication of digital signals is accomplished using a
single pair of isolation capacitors. In preferred embodiments, the
digital data communicated across the barrier consists of digital
delta-sigma data signals multiplexed in time with other digital control,
signaling and framing information.